There is a controversy lately among the people of Calamba, Laguna regarding the decision of the local government to paint the ancestral house of the Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, green.
For all those who are curious, here's a picture of Rizal's house painted green. Sorry for the poor image photo, it was just taken from a camera phone and enlarged:
And just in case you're wondering how Rizal's house looked like before, here's the original color of the house. This photo is taken with a DSLR, thus the great image:
According to the Cultural Center of the Philippines, where the order to paint Rizal's house green came from:
"The reason for painting Rizal’s house green highlights and informs visitors of the meaning of his surname. Following the 1849 Claveria decree giving surnames to Filipinos for tax and census purposes, the Rizals who were also known by their other surname Mercado (market) chose 'Risal' from the 'Catalogo alfabetico de apellidos.'
The word comes from the Spanish 'ricial' which describes a green field ready for harvest. It was hoped that after asking, 'Why is Rizal’s house green?' the visitor will get a relevant answer: the green hues are meant to honor the memory of the Rizal family and their way of life."
What's your opinion on this issue? Is it okay or not? What color should Rizal's house be?
June 20, 2009
Photo: Green House of Rizal