Sentro Rizal Sydney was established through a collaboration with the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, pursuant to the Philippine National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.
The Sentro Rizal is a Philippine government-sponsored organization whose main objective is the global promotion of Filipino art, culture and language.
Established by virtue of the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, its headquarters is located at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) office in Intramuros, Manila. Sentro Rizal aims to promote Philippine arts, culture, and language throughout the world through the establishment of Philippine centres in various countries which initiate and organize cultural training programs and activities for overseas Filipinos.
In celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Jose Rizal, The National Commission for Culture and the Arts formally established the Philippine’s very first Sentro Rizal at the NCCA Building in Intramuros, Manila on June 28, 2011.
The inauguration ceremony was witnessed by NCCA Board of Commissioners, diplomats, National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose and the keynote speaker of the said event, Senator Edgardo J. Angara.
Sentro Rizal was recognized by virtue of Section 42 of Republic Act 10066 known as the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 which specifies a center “ whose main purpose is the promotion of Philippine arts, culture and language throughout the world.”
Moreover, Section 43 of the same law, states that the SR “shall be a repository, inter alia, of materials on Philippine arts, culture and language: books, digital video discs, compact discs, films, magazines, artworks, tourism promotion materials, information materials, etc. that shall be made available to the public, both Filipino and foreign”. SR shall also organize cultural programs and activities for Filipinos, especially for children overseas, to promote appreciation and understanding of Philippine culture and the arts.