The 5-foot high mopnument was built in the early 1900's in cooperation of then American governor-General William Howard Taft thru the funds raised by public subscription to honor the Philippine patriot and hero Dr. Jose P. Riza. Rizal's Statue which was completed in 1912, was cast in Switzerland under the supervision of Richard Kissling; stood on a rhombic base of solid granite blocks below an obelisk.