Fil-Am community rebuilds Jose Rizal Park destroyed by vandals

Screengrab from KING 5 Seattle/YouTube

Members of the Filipino American community in Seattle have come together to restore the Jose Rizal Park, which was destroyed by vandals late last year.

In October 2024, vandals pried off several bronze plaques, including one holding a time capsule, from Dr. Jose Rizal’s monument in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood.

To raise funds for the restoration project, the Fil-Am community and the nonprofit Rizal Park and Bridge Preservation Society (RPBPS) organized a benefit concert, titled “Rizal Rhythms,” at Rainier Arts Center on Feb. 7.

The concert featured Filipina jazz vocalist Charito and other local Fil-Am artists.

Tess Guerzon, a board member of the RPBPS, said the packed event was comparable to a “Bruno Mars concert.” 

Extending her gratitude to those who attended the concert, Guerzon posted on social media, “Your support of the Rizal Park and Bridge Preservation Society event was much appreciated!”

The City’s Parks and Recreation Department initially promised to replace the stolen plaques, according to the concert organizers, but “nothing has been started or communicated for months.”

“We need improvements,” Guerzon told Fox 13. “We need speed bumps, gates, surveillance measures and the vandalized structures repaired. This is the first of many events we’re hosting to repair and upgrade the park.”

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When asked about a timeline for restoring the park, a department spokesperson said in a statement they have to “first determine if there is a better alternative material (other than bronze) and assess a budget and timeline.”

“We do not have enough information to determine a potential restoration plan at this time but join the community in a desire to see all our parks preserved and maintained in ways that ensure public safety and safety to park assets, such as plaques, artworks, facilities etc. We are working with community on the next steps,” the statement said.