Official Website of BatangRizal (Laguna) Organization


Institution And Aspirations


There is a town named Rizal in the  Province of  Laguna—an almost forgotten fifth-class municipality that is often confused with the urbanized and popular Rizal province. Being named after our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, who would have thought that this town will have a municipal “identity crisis”, being an unknown entity within the province. Because of that a website/blog promoting the town’s Agri-Eco-Tourism as well as its historical heritage was created, the http://batangrizal.wordpress.com.

Surprisingly, the website does not only served as a promotional material but its presence also satisfied the yearnings of the Rizalians in the different parts of the Philippines and also around the globe for the latest happenings and updates in their beloved hometown. It became a vital link where success, concerns and sympathy are shared to one another.

This sharing among the Rizalians did not stop in the World Wide Web. It became dynamic when a group of concerned people felt the need to help the new generation of Rizalians become achievers like the many children it has produced through the years. But with the present educational achievement of the children, this vision seems to be bleak. This concern became the catalyst that brought forth to the birth of BATANGRIZAL ORGANIZATION (BRO) a dynamic, patriotic, civic organization on February 1, 2009. The group adopted its name from the BatangRizal website because the name gives the members a sense of belongingness and pride for being offspring of  the little town of Rizal.

It focuses its programs and services for the development of the Rizalian community as a whole, in part with this would be on the educational aspect, and the municipality of Rizal, Laguna through promotional activities. Its vision includes seeing self-reliant children, families and communities, empowered by a strong belief in the worth and dignity as a Rizalian and promoting the municipality to the highest degree. Its mission: to uplift and enhance the dignity and self-worth of the children, and the youth and the whole citizenry, to undertake responsive and effective programs and services and to strengthen the financial and technical capability of the organization and linkages with GO’s, NGO’s and donor agencies.
Young as it is, BRO has already shown its support to the “Adopt-a-School Program” under the Republic Act 8525 of the national government by having successfully donated a Hewlett Packard 3-in-1 Scanner-Copier-Printerto four schools in the municipality as well as to the yearly “Brigada Eskwela” Program of the Department of Education. To date, the organization is on a mission of promoting the BatangRizal t-shirt dubbed as “Ang Pang-Bayang T-shirt ng Rizal, Laguna” and have been successful to label BatangRizal Hymn (originally composed by BRO Abraham Formales) as “Ang Pang-Bayang Awit ng Rizal, Laguna” under the Municipal Ordinance 02-02-2011 of the Sangguniang Bayan of Rizal, Laguna and Resolution No. 263-T.2011 passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Laguna.
To further its services and to have more organized programs, BRO had formed different divisions or sub-groups. The new set-up gave rise to the formation of:

 

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BRO also formed BatangRizal Production Team (BRProduction) - the POWER OF MEDIA. One thing that makes BatangRizal Production unique is that not all organizations are able to form such group of dedicated and talented people from different sectors and age groups who are willing to render their services in promoting the municipality. Being born in a town named after our National Hero, these members give BR Production its willingness and heart of patriotism to share their God-given talents – Talents that Dr. Jose P. Rizal possessed.


BRO is also responsible for doing the “FIRST’s” activities and events ever to happen within the municipality. These include:

FIRST  BR Medallion, an award given to a BR member who achieved the highest academic achievement during his/her stay in their respective schools. It has been given continuously for two consecutive years.

FIRST  Tayak Hill Commemoration, a major event initiated by the BatangRizal Organization held to reminisce the history at the same time the significance of Tayak Hill, Landing Point and Camp Bakod na Bato at Rizal, Laguna on February 22. Reviving the history of the places through re-enactments of specific events involved during the Second World War such as war drills at Tayak Hill and the Landing Point which involved the whole Rizalian community and furnished them a sense of pride and inspiration for which gave way for the long “identity crisis” of Rizal, Laguna finally be solved.
 
FIRST  Kite Festival, an activity composed of two categories: the Barangay and Open Category of which specific criteria were prepared for judging. In addition to this, BatangRizal Organization had chosen a kite designed as L-4 Piper Plane for the Barangay Level, to commemorate one major historical event held at the so-called “The Landing Point”. It is not just a contest to compete but an opportunity for Rizalians to bond with family and showcase their skills in making quality and colourful kites.

FIRST  Freedom Climb, an annual event wherein mountaineers and outdoor enthusiasts from different parts of the country join forces to summit different climbing destinations concurrently. But for this year, the national organizers of the Freedom Climb come up with something that has never been done before. This is to create a new criterion in the Guinness Book of World Records and set a global record for – THE MOST PEOPLE TO SUMMIT DIFFERENT PEAKS with a timeframe of 24-hours. It has been authorized to use the “Guinness World Records” trademark under Claim ID: 339189.

FIRST  RHU-BRO Concert for a Cause, the affair of which has been one of the biggest and remarkable events in the history of Rizal as of this moment. And hopefully this event will just serve as the start of new highlights in terms of showcasing local talents and providing performances taken into the next level.
       
The principles posted a century ago by our National Hero are not out dated and should not be out dated in our times. It is now more than ever that his ideals be seen in the lives of everyone. It is what BatangRizal Organization is all about: a sense of nationalism, volunteerism, sharing, inspiring, developing one’s self to be beneficial to others, understanding, striving, and practicing gratitude to GOD for what He has endowed to us. Every BatangRizal bears this quote of Dr. Rizal in his heart, “It is a useless life that is not consecrated to a great ideal. It is, like a stone wasted on the field without becoming a part of any ‘edifice’, in the performance of the duty he has put in himself. It is also the challenge of the organization to every individual born in Rizal, Laguna to live a life that is consecrated to the welfare of his fellowmen.
Rizal, Laguna
Establishments