The German-Filipino William Schaare, who built the old musical dancing fountain at the pool in the 1960s, handled its restoration. Among the other things that were restored were the Flower Clock (now known as the World-Class Filipino Bloom), the Noli Me Tangere Garden and the Luzviminda Boardwalk, which were opened just in time for the 150th birthday celebration of Jose Rizal. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rizal Park was temporarily closed to the public in March 2020. The COVID-19 community quarantine measures allowed the NDPC to rehabilitate the park. Select sites within the park were later opened. The Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital was also built in the park's Burnham Green, as a temporary facility. Notable events February 18, 1981. The Beatification Mass of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions it is considered the first beatification ceremony ever held outside the Vatican in Church history during the Apostolic visit of Pope John Paul II. Various mass protests were held during 1986 as opposition to the rule of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. . This culminated into the People Power Revolution. January 15, 1995. The closing Mass of the 10th World Youth Day 1995 was held here attended by more than 10 million people. This is the record gathering of the Roman Catholic Church. June 12, 1998. The Philippine Centennial Celebrations featured a Grand Centennial Parade culminating in a fireworks display emanating from ships in Manila Bay that was the most expensive ever produced in the country at the time. Rizal Park had over five million celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the Philippine Declaration of Independence. December 31, 1999 – January 1, 2000. The turn-of-the-century celebration was held here attended by more than 500,000 people. October 10, 2004. The special episode of SOP for the Kapuso Victory Party. It was held and aired on GMA Network. November 27, 2005. Rizal Park was the venue of the opening ceremony for the 2005 Southeast Asian Games at the Quirino Grandstand. It was held at an open-air park instead of a stadium, a historic first for a Southeast Asian games' opening ceremony. It was again used on December 5, 2005, for the games' closing ceremony. August 23, 2010. The park was the site of the 11-hour hostage crisis where a Hong Thai Travel Services tour group on a coach was hijacked by Rolando Mendoza, causing 9 casualties (including Mendoza) and 9 injuries. August 22–26, 2013. The Million