RIZAL LAW

Republic Act No. 1425

House Bill No. 5561

Senate Bill No. 438

An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and Private Schools, Colleges and Universities courses on the Life
Works and Writings of JOSE RIZAL, particularly his novels NOLI ME TANGERE and EL FILIBUSTERISMO,
Authorizing the Printing and Distribution Thereof, and for Other Purposes.

 Whereas, today, more than other period of our history, there is a need for a re-dedication to the ideals of
freedom and nationalism for which our heroes lived and died.

 Whereas, it is meet that in honoring them, particularly the national hero and patriot, Jose Rizal, we remember
with special fondness and devotion their lives and works that have shaped the national character;

 Whereas, the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo,
are a constant and inspiring source of patriotism with which the minds of the youth, especially during their
formative and decisive years in school, should be suffused.

 Whereas, all educational institutions are under the supervision of, and subject to regulation by the State, and all
schools are enjoined to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience, and to teach the duties of
citizenship; Now therefore,

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled

SEC.1 Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo,
shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public or private; Provided, That in the collegiate
courses, the original or unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their English translations
shall be used as basic texts.

The Board of National Education is hereby authorized and directed to adopt forthwith measures to implement and carry
out the provisions of this Section, including the writing and printing of appropriate primers, readers and textbooks. The
Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act promulgate rules and regulations, including those of a
disciplinary nature, to carry out and enforce the regulations of this Act. The Board shall promulgate rules and regulations
providing for the exemption of students for reason of religious belief stated in a sworn written statement, from the
requirement of the provision contained in the second part of the first paragraph of this section; but not from taking the
course provided for in the first part of said paragraph. Said rules and regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after their
publication in the Official Gazette.

SEC.2 It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep in their libraries an adequate number of
copies of the original and expurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as Rizal’s other works
and biography. The said unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their translations in
English as well as other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books for required reading in all public or
private schools, colleges and universities. The Board of National Education shall determine the adequacy of the number
of books, depending upon the enrollment of the school, college or university.

SEC.3 The Board of National education shall cause the translation of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well
as other writings of Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them to be printed in
cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the
Purok organizations and the Barrio Councils throughout the country.
SEC.4 Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amending or repealing section nine hundred twenty-seven of the
Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers and other persons
engaged in any public school.

SEC.5 The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any fund not otherwise
appropriated in the National Treasury to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SEC.6 This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

As JUNE 12, 1956, R.A. 1425 has been approved during the presidency of former President Ramon Magsaysay.

SENATOR CLARO M.RECTO- Father of R.A 1425.

The first section of the law concerns mandating the students to read Rizal’s novels. The last two sections involve
making Rizal’s writings accessible to the general public—they require the schools to have a sufficient number of copies in
their libraries and mandate the publication of the works in major Philippine languages.

Jose P. Laurel, then senator who co-wrote the law, explained that since Jose Rizal was the founder of the country’s
nationalism and had significantly contributed to the current condition of the nation, it is only right that Filipinos, especially
the youth, know about and learn to imbibe the great ideals for which the hero died. Accordingly, the Rizal Law aims to
accomplish the following goals:

1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes lived and died

2. To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping the Filipino character

3. To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s life, works, and writings.

The Importance of Studying Rizal

The academic subject on the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal was not mandated by law for nothing. Far from being
impractical, the course interestingly offers many benefits that some contemporary academicians declare that the subject,
especially when taught properly, is more beneficial than many subjects in various curricula.

The following are just some of the significance of the academic subject:

1. The subject provides insights on how to deal with current problems

There is a dictum, “He who controls the past controls the future.” Our view of history forms the manner we perceive the
present, and therefore influences the kind of solutions we provide for existing problems. Jose Rizal course, as a history
subject, is full of historical information from which one could base his decisions in life. In various ways, the subject, for
instance, teaches that being educated is a vital ingredient for a person or country to be really free and successful.

2. It helps us understand better ourselves as Filipinos

The past helps us understand who we are. We comprehensively define ourselves not only in terms of where we are going,
but also where we come from. Our heredity, past behaviors, and old habits as a nation are all significant clues and
determinants to our present situation. Interestingly, the life of a very important national historical figure like Jose Rizal
contributes much to shedding light on our collective experience and identity as Filipino. The good grasp of the past offered
by this subject would help us in dealing wisely with the present.

3. It teaches nationalism and patriotism

Nationalism involves the desire to attain freedom and political independence, especially by a country under foreign power,
while patriotism denotes proud devotion and loyalty to one’s nation. Jose Rizal’s life, works, and writings—especially his
novels—essentially, if not perfectly, radiate these traits. For one thing, the subject helps us to understand our country
better.
4. It provides various essential life lessons

We can learn much from the way Rizal faced various challenges in life. As a controversial figure in his time, he
encountered serious dilemmas and predicaments but responded decently and high-mindedly. Through the crucial
decisions he made in his life, we can sense his priorities and convictions which manifest how noble,

selfless, and great the national hero was. For example, his many resolutions exemplified the aphorism that in this life
there are things more important than personal feeling and happiness.

5. It helps in developing logical and critical thinking

Critical Thinking refers to discerning, evaluative, and analytical thinking. A Philosophy major, Jose Rizal unsurprisingly
demonstrated his critical thinking skills in his argumentative essays, satires, novels, speeches, and written debates. In
deciding what to believe or do, Rizal also proved his being a reasonably reflective thinker, never succumbing to the
irrational whims and baseless opinions of anyone. In fact, he indiscriminately evaluated and criticized even the doctrines
of the dominant religion of his time. A course on Rizal’s life, works, and writings therefore is also a lesson in critical
thinking.

6. Rizal can serve as a worthwhile model and inspiration to every Filipino

If one is looking for someone to imitate, then Rizal is a very viable choice. The hero’s philosophies, life principles,
convictions, thoughts, ideals, aspirations, and dreams are a good influence to anyone. Throughout his life, he valued
nationalism and patriotism, respect for parents, love for siblings, and loyalty to friends, and maintained a sense of chivalry.
As a man of education, he highly regarded academic excellence, logical and critical thinking, philosophical and scientific
inquiry, linguistic study, and cultural research. As a person, he manifested versatility and flexibility while sustaining a
strong sense of moral uprightness.

7. The subject is a rich source of entertaining narratives

People love fictions and are even willing to spend for books or movie tickets just to be entertained by made-up tales. But
only a few perhaps know that Rizal’s life is full of fascinating non-fictional accounts.

HERO- is a person admired for achievements and noble qualities and a prominent or central personage taking an
admirable action.

-Honored after death because of his/her exceptional service to mankind.

- A person who did an heroic act to people or in nation.

QUALITIES OF A HERO
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered having a greater value or
claiming.
.
Determination
Determination is a fixed intention or resolution; a firmness of purpose or resolve.

Loyalty
Loyalty is the feeling of allegiance or the act of binding oneself to a course of action.

Courage
Courage is that firmness of spirit and swell of soul which meets danger without fear.

Dedication
Dedication is a selfless devotion; complete and whole hearted fidelity or the act of binding oneself to a course of
action.

Compassion
 A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for others who are stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong
desire/action to alleviate the suffering.

Valor
Valor is courage exhibited in war, and cannot be applied to single combats.

Selfless
Selfless is the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others and acting with less concern for yourself.

Conviction
Conviction is a fixed or strong belief; a necessity of the mind or an unshakable belief.

Gallantry
Gallantry is adventurous courage, which courts danger with a high and cheerful spirit.

Perseverance
Perseverance is a persistent determination.

Fortitude
Fortitude has often been styled "passive courage," and consists in the habit of encountering danger and enduring
pain with a steadfast and unbroken spirit.

Bravery
Bravery is daring and impetuous courage, like that of one who has the reward continually in view, and displays his
courage in daring acts.

Flaw
A fault, often concealed, that mars the perfection of something. This imperfection often causes vulnerability

NATIONALISM PATRIOTISM
 consists in showing interest in the unification of a  consists in developing love for a nation based on its
nation based on cultural and linguistic equanimity values and beliefs
 Gives a feeling that one’s country is superior to  Does not pave the way for enmity towards other
another in every aspect and hence it is often nations but on the other hand strengthen the
described as the worst enemy of peace according admiration towards one’s own country.
to the great thinker George Orwell.
 rooted in rivalry and hatred  rooted in affection
 It works from the base of enmity.  works from the base of peace
 nationalist believes that his country is better than  Believes that his country is one of the best and that
any other country it can advance in many fields with effort and hard
work
 considers that the people belonging to his own  Considered a common property and is construed
country alone are important equal all over the world.
 Aggressive in its concept.  expresses the love of an individual towards his
country in a passive way

THE WORLD OF RIZAL TIME

 FEBRUARY 19. 1861- Four months before Rizal’s birth in Calamba, the liberal Czar Alexander II (1855-1881), to
appease the rising discontent of the Russian masses, issued a proclamation emancipating 22, 500, 000 serfs.

 JUNE 19, 1861- when Rizal was born, the American Civil War (1861-1865) was raging furiously in the United State over
the issue of Negro slavery. This titanic conflict, which is erupted on April 12, 1861, compelled President Lincoln to issue
his famous Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1863 freeing the Negro slaves.

 June 1, 1861- Benito Juarez, a full-blooded Zapotec Indian, was elected President of Mexico. In April 1862,
Emperor Napoleon III of the Second French Empire, in his imperialistic desire to secure a colonial stake in Latin
America, sent French troops which invaded and conquered Mexico. President Juarez, owing to the raging American Civil
War, could not obtain military aid from his friend, President Lincoln, but he continued to resist the French invaders with his
valiant Indian and Mexican freedom fighters.

 June 12, 1864- To consolidate his occupation of Mexico, Napoleon III installed Archduke Maximilian of Austria as
puppet emperor of Mexico at Mexico City.

 May 15, 1867- Finally, after the end of American Civil War, Juarez with U.S support, defeated Maximilian’s French
forces in the Battle of Queretaro and executed Emperor Maximilian on June 19, 1867.

In Rizal’s time two European nations (Italians and Germans) succeeded in unifying their own countries. The Italians under
the leadership of Count Cavour and of Garibaldi and his army of “Red Shirts” drove out the Austrians and French
armies from Italy and proclaimed the Kingdom of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel, with Rome as capital city.

 January 18, 1871- The Prussians led by Otto von Bismarck, the “Iron Chancellor”, defeated France in the “Franco-
Prussian War” and established the German Empire.

Emperor Napoleon III defeated again and the Second French Empire collapsed and over its ruins the Third French
Republic arose, with Adolph Thiers as first President.

 1837-1901- During the glorious reign of Queen Victoria, British people proudly asserted: “Britannia Rules the waves.
By winning the First Opium War (1840-1742) againts the tottering Chinese Empire under the Manchu Dynasty, she
acquired the island of Hong Kong (Fragrant Harbor). In the Second Opium War (1856- 1860), she won again and forced
the helpless Manchu Dynasty to cede Kowloon Peninsula opposite Hong Kong.

 1859- After suppressing the Indian Rebellion and dismantling the Mogul Empire, she imposed her raj (rule) over the
subcontinent of India (now consisting of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh).

 1824-1826, 1852, and 1885- She won the Anglo- Burmese War and she conquered Burma.

Other land in Asia which become British colonies were Ceylon ( Sri Lanka), Maldives, Aden, Malaya, Singapore, and
Egypt. Australia and New Zealand in South Pacific also became Bristish colonies.

 1858-1863- France, with the help of Filipino troops under Spanish officers, conquered Vietnam; annexed Colombia
(1863) and Laos (1893) ; and merged all these countries into a federated colony under the name of French Indochina.

In 17th century, after driving away from the Portuguese and Spaniard, the Dutch colonized this vast and rich archipelago
and named it the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia).

Czarist Russia turned eastward to Asia, conquering Siberia and later occupied Kamchatka, Kuriles, and Alaska (which
she sold in 1867 to US for $ 7, 200, 00).

 1865-1884- she conquered the Muslim Khanates of Bokhara, Khiva, and Kokand in Central Asia.

Czarist Russia joined England, France, and Germany in the dispoliation of the crumbling Chinese Empire, acquiring
Manchuria as " sphere of influence", thus enabling her to build the 5, 800 miles Trans-Siberian Railway, reputed to be "
the world longest railroad" linking Vladivostok and Moscow.

 July 8, 1853- an American squadron under the command of Commodore Matthew C. Perry re-opened Japan to the
world.

 1639-1853- Japan ended their 214- year isolation; Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito) modernized the country by freely
accepting Western influences, including imperialism.

 1894-1895- Japan join the Western imperialist power, began imperialist career by fighting weak China in the Sino-
Japanese War and grabbed Formosa (Taiwan) and Pescadores. And later in 1910 she annexed Korea.

 January 1871- The Germany should be recalled become a sovereign state and was late in the scramble for colonies in
Asia and Africa.
 August 25, 1885- A German warship, the Ilties, entered the harbor of Yap (an island in the Carolines), landing the
German marines who seized the island, hoisted the German flag and proclaimed the Carolines and Palaus archipelago as
colonies of Germany. Spanish Governor of Carolines (Don Enrique Capriles) was present in the island, with two Spanish
ships moored at its harbor, but due to cowardice or other reason, he did not offer resistance to the German aggression.

Spain claimed sovereignty over the Carolines and Palaus by right of discovery. The Island of Yap was discovered by the
Manila galleon pilot, Francisco Lezcano, who named it "Carolina" in honor of King Charles II (1665-1700) of Spain, which
name was applied to the other islands. Spanish-German grew critical. In Mandrid, the Spanish populace rose in violent
riots, demanding war againts Germany. To avert actual clash of arms, Spain and Germany submitted the Carolina
Questions to Pope Leo XIII for arbitration.

 October 22, 1885- The Holy father issued his decision and favoring Spain- recognizing Spain's sovereignty over the
Carolines and Palaus, but granting two concessions to Germany. (1) The right to trade in the disputed archipelagoes and
(2) the right to establish coaling station in Yap for the German navy.

Spain and Germany both accepted the Papal decision so that the Hispano-German War was aborted.

Rizal was in Barcelona visiting his friend Maximo Viola. At the same time he wrote an article on the Carolina Question
which was published in La Publicidad a newspaper owned by Don Miguel Morayta.

Spain that time become the "mistress of the world" and was stagnating as a world power.

Gone with the wind of time was the dalliance of the imperial glory of her vanished Siglo de Oro (Golden Age), Spain lost
their rich colonies in Latin America- Paraguay (1811), Argentina (1816), Chile (1817), Colombia and Ecuador (1819), The
Central American countries (Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua) in 1921, Venezuela (1822),
Peru (1824) and Bolivia and Uruguay (1854).

Spain never learned a lesson form these colonies. Spain continued a despotic rule in remaining overseas colonies,
including Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines.

The Philippines of Rizal's Times

During the times of Rizal, the sinister shadows of Spain's decadence darkened Philippine skies.

Among the evil acts of Spaniards are: (1) Instability of colonial administration, (2) corrupt officialdom, (3) no
Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes, (4) human rights denied to Filipinos, (5) no equality before the
law, (6) maladministration of justice, (7) racial discrimination, (8) frailocracy, (9) forced labor, (10) haciendas
owned by the friars, and (11) The Guardia Civil.

 Instability of Colinial Administration

The instability of Spanish politics since the turbulent reign of King Ferdinand VII (1808-1833), marked the beginning of
political chaos in Spain. The Spanish government underwent frequent changes owing bitter struggles between the forces
of despotism and liberalism and the explosions of the Carlist Wars.

 1834-1862- Spain had adopted four constitutions, elected 28 parliaments and installed no less than 529 ministers with
portfolios, followed in subsequent years by party strifes, revolutions, and other political upheavals.

 1835-1897- The Philippines was ruled by 50 governors general, each serving an average term of only one year and
three months.

From December 1853 to November 1854- a period of less than a year, there were four governor-generals.

The frequent change of colonial official hampered the political and economic development of the Philippines.

 Corrupt Colonial Officials.

The colonial official (governor-general, judges, provincial executives, etc) was sent in the Philippines by Spain in the 19th
century. They were either highly corrupt, incompetent, cruel, or venal. Apparently, they symbolized the decadent Spain of
the 19th century- not Spain of the Siglo de Oro which produced Miguel Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Calderon de la
Barca, El Greco (Domenico Theotocopuli), Velasquez, St. Theresa de Avila, and other glories of the Hispanic
nation.

 1871-1873- General Rafael de Izquierdo a boastful and ruthless governor general, aroused the anger of the Filipinos
by executing the innocent Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora, the "Martyrs of 1872".

 1874-1877- Admiral Jose Malcampo, the succesor of General Rafael de Izquierdo, was a good Moro fighter, but was
an inept and weak administrator.

 1880-1883 and 1897-1898- General Fernando Primo de Rivera, governor general for two terms enriched himself by
accepting bribes from gambling casino in Manila which he scandalously permitted to operate.

 1888-1891- General Valeriano Weyler, a cruel and corrupt governor general of Hispanic-German ancestry, arrived in
Manila a poor man and returned to Spain a millionaire. He received bribes and gifts of diamond for his wife from wealthy
Chines who evaded the anti-Chinese law. Filipino called him "tyrant" because of his brutal persecution of the Calamba
tenants, particularly the family of Dr. Rizal. The Cubans cursed him as "The Butcher" because of his ruthless
reconcentration policy during his brief governorship in Cuba in 1896, causing the deaths of thousands of Cubans.

 1896-1897- General Camilo de Polavieja, an able militarist but heartless governor general, was highly detested by the
Filipino people for executing Dr. Rizal.

As early as in 1810, Tomas de Comyn, Spanish writer and government official bewailed the obnoxious fact that ignorant
barbers and lackeys were appointed provincial governors, and rough sailors and soldiers were named district magistrates
and garrison commanders.

 Philippine Representation in Spanish Cortes.

To win the support of the Spain overseas colonies during the Napoleonic invasion, Spain granted them representation in
the Cortes (Spain Parliament).

 1810-1813- Philippines first experienced the representation in the Cortes.

 Ventura de Los Reyes- the first delegate who took active part in the framing of the Constitution of 1812, Spain's first
democratic constitution, and was one of its 184 signers. Another achievement of Delegate De los Reyes was the abolition
of galeon trade.

The first period of Philippines representation in the Spanish Cortes was thus fruitful with beneficent results for the welfare
of the colony.

 1820-1823 and 1834-1837- The second and third period of representation were less fruitful because the Philippines
delegates were not as energetic and devoted in parliamentary work as De los Reyes.

In 1837, the representation overseas colonies (including the Philippines) in Spanish Cortes was abolished.

The Filipino cannot exposed the anomalies perpetrated by colonies, because of this, many Filipino patriots valiantly
pleaded for the restoration of Philippine representation in the Cortes.

One of them is the "silver-tounged" Graciano Lopez Jaena, implored in sonorous Castilian on October 12, 1883, during
the 391st anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus in Madrid.

"We want representation in legislative chamber so that our aspiration may be known to the mother country and
its government”.

Spain ignored the fervent plea of Lopez Jaena and his compatriots. Until the end of Spanish rule in 1898, the Philippine
representation in the Cortes was never restored.

Because the representation in the Cortes did not restored, in 1896, Jose Riza, M.H del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena and
other youthful patriots launched the Propaganda Movement which paved the way for the Philippines Revolution.
 Human Rights Denied to Filipinos.

Since the adoption of Spanish Constitution and 1812 and other constitutions, people of Spain enjoyed their freedom of
speech, freedom of press, freedom of association and other human rights. (except for religion).

Spanish authorities who cherished human rights in Spain denied them to the Filipinos in Asia. Such inconsistency
lamented by Sinibaldo de Mas, Spanish economist and diplomat, who wrote in 1843: "Why do we fall into an anomaly,
such as combining our claim for liberty for ourselves, and our wish to impose our law on remote peoples? Why
do we deny to others the benefit which we desire for our fatherland".

 No Equality before the Law.

As early in the 16th centuries, the Spanish missionaries introduced Christianity in the Philippines, taught that all men,
irrespective of color and race, are children of God and as such they are brothers, equal before God.

Most Filipinos (except the hinterland of Luzon and the Visayas and in Mindanao and Sulu) became Christians.

However, in practice or in law, the Spanish colonial authorities who are Christians did not treat equally the browned-
skinned Filipinos. They treated them as inferior being not their Christian brothers.

The Leyes de Indias (Law of the Indies) were promulgated by the Christian monarch of Spain to protect the rights of the
natives in Spain's overseas colonies and to promote their welfare. However, these good colonial laws were rarely
enforced by the officials in the distant colonies, particularly in the Philippines. Filipinos were abused, brutalized,
persecuted, and slandered by their Spanish masters.

The Spanish Penal Code, which was enforced in the Philippines, imposed heavier penalties on native Filipinos or
mestizos and lighter penalties on white-complexioned Spaniards.

Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt wrote to Dr. Rizal in 1887. "The provision of the Penal Code that a heavier penalty
will be imposed on the Indio or mestizo irritates me exceedingly, because it signifies that every person not born
white is in fact a latent criminal. This is a very great injustice that seems enormous and unjust for being
embodied in law".

 Maladministration of Justice.

The court of justice in the Philippines during Rizal's time was notoriously corrupt. They were court of "injustice", as far
as the brown Filipinos were concerned. The Spanish, fiscals (prosecuting attorneys), and the other courts officials were
inept, venal, and oftentimes ignorant of law. Justice was costly, partial and slow. Poor Filipinos had no access to the
courts because they could not afford the heavy expenses of litigation. Those who are rich and have a white skin color
were factors to win the case in the court.

To the Filipino masses, litigation in the court was a calamity. The judicial procedure was to slow and clumsy that is was
easy to have justice delayed. "is justice denied".

John Foreman, a British eyewitness of the last year’s Spanish sovereignty in the Philippines:

"It was hard to get the judgment executed as it was to win the case. Even when the questions at issue was
supposed to be settled, a defect in the sentence could always be concocted to reopen the whole affair. If the case
had been tried and judgment gives under the Civil Code, a flaw would be discovered under the Laws the Indies,
or the Siete Partidas, or the Roman Law, or the Novisma Recopilacion, or the Antigous Fueros, Decrees, Royal
Orders, Ordenanzas del Buen Gobierno, and so forth, by which the case should be reopened".

Dr. Rizal and his family was also victims of Spanish injusticed. Twice, first in 1871 and second in 1891.

 Racial Discrimination.

Spaniard did not treated the Filipinos as brother Christians, they treated them as inferior beings who infinitely undeserving
of the rights and privileges that the white Spaniards enjoined. Spaniards called the brown-skinned and flat-nosed Filipinos
"Indios" (Indians). However, the Filipinos also called them a "bangus" (milkfish) because of their pale skin. During Rizal's
time a white skin, a high nose and Castilian lineage was a badge of superiority. Hence, a Spaniard or a mestizo, no
matter how stupid he was, always enjoyed political and social prestige in the community.

Racial prejudice was prevalent everywhere. One of the shining stars of the Filipino clergy, Father Jose Burgos ( 1837-
1872) bewailed the Spanish misconception that a men's merit depended on the pigment of his skin, the height of his nose,
the color of his hair, and the shape of his skull; and complained of the lack of opportunities for educated young Filipinos to
rise in the service of God and country.

 Frailocracy (Government by Friars).

Later in 19th Century, friars (Augustinians, Dominicans, and Franciscans) controlled the religious and educational life of
the Philippines. They came to acquire political power, influence and riches. A friar have the power to send to jail a patriotic
Filipino and denounce him as filibustero (traitor) to be exiled to a distant place or to be executed as an enemy of God
and Spain.

Rizal, M.H Del Pilar, Lopez Jaena and other Filipino reformist assailed frailocracy, blaming it for prevailing policy of
obscurantism, fanaticism, and oppression in the country.

Frailocacry have two faces

The bad face- was darkly portrayed by Rizal and his contemporaries by way of retaliation againts certain evil-hearted
friars.

The good face- Christianity that the Spaniard introduced to the Filipinos.

Bad friars:

Fray Miguel Lucio Bustamante, Fray Jose Rodriguez, Fray Antonio Piernavieja and other renegade friars who
were portrayed by Rizal in his novel as Padre Damaso and Padre Salvi and hilariously caricatured by Jaena as Fray
Botod.

Good Brethren:

Fray Andres de Urdaneta, Fray Martin Rada, Fray Juan de Plasencia, Bishop Domingo de Salazar, Fray Francisco
Blancas de San Jose, and Fray Miguel de Benavides.

 Forced Labor.

Known as Polo, it is imposed by Spanish colonial authorities on adult Filipino males in the construction of churches,
schools, hospitals, buildings, and repair road and bridge and other public works.

Male 16 to 60 years old were obliged to render forced labor for 40 days a year. Later, the Royal Decree of July 12,
1883, implemented by the New Regulations promulgated by the Council of State of February 3, 1885, increased the
minimum age of the polistas ( those who performed the forced labor) from 16 to 18 and reduced the days of labor
from 40 to 15. Also, not only Filipino will do forced labor, but also the male Spanish resident from 18 to 60 years
old. But this provision is never implemented in the Philippines. The well-to-do among them were able to escape this
manual labor by paying the falla, sum of money paid to government to be exempted from the polo.

The Filipino hated the forced labor because, first, they are the only one who will do the forced labor and Spanish residents
is not obligated to do it. Second, according to the law they will receive 2 pesetas (50 centavos) daily, but actually they only
received a part of this amount and worse they got nothing. Third, it disturbed their work in farms and shops.

 Hacienda Owned by the Friars.

Friars use their power to claimed Haciendas in the Philippines. Even though they are not the real owner of the
haciendas they claimed it because they obtained royal titles of ownership from the Spanish crown. Because of this the
friar’s hacienda became hotbeds of agrarian revolts. In 1745-1746, agrarian upheaval was one of the bloody agrarian
revolts.

In 1768, Governor Anda, strongly recommended to Madrid government the sale of friars estates, but it was ignored.

Rizal, whose family and relatives were tenants of the Dominican Estate of Calamba, tried to initiate agrarian reforms in
1887, but in vain. His advocacy of agrarian reforms ignited the wrath of Dominican friars, who retaliated by raising the
rental of the lands leased by his family and other Calamba tenants.

According to Rizal, the friar’s ownership of the productive land contributed to the economic stagnation of the Philippines
during the Spanish period. In his famous essay, Sobre la Indolencia de las Filipinos (Indolence of the Filipinos).

 The Guardia Civil (Constabulary)

Created by the Royal Decree of February 12, 1852, as amended by the Royal Decree of March 24, 1888, for the
purpose of maintaining the internal peace and order in the Philippines.

Guardia Civil in the Philippines became infamous from their rampant abuses, such as maltreating innocent people,
looting their carabaos, chickens, and valuable belongings, and raping helpless women.

Both officer (Spaniards) and men (native) were ill trained and undisciplined, unlike the Guardia Civil in Spain who was
respected and well-liked by the populace.

Rizal and his mother had been a victims of the brutalities off the lieutenant of the Guardia Civil. Through Elias in Noli Me
Tangere, he exposed the Guardia Civil as a bunch of ruthless ruffians good only "for disturbing the peace" and
"persecuting honest men". He proposed to improve "the military organization by having it be composed of good men
who possessed good education and good principles and were conscious of the limitations and responsibilities of authority
and power, "so much power in the hands of men, ignorant men filled with passions, without moral training, of untried
principles", he said through Elias, "is a weapon in the hands of madman in a defenseless multitude".

CHAPTER 1

ADVENT OF A NATIONAL HERO

DR. JOSE PROTACIO MERCADO RIZAL ALONZO Y REALONDA

MEANINGS OF NAME

Doctor- completed his medical course in Spain and was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the
Universidad Central de Madrid

Jose- was chosen by his mother who was a devotee of the Christian saint San Jose (St. Joseph)

Protacio- from Gervacio P. which come from a Christian calendar

Mercado- adopted in 1731 by Domigo Lamco (the paternal great-greatgrandfather of Jose Rizal) which the Spanish term
mercado means ‘market’ in English

Rizal- from the word ‘Ricial’ in Spanish means a field where wheat, cut while still green, sprouts again

Alonzo- old surname of his mother

Y- and

Realonda- it was used by Dona Teodora from the surname of her godmother based on the culture by that time.
  Physician (Ophthalmic Surgeon)  Economist
 Poet  Geographer
 Dramatist  Cartographer
 Essayist  Bibliophile
 Novelist  Philologist
 Historian  Grammarian
 Architect  Folklorist
 Painter  Philosopher
 Sculptor  Translator
 Educator  Inventor
 Linguistic  Magician
 Musician  Humorist
 Naturalist  Satirist
 Ethnologist  Polemicist
 Surveyor  Sportsman
 Engineer  Traveler
 Farmer  Prophet
 Businessman

He was a hero and political martyr who consecrated his life for the redemption of his oppressed people.

June 19, 1861- moonlit of Wednesday between eleven and midnight Jose Rizal was born in the lakeshore town of
Calamba, Laguna

June 22, 1861- aged three days old, Rizal was baptized in the Catholic church

Father Rufino Collantes- a Batangueno, the parish priest who baptized Rizal

Father Pedro Casanas- Rizal’s godfather, native of Calamba and close friend of the Rizal family

Lieutenant-General Jose Lemery- the governor general of the Philippines when Rizal was born

RIZAL’S PARENTS

Don Francisco Mercado (1818-1898)

-born in Binan, Laguna on May 11, 1818

-studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila

-became a tenant-farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda

-a hardy and independent-minded man, who talked less and worked more, and was strong in body and valiant in spirit

-died in Manila on January 5, 1898 at the age of 80

-Rizal affectionately called him “a model of fathers”

Dona Teodora Alonso Realonda (1826-1911)

-born in Manila on November 8, 1826

-educated at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known college for girls in the city

-a remarkable woman, possessing refined culture, literary talent, business ability, and the fortitude of Spartan women

-is a woman of more than ordinary culture: she knows literature and speaks Spanish (according to Rizal)

-died in Manila on August 16, 1911 at the age of 85

THE RIZAL CHILDREN -the greatest Filipino hero and peerless genius

-Eleven children—two boys and nine girls -nickname was Pepe

1. Saturnina (1850-1913) -lived with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl from Hong Kong

-oldest of the Rizal children -had a son but this baby-boy died a few hours after birth;
Rizal named him “Francisco” after his father and buried
-nicknamed Neneng him in Dapitan

-married Manuel T. Hidalgo of Tanawan, Batangas 8. Concepcion (1862-1865)

2. Paciano (1851-1930) -her pet name was Concha

-older brother and confident of Jose Rizal -died of sickness at the age of 3

-was a second father to Rizal -her death was Rizal’s first sorrow in life

-immortalized him in Rizal’s first novel Noli Me Tangere 9. Josefa (1865-1945)

as the wise Pilosopo Tasio
-her pet name was Panggoy
-Rizal regarded him as the “most noble of Filipinos”
-died an old maid at the age of 80
-became a combat general in the Philippine Revolution
10. Trinidad (1868-1951)
-died on April 13, 1930, an old bachelor aged 79
-Trining was her pet name
-had two children by his mistress (Severina Decena)—a
boy and a girl -she died also an old maid in 1951 aged 83

3. Narcisa (1852-1939) 11. Soledad (1870-1929)

-her pet name was Sisa -youngest of the Rizal children

-married to Antonio Lopez (nephew of Father Leoncio -her pet name was Choleng
Lopez), a school teacher of Morong
-married Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba
4. Olimpia (1855-1887)
Rizal always called her sisters Dona or Senora (if
-Ypia was her pet name married) and Senorita (if single)

-married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso Realonda
Manila married on June 28, 1848, after which they settled down
in Calamba
5. Lucia (1857-1919)
The real surname of the Rizal family was Mercado,
-married to Mariano Herbosa of Calamba, who was a which was adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco (the
nephew of Father Casanas paternal great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal), who was
a full blooded Chinese)
-Herbosa died of cholera in 1889 and was denied
Christian burial because he was a brother-in-law of Dr. Rizal’s family acquired a second surname—Rizal—
Rizal which was given by a Spanish alcalde mayor (provincial
governor) of Laguna, who was a family friend.
6. Maria (1859-1945)

-Biang was her nickname

-married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Binan, Laguna

7. Jose (1861-1896)
Rizal Ancestry The Surname of Rizal

Father Side - The real surname of Rizal family was Mercado, which
is adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco.
● Domingo Lamco
- Rizal family acquired a second surname which is Rizal,
-Rizal great-great grandfather it was given by a Spanish alcade mayor of Laguna.

-Chinese immigrant from Fukien City of Changchow Rizal Home

- The spanish term mercado means "market" in english. -Distinguished stone houses in Calamba during Spanish
This is appropriate for him because he was a merchant. times.

● Ines de la Rosa - It was two-story building, rectangular in shape, build of

adobe stones and hard-woods, and roofed with red tiles.
- A chinese christian girl of Manila
- Beyond the house were the poultry yard full of turkeys
-great-great grandmonther of Rizal
and chickens and ad big garden of tropical fruit trees
Children (atis, balimbing, chico, macopa, papaya, santol, tampoy,
etc.)
●Francisco Mercado- married to Chinese-Filipono
mestiza, Cirila Bernacha - By day, it hummed with the noises of children at play
and the songs of the birds in the garden.
-Elected as gobernadorcillo (municipal mayor) of the
town - By night, it echoed with the dulcet of notes of family
prayers.
Children
A Good and Middle-Class Family
●Juan Mercado- Rizal's grandfather, married Cirila
Alejandro, a Chinese-Filipino mestiza, - Rizal family belonged to the principalia, a town
aristocracy in Spanish Philippines.
-he was elected as governadorcillo of Biñan.
- Rizal parents able to live well. From the farms, they
Capitan Juan and Capitana Cirila had thirteen children harvest rice, corn, and sugarcane. They raised pigs,
the youngest being is Francisco Mercado, Rizal's father. chicken and turkeys in their backyard. Doña Teodora
operated a small flour-mill and home-made ham press.
Mother Side
- They owned a carriage, which was status symbol of the
●Doña Teodora's family descended from Lakan-Dula, ilustrados in Spanish Philippines and a private library
the last native king of Tondo. ( the largest in Calamba).

●Eugenio Ursua - They participated prominently in all social and religious

affairs on the community. They were gracious host to all
-Rizal's great-great-grandfather
visitors and guests.
-Married a Filipina named Benigna
Home Life of the Rizals.
Children
- Rizal family had a simple, contented, and happy life.
●Regina- married Manuel de Quintos, a Filipino-Chinese
- Doña Teodora and Don Francisco loved their children,
lawyer from Pangasinan.
but they never spoiled them. They were strict parents
- One of their daughter was Brigida, who maried Lorenzo and they trained they children to love GOD, to behave
Alberto Alonso, a prominent Spanish-Filipino mestizo of well, to be obedient, and to respect people, especially
Biñan. the old folks.

- Their children were Narcisa, Teodora ( Rizal's Mother), - Rizal family always go to church to attend the mass
Gregorio, Manuel and Jose. and they also prayed together daily at home- The
Angelus at sunset and the Rosary before retiring to bed
at night. After the prayers, children kissed the hands of •On June 6, 1868, Jose and his father left Calamba to go
on Pilgrimage to Antipolo, in order to fulfill his mother's
their parents. vow which was made when Jose was born.

-Rizal children played merrily in the Azotea or in the •The Story of the Moth
garden by themselves. The older ones were allowed to
play with the children of other families. - made the profoundest impression on Rizal

Chapter 2 -“died a martyr to its illusions”

Childhood Years In Calamba - Like the young moths, Rizal fated to die as a martyr for
a noble ideal.
Calamba, The Hero's Town
Artistic Talent
-Calamba was named after a big native jar
• At the age of five, Rizal began to make sketches with
-Calamba was a hacienda town which belonged to the his pencil and to mould in clay and wax objects which
Dominican Order, which also owned all the lands around attracted his fancy.
it
First Poem by Rizal
• Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town)- a
poem about Rizal’s beloved town written by • Sa Aking Mga Kabata (To My Fellow Children)- Rizal’s
first poem in native language at the age of eight
Rizal in 1876 when he was 15 years old and was student
in the Ateneo de Manila -This poem reveals Rizal’s earliest nationalist sentiment.
In poetic verses, he proudly proclaimed that a people
Earliest Childhood Memories who truly love their native language will surely survive for
liberty like "the bird which soars to freer space above".
• The first memory of Rizal, in his infancy, was his happy
days in the family garden when he was three years old First Drama by Rizal

• Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus • At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first dramatic work
prayer. By nightfall, Rizal related, his mother gathered all which was a Tagalog Comedy
the children at the house to pray the Angelus
•A governadorcillo from Paete witness the comedy and
• Another memory of Rizal’s infancy was the nocturnal liked it so much, he purchased the manuscript for two
walk in the town, especially when there was a moon pesos and brought it to his home.

The Hero's First Sorrow Rizal as a Boy Magician

• The death of little Concha brought Rizal his first sorrow - Since early manhood Rizal had been interested in
Magic. He learned various tricks, such as making coind
Devoted Son of the Church
appear or disappear in his finger and making
• At the age of three, Rizal began to take a part in the handkerchief vanish in thin air.
family prayers
- He also gained skill in manipulating marionettes
•He loved to go to church, to pray, to take part in (puppet shows).
novenas, and to join religious processions. One of the
Lakeshore Reveries
men he esteemed and respected in Calamba during his
boyhood was the scholarly Father Leoncio Lopez, the - During the twilight hours of summer time Rizal,
town priest. accompanied by his pet dog, used to meditate at the
shore of Laguna de Bay on the sad condition of his
• When Rizal was five years old, he was able to read
oppressed people.
haltingly the Spanish family bible
Influences on Hero's Boyhood
Pilgrimage to Antipolo
●Heredity Influence
- From his Malayan ancestor, Rizal evidently inherited - God had endowed him with versatile gifts of genius, the
his love for freedom, his innate desire to travel, and his vibrant spirit of nationalist, and the valiant heart to
indomitable courage. sacrifice for a noble cause.

-From Chinese ancestors, he derived his serious nature, Chapter 3

frugality, patience, and love for children.
EARLY EDUCATION IN CALAMBA AND BIÑAN
-From Spanish ancestors, he got his elegance of
bearing, sensitivity to insult, and gallantry to ladies. Four R's

-From his father, he inherited a profound sense of self- -Reading

respect, the love for work, and the habit of independent
-Writing
thinking.
-Arithmethic
- And from his mother, he inherited his religious nature,
the spirit of self-sacrifice, and the passion for arts and -Religion
literature.
The Hero's First Teacher
●Environmental Influence
• The first teacher of Rizal was his mother, who was
- The beauty of Calamba and beauty of the garden of remarkable woman of good character and fine culture
Rizal family stimulated the inborn artistic and literary
talents of Jose Rizal. —her mother

- The religious atmosphere at his home fortified his •He learned at the age of three the alphabet and the
religious nature. prayers.

-His brother Paciano instilled his mind the love for • Maestro Celestino- Rizal’s first private tutor
freedom and justice.
• Maestro Lucas Padua- Rizal’s second tutor
-From his sisters, he learned to be courteous and kind to
women. • Leon Monroy- a former classmate of Rizal’s father
became Rizal’s tutor that instructed Jose in Spanish and
- His three uncles, brother of his mother, exerted a good Latin. He died five months later.
influence on him.
Jose Goes to Biñan
• Tio Jose Alberto- studied for eleven years in British
school in Calcutta, India and had traveled in Europe • Sunday afternoon in June, 1869- Rizal left Calamba for
inspired Rizal to develop his artistic ability Biñan accompanied by Paciano who acted as his
second father. They rode in a carromata, after one and
• Tio Manuel- a husky and athletic man, encouraged one-half hour of drive; they proceed to their aunt house
Rizal to develop his frail body by means of physical where Jose was to lodge.
exercises
- The same night, Jose with his cousin named Leandro,
• Tio Gregorio- a book lover, intensified Rizal’s went sightseeing in the town.
voracious reading of good book
First Day in Biñan School.
• Father Leoncio Lopez- the old and learned parish
priest of Calamba, fostered Rizal’s love for scholarship • Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz- Rizal’s teacher in a
and intellectual honesty. private school in Biñan

●Aid of Divine Providence -Rizal described his teacher as follows: He was thin,
long-necked, with a sharp nose and a body slightly bent
- Without the aid of Divine Providence, he cannot attain forward.
greatness in the annals of the nation.
First School Brawl
- Rizal was provident destined to be the pride and glory
of his nation. • Pedro- the teacher’s son which Rizal challenged to a
fight, because he was angry at this bully for making fun
of him during his conversation witht the teacher in the (Jose Ma. Bass, Attorneys Joaquin Pardo de Tevera and
morning. Antonio Ma. Regidor, etc.), were executed at sunrise of
February 17, 1872, by order of Governor General
•Jose won the fight againts Pedro; because of this he Izquierdo.
became popular among his classmates.
•The martyrdom was deeply mourned by the Rizal family
• Andres Salandanan- challenged Rizal to an arm- and many others patriotic families. Paciano, quit his
wrestling match, and Andres defeated Rizal. studies in College of San Jose and returned to Calamba,
where he told the heroic story of Burgos to his younger
Painting Lessons in Biñan
brother Jose.
• Juancho-an old painter who was the father-in-law of
• The martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za in 1872 truly inspired
the school teacher; freely give Rizal lessons in drawing
Rizal to fight the evils of Spanish tyranny and redeem his
and painting
oppressed people
• Jose Guevara- Rizal’s classmate who also loved
• Rizal dedicated his second novel, El Filibusterismo, to
painting, became apprentices of the old painter
Gom-Bur-Za
• “the favorite painters of the class”- because of his
Injustice to Hero's Mother
artistic talent
• Before June, 1872- Doña Teodora was suddenly
Daily Life in Biñan
arrested on a malicious charge that she and her brother,
•Jose led methodical life in Biñan, almost Spartan in Jose Alberto, tried to poison the latter’s perfidious wife.
simplicity. Such as life contributed much to his future
•Jose Alberto planned to divorce his wife because he
development. It strengthened his body and soul.
found her living with another man. Doña Teodora, to
Best Student in School avert the family scandal, persuade Jose Alberto to
forgive his wife. Jose Alberto lived again with his wife.
• In academic studies, Jose beat all Biñan boys. He However, the evil wife, filed a case in the court accusing
surpassed them in all Spanish, Latin and other subjects. his husband and Doña Teodora of attempting to poison
her.
•Some of his older classmates were jealous of Rizal,
they told lies to their teacher about Rizal, and their • The lieutenant happened to have a grind againts Rizal
teachers punish Rizal. family, because of one time Don Francisco, refused to
give him fodder of his horse. Taking the opportunity to
End of Biñan Schooling avenge himself, he arrested Doña Teodora.

• Christmas in 1870-Rizal received a letter from his sister • Antonio Vivencio del Rosario- Calamba’s
Saturnina, informing him of the arrival of the steamer gobernadorcillo, help arrest Doña Teodora.
Talim which would take him from Biñan to Calamba.
• After arresting Doña Teodora, the sadistic Spanish
• Saturday afternoon, December 17, 1870- Rizal left lieutenant forced her to walk from Calamba to Santa
Biñan after one year and a half of schooling
Cruz (capital of Laguna province), a distance of 50
• Arturo Camps- a Frenchman friend of Rizal’s father kilometers
who took care of him on board. They road on a steamer
Talim. • Doña Teodora was incarcerated at the provincial
prison, where she languished for two years and a half
MARTYRDOM OF GOM-BUR-ZA
• Messrs. Francisco de Marcaida and Manuel Marzan-
• Night of January 20, 1872- about 200 Filipino soldiers the most famous lawyers of Manila that defend Doña
and workmen of the Cavite arsenal under the leadership Teodora.
of Lamadrid, Filipino sergeant, rose in violent mutiny
because of the abolition of their usual privileges Chapter 4

• Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto SCHOLASTIC TRIUMPHS AT ATENEO DE MANILA
Zamora, who are the leaders of the secular movement to (1872-1877)
Filipinize the Philippine parishes and their supporters
• Rizal was sent to Manila and studied in Ateneo -Reason for creating empire of education system of
Municipal- a college under the supervision of the Ateneo: To motivate and stimulate students.
Spanish Jesuits. This college is a biiter rival of the
Dominican-owned College of San Juan de Letran. •The two groups which is Roman Empire and
Carthaginian Empire, were in constant competition for
• Escuela Pia (Charity School)- formerly name of supremacy in the class.
Ateneo, a school for poor boys in Manila which was
established by the city government in 1817 •First defeat- the banner of losing party was transferred
to the left side of the room
• Escuela Pia to Ateneo Municipal to Ateneo de Manila
•Second defeat- it was placed in an inferior position on
Rizal Enters the Ateneo the right side.

• June 10, 1872- Rizal accompanied by Paciano went to •Third defeat- the inclined flag was placed on the left.
Manila. Rizal took the examination and he passed the
examination. •Fourth defeat- the flag was reverse and returned to the
right.
• At first, Father Magin Ferrando- was the college
registrar, refused to admit Rizal in Ateneo for two •Fifth defeat- the reverse flag was placed on the left.
reasons: (1) he was late for registration (2) he was sickly
•Sixth defeat- the banner was changed with the figure of
and undersized for his age
a donkey.
• Manuel Xerez Burgos-because of his intercession,
• The Ateneo students in Rizal’s time wore a uniform
nephew of Father Burgos, Rizal was reluctantly admitted
which consisted of “hemp-fabric trousers” and “striped
at the Ateneo
cotton coat” The coat material was called rayadillo.
• Jose was the first of his family to adopt the surname
FIRST YEAR IN ATENEO (1872-1873)
“Rizal”. He registered under this name at Ateneo
because their family name “Mercado” had come under • Father Jose Bech- Rizal’s first professor in Ateneo
the suspicion of the Spanish authorities whom he described as a “tall thin man, with a body
slightly bent forward, a harried walk, an ascetic face,
• Rizal was first boarded in a house outside Intramuros,
severe and inspired, small deep-sunken eyes, a sharp
on Caraballo Street. This was owned by a spinster
nose that was almost Greek, and thin lips forming an arc
named Titay who owed the Rizal family the amount of
whose ends fell toward the chin
300 pesos.
• He was externo, hence he was assigned to the
JESUIT SYSTEM OF EDUCATION
Carthaginians.
- Ateneo, wass more advanced that the other colleges in
• A Religious picture- Rizal’s first prize for being the
that period, it trained the character of the student by
brightest pupil in the whole class. At the end of the
rigid discipline and religious instructions
month, he became the emperor.
-Students were divided into two groups:
• To improve his Spanish, Rizal took private lessons in
• Roman Empire- consisting of internos (boarders); red Santa Isabel College during the noon recesses. He paid
banner three pesos for those extra Spanish lessons.

• Carthaginian Empire or Greek Empire- composed of Summer Vacation (1873)

the externos (non-boarders); blue banner
• At the end of the school year in March, 1873, Rizal
• Emperor- the best student in each “empire” returned to Calamba for summer vacation

• Tribune- the second best •He did not particularly enjoy his vacation because his
mother was in prison. To cheer him up, her sister
• Decurion- the third best Neneng (Saturnina) brought him to Tawanan with her.
Without telling his father, Rizal visited his mother and
• Centurion-the fourth best told his brilliant grades at the Ateneo.

• Stand-bearer- the fifth best

• When the summer vacation ended, Rizal returned to -Rizal described this Jesuit professor as “model of
Manila for his second year term in Ateneo. This time he uprightness, earnestness, and love for the
boarded inside Intramuros at No. 6 Magallanes Street. advancementof his pupils”
His landlady was an old widow named Doña Pepay.
-Rizal favorite professor.
SECOND YEAR IN ATENEO (1873-1874)
• Rizal topped all his classmates in all subjects and won
-At the end of the school year, Rizal received excellent five medals at the end of the school term.
grades in all subjects and a gold medal.
•March 1876, he returned to Calamba for his summer
Prophecy of Mother Release vacation and proudly offered his five medals and
excellence to his parents.
•Rizal went to Santa Cruz in order to visit his mother in
the provincial jail. In order to cheer up the lonely heart of LAST YEAR IN ATENEO (1876-1877)
his mother, he tells his scholastic triumphs in Ateneo.
-Rizal’s studies continued to fare well. As a matter-of-
•Rizal taught her mother that she would be released in fact, he excelled in all subjects. The most brilliant
the prison in three months’ time. Rizal prophecy became Atenean of his time, he was truly “the pride of the
true, barely three months three months passed, and Jesuits”
suddenly Doña Teodora was set free.
•He graduated at the head of the class.
Teenage Interest in Reading
• March 23, 1877- Commencement Day, Rizal, who was
• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas- 16 years old, received from his Alma Mater
the first favorite novel of Rizal which made a deep
impression on him Ateneo Municipal, the degree of Bachelor of Arts, with
highest honors.
• Universal History by Cesar Cantu- Rizal persuaded
his father to buy him this set of historical work that was a Extra-Curricular Activities in Ateneo
great aid in his studies
•He was a campus leader outside the school.
• Dr. Feodor Jagor- a German scientist-traveler who
• Marian Congregation- a religious society wherein
visited the Philippines in 1859-1860 who wrote Travels
Rizal was an active member and later became the
in the Philippines
secretary.
-Rizal was impressed in this book because of (1)
•He was also a member of Academy of Spanish
Jagor’s keen observations of the defects of Spanish
Literature and and the Academy of Natural Science.
colonization (2) his prophecy that someday Spain
These "academies" were exclusive socities in the
would lose the Philippines and that America would
Ateneo, to which only Ateneans who were gifted in
come to succeed her as colonizer.
literature and sciences could qualify for
THIRD YEAR IN ATENEO (1874-1875) membership.

-Rizal grades remained excellent in all subjects but he • Rizal cultivated his literary talent under the guidance of
won only one medal—in Latin Father Sanchez

-At the end of the school year (March 1875), Rizal • Father Jose Vilaclara- advised Rizal to stop
returned to Calamba for the summer vacation. He communing with the Muse and pay more attention to
himself was not impressed by his scholastic work. more practical studies. . But Rizal did not heed his
advice. He continued to solicit Father Sanchez help in
FOURTH YEAR IN ATENEO improving his poetry.

• June 16, 1875- Rizal became an interno in the Ateneo • Furthermore, Rizal engaged to gymanstic and fencing
to develop his weak body.
• Padre Francisco de Paula Sanchez- a great educator
and scholar, one of Rizal’s professors who inspired him Sculptural Work in Ateneo
to study harder and to write poetry
• Rizal studied painting under the famous Spanish 1. Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My
painter, Agustin Saez, and sculpture under Romualdo Town)- a tender poem in honor of Calamba, the hero’s
natal town
De Jesus, noted Filipino sculptor
2. Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena
• Rizal carved an image of the Virgin Mary on a piece of Educacion (Intimate Alliance Between Religion and
batikuling (Philippine hardwood) with his pocket-knife Good Education)- Rizal showed the importance of
religion in education
• Father Lleonart- impressed by Rizal’s sculptural
talent, requested him to carve for him an image of 3. Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through
Sacred Heart of Jesus. Education the Country Receives Light)- Rizal
believed in the significant role which education plays in
Anecdotes in Rizal, the Atenean
the progress and welfare of a nation.
• Felix M. Roxas- one of Rizal’s contemporaries in the
4. El Cautiverio y el Triunfo: Batalla de Lucena y
Ateneo, related an incident of Rizal’s schooldays in
Prision de Boabdil (The Captivity and the Triumph:
Ateneo which reveals hero’s resignation to pain and
Battle of Lucena and the Imprisonment of Boabdil)-
forgiveness. “Neither bitterness nor rancor towards the
this martial poem describes the defeat and capture of
guilty party".
Boabdil, last Moorish sultan of Granada
• Manuel Xerez Burgos- This anecdotes illustrates
5. La Entrada Triunfal de los Reyes Catolices en
Rizal’s predilection to help the helpless at the risk of his
Granada (The Triumphal Entry of the Catholic
own life.
Monarchs into Granada)- this poem relates the
Poems Written in Ateneo victorious entry of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel into
Granada, last Moorish stronghold in Spain
-It was Doña Teodora who was first discovered the
poetic genius of her son, and it was also she who first -A year later, in 1877, Rizal wrote more poems. It was
encouraged him to write poems. However it was Father his last years in Ateneo. Among the poems written that
Sanchez who inspired Rizal to make full use of his God- year were:
given gift in poetry
1. El Heroismo de Colon (The Heroism of
• Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration), 1874- Columbus)- this poem praises Columbus, the
the first poem Rizal probably wrote during his days in discoverer of America.
Ateneo which was dedicated to his mother on her
2. Colon y Juan II (Columbus and John II)- this poem
birthday; Rizal wrote it before he was 14 years old
relates how King Kohn II of Portugal missed fame and
-In 1875, inspired by Father Sanchez, Rizal wrote more riches by his failure to finance the projected expedition of
poems, as such: Columbus to the New World.

1. Felicitacion (Felicitationi) 3. Gran Consuelo en la Mayor Desdicha (Great

Solace in Great Misfortune)- this is a legend in verse of
2. El Embarque: Himno a la Flota de Magallanes (The the tragic life of Columbus
Departure: Hymn to Magellan’s Fleet)
4. Un Dialogo Aluviso a la Despedida de los
3. Y Es Espanol; Elcano, el Primero en dar la Vuelta al Colegiales (A Farewell Dialogue of the Students)- this
Mundo (And He is Spanish: Elcano, the First to was the last poem written by Rizal in Ateneo; it is a
poignant poem of farewell to his classmate.
Circumnavigate the World)
Rizal's First Poem
4. El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo (The Battle:
Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo) •My first Inspiration

-In 1876, Rizal wrote poems on various topics-religion, Rizal's Poems on Education
education, childhood memories and war. They were as
follows: •Through Education our Motherland Receives Light

•The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good

Education
Rizal's Religious Poems the course on Philosophy and Letters because (1)
his father like it (2) he was “still uncertain as to what
• Al Niño Jesus (To the Child Jesus)- this poem was career to pursue”
written in 1875 when Rizal was 14 years old; it was a
brief ode. • Father Pablo Ramon-Rector of Ateneo, who had
been good to him during his student days in that college,
• A La Virgen Maria (To the Virgin Mary)- another asking for advice on the choice of a career but
religious poem which doesn’t have exact date when it unfortunately he was in Mindanao
was written
•In the first year term (1877-1878), Rizal studied
Dramatic Work in Ateneo Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History of
Philosophy.
•Father Sanchez requested to Rizal to write a drama
based on the prose story of St. Eustace the Martyr. • It was during the following term (1878-1879) that Rizal,
having received the Ateneo Rector’s advice to study
• San Eustacio, Martir (St. Eustace, the Martyr)- a
medicine. One of the reason why he chose the
drama based on the prose story of St. Eustace which he
medicine for career was to able to cure his mother's
wrote in poetic verses during the summer vacation of
growing blindness.
1876 and finished it on June 2, 1876.
Finishes Surveying Course in Ateneo (1878)
First Romance of Rizal
• During Rizal’s first school term in the University of
• When he was sixteen years old, he experience his first
Santo Tomas (1877-1878), Rizal also studied in
romance- "that painful experience which comes to nearly
all adolescents". Ateneo. He took the vocational course leading to the title
of perito agrimensor (expert surveyor)
•The girl is Segunda Katigbak, a pretty fourthteen year
old Batangueña from Lipa. She was the sister of his • Rizal excelled in all subjects in the surveying course in
friend Mariano Katigbak. Ateneo, obtaining gold medals in agriculture and
topography
•Rizal made a pencil sketch for Seguda.
• November 25, 1881- the title was issued to Rizal for
•It was apparently Rizal and Segunda loved each other.
passing the final examination in the surveying course.
But it was hopeless because Segunda was already
engaged to be married to Manuel Luz. •Although Rizal is Thomasian, he frequently visited
Ateneo, not only because of surveying the course, but
Chapter 5
also more because of his loyalty to the Ateneo.
MEDICAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO
Romances with other Girls
TOMAS (1877-1882)
• After losing Segunda Katigbak, he paid court to a
-After finishing the first year of a course in Philosophy
young woman in Calamba. He called her simply "Miss
and Letters (1877-1878), Rizal transferred to the medical
L", describing her as a "fair with seductive and attractive
course.
eye". Nobody knows who this woman was. “Miss
Mother's Opposition to Higher Education Hacanta Lasa”

- Don Franciso and Paciano wanted Jose to pursue The two reasons why he stopped courting this woman is
higher education in university. But, Doña Teodora who (1) the sweet memory of Segunda was still fresh in
knew about what happened to Gom-Bur-Za, vigorously his heart, and (2) his father did not like the family of
opposed the idea and told her husband, “Don’t send him Miss L.
to Manila again; he knows enough. If he gets to know
•During his sophomore year, Rizal courted Leonor
more, the Spaniards will cut off his head.”
Valenzuela, a charming daughter of Capitan Juan and
Rizal's Enter the University Capitana Sanday Valenzuela. Rizal sent her love notes
written in invisble ink. Rizal taught Orang (pet name of
• April 1877- Rizal who was then nearly 16 years old, Leonor Valenzuela) the secret of reading the note written
matriculated in the University of Santo Tomas, taking in invisble ink by heating it over the candle or lamp so
that the words may appear. But, as with Segunda, he • El Consejo de los Dioses (The Councils of the
stopped short of proposing marriage to Orang. Gods)- an allegorical drama written by Rizal which he
entered in the literary contest of Artistic-Literary Lyceum
•Rizal next romance is with Leonor Rivera, his cousin in 1880 to commemorate the fourth centennial of the
from Camiling. She was a frail, pretty girl, daughter of his death of Cervantes
landlord-uncle Antonio Rivera. They became engaged.
Leonor Rivera signed her name as "Taimis", in order to -was a literary masterpiece based on the Greek classics
camouflage their intimate relationship from their parents
and friends. • The prize was awarded to Rizal, a gold ring on which
was engraved the bust of Cervantes
Victim of Spanish Officer's Brutality
• D.N. del Puzo- a Spanish writer, who won the second
• In 1878, Rizal first experienced his first taste of prize
Spanish brutality. One dark night in Calamba, during the
summer vacation, he was walking in the street. He dimly • Rizal was particularly happy, for he proved the fallacy
perceived the figure of the man while passing him. Not of the alleged Spanish superiority over the Filipinos and
knowing that person due to darkness, he did not salute revelead that Filipino could hold his own in a fair
nor say courteous "Good Evening". The vague figure competition againts all races.
turned out to be lieutenant of the Guardia Civil. He
Other Literary Works
whipped out his sword and brutally slashed the latter on
the back of Rizal. • Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig)- a zarzuela which
was staged by the Ateneans on December 8, 1880, on
• Rizal reported it to General Primo de Revera, the
the occasion of the annual celebration of the Feats Day
Spanish governor general of the Philippines that time,
of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the Ateneo
but nothing came out of his complaint, because he was
and Indio and that lieutenant is Spaniard. - Rizal wrote it as President of the Academy of Spanish
Literature in Ateneo
To the Filipino Youth (1879)
• A Filipinas- a sonnet written by Rizal for the album of
• Liceo Artistico-Literario (Artistic-Literary Lyceum)
the Society of Sculptors; in this sonnet, he urged all
of Manila- a society of literary men and artists, held a
Filipino artists to glorify the Philippines
literary contest in the year 1879
• Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma- Rizal composed a poem in
• A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth)-
1879 which was declaimed by an Atenean, Manuel
Rizal, who was then 18 years old, submitted this poem
Fernandez, on the night of December 8, 1879, in honor
-is an inspiring poem of flawless form. Rizal beseeched of the Ateneo’s Patroness
the Filipino youth to rise from lethargy, to let genius fly
• Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon- Rizal composed a poem in
swifter than the wind and descend with art and science
1881, as an expression of affection to Father Pablo
to break the chains that have long bound the spirit of the
Ramon, the Ateneo rector, who had been so kind and
people
helpful to him.
-this winning poem of Rizal is a classic in Philippine
Rizal's Visit to Pakil and Pagsanjan
literature for two reasons: (1) it was the great poem in
Spanish written by a Filipino, whose merit was • Rizal with his sisters, Saturnina, Maria and Trinidad
recognized by Spanish literary authorities (2) it and their other female friends went to pilgrimage to the
expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept town of Pakil, famous shrine of the Birhen Maria de los
that the Filipinos, and not the foreigners, were the Dolores (May 1881).
“fair hope of the Fatherland”
•Vicenta Ybardolaza- a pretty girl colegiala who skillfully
• The Board of Judges, composed of Spaniards, was played the harp at the Regalado home, whom Rizal was
impressed by Rizal’s poem and gave it the first prize infatuated in Pakil
which consisted of a silver pen, feather-shaped and
decorated with a gold ribbon. • Rizal mentioned Turumba (wherein the people dancing
in the streets during the procession in honor of the
The Council of the Gods (1880) miraculous Birhen Maria de los Dolores) in Chapter VI of
Noli Me Tangere and Pagsanjan Falls in his travel diary
(united States—Saturday, May 12, 1888), where he said • For the first time, Rizal did not seek his parents’
that Niagara Falls was the “greatest cascades I ever permission and blessings to go abroad, because he
saw” but “not so beautiful nor fine as the falls at Los knew that, especially his mother would disapprove it.
Baños, Pagsanjan”
Chapter 6
Champion of Filipino Student
In Sunny Spain (1882-1885)
• Compañerismo (Comradeship)- Rizal founded a
secret society of Filipino students in University of Rizal decided to complete his studies in Spain. At that
time the government of Spain was a constitutional
Santo Tomas in 1880 monarchy under a written constitution which granted
human rights to the people, particularly freedom of
• Companions of Jehu- members of the society whose speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of
after the valiant Hebrew general. He was the chief of this assembly. Aside from this reason, he had another
secret society. reason which is more important than merely completing
his studies in Spain. This was his "secret mission"
• Galicano Apacible-Rizal’s cousin from Batangas who
which many Rizalist biographers (including Austin Craig
is the secretary of the society.
and Wenceslao E. Retana) never mention in their
Unhappy Days at the UST writings.

-Rizal found the atmosphere at the University of Santo Rizal's Secret Mission
Tomas suffocating to his sensitive spirit. He was
•This mission which Rizal conceived with the approval of
unhappy at this Dominican institution of higher learning
his older brother Paciano was to observe keenly the life
because (1) the Dominican professors were hostile to
and culture, languages and customs, industries and
him (2) the Filipino students were racially
commerce, and government and laws of the European
discriminated against by the Spaniards (3) the
nation in order to prepare himself in the mighty task
method of instruction was obsolete and repressive
of liberating his oppressed people from Spanish
-In Rizal’s novel, El Filibusterismo, he described how the tyranny.
Filipino students were humiliated and insulted by their
-The purpose of Rizal’s departure is not just to finish his
Dominican professors and how backward the method of medical courses/studies but to study other things of
instruction was, especially in the teaching of the natural greater usefulness or that to which Rizal is more
sciences. inclined to.

He related in Chapter XIII, “The Class in Physics”, that •This was evidenced in his farewell letter which was
his science subject was taught without laboratory delivered to his parents shortly after his departure for
experiments. Spain.

•Because of the unfriendly attitude of his professors, •This Rizalian mission was likewise disclosed by
Rizal the most brilliant graduate of the Ateneo, failed to Paciano in his letter to his younger brother dated Manila,
win high scholastic honors. May 20, 1982.

Decision to Study Abroad Secret Departure for Spain

• After finishing the fourth year of his medical course, • Rizal's departure for Spain was kept secret to avoid
Rizal decided to study abroad. detection by the Spanish authorities and friars.

• He could no longer endure the rampant bigotry, • Only his older brother (Paciano), his uncle (Antonio
discrimination, and hostility in UST. Rivera), his sisters (Neneng and Lucia), the
Valenzuela family ( Capitan Juan and Capitana
•His older brother, Saturnina, Lucia, Uncle Antonio Sanday and their daughter Orang), Pedro A. Paterno,
Rivera, the Valenzuela family, and some friends his compadre Mateo Evangelista, the Ateneo Jesuits
approved his going to Spain. fathers, and some intimate friends, including
Chengoy ( Jose M. Cecilio).
• He used the name Jose Mercado, a cousin from • Rizal wrote on his travel diary: “The general
Biñan. appearance of Point Galle is picturesque but lonely and
quiet and at the same time sad.
• Before his secret departure, he wrote a farewell letter
to his parents and to his sweetheart Leonor Rivera. • Colombo- capital of Ceylon

• May 3, 1882, Rizal departed on the board the Spanish •Rizal was enamored by Colombo because of its scenic
steamer Salvadora bound for Singapore. beauty and elegant buildings.

Singapore •“Colombo is more beautiful, smart and elegant than

Singapore, Point Galle and Manila".
• During the voyage to Singapore he carefully observed
the people and the things on board the steamer. He was First Trip through Suez Canal
the only Filipino, the rest were Spaniards, British, and
Indian Negros. • From Colombo, the Djemnah continued the voyage
crossing the Indian Ocean to the Cafe of Guardafui,
• The ship capitan, Donato Lecha from Austurias, Africa. For the first time, Rizal sighted the barren coast
Spain, befriended him. Rizal described him in his travel of Africa, which he called an “inhospitable land but
diary as an affable man, "much more refined than his famous”
other countrymen and colleagues that I have met". He
was, however peeved by some Spaniards (his fellow • Aden- city hotter than Manila
passengers) who spoke ill of the Philippines, "to which
• Rizal was amused to see the camels, for the first time.
they go for pecuniary reasons".
• City of Suez- the Red Sea terminal of the Suez Canal
• Rizal played chess to his fellow passengers who were
much older than he. He defeated them many times. •Rizal was impressed in the beautiful moonlight which
reminded him of Calamba and his family
• May 8, 1882, while steamer was approaching
Singapore, he saw a beautiful island. Fascinated by its • Suez Canal- canal which built by Ferdinand de
scenic beauty, he remembered "Talim Island with the Lesseps (French diplomat-engineer) which was
Susong Dalaga". inaugurated on November 17, 1869
• May 9, the Salvadora docked at Singapore. Rizal • Port Said- the Mediterranean terminal of the Suez
landed, registered at Hotel de la Paz, and spent 2 days Canal. Rizal landed in order to see the interesting sights.
on sightseeing soiree of the city, which was a colony of
England. He saw the famous Botanical Garden, the Naples and Marseilles
beautiful Buddhist temples, the busy shopping district,
and statue of Sir Thomas Standford Raffles (founder • June 11, 1882- Rizal reached Naples
of Singapore).
•Rizal was pleased on this Italian city because of its
From Singapore to Colombo business activity, its lively people, and its panoramic
beauty. He was fascinated by Mount Vesuvius, the
• In Singapore Rizal transferred to another ship Castle of St. Telmo.
Djemnah, a French steamer, which left Singapore for
Europe on May 11. It was larger and cleaner vessel • Night of June 12, 1882- the steamer docked at the
which carried more passengers. French harbor of Marseilles

• Dutch, Spaniards, Malays, Siamese, and Filipinos (Mr. • Rizal visited the famous Chateau d’If, where Dantes,
and Mrs. Salazar, Mr. Vicente Pardo, and Jose Rizal). hero of The Count of Monte Cristo, was imprisoned. He
enjoyed reading this novel of Alexander Dumas
• French was mostly spoken on board because it was
French vessel and majority of the passengers were • Rizal stayed two and a half days in Marseilles
French-speaking.
Barcelona
• May 17, 1882- Djemnah reached Point Galle, a
• Afternoon of May 15, 1882- Rizal left Marseilles by
seacoast town in southern Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
train for the last lap of his trip to Spain
• Rizal crossed the Pyrenees and stopped for a day at • Rizal received sad news about the cholera that was
the frontier town of Port Bou ravaging Manila and the provinces according to
Paciano’s letter, dated September 15, 1882
• June 16, 1882- Rizal finally reached his destination—
Barcelona •Another sad news from the Philippines was the chatty
letter of Chengoy recounting the unhappiness of Leonor
• Rizal’s first impression of Barcelona, the greatest city of Rivera
Cataluña and Spain’s second largest city, was
unfavorable. But, later, he changed his bad impression • In one of his letters (dated May 26, 1882), Paciano
and came to like the city with an atmosphere of freedom advised his younger brother to finish the medical course
and liberalism and its people were hospitable, open- in Madrid
minded and courteous.
• Rizal left Barcelona in the fall of 1882 and established
• Las Ramblas- the most famous street in Barcelona. himself in Madrid, the capital of Spain

• The Filipinos in Barcelona, some of whom were his Life in Madrid

schoolmates in the Ateneo, welcomed Rizal. They gave
him a party at their favorite cafe in Plaza de Cataluña. In • November 3, 1882- Rizal enrolled in the Universidad
turnd, he gave them the latest news and gossips in the Central de Madrid (Central University of Madrid) in two
Philippines. courses—Medicine and Philosophy and Letters

• Amor Patrio (Love of Country)- nationalistic essay, • Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando- Rizal
Rizal’s first article written on Spain’s soil. He sent his studied painting and sculpture and took lessons in
article to his friend in Manila, Basilio Teodoro Moran, a French, German, and English under private instructor;
publisher of Diariong Tagalog, the first Manila bilingual and practing shooting and fencing in the Hall of
newspaper (Spanish and Tagalog). Arms of Sanz y Carbonell.

•Under his pen-name Laong Laan, appeared in print in • He visited the art galleries and museum and read
Diariong Tagalog on August 20, 1882 books on all subjects under the sun.

•The Spanish text was originally written by Rizal and -RIZAL led a SPARTAN LIFE in Madrid;
the Tagalog translation was made by M.H. Del Pilar.
-Rizal knew that he came to Spain to Study and
•Amor Patrio, urged his compatriots to love their prepare himself for the service to his fatherland
fatherland, the Philippines.
• Rizal’s only extravagance was investing a few pesetas
-“LOVE OF COUNTRY”- can never be effaced, once has for a lottery ticket in every draw of the Madrid Lottery
entered the heart, because it carries in itself the divine
• Rizal spent his leisure time reading and writing at his
stamp that makes it eternal and imperishable.
boarding house, attending the reunions of Filipino
-It has always been said that love is the most potent students at the house of the Paterno brothers (Antonio,
force behind force behind the most sublime deeds, very Maximo and Pedro) and practicing fencing and shooting
well of all loves; the LOVE OF COUNTRY is what at the gymnasium
produced the greatest, the most heroic, the most
• Antigua Café de Levante-during the summer twilights,
disinterested.
this is where Rizal sipped coffee and fraternized with the
• The publisher impressed by Amor Patrio, he students from Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, etc
congratulated Rizal and requested for more articles.
• On Saturday evenings, Rizal visited the home of Don
Rizal wrote his second article, "Los Viaje" (Travels), his
Pablo Ortiga y Rey who lived with his son (Rafael) and
third article, entitled "Revista de Madrid" (Review of
daughter (Consuelo).
Mandrid), which he wrote in Mandrid on November
29, 1882, was returned to him because the Diariong Romance with Consuelo Ortiga y Perez
Tagalog had ceased publication for lack of funds.
• Rizal was attracted by Consuelo's beauty and vivacity.
Manila Moves to Madrid He even composed a lovely poem on August 22, 1883
dedeicated to her. Titled A La Señorita C. O. y P. (To
Miss C.O. y P)
• However, before his romance with Consuelo could • Lariboisiere Hospital- where Rizal observed the
blossom into serious affairs, he suddenly backed out for examination of different diseases of women
two reason, (1) he is still engaged to Leonor Rivera),
(2) his friends and co-workder in Propaganda Rizal as a Masons
Movement, Eduardo de Lete, was madly in love with
• Including in the Masons are; Miguel Morayta, a
Consuelo and he had no wish to break their
statesman, professor, historian, and writer;
frienship because of the pretty girl.
Francisco Pi y Margal, a journalist, statesman, and
• Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-Philippine former President of the short-lived First Spanish
Circle)- a society of Spaniards and Filipinos which Rizal Republic; Manuel Beccera, Minister of Ultramar
joined shortly after his arrival in Madrid in 1882 (Colonies); Emilio Junoy, journalist and member of
the Spanish Cortes; and Juan Ruiz Zorilla,
• Me Piden Versos (They Ask Me For Verses)- upon parliamentarian and head of Republican Progressive
the request of the members of this society, Rizal’s wrote Party in Mandrid
this poem which he personally declaimed during the
New Year’s Eve reception of the Madrid. Filipinos held in • Rizal was impressed by the way the Spanish Mason
the evening of December 31, 1882, in this sad poem, openly and freely criticized the government policies and
Rizal poured out the cry of his agonizing heart lambasted the friars, which could not be done in
Philippines
Rizal as Lover of Books
• March 1883- Rizal joined the Masonic lodge called
• Rizal economized on his living expenses, and with the Acacia in Madrid using Dimasalang his masonic name
money he saved, he purchased books from a second-
hand book store owned by a certain Señor Roses • Rizal’s reason for becoming a mason was to secure
Freemasonry’s aid in his fight against the friars in the
• He was able to build a fair-sized private library. He has Philippines
many collections of books and some of this is books of
medicine, philosophy, languages, history, geography, • Lodge Solidaridad (Madrid) – Rizal transferred where
arts and sciences. he became a Master Mason on November 15, 1890

• Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Eugene • February 15, 1892- Rizal was awarded the diploma as
Sue’s The Wandering Jew- these two books aroused Master Mason by Le Grand Orient de France in Paris
Rizal’s sympathy for the oppressed and unfortunate
• Science, Virtue and Labor- Rizal’s only Masonic
people.
writing; a lecture which he delivered in 1889 at
Rizal First Visit to Paris (1883) Lodge Solidaridad, Madrid

•During his first summer vacation in Madrid, Rizal went Financial Worries
to Paris, gay capital of France
• After Rizal’s departure for Spain, things turned from
•The prices of food, drinks, theatre, tickets, laundry, hotel bad to worse in Calamba: (1) harvests of rice and
accommodations, and transportation were too high for sugarcane failed on account of drought and locusts
Rizal’s slender purse so that he commented in a letter to (2) the manager of the Dominican-owned hacienda
his family: “Paris is the costliest capital in Europe.” increased the rentals of the lands (3) a dreadful pest
killed most of the turkeys. Due to hard times in
• June 17 to August 20, 1883- Rizal sojourns in Paris Calamba, the monthly allowances of Rizal in Madrid
were late in arrival and there were times when they
• Hotel de Paris- located on 37 Rue de Maubange never arrived
wherein Rizal billeted but later, he moved to a cheaper
hotel on 124 Rue de Rennes in the Latin Quarter • At one time, Paciano forced to sell his younger brother
pony in order to send money to Madrid.
• Rizal improved his mind by observing closely the
French way of life and spending many hours at the • June 24, 1884- a touching incident in Rizal’s life in
museums Madrid wherein he was broke and was unable to take
breakfast
• Laennec Hospital- where Rizal observed Dr. Nicaise
treating his patients
•Rizal attended his class at the university, participated in -By obtaining to the degree of licentiate in philosophy
the contest in Greek language and won the gold medal and letters he became qualified to be a professor of
Humanities in any Spanish University and by
Rizal's Salute to Luna and Hidalgo receiving his degree of licentiate in Medicine he
became full-pledge physician to practice medicine.
• Evening of June 25, 1884- a banquet was sponsored
by the Filipino community to celebrate the double victory • November 26, 1884- a letter to Rizal’s family written in
of the Filipino artist in the National Exposition of Fine Madrid wherein he said “My doctorate is not of very
Arts in Madrid—Luna’s Spoliarium winning the first much value to me… because although it is useful to
prize and Hidalgo’s Christian Virgins Exposed to the a university professor, yet, I believe they (Dominican
Populace (Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al friars—Z) will never appoint me as such in the
Populacho), second prize. Rizal was a guest speaker College of Santo Tomas. I say the same thing of
to this event. philosophy and letters which may serve also for a
professorship, but I doubt if the Dominican fathers
• He saluted Luna and Hidalgo as the two glories of
will grant it to me.”
Spain and the Philippines, whose artistic achievement
transcended geographical frontiers and racial origins, for -JUNE 1887- He requested for the issuance of his
GENIUS IS UNIVERSAL- "genius knows no country, Licentiate degree. This was applied and paid for in his
genius sprouts everywhere, genius is like light, air, name by, JULIO LLORENTE, who for some reason and
the patrimony of everybody, cosmopolitan like asked that it be grant to the Governor in Manila where it
space, like life, like GOD". was promptly lost, so after as typical bureaucratic
jumble, Rizal had to be contented with certified copy of
Rizal Involved in Student Demonstration
which he received from Spanish Consul General in Hong
• November 20, 21, and 22, 1884- the serene city of Kong in May 1892, eight years after his graduation.
Madrid exploded in bloody riots by the students of the
Chapter 7
Central University
Paris to Berlin (1885-1887)
• These student demonstrations were caused by the
address of Dr. Miguel Morayta, professor of history, at •Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize
the opening ceremonies of the academic year on in ophthalmology
November 20, in which he proclaimed “the freedom of
science and the teacher” •Rizal chose this branch of medicine because he wanted
to cure his mother’s eye ailment
• The Rector, who also took the side of the students,
was forced to resign and was replaced by Doctor Creus, In Gay Paris (1885-1886)
“a very unpopular man, disliked by everybody”
• Rizal stopped at Barcelona to visit his friend, Maximo
• November 26, 1884- Rizal wrote the recounting Viola, a medical student and a member of a rich family
tumultuous riots to his family of San Miguel, Bulacan

Studies Completed in Spain • Señor Eusebio Corominas- editor of the newspaper

La Publicidad and made a crayon sketch of Don Miguel
• June 21, 1884- Rizal completed his medical course in Morayta, owner of La Publicidad and a statesman
Spain; he was conferred the degree of Licentiate in
Medicine by the Universidad Central de Madrid • Rizal gave Editor Corominas an article on the Carolines
Question, then a controversial issue, for publication
• The next academic year (1884-1885), Rizal studied
and passed all subjects leading to the degree of Doctor • November 1885, Rizal was living in Paris where he
of Medicine but he did not present the thesis required sojourned for about four months
for graduation nor paid the corresponding fees, he
was not awarded his Doctor’s diploma • Dr. Louis de Weckert (1852-1906)- leading French
ophthalmologist wherein Rizal worked as an assistant
• June 19, 1885- on his 24th birthday, Rizal was from November 1885 to February 1886.
awarded the degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and
Letters by the Universidad Central de Madrid with •January 1,1886- he wrote a letter to his parents that he
the rating of “Excellent”: (Sobresaliente) is doing well.
• Rizal relaxed by visiting his friend, such as family of • April 22, 1886- Rizal wrote a fine poem “A Las Flores
Pardo de Teveras ( Trinidad, Feliz, and Paz), Juan de Heidelberg” (To the Flowers of Heidelberg)
Luna, and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, Paz Pardo de
Tavera- was a pretty girl, who was engaged to Juan • In the spring of 1886, Rizal was fascinated by the
Luna blooming flowers along the cool banks of the Neckar
River. Among them was his favorite flower—the light
• At the studio of Luna, Rizal spent many happy hours. blue “forget-me-not”
Rizal helped Luna by posing as model in several
paintings With Pastor Ullmer at Wilhelmsfeld

• In Luna’s canvas “The Death of Cleopatra,“ Rizal • Wilhelmsfeld- a mountainous village near Heidelberg
posed as an Egyptian priest. In another of Luna’s great where Rizal spent a three-month summer vacation
paintings, “The Blood Compact,” he posed as Sikatuna,
• Dr. Karl Ullmer- a kind Protestant pastor where Rizal
with Trinidad Pardo de Tavera taking the role of Legazpi
stayed, who became his good friend and admirer
Rizal as Musician
• June 25, 1886- Rizal ended his sojourn at Pastor
• November 27, 1878- Rizal told Enrique Lete that he Ullmer’s home. He wrote to Pastor Ullmer to expressed
“learned the solfeggio, the piano, the voice culture in one hia gratitude.
month and a half”. However, he confessed that he could
• May 29, 1887- Rizal wrote from Munich (Muchen) to
not sing well.
Friedrich (Fritz), son of Pastor Ullmer
• By sheer determination and constant practice, Rizal
First Letter to Blumentritt
came to play the flute fairly well. He was a flutist in
various impromptu reunions of Filipinos in Paris • July 31, 1886- Rizal wrote his first letter in German
(which he had improved after his stay with the Ullmers)
• Alin Mang Lahi (Any Race)-a patriotic song written by
to Professor Blumentritt, Director of the Ateneo of
Rizal which asserts that any race aspires for freedom
Leitmeritz, Austria
• La Deportacion (Deportation)- a sad danza which
• Aritmetica (Arithmetic)-Rizal sent this book he
Rizal composed in Dapitan during his exile
mentioned and was published in two languages—
In Historic Heidelberg Spanish and Tagalog—by the University of Santo
Tomas Press in 1868.the author was Rufino Baltazar
• February 1, 1886- Rizal reluctantly left gay Paris from Hernandez, a native of Santa Cruz, Laguna
Germany
- The book given to Prof. Blumentritt was printed at
• February 3, 1886- Rizal arrived in Heidelberg, a UST in 1868 consisting of 224 pages. He was
historic city in Germany famous for its old university and impressed by Rizal and in exchange for his generosity
romantic surroundings he reciprocated by giving him two books. This was
the beginning of the beautiful long life friendship
• Chess Player’s Club- a club wherein the students between them, Blumentritt the Austrian, became the
made Rizal as a member because of being a good best friend of Rizal, the Filipino.
chess player
Fifth Centenary of Heidelberg University
• Dr. Otto Becker- distinguished German
ophthalmologist where Rizal worked—University Eye • August 6, 1886- the famous University of Heidelberg
Hospital held its fifth centenary celebration

• During the weekends, Rizal visited the scenic spots In Leipzig and Dresden
around Heidelberg, including the Heidlerberg Castle, the
romantic Neckar River, the theater, and old churches. • August 9, 1886- Rizal left Heidelberg
He noticed that German Catholics and Protestants
• August 14, 1886- boarded by a train. Rizal arrived in
practice ecumenism (movement promoting unity
Leipzig
between different churches).
• Professor Friedrich Ratzel- a famous German
"To the Flowers of Heidlerberg"
historian, Rizal befriend with him
• Dr. Hans Meyer- German anthropologist, a friend of Geographical Society of Berlin, upon the
Rizal recommendation of Dr. Jagor and Dr. Meyer

• In Leipzig, Rizal translated Schiller’s William Tell from - He was the first Asian to be accorded such honors.
German into Tagalog so that Filipino might know the
story of that champion of Swiss independence • Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art)- Rizal
wrote this scholarly paper in German which he read
• Rizal also translated into Tagalog for his nephews and before the society in April 1887, this paper was
niece Hans Andersen’s Fairy Tales published by the society in the same year, and elicited
favorable comments from all scientific quarters
• Rizal found out that the cost of living in Leipzig was
cheapest in Europe so that he stayed two months and a Rizal's Life in Berlin
half
• Rizal lived in Berlin, famous capital of unified Germany
• Because of his knowledge of German, Spanish, and for five reasons: (1) to gain further knowledge of
other European languages, Rizal worked as proof reader ophthalmology (2) to further his studies of sciences
in a publisher’s firm and languages (3) to observe the economic and
political conditions of the German nation (4) to
• October 29, 1886- Rizal left Leipzig for Dresden where associate with famous German scientists and
he met Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, Director of the scholars (5) to publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere (6)
Anthropological and Ethnological Museum To master the German language

• Rizal heard Mass in a Catholic church; evidently, this • By day, he worked as an assistant in the clinic of Dr.
Mass impressed him very much, for he wrote on his Schweigger, eminent German opthamologist, and at
diary: “Truly I have never in my life heard a Mass whose night, he attended lectures in University of Berlin.
music had greater sublimity and intonation.”
• Madame Lucie Cerdole-Rizal’s professor of French in
• Morning of November 1, 1886- Rizal left Dresden by order to master the idiomatic intricacies of the French
train reaching Berlin in the evening language

Rizal welcomed in Berlin's Scientific Circles • Unter den Linden- the most popular boulevard of Berlin
wherein Rizal enjoyed promenading, sipping beer in the
• Rizal was enchanted by Berlin because of its scientific
city’s inns and talking with the friendly Berliners
atmosphere and the absence of race prejudice
Rizal on German Woman
• Rizal met for the first time Dr. Feodor Jagor,
celebrated German scientist-traveler and author of • March 11, 1886- one of Rizal’s important letters written
Travels in the Philippines, a book which Rizal read and while he was in Germany that addressed to his sister,
admired during his student days in Manila. Trinidad, in this letter, Rizal expressed his high regard
and admiration for German womanhood. The German
- In his book, he foretold the downfall of Spanish rule
woman, said Rizal to his sister, is serious, diligent,
in the Philippines and the coming of America to
educated, and friendly. She is not gossipy, frivolous and
Philippines shore.
quarrelsome like the Spanish woman.
• Dr. Rudolf Virchow- introduced to Rizal by Dr. Jagor;
German Customs
famous German anthropologist
• Aside from the German women, Rizal admired the
• Dr. Hans Virchow- son of Dr. Rudolf Virchow,
German customs which he observed well
professor of Descriptive Anatomy
Rizal's Darkest Winter
• Dr. W. Joest- noted German geographer
• The winter of 1886 in Berlin was his darkest winter.
• Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger (1830-1905)- famous
During this bleak winter, he lived in poverty because no
German ophthalmologist where Rizal worked
money arrived from Calamba and he was flat broke.
• Rizal became a member of the Anthropological
• Rizal starved in Berlin and shivered with wintry cold.
Society, the Ethnological Society, and the
His health broke down due to lack of nourishment
Chapter 8 him the needed funds to publish the novel; savior of
Noli
Noli Me Tangere Published in Berlin (1887)
• After the Christmas season, Rizal put the finishing
• The bleak winter of 1886 in Berlin was Rizal’s darkest touches on his novel. To save printing expenses, he
winter because no money arrived from Calamba and he deleted certain passages in his manuscript, including a
was flat broke. The diamond ring which his sister, whole chapter—“Elias and Salome”
Saturnina, gave him was in the pawnshop. It was
memorable in the life of Rizal for two reasons (1) it was a • February 21, 1887- the Noli was finally finished and
painful episode for he was hungry, sick and despondent ready for printing
in a strange city (2) it brought him great joy after
enduring so much sufferings, because his first novel, • Berliner Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesselschaft- a
Noli Me Tangere came off the press in March, 1887 printing shop which charged the lowest rate, that is, 300
pesos for 2,00 copies of the novel
Idea of Writing a Novel on the Philippines
Rizal Suspected as Frenchy Spy
• Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin-
inspired Dr. Rizal to prepare a novel that would depict • One morning a police Berling paid a sudden visit in
the miseries of his people under the lash of Spanish Rizal's boarding house and requested to see his
tyrants passport. Unfortunately, Rizal could not produce a
passport. The police told him to secure a passport within
• January 2, 1884- in a reunion of Filipinos in the four days.
Paterno residence in Madrid, Rizal proposed the writings
of a novel about the Philippines by a group of Filipinos. • Immediately, Rizal accompanied by Viola went to the
Spanish embassy to seek the help of the Spanish
• However, his companions almost wanted to write on ambassador, the Count of Benamor, who promised to
woman. They wasted their time in gambling or flirting attend the matter. But the ambassador failed to keep his
with Spanish senoritas. So, Rizal, write the novel promise.
alone. The novel was designated to cover all phases
Philippines Life. • Rizal presented himself at the office of German police
chief apologizing his failure to obtain a passport and he
The Writings of Noli asked why he was to be deported when he had not
committed any crime.
• Toward the end of 1884, Rizal began writing the novel
in Madrid and finished about one-half of it • The police chief informed him that he had received
intelligence report that he had made a frequent visit to
• When Rizal went to Paris, in 1885, after completing his the villages and little town in rural areas; thereby
studies in the Central University of Madrid, he continued arousing the German government's suspicion that he
writing the novel, finishing one half of the second half was a French spy.

• Rizal finished the last fourth of the novel in Germany. • Rizal explained to the police chief that he was not a
He wrote the last few chapters of the Noli in French spy, but was a Filipino physician and scientist,
Wilhelmsfeld in April-June 1886 particularly an ethnologist.

• In Berlin during the winter days of February, 1886, Printing of Noli finished
Rizal made the final revisions on the manuscript of the
Noli • March 21, 1887- the Noli Me Tangere came off the
press
• Sick and penniless, he saw no hope of having it
published. Years later he told his good friend and former • Rizal immediately sent the first copies to his intimate
classmate Fernando Canon, that he did not believe that friends, including Blumentritt, Dr. Antonio Ma.
Noli Me Tangere would ever be published when he is in Regidor, G. Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, and Felix
Berlin. R. Hidalgo

Viola, Savior of the Noli • March 29, 1887- Rizal, in token of his appreciation and
gratitude, gave Viola the galley proofs of the Noli
• Maximo Viola- Rizal’s friend from Bulacan, arrived in carefully rolled around the pen that he used in writing it
Berlin at the height of Rizal despondency and loaned
and a complimentary copy, with the following inscription: • Tasio-the philosopher was Rizal’s elder brother
“To my dear friend, Maximo Viola, the first to read Paciano
and appreciate my work—Jose Rizal”
• Padre Salvi-was identified by Rizalists as Padre
The Title of the Novel Antonio Piernavieja, the hated Augustinian friar in Cavite
who was killed by the patriots during the Revolution
• The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase which
means “Touch Me Not”. It is not originally conceived by • Capitan Tiago-was Captain Hilario Sunico of San
Rizal, for he admitted taking it from the Bible Nicolas

• Rizal, writing to Felix Hidalgo in French on March 5, • Doña Victorina- was Doña Agustina Medel
1887, said: “Noli Me Tangere, words taken from the
Gospel of St. Luke, signify “do not touch me” but Rizal • Basilio and Crispin- were the Crisostomo brothers of
made a mistake, it should be the Gospel of St. John Hagonoy
(Chapter 20 Verses 13 to 17)
• Padre Damaso- typical of a domineering friar during
The Author's Dedication the days of Rizal, who was arrogant, immoral and anti-
Filipino
• Rizal dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to the
Philippines—“To My Fatherland” Chapter 9

The Noli based on Truth Rizal's Grand Tour of Europe with Viola (1887)

•Noli Me Tangere, unlike many works of fictional • Rizal had received 1 000 from Paciano, forwarded by
literature, was a true story of the Philippine condition Juan Luna from Paris. He paid Viola the sum of 300.
during the last decade of Spanish rule.
• May 11, 1887- Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train
• The cover of Noli Me Tangere was designed by Rizal. It
• Dresden- one of the best cities in Germany
is a ketch of explicit symbols. A woman’s head atop a
Maria Clara bodice represents the nation and the - They visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, who was enjoyed to
women, victims of the social cancer. One of the causes see them
of the cancer is symbolized in the friar’s feet, outsized in
relation to the woman’s head. The other aggravating • Prometheus Bound-painting wherein Rizal was
causes of oppression and discrimination are shown in deeply impressed
the guard’s helmet and the iron chains, the teacher’s
whip and the alferez’s scourge. A slight cluster of • Teschen (now Decin, Czechoslovakia)- next
bamboo stands at the backdrop; these are the people, stopover after leaving Dresden
forever in the background of their own country’s history.
-While strolling at he scene of the flowed Exposition they
There are a cross, a maze, flowers and thorny plants, a
met Dr, Feodor Jagor, upon hearing of their to visit
flame; these are indicative of the religious policy, the
Leitmeritz (now Litomerice, Czechoslovakia) in order to
misdirected ardor, the people strangled as a result of
see Blumentritt
these all
First Meeting with Bluementritt
• The novel Noli Me Tangere contains 63 chapters
and an epilogue • At 1:30pm of May 13, 1887- the train, with Rizal and
Viola on board, arrived at the railroad station of
• Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor- Filipino patriot and lawyer
Leitmeritz, Bohemia, for the first time, the two great
who had been exiled due to his complicity in the Cavite
scholars—Rizal and Blumentritt—met in person
Mutiny of 1872, read avidly the Noli and was very much
impressed by its author • Professor Blumentritt- an old Austrian professor, a
kind-hearted, old Austrian professor
CHARACTERS OF NOLI
• May 13 to May 16, 1887- Rizal and Viola stayed in
• Maria Clara-was Leonor Rivera, although in real life
Leitmeritz
she became unfaithful and married an Englishman
Beautiful Memories of Leitmeritz
• Ibarra and Elias- represented Rizal himself
• Burgomaster- town mayor • Munich- where Rizal and Viola sojourned for a short
time to savor the famous Munich beer, reputed to be the
• Tourist’s Club of Leitmeritz-which Blumentritt was best in Germany
the secretary; Rizal spoke extemporaneously in fluent
Germany to the officers and members • Nuremberg- one of the oldest cities of Germany

• Dr. Carlos Czepelak- renowned scientist of Europe • The Cathedral of Ulm- the largest and tallest cathedral
in all Germany
• Professor Robert Klutschak- an eminent naturalist
• From Ulm, they went to Stuttgart, Baden and then
• May 16, 1887 at 9:45 AM- Rizal and Viola left Rheinfall (Cascade of the Rhine). At Rheinfall, they saw
Leitmeritz by train the waterfall, “the most beautiful waterfall of Europe”

Prague Crossing the Frontier to Switzerland

• Dr. Willkomm- professor of natural history in the • June 2 to 3, 1887- stayed at Schaffhausen,
University of Prague Switzerland

• Rizal and Viola visited many places; one of this is the Geneva
tomb of Copernicus, the famous astronomer
• This Swiss city is one of the most beautiful cities in
• According to Viola, “nothing of importance happened” Europe, visited by world tourists every year
in this city
• June 19, 1887- Rizal treated Viola to a blow-out. It was
Vienna his 26th birthday

• May 20, 1887- Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful • Rizal and Viola spent fifteen delightful days in Geneva
city of Vienna, capital of Austria-Hungary
• June 23, 1887- Viola and Rizal parted ways—Viola
• Vienna was truly the “Queen of Danube” because of its returned to Barcelona while Rizal continued the tour to
beautiful buildings, religious images, haunting waltzes Italy
and majestic charm
Rizal Resents Exhibition of Igorots in 1887 Madrid
• Norfentals- one of the greatest Austrian novelists was Exposition
favorably impressed by Rizal, and years later he spoke
highly of Rizal, “whose genius he so much admired.” • Exposition of the Philippines in Madrid, Spain- Rizal
was outraged by this degradation of his fellow
• Hotel Metropole- where Rizal and Viola stayed countrymen the Igorots of Northern Luzon

• In Vienna, Rizal received his lost diamond stickpin Rizal in Italy

• They met two friends, Masner and Nordmann, Austrian • June 27, 1887- Rizal reached Rome, the “Eternal
scholars City” and also called the “City of the Caesars”

Danubian Voyage to Lintz • Rizal was thrilled by the sights and memories of the
Eternal City. Describing to Blumentritt, the “grandeur
• May 24, 1887- Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river
that was Rome”, he wrote on June 27, 1887
boat to see the beautiful sights of the Danube River
Vatican
• Rizal particularly noticed that the passengers on the
river boat were using paper napkins during the meals, • June 29, 1887- the Feast Day of St. Peter and St.
which was a novelty to him. Viola, commented that the Paul, Rizal visited for the first time the Vatican, the
paper napkins were “more hygienic and economical than “City of the Popes” and the capital of Christendom
cloth napkins”
• Every night, after sightseeing the whole day, Rizal
From Lintz to Rheinfall returned to his hotel, very tired. “I am tired as a dog,” he
wrote to Blumentritt, “but I will sleep as a God”
• After a week of wonderful sojourn in Rome, Rizal • Rizal, who came to be called “Doctor Uliman” because
prepared to return to the Philippines. He had already he came from Germany, treated their ailments and soon
written to his father that he was coming home he acquired a lucrative medical practice

Chapter 10 • Rizal opened a gymnasium for young folks, where he

introduced European sports
FIRST HOMECOMING (1887-1888)
• Rizal suffered one failure during his six months of
Decision to Return Home sojourn in Calamba—his failure to see Leonor Rivera

•Because of the publication of the Noli Me Tangere and Storm over the Noli
the uproar it caused among the friars, Rizal was warned
by Paciano (his brother), Silvestre Ubaldo (his brother- Governor General Emilio Terrero (1885-1888)-
in-law), Chengoy (Jose M. Cecilio) and other friends not requesting Rizal to come to Malacańang Palace
to return home.
• Don Jose Taviel de Andrade-a young Spanish
•Rizal was determined to return to the Philippines for the lieutenant assigned by Governor General Terrero to
following reasons: (1) to operate on his mother’s eyes posed as bodyguard of Rizal
(2) to serve his people who had long been
oppressed by Spanish tyrants (3) to find out for • Msgr. Pedro Payo (a Dominican)- sent a copy of Noli
himself how Noli and his other writings were to Father Rector Gregorio Echavarria of the University
affecting Filipinos and Spaniards in the Philippines of Sto. Tomas for examination by a committee of the
and (4) to inquire why Leonor Rivera remained silent faculty

• July 29, 1887- Rizal wrote to his father, announcing his • The report of the faculty members of University of
homecoming, “on the 15th of July, I shall embark for our Santo Tomas stated that the Noli was “heretical,
country, so that from the 15th to the 30th of August, we impious, and scandalous in the religious order and
shall see each other” anti-patriotic, subversive of public order, injurious to
the government of Spain and its function in the
Delightful Trip to Manila Philippine Islands in the political order”

-Rizal left Rome by train for Marseilles, a French port, • Permanent Commission of Censorship-a committee
which he reached without mishap. composed of priest and laymen

• July 3, 1887-Rizal boarded the steamer Djemnah, the • Fr. Salvador Font- Augustinian cura of Tondo, head of
same streamer which brought him to Europe 5 years ago the committee

• July 30, 1887-at Saigon, Rizal transferred to another •found the novel to contain subversive ideas against the
steamer, Haiphong, which was Manila-bounded Church and Spain, and recommended “that the
importation, reproduction, and circulation of this
• August 2, 1887- the steamer left Saigon for Manila pernicious book in the islands be absolutely
prohibited.”
Arrival in Manila
Attackers of the Noli
• August 3, 1887- the moon was full and Rizal slept
soundly the whole night. The calm sea, illuminated by • Fr. Jose Rodriguez- Augustinian priest, published a
the silvery moonlight, was a magnificent sight to him series of eight pamphlets under the general heading
Cuestiones de Sumo Interes (Questions of Supreme
• Near midnight of August 5, 1887, the Haiphong
Interest) to blast the Noli and other anti-Spanish writings
arrived in Manila
• Vicente Barrantes- Spanish academician of Madrid,
Happy Homecoming
who formerly criticized the Noli in an article published in
• August 8, 1887- Rizal returned to Calamba La Espańa Moderna (a newspaper of Madrid) in
January, 1890
• In Calamba, Rizal established a medical clinic. His first
patient was his mother, who was almost blind. Defenders of the Noli
• Rev. Vicente Garcia-a Filipino Catholic priest-scholar, commemoration of the town’s elevation to a villa (city) by
a theologian of the Manila Cathedral and a Tagalog virtue of the Becerra Law of 1888
translator of the famous Imitation of Christ by Thomas A.
Kempis A Poem for Lipa

•writing under the penname Justo Desiderio Magalang, • Himno Al Trabajo (Hymn to Labor)- a poem written
wrote a defense of the Noli which was published in by Rizal dedicated to the industrious folks of Lipa.
Singapore as an appendix to a pamphlet dated July 18,
Chapter 11
1888, he blasted the arguments of Fr. Rodriguez
In Hong Kong and Macau 1888
• Rizal, himself defended his novel against Barrantes’
attack, in a letter written in Brussels, Belgium in -Hounded by powerful enemies, Rizal was forced to
February 1880. leave his country for a second time in February 1888. He
was then a full-grown man of 27 years of age, a
Rizal and Taviel de Andrade
practicing physician, and a recognized man-of-letters.
•Rizal was not molested in Calamba, this is due to
THE TRIP TO HONGKONG
Governor General Terrero's generosity in assigning a
bodyguard to him which is Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade. · February 3, 1888-Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong on
Both of them are young, educated, and cultured. While board the Zafiro.
walking in countryside, they discussed about their
common interest, and enjoyed fencing and shooting, February 7, 1888- Zafiro made a brief stopover at Amoy
hunting and painting.
· Rizal did not get off his ship at Amoy for three reasons:
•What marred Rizal’s happy days in Calamba with Lt. (1) he was not feeling well (2) it was raining hard (3)
Andrade were (1) the death of his older sister, he heard that the city was dirty
Olimpia, and (2) the groundless tales circulated by
his enemies that he was “a German spy, an agent of · February 8, 1888- Rizal arrived in Hong Kong
Bismarck, a Protestant, a Mason, a witch, a soul
February 16,1888- Rizal wrote to Blumentritt
beyond salvation, etc.”
expressing his bitterness.
Calamba's Agrarian Trouble
Victoria Hotel- Rizal stayed while in Hong Kong. He
• December 30, 1887, the Civil Governor of Laguna was welcomed by Filipino residents, including Jose
Province directed the municipal authorities of Calamba
Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and Manuel Yriarte (son
to investigate to the agrarian conditions of their locality.
of Francisco Yriarte (son of Francisco Yriarte,
• Upon hearing the investigation, the Calamba folks
alcalde mayor of Laguna)
solicited Rizal's helps in gathering the facts and listing
their grievances against the hacienda management · Jose Sainz de Varanda- a Spaniard, who was a
former secretary of Governor General Terrero,
Farewell to Calamba
shadowed Rizal’s movement in Hong Kong
• The friars asked Governor General Terrero to deport
him, but latter refused because there was no valid -it is believed that he was commissioned by the Spanish
charge against Rizal in court. authorities to spy on Rizal
• Rizal was compelled to leave Calamba for two reasons: · “Hong Kong”, wrote Rizal to Blumentritt on February
(1) his presence in Calamba was jeopardizing the 16, 1888, “is a small, but very clean city.”
safety and happiness of his family and friends (2) he
could fight better his enemies and serve his VISIT TO MACAO
country’s cause with greater efficacy by writing in
foreign countries -Macao is a Portuguese colony near Hong Kong.

• Shortly before Rizal left Calamba in 1888, his friend -According to Rizal, the city of Macao is small, low, and
from Lipa requested him to write a poem in gloomy. There are many junks, sampans, but few
steamers. It looks sad and is almost dead.
-He was surprised to see among the passengers a -Juan Perez Caballero-secretary of the Spanish
familiar figure- Sainz de Varanda Legation, who visited Rizal at his hotel who latter invited
him to live at the Spanish Legation
· February 18, 1888- Rizal, accompanied by Basa,
boarded the ferry steamer, Kiu-Kiang for Macao · Rizal accepted the invitation for two reasons: (1) he
could economize his living expenses by staying at
· Don Juan Francisco Lecaros- A filipino gentleman the legation (2) he had nothing to hide from the
married to a Portuguese lady prying eyes of the Spanish authorities

-Rizal and Basa stayed at his home while in Macao · March 7, 1888- Rizal checked out of Tokyo Hotel and
lived at the Spanish Legation. He and Perez Caballero
· February 19, 1888- Rizal witnessed a Catholic
became a good friend. He describes the Spanish
possession, in which the devotees were dressed in blue
diplomat as “a young, fine and excellent writer” and “an
and purple dresses and were carrying unlighted candles
able diplomat who had traveled much”.
- Rizal visted theatre, casino, cathedral and churches,
-Rizal was embarrassed because he did not know the
pagodas, botanical graden, and bazaars, he also saw
Japanese language. To avoid embarrassment, Rizal
the famous Grotto of Camoens
studies the Japanese language. He also studied
· February 20, 1888- Rizal and Basa returned to Hong Japanese drama (kabuki), music, art, and judo
Kong, again on board the ferry steamer Kiu Kiang (Japanese art of self-defense).

Experiences in Hong Kong Rizal and the Tokyo Musician

- During his two-week visit in Hong Kong, Rizal studied -Rizal heard the Tokyo band playing a classical work of
Chinese life, language, drama, and customs. He wrote Strauss. He was impressed by the superb performances
down in his own diary his experiences. of the Western Music.

DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG - Rizal approached the musician because he heard them
talking in Tagalog. The musicians were equally surprised
· February 22, 1888- Rizal left Hong Kong on board the and delighted to meet him. They told him that they are
Oceanic, an American steamer, his destination was Filipinos and that the principal instruments in the band
Japan were Japanese.

· Rizal’s cabin mate was a British Protestant missionary Rizal Impression of Japan
who called Rizal “a good man
-Rizal was favorably impressed by Japan. The things
Chapter 12 which favorably impressed Rizal in Japan were: (1) the
beauty of the country—its flowers, mountains,
Romantic Interlude in Japan 1888 streams and scenic panoramas, (2) the cleanliness,
politeness, and industry of the Japanese people
-One of the happiest interludes in the life of Rizal was his
(3)the picturesque dress and simple charm of the
sojourn in the Land of the Cherry Blossoms for one
Japanese women (4) there were very few thieves in
month and a half (February 28-April 13, 1888)
Japan so that the houses remained open day and
· February 28, 1888- early in the morning of Tuesday, night, and in hotel room one could safely leave
Rizal arrived in Yokohama. He registered at the Grand money on the table (5) beggars were rarely seen in
Hotel the city, streets, unlike in Manila and other cities

· Tokyo Hotel- Rizal stayed here from March 2 to March Rickshaws- popular mode of transportation drawn by
7 men that Rizal did not like in Japan.

· Rizal wrote to Professor Blumentritt: “Tokyo is more Romance with Seiko Usui
expensive then Paris. The walls are built
- Rizal fell in love with the Japanese girl; her real name
incyclopean manner. The streets are large and
is Seiko Usui. Rizal called her O-Sei-San.
wide.”
- He was attracted by her regal loveliness and charm.
-Rizal was then a lonely physician of 27 years old and O- -Rizal befriended Tetcho and he acted his interpreter
Sei-San was a lonely samurai’s of 23 years old and have during their long trip from Yokohama to San Francisco
never yet experienced the ecstasy of true love.
· April 13 to December 1, 1888- eight months of
-Rizal with the help of Japanese gardener approached intimate acquaintanceship of Rizal and Tetcho. Rizal told
the girl and introduced himself. him the story of his life mission to emancipate his
oppressed people from Spanish tyranny and of the
-Rizal fell deeply in love with her. O-Sei-San helped persecutions which he and his family suffered.
Rizal in many ways. More than a sweetheart, she was
his guide, interpreter, and tutor. She improved his -Tetcho came to admire Rizal
knowledge of Nippongo (Japanese language) and
Japanese history. · December 1, 1888- after a last warm handshake and
bidding each other “goodbye”, Rizal and Tetcho parted
-Rizal great love for O-Sei-San is attested by the hero’s ways—never to meet again
diary.
-Rizal remained in London to conduct historical
Sayonara, Japan researches on Mora at the British Museum and Tetcho
returned to Japan.
April 13, 1888- After 45 days in Japan, Rizal left Japan
and boarded the Belgic, an English steamer, at - In 1889, after his return to Japan, Tetcho published his
Yokohama, bound for the United States travel diary which contained his impressions of Rizal.

O-Sei-San After Rizal’z Departrure - After the publication of his diary, Tetcho resigned his
position as editor of Tokyo newspaper, Choya, and
- O-Sei-San mourned for a long time the loss of her entered politics. In 1890 he was elected as member of
lover. About 1897, after Rizal’s execution, she married the lower house of the First imperial Diet (Japanese
Mr. Alfred Charlton, British teacher of chemistry of the Parliament), where he carried on his fight for human
Peer’s School in Tokyo. They have a daughter named rights.
Yuriko.
-1891, he published a political novel titled Nankai-no-
- Mr. Charlton died on November 15, 1915. Daiharan (Storm Over The South Sea) which
resembles Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere in plot.
- There daughter Yuriko, later married Yoshiharu
Takiguchi. -1894, he published another novel entitled O-unabara
(The Big Ocean) which similar to El Filibusterismo.
-O-Sei-San died on May 1, 1947 at the age of 80. She
was buried in her husband tomb at Zoshigawa -He died of heart attack in Tokyo in February 1896
Cemetery.
Chapter 13
Voyage Across the Pacific
Rizal’s Visit to the United States 1888
- He met a semi-Filipino a family, Mr. Reinaldo Turner,
his wife Emma Jackson (daughter of Englishman, their April 28, 1888- the steamer Belgic, with Rizal on board,
children, and their maid servant from Pangasinan). docked at San Francisco on Saturday morning

-Rizal asked by a young boy if he knows Rizal who wrote - All passengers were not allowed to land. The American
the novel, Noli Me Tangere. Rizal responds, and said he health authorities placed the ship under quarantine on
is Rizal. The young boy run to his mother and informed the ground that it came from the Far East where a
her that the famous man is their fellow passenger. cholera epidemic was alleged to be raging.

Rizal and Tetcho -After a week of quarantine, all first-class passengers,

including Rizal, were permitted to land. But the Chinese
· Tetcho Suehiro- a fighting Japanese journalist, and Japanese passengers of the second and third-class
novelist and champion of human rights, who was forced accommodation was forced to remain on board for a
by the Japanese government to leave the country longer quarantine period.

-passenger which Rizal befriended on board the Belgic May 4, 1888- Friday afternoon, the day Rizal was
permitted to go ashore
· Palace Hotel- Rizal registered here which was then -In 1890, Jose Alejandro, who was then studying
considered a first-class hotel in the city engineering in Belgium, roomed with him on 38 Rue
Philippe Champagne, Brussels, asked Rizal “What
-Leland Stanford – Millionaire senate representing impressions do you have of America?”, Rizal said,
California in U.S senate at that time. Founder and “America is the land par excellence of freedom but only
benefactor of Stanford University at Palo Alto, California. for the whites”

-Dupon Street – Chinatown which is Grant Avenue

today.
Chapter 14
-Rizal stayed in San Francisco for two days—May 4 to 6,
1888 (President was Grover Cleveland) Rizal in London 1888-1889

Across the American Continent -After visiting the United States, Rizal lived in London
from May, 1888 to March, 1889 for three reasons: (1) to
May 6, 1888-Sunday, 4:30PM, Rizal left San Francisco improve his knowledge of the English language (2)
for Oakland by ferry boat. to study and annotate Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas, a rare copy of which he heard to be
May 7- he awoke and had a good breakfast at Reno,
available in the British Museum (3) London was a
Nevada, now glamourized by American high-pressure
safe place for him to carry on his fight against
propaganda as “The Biggest Little City in the World”
Spanish tyranny
May 7- May 13- Rizal wrote to his diary his travel
Trip Across the Atlantic
observation in America.
The trans-Atlantic voyage of Rizal from New York to
Rizal in New York
Liverpool was a pleasant one.
May 13, 1888-Sunday morning, Rizal reached New
· Rizal entertained the American and European
York, thus ending his trip across the American continent
passengers with his marvelous skills with the yo-yo
· Rizal stayed three days in this city, which he called the as an offensive weapon.
“big town.”
· Yoyo-is a small wooden disc attached to a string from
-Rizal was awed and inspired by the memorial to George the finger.
Washington.
· May 24, 1888-Rizal arrived at Liverpool, England
-Rizal wrote to Ponce: “He is a great man who, I think,
· Adelphi Hotel-Rizal spend the night here while staying
has no equal in this country.”
for one day in this port city
· May 16, 1888- Rizal left New York for Liverpool on
· According to Rizal, “Liverpool is a big and beautiful
board the City of Rome. According to Rizal, this
city and its celebrated port is worthy of its great
steamer was “the second largest ship in the world,
fame. The entrance is magnificent and the
the largest being the Great Eastern”
customhouse is quite good.”
Rizal’s Impression of America
Life in London
· Rizal had good and bad impressions of the United
May 25, 1888- a day after docking at Liverpool, Rizal
States. The good impressions were (1) the material
went to London
progress of the country as shown in the great cities,
huge farms, flourishing industries and busy · Rizal stayed as guest at the home of Dr. Antonio Ma.
factories (2) the drive and energy of the American Regidor, an exile of 1872 and a practicing lawyer in
people (3) the natural beauty of the land (4) the high London. By the end of May, Rizal found a modest
standard of living (5) the opportunities for better life boarding place at No. 37 Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill
offered to poor immigrants
-He was boarder of the Beckett family
· One bad impression Rizal had of America was the lack
of racial equality
Dr. Reinhold Rozt/Rost- librarian of the Ministry of -In Rizal opinion, of all written histories published during
Foreign Affairs and an authority on Malayan languages the early years of Spanish regime, that of Dr. Morga was
and customs
the best
-He was impressed by Rizal’s learning and character
and he gladly recommended him to the authorities of the -May 1888- March 1889- For about ten months, Rizal
British Museum. He called Rizal “a pearl of a man” was deeply immersed in his historical studies in London.
(una perla de hombre)
Short Visit to Paris and Spain

-September 1888- Rizal visited Paris for a week in order

News from Home, Good and Bad
to search for more historical materials in the
Both good and bad news from home reached Rizal in Bibliotheque Nationale
London. Of the bad news, were the injustices committed
by the Spanish authorities on the Filipino people and the -Rizal was entertained in this gay French metropolis by
Rizal Family Juan Luna and his wife (Pas Pardo de Tavera), who
Bad News proudly showed him their little son Andres
(nickname Luling)
1. Persecution of the Filipino patriots who signed the
“Anti-Friar Petition of 1888”
-December 11, 1888-Rizal went to Spain, visiting Madrid
2. Persecution of the Calamba tenants and Barcelona - Rizal met, for the first time, Marcelo H.
Del Pilar and Mariano Ponce, two titans of the
3. Furious attack on Rizal by Senator Salamanca and
Vida in Spanish Cortes and by Desenganos (Wenceslao Propaganda Movement
E. Retana) and Quioquiap (Pablo Feced) in Spanish
newspaper Christmas in London 1888

4. Rizal brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo, husband of -December 24, 1888-Rizal returned to London and
Saturnina, was exiled by Governor General Weyler to
spent Christmas and New Year’s Day with the Becketts
Bohol without due process of law
- Rizal sent as Christmas gift to Blumentritt a bust of
5. A friend of Rizal, LaureanovViado, a medical student
Emperor Augustus which he made and a bust of
at the University of Santo Tomas, was arrested and
Julius Caesar to another friend, Dr. Carlos Czepelak
jailed in Bilibid Prison because copies of Noli were found
(Polish scholar)
in his house.
- The Life and Adventures of Valentine Vox, the
Good News
Ventriloquist-a Christmas gift from Rizal’s landlady,

-Rev. Vicente Garcia’s defense of the Noli against the Mrs Beckett.

attack of the friars. He heard this good news from

Rizal Becomes leader of Filipinos in Europe
Mariano Ponce.
- Asociacion La Solidaridad (Solidaridad
-January 7 1891, he wrote to Father Garcia, expressing
Association)- a patriotic society, which cooperate in the
his personal thanks.
crusade for reforms, was inaugurated/ established on

Annonating Morga’s Book December 31, 1888, with the following officers: Galicano
Apacible (president); Graciano Lopez Jaena (vice-
-The greatest achievement of Rizal in London was the president); Manuel Santa Maria (secretary); Mariano
annotating of Morga’s book, Sucesos de lasIslas Ponce (treasurer) and Jose Ma. Panganiban
Filipinas (Historical Events of the Philippine Islands), (accountant)
which was published in Mexico, 1609.
-By unanimous vote of all members, Rizal was chosen - La Vision del Fray Rodriguez (The Vision of Fray
honorary president Rodriguez)-pamphlet wrote by Rizal which published in
Barcelona under his nom-de-plume Dimas Alang in
-January 28, 1889- Rizal wrote a letter addressed to the
order to defense his novel.
members of the Asociacion La Solidaridad Rizal and The
La Solidaridad Newspaper - This opus is a satire depicting spirited dialogue
between St.Augustine and Father Rodriguez. -In La
- February 15, 1889- Graciano Lopez Jaena founded
Vision del Fray Rodriguez, Rizal demonstrated two
the patriotic newspaper called La Solidaridad in
things: (1) his profound knowledge of religion (2) his
Barcelona
biting satire

-La Solidadridad-fortnightly periodical which served as

-Letter to the Young Women of Malolos- a famous
the organ of the Propaganda Movement – La Solidaridad
letter wrote by Rizal on February 22, 1889 in Tagalog
aims were as follows: (1) to work peacefully for
-this letter is to praise the young ladies of Malolos for
political and social reforms (2) to portray the
their courage to establish a school where they could
deplorable conditions of the Philippines so that
learn Spanish, despite the opposition of Fr. Felipe
Spain may remedy them (3) to oppose the evil forces
Garcia, a Spanish parish priest of Malolos
of reaction and medievalism (4) to advocate liberal
ideas and progress (5) to champion the legitimate - The main points of this letter were: (1) a Filipino
aspirations of the Filipino people to life, democracy mother should teach her children love of God,
and happiness fatherland, and mankind (2) the Filipino mother
should be glad, like the Spartan mother, to offer her
- Two days after the birth of La Solidaridad, M.H. del
sons in the defense of the fatherland (3) a Filipino
Pilar wrote to Rizal in London.
woman should know how to preserve her dignity

-Rizal congratulated Lopez Jaena and his associates in and honor (4) a Filipino woman should educate

founding La Solidaridad. herself, aside from retaining her good racial virtues
(5) Faith is not merely reciting long prayers and
First Article in La Solidaridad -Los Agricultores wearing religious pictures, but rather it is living the
Filipinos (The Filipino Farmers) real Christian way, with good morals and good
manners
- Rizal’s first article which appeared in La Solidaridad
which is published on March 25, 1889, six days after -Dr Reinhold Rost, editor of Trubner’s Record, a
he left London for Paris journal devoted to Asian studies, request Rizal to
contribute some articles
- In this initial article, he depicted the deplorable
conditions in the Philippines which cause the In response to his request, the latter prepared two
backwardness of the country. articles—(1) Specimens of Tagal Folklore, which
published in the journal in May, 1889 (2) Two Eastern
Writings in London
Fables, published in June,1889
-While busy in research studies at the British Museum,
Romance with Gertrude Beckett
Rizal received news on Fray Rodriguez’ unabated
attack on his Noli - Rizal had a romantic interlude with the oldest of the
three Beckett sisters
- Gertrude, Gettie, as she was affectionately called, was Life in Paris
a buxom English girl with brown hair, blue eyes and rosy
-Rizal used most of his time in the reading room of the
cheeks. She fell in love with Rizal.
Bibliotheque Nationale (National Library) checking up
- Rizal affectionately called her "Gettie", In his historical annotations on Morga’s book
reciprocation she fondly called him "Pettie".
-Rizal was a good friend of the three Pardo de Taveras
- Before living London, he finished four sculptural —Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera, a physician by
work- (1) "Prometheus Bound", (2) "The Triumph of vocation and philologist by avocation, Dr. Felix Pardo
Death over Life", (3) "The Triumph of Science over de Tavera, also physician by vocation and an artist and
Death", (4) "A composite carving of the head of sculptor by avocation, and Paz Pardo de Tavera, wife of
heads of Beckett sister" Juan Luna. This three, is the children of Don Joaquin
Pardo de Tavera, an exile of 1872 who escaped from
- He sent to Blumentritt The Triumph of Death over
the Marianas and lived in France.
Life and The Triumph of Science over Death.
-June 24, 1889- a baby girl was born to Juan Luna and
Adios, London
Paz Pardo de Tavera, she was their second child. Their

-March 19, 1889- Rizal bade goodbye to the kind first child is named "Andres" (Luling). –

Beckett Family (particularly to Gertrude) and left London

Her baptismal godfather was Rizal, who chose her name
for Paris.
“Maria de la Paz, Blanca, Laureana, Hermenegilda

Chapter 15 Juana Luna y Pardo de Tavera”

Rizal's Second Sojourn in Paris and the Universal Rizal and Paris Exposition

Exposition of 1889
May 6, 1889- opening of Universal Exposition of Paris

–He publised his annotated edition of Morga's Sucesos; -The greatest attraction of this exposition was the Eiffel

founded three Filipino societies, the Kidlat club, the Tower, 984 feet high, which was built by Alexander

Indios Bravos, and the R.D.M.L; and wrote the Por Eiffel, celebrated French engineer.

Telefono, a satire againts Fr. Salvador Font.

- One of the features of the exposition is the international

Difficulty of Finding Quarters art competition, in which Felix Hidalgo, Juan Luna,
Felix Pardo de Tevera, and Rizal participated.
-In March, 1889, it was extremely difficult for a visitor to
find living quarters in Paris -Hidalgo's painting was awarded second price, the
paintings of Juan Luna and F. Pardo de Tevera
-Valentin Ventura- a friend of Rizal where he lived—No. obtained third price, while Rizal entry (a bust which
45 Rue Maubeuge, where he polished his annotated he modelled) got no price.
edition of Morga’s book
Kidlat Club
- He moved from one hotel to another, and finally, he
lived in a little room, together with two other Filipino- -March 19, 1889-the same day when he arrived in Paris

Capitan Justo Trinidad former gobernadorcillo of from London, Rizal organized his paisanos

Sta. Ana, Manila, and refugee from Spanish tyranny, (compatriots) into a society called Kidlat Club

and Jose Albert, a young student from Manila.

- Among the members were Antonio and Juan Luna, placed outside an upper, lower, left and right sides of the
Gregorio Aguilera, Fernando Canon, Lauro Dimayuga, circle
Julio Llorente, Guillermo Puatu, and Baldomero Roxas.
- The letters R.D.L.M. are believed to be the initials of
- Kidlat Club-purely a social society of a temporary the society’s secret name Redencion de los Malayos
nature (Redemption of the Malays)—Redemption of the
Malay Race
-founded by Rizal simply to bring together young
Filipinos in the French capital so that they could enjoy -It was patterned after Freemasonry. It had various
their sojourn in the city during the duration of the degrees of membership, “with the members not
Universal Exposition Indios Bravos knowing each other"

-Rizal was enchanted by the dignified and proud - The aim of the secret society, as stated by Rizal, was
bearing of the American Indians in a Buffalo Bull show “the propagation of all useful knowledge—scientific,
artistic, and literary, etc.—in the Philippines.
Indios Bravos (Brave Indians)- replaced the
Evidently, there was another aim that is, the
ephemeral Kidlat Club
redemption of the Malay race”

-its members pledged to excel in intellectual and

- R.D.L.M had something to do with the Malay race. As
physical prowess in order to win the admiration of the
Dr. Leoncio Lopez-Rizal stated, Rizal’s colonization
foreigners
project in Borneo was ‘not merely to have a place where

-practiced with great enthusiasm the use of the sword Filipinos could live and work with more liberty as well as

and pistol and Rizal taught them judo, an Asian art of free themselves from the oppressive conditions in the

self-defense, that he learned in Japan Philippines… but something else more important wwhich
is to have freedom of action to attain the aims of the
R.D.L.M Society R.D.L.M’

Sociedad R.D.L.M. (R.D.L.M Society)- a mysterious - It must be noted that Rizal was inspired by famous
society founded by Rizal in Paris during the Universal book entitled Max Havelaar (1860) written by
Exposition of 1889 Multatuli (pseudonym of E.D. Dekker, Dutch author).
This book exposed the miserable conditions of the
-its existence and role in the crusade reforms are really
oppressed Malay inhabitants of Netherlands East Indies
enigmatic
under Dutch rule
-Of numerous letters written by Rizal and his fellow
-Members of R.D.L.M
propagandists, only two mentioned this secret society,
as follows (1) Rizal’s Letter to Jose Maria Basa, Paris, - Greogorio Aguilera, Jose Ma. Basa, Julio Llorente,
September 21, 1889 (2) Rizal’s Letter to Marcelo H. Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Mariano Ponce, Baldomero Roxas,
del Pilar, Paris, November 4, 1889 and Father Jose Maria Changco (Filipino Priest)

- According to Dr. Leoncio Lopez-Rizal, grandnephew Annotated Edition of Morga Published

of the hero, the society has a symbol or countersign
represented by a circle divided into three parts by two -Rizal’s outstanding achievement in Paris was the

semi-circles having in the center the interlocked letters I publication in 1890 of his annotated edition of

and B meaning Indios Bravos and the letter R.D.L.M. Morga’s Sucesos, which he wrote in the British
Museum. It was printed by Garnier Freres. The – Before the Spaniards came, Filipinos were
prologue was written by Professor Blumentritt upon industrious and hard-working. They were very active
the request of Rizal in agriculture, industries, and commerce.

-Blumenttrit frankly censured Rizal for two things which - But when the Spaniard came, the country brought
revealed Rizal errors; (1) Rizal commits the error of about a decline in economic activities. Such decline
many historians in appraising the events of the past economic life was due in certain causes; (1) the native
in the light of present standards and (2) Rizal's revolt and other internal disorders which followed
attack on the church were unfaired and unjustified the establishment of Spanish rule, (2) the wars
because of the abuses of the friars should not be which the Filipinos fought for Spain against the
construed to mean the Catholicism is bad. Dutch, Portuguese, English, and other enemies, (3)
the frightful raids on the coastal towns and village of
- Rizal dedicated his new edition of Morga to the Filipino
Christian Philippines by the Muslim pirates of
people so that they would know of their glorious past
Mindanao and Sulu, (4) the forced labor which
(TO THE FILIPINOS)
compelled thousands Filipino laborers to word in
Comment on Morga's Publication Date shipyards, roads, bridges, and other public works,
resulting in the abandonment of industry,
- The title page of Rizal’s annotated edition of Morga commerce, and agriculture, (5) the lack of stimulus
reads: “Paris, Liberia de Garnier Hermanos, 1890” to work harder because the people could not enjoy
fruits of their labor, (6) government neglect and
- However, there is a documentary evidence to show
indifference to agriculture, industry, and commerce,
that Rizal's edition of Morga must have come off the
(7) the bad example shown by the Spaniards in
press in 1889 not in 1890. This is because Rizal wrote a
despising manual labor, (8) the teaching of Spanish
letter to Dr. Baldomero Roxas, and Blumentritt and
missionaries that it is easier for a poor man to enter
Mariano Ponce wrote to Rizal that they received the
heaven than for a rich man, hence Filipinos prefer
Morga Sucesos
not to work and be poor so that they could easily
The Philippines Within the Century enter heaven after they die, (9) encouragement and
propagation of gambling by the Spanish authorities,
-The Philippines Within a Century- this article written
and (10) system of Spaniards education did not
by Rizal which he expressed his views on the Spanish
promote economic enterprise and activity.
colonization in the Philippines and predicted with
amazing accuracy the tragic end of Spain’s sovereignty - Rizal admitted that the Filipinos are easy going and do
in Asia not work so hard because they are wise enough to
adjust themselves to their warm, tropical climate
The Indolence of the Filipinos
International Association of Filipinologists
- The Indolence of the Filipinos- other essay of Rizal is
also a prestigious work of historical scholarship. It is an -International Association of Filipinologists-
able defense of the alleged indolence of the Filipinos association proposed by Rizal to establish taking
advantage of world attention which was then focused at
-Rizal made a critical study of the causes why his
the Universal Exposition in 1889 in Paris and have its
people did not work hard during the Spanish regime. His
inaugural convention in the French capital
main thesis was that the Filipinos are not by nature
indolent
- The aim of this association is, "to study the - January 1890, he was back in Paris. He complained
Philippines from the scientific and historical point of of a terrible headache.
view".
Chapter 16
Project for Filipino College in Hong Kong
In Belgian Brussels 1890
-Another magnificent project of Rizal in Paris which also
January 28, 1890- Rizal left Paris for Brussels, capital of
fizzled out was his plan to establish a modern college in
Belgium
Hong Kong

-Two reasons impelled Rizal to leave Paris, namely (1)

- This college aims, "to train and educate men of good
the cost of living in Paris was very high because of
family and financial means in accordance in the
the Universal Exposition (2) the gay social life of the
demand of modern times and circumstances".
city hampered his literary works, especially the
writing of his second novel, El Filibusterismo

Life in Brussels

-Rizal was accompanied by Jose Albert when he

moved to Brussels. They lived in a modest boarding
Por Telefono
house on 38 Rue Philippe Champagne, which was run
-Another satirical work as a reply to another slanderer,
by two Jacoby sisters (Suzanne and Marie). Later
Fr. Salvador Font, who masterminded the banning of his
Albert, left the city and was replaced by Jose Alejandro,
Noli, in the fall of 1889
an engineering student

-it was published in booklet form in Barcelona, 1889, this

Articles Published in La Solidaridad
satirical pamphlet under the authorship of “Dimas Alang”
is a witty satire which ridicules Father Font 1. "A La Defensa" (To La Defensa), April 30, 1889-
This was reply to an anti-Filipino writing of a Spanish
-It describes in comical vein a telephone
author Patricio de la Escosura which was published by
conversation between Father Font who was in
La Defensa on March 30, 1889.
Mandrid and the father provincial of San Agustin
Convent in Manila. 2. "La Verdad Para Todos" (The Truth For All), May
31, 1889- Rizal's defense againts the Spanish charges
Christmas in Paris
that the native local officials were ignorant and depraved

- December 25, 1889, Rizal and Jose Albert, planned

3. "Vicente Barrantes", Teatro Tagalo, June 15, 1889-
to have sumptuous Christmas dinner.
In this article, Rizal exposes Barrantes' ignorance on the

- Shortly after New Year, Rizal made a brief visit to Tagalog theatrical art

London. It may be due to two reasons: (1) to check up

4. "Una Profanacion" (A Profanation), July 31, 1889,
his annotated edition of Morga’s Sucesos with the
a bitter attack againts the friars for denying Christian
original copy in the British Museum (2) to see
burial to Mariano Herbosa in Calamba because he was a
Gertrude Beckett for the last time.
brother-in-law of Rizal. Herbosa, husband of Lucia, died
of cholera on May 23, 1889
5. "Verdaes Nuevas" (New Thruths), July 31, 1889- A -Sobre la Nueva Ortografia de la Lengua Tagala (The
reply to Vicente Belloc Sanchez letter published in La New Orthography of the Tagalog Language)- was
Solidaridad, Mandrid newspaper, on July 4, 1889, which published in La Solidaridad on April 15, 1890
asserted that the granting of reforms in the Philippines
-in this article, he laid down the rules of the new Tagalog
would ruin the "peaceful and maternal rule" of the friars.
orthography and with modesty and sincerity, he gave
6. "Cruedad" (Cruelty), August 15, 1889, a brilliant credit for the adoption of this new orthography to Dr.
defense of Blumentritt feom the scurrillous attacks of his Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera, author of the celebrated
enemies. work El Sanscrito en la Lengua Tagala (Sanskrit in
the tagalog Language) which was published in Paris,
7. "Differecias" (Differences), September 15, 1889, a
1884
reply to a biased article entitled "Old Truths" published in
La Patria on August 14, 1889, which ridiculed those -“I put this on record,” wrote Rizal, “so that when the
Filipinos who asked for reforms. history of this orthography is traced, which is
already being adopted by the enlightened Tagalists,
8. " Inconsequencias" (Inconsequences), November
that what is Caesar’s be given to Caesar. This
30, 1889, a defense of Antonio Luna against the attack
innovation is due solely to Dr. Pardo de Tavera’s
of Pablo Mir Deas in the Barcelona newspaper El Pueblo
studies on Tagalismo. I was one of its zealous
Soberno
propagandists.”

9. "Llanto y Risas" (Tears and Laughter), November

Rizal Criticizes Madrid Filipinos for Gambling
30, 1889, a denunciation of Spanish racial prejudice
againts the brown Filipinos. -Rizal received news from Juan Luna and Valentin
Ventura that the Filipinos in Spain were destroying the
10. "Ingratitudes" (Ingratitude), January 15, 1890, a
good name of their nation by gambling too much.
reply to Governor General Valeriano Weyler who, while
visiting Calamba, told the people that they "should not -These two compatriots urged him to do something
allow themselves to be deceived by the vain promises of about it.
their ungrateful sons"
- Rizal wrote to M.H. del Pilar on May 28,1890 to tremind
New Orthography of Tagalog Language the Filipino in Madrid that they did not come to Europe to
gamble, but to work for Fatherland's freedom.
-Rizal was the first to advocate the Filipinization of its
orthography – the gambling Filipinos in Mandrid were angry when
they learned Rizal's moralizing. They derivisely called
-The Tagalog letters k and c should be used instead of
him "Papa" (Pope) instead of "Pepe"
the Spanish c and o.
Bad News from Home
-September 1886, when he was in Leipzig, Rizal
adopted the Filipinized Tagalog orthography in his -Letters from home which Rizal received in Brussels
Tagalog translations of Schiller’s Wilhelm Tell and worried him. (1) the Calamba agrarian trouble was
Andersen’s Fairy Tales and again he used it in his first getting worse (2) the Dominican Order filed a suit in
novel Noli Me Tangere (Berlin 1887) court to dispossess the Rizal family of their lands in
Calamba

- The sad news from home depressed Rizal

Presentiment of Death anguish in Brussels, during those sad days when he was
worried by family disasters.
-In his moment of despair, Rizal had bad dreams during
the nights in Brussels when he was restless because he Romance with Petite Jacoby
was always thinking of his unhappy family in Calamba
- Rizal was so charming and dignified a gentleman that
-Rizal feared that he would not live long. He was not Petite Susanne was attracted to him
afraid to die, but he wanted to finish his second novel
- Rizal found certain bliss in the company of a pretty
before he went to his grave.
Belgian girl.
- June 11, 1890, he wrote a letter to M.H. del pilar about
-Like other woman, Segunda Katigbak, Orang
this presentiments. In this letter he said the his true
Valenzuela, Leonor Rivera, O-Sei-San, Gettie Beckett,
name, which is Laong Laan (Ever Ready).
Consuelo Ortiga y Perez, and Nellie Boustead, Susanne
Preparation to go Home fell in love with Rizal.

-In the face of the sufferings which afflicted his family, - She cry when he left toward the end of July 1890 for
Rizal planned to go home. He could not stay in Brussels Madrid, stopping for a few days in Paris.
writing a book while his parents, relatives, and friends in
- Susanne could not forget him, so he wrote to him in
the distant Philippines were persecuted
French.
- July 9, 1889, he wrote to Ponce opposing the plan of
Chapter 17: Misfortunes in Madrid (1890-91)
Graciano Lopez Jaena. He said that Graciano should not
go to Cuba to die of yellow fever, instead he said "ought Failure to get justice for Family
to go to the Philippines to allow himself to be killed in
defense of his ideals. Decision to go to - Upon arrival in Madrid, Rizal immediately sought the
help of the Filipino colony, the Asociacion Hispano-
Mandrid Filipina, and the liberal Spanish newspapers (La
Justicia, El Globo, La Republica, El Resumen, etc.) in
Rizal received a letter from Paciano, stated that they
securing justice for the oppressed Calamba tenants,
lost the case against the Dominicans in Manila, but they
including his family.
appelead to the Supreme Court in Spain, hence the
lawyer was needed to handle it in Madrid -M.H. del Pilar (acted as his lawyer),

. - Rizal wrote to M.H. del Pilar on June 20, 1890, -Dr. Dominador Gomez (secretary of Asociacion
retaining the latter's service as a lawyer. He further Hispano-Filipina)
informed del Pilar that he was going to Madrid in order to
supervise the handling of this case - Rizal called on the Minister of Colonies (senior Fabie)
in order to protest the injustices committed by Governor
-July 29, 1890- another letter to Ponce written at General Valeriano Weyler and the Dominican against
Brussels by Rizal, he announced that he was leaving the Calamba Folks.
Brussels at the beginning of the following month and
would arrive in Madrid about the 3rd or 4th (August) - Nothing came out of Rizal’s interview with Minister
Fabie, As El Resumen.
- “To my Muse’” (A Mi…)- 1890, Rizal wrote this
pathetic poem, it was against a background of mental
- Madrid newspaper which sympathized with the Filipino -Antonio Luna challenged Rizal to a duel. Luna as the
cause, said: “To cover the ears, open the purse, and challenged party had a choice of weapons. (Sword) then
fold the arms --- a Spanish colonial policy” later on Luna apologized.

More terrible news for Rizal Rizal Challenges Retana to Duel.

- Rizal received from his brother-in-law, Silvestre -Wenceslao E. Retana

Ubaldo, a copy of the ejectment order by the Dominicans
- Rizal’s bitter enemy of the pen.
against Francisco Rizal and Other Calamba tenants.
- Talented Spanish scholar, a press agent of the
- He learned from his sister, Saturnina, the deportation friars in Spain
of Paciano Rizal, Antonio Lopez, Silvestre Ubaldo, - Used to attack the Filipinos, including Rizal in
Teong (Mateo Elejorde), and Dandoy (Dr. Rizal’s various newspapers in Madrid and other cities of
relative) – to Mindoro (they were shipped out of Manila Spain.
on September 6, 1890) - Imprudently wrote an article in La Epoca (anti-
Filipino newspaper in Madrid) asserting that
- He also learned from Saturnina that their parents had
family and friends of Rizal had not paid the rents
been forcible ejected from their home and were then
so they were ejeted.
living in the house of Narcisa (Antonio’s wife).
- Rizal challenged him for a duel for Rizal

- Rizal then sought the aid of the liberal Spanish believed that discretion is the better part of

statesmen, who were former members of the Ministry, valor, and, more so to save his own skin.

including Becerra and Maura, he was disappointed. Only - Retana at once published a retraction and an

given honeyed words and symphaty. apology in the newspaper for he had no chance
against Rizal.
- Bli=umintritt urged him to see Queen Regent Maria
Cristina (ruler of Spain during the minority of Alfonso - The incident silenced Retana’s pen against Rizal.

XIII) but he couldn’t for he had no powers to do so.

- he developed a great admiration for Rizal

Rizal’s Eulogy to Panganiban.

- years afterward he wrotethe first book-length biography

-Jose Ma. Panganiban (Bicol Hero) of Rizal whose talents he recognized and whose
martyrdom he glorified.
– his talented co-worker in the Propaganda
Movement, died in Barcelona on Aug. 19, 1890 after a Infidelity of Leonor Rivera.

lingering illness. Rizal mourned

-Rizal, with some friends, attended a play at Teatro

Feliciano Gonzales Timbang (also died) Apolo, and there he lost his gold watch chain locket that
contains the picture of Leonor Rivera.
Aborted duel with Antonio Luna.
- In December 1890, Rizal received a letter from Leoner
-towards the end of august 19890, Rizal attended a Rivera announcing her coming marriage to an
social reunion of the Filipinos in Madrid Englishman (choice of her mother) and asking for his
forgiveness.
- Antonio Luna was bitter because of his frustrated
romance with Nellie Boustead and he blames Rizal.
RIZAL – DEL PILA RIVALRY. o Del Pilar opposed the proposition for it
was a private enterprise; however he
-toward the closing of 1890 there arise an unfortunate
was willing to publish articles that would
rivalry between Rizal and M.H. del Pilar for supremacy.
express the aspirations and demands of
- Rizal the Filipino people.
- The proposition was then abandoned. Meeting
- Most talented Filipino of his time
proceeded to in electing the Resposable.
- Undisputed leader of the Filipinos in Europe
o Responsible must be elected by a 2/3
- T=he tried to imbue his compatriots with is own
vote of the Filipino community.
idealism.
- He believed that in order to gain the respect of RIZAL ABDICATES HIS LEADERSHIP
the Spanish people they must possess high
-Election took place during the 1st week of February
standards of morality, dignity and spirit of
1891.
sacrifice.
- Some of hhis former admirers turned against - Filipinos were divided ----Rizalistas vs Pilaristas.
him and supported Del Pilar due to Rizal’s
-1st and 2nd day of voting - Rizal was winning but not
interference in their private lives.
obtain 2/3 vote.
- Del Pilar
- 3rd day, Mariano Ponce appealed to his countrymen to
- Fearless lawyer-journalist, was gaining prestige vote for Rizal. Some Pilaristas, evidently heeded his
in Madrid for his vigorous editorials in La plea. Rizal obtained the necessary 2/3 vote, he became
Solidaridad, which he came to own. He had the Responsible.
purchased this fortnightly periodical from Pablo
- But Rizal graciously declined the position to become
Rianzares---1st proprietor, and had replaced
the leader of a divided people. He was a man of honor
Graciano Lopez as its editor.
and dignity, with a high sense of delicadeza. He knew
-editorial policy of La Solidaridad under Del Pilar’s some of his compatriots disliked him.
management enhanced the cleavage between Rizal and
ADIOS MADRID.
Del Pilar.

-he thanked his compatriots for voting him. He boarded a

- Rizal and his close friends objected to the periodical’s
train leaving for Biarritz.
editorial policy which was occasionally contrary to Rizal’s
political views. - Last time he saw Madrid.

- to avert the break-up between Rizal and Del Pilar,

Filipinos in Madrid met on January 1, 1890 to patch up
their differences and to intensify the campaign for
reform.

- It was decided that a leader called Responsible,

be chosen to direct the affairs of the Filipino
community and to determine editorial policy of
La Solidaridad.
CHAPTER 18: Biarritz Vacation and Romance with Nelly - On March 29, 1891, the eve of his departure
Boustead from Biarritz to Paris, he finished the manuscript
of El Filibusterismo.
- Rizal arrived in Biarritz at the beginning of February
- He wrote to Blumintritt that he had finished
1891.
writing his novel.

- treated with friendliness and hospitality by Mrs.

To Paris and back to Brussels.
Boustead, Adelina, Nellie and Aunt Isabel.
- On March 30,1891, he bade farewell to the
- Rizal wrote to Mariano Ponce on February 11, 1891: “I
Boustead Family and proceeded to Paris by train.
have put on so much weight since I arrived here; my
He stayed at the home of his friend, Valentin
cheeks are no longer shrunken as before for the reason
Ventura, on 4 Rue de Chateaudum.
that go to bed early and I have no cares.”
- On April 4, he wrote to Jose Ma. Basa expressing
Romance with Nellie Boustead.
his desire to go to that British colony and practice
- Rizal came to entertain considerable affection for ophthalmology in order to earn his living. He also

Nellie, the prettier and younger daughter of his host. requested Basa to advance him the amount for a
first class steamer ticket from Europe to Hong Kong.
- Rizal found Nellie as a real Filipina, highly intelligent,
vivacious in temperament and morally upright. -Rizal was bask to Brussels by the Middle of April
1891 where he was happily received by Marie and
- He wrote to his intimate friends, except Professor Suzanne Jacoby (his landladies) and Petite Suzanne
Blumintritt, of his love for Nallie, and his intention to (Belgian girl who loved him).
propose marriage to her.
Retirement from the Propaganda Movement.
- M.H Del Pilar teased him about changing the “o” in Noli
to an “e”. - Rizal retired from the Propaganda Movement, or
reform crusade. He desired to publish his 2nd novel,
- Tomas Arejola wrote to Rizal to practice his medical profession and later, when he
became financially independent, he expected to
- Antonio Luna (who loved and lost nelly) also
make a more vigorous campaign for his country’s
encouraged Rizal to court Nellie
redemption.
- Rizal’s marriage proposal failed because:
- From Brussels, on May 1, 1891, he notified the
1. He refused to give up his Catholic faith Propaganda authorithies in Manila to cancel his
and be converted to Protestantism as monthly allowance and devote the money to some
Nellie demanded. better cause, such as the education of a young
2. Nellie’s mother did not like Rizal as a Filipino student in Europe. His notification was
son-in-law. contained in a letter addressed to Mr. A.L Lorena
(Deodato Arellano).
El Filibusterismo Finished in Biarritz.

- Rizal kept working on his second novel which he

began to write in Calamba in 1887.
 Rizal stopped writing for La Solidarida. - In Ghent he met 2 compatriots, Jose Alejandro (from
Pampanga) and Edilberto Evangelista (from Manila),
- Rizal ceased writing articles for La Solidaridad at
both studying engineering in the worls-famed University
the same time of his retirement in Propaganda
of Ghent.
Movement.
- Many of his friends in Spain urged him to - Rizal lived in a cheap boarding house with Jose
continue writing for the patriotic periodical, Alejandro as room-mate. Theirs was a very frugal life,
subsisting on the barest necessities. To economize
because his articles always attracted
further, they prepared their own daily breakfast in their
considerable attention in European countries. room.
- M.H Del Pilar realized the need for Rizal’s
- years later Alejandro, who became a general during the
collaboration in both Propaganda Movement and Filipino-American War of 1899-1902 and an engineer,
in La Solidaridad newspaper because the recounted in his memoirs their hard life in Ghent.
enthusiasm for the reform crusade in Spain was The printing of El Filibusterismo.
declining.
- After arrival in Ghent, Rizal searched for a printing
- On August 7, 1891, M.H Del Pilar wrote to Rizal
shop and found a publisher--- F. MEYER- VAN LOO
begging for forgiveness and requesting him to PRESS, No 66 Viaanderen Street--- who was willing to
resume writing for the La Solidaridad. print his book on installment basis. Rizal pawned his
jewels in order topay the down payment and the early
- Rizal wrote back to M.H Del Pilar explaining why
partial payments during the printing of the novel.
he stopped writing. His reasons were:
o Rizal need time to work on his book - Rizal’s fund was running low. He wrote to Basa on July
1891 the he would stop its publication if no money
o He wanted other Filipinos to work also. comes.
o He considered it very important to the
Ventura, Savior of Fili.
party that there be unity in the work.
- Valentin Ventura in Paris learned of Rizal’s
Revising the Fili for Publication. predicament and immediately sent him the necessary
funds. Printing of Fili resumed.
- In Brussels Rizal worked on revising the finished
The Fili comes off the Press.
manuscript of El Filibuterismo and readied it for printing.
- On September 18, 1891, El Fili came off the press.
- Revision was completed on May 30, 289. On this date,
- Immediately on this date, Rizal sent two copies to
he wrote to Jose Ma. Basa telling him that his book is
Hong Kong--- for Basa and for Sixto Lopez.
ready for printing.
- He sent the original manuscript and an autograph
CHAPTER 19: El Filibusterismo Published in Ghent printed copy to Valentin Ventura.

- He also sent copies to Blumintritt, Mariano Ponce,

Privations in Ghent
G.Lopez Jaena, T.H Pardo de Tavera, Antonio and Juan
Luna and other friends.
- On July 5, 1891, Rizal left Brussels for Ghent, a
famous university city in Belgium. His reasons for - Filipino compatriots praised the novel and members of
moving to Ghent were: the Filipino colony of Barcelona published a tribute in La
Solidaridad. Liberal Madrid newspaper, El Nuevo
Regimen, serialized the novel in its issues of October,
o Cost of printing in Ghent were mush
1891.
cheaper than in Brussels
o To escape from the enticing attraction of - 1st edition Copies of El Fili to be shipped to Hong Kong
were confiscated so the books immediately became rare
Petite Suzanne.
and remaining copies were sold for 400 pesetas per - Mariano Ponce – told Rizal in a letter that El Fili is a
copy. true twin of Noli

Dedicated to Gom-Bur-Za. Rizal’s Unfinished Third Novel

- Rizal dedicated the El Fili to the martyrdom of Fathers - On September 22, 1891, 4 days after the Fili came off
Gomez, Burgos, Zamora. Who was executed in the press, he wrote to Blumintritt of writing his 3rd novel,
Bagumbayan on Feruary 17, 1872 --- not February 28. a novel in the modern sense of the word. No politics but
ethics will play the principal role. Deal mainly with habits
- Don MAariano Gomez and customs of the Filipinos and only 2 Spaniards—friar
- Don Jose Burgos curate and lieutenant of the Guradia Civil—will be there.
- Don Jacinto Zamora
- On October 18, 1891, Rizal boarded the steamer
The manuscript and the book. Melbourne in Marseilles bound for Hong Kong. During
the voyage he began writing the third novel in Tagalog
- Original manuscript of El Fili in Rizal’s own handwriting
which he intended for tagalog readers. He then
is now preserved in the Filipina Division of the Bureau of
continued it in Hong Kong but he did not finish it.
Public Libraries, Manila. It had been acquired by the
Philippine Government from Valentin Ventura for - the unfinished novel consists of 44 pages (33cm x 21
P10,000. It consist of 279 pages of long sheets of paper. cm) has no title.

- 2 features in the manuscript do not appear in the Other unfinished Novels

printed book to save printing cost, namely:
- Makamisa --- only 2 chapters are finished
o FOREWORD – appears just before the
dedicatory page - Dapitan ----Unfinished and written in ironic Spanish. He
o WARNING – found on the other side of wrote it during his exile in Dapitan.
the dedication
- No Title --- Unfinished novel inSapnish about the life in
Inscription on the Tile Page Pili, a town in Laguna.

- Title page of El Fili contains an inscription written by - No title --- unfinished novel about Cristobal, a youghtful
Ferdinand Blumintritt. Filipino student who has returned from Europe.

“Noli” and ”Fili” Compared

- Noli

o Romantic Novel
o Work of the heart
o Book of feeling
o Has freshness, color, humor, lightness
and wit

- El Fili

o Political Novel
o Work of the head
o Book of thought
o Contains bitterness, hatred, pain,
violence and sorrow

- Lopez Jaena – advised Riza in a letterl to write another

novel which would give definite solution to the country’s
problem.
CHAPTER 20: OPHTHALMIC SURGEON IN HONG Family Reunion in Hong Kong
KONG (1891 - 1892)
- Before Christmas of 1891, he was gladdened by the
- After the publication of El Fili, Rizal left Europe for arrival of his father, brother, and Silvestre Ubaldo in
Hong Kong, where he lived from November, 1891 to Hong Kong. Not long afterwards his mother (65 y.o
June 1892. almost blind) and sisters Lucia, Josefa and Trinidad also
arrived.
- His reasons for leaving Europe was:
- in 1890 his mother was arrested due to flimsy charge
1) Life was unbearable in Europe because his political that she was not using her surename “Realonda”. She
differences with M.H Del Pilar and other Filipinos in was forced to walk from Calamba to Santa Cruz (Capital
Spain. of Laguna).

2) To be near his idolized Philippines and Family - Christmas of 1891 in Hong Kong was one of the
happiest Yuletide celebrations in Rizal’s life.

- on January 31, 1892, he wrote to Blumintritt “here we

- when he boarded the steamer Melbourne bound for
are all living together, my parents, sisters and brother in
Hong Kong, he brought with him a letter of
peace and far from the persecutions they suffered in the
recommendation by Juan Luna for Manuel Camus, a
Philippines. They are very much pleased with the
compatriot living in Singapore and 600 copies of the Fili.
English government.”
- He wrote to Blumintritt about his “heavenly trip”.
Ophthalmic Surgeon in Hong Kong
- There were 80 first-class passengers ----- mostly
- Rizal practiced medicine to earn a living. A Portuguese
Europeans, including two Spaniards who were going to
physician, Dr. Lorenzo P. Marques, who became his
Amoy. Rizal was the only Asian among them.
friend and admirer, helped him to build up a wide
- he befriended many missionaries. One of them is clientele. In recognition of Rizal’s skills as an ophthalmic
Father Fuchs, a Tyrolese, he enjoyed playing chess. “He surgeon, he turned over to him many of his eye cases.
is a fine fellow, a Father Damaso without pride and
- Rizal became a successful and well-known medical
malice” Rizal wrote to Blumintritt.
practitioner in the British colony. He had many patients,
Rizal and the German Ladies including British, Chinese, Portuguese, and American.
he successfully operated on his mother’s left eye so that
Arrived in Hong Kong she was able to read and write again.

- Rizal arrived in Hong Kong on November 20, 1891. - aside from being an eye specialist, he was a general
Was welcomed by the Filipino residents, especially his practitioner.
old friends, Jose Ma. Basa. He established his
residence at No. 5 D’ Aguilar Street, No. 2 Rednaxola - on January 31, 1892, he wrote to Blumintritt “here I
terrace, where he also opened his medical clinic. practice as a doctor and I have... here many sick of
influenza because there is an epidemic. Through the
- On December 1, 1891, he wrote his parents asking newspapers I am informed that this sickness is also
permission to return home. On the same day his brother- causing ravages in Europe. I hope you and your
in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo, sent him a letter, relating the esteemed family will be spared. In our house, my
sad news of the “deportation of 25 persons from mother, my brother-in-law, and one of my sisters are
Calamba, including father, Neneng, Sisa, Lucia, Paciano sick. Thank God they are out of danger.”
and the rest of us.” Hidalgo also stated in his letter that
he was preparing a letter to the Queen Regent of Spain - From Biarritz, Mr. Boustead, Nellie’s father, wrote to
explainin the Calamba situation in order to secure him on March 21, 1892, praising him for practicing his
justice. “If the Queen will not leisten, we will write to medical profession.
Queen Victoria of England appealing for protection in the
name of humanity …”
- Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin, from Paris, sent him a to a ship captain to be sure it would reach Governor
congratulatory letter and a book on Diagnostic Despujol’s hand. (he requested the governor general to
Pathology by Dr. H. Virchow and another medical permit the landless Filipinos to establish themselves in
book entitled Traite Diagnostique by Mesnichock. Borneo.).

- Don Antonio Vergel de Dios, also from Paris, offered - Once more Despujol did not give Rizal the ‘courtesy
him his services for the purchase of medical books and of a reply’. Instead he notified the Spanish consul
instruments which he might need in his profession. general in Hong Kong to tell Rizal that he could not
approve the Filipino immigration to Borneo, alleging that
- Dr. Geminiano de Ocampo, a distinguished Filipino “the Philippines lacked laborers” and “it was not
ophthalmologist, said “Rizal has all the qualities that very patriotic to go off and cultivate foreign soil”.
would make an ideal ophthalmic surgeon --- a keen
and analytic intellect, lightness of touch and artistry Writings in Hong Kong
of a painter, courage and imperturbability a broad
and deep knowledge of medicine and - Rizal wrote “Ang Mga Karapatan Nang Tao” (The
ophthalmology, and last but not least, he had been Rights of Man) proclaimed by the French Revolution
properly and adequately trained by master in 1789.
ophthalmic surgeons.”
- About 1891, he wrote “A la Nacion Espanola” (To
Borneo Colonization Project the Spanish Nation) --- an appeal to Spain to right the
wrongs done to the Calamba tenants.
- under Governor Valeriano Weyler’s terroristic regime,
Rizal conceived the establishment of a Filipino colony in - Another proclamation, entitled “Sa Mga Kababayan”
North Borneo (Sabah). He planned to move the landless (To My Countrymen), was written in December, 1891
Filipino families to that rich British-owned island and explaining the Calamba agrarian situation.
carve out of its virgin wildness a “New Calamba”.
- Rizal contributed articles to the British newspaper, The
- On March 7, 1892, he went to Sandakan on board Hong Kong Telegraph, whose editor, Mr. Fraizer
the ship Menon to negotiate with the British authorities Smith, was his friend. Copies of this newspaper
for the establishment of a Filipino colony. He looked over entered the Philippines so that the Filipino people were
the land up the Bengkoka River in Maradu Bay which able to read Rizal’s articles. The vigilant Spanish
was offered by the British North Borneo Company. His censors soon discovered the spread of Rizal’s ideas
mission was successful. The British authorities of and immediately banned the Hong Kong newspaper.
Borneo were willing to give Filipino colonists 100,000
- On March 2, 1892, Rizal wrote “Una Visita a la Victoria
acres of land, a beautiful harbor, and a good government
Gaol” (A Visit to Victoria Gaol), an account of his visit to
for 999 years, free of all charges. By April 20, he was
the colonial prison of Hong Kong. In this article he
back in Hong Kong.
contrasted the cruel Spanish prison system with the
- Juan and Antonio Luna, Lopez Jaena (to cultivate modern and more humane British prison system.
sugarcane), Blumintritt, Dr. Bautista Lin etc.,
- To elucidate his pet Borneo colonization project, he
enthusiastically endorsed his Borneo colonization
wrote an article in French entitled “Colonisation du
project. However, Hidalgo, brother-inlaw of Rizal, the
British North Borneo, par de par de Familles de Iles
brave Batangueno, objected the project.
Philippines” (Colonization of British North Borneo
- The infamous Weyler aka “the butcher”, was relieved of by Families from the Philippine Islands). He alborated
his gubernatorial office. A new Governor General on the same idea in another article in Spanish,
Eulogio Despujol, the Count of Caspe, announced to the “Proyecto de Colonizacion del British North Borneo
Filipino people a fine program of government. por los Filipinso” (Project of the Colonization of
British North Borneo by the Filipinos.
- Rizal then, believing the new governor general was
sincere, sent him a letter of felicitation and offering him - In June, 1892, he wrote “La Mano Roja” (The Red
cooperation but the governor general did not even Hand) which was printed in sheet form in Hong
acknowledge receipt of his letter. (December 23, 1891) Kong. It denounces the frequent outbreaks of
international fires in Manila.
- after Rizal waited for 3 months for a reply, he wrote
again for the second time (March 21, 1892) and gave it
- MOST IMPORTANT WRITING BY RIZAL during his 2nd letter addressed TO THE FILIPINOS
Hong Kong sojourn was the Constitution of the Liga
Fililipina which was printed in Hong Kong, 1892.

- On June 21, 1892, Rizal penned another letterin Hong

Kong for Despujol informing the latter of his coming to
- To deceive the Spanish authorities, the printed copies Manila and placed himself under the protection of the
of Constitution of the Liga Fililipina carried the false Spanish government.
information that the printing was done by the LONDON
PRINTNG PRESS, No. 25, Khulug Street, London. - On the same date (June 21st), Rizal and his sister
Lucia left Hong Kong for Manila. They carried a special
- The idea of establishing the Liga Filipina (Philippine passport or “safe-conduct” issued by the Spanish
League), an association of patriotic Filipinos for civic consul-general in Hong Kong.
purposes, was originally conceived by Jose Ma.
Basa, but it was Rizal who wrote its constitution and Rizal Falls into Spanish Trap
realized its establishment.
- Spanish consul-general who issued the government
- Copies of the printed Liga constitution were sent by guarantee of safety, sent a cablegram to Governor
Rizal to Domingo Franco, his friend in Manila. Despujol that the victim “is in the trap”.

Decision to Return to Manila. - On June 21 1892 (same day), a secret case was filed
in Manila against Rizal and his followers “for anti-
- In May, 1892, Rizal made up his mind to return to religious and anti-patriotic agitation”.
Manila. This decision was spurred by the ff:
- The deceitful Despujol ordered his secretary, Luis de la
1) To confer with Governor Despojul regarding his Torre, to find if Rizal was naturalized as a German
Borneo colonization project; citizen, as was rumored, so that he might take proper
action against one “who had the protection of a strong
2) To establish the Liga Filipina in Manila; nation”.

3) To prove that Eduardo de Lete was wrong in attacking - Rizal and his sister were peacefully crossing the China
him in Madrid that he (Rizal), being comfortable and safe Sea. They were fully unaware of Spanish duplicity.
in Hong Kong, had abandoned the country’s cause.

- Lete’s attack, printed in La Solidaridad on April 15,

1892, portrayed Rizal as cowardly, egoistic,
opportunistic --- a patriot in words only. Rizal vehemently
protested to Del Pilar, the editor of La Solidaridad.

- Rizal toPonce on May 23, 1892, “… I always welcome

criticisms because they improve those who wish to be
improve”.

Last Hong Kong Letters

- Relatives and friends of Rizal opposed his decision to

return home. His sister Trinidad warned him “fro here
they will kill you”

- he spent his 31st birthday in Hong Kong.

- in June 20, he wrote 2 letters which he sealed,

inscribed on each envelop “to be opened after my death”
and gave them to his friend Dr. Marques for
safekeeping.

1st letter addressed TO MY PARENTS, BRETHREN

AND FRIENDS.
 Faustino Villaruel (Ilaw), pharmacist and Mason;
Mariano Crisostomo, landlord; Numeriano Adriano (Ipil),
CHAPTER 21: SECOND HOMECOMING AND THE notary public and Mason; Estanislao Lagaspi, artisan
LIGA FILIPINA and Mason; Teodoro Plata, court clerk and Mason;
Andres Bonifacio, warehouse employee; Apolinario
Arrival in Manila with Sister Mabini (Katabay) lawyer and Mason; and Juan Zulueta,
playwright, poet and government employee.
- At noon of June 26, 1892, Rizal and his sister Lucia
(wife of late Mariano Herbosa) arrived in Manila. - Rizal explained the objectives of the Liga Filipina, a
civic league of Filipinos, which he desired to establish
- In the afternoon, at 4 o’clock, he net to Malacanan
and its role in the socio-economiclife of the people.
Palace to seek audience with the Spanish governor
general, General Eulogio Despujol, Conde de Caspe. He - Officers of the new league:
was told to come back at the night at 7 o’clock. Promptly
at 7pm, he returned and was able to confer with -Ambrosio Salvador --- President
Governor General Despujol, who agreed to pardon his
father but not the rest of his family and told him to return -Deodato Arellano ----- Secretary
on Wednsday (June 29).
-Bonifacio Arevalo ----- Treasurer
- after the brief interview with the governor general, he
-Agustin de la Rosa --- Fiscal
visited his sisters in the city--- 1st Narcisa then ‘Neneng’
Saturnina. - Aims of the Liga Filipina:
Visiting Friends in Central Luzon. 1) To unite the whole archipelago into one compact and
homogenous body.
- On June 27, 1892, at 6pm, Rizal boarded a train in
Tutuban Station and visited his friends/ good patriots 2) Mutual protection in every want and necessity.
and also supporters in the reform crusade in Malolos
(Bulacan), San Fernando (Pampanga), Tarlac and 3) Defense against all violence and injustice.
Bacolor (Pampanga). He also discussed the problem
affecting their people. 4) Encouragement of education, agriculture and
commerce.
- Rizal returned by train on June 28 at 5 o’clock. He was
shadowed by government spies who watched carefully 5) Study and application of reforms.
heis every movement. Homes he visited were raided by
MOTTO OF THE LIGA FILIPINA: Unus Instar Omnium
the Guardia Civil which seized copis of Noli and Fili and
(One Like All).
some subversive pamphlets.
- The governing body of the league was the Supreme
Founding of the Liga Filipina.
Council which had jurisdiction over the whole country. It
- On the evening of Sunday, July 3, 1892, Rizal attended was composed of a president, a secretary, a
a meeting of the patriots at the home of the Chinese- treasurer and a fiscal. There was provincial Council in
Filipion mestizos, Doroteo Ongjunco, on Ylaya Street, every province and a popular Council in every town.
Tondo, Manila. Among those present were Pedro
-WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE
Serrano Laktaw (Panday Pira), a Mason and school
LIGA: All the Filipinos who have at heart the welfare of
teacher; Domingo Franco (Filipe Leal), a Mason and
their fatherland are qualified for membership. Every
tobacco shopkeeper; Jose A. Ramos (Soccoro),
member pays an entrance fee of 2 pesos and a monthly
engraver, printer and owner of Bazar Gran Bretana, and
de of 10 cents.
first class Worshipful Master of Nilad, First Filipino
masonic lodge; Ambrosio Salvador, gobernadorcillo of - DUTIES OF THE LIGA MEMBERS:
Quipo and Mason; Bonifacio Arevalo (Harem), dentist
and Mason; Deodato Arellano, brother-in-law of M.H del 1) Obey the orders of the supreme Council
Pilar and civilian employee in the army; Ambrosio Flores
(Musa), retired lieutenant of infantry; Agustin de la Rosa, 2) To help in recruiting new members
bookkeeper and Mason; Moises Salvador (Araw),
contractor and Mason; Luis Villareal, tailor and Mason; 3) to keep in strictest secrecy the decisions of the Lifa
authorities
4) to have a symbolic name which he cannot change CHAPTER 22: EXILE IN DAPITAN 1892 – 1896
until he becomes president of his council
BEGINNING OF EXILE IN DAPITAN
5) to report to the fiscal anything that he may hear which
affects the Liga - The steamer Cebu which brought Rizal to Dapitan
carried a letter from Fr. Pablo Pastells, Superior of the
6) To behave well as befits a good Filipino Jesuit Society in the Philippines, to Fr. Antonio Obach,
Jesuit parish priest of Dapitan. In this letter, Fr. Superior
7) to help fellow member in all ways. Pastells informed Fr. Obach that Rizal could live at the
parish convent on the ff conditions.
Rizal Arrested and Jailed in Fort Santiago
1) “That Rizal publicly retract his errors
- On Wednesday, july 6, Rizal went to Malacanan Palace
concerning religion, and make statements that
to resume his series of interviews with the governor
were clearly pro-Spanish and against
general. During interview. Governor General Despujol
revolution”.
suddenly showed him some printed leaflets which were
allegedly found in Lucia’s pillow cases. These 2) “That he perform the church rites and make
incriminatory leaflets were entitled Pobres Frailes general confession of his life”
(Poor Friars) under the authorship of Fr. Jacinto and
printed by the Imprenta de los Amigos del Pais, Manila. 3) “That henceforth he conduct himself in an
They were satire against the rich Dominican friars who exemplary manner as a Spanish subject and a
amassed fabulous richest contrary to their monastic vow man of religion.”
of poverty.
Rizal did not agree with these conditions. Consequently,
- Rizal vigorously denied having those leaflets in either he lived in the house of the commandant, Captain
his or Luci’s baggages. He was placed under arrest and Carnicero. The relations between Carnicero (the
escorted to Fort Santiago by Ramon Despojul, nephew warden) and Rizal (prisoner) were warm and friendly.
and aide of Governor General Despujol. In Fort
Santiago,he was kept incommunicado, as he related in - Carnicero was charmed by Rizal’s fine qualities and
his diary. personality. They ate together at the same table and had
many friendly conversations.
- On July 7, 1892, the GACETA MANILA published the
story of Rizal’s arrest which produced indignant - Carnicero came to know that Rizal was not a common
commotion among the Filipino people, particularly the felon, much less a filibuster. He gave him complete
members of the newly organized Liga Filipina. freedom to go anywhere, reporting only once a week at
his office, and permitted Rizal, who was a good
Arbitrary Deportation to Dapitan. equestrian, to ride his chestnut horse.

- The same issue of the Gaceta contained Governor - Rizal, on his part, admired the kind, generous Spanish
Depujols gubernatorial decree giving reasons for Rizal’s captain. As evidence of his esteem, he wrote a poem, A
deportation (4 reasons). Don Ricardo Carnicero, on August 26, 1892, on the
occasion of the captain’s birthday.
- At 12:30 am of July 15, 1892, Rizal was brought under
heavy guard to the steamer Cebu which was sailing for WINS IN MANILA LOTTERY
Dapitan. This steamer under Capitan Delgras departed
at 1am, July 15, sailing south, passing Mindoro and - On September 21, 1892, the sleepy town of Dapitan
Panay, and reaching Dapitan on Sunaday, the 17th of burst in hectic excitement. The mail boat Butuan was
July at 7pm. approaching the town, with colored pennants flying in the
sea breezes. Captain Carnicero, thinking that a high
- Capitan Delgras went ashore and handed Rizal over to Spanish official was coming, hastily dressed in gala
Capitan Ricardo Carnicer, Sapnish commandant of uniform, ordered the town folks to gather at the shore,
Dapitan. That same night, July 17, 1892, Rizal began his and himself rushed there, bringing a brass band.
exile in lonely Dapitan which would last until July 31,
1896, a period of 4 years. - The mail boat Butuan brought happy tidings that the
Lottery Ticket No. 9736 jointly owned by Captain
Carnicero, Dr. Rizal and Francisco Equilior (Spanish
resident of Dipolog, a neighboring town of Dapitan) won
the second prize of P20, 000 in the government-owned - Rizal continued to be a Catholic. His Catholicism,
Manila Lottery. however, was the Catholicism that inquires and
enlightens, the “Catholicism of Renan and Teilhard de
Chardin”.

- Rizal’s share was P6, 200. He gave P2, 000 to his RIZAL CHALLENGES A FRENCHMAN TO A DUEL
father, P200 to Basa in Hong Kong, while he invested
the rest in purchasing agricultural lands along the coast - He became involved in a quarrel with a French
of Talisay, about 1 kilometer away from Dapitan. acquaintance in Dapitan, Mr. Juan Lardet, a
businessman. This man purchased many logs from the
RIZAL-PASTELLS DEBATE ON RELIGION lands of Rizal. It so happened that some of the logs were
poor quality.
- Rizal had a long and scholarly debate with Fr. Pastells
on religion. It started when Fr. Pastells sent him a book - Lardet in a letter to Antonio Miranda, a Dapitan
by Sarda, with advice that the Rizal should desist from merchant and friend of Rizal, expressed his disgust with
his majaderas (foolishness) in viewing religion from the the business deal and stated that “if he were a truthful
prism of individual judgment and self-esteem. man he would have told me that the lumber not included
in the account were bad”.
- In all his latters to Fr. Pastells, Rizal revealed his anti-
Catholic ideas which he had acquired in Europe and - Miranda indiscreetly forwarded Lardet’s letter to Rizal.
embitterment at his persecution by the bad friars, Upon reading the letter, Rizal flared up in anger,
regarding the Frenchman’s unsavory comment as an
- As he wrote to Blumintritt from Paris on January 20,
affront to his integrity. Immediately, he confronted Lardet
1809: “I want to heat the friars, but only friars who
and challenged him to a duel.
utilized religion not only as a shield, but also as a
weapon, castle, fortress, armor, etc.; I was forced to - When the commandant heard of the incident, Carnicero
attack their false and supertitious religion in order to fight told the Frenchman to apologize rather than accepting
the enemy who hid himself behind it.” the challenge. “My friend, you have not a Chinaman’s
chance in a fight with Rizal on a field of honor. Rizal is
- According to Rizal, individual judgment is a gift from
an expert in martial arts, particularly in fencing and pistol
God and everybody should use it like a lantern to show
shooting”.
the way and that self-esteem, if moderated by judgment,
saves man from unworthy acts. He also argued that the - Lardet then wrote to Rizal, apologizing for his insulting
pursuit of truth may lie in different paths and thus comment (written in French). In which Rizal accepted.
“religions may vary, but they all lead to the light.”
RIZAL AND FATHER SANCHEZ
- Father Pastells tries his best to win back Rizal to the
fold of Catholicism. Divine Faith, he told Rizal, - Father Pastells also instructed 2 Jesuit Mindanao
supersedes everything, including reasons, self-esteem, ----Fr. Obach, cura of Dapitan, and Fr. Jose Vilaclara,
and individual judgment. No matter how wise a man is, cura of Dipolog --- to try their best to bring back Rizal
he argued, his intelligence is limited, hence he needs the within the Catholic fold. Furthermore, he assigned Fr.
guidance of God. He refuted Rizal’s attacks on Catholic Francisco de Paula Sanchez, Rizal’s favorite teacher at
dogmas as misconceptions of rationalism and the Ateneo de Manila, to Dapitan.
naturalism, errors of misguided souls.
- Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez was the only Spanish
- This interesting debate between two brilliant priest to defend Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere in public.
polemicists ended inconclusively. Rizal could not be
convinced by Pastells’ arguments so that he lived in - Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez was the most beloved
Dapitan beyond the pale of his Mother Church. and esteemed by Rizal among other Jesuits. Almost
daily they carried theological arguments in a friendly
- In spite of their differences, Rizal and Pastells manner. But all efforts of Sanchez were in vain. For
remained good friends. Father Pastells gave Rizal a once, Rizal could not be convinced by his former
copy of the ‘Imitacion de Cristo (Imitation of Crist)’, a beloved teacher.
famous Catholic book by Father Thomas a Kempis.
Rizal in grateful reciprocation, gave his Jesuit opponent - Despite Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez’s failure to
in debate a bust of St. Paul which he had made. persuade Rizal, he enjoyed Rizal’s company. He
assisted Rizal In beautifying the town plaza. On his
birthday, Rizal gave him a precious birthday gift --- a revolutionary movement. Strangely, Commandant Sitges
manuscript entitled Estudios sobre la lengua tagala suddenly quashed the investigation and released the
(Studies on the Tagalog Language --- a Tagalog spy. He promptly forwarded the transcription of the
grammar which Rizal wrote and which he dedicated to investigation together with his official report to Governor
his beloved former teacher. (Birthday gift of Rizal to Fr. General Blanco who, in turn, kept these documents as
Sanchez) highly confidential. Rizal. Who was surprised at the turn
of events, requested for a copy of the proceedings of the
IDYLLIC LIFE IN DAPITAN investigation, but Sitges denied his request. As now
declassified and preserved at the Biblioteca Nacional in
- In Dapitan, Rizal had an exemplary life, idyllic in
Madrid, these documents contain certain mysterious
serenity. Since August, 1893, members of his family took
deletions.
turns in visiting him in order to assuage his loneliness in
the isolated outpost of Spanish power in the Moroland. - Based upon all these available documentary sources,
Among them were his mother; sisters Trinidad, Maria, the incident of the secret mission of “P. M.” in Dapitan
Narcisa; and nephews Teodosio, Estanislao, Mauricio was not an “Assassination Attempt on Rizal”. It was
and Prudencio. He built his house by the seashore of merely an espionage plot concocted by the friars.
Talisay, surrounded by fruit trees, he had also another
house for his school boys and a hospital for his patients. A PHYSICIAN IN DAPITAN

RIZAL’S ENCOUNTER WITH THE FRIAR’S SPY - Rizal practiced medicine in Dapitan. He had many
patients, but most of them were poor so that he even
- His blissful life was then suddenly jolted by a strange gave them free medicine. To his friend in Hong Kong,
incident involving a spy of the friars. This spy with the Dr. Marquez he wrote a letter: “here the people are so
assumed name of “Pablo Mercado” and posing as a poor that I have even to give medicine gratis”. He had,
relative, secretly visited Rizal at his house on the night of however, some rich patients who paid him handsomely
November 3, 1893. He introduced himself as a friend for his surgical skills.
and relative, showing a photo of Rizal and a pair of
buttons with the initials “P. M” (Pablo Mercado) as - In August 1893 his mother and sister (Maria) arrived in
evidence of his kinship with the Rizal family. Dapitan and lived with him for 1 year and a half. He
operated on his mother’s right eye. The operation was
- The strange visitor offered his services as a successful, but Dona Teodora, ignoring her son’s
confidential courier of Rizal’s letters and writings for the instructions, removed the bandages from her eyes,
patriots in Manila. Rizal, being a man of prudence and thereby causing the wound to be infected. Thus Rizal
keen perception became suspicious. Irked by the told Hidalgo, his brother-in-law: “Now I understand very
impostor’s lies, he wanted to throw him out of the house, well why a physician should not treat the member of his
but mindful of his duty as host and considering the late family.” Fortunately, the infection was arrested so that
hour of the night and the heavy rainfall, he hospitably Dona Teodora’s sight was fully restored.
invited the unwanted visitor to stay at his house for the
night. And early the next day, he sent him away. - Rizal’s fame as a physician, particularly as an eye
specialist, spread far and wide. He had many patients
- Later Rizal learned that the rascal was still in Dapitan, who came from different parts of the Philippines and
telling people that he was a beloved relative of Dr. Rizal. even from Hong Kong,. A rich Filipino patient, Don
Losing his cool, he went to the comandancia and Ignacio Tumarong, was able to see again because of
denounced the impostor to Captain Juan Sitges (who Rizal’s ophthalmic skills; and highly gratified by the
succeeded Captain Carnicero on May 4, 1893 as a restoration of his sight, he paid P3, 000. Another rich
commandant of Dapitan). Without much ado, Sitges patient, an Englishman, paid P500. Don Florencio
ordered the arrest of “Pablo Mercado” and instructed Azacarrage, a rich hacendero of Aklan, was also cured
Anastacio Adriatico, to investigate him immediately. of eye ailment, and paid Rizal a cargo of sugar.

- Truth came out, the real name of “P. M.” was Florencio - As a physician, Rizal became interested in local
Namanan. He was a native of Cagayan de Misamis, medicine and in the use of medicinal plants. He studied
single and about 30 years old. He was hired by the the medicinal plans of the Philippines and their curative
Recollect friars to a secret mission in Dapitan --- to values. To poor patients, who could not afford to buy
introduce himself to Rizal as a friend and relative, to spy imported medicine, he prescribed the local medicinal
on Rizal’s activities and to filch certain letters and plants.
writings of Rizal which might incriminate him in the
WATER SYSTEM FOR DAPITAN school which existed until the end on of his exile in July
1896. It began with 3 pupils and in the course of time the
- Rizal held the title of expert surveyor (perito enrollment increased to 16 and later to 21. In his letter to
agrimensor), which he obtained from the Ateneo. He Blumintritt on March 13, Rizal said that he had 16 pupils
supplemented his training as a surveyor by his reading in his school and that these pupils did not pay any
of engineering books, so that he came to know about tuition. Instead of charging them tuition fees, he made
engineering. In Dapitan, he applied his knowledge of them work in his garden, fields, and construction projects
engineering by constructing a system of waterworks in in the community.
order to furnish clean water to the townspeople.
- Rizal taught his boys READING, WRITING,
- Modern engineers marveled how Rizal could built such LANGUAGES (Spanish & English), GEOGRAPHY,
system of waterworks, for he had inadequate tools and HISTORY, MATHEMATICS (arithmetic & geometry),
meager materials, and his finances were very limited. INDUSTRIAL WORK, NATURE STUDY, MORALS &
Without any aid from government, he succeeded in GYMNATICS. He trained them how to collect specimens
giving a good water system to Dapitan. of plants and animals, to love work and to behave like
men.
- An American engineer, Mr. H.F. Cameron, praised
Rizal’s engineering feat. - Formal classes were conducted between 2PM and
4PM. Rizal, the teacher, sat on a hammock, while the
COMMUNITY PROJECTS FOR DAPITAN
pupils sat on a long bamboo bench. On one day the
- Rizal decided to improve Dapitan. lessons were conducted in Spanish on the next day, in
English. As in the Ateneo, the best pupil was called
- Aside from constructing the town’s first water system, “emperor” and he sat at the head of the bench; the
he spent many months draining the marshes in order to poorest pupil occupied the end of the bench.
get rid of malaria that infested Dapitan. As a European-
trained physician, he knew that malaria is spread by the - Outside the class hours, Rizal encourages them to play
mosquitos which thrive in swampy places. games in order to strengthen their bodies. They had
gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, stone-throwing,
- The P500 which an English patient paid him was used swimming, arnis (native fencing) and boating.
by him to equip the towns with its lighting system. The
lighting system consisted of coconut oil lamps placed in “HYMN TO TALISAY”
the dark streets of Dapitan. Electric lighting was
- Rizal conducted his schools at his home in Talisay,
unknown then in the Philippines. It was not until 1894
near Dapitan, where he had his farm and hospital. His
when Manila saw the first electric lights.
favorite rendezvous with his boys was under a Talisay
- Another community project of Rizal was the tree, after which the place was named. In honor of
beautification of Dapitan. With the help of his former Talisay, he wrote a poem entitled “Himno A Talisay” for
Jesuit teacher and friend, Fr. Sanchez, he remodeled his pupils to sing.
the town plaza in order to enhance its beauty. He
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE
jokingly remarked that he would make it nicely so that it
could “rival the best in Europe”. In front of the church, - Rizal found Mindanao a rich virgin field for collecting
Rizal and Fr. Sanchez made a huge relief map of specimens. With his baroto (sailboat) and accompanied
Mindanao out of earth, stones and grass. This map still by his pupils, he explored the jungle and coasts, seeking
adorns the town plaza of Dapitan. specimen of insects, birds snakes, lizards, frogs, shells
and plants. He sent these specimens to the museum of
RIZAL AS A TEACHER
Europe, especially the Dresden Museum. In payment for
- Since boyhood Rizal knew the value of good education. these valuable specimens, the European scientist sent
During his travels abroad he observed the educational him scientific books and surgical instruments.
system of modern nations. He himself planned to
- During his 4 year exile in Dapitan, Rizal built up a rich
establish a modern college in Hong Kong for Filipino
collection of concology which consisted of 346 shells
boys so that he could train them in modern pedagogical
representing 203 species.
concepts, which were then unknown in the Philippines.
- He discovered some rare specimens which were
- His exile in Dapitan gave him the opportunity to put into
named in his honor by scientists. Among these were
practice his educational ideas. In 1893 he established a
Draco rizali (flying dragon), Apogonia rizali (small - One day in 1894 some of his pupils secretly went to
beetle), and Rhacophorus rizali (rare frog). Dapitan in a boat from Talisay; a puppy of Syria (Rizal’s
dog) tried to follow and was devoured by a crocodile. To
- Rizal also conducted anthropological, ethnographical, stress the moral of the incident, he modeled a statuette
archeological, geological and geographical studies, as representing the mother-dog killing the crocodile, by way
revealed by his voluminous correspondence with his of avenging her lost puppy, and called it “The Mother’s
scientist friends in Europe. There was no limit to his Revenge”.
scientific versatility.
- Other sculpture works of Rizal in Dapitan were a bust
LINGUISTIC STUDIES of Fr. Guerrio (one of his Ateneo professor), a statue of a
girl called “The Dapitan Girl”, a woodcarving of
-A born linguist, Rizal continued his studies of
Josephine Bracken (his wife), and a bust of St. Paul
languages. In Dapitan he learned the Bisayan, Subanum
which he gave to Fr. Pastells.
and Malay languages. He wrote a Tagalog grammar,
made a comparative study of the Bisayan and Malayan RIZAL AS FARMER
language, and studied the Bisayan (Cebuan) and
Subanum languages. - In Dapitan Rizal devoted much of his time to
agriculture. He brought 16 hectares of land in Talisay,
- On April 5, 1896, his last year of exile in Dapitan, he where he built his home, schools and hospital and
wrote to Blumintritt. By this time, Rizal could rank with planted cacao, coffee, sugarcane, and coconuts and fruit
the world’s great linguists. He knew 22 languages: trees. Later he acquired more lands until his total
holdings reached 70 hectares, containing 6, 000 hemp
- Tagalog - Ilokano - Bisayan
plants, 1, 000 coconut trees, and numerous fruit trees,
- Subanum - Spanish - Latin sugarcane, corn, coffee and cacao.

- Greek - English - French - Rizal introduced modern methods of agriculture which

he had observed in Europe and America. His pupils
- German - Arabic - Malay helped him in the daily farm labor. He encourages the
Dapitan farmers to discard their primitive system of
- Hebrew - Sanskrit - Dutch tillage and adopt the modern agricultural methods. He
imported agricultural machinery from the U.S.
- Catalan - Italian - Chinese
- Rizal dreamed establishing an agricultural colony in the
- Japanses - Portuguese
sitio of Ponot near Sindagan Bay, where there was
- Russian - Swedish plenty of water and good port facilities. He believed that
this place would be ideal to raise cacao, coffee,
ARTISTIC WORKS IN DAPITAN coconuts and cattle. He invited his relatives and friends,
especially those in Calamba, to come to his projected
- Rizal continued his artistic pursuits in Dapitan. He agricultural colony. Unfortunately this colony did not
contributed his painting skills to the Sisters of Charity materialize, like his previous Borneo colonization,
who were preparing the sanctuary of the Holy Virgin in because e couldnot get the support of the government.
their private chapel. For the sake of the economy, the
head of the image was “procured from abroad”. The RIZAL AS BUSINESMAN
vestments concealing al the rest of the figure except the
feet, which rested upon a globe encircled by a snake in - Aside from farming, Rizal engaged in business. In
whose mouth is an apple, were made by the sisters. partnership with Ramon Carreon, a Dapitan merchant,
Rizal modeled the right foot of the image, the apple and he made profitable business ventures in fishing, copra,
the serpent’s head. He also designed the exquisite and hemp industries. He invited his relatives, particularly
curtain, which was painted in oil by an artist Sister under Saturnina and Hidalgo to come to Mindanao, for there “is
his direction. vast and ample field for business” in the island. He
particularly told Saturnina that in Dapitan she could
- Rizal made sketches of persons and things that profitably engage in the textile, jewelry, and hemp
attracted him in Dapitan. He drew for instance, the 3 business.
rare species of animal life – the dragon, frog and the
beetle --- which he had discovered. He had sketches of - In a letter to Hidalgo, dated January 9, 1893, he
expressed his plan to improve the fishing industry of
the numerous fishes he caught in Dapitan waters.
Dapitan. He said that the town has a good beach like Dapitan she saw how busy her talented son was and
Calamba and there is abundant fish in the sea; however, regretted that he had neglected the Muses. She
the fishing folks, using primitive methods of fishing, were requested him to write poetry again.
able only to catch small fishes. Accordingly, he
instructed Hidalgo to help him buy a big net for trawl - In response to her request. Rizal wrote a beautiful
fishing (pukutan) and to send him two good Calamba poem about his serene life as an exile in Dapitan and
fishermen who could teach the Dapitan folks better sent it to her on October 22, 1895. This poem was "Mi
methods of fishing. Retiro" (My Retreat), which is acclaimed by literary critics
as one of the best ever penned by Rizal.
- The most profitable business venture of Rizal in
Dapitan was in the hemp industry. At one time. he MY RETREAT
shipped 150 bales of hemp to a foreign firm in Manila at
huge profit for himself and his business partner. He By the spreading trach where the sands are soft and finc
purchased hemp in Dapitan at P7 and 4 reales per picul At the foot of the mouth in its mantle of green
and sold it in Manila at PIO and 4 reales, giving him a I have built my hut in the pleasant grove's confine;
profit of P3 per picul." In his letter to Blumentritt' on July From the forest seeking peace and a calmness divine.
31. 1894, he said: "To kill time and to help also the Rest for the weary brain and silence to my sorrow's
people of this town, I have become a merchant. I buy keen.
abaca and ship it to Manila. Luck was with me this
month. I made a profit of in one stroke...  Its roof of the frail palm-leaf and its floor the cane.
Its beams and posts of the unhewn wood;
- On May 14. 1893. Rizal formed a business partnership Little there is of value in this hut so plain.
with Ramon Carreon (Dapitan businessman) in lime And better by far in the lap of the mount to have lain. 
manufacturing. Their limeburner had a monthly capacity By the song and the murmur or the tugh sea's flood.
of more than 400 bags of lime.
A purling brook from the woodland glade
- To break the Chinese monopoly on business in Drops down o'er the stones and around it sweep  
Dapitan, Ri7al organized on January 1. 1895 the Whence a fresh stream is drawn by the rough cane's
Cooperative Association of Dapitan Farmers. According aid;
to its constitution, which he had drafted. Its Purposes That in the still night its murmur has made. 
were "to irnprove the farm products, obtain better outlets And in the day's heat a crystal fountain leaps.
for them, collect funds for their purchases and help the
producers and workers by establishing a store wherein When the sky is serene how gently it flows.
they can buy prime commodities at moderate prices".• And its zither unseen ceaselessly plays:
But when the -rains fall a torrent it goes 
RIZAL'S INVENTIVE ABILITY Boiling and foaming through the rocky close.
Roaring uncheck'd to the sea's wide ways.
- One little-known fact about Rizal was that he was also
an inventor. It should be remembered that in 1887, while The howl of the dog and the song of the bird,
practising medicine in Calamba, he invented a cigarette And only the kalao's hoarse call resound; 
lighter which he sent as a gift to Blumentritt. He called Nor is the voice of vain man to be heard, 
"sulpukan". This unique cigarette lighter was made of My mind to harass or my steps to begird.
wood. "Its mechanism" said Rizal based on principle of The woodlands alone and the sea wrap me round.
come pressed air".
The sea, ah, the sea! for me it is all.
During his exile in Dapitan, he invited a machine for And it massively sweeps from the world's apart; 
making bricks. This machine could manufacture about Its smile in the morn to my soul is a call.
6.000 bricks daily. Thus Rizal wrote to Blumentritt on And when in the evening my faith seems to pall, 
November 20. 1895: "t have made a wooden machine It breathes With its sadness on echo to my heart 
for making bricks, and I believe it could make more or
less 6,000 bricks a day. . . When I was in Belgium. I saw By night an arcanum, when translucent it glows.
the making of bricks out-of-wood without kilns. and All spangled over with its millions of lights.
during my visit to Baden I saw also amount of bricks on And the bright sky above resplendent shows;
the ground. I suppose in Bohemia they make bricks by While the waves with their Sighs tell of their woes — 
means of a different method; if this is so please inform Tales that are lost as they roll to the heights.
me how the bricks baked such that not much heat is
wasted".  They tell of the world when the first dawn broke.
And the sunlight over their surface played.
MY RETREAT When thousands of beings from nothingness woke.
To people the depths and the heights to cloak.
- In February, 1895. Dona Teodora, with her eyesight Wherever Its life-giving kiss was lard 
fully restored, returned to Manila. During her long stay in
But when in the night the wild winds awake. A butterfly seeking the flowers and the light,
And the waves in their fury begin to leap. Of other lands dreaming of vaster extent;  
Through the ajr rush the crtes that my mind shake;  Scarce a youth. from home and love I Right. 
Voices that pray, songs and moans that partake  To wander unheeding. free from doubt of affright   
Of laments from the souls sunk down in the deep. So in foretgn lands were my brightest days spent.

Then from then heights the mountains groan. And when like a languishing bird was fain
And the trees shiver tremulous from great unto least. To the home of my fathers and my love to return.
The groves rustle plaintive and the herds utter moan   Of a sudden the fierce tempest roar'd amain;
For they say that the ghost of the folk that are gone  So saw my wings shattered and no home remain,
Are calling them down to thor death’s merry feast. My trust sold to others and wrecks round me burn

In terror and confusion whispers the night. Hurld out into exile from the land I adore
While blue and green flames flit over the deep;  My future all dark and no refuge to seek;
But calm reigns With the morning's light, My roseate dreams hover. round me once more. 
And soon the bold fisherman comes into Sight. Sole treasures of all that life to Me bore; 
And his back rushes on and the waves sink to sleep  the faith of youth that with sincerity speak.

So onward glide the days in my lonely abode. But not as old, full of life and of grace, 
Driven forth from the world where once I was known. Do you hold out hopes of undying reward; 
I muse o'er the fate upon me bestowed. Sadder I find you; on your lov'd face.
A fragrant forgotten that the moss Will corrode. Though still sincere, the pale tines trace 
To hide from mankind the world me shown. The  marks of the faith it is yours to guard

I live in thought of the lov'd ones left. You offer now, dreams. my gloom to appease
And of their names to my mind are borne; And the years of my youth again to disclose
So I thank you, O storm, and heaven-born breeze. 
Some have forsaken me and some by death are reft;  That you knew of the hour my wild flight to ease, 
But now ‘tis all one. as through the past I drift.   To cast me back to the soil whence I rose. 
That past which from one never be torn.
By the spreading beach where the sands are soft and
For it is the friend that is with me always, fine.
At the foot of the mount in its mantle of green; 
That ever in sorrow keeps the faith in my soul; I have found a home in the pleasant grove's confine.
While through the still night it watches and prays,  In the shady woods. that peace and calmness divine.
As here in my exile in my one hut it stays  Rest for the weary brain and silence to my sorrow keen.
To strengthen my faith when doubts o'er me roll.
Rizal and Josephine Bracken
That faith I keep and I hope to see shine 
The day when the Idea prevails over might; - In the silent hours of the night after the day's hard work,
When after the fray and &ath's show decime    Riz.al was often sad. He missed his family and relatives,
Some other voice sounds, far happier than mine.  his good friends in foreign lands. The exhilarating life in
To raise the glad of the triumph of right. the cities of Europe. and his happy days in Calamba.
The death of Leonora Rivera on August 28, 1893 left a
I see the sky glow. refulgent and clear, poignant void in his heart. He needed somebody to
As when it forced on me my first dear illusion;  cheer him up in his lonely exile.
I feel the same wind kiss my forehead sore.
And the fire is tir same that is burning here - In God's own time, this "somebody" came to Dapitan,
To stir up youth's blood in boiding confusion  like a sunbeam to dispel his melancholy mood. She was
Josephine Bracken, an Irish girl of sweet eighteen,
I breathe here the winds that perchance have pass'd "slender, a chestnut blond, with blue eyes, dressed with
O'er the fields and the rivers of my own natal shore; elegant simplicity, with an atmosphere of light gayety".
And mayhap they will bring on the returning blast  She was born in Hong Kong on October 3, 1876 of Irish
The sighs that lov'd being upon them has cast  parents James Bracken, a corporal in the British
Megages sweet from the love I first bore. garrison, and Elizabeth Jane MacBride. Her mother died
in childbirth, and she was adopted by Mr. George
To see the same moon. all silver'd as of yore  Taufer, who later became blind.
I feel the sad thoughts within me ang;
The fond recollections of the troth we swore  - No ophthalmic specialist in Hong Kong could cure Mr.
Of the field and the bower and the wide seashore.    Taufer’s blindness so that h, accompanied by his
The blushes of joy, With the silence and sighs. adopted daughter Josephine went to Manila to seek the
services of the famous ophthalmic surgeon, Dr. Rizal
they heard in the City that Dr. Rizal was in Dapitan, Katipunan, which he founded on July 7, 1892, was
where they proceeded — accompanied by a Filipina gaining more and more adherents.
companion. Manuela Orlac They presented to Rizal a
card of introduction by Julio Llorente. his friend and In a secret meeting of the Katipunan at a little river called
schoolmate. Bitukang Manok, near the town of Pasig, on May 2. Dr.
Pio Valenzuela was named emissary to Dapitan, in order
- Rizal and Josephine fell in love with each other at first to inform Rizal of the plan of the Katipunan to launch a
sight. After a whirlwind romance Of one month, they revolution for freedom's sake
agreed to marry But Father Obach, the priest of Dapitan,
refused to marry then Without the permission of the - On June 15. Dr. Valenzuela left Manila on board the
Bishop of Cebu.  steamer Venus. To camouflage his real mission, he
brought with him a blind man named Raymundo Mata
- When Mr. Taufer heard of their projected marriage. he and a guide, ostensibly going to Dapitan to solicit Rizal’s
flared up in violent rage. Unable to endure the thought of expert medical advice 
losing Josephine, he tried to commit suicide by cutting
off his throat with a razor. Rizal, however, grabbed his - Dr. Valenzuela arrived in Dapitan in the evening of
wrists and prevented him from killing himself. To avoid a June 21. 1896. Rizal, ever a hospitable host, welcomed
tragedy. Josephine went With Taufer to Manila by the him. After supper the two had a heart-to-heart talk in the
first available steamer. The blind man went away garden. Valenzuela told him of the Katipunan plan and of
uncured because his ailment was venereal in nature, the necessity of his support.
hence incurable. 
- Rizal objected to Bonifacio's audacious project to
- Mr. Tauter returned alone to Hong Kong. Josephine plunge the country in bloody revolution. He was of the
stayed in Manila with Rizal’s family. Later she returned sincere belief that it was premature for two reasons:
to Dapitan. Since no priest would marry them, RizaI and
Josephine held hands together and married themselves 1) the people are not ready for a revolution, and
before the eyes of God. They lived as man and wife." Of 2) arms and funds must first be collected before
course. Father Obach was scandalized, and many raising the cry of revolution.
unsavory tales were circulated by gossips in Dapitan 
He also disapproved 'Of the other plan Of the Katipunan
- Rizal and Josephine lived happily in Dapitan. In several to rescue him because he had given his word of honor to
letters to his family. Rizal praised Josephine and the Spanish authorities and he did not want to break it.
revealed his new happiness. He was no longer lonely.
Dapitan had become for him a heaven of bliss  Volunteers Military Doctor in Cuba

- At one time. Rizal wrote a poem for Josephine. Which - Months before the Katipunan contacted him, Rizal had
runs as follows  offered his services as military doctor in Cuba, which
was then in the throes of a revolution and a raging
Josephine, Josephine yellow fever epidemic. There was a shortage of
physicians to the needs of the Spanish troops and the
Who to these shores have come  Cuban people. It was Blumentritt who told him of the
Looking for a nest. a home   deplorable health situation in war-ridden Cuba and
Like a wandering swallow. advised him to volunteer as army physician there.
If your fate taking you
To Japan. China or Shanghai. - Acting upon Blumintritt’s advice, Rizal wrote to
Don t forget on these  Governor General Ramon Blanco, Despujol’s successor,
A heart for you beats high  on December 17, 1895, offering his services as military
  doctor in Cuba. Months passed and he received no reply
- In the early part of 1896 Rizal was extremely happy from Malacanang. He gave up hope that his
because Josephine was expecting a baby. humanitarian offer would ever receive government
Unfortunately, he played a prank on her, frightening her approval.
so that she prematurely gave birth to an eight-month
baby boy, who lived only for three hours  This lost son of - When he least expected it, a letter from Governor
Rizal was named "Francisco" in honor of Don Francisco Blanco dated July 1, 1896 arrived in Dapitan, notifying
(the hero's father) and was buried in Dapitan. him of the acceptance of his offer. This letter, which
reached him on July 30th, also stated that the politico-
Rizal and the Katipunan. While Rizal was mourning the military commander of Dapitan would give him a pass so
loss of his son, ominous clouds of revolution gradually that he could come to Manila, where he would be given
darkened the Philippine skies. Andres Bonifacio, the a safe-conduct to Spain, “and there the Minister of War
"Great Plebeian." was sowing the seeds of an armed will assign you to the Army of Operations in Cuba,
uprising. The secret revolutionary society, called detailed to the Medical Corps”.
 The España left Dumaguete about 1:00 p.m. reached
Cebu the following morning. Rizal was fascinated by the
entrance to Cebu which he considered "beautiful" At the
house of Attorney Mateos he met an old couple whom
he had known in Madrid.
THE SONG OF THE TRAVELER
‘In Cebu’ he wrote in his diary, “I did two operations of
Great was Rizal’s joy in receiving the gladsome news strabotomy, one operation on the ears. and another of
from Malacanang. At last, he was free! Once more, he tumor.
was going to travel -- to Europe and then to Cuba. it was
with this joyous thought of resuming his travels that he In the morning of Monday August 3, Rizal left Cebu
wrote his heart-warming poem going to Iloilo. “The voyage was fine.” He wrote, "At the
right saw Mactan, an island famous for what happened
“El Canto del Viajero” (The Song of the Traveler). to Magellan. The whole afternoon was magnificent…We
saw many islands along our way. . The next day, in the
ADIOS, DAPITAN morning, we entered Iloilo". 

On July 31, 1896, Rizal’s four-year exile in Dapitan came Rizal landed at Iloilo, went shopping in the city, and
to an end. At midnight of that date, he embarked on visited Molo. Of the Molo church. he commented: "The
board the streamer Espana. He was accompanied by church is pretty outside and the interior is not bad,
Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica (Narcisa’s daughter), his 3 considering that it had been painted by a lad. The
nephews and six pupils. Almost all Dapitan folks, young paintings are mostly copies of biblical scenes by
and old, were at the shore to bid him goodbye. Many Gustave Dote" 
wept as the steamer sailed away --- especially the other
pupils who were too poor to accompany their beloved From Iloilo, Rizal's ship sailed to Capiz. After a brief
teacher to Manila. As farewell music, the town brass stopover, it proceeded towards Manila via Romblon.
band strangely played the dolorous Funeral March of
Chopin. As its melancholy melody floated in the air, Rizal Rizal misses the Ship going to Spain.
must have felt it deeply, for with his presentiment of
death, it seemed an obsequy or a requiem. The España arrived in Manila Bay early in the morning of
Thursday, August 6. 1896. Unfortunately, Rizal was not
As the steamer pushed out into the sea, Rizal gazed for able to catch the mail ship Isla de Luzon for Spain
the last time on Dapitan with his hands waving in because it had departed the previous day at 5:00 p.m. s
farewell salute to its kind and hospitable folks and with a He was greatly disappointed, took this unlucky incidence
crying heart filled with tears of nostalgic memories. with abiding resignation.
When he could no longer see the dim shoreline, he sadly
went to his cabin and wrote in his diary: “I have been in Writing to Blumentritt later, Rizal mentioned this
that district four years, thirteen days, and a few hours”. "Unfortunately", he said, "I did not catch the mail ship for
Spain, and fearing that my stay in Manila for a month
might bring me troubles I made known to the governor
CHAPTER 23: LAST TRIP ABROAD (1896) general, while remaining on board the ship (Espana Z.).
Of my wish to be isolated from everybody, except my
FROM DAPITAN TO MANILA family".

Leaving Dapitan at midnight. July 31. 1896, the  España, Near midnight of the same day, August 6, Rizal was
with Rizal and party on board, sailed northward. At dawn transferred to the Spanish cruiser Casttila. by order of
the next day (Saturday, August 1), it anchored at Governor General Ramon Blanco. He was given good 
Dumaguete, capital of Negros Oriental. ‘Dumaguete’,  accommodation by the gallant captain. Enrique Santalo,
wrote Rizal in his travel diary. "spreads out on the beach. who told him that he was not a prisoner, but a guest
There are big houses.., some with galvanized iron detained on board "in order to avoid difficulties from
roofing. Outstanding are the house of a lady, whose friends and enemies”.
name I have forgotten. which is occupied by the
government and another one just begun with many ipil Rizal stayed on the cruiser for about a month, from
posts. 6 to September 2, 1896 pending the availability of a
Spain-bound steamer.
In Dumaguete, Rizal visited a friend and former
classmate. Herrero Regidor. who was the judge of the OUTBREAK OF THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION. 
province. He also visited other friends, including the
Periquet and Rufina families  While Rizal was patiently waiting on the cruiser Castilla
In the afternoon be operated on a Spanish captain of the the next steamer to take him to Spain, portentous events
Guardia Civil
occurred, persaging the downfall of Spanish power in this steamer left Manda Bay. At last, Rizal’s trip to
Asia. Spain began. Among his fellow passengers on
board were Don Pedro Roxas (rich Manila creole
On the fateful evening of August 19. 1896, the Katipunan and his fnend) and his son named Periquin.
plot to overthrow Spanish rule by means of revolution
was discovered by Fray Mariano Gil, Augutinian cura of
tondo. This startling incident struck terror into the hearts
of the Spanish officials and residents, producing a RIZAL IN SINGAPORE
hysteria of vindictive retalation against the Filipino  
patriots. The Isla de Panay arrived at Singapore in the
evening of September 7. The following morning
The tumult produced by the discovery of the Katipunan Rizal and other passengera went ashore for
plot was aggravated by the "Cry of Baitntawak” which sightseeing and shopping souvenirs. In his travel
was raised by Bomfacio and his valiant Katipuneros on diary, Rizal wrote: "I have observed some changes:
August 26. 1896. At sunrise of August 30, the There are more Chinese merchants and less
revolutionists led by and Bonifacio and Jacinto attacked
Indian… I bought a Chinese gown . Singapore has
San Juan, near the city of Manila, but they were
repulsed with heavy losses. In the afternoon, after the changed much since I saw it for the first time in
Battle of San Juan, Governor General Blanco 1882.
proclaimed a state of war in the first eight provinces for
rising in arms against Spain --- Manila (as a province), Don Pedro, with his son, disembarked  at
Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna. Pampanga. Nueva Singapore. He advised Rizal to stay behind too and
Ecija, and Tarlac. take advantage of the protection of the British law.
Rizal did not heed his advice. Several Fiipino
Rizal learned of the eruption of the revolution and the residents of Singapore, headed by Don Manuel
raging battles around Manila through the newspapers he
Camus, boarded the steamer, urging him to stay in
read on the Castilla. He was worried for two reasons: (l)
the violent revolution which he sincerely to be premature Singapore to save his life. He also ignored their
and would only cause much suffering and terrible loss of appeal because he had given his word of honor to
human lives and property, had started and (2) it would Governor General Blanco and he did not like to
arouse Spanish vengeance against all Filipino patriots. break it.

DEPARTURE FOR SPAIN VICTIM OF SPANISH DUPLICITY

On August 30, 1896. the day when the state of war was By refusing to break his words of honor in
proclaimed in the eight provinces, Rizal received from Singapore, Rizal sealed his own doom. For without
Governor General Bianco two letters of introduction for
his knowledge, Governor General Blanco was
the Minister of War and the Minister of Colonies, with a
covering letter which absolved him from all blame for the secretly conspiring with the Minister of War and the
raging revolution, as follows  Colonies (ultramar) for his destruction.

Mr Rizal  Great hero and genius that he was, Rizal proved to

My Dear Sir: be as gullible as Sultan Zaide, another victim of
Spanish intrigue. For all his wonderful talents, Rizal
Enclosed are two letters for the Ministers of War was after all a mortal man who committed
and  which I think will be well received.  mistakes. And one of his greatest mistake was to
believe that Governor General Blanco was a man
I have no doubt that you will justify me before
of honor and a friend because he allowed him to go
the Government by your future behavior not only for your
word of honor but because the present happening must as a free man to Spain to become a physician-
have shown you palpably that certain actions which are surgeon of the Spanish army in Cuba, where a
the product of foolish ideas yield no other result but bloody revolution was raging, and gave him two
hatred, destruction, fear, tears, and blood. nice letters of introduction addressed to the
Spanish Ministers of War and the Colonies.
May you be very happy is the wish of your
attentive servant who kisses your hand. The truth of the matter, as now substantiated by the
declassified documents in the Ministries of War and
Ramon Blanco the Colonies, was that Blanco was his implacable
foe, who regarded him as a “dangerous Filipino”
At 6:00 p.m.. September 2, Rizal was transferred to
who was responsible for the raging Philippine
the steamer Isla de Panay which was sailing for
Revolution, and therefore plotted his doom.
Barcelona, Spam. The next morning, September 3,
 fortress of the Christian crusaders. “I saw
Rizal was unaware that since his departure from throughout a tiny window.” He wrote in his diary,
Manila Bay on his way to Spain, Blanco and the “the beautiful view of the port (Malta)” with its
Ministers of War and the Colonies were exchanging monumental and magnificent castle in 3 levels,
coded telegram and confidential messages for his illumined by the lingering afternoon lights.
arrest upon reaching Barcelona and that he was a
deportee and was being secretly kept under On October 3, 10 am, the Isla de Panay arrived in
surveillance. Barcelona, with Rizal a prisoner on board. The trip
from Manila to Barcelona lasted exactly 30 days.
RIZAL ARRESTED BEFORE REACHING He was kept under heavy guard in his cabin for 3
BARCELONA days. His jailor was no longer the ship captain but
the Military Commander of Barcelona, who
The Isla de Panay, with Rizal on board, left happened to be General Eulogio Despujol, the
Singapore at 1pm, September 8. Unaware of the same one who ordered his banishment to Dapitan
Spanish duplicity particularly of Governor General in July 1892. It was of those coincidences in the
Blanco’s infernal deceit, he happily continued the lives of men that make “history is stranger than
voyage towards Barcelona. fiction”.

On September 25, he saw the steamer Isla de On his 2nd day in Barcelona. Rizal although held
Luzon, leaving the Suez Canal, crammed with incommunicado in his cabin, noticed the city
Spanish troops. Two days later (Sunday, celebration of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. He
September 27) he heard from the passengers that recorded it in his diary.
a telegram arrived from Manila reporting the
execution of Francisco Roxas, Genato and Osorio. At 3 am on October 6, Rizal was awakened by the
guards and escorted to the grim and infamous
On September 28, a day after the steamer had left prison-fortress named Monjuich. He spent the
Port Said (Mediterranean terminus of the Suez whole morning in a cell. About 2pm, he was taken
Canal), a passenger told Rizal the bad news that out of prison by the guards and brought to the
he would arrested by order of Governor General headquarters of General Despujol. In the interview,
Blanco and would be sent to prison in Ceuta which lasted a quarter of an hour, the brusque
(Spanish Morocco), opposite Gibraltar. general told Rizal that he would be shipped back to
Manila on board the transport ship Colon which
Shocked by the alarming news, Rizal belatedly was leaving that evening.
realized that he was duped by the unscrupulous
Spanish officials, particularly the sly Governor After the interview, Rizal was taken aboard the
General Blanco. With an agonizing heart, he Colon. Which was “full of soldiers and officers and
immediately wrote a letter to his best friend, their families” at 8 pm, October 6, the ship left
Blumintritt, unburdening his disgust and bitterness. Barcelona, with Rizal on board.

There was nothing officials yet about his impending

arrest; it was still merely shipboard gossip. On
September 29, Rizal wrote in his travel diary: “there
are people on board who do nothing but slander me
and invent fanciful stories about me. I’m going t
become a legendary personage”.

The following day (September 30), at 4pm, he was

officials notified by Captain Alemany that he should
stay in his cabin until further orders from Manila. He
graciously complied with the captain’s directive.

ARRIVAL IN BARCELONA AS A PRISONER

About 6:25 pm., September 30, the steamer

anchored at Malta. Being confined to his cabin,
Rizal was not able to visit the famous island-
 they feared that the diarist might be writing
something seditious or treasonable.

On October 1 1 before reaching Port Said, Rizal’s

diary was taken away and was critically scrutinized
by the authorities. Nothing dangerous was found in
CHAPTER 24: LAST HOMECOMING AND TRIAL its contents. The cabin was searched thoroughly,
but nothing incriminating was found. On November
A Martyr's Last Homecoming.  2, the diary was returned to him. Owing to the
interruption, Rizal was not able to record the events
 Day by day, since leaving Barcelona on Tuesday, from Monday day, October 12 to Sunday,
October 6. 1896. Rizal conscientiously recorded the November 1. Speaking of this incident, he wrote in
events in his diary. He was given a good cabin in his diary:
the second class and although strictly guarded, he
was courteously treated by the army officers. "The Monday. 2 November — Today, they returned to
officer on duty." he wrote in his diary. “seems me this notebook which they took away on the 11th
amiable, refined, and polite consistent with the of last month before reaching Port Said. For this
seriousness of his duty."' reason my diary was interrupted. They searched
me and inspected throughly my luggage. They took
On October 8 a friendly officer told Rizal that the away all my papers and afterward they put me
Madrid newspaper were full of stories about the behind bars and they did not take me out until we
bloody revolution in the Philippines and were reached the Red Sea. That was what they did to
blaming him for it. Realizing the adverse and unjust me in 16 hours before our arrival. Also twice they
public opinion, he thanked God for giving him a put me in four   or six hours before and they take
chance to return in order to confront his slanderers me out when we are already in the high seas.
and to vindicate his name. He wrote in his diary on However, at Singapore they put me in 16 hours
the same date (October 8) before our arrival. Also twice they put handcuffs on
me.
I believe that what God is to me is a blessing.
allowing me to go back to the Philippines in order to Unsuccessful Rescue in Singapore. 
be able to destroy such accusations. Because.
either they do me justice and recognize my News of Rizal's predicament reached his friends in
innocence and then I will be rehabilitated or they Europe and Singapore. From Dr. Antonio Ma.
sentence me to death and thereby. Regidor and Sixto Lopez dispatched frantic
talegrams to an English lawyer in Singapore named
Before the eyes of society. I atone for my supposed Hugh Fort to rescue Rizal from the Spanish
crime. Society will forgive me and later, without any steamer when it reached Singapore by means of a
doubt, justice will be done me and I will be one writ of habeas corpus.
more martyr. At any rate, instead of dying abroad or
in the manigua (jungle in Cuba). I'll die in my own When the Colon arrived in Singapore, Atty. Fort
country. I believe that what is happening is the best instituted proceedings at the Singapore Court for
that can happen to me. Always let  God's will be the removal of Rizal from the steamer. The crux of
done! I feel more calm with regard to my future. . . I Mr. Fort's legal contention was that Rizal was
feel that peace has descended upon me, thank "illegally detained" on the Spanish steamer.
God! Thou art my and my consolation! Let your Will Unfortunately, Chief Justice Loinel Cox denied the
be done; I am ready to obey it. Either I will be writ on the ground that the Colon was carrying
condemned or absolved. I'm happy and ready.  Spanish troops to the Philippines. Hence it is a
warship of a foreign power, which under
Confiscation of Rizal's Diary. international law was beyond the jurisdiction of the
Singapore authorities.
 It was known to the Spanish authorities on board
the Colon that Rizal was keeping track of the daily Rizal was unaware of the attempt made by his
events in his diary. They were, of course, curious friends to rescue him in Singapore because he was
as to what were recorded in his diary. Not only their then kept behind bars in the ship.
curiosity, but also their suspicion was aroused, for
Arrival in Manila. 
On November 3, the Colon reached Manila, where KUNDIMAN
it was greeted with wild rejoicings by the Spaniards
and friars because it brought more reinforcements In the Orient beautiful
and military supplies. While the Spanish community Where the sun is born.
was exulting with joy, Rizal was quietly transferred In a land of beauty 
under heavy guard from the ship to Fort Santiago. Full of enchantments 
Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities fished for But bound in chains.
evidence against Rizal. Many Filipino patriots,  Where the despot reigns.
including Deodato Arellano, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, The land to me. 
Moises Salvador, Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Ah! that is my country.
Temoteo Paez, and Pedro Serrano Laktaw, were She is a slave oppressed
brutally tortured to implicate Rizal. Rizal’s own Groaning in tyrant's grips;
brother, Paciano, was arrested and cruelly tortured. Lucky shall he be
He suffered all pains inflicted by Spain•s diabolical Who can give her liberty!
torturers, but he never signed any damaging
statement incriminating his younger brother. 5) A letter of Carlos Oliver to an unidentified
Although his body was shattered on the torture rack person, dated Barcelona, September 18,
and his left hand crushed by the screw, his valiant 1891, describing Rizal as the man to free
Asian spirit remained unbroken. the Philippines from Spanish oppression.
 
Preliminary investigation.  6) A Masonic document dated Manila,
February 9, 1892 honoring Rizal for his
On November 20, 1896 the preliminary patriotic services.
investigation began. Rizal, the accused, appeared
before the Judge Advocate, Colonel Francisco 7) A letter signed Dimasalang (Rizal’s
Olive. He was subjected to a grueling five-day pseudonym) to Tenluz (Juan Zulueta’s
investigation. He was informed of the charge pseudonym), dated Hongkong, May 24,
against turn. He answered the questions asked by 1892, stating that he was preparing a safe
the Judge Advocate, but he was not permitted to refuge for Filipinos who may be persecuted
confront those who testified against him. by the Spanish authorities.

Two kinds of evidence were presented against

Rizal, namely documentary and testimonial. The 8) A letter of Dimasalang to an unidentified
documentary evidence consistted of fifteen exhibits. committee, dated Hongkong, June 1, 1892,
as follows: soliciting the aid in the “patriotic work"

1) A Letter of Antonio Luna to Mariano 9) An anonymous and undated letter to the

Ponce, dated Madrid, October 16. 1888, Editor of the Hong kong Telegraph,
showing Rizal's connection with  the censuring the banishment of Rizal to
Filipino reform campaign in Spain. Dapitan 

2) A letter of Rizal to his family, dated 10) A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal,
Madrid, August 20, 1890, stating that dated Manila, September 3, 1892, saying
the deportations are good for they will that the Filipino people look up to him
encourage the people to hate tyranny  (Rizal) as their savior.

3) A letter from Marcelo H. del Pilar to 11) A letter of Ildefonso Laurel to Rizal,
Deodato Arellano, dated Madrid, dated Manila, 17. 1893, informing an
January 7. 1889. implicating Rizal in the unidentified correspondent of the arrest and
Propaganda campaign in Spain. banishment of Doroteo Cortes and
Ambrosio Salvador.
4) A poem entitled Kundiman, allegedly
written by Rizal in Manila on September
12, 1891. This poem is as follows:
 12) A letter of Marcelo H. Pilar to Don Juan RIZAL CHOOSES HIS DEFENDER.
A. Tenluz (Juan Zulueta), dated Madrid,
June 1. 1893 recommending the  The only night given to Rizal by the Spanish
establishment of a special organization, authorities was to choose his defense counsel. And
independent of Masonry, to help the cause even this was highly restricted. For he had to
of the Filipino people  choose only from a list submitted to him.

13) Transcript of a speech of Pingkian On December 8, Feast Day of the Immaculate

(Emilio Jacinto)  in a reunion of the Conception, a list of 100 first and second
Katipunan on July 23, 1893 in which the lieutenants in the Spanish Army was presented to
following cry was uttered "Long live the Rizal. He looked over the list. One name struck his
Philippines! Long live Liberty! Long live fancy. It was Don Luis Taviel de Andrade, 1st
Doctor Rizal Unity!" Lieutenant of the Artillery. The name was familiar to
him so that he chose the lieutenant to be his
14) Transcript of a speech of Tik-Tik (Jose defender in court.
Turiano Santiago) in the same Katipunan
reunion, where in the katipuneros shouted: Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade proved to be the brother
"Long live the eminent Doctor Rizal! Death of Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade, Rizal's "bodyguard"
to the oppressor nation!" in Calamba in 1887. Upon being notified by the
authorities that he was chosen to defend the
15) A poem by Laong Laan (Rizal), entitled accused, be gladly accepted the task. He had
A Talisay, in which the author makes the previously heard from his older brother (Jose Taviel
Dapitan schoolboys sing that they know de Andrade) about Dr. Rizal of Calamba.
how to fight for their rights.
READING OF INFORMATION OF CHARGES TO
The testimonial evidence consisted of the oral THE ACCUSED
testimonies of Martin Constantino, Aguedo del
Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises Salvador, Jose On December 11, the information of charges was
Dizon, Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano, formally read to Rizal in his prison cell, with his
Ambrosio Salvador, Pedro Serrano Laktaw, Dr. Pio counsel present. He was accused of being "the
Valenzuela, Antonio Salazar, Francisco Quison, principal organizer and the living soul of the Filipino
and Timoteo Paez. insurrection, the founder of societies, periodicals
and books dedicated to fomenting and propagating
On November 26, after the preliminary ideas of rebellion."' As the accused, Rizal raised no
investigation, Colonel Olive transmitted the records objection on the jurisdiction of the court, but
of the case to Governor General Ramon Blanco, pleaded not guilty to the crime of rebellion. He
and the letter appointed Captain Rafael Dominguez admitted that he wrote the Constitution of the Liga
as special Judge Advocate to institute the Filipina which was merely a Civic association. He
corresponding action against Rizal. waived the right to amend or make further
statements already made, except that he had taken
Immediately, Dominguez made a brief resume of no part in politics since his exile to Dapitan
the charges and returned the papers to Governor
General Blanco who, thereupon, transmitted them Dominguez forwarded the papers of the Rizal case
to the Judge Advocate General, to Malacanan Palace on December 13, the sarne
Don Nicolas de la Pena, for an opinion. day when General Camilo G. de Polavieja, with the
help of the powerful Dominican friars, became
After studying the papers, Peña submitted the Governor General of the Philippines, succeeding
following recommendations: (1) the accused be General Blanco. The withdrawal of Blanco from the
immediately brought to trial; (2) he should be kept gubernatorial office sealed Rizal's fate, for he was
in prison; (3) an order of attachment be issued more humane in character than the ruthless
against his property to the amount of one million Polavieja and, moreover, he firmly believed that
pesos as indemnity; and (4) he should be defended Rizal was not a traitor to Spain. Had he remained
in court by an army officer, not by a civilian lawyer. longer in office, Rizal would not have been
executed, But this was one of those intriguing "ifs"
in history, of which man has no control because the
destiny of men and nations is in accordance with Imbued with these ideals, I cannot but condemn
God's divine plan. and I do condemn this absurd, savage uprising
planned behind my back, which dishonors us, the
Rizal's Manifesto to His People Filipinos, and discredits those who may advocate
our cause. I abhor its criminal methods and
On December 15, Riz.al wrote a manifesto to his disclaim all participation, therein, pitying from the
people appealing to them to stop the necessary bottom of my heart the unwary have allowed
shedding of blood and to achieve their liberties by themselves to be deceived. Return then to your
means of education and industry.  homes, and may God forgive those who have acted
in bad faith.

Fortunately for Rizal, Judge Advocate General

Nicolas de la Pena recommended to Governor
His manifesto, written in his prison cell at Fort General Polavieja that the manifesto be
Santiago runs as follows:" suppressed. The latter heeded the
recommendation so that Rizal's manifesto was not
My Countrymen: issued to the people. Thus Rizal was "saved from
the shame of his manifesto's being misinterpreted
On my return from Spain. I learned that my name and disobeyed by the Filipinos in arms.
had been used as a war cry among some who were
in arms. The news painfully surprised me, but RIZAL’S SADDEST CHRISTMAS
believing it was all over, I kept silent over what I
considered irremediable. Now hear rumors that the  December 25, 1896 was Christmas. On that day all
disturbances continue, and lest any person should Christendom Joyously celebrated the birthday of
still go on my name in bad or good faith, to remedy Christ who was born to redeem mankind and to
this abuse and to undeceive the unwary, I hasten to bring peace and brotherhood to all men on earth.
address you these lines so that the truth may be
known. What a dark and cheerless Christmas for Rizal! He,
who was accustomed to spend this merry season in
From the beginning, when I had news of what was the company of his beloved family or dear friends,
being planned, I opposed it, fought it, and found himself alone and depressed in a dreary
demonstrated its absolute impossibility. This is the prison cell.
truth and witnesses to my words are still living. I
was convinced that the idea was highly absurd and Truly, the Christmas of 1896, his last on earth, was
what was worse, would bring great suffering, I did the saddest in Rizal's life. He was in despair for, he
more. When later, in spite of my counsels, the had no illusions about his fate. Brooding over his
movement broke out, I spontaneously offered not hopeless case, he wrote a letter to Lt. Taviel de
only my services, but my life, and even my name so Andrade as follows:"
that they might use them in the manner they saw fit
to suppress the rebellion, for, convinced of the evils Fort Santiago. December 23, 1896 
that would befall them. I considered myself My Very Distinguished Defender:
fortunate if, at any sacrifice, I could prevent such
useless misfortunes. This is equally of record. The Investigating Judge has informed me that
tomorrow my case will be heard before the court. I
was waiting for you this morning to tell you of an
My countrymen: I have given proofs more than important matter, but undoubtedly the pressure of
anybody else, of desiring liberties for our country your work did not permit you to come as expected
and I still desire them. But I place as a premise the by the Investigating Judge. If you have time, I
education of the people so that by means of should like to speak to you before I appear before
education and of Labor they might have a the court; I shall be grateful if you come this
personality of their own and make themselves afternoon, this evening, or tomorrow.
worthy of liberties. In my writings I have  
recommend redemption. I have also written (and Wishing you "Merry Christmas," I reiterate. Always
my words have been repeated) that reforms, to be your attentive and affectionate servant and client.
fruitful, have to come from above, that those that
come from below are irregular and unstable. Jose Rizal
 judges cannot be vindictive; the judges can only be
The Trial of Rizal. just".
Incidentally, his admonition fell on deaf ears. The
Ihe trial of Rizal was an eloquent proof of Spanish Spanish army officers who were trying Rizal were
injustice and misrule. More than a farce. it was both vindictive and unjust.
patently a mistrial. Riza, a civilian, was tried by a
military court compposed of alien military officers. When Lt. Taviel de Andrade took his seat, the court
His case was prejudged; he was considered guilty asked Rizal whether he had anything to say. Rizal
before the actual trial. The military court met not to then read a supplement to his defense which he
give him Justice, but to accuse and condemn him. wrote in his prison cell. In his supplementary
It accepted all charges and testimonies against defense he further proved his innocence by twelve
him, and ignored all arguments and proofs in his points:
favor. Moreover, Rizal was not given the right
(which any accused is entitled to have in a real of 1) He could not be guilty of rebellion, for he
justice) to face the witnesses against him in open advised Dr. Pio Valenzuela in Dapitan not to
court. rise in revolution.

At 8:00 a.m. December 26, 1896, the court-martial 2) He did not correspond with the radical,
of Rizal started in the military building called revolutionary elements.
Cuartel de Espana. Seated behind a long table on
an elevated dais were the seven members of the 3)The revolutionists used his name without
military court, dressed in their respective army his knowledge. If he were guilty he could
uniforms, as follows: Lt. Col. Jose Togores Arjona have escaped in Singapore.
(president), Capt  Ricardo Munoz Arias, Capt.
Manuel Reguera, Capt. Santiago Izquierdo Osorio, 4) If he had a hand in the revolution, he
Capt. Braulio Rodriguez Nunez, Capt. Manuel Diaz could have escaped in a Moro vinta and
Escribano, and Capt. Fermin Perez Rodnguez. would not have built a home, a hospital, and
bought lands in Dapitan.
Also present at the courtroom were Dr Rizal (the
accused). Lt. Taviel de Andrade (his defense 5) If he were the chief of the revolution, why
counsel), Capt Rafael Dominguez (Judge was he not consulted by the revolutionists?
Advocate), Lt. Enrique de Alcocer (Prosecuting
Attorney), and the spectators. Among the 6) It was true he wrote the by-laws of the
spectators were Josephine Bracken, some Liga Filipina, but this is only a civic
newspapermen and many Spaniards. association — not a revolutionary society.

Rizal sat on a bench between two soldiers. His 7) The Liga Filipina did not live long for after
arms were tied behind, elbow to elbow, like a the first meeting he was banished to
common felon. He was dressed in a black woolen Dapitan and it died out 
suit with a white vest and black tie. He was calm
and dignified in appearance. 8) If the Liga was reorganized nine months
later, he did not know about it.
The trial was opened by Judge Advocate
Dominguez who explained the case against Rjzal, 9) The Liga did not serve the purpose of
After him. Prosecuting Attorney Alcocer arose and revolutionists, otherwise they would not
delivered a long speech summarizing the charges have supplanted it with the Katipunan
against Rizal and urged the court to give the verdict
of death to the accused. The Spanish spectators 10) If it were true there were some bitter
applauded noisily Alcocer's petition for the comments in Rizal’s letters, it was because they
sentence of death. were written in 1890 when his family was being
persecuted, being dispossessed of houses,
After the prosecuting attorney finished his spirited warehouses, land, etc. and his brother and all his
harangue. Defense Counsel Taviel de Andrade brother-in-all were deported.
took the floor and read his eloquent defense of
Rizal. He ended his defense with a noble, but futile,
admonition to the members of the military: "The
 11) His life in Dapitan had been exemplary for the death of Rizal will evermore remain as
as the politico-military commanders and obnoxious villains in Philippine history.
missionary priests could attest.

12) It was not true that the revolution was

inspired by his speech at the house of
Doroteo Ongjunco, as alleged by witness
whom he would like to confront. His friends
knew his opposition to armed rebellion. Why
did the Katipunan send an emissary to
Dapitan who was unknown to him? Because
those who knew him were aware that he
would never sanction any violent
movement.

The military court, prejudiced as it was, remained CHAPTER 25: MARTYRDOM AT BAGUMBAYAN
indifferent to Rizal’s pleading. The president, Lt.
Col. Togores Arjona, considered the trial over and LAST HOURS OF RIZAL
ordered the hall cleared. After a short deliberation,
the military court unanimously voted for the At 6:00 A.M., December 29. 1896, Captain Rafael
sentence of death. Dominguez, who was designated by Governor
General Camilo Polavieja to take charge of all
On the same day (December 26th), the court arrangements for the execution of the condemned
decision was submitted to Governor General prisoner, read the death sentence to Rizal — to be
Polavieja. Immediately, Polavieja sought the shot at the back by a firing squad at 7:00 A.M. in
opinion of Judge Advocate General Nicolas de la Bagumbayan (Luneta).
Pena on the court decision. The latter affirmed the
death verdict. At 7:00 A.M., an hour after the reading of the death
sentence, Rizal was moved to the prison chapel,
POLAVIEJA RIZAL’S EXECUTION. where he spent his last moments. His first visitors
were Father Miguel Saderra Mata (Rector of
On December 28th, Polavieja approved the decision Ateneo Municipal), and Father Luis Viza, Jesuit
of the court-martial and ordered Rizal to be shot at teacher.
7:00 o'clock in the morning of December 30 at
Bagumbayan Field (Luneta). His decree on this At 7:15 A.M.. Rector Saderra left Rizal, in a jovial
matter runs as follows: mood, reminded Fr. Viza of the statuette of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus which he had carved with
Manila. December 28. 1896: his pen knife as an Ateneo student. Fr. Viza
Conformably to foregoing opinion, I approve the anticipating such reminiscence, got the statuette
sentence dictated by the Court Martial in present from his pocket and gave it to Rizal. The hero
case, by virtue of which the death penalty is happily received it placed it on his writing table.
imposed on the accused Jose Rizal Mercado,
which shall executed by shooting him at 7:00 At 8am, Fr. Antonio Rosell arrived to relieved Fr
o'clock in the morning of the 30th of this month in Viza. Rizal invited him to join him at breakfast,
the field of Bagumbayan which he did. After breakfast, Lt. Luis Taviel de
Andrade (Rizal’s defense counsel) came, and Rizal
For compliance and the rest that may correspond, thanked him for his gallant services.
let this be returned to the Judge Advocate, Captain
Don Rafael Dominguez. At 9am, Fr. Federico Jose Vilaclara (Rizal’s teacher
at the Ateneo) and Vincent Balaguer (Jesuit
CAMILO G. DE POLAVIEJA missionary in Dapitan who had befriended Rizal
during the latter’s exile) visited the hero. After them
came the Spanish journalist, Santiago Mataix, who
For signing the fatal document ordering the
interviewed Rizal for his newspaper El Heraldo de
execution of Dr. Rizal, Governor General Polavieja
Madrid.
won the eternal odium of the Filipino people. He
and other Spanish officials who were responsible
From 12am (noon) to 3:30 pm, Rizal was left alone like it. According to Fr. Balaguer’s testimony, he
in his cell. He took his lunch, after which he was showed Rizal a shorter retraction which was
busy writing. It was probably during this time when prepared by Fr. Pio Pi. Superior of the Jesuit
he finished his farewell poem and hid it inside his Society in the Philippines, which was acceptable to
alcohol cooking stove (not lamp as some Rizal. After making some changes in it, Rizal then
biographers erroneously assert) which was given to wrote his retraction, in which he abjured Masonry
him as a gift by Paz Pardo de Tavera (wife of Juan and his religious ideas which were anti-Catholic.
Luna) during his visit to Paris in 1890. At the same This retraction of Rizal is now a controversial
time he wrote his last letter to Professor Blumentritt document, for the Rizalist scbolarss, who are are
(his best friend) in German, either Masons or anti-Catholic, claim it to be a
forgery, while the Catholic Rizalists believe it to be
At 3:30 pm, Fr. Balaguer returned to Fort Santiago genuine. This debate between two hostile groups
and discuss with Rizal about his retraction of the Of Rizalists is futile and irrelevant. Futile in the
anti-Catholic ideas in his writings and membership sense that no amount of evidence can convince the
in Masonry. Masonic Rizalists that Rizal retracted and the
Catholic Rizalists that Rizal did retract. As a famous
At 4 pm, Rizal’s mother arrived, Rizal knelt down saying goes: "For those who believe — no
before her and kissed her hands, begging her to justification is necessary; for the skeptics, whose
forgive him. Both mother and son were crying as criterion for belief is not in their minds but in their
the guards separate them. Shortly afterwards wills --- justification is possible”. It is likewise
Trinidad entered the cell to fetch her mother. As irrelevant because it does not matter at all to the
they were leaving, Rizal gave to Trinidad the greatness of Rizal. Whether he retracted or not, the
alcohol cooking stove, whispering to her in English: fact remains that he was the greatest Filipino hero.
“there is something inside” Trinidad understood. This also applies to other controversy as to whether
She knew English because Rizal taught her this Rizal married Josephine Bracken before his
language. This “something” was Rizal’s farewell execution or not. Why argue on this issue. Whether
poem. So it came to pass that she was able to or not Rizal married Josephine in Fort Santiago,
smuggle the hero’s last and greatest poem --- a Rizal remains just same a hero-martyr.
priceless gem of Philippine literature.
At 3:00 0•ctock in the morning of December 30.
After the departure of Dona Teodora and Trinidad, Rizal heard Mass, confessed his sins, and took
Frs. Vilaclara and Estanislao March entered the Holy Communion.
cell, followed by Fr. Rosell.
At 5:30 A.M., he took his Iast breakfast on earth.
At 6 pm, Rizal received a new visitor, Don Silvino Afte this, he wrote two letters, the first addressed to
Lopez Tuñon, the dean of the Mnaila Cathedral. Fr. his family and the second to his older brother
Balaguer and March left, leaving Vilaclara with Paciano. letter to his sisters follows:
Rizal and Don Silvino.
To My Family
At 8 pm. Rizal had his last super. He informed I ask you for forgiveness for the the pain I caused
Captain Dominguez who was with him that he you, but someday I shll have to die and it is better
forgave his enemies, including the military judges that I die now in the plenitude of my conscience.
who condemned him to death.  
Dear Parents, brother, and Sigers, Give thanks to
At 9:30 pm, Rizal was visited by Don Gaspar God that I may preserve my tranquillity before my
Cestaño, the fiscal of the Royal Audiencia of death. I die resigned, hoping that with my death you
Manila. As a gracious host, Rizal offered him the will be left in peace. Ah! It is better die than to live
best chair in the cell. After a pleasant conversation, suffering. Console yourselves.
the fiscal left with a good impression of Rizal’s
intelligence and noble character. I enjoin you to forgive one another the little
meanness’s of life and try to live united inpeace
At 10 pm of the night of December 29th, the draft of and in good harmony. Treat your old parents as
the retraction sent by the anti-Filipino Archbishop you would like be treated by your children later.
Bernardino Nozaleda (1890-1903) was submitted Love them very much in my memory.
by Fr. Balaguer to Rizal for signature, but the hero
rejected it because it was too long and he did not
Bury me in the ground. Place a stone and a cross
over it. My name, the date of my birth, and of my My beloved Father,
death. Nothing more. If later you wish to surround
my grave with a fence you can do so. No Pardon me for the pain with which I repay you for
anniversaries. I prefer Paang Bundok. sorrows and sacrifices for my education. I did not
want nor I prefer it. Goodbye, Father, goodbye
Have pity on poor Josephine. Joe Rizal
 
Rizal’s last letter to Paciano is as follows: To my very dear Mother,
Sra. Dna. Teodora Alonso
My Brother: 6 o’clock in the morning, December 30. 1896 
It has four years and half that we have not seen Rizal
each other nor have we communicated with each
other. I do not think it is due to lack of affection on
my part nor on yours, but because, knowing each
other so well, we do not need to talk to understand DEATH MARCH TO BAGUABAYAN
each other.
About 6:30 A. M. a trumpet sounded at Fort
Now I am about to die, and it is to you that I Santiago, a signal to begin the death march to
dedicate my last lines, to tell you how sad I am to Bagumbayan, the designated place for the
leave you alone in life, burdened with the weight of execution. The advance guard of four soldiers with
the family and our old parents. bayoneted rifles moved. A few meters behind, Rizal
walked calmly, with his defense counsel (Lt. Luis
I am thinking now hard you have worked to give me Taviel de Andrade) on one side and two Jesuit
a career; I believe I have tried not to waste my time. priests (Fathers March and Vilaclara) on the other.
Brother of mine, if the fruit has been bitter, it is not More well-armed soldiers marched behind him.
my fault, but the fault of circumstance. I know that
you have suffered much on my account, and I am Rjzal was dressed elegantly in a black suit, black
sorry.  derby hat, black shoes, white shirt, and black tie.
I assure you brother that I die innocent of this crime His arms were tied behind from elbow to elbow, but
of rebellion. If my former writings have contributed, the rope was quite loose to give his arms freedom
I do not deny it absolutely; but then I thought I have of movement.
expiated for the past with my deportation.
  To the muffled sounds of the drums, the cavalcade
Tell our father I remember him, and how I somnolently marched slowly. There was a handful
remember my whole childhood, of his affection and of spectators lining the street from Fort Santiago to
his love. Ask him to forgive me for the pain that I the Plaza del Palacio in front of the Manila
have unwillingly caused him. Cathedral. Everybody seemed to be out at
Your brother. Bagumbayan, where a vast crowd gathered to see
(Signed) Jose Rizal how a martyr dies.

At 5:30 A.M., Josephine Bracken, accompanied by Going through the narrow Postigo Gate, one of the
a sister of Rizal (Josefa), arrived. Josephine, with gates of the city wall, the cavalcade reached
tears in her eyes, bade him farewell. Rizal Malecon (now Bonifacio Drive), which was
embraced her for the last time and before she left, deserted. Rizal looked at the sky, and said to one
Rizal gave her a last gift ---- religious book.  of the priests: "How beautiful it is today, Father.
Imitation of Christ by Father Thomas a Kempis, What morning could be more serene! How clear is
which he autographed: Corregidor and the mountains of Cavite! On
mornings like this. I used to take a walk with my
To my dear unhappy wife, sweetheart"
Josephine December 3th, 1896
Rizal While passing in front of Ateneo, he saw the
college towers above the walls. He asked: "Is that
At 6:00 A.M., as tbe Oldiers were getting ready for the Ateneo, Father?"
the death march to Bagumbayan, Rizal wrote his
last letter to his beloved parents, as follows: "Yes", replied the priest.
 as follows:
They reached Bagumbayan Field. The spectators January 1, 1883,
crowded a huge square formed by soldiers. The
cavalcade entered this square. Rizal walked Two nights ago, that is 30 December. I had a
serenely to the place, where he was told to stand. It frightful nightmare when I almost died. I dreamed
was a grassy lawn by the shore of Manila Bay, that, imitating an actor dying on stage. I felt vividly
between two lamp posts. that my breath was failing and I was rapidly Iosing
my strength. Then my vision became dim and
dense darkness enveloped me — they are the
MARTYRDOM OF A HERO pangs of death.

Rizal, knowing that his rendezvous with destiny AFTERMATH OF A HERO-MARTYR’S DEATH

was imminent, bade farewell to Fathers March and
Vilaclara and to his gallant defender, Lt. Luis Taviel At the time when the bullets of Spain’s firing squad
de Andrade. Although his arms were tied, he firmly killed Dr. Rizal, the Spaniards — residents, friars
clasped their hands in parting. One of the priests (Jesuits not included), corrupt officials (including
blessed him and offered him a crucifix to kiss. Rizal Governor Polavieja) exulted with sadistic joy, for
reverently bowed his head and kissed it. Then he Rizal, formidable champion of Filipino freedom, was
requested the commander of the firing squad, that gone. In fact, immediately after the hero’s execution
he be shot pacing the firing squad. His request was the Spanish spectators sbouted "Viva España!"
denied, for the captain had implicit orders to shoot "Muerte a los Traidores". ("Long Live Spain! "Death
him in the back. to the Traitors!") and the Spanish Military Band,
joining the jubilance over Rizal's death, played the
Reluctantly, Rizal turned his back to the firing gay Marcha Cadiz.
squad and faced the sea. A Spanish military
physician, Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo, asked his Poor bigoted Spaniards of no vision! They were
permission to feel his pulse, which request was fully unaware of history's inexorable tides. For the
graciously granted. Dr. Castillo was amazed to find execution of Rizal presaged the foundation of an
it normal, showing that Rizal was not afraid to die. independent nation. True that the Spanish bullets
  which killed Rizal destroyed his brain, but the
The death ruffles of the drums filled the air. Above libertarian ideas spawned by his brain destroyed
the drum-beats, the sharp command "Fire" was the Spanish rule in the Philippines. As Cecilio
heard, and the guns of the firing squad barked. Apostol, greatest Filipino epic poet in Spanish aptly
Rizal, with supreme effort, turned his bullet-riddled rhapsodized:
body to the right, and fell on the ground dead —
with face upward facing the morning sun. It was "Rest in peace in shadows of oblivion,
exactly 7:03 in the morning when he died in the Redeemer of a country is bondage'
bloom of manhood — aged 35 years, five months In the mystery of the grave, do not cry,
and 11 days  Heed not the momentary triumph of the Spaniard
Because if a bullet destroyed your cranium.
Rizal died as he described in his farewell poem Likewise your idea destroyed an empire!"
third stanza
By his writings, which awakened Filipino
"l die just when I see the dawn break. nationalism and paved the way for the Philippine
Through the gloom of night, to herald the day; Revolution, he proved that "the pen is mightier than
And if color is lacking my blood thou shalt take, the sword" As a many-splendored genius, writer,
Pour'd out at need for thy dear sake. scientist, and political martyr, he richly deserves
To dye with its crimson the waking ray"  history's salute as the national hero of the
Philippines.
It is also interesting to note that fourteen years
before his execution, Rizal predicted that he die on
December 30th.

He was then a medical student in Madrid, Spain.

The entry in
APPENDIX A: WHO MADE RIZAL OUR FOREMOST - Before the outbreak of Revolution:
NATIONAL HERO AND WHY?
- Rizal was unanimously elected by the Filipino
- “The doctrines of Rizal are not for one epoch but for all in Barcelona and Madrid as honorary president of La
epochs. They are as valid today as they were yesterday. Solidaridad.
It cannot be said that because the political ideals of Rizal
have been achieved, but because of the change of - Some months later, Rizal organized, in Paris,
institutions, the wisdom of his counsels or the value of he organized and became chief of Indios Bravos.
his doctrines have ceased to be opportune. They have
- Rizal was again unanimously chosen
not.” said by biographer Rafael Palma.
Responsible (Chief) of the Spanish-Filipino Association.
- Unfortunately, some Filipinos entertain the belief that
- He was also the founder and moving spirit in
Rizal is a “made-to-order” national hero, that the maker
the founding of the Liga Filipina in Manila.
were the Americans, particularly Civil Governor William
Howard Taft. - DECEMBER 30, 1898 – at the revolutionary capital at
Malolos, President Aguinaldo issued the first official
TWO QUESTIONS:
proclamation making December 30 of that year as
1) Who made Rizal the foremost national hero of the ‘RIZAL DAY’
Philippines?

2) Why is Rizal our greatest national hero?

-Because as a towering figure in the Propaganda

Campaign, he took an ‘admirable part’ in that movement
which roughly covered the period from 1882 – 1896

- Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere contributed tremendously to

the foundation of Filipino nationality among other
published books.

- because in this writer’s humble opinion, no Filipino can

has yet been born who could equal or surpass Rizal as a
‘person of distinuised valor or interprisein danger or
fortitude in suffering.’

HERO: a prominent or central personage taking an

admirable part in any remarkable action or event.

- among those who unjustly lambasted and criticized

Rizal and his Noli in the 2 chambers of the Spanish
Cortes in 1888 and 188), Luis M. de Pando and Premier
Praxedes Mateo Sgasta )

- Congressman Henry Allen Cooper of Wisconsin

delivered an Eulogy of Rizal and even recited the
martyr’s ultimo persamiento on the floor of US House
Representatives in order to provide the capacity of the
Filipinos for self-government

- DR. FRANK C. LAUBACH – American biographer of

Rizal

- ‘Rizal was the greatest product of the Philippines and

that his coming to the world was like the appearance of
rare comet, whose brilliance appears only every other
century’- Prof Blumintritt to Dr. Maximo Viola
APPENDIX C: TO THE YOUNG WOMEN OF
MALOLOS

- “They seemed faded plants sown and reared in

darkness, having flowers without perfume and fruits
without sap” Rizal

- Emila (Emilia Tiongson) – the only one Rizal knew and

whom he met in 1887.

-
Jose Rizal retraction, Part II It is common historical knowledge that Ms. Josephine Bracken lived with

Dr. Jose Rizal for three of the four years he was exiled in Dapitan.  He truly
(Published in Pinoy News Magazine, 2011)
loved her.  They had desired a canonical marriage but were presented with

a pre-condition retraction of Rizal’s anti-ecclesiastical writings and beliefs. 

 
As we may know, he was never anti-God or anti-Church.  He was anti-

(Editor:This is Part II of the lecture delivered at the Chicago’s Newberry cleric to those who abused their mission and hid behind their pretentious

Library on June 18, 2011. The author is a great-grand nephew of the cloak of religiosity.  He knew there were those who practiced religion but

Philippine National Hero whose 150th birthday was marked on June 19 did not worship God.  Neither the retraction nor the marriage occurred.  He

of this year. Dr. Rizal was sentenced to die by musketry on Dec. 30, 1896 and Josephine were parents to a son, though he sadly passed. 

after a brief mock trial by a Spanish military court in Fort Santiago,

We know that Dr. Jose Rizal had immortalized Josephine Bracken in his
Manila.)
unsigned and untitled poem which we now refer to as his “Ultimo Adios”:

By Ramon G. Lopez, M.D. “Adios, dulce extranjera mi amiga, mi alegria…”  As Ambeth R. Ocampo,

Director of the Philippine Historical Institute quotes, “To accept Rizal as

“How could this be?” we ask.  It COULD BE, for the circumstances and
having married Bracken is to accept his alleged retraction of religious
people had connived.  It COULD BE, for there was no other recourse.  It
error.”  From Austin Coates, British author and historian:  “Before God, he
COULD BE, for the moth had burned its wings!  Twenty-four years after
(Dr. Rizal) had nothing to retract.”  And from Dr. Jose Rizal himself, I
the garroting of the Filipino clerics, Fathers Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez,
quote: “I go where there are no slaves, no hangmen, no oppressors… where
and Jacinto Zamora, the pogrom and intimidation had to continue.
faith does not slay… where He who reigns is God.”

 It had to continue for the dying Empire and frailocracy had now sensed its
Fraudulent Premise
own death. It had to continue, for it wanted to display its final domination

of a reawakened people.  However, it would not be completely so!  The From 1892 to 1896, during his period of exile in Dapitan, the Catholic

man they had just martyred was a man whose politics and faith were Church attempted to redirect his beliefs regarding religious faith, albeit

unshakeable and timeless.  As we know, and as History recounts, it also unsuccessfully.  A succession of visits from Fathers Obach, Vilaclara, and

projects. Sanchez did not find his convictions wanting.  He had decided to remain

ecclesiastically unwed, rather than recant his alleged “religious errors.” 

To paraphrase the words of Dr. Rafael Palma the great Philippine scholar,

patriot, and former President of the University of the Philippines regarding Now, there seems to be a “disconnect”, or even a divide among historians

the trial of Dr. Jose Rizal, “the document obtained under moral duress and as to whether Dr. Jose Rizal had abjured his apparent errant religious ways

spiritual threats has very little value before the tribunal of history.”  Dr. as claimed by the friars and the Jesuits.  Since a retraction of alleged

Rafael Palma, a respected jurist of his time, was an author on the life of our “religious errors” would have begotten a marriage to Ms. Josephine

hero and had studied the trial of Dr. Jose Rizal meticulously.  Of this he Bracken, let us look for evidence that will prove this premise fraudulent. 

says in his book The Pride of the Malay Race about Dr. Jose Rizal, “His Austin Coates’ book entitled Rizal – Philippine Nationalist and Martyr

defense before the court martial is resplendent for its moderation and gives many compelling facts as borne out from his own personal

serenity in spite of the abusive and vexatious manner in which the fiscal had investigation, and with numerous interviews of the Rizal family.  To wit:

treated him.”  For in man’s own tribunal, the tribunal and trial that
1.Fr. Vicente Balaguer, S. J., claimed that he performed the canonical
condemned Dr. Jose Rizal to die was a sham; his execution, a foregone
marriage between 6:00 – 6:15 AM of December 30, 1896 in the presence of
conclusion.
one of the Rizal sisters.  The Rizal family denied that any of the Rizal

 
sisters were there that fateful morning.  Dr. Jose Rizal was martyred at 7:03 I say that if there was no marriage, there could have not been a retraction,

AM. and Dr. Jose Rizal met his martyrdom “un-confessed”:

2. Nobody had reported seeing Ms. Josephine Bracken in the vicinity of 1. Indeed, at the Paco Cemetery, the name of Dr. Jose Rizal was listed

Fort Santiago in the morning of the execution. among those who died impenitent.  The entry made in the book of burials at

the cemetery where Rizal was buried was not made on the page for those
3. Considering the time it would take for the three priests (Fr. Jose
buried on December 30, 1896 (where there were as many as six entries),
Vilaclara, Fr. Estanislao March, and Fr. Vicente Balaguer) to negotiate the
but on a special page, as ordered by the authorities.  Thus, Dr. Jose Rizal
expanse of the walk to give spiritual care to the condemned Dr. Jose Rizal,
was entered on a page between a man who burned to death, and another
why is it that only Fr. Balaguer could “describe” a wedding?  Furthermore,
who died by suicide – persons considered “un-confessed” and without
where were Fr. Vilaclara and Fr. March to corroborate the occurrence of a
spiritual aid at the time of death.
marriage ceremony?  Or was there really even one at all?

2.    Father Estanislao March, S.J., and Fr. Jose Vilaclara, S.J. (who had
4. In Josephine Bracken’s matrimony to Vicente Abad, the Church Register
accompanied Dr. Jose Rizal to the execution site) could have ordered a
of Marriages kept at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Hong Kong made no
Christian burial, but they did not.  They must have known that no retraction
reference that Josephine was a “Rizal” by marriage, or that she was the
was made.  Dr. Jose Rizal was laid to earth bare, without a sack, without a
widow of Dr. Jose Rizal.
coffin.  This was the onus of the “un-confessed.”

5. In the legal register of Hong Kong, Josephine used the last name
3.   One must also remember that Dr. Jose Rizal wrote a short and final note
“Bracken” instead of “Rizal” to be married to Vicente Abad.
to his parents dated December 30, 1896 at 6:00 in the morning, with no

mention of an occurred or intended retraction and/or marriage.  A message

6. In Josephine Bracken’s litigation versus Jose Maria Basa for the
with that important information would have been of great consolation to
possession of Dr. Jose Rizal’s valuable library, a certification from the
Dona Teodora Alonso and to Don Francisco Mercado, whom he loved and
British Consulate from Manila stating that she was indeed Rizal’s widow
respected dearly.
would have bolstered her claim.  She did not pursue this.  Why not?

4.   Despite numerous immediate supplications from the Rizal family after
7.  In 1960, inquiry at the Cardinal-Bishopric of Manila for evidentiary
the execution, no letter of retraction could be produced.
proof of a Rizal-Bracken marriage was not fruitful, or possibly, the issue

was simply ignored by the religious.  Likewise, we ask the question,

5.   The Rizal family was informed by the church that approximately nine
“Why?”
to eleven days after the execution, a mass for the deceased would be said,

after which the letter of retraction would be shown the family.  Though the
“Unconfessed” Martyrdom”
family was in attendance, the mass was never celebrated and no letter of

From the dark days of exile in Dapitan, to the even darker days of retraction was shown.  They were told that the letter had been sent to the

imprisonment at Fort Santiago, the Catholic Church had demanded from Archbishop’s palace, and that the family would not be able to see it.

Dr. Jose Rizal a retraction before a canonical marriage could be performed. 

6. The Jesuits themselves (who had a special liking for their former student)
In this Inquisition-like setting of the Spanish regime, it was always
did not celebrate any mass for his soul, nor did they hold any funerary rites
proclaimed that “the Indio always retracted”, as he walked to his execution. 
over his body.  I take this as a repudiation of the Jesuits against the friars,
Austin Coates states in his book: “The Spaniards publish the same thing
loudly hinting to the Filipino people that their esteemed pupil did not
about everyone who is shot… Besides, nobody has ever seen this written
abjure!
declaration in spite of the fact that a number of people would want to see

it…. It is (always) in the hands of the Archbishop.” 

7.   The apparent “discovery” of an obviously forged autobiography of for the millennia of misdeeds by the Church, if Pope Benedict XVI can, in

Josephine Bracken claiming marriage to Dr. Jose Rizal, showed a  Australia at the 2008 World Youth Congress, apologize to the victims of

handwriting that bore no resemblance to Josephine’s and had glaring errors pedophilia and other ecclesiastical sexual abuses, then it should not be

in syntax, which revealed that the perpetrating author’s primary language beyond the Catholic Church to NOW admit the pious fraud it had

was Spanish (not Josephine’s original language), thus  proving that the

document was  manufactured and disingenuous.

committed in saying that Dr. Jose Rizal had abjured his writings and
8.  Confession in August, 1901 of master forger Roman Roque that earlier
beliefs, when all evidences point to the fact that he did not!
in the year, he was employed by the friars to make several copies of a

retraction letter.

9.       In 1962, authors Ildefonso T. Runes and Mamerto M. Buenafe in

their book Forgery of the Rizal Retraction and Josephine’s Autobiography,

made an exposé of six different articles and books that purportedly

presented Dr. Jose Rizal’s “document of retraction” as copied from the so-

called “original” testament of retraction.  Intriguingly enough, even to this

day, the claimed “original” document from which the facsimiles have

arisen have not been seen by anybody.  Blatant in these six different

presentations were differing dates and notes that had been doctored, traced-

over, and altered, when these facsimiles were supposed to have come from

the same “original” document!  This book of Runes and Buenafe was

published by the Pro-Patria Publishers of Manila. The book is extant but

unfortunately, out of print.

Though the issue of “Retraction” remains contentious for some people, it is

my personal opinion that there is no controversy; that Dr. Jose Rizal did not

make any recantation of his writings and beliefs.  The arguments to the

contrary made by his detractors are all smoke screen and “retreads” of the

dubious accounts of the sycophantic Father Balaguer and his gullible

minions.  Let us not allow for the sands of time to cover the blunder of this

ignoble and impious event.  Let not the conspiracy of silence keep us

chained to this fraudulent claim.  As had been vigorously proposed then,

and again now, let the document of retraction be examined by a panel of the

world’s experts in hand-writing, and let a pronouncement be made.  Let this

hidden document come to the eyes of the public, for they have the greatest

of rights to see, and to judge, and to know what is truthful.

When this comes to pass… in this 21st century, in this age of an “evidence-

based” society that demands transparency and full-disclosure, it can be

stated that with the now enlightened and reformed Catholicism, and in the

spirit of Vatican II, if Pope John Paul II can apologize to the Jewish people