CHAPTER 1

RIZAL – A Biographical Sketch

The life, works and ideals of DR. JOSE RIZAL had served as an inspiration not only to Filipinos, but
also to all freedom-loving peoples throughout the world.

Endowed with superior intelligence, indeed, he can be considered a rare universal genius. As a
versatile man, he was a physician (ophthalmic surgeon), mathematician, engineer, surveyor, poet,
musician, sculptor, painter, cartoonist, cartographer, novelist, dramatist, inventor, philosopher, linguist,
businessman, economist, and farmer. He epitomized the ideal Renaissance man – a person of broad
intellectual and cultural interests encompassing the full spectrum of available knowledge.

Truly, Rizal the pride of the Malay race and the greatest hero of a nation.

RIZAL’S BIRTH. Jose Rizal was born on Wednesday, June 19, 1861 between eleven and twelve o’clock at
midnight, a few days before the full moon at Calamba, Laguna. His birth would cost his mother’s life had
she not vowed to the Virgin of Antipolo that would take him on a pilgrimage of her shrine.

He was baptized at a Catholic Church of Calamba, on June 22, when he was only three days old,
by a priest, Rev. Rufino Collantes, a close friend of his family who also stood as his godfather. The name
Jose was chosen by his mother who was a devotee of the Christian Saint San Jose (St. Joseph).

It should be noted that during the baptismal ceremony, Father Collantes was impressed by the
baby’s big head. He politely told the members of the family who were present to “take good care of this
child, for someday he will become a great man”. His words proved prophetic and later explicitly confirmed
by subsequent events.

Calamba: “The Cradle of a Genius”. Scenic Calamba is the picturesque town that give birth to our hero.
Rafael Palma said: “Hemmed in a verdant plain by Mount Makiling on the one side and by the Laguna de
Bay on the other, Calamba offers a veritable scenery of sunny contours and romantic spots. There is a
deep and magnetic charm in the beauty and grandeur which these surroundings inspire – where
bounteous nature in its gayest moments lavishes its most precious and delicate caresses. The site was
destined to the cradle of a genius. It is a joy forever, where the plodding and patient carabao moves lazily
about besides a lake of poem and songs, within sight of Mount Makiling rugged peak, covered the year
round with luxuriant vegetation, which seemed people with spirit of ancient days, should exert a powerful
influence in making Rizal a thinker and a poet.”

Calamba was a town named after a big native jar surrounded by a big hacienda which belonged
to the Dominican Order, which also owned almost all the lands around it.

The Rizal’s Family. Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818-1898), the hero’s father was born in Biňan Laguna. His
great great grandfather was a Christian Chinese named Domingo Lamco. He studied Latin and Philosophy

1
at the College of San Jose, Manila. He was a hardworking and progressive farmer who became well-to-do
through industry and with the assistance of his cultured and talented wife. He was a man of solid
shoulders, strong constitution, tall, with prominent forehead and dark eyes. A pure Filipino, Dr. Rizal called
him “a model of fathers.” He died at the age of eighty, a year after the hero’s execution.

Don Francisco’s original family name was Mercado. Rizal wrote to his friend, Prof. Ferdinand
Blumentritt of Austria in 1889, that “our family name was really Mercado, but in the Philippines there
were many Mercado’s who were not related to us. My father chose Rizal as our surname because Mercado
sounded common. It is in this respect it seems as though I am an illegitimate child.” He married Teodora
Alonzo Realonda on June 28, 1848, a woman of fortitude which exemplified the Filipino character at its
highest and loftiest measure.

Doňa Teodora Alonzo Realonda (1826-1911), Rizal’s mother was born in Manila on November 8,
1826, a woman of remarkable talent in mathematics, business and literature. She possessed finesse. She
belonged to a distinguished family, her father having been once a delegate to the Spanish Cortes, while
his brother was educated in Europe and spoke different languages.

Doňa Teodora was imprisoned by the Spanish authorities for flimsy reasons, but she bravely
endured the persecutions heaped upon her and her family. Some years before she died at the age of
eighty-five she politely refused a life pension offered her by our government saying: “My family has never
been patriotic for money. If the government has plenty of funds and it does not know what to do with
them, it had better reduce the taxes.” Such statements, indeed, are explicit manifestations of a woman
worthy to be the mother of a national hero.

According to Rafael Palma, Rizal inherited from his father a profound sense of dignity and self-
respect, seriousness and self-possession; and from his mother the temperament of the poet and dreamer
and bravery for sacrifice.

The Rizal family was a respected and considered one of the richest families in Calamba during that
time. Because his parents were industrious, they were able to build a big house. They were one of the few
families to own a carruaje – a horse drawn carriage, the first to have a home library with almost 1,000
volumes, and probably, the first to send their children to Manila to study in college.

They raised rice, corn, sugar and other agricultural crops on the large tracts of land rented from
Dominican estate of Calamba. They also raised chickens and turkeys in their backyard. Dona Teodora also
managed a general merchandise store which sold various economic goods and operated a small flour-mill
and a home-made ham press.

The Rizal family was highly esteemed and respected in the community because of wealth, culture,
hospitality, sincerity and warmth. They always participated in almost all social and religious activities in
Calamba for a noble cause.

The Rizal family was truly a happy social institution were parental respect and affection reigned
supreme. Both parents and children live harmoniously united by strong ties of affection, understanding
and respect. Don Francisco and Doňa Teodora loved their children, but they never spoiled anyone of them.
They trained and imbibed to their children to respect the law, give everybody is due, behave well, be
obedient and to respect peoples right, especially the old folks. They were strict but fair and firm. They
believed in the old adage: “spare the rod and spoil the child “

2
 During Sunday and Christian holidays, the Rizal family heard Mass in the town parish. During
Angelus at sunset and before retiring to bed at night, they recited the Holy Rosary as a thanksgiving for all
the blessings they had received for the day.

This wholesome family was a model to reckon – the hero’s family.

The Children of Rizal. The marriage of Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonzo Realonda were
blessed with eleven children – two boys and nine girls.

Paciano (1851-1930) the hero’s only brother, became an agriculturist though, like his father, he
had a college education in Manila, He was a second father to his younger brother Jose and gave him wise
counsel. People who knew him opined that he was the Filosopo Tasio in Noli Me Tangere. Immediately
after the hero’s execution, Paciano joined General Aguinaldo’s revolutionary army, where he rose to the
rank of Major General. He returned to Los Baňos after the restoration of peace and order and led the life
of a simple farmer and exemplary citizens. In 1930 he died almost “unwept, unhonored, and unsung” and
was buried in Manila.

Rizal’s sisters. Rizal had nine sisters, Saturnina (1850-1913), Narcisa (1852-1939), Olimpia (1855-1887),
Lucia (1857-1919), Maria (1859-1945), Conception (1862-1865), Josefa (1865-1919), Trinidad (1868-
1951), and Soledad (1870-1929). All of them got married except Josefa and Trinidad, who were spinsters,
and Conception who died at the age of three. All the Rizal children were born in Calamba. Their parents
had to move to Manila in the early nineties because of the notorious land troubles and other agrarian
problems.

Rizal’s Ancestry. Rizal like a typical Filipino was a product of mixed ancestry. It can be inferred that in his
veins flowed the blood of both East and West-Chinese, Japanese, Malay, and Spanish. Rizal’s father was a
great grandson of Lam-co, a Chinese immigrant from Fukien City.

In some historical pieces of document, Rizal’s maternal ancestor was Lakan-Dula, the last King of
Tondo. His maternal great-great grandfather was Eugenio Ursua, of Japanese blood and ancestry.

The name Rizal. The original surname of the Rizal family was “Mercado”. This surname was adopted by
Domingo Lam-co, the paternal Chinese ancestor in 1731. In Spanish, Mercado means “market” which
Lam-co chose because of his business acumen and venture.

In 1849, Governor Claveria issued a decree directing all Filipino families to choose and adopt new
surnames from a list of Spanish family names. It should be noted that the purpose of this decree was to
Hispanize the Filipino surnames.

Rizal’s father scrutinized carefully the list of surnames sent to Calamba such as “Cruz”, “Diaz”,
“Guzman”, “Luna”, “Ramos”, “Reyes”, “Rivera”, “Santos”, and “Trinidad”. He did not have any interest in
these surnames, so be chose his own surname Rizal, which apparently was not in the list recommended

3
by the Spanish authorities. He preferred this new family name Rizal to be more fitting and appropriate for
his farming clan to Mercado which means “market” in Spanish.

It is interesting to note that the term “Rizal” originated from the word racial which signifies “green
field”.

The Rizal House. The house in which Rizal was born was high and made of solid and massive earthquake
proof structure with sliding wide window shutters with capiz shells. Thick walls of lime and store bounded
the first floor; the second floor was made entirely of hard wood except for the roof which was of red tile,
in the style of the imposing buildings in Manila and other big and progressive towns at that time. Rizal’s
father selected the hardest and seasoned woods from the forest and had them sowed. It took him more
than two years to construct the house. At the back there was an azotea overlooking the garden and
orchard and a wide, deep cistern a tank for storing water or hold rain water during the rainy season for
home use. Behind the house, stood various tropical fruit-bearing trees, e.g., santol, chico, macopa, atis,
balimbings, duhat, and atis.

4
ACTIVITY 1

Questions to Answer:

1. Why did Doňa Teodora choose Jose as Rizal’s name? What was its significance?
2. Have you seen the house of Jose Rizal in Calamba? Describe its structural design.
3. Why is Calamba referred to as “the cradle of a genius”? Describe Calamba as a town.
4. Identify the good qualities of Don Francisco Mercado as a father.
5. Identify the qualities of Doňa Teodora as a mother.
6. How did biographer Rafael Palma describe Rizal?
7. What could be the reasons why Don Francisco chooses Rizal as the family name of his children?
8. Describe the family of Rizal as a social institution. Why should the family strive to attain its noble
objectives?
9. Explain the old adage, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”
10. What are the functions of the family? How would you describe the Filipino family today?

5
CHAPTER 2

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES IN CALAMBA

The life of Jose Rizal, like other young Filipino boys, had a lot of pleasant and beautiful memories
to reckon during his childhood days in Calamba. With parents full of affection to their children and an
abundant blessing from Lord Almighty, he grew up in a home environment characterized by joy and
contentment. His birthplace was an ideal place for artist, poets, budding writers and lovers of art who
traveled from Manila and other places to gain inspiration of its healthful waters and climates and scenic
panorama that surrounds the legendary Mount Makiling. Flowers of various colors and scents bloom all
year round especially during the month of May. Calamba with its fertile fields and green cascading brooks
and lakes with crystal waters abound with fish. Its tall ancient and resilient trees with symmetrical
arrangement grew along the streets expressive of the lofty aspirations and ideals of a people that seemed
too long for freedom.

This is Calamba, a perfect place to nurture a growing child that holds promise that eventually
became the “cradle of a genius”.

When Rizal was 15 years old and was a student at Ateneo de Manila, he reminisced his beloved
town and wrote a poem Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town). “Calamba you will remain
an important and cherished part of my life,” Jose murmured with deep sigh of happiness.

IN MEMORY OF MY TOWN

When early childhood’s happy days

In memory I see once more
Along the lovely verdant shore

That meets a gently murmuring sea

When I recall the whisper soft
Of zephyrs dancing on my brow
With cooling sweetness, even now
New luscious life is born on me

When I behold the lily white

That sways to do wind’s command
While gently sleeping on the sand
The stormy water rests awhile
When from the flowers there softly breathes
A bouquet ravishingly sweet
Out poured the newborn dawn to meet

6
 As on us she begins to smile

With sadness I recall…..recall

Thy face in precious infancy
Oh mother, friend most dear to me
Who gave to life a wondrous charm
I yet recall a village plain
My Joy, my family, my boon
Besides the freshly cool lagoon
The spot for which my heart beats warm

Ah yes! My footsteps insecure

In your dark forests deeply sank
And there by every rivers bank
I found refreshment and delight
Within that rustic temple prayed
With childhoods simple faith unfeigned
While cooling breezes, pure, unstained
Would send my heart on rapturous flight

I saw the Maker in the grandeur

Of your ancient hoary wood
Ah never in your refuge could
A mortal by regret be smitten
And while upon your sky of blue
I gaze, no love nor tenderness
Could fail, for here on nature’s dress
My happiness itself was written

Ah, tender childhood, lovely town

Rich fount of my felicities
Oh those harmonious melodies
Which put to flight all dismal hours
Comeback gentle hours, I yearn!
Come back as the bird return
At the budding of the flowers

Alas, farewell! Eternal vigil I keep

For thy peace, thy bliss, and tranquility
O genius of good, so kind

7
 Give me these gifts with charity
To thee I cease not to sigh
These to learn, and I call to the sky
To have thy sincerity.

This English translation from the original Spanish version was translated by Dr. Frank C. Laubach.

His boyhood memories are characterized by playing in the garden while he watched and marveled
to birds like the maya, the culiauan, pipit, and maria- capra as they chirped and flied from one branch to
another listening with wonder and joy their melodious songs. Jose and other Rizal children gathered
together during nightfall and pray the Angelus. He also remembered about stories, about fairy tales of
buried treasure and trees blooming with diamonds. When at times when food served during supper did
not appeal his taste, the maid would threaten the aswang and the tikbalang.

Rizal’s first bitter memory was when little Concha (Conception) whom he fondly called died when
she was only three years old. He cried bitterly and for the first time, he wept tears of love and intense
grief.

Jose as a young boy was very pious and devoted son of the Catholic Church. At an early age of
three, he used to take part in the family prayers. He loved to go to church for spiritual nourishment and
to join religious activities.

Jose and his father, on one occasion wen on pilgrimage to Antipolo to fulfill his mother’s vow
which was promised when he was born. Doňa Teodora could not accompany them because she gave birth
to her tenth child Trinidad. They road in a casco (barge) across Laguna de Bay. Since it was his first
experience on a lake voyage he was thrilled and overwhelmed with joy. He marveled and was awed by
the “splendor and magnificence watery expanse and the still of the night”.

After praying at the Shrine of Our Lady of Buen Viaje of Antipolo, Pepe and Don Francisco went to
Sta. Ana, Manila and visited Saturnina, his oldest sister, who was then studying in La Concordia College.

Early Schooling. At the tender age of three, Rizal learned the alphabet from his mother. Her mother was
a strict and a patient teacher. “She taught me how to read and to say haltingly the humble prayers which
I raised fervently to God”. Later his three uncles, brothers of Dona Teodora concerned themselves with
the intellectual artistic and physical training of thei nephew. Jose the youngest brother of his mother who
was also a teacher looked after the regular lessons. Manuel, a man an athletic built, developed the
physique of young Jose until he had a supple body of silk and steel and was no longer a sickly lad, though
he said did not entirely lose his somewhat delicate look.

The scholarly Gregorio saw that the boy earned his candy money – trying to instill the idea into
his mind that “it was not the world’s say that anything worth having should come without effort; he taught
him also the value of rapidity on work, to think for himself and to observe carefully and to picture what
he saw.

8
 “I learned to write in my own town,” wrote the young hero. “My father who took chargeof my
education, paid an old man, who had been his classmate, to give me my first lessons in Latin while living
at our house for that purpose. He died after five months…” At the age of nine Don Francisco sent his son
to Binan to continue his studies of Latin under Maestro Joaquin Aquino Cruz. Rizal described his teacher
as “tall, thin, long necked man with sharp nose and a body bent slightly forward”. H usually wore a sinamay
shirt woven by the skillful hands of the Batanguenas. He knew by heart the grammars of Nebrija and
Gainza. Add to this a severity which to my mind was excessive, and you have the picture I have learned to
hi, vague perhaps, but all that I remember.”

Rizal left Binan on December 7, 1871, after staying there for one and a half years. In that town,
he learned painting in the shop of an old painter named Juancho. Pepe with his intense interest and love
for painting spent many leisure hours at the painter’s studio. His tutor, Juancho gave him lessons in
drawing and paintings. He was so impressed and awed by the artistic creative talent of his young pupil.

BEST PUPIL IN SCHOOL BIŇAN. Rizal’s school day in Biňan was remarkable. He excelled in all subjects
especially Latin and Spanish languages. Because of this, it was not surprising that some of his older
classmates were secretly jealous of his intellectual endowments. His schooling in Biňan came when he
learned almost all that his teacher, Justiniano could teach him; so his teacher wrote a letter to his parents
that it was time to send Rizal to College in Manila.

He left Biňan after staying there for one and a half years homeward to Calamba where he was
warmly welcomed by his parents, brother and sisters. At home, he shared his memorable experiences
with fascinating tales of his brawls with some quarrelsome classmates and school triumphs with
amusement and delight of brothers and sisters.

Rizal’s Mother: A Victim of Injustice. While Rizal’s childhood memories were generally pleasant,
notwithstanding his petty quarrels normal for a young growing boy his age in school, the tragic incident
happened in the Rizal family when his mother, Doňa Teodora was arbitrarily arrested on a malicious
charge that she allegedly aided her brother, Jose Alberto, in trying to poison Alberto’s wife. Jose Alberto
was a prominent man in Biňan who owned big tract of land. In one occasion, he went to Europe on a
business trip. During his absence, his wife abandoned their conjugal home and lived with another man.
When he returned Biňan , he was mad and enraged by her infidelity, so he planned to file an annulment
of their marriage. He believed that his wife’s sexual infidelity scandal and to protect the honor of the
family. Doňa Teodora, persuaded his brother Jose Alberto to forgive his erring wife. While the family
problem was amicably settled, and Jose Alberto lived again with his unfaithful wife, she connived with the
lieutenant of the Guardia Civil to fabricate unfounded pieces of evidence that her husband attempted to
poison her, with Doňa Teodora’s participation as an accomplice.

This lieutenant who was a bully and overbearing person who habitually badgered and intimated
weaker people had an ax to grind against the Rizal’s family because in one occasion Don Francisco refused
to give him fodder – a kind of feed for his horse. He was so unreasonable and haughty and virtually took
the opportunity to avenge himself and got even against Don Francisco and arrested Doňa Teodora.

9
 Under normal circumstances, Doňa Teodora, the accused should had been confined in the
municipal in the municipal jail of Calamba. However, for no apparent valid reason, the judge, who had
been a guest of the Rizal family in various social gatherings, was also like the arrogant lieutenant who
grudged ill feelings against the Rizal family because he imagined that in one occasion he was not accorded
greater respect than other guests in the Rizal home. He ordered that Doňa Teodora be sent immediately
to the provincial jail in Sta. Cruz, the capital of Laguna. Doňa Teodora was forced to walk on foot under
the scorching heat of the sun, from Calamba to Sta. Cruz. Her traumatic experience affected young Pepe
as her mother languished in jail. The constitutional right of the accused in this particular case to have a
speedy, impartial, and public trial was not observed because her mother’s case dragged on until it reached
the Royal Audiencia (Supreme Court).

In spite of the injustice Doňa Teodora experienced in the judicial system at the time, she remained
calm, resolute and courageous and accepted her fate with Christian resignation. She believed that with
God’s help, the court would finally recognize her innocence and the truth would prevail.

GOM-BUR-ZA’s Martyrdom. The painful experience of the arbitrary imprisonment of Rizal’s mother was
still fresh and the wounds inflected had not yet totally healed. Another misfortune happened in the Rizal’s
family. The unjust execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora, accused of conspiracy of the Cavite
Mutiny and publicly garroted on February 17, 1872, opened the deep wounds. Paciano, Jose’s older
brother and a student in the College of San Juan, in Manila was boarding with Father Burgos, his most
esteemed professor and friend. Because of fortitude and strength of character, he became a trusted
assistant of Father Burgos in the fight for the Filipinization of all parishes.

The execution of Father’s Gomez, Burgos and Zamora was one of the reasons why Paciano quit
College education. He returned to Calamba and related to his younger brother Jose, the story of Burgos’
martyrdom. A few years later, Jose Rizal wrote the memory of Burgos: “He awakened my intellect and
made me understand goodness and justice. His farewell words I shall remember- “I had try to pass on to
you what I received from my teachers. Do the same for those who come after you.” So eloquent and
precise and full of meanings to emulate.

Jose Rizal was almost eleven years old when the unfortunate and extremely mournful execution
of Gom-Bur-Za happened. Inspite of Rizal’s tender age, he was deeply affected with the pathetic incident.
This injustice, like that one done to his beloved mother, was another Spanish misrule happening in our
land. From these two incidents that were clearly and flagrantly a violation of human rights and dignity,
Rizal at an early age was awakened and to consecrate his life to combat evil forces of his times at any cost
even at the expense of his life.

The Parable of the Moth. Doňa Teodora used to tell stories to her children before going to bed. In one
occasion, she narrated to Jose the story of the young moth which had made and imprint and profound
impression in his mind at an early stage of his life.

One evening, all members of Rizal’s family went to bed early except his mother and him. The room
was dimly lighted by the flickering light from a coconut oil lamp on the table.

10
 Doňa Teodora was teaching him to read a Spanish reader, “The Children’s Friend.” She became
impatient and scolded him for not reading properly. He paid little attention and effort in reading because
he was preoccupied and fascinated watching the coconut oil lamp while the little moths encircled the
flights. When her mother noticed that he was yawning and seemed not interested at all, she stopped
reading and said, “I am going to read to you a very interesting story. I want you to listen.”

Rizal was suddenly awakened because the story promised something novel and interesting. His
curiosity increased when his mother started to read slowly the fable of the mother moth and its little one.
As she continued reading the story, his attention was focused on the light and the moths which were
circling the oil lamp. Doňa Teodora repeated the warning of the mother moth to the young one not to fly
close to the flame as if directing to him. He heard the message she would like to convey, but he was so
engrossed with the beautiful and attractive flame as the insects played merrily in its fascinating brilliance
that the moths that fell and drowned in the oil did not give him any fear of apprehension. There was even
a feeling of envy in himself about the fortune of the insects.

While his mother continued reading, he listened breathlessly as he stretched his imagination
greatly about the fate of the little moth when the flame moved along its golden tongue to one side and a
moth with this movement had signed fell into the hot oil, flap its wings up and down for a time and then
became quiet. For him, that fleeting moment became an important event. He felt an unusual feeling and
change in himself that the flame and the moth seemed to have some significance in his life while in his
mother’s words appeared to his mind to have a mysterious and brightening basis. He did not know how
the fable ended. His attention was fixed on the fate of the insects and quietly he murmured. “I watched
it with my whole soul…It had died a martyr to its illusions.”

Before his mother put him to bed, she said, “See if you do not behave like the young moth, you
might get burned.” He did not know whether he answered his mother. One thing he knew was the story
revealed to him something until then unknown. For him, moths are now significant. Moths talked and
they knew how to warn and advised like her mother.

For him, the light seemed more beautiful and had grown more dazzling and attractive. Now he
knew why the moths circled the flame.

The tragic fate of the young moth attracted to the splendor of the light that died a martyr to its
illusions “left a profound impress on Rizal’s mind. For him, such noble death was justified, upholding that
“to sacrifice one’s life for an ideal” is meritorious and exemplary.

Like the young moth, he was destined to die as a martyr for lofty ideal.

Literary Talents. At the age of eight years, Rizal revealed his God – given talents in literary by writing
poems. The poem he wrote in Tagalog was entitled Sa Aking Mga Kababata (To My Fellow Children). He
wrote this poem as an appeal to his countrymen to love their national language.

The poem reveals Rizal’s nationalistic sentiments and ideals even at an early age. In poetic verses,
he proclaimed with profound feeling that a people who truly love their native language as part of their
culture, will undoubtedly strive for liberty like “the birds which soars to freer space above”.

11
Activity 2

Questions to Answer:

1. Describe the life of Rizal as a young boy. Compare his life when he was young to our young boys
today.
2. What inspired Rizal to write his poem, “In Memory of My Town”? What was the message of the
poem.
3. What do you think are the effects – physiological and emotional of a good environment to a young
growing child? Explain your answer.
4. As a young boy, what was his bitter memory? When you were a young boy like Rizal, can you
remember an unpleasant memory or experience in your life? Can you relate?
5. As a student, what are your religious activities that can provide for spiritual nourishment?
6. Do you think that early childhood, the child should know the meaning of discipline? Explain your
answer.
7. Why was Doňa Teodora arbitrarily arrested by the Spanish authorities?
8. Under our present judicial system, what are the constitutional rights of the accused?
9. What is meant by due process? Explain your answer.
10. How did the unlawful arrest of the mother of Rizal affect his life? Explain your answer.

12
Chapter 3

School Life at Ateneo and the University of Sto. Tomas

Jose accompanied by his brother, Paciano, the eleven-year- old boy from Calamba went to
Manilaon June 10, 1872 to take the entrance examinations and enrolled in the Ateneo Municipal, a college
under the supervision of Spanish Jesuits. This college was a rival of the Dominican owned College of San
Juan de Letran, formerly the Escuela Pia (Charity School), an educational institution established by the city
government in 1917 for poor boys in Manila. When the Jesuits returned to the Philippines in 1768 after
almost a century of exile, the management of the Escuela Pia whose name was changed to Ateneo
Municipal, and later on became the Ateneo de Manila.

It should be noted that, at the outset, Jose took the entrance examinations on Christian doctrine,
arithmetic and reading at the College of San Juan de Letran and passed them all. He returned contentedly
to Calamba after having undergone for the first the trial examinations and stayed a few days with his
family. At first, Don Francisco, wished him to study at Letran, but later, changed his mind and decided to
send Jose to the Ateneo de Manila.

The Jesuits opened the Ateneo to everyone without any racial or financial discrimination.
However, screening of applicants was strictly observed. Rizal reminisced in his Memorias de un estudyante
de Manila that he was almost denied admission because of poor health and short stature.

At the time Jose studied in the Ateneo, this educational institution was located in Intramuros,
within the walls of old Manila.

Rizal’s First Day in Ateneo. When the school year 1871-1872, opened in June, Rizal like any other
neophytes in a new school environment was fill of excitement and joy. He was dressed like the others
with coat and tie. He went to the school chapel to hear mass and prayed fervently to God for guidance.
When the mass was finished, he went to his class, where he saw a great number of boys, Spaniards,
mestizos, and Filipinos, and a Jesuit who was the professor.

His first professor in the Ateneo was Father Jose Bech. Rizal related how he became “emperor” at
the Ateneo. In Jesuit colleges, two empires were established to stimulate the students, a Roman Empire
or a Carthaginian or Greek Empire constantly at war for supremacy in the class., whose leading posts are
won by means of challenges which are successful if the opponent committed three mistakes. Rizal was
placed at the tail-end of the line because he was a newcomer and knew little Spanish although he could
already make some sense of it.

After a week, he improved his class standing. After a month he was already “emperor”, because
he was the brightest in the class. Because of his excellent performance, he was awarded a saint’s picture
as his prize.

To improve his Spanish at that time, he spent the noon recesses in Sta. Isabel College where he
spent three pesos for Spanish lessons.

13
 Being a brilliant student, Rizal obtained excellent grades and received many prizes offered by the
school. He was very active in co-curricular activities, he participated in literary and religious affairs, took
lessons in solfeggio and in drawing and painting under Don Agustin Saez. He read many good books like
Alexandre Duma’s The Count of Monte Cristo and Cesar Cantus’ Universal History. His prize winning pieces
were “To the Filipino Youth” (a poem) and “The Council of God’s” (an allegory). He also wrote a
melodrama entitled “Along the Pasig” which was staged at the Ateneo auditorium on December 8, 1880.

Artistic Skill in Sculpture. Sculpture is the art of curving, molding, welding or producing works of
arts in three dimensions. Young Rizal impressed his professors and classmates when he curved the image
of the Virgin Mary on a piece of Philippine hardwood – batikuling with a pocket knife. The professors were
amazed at the proportion, the beauty and the finish of the image. Because of his sculpture talent, Father
Leonard requested Rizal to curve for him the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The old Jesuit priest was
very much pleased and expressed his profound appreciation to the young sculptor. His intention was to
take with him the image when he went back to Spain, but unfortunately he forgot. This image was placed
on the door of the dormitory of the Ateneo and remained there for almost twenty years.

Education Under the Jesuits. The system of education under the Jesuits in the Ateneo was probably more
advanced from that of other colleges in that period. The students were trained by rigid discipline and
character development. Religious instruction was given emphasis to acquire the manners and morals of
Christian gentlemen. The students heard Mass in the morning before classes begun and classes in all
subjects were opened and closed with prayers. Prizes were given for outstanding and impeccable
department. Penalties were meted out for disorderly conduct.

The government subsidized the school from the municipal treasury. Students who belonged to
the wealthy group paid a monthly fee of P2.00; and those who are classified poor, paid nothing.

The curriculum includes Christian doctrine, Spanish, Lati, Greek, and French, world geography and
history, he history of Spain and the Philippines; arithmetic, algebra and geometry, mineralogy, chemistry,
physics, botany and zoology; poetry and rhetoric and philosophy. Jose consistently received the grade of
excellent.

Rizal Started Medical Studies at Sto. Tomas. At the outset, Doňa Teodora believed that her son
had enough education after graduating with highest honors from Ateneo and so she opposed Jose’s going
back to Manila for further studies. However, Don Francisco thought otherwise, so his son enrolled in the
University of Sto. Tomas taking the first course of Philosophy in June 1877. Simultaneously he studied at
the Ateneo those subjects that would entitles him to a diploma in surveying. Doňa Teodora did not
approve his son to acquire more knowledge because she had apprehension that this might endanger
Jose’s life, like the fate of the Filipino intellectuals, e.g. Father Burgos, Dr. Antonio Regidor and other
Filipino exiles and executed by the Spanish authorities. But inspite of her objection, Don Francisco and
Paciano were able to persuade Doňa Teodora about Jose’s further studies.

Rizal’s First Day at the Pontifical University. Rizal who was sixteen years old enrolled in the University
taking Philosophy and Letters. The following school year, 1878-1879, he begun his Medical studies. He
studied Medicine because he wanted to be a Physician so that he could look after his mother’s failing

14
eyesight. Besides, Father Pablo Ramon, Rector of Ateneo, whom he consulted for advice on the choice of
career, recommended medical course.

Even if he was now at Sto. Tomas, he still frequented the Ateneo because there, he was the
President of the Literary Academy, secretary of the Natural Sciences, secretary of the Marian
Congregation, and Celador of the Apostolado dela Oracion.

Rizal’s Days at Sto, Tomas. The academic climate at the University of Sto. Tomas was quite different from
the Ateneo. Rizal’s impression was not like that of Ateneo because most Dominican professors seemed
hostile to him. The methods of instruction were traditional and in some cases repressive.

In his novel, El Filibusterismo, Rizal described how some Dominican professors insulted Filipino
students and mockingly called them “Indio”. Because of unfriendly attitude of his professors, this most
brilliant graduate of Ateneo virtually failed to maintain high scholastic honors. While some of his scholastic
grades in medical education were not excellent, however, they were all passing.

After five years in the University of Sto. Tomas, the oldest University in the Philippines and even
older than Harvard University, Rizal decided to quit and continued his medical education abroad.

Rizal’s First Love. Rizal like other teen-agers also experienced the “pleasure and pains of first love.” The
girl who captured his heart was the fourteen- year- old Segundina Katigbak , who was a boarder at La
Concordia College, where his older sisters were studying. Unfortunately, she was already engaged to
another young man, thus ending, at an early stage of his life, his first love.

Rizal’s next feeling of passionate personal affection happened in 1880, while boarding in the home
of his uncle Antonio Rivera. He fell in love with his beautiful daughter Leonor.

Rafael Palma’s pen-portrait of this lovely young las says, “Leonor was a beauty; light skin almost
white; wavy hair, almost blond; small and gracious mouth; large, dark eyes shaded by long eyelashes; nose
of correct profile, neither too sharp nor too flat; a smile tinged with two glad dimples in the cheeks;
agreeable conversation; sweet voice and harmonious laughter.”

Between the young lovers, Jose and Leonor grew a feeling of warm personal attachment and a
tenderly beautiful romance. They became sweethearts for eleven years.

The Council of the Gods. His prize winning poem, A La Juventud Filipina (To The Filipino Youth) whom
Rizal emplored urgently the Filipino youth to ‘rise from lethargy, to let his genius fly swifter than the wind
and descend with art and science to break the chain that has long bound the poetic genius of the country,”
inspired him to submit in allegory in prose entitled El Consejo delos Dioses (The Council of Gods) in
another literary contest sponsored by the Liceo Artistico-Literario (Artistic Literary Lyceum). This was in
connection with the fourth centennial commemoration of the death of Miguel de Cervantes, a noted
Spanish novelist and famous author of Don Quixote (a person who is inspired by lofty and chivalrous but
impractical ideal).

15
 The contest was opened to both Filipinos that is why many participated – priests, newspapermen,
scholars and professors of the University of Sto. Tomas. The board of judges of the contest were all
Spaniards. After a long, deliberate and critical evaluation of the entries based on the criteria, the first prize
was awarded to Rizal. The prize was a gold ring on which the bust of Cervantes was engraved. Inspite of
the objections of the Spaniards, because the winning author was an Indio, the board of judges was firm in
their decision and declared. Rizal was indeed happy, because he proved that Filipinos given the fair chance
and opportunity to demonstrate their talents can be equal to all races of the world.

This winning allegory –literary masterpiece of Rizal based on classics which has a figurative
treatment of one subject under the guise of another was a result of the kind assistance of Father Rector
of Ateneo who provided the needed reference materials. “The allegory established a parallel among
Homer (Greek poet and author of Iliad and Odyssey), Virgil (most famous poet of Ancient Rome) and
Cervantes, a noted Spanish novelist. The gods discuss the comparative merits of these different bards and
finally decide to give the trumpet to Homer, he lyre to Vigil, and the laurel to Cervantes. The allegory
fittingly and gloriously closes with the naids, nymphs, satyra, and other mythological characters dancing
and gathering myrrh and laurel for Cervante.”

16
Activity 3

Questions to Answer:

1. What do you think at the outset, Don Francisco wanted Rizal to study in Letran? What could be the
reason why he changed his mind and finally enrolled him in Ateneo?
2. What is your impression about Ateneo de Manila as an educational institution many years ago and
today?
3. What was the reason why Rizal was almost denied admission at Ateneo?
4. As a student, what was your experience during your first day in a new school environment?
5. What was the title of Rizal’s prize-winning poem at Ateneo?
6. As a student, how can your teachers inspire you study harder? Are getting high grades the only
motivating factor?
7. What are the qualities do you expect from a teacher?
8. Identify the weak points of a teacher that impede the affectivity of the teaching-learning process in
the classroom.
9. Describe the system of education under the Jesuit educational management.
10. Make a comparative analysis of the academic climate between Ateneo de Manila and University of
Sto. Tomas during Rizal’s time.

17
Chapter 4

Rizal Left for Spain

Impelled by his desire to learn to perfect himself and to become more useful to his people, Rizal
left home and country and went to Europe in order to educate himself. “He was not moved by the wish
to have a good time and enjoy life”, Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera.

Secret Departure. Rizal’s departure for Spain was kept in utmost secrecy; even his parents and sisters
were not informed about it until his ship has lifted its anchor. He left Calamba by carromata in the early
morning of May 1, 1882 and reached Manila after ten hours of travel. His travel passport, issued in the
name of “Jose Mercado” was ready. On May third he woke up early heard Mass at Sto. Domingo Church
in Intramuros and then proceeded to the Pasig River to board his boat. Those who saw him off were his
brother Paciano who gave him some money, Saturnina a diamond ring, uncle Antonio, and a few close
friends. He carried with him good recommendations from the Ateneo authorities to the Jesuit fathers in
Barcelona.

Rizal was almost twenty-one years old on the day he left. At his tender age, he was deeply touched
at the moment of his parting from his family, friends and loved ones. Tears welled from his eyes and as
the 5.5 “Salvadora” sailed further away from Manila, he wrote in his diary: “My country, my love, my
people, I leave you now, you disappear. I lose sight of you.”

To Singapore. As the ship sailed for Singapore, Rizal could not help comparing the persons and the things
around him, so that he would no longer feel the pain of being separated from his beloved parents and
country, he took paper and pencil and made some sketches. His fellow passengers were foreign travelers
and a few Spanish traders, students and laborers returning to Spain.

At the end of one week sailing, the Salvadora reached Singapore. Rizal was so impressed by its
progress, its clean and beautiful scenery. In his two days stop-over in Singapore, he visited some historic
places, the botanical garden, art galleries and parks and write on his diary.

From Singapore, Rizal boarder the Djemnah, a French ship which was bigger and better than the
Salvador which was sailing to Europe. Most of the passengers were French – speaking nationals. He spoke
French with gesticulation to some passengers to be understood. The streamer made stops at Point de
Galle, Colombo, Suez, Naples and Marseilles, Naples and Italian City impressed him because of its business
activity, its gay and lively people indicative of life and energy and its lovely scenery.

On June 12, the ship docked at the French harbor of Marseilles was a part of his exciting
experiences. He took the train for Barcelona, arriving there on June 16, 1882.

In Barcelona. Barcelona is a city of Catalina, Spain’s second largest city. His impression of the city was
quite a place where freedom and liberalism were enjoyed by its people. While in Barcelona, he met some

18
of his schoolmates at the Ateneo who gave him a warm welcome. They even invited him to take a walk
on the park and visited historical spots. He was amused at the famousstreet, Las Rmblas, in Barcelona.

Rizal spent his time writing letters to his family, relatives and friends. He also wrote a nationalistic
articles “Love of Country” (Amor Patria) and “travels” (Los Viajes), were especially written for the Diariong
Tagalog of Manila. ”Love of Country” was well-liked by his countrymen form in it, Rizal hold fast to his idea
that the Philippines (not Spain) was the Filipino’s own country.

Rizal in Madrid. In September, 1882, Rizal transferred to the Spanish Capital in order to continue his
medical studies. In the famous Central University of Madrid, he enrolled in two courses – in Medicine and
in Philosophy and Letters. Aside from his hectic academic schedule in the university, his other activities
included taking lessons in painting and sculpture at the Academy of San Fernando, hearing lectures
sponsored by the university, attending classes in French and German, practicing fencing and shooting at
the Hall of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell. He attended operas and concerts to enhance knowledge and taste
of fine music, visited art galleries and museums and a variety of books to broaden his cultural background
and perspectivvalues befitting a freedom.

In the Spanish capital, Rizal met and associated with other Filipino students who formed the
Spanish-Filipino Circle. He also wrote articles for its magazine.

These members of the association requested Rizal to write a poem and this was entitled Me Piden
Versos (They Ask Me for Verse).

Rizal used to visit the home of Don Pablo Ortega y Rey on Saturday evenings and with other
Filipino students, played certain games for amusement and laughed and with his two daughters, Consuelo
and Pila. The spark of love smile in Rizal’s heart by Consuelo’s refined manners and lovely smile was
awakened. Occasionally, Rizal gave her fresh flowers which she affectionately cherished. Because of her
endearing attachment to Leonor Rivera, he suppressed his emotion and did not allow the feelings he had
for Consuelo. Before he left the city in the summer of 1883, he wrote a poem dedicated to Consuelo
Ortega.

Rizal Joined Masonry. In Spain, Rizal was exposed to liberal ideas and cultural influences postulating the
maximum individual freedom of action, especially on matters of personal belief and expression. Being
young and idealistic, he was really impressed by the way Spanish masons spoke on progressive ideas and
values befitting a freedom.
It is believed that he joined Masonary for two inferential reasons: ( 1 ) the abuse committed by
friars against the Filipino people, and ( 2 ) the possible help the Masons could extend as a protective
shield to use in his fight against evil forces of the tyranny and exploitation.
He became a Master Mason in Lodge Solidaridad on November 15, 1890. Since at early childhood
the Catholic doctrine and teaching were implanted deeply in his mind, he continued to have faith in God.

Rizal’s Admiration for Luna and Hidalgo. The year 1884 was particularly important in Philippine history
in the field of painting because that was the year when the two Indios won the attention of the Spanish

19
art establishment for their two entries in the Madrigal Exposition of Fine Arts, where both Juan Luna and
Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo won outstanding honors for their country. Luna’s painting the Spolarium, was
awarded first prize and a gold medal, while hidalgo’s Christian Virgin Exposed to the Populace earned a
silver medal. To commemorate the triumphant event, the community in that city tendered a fraternal
banquet and rousing welcome to the two honored artists at Café Ingles on June 25, 1884. Rizal who was
the main speaker of the occasion, made a short allusion to the Spanish friars in the Philippines as the
enemies of progress. A part of his speech, he assailed with refined sarcasm the bigotry and blindness of
some of some unworthy Spaniards in the Philippines. Rafael Palma observed that “with his speech, Rizal
launched a first attack that naturally produced alarm in the Philippines. He had alluded to the powerful
religious corporation of his country, and they would not forgive him for the insolent allusion. The speech
was novel and daring. Spain had been made to believe that the Philippines was a happy Arcadia where
the Indio’s lived contented and submissive under the aegis of the missionary; and now this young little
student of medicine, this vulgar mesticillo, revealed that his country “humanity was subjected to brute
force, that reason and aspirations are in open fight with prejudice, fanaticism, and injustice.”

Rizal finished the two courses in Medicine and in Philosophy and Letters. He now thought of
specializing in Opthalmology either in England or in Germany. This plan was readily concurred in by his
brother Paciano.

He finished his medical education in June 1884, both was not given his degree of Licentiate until
1887 because he did not have money to pay for the diploma and the degree when the school year ended
in 1884.

Rizal Defends Thesis for a Philosophy and Letters Degree. When he graduated from the Central
University of Madrid with the degree of Philosophy and Letters on June 19,1885, Pro. Miguel de Unamuno,
the Spanish political writer and scholar who was Rizal’s sponsor when he wore the gown. When the time
came for Rizal to read his thesis, the examiners composed of learned men of Spain were to hear that his
subject was the error in the translation of the angels’ song over Bethlehem on the Nativity.

Rizal in a voice that could have been distinguished in a crowd of any size, began his discussion by
pointing out the error in the translation of the angels’ message. He said: In the translation of the church
The message is given as of good will. According to the original Hebrew, the message should run “Glory to
God in the highest, on earth peace and to all men, good will.”

Rizal discussed his subject and answered questions directed to him by the most learned men with
profound knowledge of Madrid and Barcelona for almost one hour. After the oral examinations, he came
out triumphant and was highly praised by the professor-examiners and the savants-men of profound and
extensive learning in the university.

Rizal completed his studies in Philosophy and Letters and was awarded the degree of Licentiate
in Philosophy and Letters by the Universidad Central de Madrid on June 19, 1885, during his 24th birthday.
His scholastic grade was “Excellent” (Sobresaliente).

20
Activity 4

Questions to Answer:

1. Why was Rizal’s departure for Spain kept with utmost secrecy?
2. Why did his sister Saturnina give him a diamond ring before he left for Spain?
3. Singapore is known for its clean and beautiful scenes even during Rizal’s visit many years ago up
to the present time. What do you think why Singapore is such a clean City?
4. Describe Barcelona as a city in Spain.
5. How did Rizal spend his time in the early stage of his sojourn in Barcelona?
6. In what school did he continue his medical course in Spain?
7. In the Spanish capital, whom did Rizal met?
8. What is your understanding of Masonry? Why did Rizal join the organization?
9. Who were the members of the oral examination when he defended his thesis for the degree of
Philosophy and Letters?
10. Why was Rizal not given his degree of Licentiate after finishing his medical course?

21
Chapter 5

Rizal to Paris and to Germany

Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in ophthalmology, a branch of medical
science dealing with the anatomy, functions and diseases of the eye. He has special interest in this branch
of medicine so that he could restore his mother’s sight. In Berlin, he met with prominent German
scientists.

In Paris, Rizal who was then 24 years old and full pledged surgeon decided to go to Paris in order
to further his study and acquire adequate knowledge in ophthalmology. On the way to Paris, he first
stopped at Barcelona to visit a friend Maximo Viola, a medical student belonging to an affluent family of
San Miguel, Bulacan. They planned to tour Europe together after Viola got through with his medical
studies.

Rizal stayed in Paris for almost four months. While in Paris, he kept busy writing his novel. He
became a clinical assistant of Dr. Louis de Weckert, a noted ophthalmologist. During his free time, he
visited his fellow-countrymen – Pardo de Taveras (Trinidad, Felix and Paz) and Juan Luna. The Ilocano
artist later became the husband of Paz Pardo de Tavera.

Juan Luna painted a historical canvass, The Blood Compact in which Rizal posed as Sikatuna and
Trinidad as Legaspi. He also posed from a group picture called “The Death of Cleopatra,” wherein he
dressed as an Egyptian priest.

In Heidelberg. After working as an assistant in Dr. Weckert’s clinic, Rizal left Paris and moved to
Heidelberg, a German City, where he arrived on February 7, 1886. With some German law students, he
lived in a boarding house, who later found out that Rizal was a good chess player. His German friends
recommended him to be a member of the Chess Player’s Club whose members were mostly law students.
While some biographers say that Rizal studied law in the University of Heidelberg, others claim that he
only attended some lectures on various subjects about law to have knowledge on this branch of learning.

While in Heidelberg is a City in Baden – Wurttemberg in West Germany, is famous for its old
universities and beautiful sceneries in the countryside. During his sojourn in this City, Rizal used to take a
walk along the cool banks and crystal clear water of the Neckar River and marveled at the picturesque
sceneries that give character, life and kaleidoscopic colors in its landscape and teeming flowers of various
sizes, shapes, colors and pleasing scents.

On August 6, he attended the celebration of the fifth centenary of the foundation of the University
of Heidelberg. Before leaving the beautiful city, he wrote an ode – a lyric poem expressive of exalted
emotions entitled “A las flores del Heidelberg”.

22
To Frankfurt and Leipzig. Frankfurt and Leipzig are cities in East Germany where Rizal visited by boarding
a train. He also went to Manheim and Cologne, where he had some sight-seeing at the Stadel Art Institute,
the zoological garden and the synagogue at Jew’s Alley. In Leipzig City, he came to know Dr. Hans Meyer,
eminent German scholar, who once visited the Philippines in 1882. Rizal stayed in Leipzig for about time
that he wrote with Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt of Leitmeritz, Austria, the noted ethnologist whom he longed
to meet.

Rizal wrote his first letter in German to Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt, Director of the Ateneo
of Leitmeritz, Austria on July 31, 1886. He had heard of this Austrian ethnologist who had a keen interest
on the branch of Anthropology that analyzes cultures, especially in regards to their historical development
and the similarities and dissimilarities between them. Rizal had the perception that one of the Professor’s
interest was on culture and about the Philippine language.

The book he sent with his letter was entitled Arithmetica (Arithmeticc), published in two
languages – Spanish and Tagalog. This was published by the University of Santo Tomas Press in 1868. To
reciprocate, Blumentritt sent Rizal two books. This was the beginning of their frequent correspondence
and eventually blossomed into a beautiful and lasting friendship.

In was in Leipzig where was inspired to translate Schller’s William Tell from German language to
Tagalog version so that the Filipinos might understand the story of the legendary Swiss patriot who
championed its independence. It might be of interesting to note that William Tell was forced by the
Austrian governor to shoot an apple of his son’s head with bow and arrow. He also translated into Tagalog
version some of the Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales.

His next trip was Dresden, another city in East Germany on the Elbe River where he met Dr. Adolf
B. Meyer, Director of the Zoological and Ethnographical Museum, who also became his friend.

Life in Berlin. Rizal liked Berlin, because of its healthy environment, the warmth of the people and
the absence of the racial discrimination. In this historic city and capital of unified Germany various
accomplished professionals, like Dr. Feodor Jagor, German scientist and author of the book entitled
Travels in the Philippines, which Rizal read with interest during his student’s days in Manila. Mentioned in
this book was the downfall of Spanish rule in the Philippines and the coming of the America to her shores.
Rizal came to know Dr. Rudolf Virchow, a well-known anthropologist and his son. Dr. Hans Virchow, a
distinguished professor of Descriptive Geometry, and Dr. Joest, a famous German geographer through Dr.
Jagor. He also worked in the medical clinic of Dr. Schulzer, a renowned German eye specialist.

Rizal was also invited to give a lecture on the Tagalogs before the Anthropological Society in Berlin.
The paper which he presented in April, 1887, drew encouraging and favorable comments from various
professional scientific journals.

Some biographers deduced that the reasons why Rizal lived in Berlin was because of the following
reasons: e.g. To gain further knowledge in ophthalmology, to gain more insight and understanding in
various sciences and languages, to observe the prevailing political, social and economic conditions, to

23
observe and to learn new knowledge from German scientists and scholars, and to finish writing his novel,
Noli Me Tangere.

Rizal led a realistic life in Berlin as a student and as a tourist. He attended lectures of various
interesting subjects in the University of Berlin. He also did his daily exercises in the Gymnasium to keep
his body physically fit. During his free time, he toured the country side of Berlin and observed with interest
the way of life of the German people. Occasionally, he made some sketches of views and other interesting
scenic spots.

On German Women. Rizal was deeply impressed with the qualities of the German women. He has a high
regard and admiration for they were diligent, hardworking, active, educated, kind-hearted and friendly.
Their mode of dressing is modest; they do not give emphasis to expensive clothes and jewelry.

In contrast, Rizal regretted that in the Philippines some Filipino women are more interested in
beautiful clothes and fine jewelry than the value of education. However, he praised the fine manners,
hospitality, spirituality and their families.

Other German Way of Living. Rizal noted that the German workers were protected by insurance against
the hardships of sickness, accident and old age. The laws on labor hoped to increase the worker’s loyalty
to the Government. Railroad were placed under national control. School’s made patriots of German youth,
and the Kaiser (a German emperor: the title used from 1871-1918) tried to make Berlin the center of
intellectual life of the nation by giving large funds to its university and to organizations of writers and
scientists.

National unity was further increased by the economic growth of Berlin. Hamburg, at the mouth
of the Elbe, was a busy port in Germany and the chief outlet of various businesses for all central Europe,
Berlin was the economic metropolis of the nation.

In one social gathering Rizal attended, he was amused that his attention was caught of the self-
introduction to the guest when a man attends a party or social function. When nobody introduces him to
the guests, he bows his head and shakes the hands of everyone in the room. It is considered a rude manner
for a guest to remain different or aloof, and wait for the host to make the proper introduction. This is
observed and in accordance to the German code of conventional requirements as to social behavior and
appropriate for a person of good breeding.

Rizal Got Sick. Rizal found himself in Berlin, almost penniless although richer in experience. While he was
in this City from early November, 1886 to the second week of May of the following year, he tried to
economize by placing himself on a strict vegetarian diet. For example, he failed to receive his monthly
allowance from brother Paciano. In dire need of money, he even loaned the diamond ring given by his
sister Saturnina to a pawnshop and sold some of his books to second-hand book stores. He could not even
pay his landlord his monthly due. Eating only once a day, he soon became sick and chills, fever and coughs

24
– symptoms of tuberculosis. He was extremely discouraged and disappointed that he was on the point of
burning the manuscript of his novel, Noli.

The NOLI is Published. “Noli Me Tangere…means “do not touch me”. The book contains things of which
no one among ourselves has spoken up to the present; they are so delicate that cannot be touched by
anybody. I have endeavored to answer the calumnies which for centuries had been heaped on us and our
country: I have described the social condition, the life, our beliefs, our hopes, our desires, our grievances,
our griefs…, the facts I narrate are all true and they actually happened; I can prove them.”

Rizal was desperately despondent because he had a slim hope of having Noli published for he was
penniless. winter had set in and his sickness would have been worse were it not for the timely arrival in
December of his wealthy friend Dr. Maximo Viola. Upon the insistence of this magnanimous man from
San Miguel, Bulacan, who loaned 300 pesos to Rizal, Noli was finally printed in March 1887. The author
gave away complimentary copies to Viola, Blumentritt, Resurreccion Hidalgo, Lopez Jaena, Juan Luna,
Marcelo H. del Pilar and Regidor. Blumentritt said: This is the first impartial and daring book on the life of
the Tagalogs. The government and the Spanish friars will probably fight the book, that is, they will attack
it, but I confide in God and the truth and in the people who have seen our sufferings at close range”. Rizal
was right his novel raised a tempest and he made more enemies in his country.

Rizal received formal expression of high praise for his novel and these were sent by Antonio
Regidor and Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt. Regidor, a Filipino exile of 1872 in London, said that “the
book was superior” and that “if Don Quixote has made its author immortal because he exposed to the
world the sufferings of Spain, you Noli Me Tangere will bring you to equal glory.” Blumentritt after reading
Rizal’s Noli, wrote and congratulated its author saying…Your work as we Germans say has been written
with blood of the heart. Your work has exceeded my hopes and considers myself happy to have been
honored with your friendship. Not only I, but also your country may feel for having in you a patriotic and
loyal son. If you continue so, you will be to your people one of those great men who will exercise a
determinative influence over the progress of their spiritual life.”

Rizal’s friends and admirers praise with pride the Noli and its author. On the other hand, his
enemies were bitter in attacking and condemning the same. Probably no other work or writing of another
Filipino author, has aroused as much acrimonious debate not only among the Filipinos but also among the
reactionary foreigners as the Noli of Rizal. In the Philippines, this novel was attacked and condemned by
a Faculty Committee in 1887. The Committee said that it found the book “heretical, impious, and
scandalous to the religious order, and unpatriotic and subversive to public order, libelous to the
Government of Spain and its political policies in these Islands, “while the Commission recommended that
the importation, reproduction, and circulation of this pernicious book in the Islands be absolutely
prohibited.”

It should be noted that the coming down to our contemporary political time, during the
Congressional discussion and hearings on the (Noli-Fili) bill in 1956, the proponents and opponents of the
bill also engaged themselves in a heated, bitter and long-drawn-out debate that finally resulted in the

25
enactment of a compromise measure, now known as Republic Act 425 (Rizal Law) and signed by President
Ramon Magsaysay on June 12, 1956.

The attacks on Rizal’s first novel were not only confined in the Philippines but were also staged in
the Spanish Capital – Madrid. Senator Fernando Vida, Deputy and ex-General Luis M. de Pando, and
Pramides Mateo Sagasta where among those who unjustly lambasted and criticized Rizal and his Noli in
two chambers of the Spanish Cortes in 1888 and 1899. It is interesting and comforting to learn, however,
that about thirteen years later, U.S. Congressmen Henry Allen Cooper of Wisconsin delivered on June
19,1902 an eulogy of Rizal and he even recited the Filipino martyr’s Ultimo Pensamiento (last thoughts)
on the floor of the United States House of Representatives in order to prove to his colleagues the capacity
of the Filipinos for self-government. The U.S. Congressmen said in part: “ It has been said that if American
institutions had done nothing else than furnish to the world the character of George Washington, that
alone would entitle them to the respect of mankind, so I say categorically to all those who denounce the
Filipinos indiscriminately as barbarians and savages, without possibility of a civilized future, that this
despised raced proved itself entitled to their self- respect and to the respect of mankind when it furnished
to the whole world the character of Jose Rizal.” Such statements reverberated in the Halls of U.S.
Congress. The results of this speech and the appeal of Representative Cooper, in effect, were the
resounding approval of what is popularly known as the Philippine Bill of 1902, which granted the Filipinos
a large measure of participation in running the social, economic, and political affairs of their government.

26
Activity 5

Questions to Answer:

1. Why did Rizal go to Paris and Germany? What was this primary purpose in going there?
2. What is Opthalmology?
3. While in Heidelberg, how did Rizal spend his days?
4. Can you describe Heidelberg as a city in West Germany?
5. In Leipzeg, whom did Rizal meet? What was the significance of the said meeting?
6. Who was Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt? What brought about their personal relationship?
7. What was Rizal’s life in Berlin?
8. What were the reasons why he stayed in Berlin quite longer time in any places in Germany?
9. How did Rizal describe German women?
10. Who was the man who helped Rizal so that the novel “Noli” will be printed?

27
Chapter 6

Touring Europe with Dr. Viola.

After the publication of Noli Me Tangere in Berlin, Rizal and Dr. Viola left the city on May 11, 1887.
May is an ideal month for travel since the season of the Spring started to fill the air and flowers of sizes,
shapes and colors with pleasing scents start to bloom that excited admiration. They first visited Potsdam.
In this city, they saw the fantastic and imposing Mausoleum enclosing the marble statues of Frederick the
Great and his consort and the magnificent palaces and the historic windmills.

They next visited Dresden, one of the cities in Germany. The city has botanical gardens were
different plants are exhibited for viewing and scientific study; monuments and landmarks maintained with
their aesthetic and historical significance; museums were beautiful work of art and other objects of
paramount importance and permanent values are displayed and kept; and magnificent buildings adorned
with classical splendor.

Rizal and Viola were impressed with the beautiful and educational things, objects and structures
who were virtually overjoyed to see them.in Teschen (now Decin) a place in Central Europe, they wired
professor Blumentritt to inform him of their arrival at Leitmeritz (Litsmerice), Bohemia. Professor
Blumentritt received their wire and was standing and waiting for Rizal and Dr. Viola at the train station.
They stepped down from the train and received a very warm welcome from Professor Blumentritt.

Rizal was overwhelmed with joy because finally he and Blumentritt who came to know each other
through correspondence met in person as he introduced Dr. Viola to the kind-hearted Austrian professor.
The professor was delighted to see Rizal and spontaneously embraced him like a loving son.

After an exchange of pleasantries, Blumentritt helped the two Filipino doctors to get a room at
Hotel Krebs, after which he invited them to his house. Blumentritt remarked to Viola “that Rizal was the
greatest product of the Philippines and that his coming to the world was like the appearance of a new
rare comet, whose rare brilliance appears only every other century.” It was also Blumentritt said: “Not
only is Rizal the most prominent man of his own people, but the greatest man the Malayan race has ever
produced. His memory will never perish in his fatherland, and future generations of Spaniards will yet
learn to utter his name with respect and reverence. An enemy of Spain he has never been.” During their
week’s stay at Leitmeritz, Rizal tutored his kind-hearted host in Tagalog. While in Leitmeritz for a few days
Rizal met another well-known scientist of Europe Dr. Czepelak and Dr. Klutschach. Both scientist where
highly pleased to meet the Filipino scholar. They had some pleasant conversations about the Philippines
and Leitmerit.

Rizal and viola were also invited to a meeting of the Tourists’ Club of Leitmeritz, where Blumentritt
was the secretary. In this occasion Rizal spoke extemporaneously in an almost perfect German to the
officers and members of the club, praising Austria’s idyllic scenes – favorite subjects of artists, writers and
poets and its warm, hospitable, nature-loving and noble people. The audience was extremely impressed
by his fluency and eloquence in German that they gave him a resounding applause. Rizal made a pencil

28
sketch of his host and gave it to him. Blumentritt was pleased with the fine gift as a gesture of their mutual
friendship.

Blumentritt was a gentle great tourist guide. He visited and showed the picturesque sceneries and
historical spots of Leitmeritz to Rizal and Viola.

On their last night in Leitmeritz, Rizal and Viola invited the Blumentritt family in their hotel and
tendered a farewell dinner. The dinner was memorable for it was an occasion for Rizal and Viola to express
their profound gratitude to their host.

The next day, May 17, at around 9:30 in the morning, Rizal and Viola left Leitmeritz by train. Viola
observed “the whole Blumentritt family and their friends were at the railroad station to see us, as the
train moved on slowly. Tears were shed by everyone present as we left for Prague”.

In Prague. From Leitmeritz, Rizal and Viola went to Prague, a historic city and the capital of Czechoslovakia
on the western part of the Moldau River. Blumentritt gave the two Filipino doctors leeters of
recommendation to Dr. Wellkomm, Professor of History in the University of Prague. The genial professor
welcomed them and after a while, he accompanied and showed the two, the city’s historic places,
important landmarks and interesting spots. They visited the tomb of Nicolaus Copernicus, the famous
Polish astronomer; the museum of natural history; the bacteriological laboratories; the famous and widely
celebrated cave where San Juan Nepomuceno, the Catholic saint and martyr was incarcerated, and the
bridge where the saint was thrown into the river.

After staying a few days at Prague the two tourists went to Vienna via Brunn. For Viola, “nothing
of importance happened” in Brunn.

In Vienna. Rizal and Viola arrived in the City of Vienna, capital of Austria. This beautiful city is famous in
songs and beautiful stories that impressed the two doctors. They spent four days visiting beautiful building
and examining sacred images and statues. In Vienna, they lodged at the Hotel Metropole. They also visited
interesting places, e.g. art galleries and museums, churches, public parks and recreation centers.

To change the panorama, in the course of their travels, they decided to take a small boat that
traveled along the famous and romantic Danube River to see the beautiful sceneries. As the boat traversed
along the river, Rizal was astounded to the river that couldn’t help composing beautiful melody. He was
so charmed by the scenario and the lovely waltzes. As they traveled, Rizal observed interesting spots –
the various plants and flowers growing along the river banks, boats loaded with passengers who were
traveling, barges loaded with passenger products that are being towed, archaic villages on the riversides
that are serene and peaceful, a favorite subject for photographers, writers, artists, and other lovers of art.

In Lintz (Linz) and Rheinfall. The end of Danube River voyage of Rizal and Viola ended in Lintz.
They left Austria from Salzburg, the city in West Austria and the birthplace of Mozart and re-entered
German soil upon arrival at the beautiful city of Munchen (Munich) on May 27. Since the best beer in all

29
Germany was brewed there, they drank much of Munich beer in the famous beer gardens of that city.
From Munich, they went to Nuremberg, a city in Central Barabia in West Germany and the site of trials
(1945-46) of Nazis accused of war crimes. They saw the horrible torture machines used by authorities in
investigating cases on political or religious nature, characterized by lack of regard for individual rights,
prejudice on the part of the examiners and recklessly cruel punishments. Rizal and Viola had a close look
on this dreadful machine. While in Nuremberg they visited a factory whose biggest industry is the
fabrication of beautiful dolls that invade all markets of the world.

From Munich, they went to Ulm, a city in East Baden – Wurttemberg in Germany. At this city, they
visited the biggest and tallest cathedral in Germany. They climbed its many hundred steps. Viola related
as they ascended the steps he rested twice on the way to the tower to catch his breath, while Rizal climbed
continuously without having a stop until he finally reached the top. The last day of May found them at
Shuttgard, another city in Germany, then Baden and finally to Bin Waterfall, “the most beautiful waterfall
of Europe.”

In the part June, Rizal and Viola crossed the Swiss border, making brief stops successively at
Schaffhausen, Basle, Bern, and Lausanne. They disembarked at Geneva, seat of the League of Nations.
The people of Geneva speak French, Italian, and German. In this beautiful and most visited city of
Switzerland, Rizal and Viola spent some afternoons on exciting boat trips. It was on this boat trips that
Rizal showed his skills in rowing and steering a boat which he acquired during his boyhood days by the
shore of picturesque Laguna de Bay. The genius from Calamba celebrated his 26th birthday in this
wonderful city. On the following day, the two bosom friends parted at the Swiss border, Rizal went to
Italy, while Viola returned to Barcelona.

Rizal in Rome. Rizal was enticed by Rome – capital of Italy, ancient capital of the Roman Empire, site of
the Vatican City, and seat of the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. In one occasion, he went to view
St. Petr’s Dome by Michelangelo and Giacomo dela Porta, and St. Peter’s Basilica, the first known Christian
church dedicated in 326 A.D. by Emperor Constantine, and there he was very much impressed by the fine
example of Renaissance architecture. The splendor and grandeur of Rome did not escape Rizal’s love for
beauty and appreciation. In one of his delightful days in this historic and beautiful city, he also witnessed
the faithful Catholics jam St. Peter’s square at the Vatican City to receive the blessings of the Supreme
Pontiff. He was deeply touched by the outpouring manifestation of faith by the Catholics on the Supreme
Being. While in Vatican, he took advantage of attending the fiesta of St. Peter and St. Paul.

On June 27, he wrote two letters from Rome: one to his parents, the other to his friend,
Blumentritt
He was extremely delighted with the Coliseum and the Roman Forum. There, he remained seated
for hours, contemplating everything and recreating life to the ruins. He stayed in the Forum until 8 o’clock
in the evening. He was alone contemplating the spot, until it had grown dark. He also visited the Capitoline
Museum, the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and other magnificent edifices. In Rome, the word glorious
is inadequate. He wanted to stay in this city until the last minute and forego visiting other places. For him,
the Popes who had always seemed to him small and quite ridiculous now appear greater after seeing their
beautiful churches.

30
 Truly, Ancient Rome attracted and enticed Rizal tremendously and he regretted having spent a
long time in Geneva.

But in spite of his five years sojourn in Europe, Rizal still remained a true Filipino in soul and at
heart. He said: “Still I am not Europeanized like other Filipinos in Madrid say: I always like to return to the
country of my birth. Indeed, Rizal was a true Filipino.”

Back to Calamba. The fascinating and beautiful places, Rizal had seen and the pleasant memories of his
sojourn in various foreign lands could not make him forget the land of his birth and affection. Indeed,
there is no place like home. After almost five years of memorable temporary stay in Europe, he left Rome
by train headed for Marseilles on July 3, 1887. He boarded Djemnah, the same ship that brought him to
Europe five years ago. There were about fifty passengers – composed of Englishmen, Germans, Chinese,
Japanese and Frenchmen. The streamer has electric light and was very comfortable. He slept on the upper
deck, heard soft music and played chess with other passengers. He was the only one passenger in the boat
who could speak many languages, so acted as an interpreter for the Germans, Japanese, Chinese and
Italian. After leaving Men, a seaport in the People’s Republic of Yemen, the sea became rough because of
bad weather so he became seasick and some of his books got wet.

Rizal’s family was apprehensive about his safety., so Paciano did not leave him after his arrival to
protect him from any untoward incident. Even his father did not allow him to go out alone for something
bad might happened.

Rizal kept busy during his entire stay in his hometown. He opened a medical clinic and his first
patient was his mother. With adequate knowledge about the science of Opthalmology and his surgical
skill acquired in the best eye clinics in Europe, he successfully removed the cataract from his mother’s
eyes. He cured the sick, performed operations and visited many patients in Calamba and neighboring
towns. He became famous as an eye specialist and surgeon and even called Doctor Uliman because he
was mistaken by the ignorant folks for a German. His professional fees were reasonable, sometime even
gratis to the poor. Within a short of time he was able to earn $900, as a physician.

Rizal kept himself busy and other times he painted other beautiful landscapes in his hometown
and even translated Von Wildernath’s poems in Tagalog version.

Rizal was different from many successful medical practitioners because he did not selfishly devote
all his time to enrich himself. He opened a gymnasium for the young men in Calamba and introduced
various European sports. He tried to induced his town mates to indulge in gymnastics, fencing and
shooting to discourage them from engaging in cockfighting and other types of gambling because these
activities have long been regarded by many Filipinos to be their favorite pastimes.

Summoned to Malacaňan. A month after his return to Calamba, Rizal received a letter from Governor-
General Emilio Terrero to come to Malacaňan . perhaps somebody must have reached his ears that the
“Noli” contained subversive thoughts inciting the Filipinos to go against the government. In the palace,

31
the Governor-General informed Rizal that the Noli Me Tangere caused much uproar among the
government authorities and that he wanted to have a copy of the book and wanted to read the novel if
he could furnish one. After having the book and read apparently, Governor Terrero saw nothing wrong in
the novel. He even assigned a personal bodyguard to protect Rizal during the duration of the authors stay
in the Philippines. The Governor-General who was board-minded was aware that Rizal’s might be in
danger because the friars were very powerful. For security reasons, he was given a bodyguard. This
bodyguard was Don Jose Taviel de Andrade, a Lieutenant of the Civil Guard of a noble family who could
speak English and French and could draw pretty well.

Powerful Enemies. A copy of the much-talked about “Noli” was sent to Father Rector Gregorio Echavarria
of the University of Santo Tomas by Archbishop Pedro Payo for examination. A committee composed of
Dominican faculty was created to examine and evaluate the novel and finally gave the results. The
committee found the book scandalous to the religious order, impious, subversive to public order and
libelous to the Government of Spain and its political policies in the Philippines. The enemies of Rizal were
happy because the novel was absolutely prohibited. But the banning of the Noli only served to make it
more popular because everybody would like to have a copy and read it. In spite of the Government
prohibition, many Filipinos got hold of the Noli which they read secretly.

Calamba’s Agrarian Problem. The Chief Executive ordered a government investigation of the friar estates
to look into the sources of the agrarian problem in Calamba Hacienda owned by the Dominican Order.
The Governor-General ordered the Civil Governor of Laguna Province directing the Municipal government
of Calamba to investigate the agrarian conditions in their jurisdiction.

The tenants of Calamba listed their legitimate grievances against the hacienda management and sought
the help of Rizal. The findings which were formally submitted to the government for appropriate action,
were as follows:
1. The hacienda of the Dominican Order comprised not only the lands around Calamba, but the town
of Calamba.
2. The profits of the Dominican Order continually increased because of the arbitrary increase of the
rentals paid by the tenants.
3. The hacienda owner never contributed a single centavo for the celebration of the town fiesta, for
the education of the children, and for the improvement of agriculture.
4. Tenants who had spent much labor in clearing the lands were dispossessed of said lands for flimsy
reasons.
5. High rates of interest were arbitrarily charged the tenants for delayed payment of rentals, and
when the rentals could not be paid, the hacienda management confiscated their work animals,
tools and farm implements.

It should be noted that there was no action taken by the government on the legitimate grievances of
the tenants in Calamba. What was even unfortunate, the Dominican Friars in retaliation, persecuted th
helpless tenants.

32
 The Calamba tenants sought government protection from the friars wrath and through the help
of Rizal submitted petition about their helpless plight to Malacaňan Palace, but the friars were so powerful
at that time and no government action was made.

Rizal Leaves Calamba. Rizal was compelled to leave Calamba because his stay might expose his family
and friends to danger causing worry and anxiety and perhaps he could better expose the excesses of the
government and the greedy and ruthless friars through his pen in foreign countries. He was also advised
by the General-Governor Terrero to leave the Philippines for his own good.

In September, 1887, he wrote his bosom friend, Blumentritt and told him that he was decided to
leave his country again and return to Europe, simply because his powerful enemies made his stay not
endurable. He said: “They take me for a German spy, an agent of Bismarcic a Protestant, a mason, a witch,
and a condemned soul.”

33
Activity 6

Questions to Answer:
1. Why is Dresden, one of the cities of Germany an attraction to tourist?
2. While n Leitmeritz whom did Rizal meet?
3. What important places and landmarks in Prague did Rizal and Viola visit?
4. What can you say about Vienna the capital of Austria.
5. Why is the Danube River in Vienna famous among artist and tourist?
6. Why is Amadeus Wolfgan Mozart famous in the field music? What is his Nationality?
7. What was the site of trials in 1945-1946 of Nazis accused of war crimes?
8. Where can the biggest and tallest Cathedral in Germany be found?
9. What is the most beautiful waterfall in Europe?
10. While in Vatican, what did Rizal witness from the faithful Catholics that he was deeply touched?

34
Chapter 7

Rizal in Hongkong, Japan and Amerika

Rizal was forced to go abroad for the second time and to part from his family and friends in
February, 1888. He was still sick and weak so he did not get off his ship when it made a short stopover at
Amoy. He sailed for Hongkong and sojourned there for two weeks. Writing to Blumentritt he said: “I am
returning to Europe by way of Japan and the United States. We should see each other again. I have so
much to tell you. At last I can write freely and express my thoughts without fear of censorship.”

In the British colony he was met by Filipino resident, e.g., Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and
other exiles of 1872. Rizal spent much of his stay there with Basa, who accompanied him on a visit to
Macao. He wrote in his diary, “Macao is small and gloomy. There are many junks, sampans, and few
steamers. It looks sad and is almost dead.”

While in Macao, Rizal visited Cathedral and churches, pagodas, temples, shrines, theaters,
botanical garden and bazaars. He studied Chinese way of life – their customs and traditions, language and
theater arts. In his diary, his experiences were briefly written:
1. The celebration of Chinese new year was very noisy because of the continuous explosions of
firecrackers on the streets. Rich Chinese had more firecrackers to explode.
2. Chinese theaters are usually boisterous because of the different percussion instruments used
by the participants in addition to the noise created by the audience.
3. The Lauriat party, wherein the guests were served a variety of dishes such as century eggs,
shark fins, white pecking ducks, chicken fried and with vinegar, roaster pigs, fish, shrimps, tea,
and dried fruits.
4. The Dominican Order was the richest religious order in Hongkong, had millions of dollars
deposited in various banks earning fabulous interests.
5. Hongkong grave yards for the Catholics, Protestants and Muslims are well-kept.

After his brief sojourn in Hongkong, Rizal left the place on board the S.S. Oceania, an American
streamer bound for Japan.

Rizal In Japan. Rizal arrived at Yokohama on February 28, 1888 and stayed at Grand Hotel. The following
day, he proceeded to Tokyo and stayed there for a few days. Upon invitation, he lived in the Spanish
Legation – the official headquarters of a minister in the diplomatic service for about a moth, during which
period he visited the provinces, learned Japanese and dedicated himself to the study of the Japanese
theater, art and language.

He was very much impressed in the city of Tokyo. In his letter to Blumentritt, he said: “Tokyo is
bigger than Paris.” The vast walls are built in cyclopean character. The streets are wide and well-lighted.

35
 Rizal, a keen observer and the things which impressed him most about Japan were:
1. The beauty of the country- its plants and flowers along the streets, mountains covered by snow
during the winter seasons, the Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) on its peak blooming season, the streams
flowing with crystal clear water, the rivers and lakes that abound with various type of fish other
beautiful sceneries.
2. The Japanese have a great fondness of gardens, stemming perhaps from a sense of having lived in
harmony with nature for so long. They tend to fill any open spaces on their plots with trees and
plants no matter how small these spaces maybe.
3. The Japanese women in Kimono, simple but gracious.
4. In Japan seeing a guest’s needs is an important part of serving as host.
5. Even on simplest occasion, a gift is customarily taken along and presented as an expression of the
giver’s respect and good will. Seasonal gifts are important aspects of their culture.
6. The basic form of greeting as a sign of politeness is to bow.
7. There are few thieves in Japan. The housed remained open day and night and other valuable
articles on the table without being lost.
8. There were few beggars and are rarely seen in the city streets.
9. The houses were very clean, have plenty of fresh air and sunlight and multi-functional.
10. The Japanese are happy; fights are not seen in the streets and the people are very industrious.

But in spite of the many beautiful and pleasant experiences he had, he was quite disgusted to see men
pulling richshaws like horses. Rizal was really attracted by

Rizal Romantic Interlude with O-Sei-San. Rizal’s romance with the Japanese lady named O-Sei-San
started in early spring on March, 1888, when entered a department store in Yokohama to buy something.
At the counter, Rizal asked the lady whether she knew English. To his surprise, she answered him in the
English language. This was the beginning of his frequent visits to the department store.

Meanwhile, he came to know about the name of the Japanese lady in the succeeding days. Her
name was Seiko Usui and her friends called her O-Sei-San, her pet name. Rizal was really attracted by her
beauty, simplicity, charm, and intelligence. Aside from knowing English she was very fluent in French.

The friendship developed into a beautiful relationship. The cherry blossoms, the sweet cool
breeze and the romantic climate in Springtime contributed immensely to an emotional intimacy.

O-Se-San loved Rizal and her love was reciprocated by Rizal’s sincere affection. They spent
memorable and happy days by visiting magnificent temples, shrines, pagodas, castles and pavilions, art
galleries, museums, Japanese gardens and parks and other beautiful and historical spots.

They walked along the parks with hands firmly clasped while they shared their experiences. Rizal
and O-Sei-San loved theatre arts and attended Kabuki plays. In one occasion, O-Sei-San invited him to a
Tea Ceremony (cha.no-yu), a Japanese customary social tradition which signifies harmony, reverence,
purity and tranquility.

36
 The irresistible beauty, warmth and affection of O-Sei-San almost made Rizal to stay in Japan for
good, but fate had its own way. His great love for O-Sei San is reflected and attested in his diary on the
day of his departure to wit.
By the middle of April 1882, he boarded the Belgic, and English steamer at Yokohama, bounded
for the United States of America, Sayonara Japan…You have been a part of my life!

Rizal In America. The ship with Rizal onboard docked at San Francisco Port but because of a strict
quarantine, he and the other first class passengers were not allowed to disembark until May 4, 1888.
Later, he discovered that the ship was placed under quarantine because of racial prejudice. The ship was
carrying 643 Chinese coolies – unskilled laborers. At that time cheap coolie labor coming from China and
other oriental countries were not allowed to enter the United States of America because white laborers
were being displaced in the construction of railroad tracks and other infrastructure facilities.

After a few days of quarantine, all first class passengers, including Rizal, were allowed to land,
however, the Chinese and Japanese passengers remained on board for a longer quarantine period.

In San Francisco, Rizal stayed at Palace Hotel, a first class hotel in the City. He paid 4 dollars a day
with bath and everything. In his diary, he wrote: “I saw the Golden Gate Bridge- a marvel of Engineering
and one of the most beautiful structures of its kind. No stores are open on Sunday. The best street in San
Francisco is Market Street.”

Mentioned was also made in his diary, the name of Leland Stanford, the millionaire Senator in
California and the founder of Standford University in Palo Alto, California. After staying in San Francisco
for two days he left for Oakland. In Oakland, he took an overland train- a railroad sleeping car (Pullman)
and passed Sacramento, Reno, Ogden, Omaha, Chicago and Albany bound to New York City. Rizal’s diary
contained various interesting and exciting travel observations as be crossed the American Continent to
wit.

In New York. Rizal arrived at New York on a Sunday morning and ended his trip across the American
continent full of exciting experiences. He stayed in New York which he called the “big town” for a few days
to visit some scenic and historical places. In New York, it seemed that everything is new. He visited the
monument of George Washington, a magnificent memorial to a Great American. He wrote to Ponce: “He
is a great man, the likes of whom I feel this century will have none.”

On May 16, 1888, he left New York for Liverpool, a seaport in Southwestern Lancashire in England,
on the Mersey estuary on board City of Rome, the second biggest boat in the whole world, they say. As
the boat moved away from the pier, Rizal saw Brooklyn Bridge and moments later, he was awed by the
huge and majestic Statue of Liberty on Bedloe Island. In the boat, many passengers of different countries
were surprised to hear me speak all their perspective languages.

He arrived at Liverpool, England on May 24, and the nest day he began his life in London.

37
The Impressions of Rizal vis-à-vis America. For Rizal, the good impressions include the following:

The tremendous material progress of the country as evidenced in the big cities with tall
skyscrapers; flourishing manufacturing industries; scientific methods of farming and other fields of
agriculture; the drive and energy to increase production level; the high standard of living; the natural
beauties of the land and its mineral deposits; better health and medical care, advanced methods of
education and better opportunities for better life extended to poor immigrants.

While “America is undoubtedly a great country, but it still has defects, he wrote to Mariano Ponce,
“There is no true civil liberty. In some states, the Negro cannot marry a white woman, nor a white man a
negress…nevertheless, as they truly say, American offers a fatherland for the poor who wish to work.”

In one occasion, in his brief sojourn in Brussels he met Jose Alejandro who was studying in
Belgium. One day, Alejandro asked Rizal: “What impressions do you have of America?”

“America”, answered Rizal, “is the land par excellence of freedom but only for the whites.”

38
Activity 7
Questions to Answer:

1. Why did Rizal leave the country for the second time and parted from his family and friends?
2. In the British colony, who were the Filipinos who met him?
3. How did Rizal describe Macao?
4. Is there difference between Chinese culture in the Philippines and in Hong Kong?
5. How do the Chinese celebrate their New Year in Hong Kong?
6. What did Rizal answered to Jose Alejandro regarding his impressions about America?
7. Why was Rizal impressed in the City of Tokyo?
8. What is the basic form of greeting as a sign of politeness in Japan?
9. Describe Tokyo as a city and compare it from Manila.
10. Who was O-Se-San? Why did Rizal fall in love with her?

39
Chapter 8

Rizal in London, Paris, Brussels, and Madrid

Rizal in London. Rizal left for London and lived there from May, 1888 to March 1889, to copy, study and
made the annotation of Dr. Antonio de Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Events in the Philippine
Islands) a rare copy of which he heard to be available and kept in the British Museum in order to make his
people know the past history of their country. He also believed that London was a safe and better place
for him to plan and carry on his determined effort to fight the injustices committed by the Spanish tyranny
and misrule. While in London, he kept himself busy exhausting all available means to conduct research on
Filipiniana Studies. He completed annotating Morga’s book, he wrote several articles for La Solidaridad.

In this city, he stayed temporarily as a guest at the residence of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, an exile
of 1872 who was a law practitioner. Sometime in May, he moved to a boarding place No. 37 Chalcot
Crescent Primerose Hill. He was a boarder in the house occupied by Mr. Beckett, organist of St. Paul’s
Cathedral, paying two pounds sterling a week.

Rizal also came to know Dr. Reinhold Rost, librarian of the India Office and an authority on
Malayan customs and languages. Dr. Rost was impressed with Riza’s manners and called him una perla de
Hombre (a pearl of a man).

Rizal spent much of his time in British Museum looking for valuable pieces of historical literature
about the Philippines. Occasionally, he visited the house of Dr. Rost and exchanged pleasant discussions
about London and the Philippines.

Good and Bad News. While in London, Rizal received some disturbing news from his country. These were
the exile of his brother-in-law who was denied a Christian burial; the arbitrary arrest and imprisonment
of Laureano Viado, a Sto. Tomas medical student, who was found in possession of a copy of Noli Me
Tangere; and the continued Calamba Agrarian problem where the tenants, including the Rizal family were
being persecuted by the Spanish authorities.

One news, however, cheered him that Father Vicente Garcia, an old theologian and philosopher
wrote an able defense of his Noli against the attacks of Fr. Rodriguez and other friars. The good news
came from Mariano Ponce. From London, Rizal made brief visits to Paris and Madrid. Early in September,
he was in the French capital in order to search thoroughly the Bibliotheque Nacionale for any old book on
the Philippines. Before going back to London, Juan Luna and his wife tendered him with a party in which
all the Filipinos in Paris were present. Then on December 11, Rizal made a flying trip of twelve days to
Madrid and Barcelona to survey the conditions among his countrymen in Spain. There, he met for the first
time Mariano Ponce and Marcelo H. del Pilar, pillars of La Solidaridad and the Propaganda Movement. He
exchanged ideas about the Philippines and these two Filipinos promised to cooperate in the struggle for
reforms.

40
Christmas in London. Rizal spent his Christmas in London and New Year’s Eve, for the first time in this
city and was extremely delighted to experience the holiday season. In his diary, he wrote: It is the holiday,
“I like best to celebrate. It reminds me of the many memorable days not only my early childhood, but also
of history.” On this day, a great genius and prophet was born to preach truth, love, beauty, and goodness.
He suffered on his messianic zeal to save the world. “How it shocks me to see some people misuse his
name to commit many crimes.”

Rizal spent his Christmas with the Beckett family in Primerose Hill. Gertrude, one of the Beckett
girls, was getting infatuated with him but the gentlemen from Calamba was still faithful to Leonor Rivera.
To make her forget him, he hurriedly left London for Paris in the middle of March, 1889.

Rizal’s Writing in London. In London be annotated Morga’s work. He also wrote articles for La Solidaridad.
He wrote La Vision de Fray Rodriguez, where he demonstrated his profound knowledge of religion and his
style in satire.

The “Letter to the Young Women of Malolos” was written in London. This was written through
the request of Marcelo H. del Pilar to praise the young women of Malolos for their courage and
determined effort to establish a school where they could learn Spanish.

The important points of his letter were: 1) Filipino mothers should teach their children love of
God, country and fellowmen; 2) Filipino mothers should be glad and honored, like Spartan mothers, to
offer their sons in the defense of their country; 3) Filipino women should know how to protect their dignity
and honor; 4) Filipino women should educate themselves aside from retaining their good racial virtues;
and 5) Faith is not merely reciting prayers and wearing religious pictures, but rather it is living the real
Christian way with good morals and good conduct.

Dr. Rost who specialized on Asian Studies and Culture and editor of Trubner’s Record, requested
Rizal to contribute articles for publication which he readily acceded. These were Specimens of Tagal
Folklore” and “ Two Eastern Fables” were both published. “The Specimens of Tagal Folklore dealt with
Filipino proverbs and puzzles while the “The Two Eastern Fables” dealt with a comparative study of
Philippines and Japanese folklore.

On January 12,1889, Rizal with some Filipinos and their Spanish friends in Madrid organized a
society, Asociacion Hispano Filipina (Spanish Filipina Association). The primary objective was to work for
the needed reforms which the Propaganda Movement had initiated and continued to carry on. Elected
president and vice-president respectively were Don Miguel Morayta, a Spanish professor and General
Felipe de las Cone; while the secretary was Dr. Dominador Gomez.

The need for an organ of the Propaganda to neutralize the false, malicious and defamatory articles
designed to injure the reputation of the Filipinos written by Spanish detractors and mercenaries was
evidently felt by the Filipinos in Spain that consequently led to the founding of La Solidaridad. Graciano
Lopez Jaena became the editor of the periodical of the Propaganda. To demonstrate his unwavering

41
support of the Organ, Rizal contributed articles regularly in the La Solidaridad using his pen names –
Dimasalang and Laong Laan.

Rizal Left London. Some inferred that one of the reason why Rizal left London hastily and moved to Paris,
so that Gertrude Beckett may forget him.

But before leaving London, he curved several fine and realistic sculptural works governed by a
great and detailed attention to anatomical shapes and proportions. These were “Promethus Bound”, “The
Triumph of Death over Life”, “The Triumph of Science Over Death” and the composite curving of the
beautiful faces of the three Beckett sisters. “The Triumph of Death Over Life” and “The Triumph of Science
Over Death” were given to Blumentritt as gifts; while the composite curving of the Beckett’s sister faces
were given to the Beckett family as a farewell gift.

As he left London, he could not help reminisced the beautiful and memorable experiences he had
as he crossed the English Channel enroute to Paris. In his diary, he wrote: “London, you’ve been a part of
life…Goodbye.”

In Paris. Rizal arrived in Paris about two months before the opening of the International Exposition to
commemorate French Independence. Wanting to seize this occasion to place his county on the map, he
proposed the formation of an International Association of Filipinologists under the presidency of
Blumentritt and with himself as secretary. His plan called for the holding of a Congress of Filipinologists
as a feature of the Exposition, but the French government limited the number of international
conferences; hence, Rizal’s project was postponed. However, he organized two societies of Filipinos who
were in Paris at that time; one was the Kidlat Club, the other the Indios Bravos. The Kidlat Club was
founded simply to bring together young Filipinos in the French capital in order that they could enjoy their
stay in the city during the international exposition. On the other hand, Indios Bravos taught its members
to be proud of being Filipinos and with intense desire pledged to their best to excel in intellectual and
physical capability to catch the attention of the Spaniards and win their administration and respect.

Rizal spent most of his time in the reading room of the Biblio Nationale, checking up with accuracy
his historical annotations on Morga’s book in order to make the Filipino people know the past of their
country.he spent his leisure hours visiting his Filipino friends engaged in sculpturing, sketching or painting
beautiful objects and views and attending scientific and cultural lectures, going to theater, attending
parties and decent diversion. On one occasion, he attended a lecture on Oriental culture in the University
of Paris with Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera.

Rizal’s Annotated Morga’s Book Published. As a matter of record, the publication of Rizal’s annotated
edition of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas which he painstakingly wrote in the British Museum was
his tangible and outstanding achievement in Paris. He dedicated his valuable historical work to his
countrymen. Blumentritt wrote the Prologue commending Rizal for hid historical intellectual scholarship.
However, he could not hide his observation and constructive comment about some flaws that should be

42
pointed out as a matter of record. For Blumentritt, Rizal like some historians commit the flaw in comparing
and appraising the events of the past against the prevailing conditions which apparently are different and
the virtual attacks on the church were fundamentally unfair and do not conform to approved standards
of ethics because the abused of friars should not be construed to mean that Catholicism is bad.

Rizal’s annotated Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas was truly an excellent and inspirational
peace of historiography because it can be considered the best of the many histories of the Philippines
written by the early Spanish writers, being accurate in facts and events and unbiased judgment.

Romance with Adelina. In Paris, Rizal became fond of Adelina, a young talented quiet and unaffected
lady with refined manners. The Boustead couple has two daughters Nelly, the older and Adelina the
younger.

Rizal and Luna (Antonio) used to visit the Boustead family in Paris. In the course of their frequent
visits at the Boustead home, Nelly was infatuated with Rizal because of his wit, talent and fine manners.
But because he loved Adelina, he did not even how any sign of affection for Nelly. On the other hand,
Luna had strong feelings for Nelly, but she (Nelly) did have any iota of love for him.

Luna became jealous of Rizal because Nelly was obviously in love the talented gentlemen from
Calamba, because she showered him attention. Luna thought all the while that Rizal was deliberately
alienating Nelly’s affection for him. To maintain and keep their friendship alive he told Luna that he had
no feelings for Nelly. Luna challenged him to duel but fortunately the matter was settled amicably by their
friends.

The saddest episode of his life was the news of the impending marriage of Leonor Rivera, his
sweetheart for eleven years to Mr. Kipping, an English Engineer employed in the construction of Manila-
Dagupan railway.

To divert his thoughts from the sad news about the approaching marriage of Leonor and feeling
disconsolate and heart-broken, he visited the Boustead family in Biarritz. Biarritz is a beach resort on the
Bay of Biscay and an ideal and romantic place for two people who are in love to express their steadfast
devotion and mutual feelings to one another without any inhibition. His purpose of visiting the Boustead
family was the thought of offering a marriage proposal to Adelina, but did not materialize. There is a
moment in one’s life that one has to ponder and make a decisive decision no matter how difficult, fate
played its role. Perhaps they were not really meant for each other.

However, in spite of his unsuccessful martial plan, Rizal remained a good friend of the wealthy
Bousted family.

Rizal in Brussels. Rizal left and went to Brussels, capital of Belgium because of the high cost of living
besides, the city life of merriment and fun, Rizal could not resist the temptation of joining his friends that
often times interferes with his time devoted for writing his second novel, El Filibusterismo. Jose Alberto

43
was his companion when he moved to Brussels and lived in a modest boarding house. Being ba surgeon,
he spent part of his time in the medical clinic to attend and treat some patients. Because of the clinical
fees he received from the patients, there was no difficulty meeting the basic essentials he needed in
Brussels.

Rizal and the Filipinos in Madrid. While in Brussels, Juan Luna and Valentin Ventura informed Rizal of the
Filipinos passion for gambling. Gambling was the biggest preoccupation of many Filipinos as their favorite
past time. They urged Rizal to do something about this game of chance for stakes because they did not go
to Europe just gamble, but to work for their country’s freedom.

Apart of Rizal’s letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar read: There is nothing at home to remind them that
the Filipino does not come to Europe to gamble and amuse himself but to work for his liberty and for the
dignity of his race. I fear much that we are fighting for a useless illusion and that instead of being worthy
of liberty, we are worthy of slavery.

Disturbing News at Home. Letters from Calamba which he received in Brussels gave him some disturbing
moments. The agrarian problem in his hometown had not been resolved and even getting worse. The
hacienda management controlled by the Dominican Order continued to arbitrarily increase the annual
payment of the tenant fanners for the land they tilled painstakingly, Don Francisco, Rizal’s father refused
to pay his rent to the leased land; and consequently, other tenant farmers also refused to pay their annual
rents.

The non-payment of rent of Don Francisco and other tenant farmers resulted in the filing of a case
in court by the Dominican friar to evict them forcibly from the land.

Meanwhile to aggravate the bad news, Paciano and his two brother-in-law, Antonio Lopez
(husband of Narcisa) and Silvestre Ubaldo (husband of Olympia) were departed to Mindoro. This unlawful
deportation of his brothers-in-law to a faraway place, made him feel uneasy and suffered from this
disturbing news, that depressed Rizal. He could hardly sleep, aware of the sad and unfavorable condition
of his parents and brothers-in-law back home, so from Brussels, he sent a letter to his sister Soledad on
June 6, 1890.

Rizal’s Premonition. Rizal in his moment of despair caused by circumstances which seems too
much to cope with, made him restless and sleepless at night, because his family in Calamba was always in
his mind. Even if Rizal did not believe in superstition or irrational belief of the ominous significance of
what is unknown, he could not help entertain the thought he feared that he would not live long. His only
wish was to be able to finish his second novel, The Fili, before he left this world.

This morbid state of mind he manifested indicative of an early death, which he revealed to
Marcelo H. del Pilar. In his letter to del Pilar, from Brussels in June 1898 which he wrote, the essence of
which: “Sad presentiments assaulted my whole being, even though I do not give them credence. In my
early childhood, I had an unusual feeling that I would not reach thirty years of age. I do not know why this

44
disturbing though, kept on bothering my mind. I also dreamt that my brother, friends and relatives were
dead. In succession, they were all dressed in white, with white faces, silent and surrounded by flashing
ray of bright light. I do not believe in this vision while asleep. For me the reality of such dream was very
remote because my mind and body are healthy. If at any time this misfortune may come, my only wish
was to finish my El Filibusterimo, because I believe nobody else could continue.

Rizal Prepares to go Home. Rizal, full of mental anguish and anxiety decided to go home in the light of
the misfortune, agony and pain his family was suffering. He could not stay in a foreign land writing his
novel while his family, relatives, and friends in the Philippines were in the state of hopelessness.

Upon hearing the news that Graciano Lopez Jaena had plans of going to Cuba, he urged him that
instead of going there and die in yellow fever, he should go to the Philippines and die in defense of his
ideals.

In a letter he sent to Ponce, he expressed his uncompromising determination to go back to the

Philippines although he knew that it would be daring and imprudent. But for Rizal, that does not matter.

His friends, including Blumentritt were aghast and horrified of his decision. They could hardly
believe because they were aware of the impending danger to his life that inevitably awaited him, so they
warned him.

His plan to go home did not push through because he received a letter from Paciano informing
him that they lost the case against the Dominicans in Manila, however, an appeal was made to the
Supreme Court in Spain. Since Marcelo H. del Pilar was a lawyer, he requested him to handle the case.

Rizal in Madrid. Madrid, the capital of Spain, is one of the pleasant cities in the world because of its
people and culture. Upon arrival to this city, Rizal tried to exhaust all available legal means and remedies
to seek justice for his family and tenant farmers in Calamba, but justice on their side seemed elusive. The
various disappointments and frustrations that befell in his family and the betrayal of a woman whom he
loved so dearly with steadfast devotion for a long time seemed a heavy cross on his shoulders that seemed
unbearable to carry. Because of the compounded problems he had to bear, he almost engaged into duels
– one with Antonio Luna and the other with Wenceslao Retana which could have been fatal.

However, inspite of the tremendous disappointments, misfortunes, disillusions and other

unpleasant experiences in his life, Rizal looked foreword with optimism to continue his mission and lofty
ideals with determined effort, fortitude and tenacity of spirit to relentlessly continue to fight for his
oppressed people.

Denied Justice for Rizal’s Family. To secure justice for the various incidents of oppression and injustice
and utter lack of human respect and dignity committed by the Spanish authorities on his family and the
tenant-farmers of Calamba, Rizal sought the help of the Filipino community, the Asociacion Hispano-

45
Filipina and various Spanish newspapers who upheld truth and justice. With the help of his lawyer –
Marcelo H. del Pilar and the Secretary of the Asociacion Hispano-Filipina, they sought an audience with
the Minister of the Colonies in order to present the various injustices committed by the Governor General
and the Dominicans against the poor and helpless tenant-farmers of Calamba.

Blumentritt who learned his predicament, urged him to seek an audience with the Queen Regent
of Spain, but he had no friends who wield political power to accompany him to Her Majesty.

All these attempts and concerted efforts accorded by his friends to fine solution to the problems
on hand at that time, just turned out to be an exercise of futility.

Background of the Two Duels. The circumstances surrounding the duel between Rizal and Luna stemmed
from a social gathering of the Filipinos in Madrid. The customary practice of serving wine to the guests
had always been a part of merriment and fun. After drinking so many glasses of wine, Luna became
intoxicated and as a consequence, his rationality was quite impaired so he became loquacious. He accused
Rizal for his failure to win the heart of Nelly. At the height of jealousy, he uttered unsavory words about
Nelly. Rizal’s respect for every woman’s honor is a virtue that he valued, so he would not tolerate any
disparaging remarks against the lady. Rizal could not control his temper by the unchivalrous and
demeaning remarks Luna uttered, so he challenged him to a duel. The Filipinos were shocked by this
unfortunate episode. They tried to pacify the two that such a duel would not do any good and in effect,
damage their cause in Spain.

When Luna became sober, he realized that the incident should not have happened, so he beg an
apology for the remarks he made unbecoming of a gentlemen. Rizal readily accepted his apology, and the
two became friends again.

Rizal, a man of principle and virtue epitomized righteousness and prudence. He is by nature even
tempered and not easily disturbed. However, when the honor of his family, women, friends and the
Filipino were being assailed from malicious and unfounded accusations, he would never hesitate to
defend and fight, even at the expense of his own life.

Wenceslao Retana, a talented Spanish scholar and an accomplished writer used to contribute
articles in an anti-Filipino newspaper in Madrid.

One of his articles that came into print in La Epoca, a widely circulated newspaper in Madrid at
that time, asserted that the relatives and friends of Rizal had not paid their annual rents for the land they
tilled so they were ejected by the Dominicans.

Rizal would not take an insult sitting down, so he challenge Retana to a duel. Retana did not accept
challenge. For Rizal, the only rational thing for Retana to do was to publish a retraction and an apology in
the same newspaper for the articles he wrote which he did.

46
 The incident made Retana developed a great admiration for Rizal. Years after, he wrote the first
book- length biography of the greatest Filipino hero whose talents he recognized and whose martyrdom
he glorified.

47
Activity 8

Questions to Answer:

1. What was the primary reason why Rizal left for London?
2. What is the significance of Dr. Antonio de Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas?
3. While he was in London, what was the disturbing news he received from the Philippines?
4. Describe how Rizal celebrated Christmas and New Year’s Eve in a foreign land.
5. Enumerate the important points contained to his letter to the women of Malolos.
6. What was the primary objective of the Spanish-Filipino Association Rizal and some of his friends
organized in Madrid?
7. What were the two pen names Rizal used while writing articles for La Solidaridad? Why did he
used pen names?
8. What brought about the misunderstanding between Luna and Rizal that almost resulted in a duel?
9. What was the disturbing news in Calamba he received while he was in Brussels?
10. What legal steps and remedies did Rizal do to seek justice for the various incidents of oppression
and injustice committed by the Spanish authorities against his family and the tenant of Calamba?

48
Chapter 9

Rizal Goes Back to Hong Kong

Rizal left Ghent for Marseilles where he boarded S.S. Melbourne on October 18, 1891. The primary
reasons why he left Europe, were the differences in political persuasion with Marcelo H. del Pilar and
other Filipinos in Spain and his desire to lead the Propaganda Movement. But before going to Hong Kong,
he told del Pilar that he regretted that he could no longer write articles for La Solidaridad, and he was
temporarily withdrawing from the Philippine’s political concerns in Spain to preserve and uphold the unity
among the Filipinos in Europe. But in spite of his political orientation that may not be the same with that
of del Pilar, he had maintained his high regard and admiration for him.

Life In Hong Kong. Upon his arrival in Hongkong on November 20,1891, the Filipino residents
especially his old friend, Jose M. Basa gave him a warm welcome. They were glad to see him back in the
British crown colony.

After a few days, he immediately went into the practice of medicine to earn a living. Dr. Lorenzo
P. Marquez, a Portuguese Ophthalmologist who had an extensive training and experience in this field of
medical science and dealing with diseases of the eyes, became his friend and eventually helped him have
many patients. In recognition of Rizal’s extraordinary talent in his area of specialization nonwithstanding
his skills and his tender touch as an ophthalmic surgeon he even recommended some of his patients.

In a few months, Dr. Rizal’s name became a by-world in the field of an Ophthalmology. His patients
include different nationalities – British, Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese, Koreans, and Americans. He was
not only an eye specialist but also a general practitioner. A part of one of the letters he wrote to his friend
Blumentritt on January 31, 1892 he said: “Here I practice as a doctor and I have clients. I have here many
sick influenza because there is an epidemic. Through the newspapers I am informed that this sickness is
also causing ravages in Europe. I hope that you and your esteemed family will be spared.”

Rizal had all the qualities of an eye specialist, par excellence and because of the many patients of
different nationalities who had consulted him for treatment and get well, his name as an eye surgeon
landed in various newspapers, magazines and medical journals. Because of his good reputation as an
physician and an ophthalmologist, people with the same professions recognized his remarkable
contributions in the practice of medical science involving eye diseases, Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin, from Paris,
sent him a congratulatory note accompanied by a book on Diagnostic Pathology. Don Antonio Vergel de
Dios, a kind-hearted man offered him his services for the purchase of medical books, equipment and
instruments which he might need in the practice of his medical profession.

From Biarittz, the wealthy Mr. Edward Bousted, Adelina’s father sent him a letter on March 21,
1892 praising him for practicing his medical profession.

49
In Europe. The Filipino friends of Rizal learned his medical practice in Hongkong and gave himtheir
assurance of moral and financial support.

According to Dr. Germiniano de Ocampo, an accomplished Filipino Ophthalmologist, Rizal, a man

of vision who sees far ahead possessed all the qualities of the great eye specialist. He had a keen and
analytical intellect, lightness of touch, deep knowledge of medicine and ophthalmology and had been
properly trained by master ophthalmic surgeons. If only he had devoted his lifetime to the practice of
medicine he would become one of Asia’s eminent ophthalmologists.

Within a little over a month since he arrived in Hogkong, some members of his family, including
his parents, brother and some sisters joined him there. They rented a small house at No. 2 Rednaxela
Terrace, which served as his residence and at the same time his medical clinic.

Planned Filipino Colonization in Borneo. With the kind of socio-political climate under the administration
of Governor-general Valeriano Weyler, the Calamba tenant –farmers and other towns folk seemed
hopeless to have a better quality of life. So Rizal planned and conceived an idea of how the management
of these human resources could be utilized. He fully knew with empathy the pain and suffering of these
poor Filipinos that life in his country was becoming unbearable, so he thought of founding a Filipino colony
in Borneo.

When his friends in Europe heard about this plan, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Antonio and Juan Luna,
Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin and Professor Blumentritt were delighted and enthusiastically willing to endorse
and support the project. Graciano Lopez Jaena in his letter to Rizal on May 26, 1892 expressed his
intention to join the colony and said: “I have great desire of joining you. Reserve for me a piece of land
there where I can plant sugar cane. Send me further information.”

For Rizal and his friends even if the project was laudable his brother-in-law, Manuel Hidalgo did
not approve the plan. “This idea about Borneo is not good. Why should we leave the Philippines, this
beautiful country of ours?” he told Rizal.

On the other hand, Rizal made a side trip to Sandakan to see for himself the conditions of the land
and the general atmosphere of the place where he intended to move his family.

Meantime, Governor Weyler was relieved of his administrative functions as Governor Eulogio
Dispujol/ Rizal armed with an intense desire to help the landless people was determined to push through
the project. With the new leadership of Governor Dispujol, in his province, fresh hopes hold promise,
because upon assumption to office, he announced a new program of government. Rizal full of optimism,
he sent Governor Despujol a letter of felicitation and offered his cooperation. To his surprise, Rizal did not
even receive an acknowledgement answer from the governor.

Rizal’s sense of values and dedication to be of service to the Filipino people was anchored on hard
work, determination and perseverance so for the second time he sent the Governor- general another
letter requesting him to allow the landless Filipinos to establish a colony in Borneo. Rizal did not receive

50
any reply, but instead the Governor-general notified the Spanish Consul – general in Honkong to tell Rizal
that he could not approve his request allowing Filipino immigration to Borneo, and stating among
Other things that: “it was not very patriotic to go off and cultivate a foreign soil.”

The last letter he sent to Governor-general Despujol was a letter requesting permission to change
his nationality and emigrate with his family and other town mates in Calamba who cared to join him in
Borneo. Rizal did not receive any reply at all.

Meanwhile, Don Francisco, Rizal’s aged father, enjoined immensely his sojourn in Hongkong
saying that he did not care to return any more to the land of his birth. “Life there is insupportable,” he
added. Paciano for his part was occupied in translating the Noli into Tagalog.

Works in Hongkong. Inspite of the demands of his medical practice and his project in the
establishment of a colony in Borneo, it did not become a hindrance for him to continue working. He wrote
the Constitution and By-Laws of La Liga Filipina (Philippine League) an association of Filipinos for civic
and social activities until its printing in Hongkong in 1892. The idea of founding of the La Liga Filipina was
the brainchild of Jose Ma. Basa, a Filipino exile of 1872.

The most important objective of La Liga Filipina was the union of the Archipelago into a compact,
vigorous, and homogeneous body. The Constitution and By-Laws inculcated that every Filipino who had
at heart the best interest and welfare of the Fatherland, to promote its progress.

Other works included writings, e.g., The Rights of Man (Ang Karapatan ng mga Tao) which touched
an appeal to the Spanish authorities to rectify the injustice done by the Dominicans in the tenant-farmers
in Calamba, while To My Country (Sa Mga Kababayan) explained in detailed the circumstances about the
agrarian problem.

Rizal also wrote articles on Philippines history, government and culture for The Hongkong
Telegraph,

In British daily newspaper where some copies reached the Philippines. The Filipinos read every
article with enthusiasm.

Rizal Decided to Return to Manila. In life, one has to make a decision, no matter how difficult it may be
and the corresponding risks involved. After pondering about the possible consequences of his action of
returning to Manila on May, 1892, Rizal made up his mind. His sudden decision to return was caused by
his immediate desire to see Governor-General Despujol regarding his project in Borneo, to establish the
La Liga Filipina in Manila and protested Eduardo de Lete of his article published in La Solidaridad on April
15, 1892 portraying himas a coward and opportunistic for being comfortable and safe in Hongkong, while
he abandoned his country’s cause.

51
The Last Two Letters in Hongkong. Rizal’s decision to return to Manila was vehemently opposed by his
parents, sisters, and relatives and friends. Trinidad, his sister tearfully warned him to stop from coming
home, “for they will kill you.”

Rizal, a man of courage, fortitude and firmness would not change his decision. He spent his 31st
birthday with some of his friends in Hongkong on June 19, 1892. On June 20, before leaving Hongkong he
wrote two letters which he sealed and then entrusted to his Portuguese friend, Dr. Lorenzo Marquez. On
each sealed envelope was written “To be opened only after his death.” In these letters (one addressed to
his family; the other one to his countrymen) Rizal spoke of the risks he was taking in returning to the
Philippines but he added, “what matters death of one dies for what one loves, for his motherland and the
beings he adores?” Also, “a man ought to die for his duty and convictions.”

Perhaps in the pages of history of mankind all over the world, these two sealed envelopes which
contained the sacrifices of a man whose lofty ideals and convictions in the pursuit of duty for love of
country and fellowmen was truly second to none.

The first and last paragraphs of the letter addressed to his parents and friends follow:“The
affection that I have ever professed for you suggest this step, and time alone can tell whether or not it is
sensible. The outcome judge things according to the consequences; but whether the result be favorable
or not, it will always be said that my duty urged m, so if I die in doing it, it will not matter.”

The last paragraph and the final sentence of the first letter follow:

“Should fate go against me, you will all understand that I shall die happy in the thought that my death will
end your troubles. Return to our country and may you be happy in it.”

Till the last moment of my life, I shall be thinking of you and wishing you all good fortune and
happiness.

The first paragraph of the second letter follows:

The step which I am taking, or rather am about to take, is undoubtedly risky, but it is unnecessary
to say that I have considered it for some time. I understand that almost everyone is opposed to it, but I
know also that hardly anybody else understands what is in my heart. I cannot live or seeing so many suffer
unjust persecution on my account, I cannot bear the sight of my sisters and their families treated like
animals. I prefer death and cheerfully shall relinquish life to free so many innocent persons from such
unjust persecution.

The last paragraph follows:

Always have I loved our unhappy land and I am sure that I shall continue loving it till my last
moment, in case men prove unjust to me. My career, my life, my happiness – all I have sacrificed for love
of it. Whatever my fate I shall die blessing it and longing for the dawn of its redemption.

52
 The last few words he said in his letters to all those whom he loved most, especially hi fatherland
were full of emotions – joy, sorrow and fear, attributed to a dying man whose death seems inevitable.

53
Activity 9

Questions to Answer:

1. Why did Rizal leave Ghent for Marseillis?

2. Describe Rizal’s life while he was in Hongkong.
3. Who was the kind Portuguese ophthalmologist who helped Rizal to gain recognition in the field
of ophthalmic science?
4. What were the nationalities of Rizal’s patients in the British colony?
5. Why did Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin from Paris send him a congratulatory note accompanied by a
book on Diagnostic Pathology?
6. How did Dr. Germiniano de Ocampo, an accomplished Filipino ophthalmologist describe Rizal as
an ophthalmic surgeon?
7. What do you think why his family joined him in Hong Kong?
8. Why did Rizal plan Filipino colonization in Borneo?
9. What was the reason why his brother-in-law, Manuel Hidalgo opposed the plan?
10. What is the most important objective of the La Liga Filipina?

54
Chapter 10

Rizal Deported to Dapitan

On June 26, 1892, accompanied by his elder sister Lucia, Rizal arrived in Manila. After lodging
himself and his sister at the Oriente Hotel in Binondo, he went to Malacaňang to pay a courtesy call and
to interview the Governor-General Despujol, who agreed to pardon his father and sisters, but not of his
brother-in-law. Despujol tried to dissuade him from going to Borneo, and instead promised to give him
lands in any island two leagues from Calamba.

Filipino League Founded. Rizal was enthusiastically received by his friends and admirers, e.g., Andres
Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Ambrosio Salvador, Timoteo Paez and Deodato Arellanoand and told them
the objectives of the La Liga Filipina which he planned to establish. The day following his arrival, he was
taken by them on a visit to Malolos (Bulacan), San Fernando (Pampanga), and Tarlac (Tarlac), in which
places he urged his countrymen to join the La Liga Filipina (Filipino League).

Encouraged by the favorable reception and response extended to him by his friends and
supporters, Rizal formally organized the league in Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila on July 3, 1892. A big
gathering of Filipino patriots attended and witnessed this historic event.

The aims of the La Liga Filipina were:

1. Unification of the whole archipelago into one compact and homogeneous body;
2. Mutual protection in every want and necessity
3. Defense against all violence and injustice
4. Encouragement of instruction, agriculture and commerce; and
5. Study and application of reforms
The leagues ultimate objective was to promote the progress of the country.

The Arrest and Deportation of Rizal. Four days after the founding of the La Liga Filipina, Rizal was ordered
arrested by Governor-General Despujol allegedly for having found in his baggage, a few hours after his
arrival from Hongkong a bundle of leaflets entitled “Poor Friars” (Pobres Frailes). The leaflets were against
the rich Dominicans who amassed fabulous wealth contrary to their “vow of poverty”. He was
incarcerated temporary in Fort Santiago for about a week, after which time he was deported to Dapitan
in Northern Mindanao.

Life in Dapitan. At first he lived in the residence of Don Ricardo Carcinero, Captain of the Infantry and
politico-military governor of Dapitan.

Carcinero was charmed by Rizal’s refined manners. On several occasions they had friendly
conversations and sometimes ate together on the same table. Later, Carcinero learned that Rizal was not

55
a person who had committed a felony; so he gave good reports on Rizal (the deporter) to Governor-
General Despujol. Because of his good impression, about the exiled Rizal, he had him considerable
freedom to move around and report only once a week.

Rizal was very much pleased and admired the Spanish Captain for his generosity, as a sign of
gratitude and appreciation, he wrote a poem on the occasion of Don Ricardo Carcinero’s birthday.

When Captain Carcinero left Dapitan, he was succeeded by Captain Juan Sitges, a more
demanding officer, but weeks later, he changed his attitude and gradually grew to like the deporter.

Rizal lived an exemplary life in exile. He built his own house, planted many fruit bearing trees and
practiced his medical profession. Many people in all walks of life from far and near places came to his
medical clinic for treatment.

Some members of his family took turns in visiting him and staying with him for sometimes so as
to appease his feeling of loneliness. Among those who visited him were Doňa Teodora, his mother, sister
Trinidad, Maria and Narcisa, and his nephews Teodosio, Estanislao and Prudencio.

In Dapitan, Rizal continued his interest in scientific, artistic, literacy, linguistic and other
intellectual pursuits. All his free time were devoted to agricultural, business and civic development
activities. He studied also the Bisayan and Malayan languages and he even wrote an original Tagalog
grammar. He maintained correspondence with his European friends, notably Professor Blumentritt,
Doctors Rast, Joesty, and Meyer.

Rizal as Physician. Dr. Rizal continued his medical practice in Dapitan. Many patients from different parts
of the Philippine from far away places came for consultation either for eye diseases or for any kind of
clinical ailment. Sometime in August, 1893, Doňa Teodora and sister Maria arrived in Dapitan and lived
with him for a year. For the first time, he operated on his mother’s eyes successfully. In this particular
instance, Rizal realized that sometimes it was not advisable to be the doctor of the member of the
immediate family. Her mother, disregarded her son’s clinical instructions, by removing the bandages from
her eyes, causing the wound to be infected.

Rizal’s good reputation as a physician and surgeon became widely known. Don Ignacio Tumarong,
a wealthy patient whose eye were operated successfully by him restored his sight. As a sign of gratitude
he paid Rizal 3,000 pesos for his ophthalmic skills. Don Florencio Azcarraga another wealthy patient who
owned a big hacienda of sugarcane in Aklan, paid Rizal a cargo of sugar for curing his eye ailment. A rich
patient, an Englishmen paid him 500 pesos.

Rizal became interested in local medicine by way of applying various medical plants in the
community. He studied local medicinal plants and their potential curative values. For indigent patients,
who could not afford to buy imported medicines for common ailments, he prescribed the local medicinal
plants.

56
Rizal as an Educator. In building the foundation of a nation, education is very essential. It is the very
foundation from which one can train and nurture the vital instruments of progress- the citizens especially
the youth. For him, the youth is one of the most essential ingredients in any transformation endeavor-
the young people with commensurate skills and the necessary values who are willing to subordinate their
interest for the common good. These are the youth who are guided by a common vision and who are the
youth who are inspired by a sense of mission. “Without education and liberty – the soil and the sun of
mankind – no reform is possible.”

It is in the context that Rizal established a modest school which was attended by a group of
selected students whose ages were thirteen and fourteen from prominent families in Dapitan. These
students did not pay their tuition fees, but they were made to work in his garden, in the fields, and other
civic projects in the community.

Rizal taught these young boys the value of hard work, character building, respect of human worth
and dignity, the spirit of cooperation and family solidarity.

He also taught them various cultural values of the Filipino’s e.g. “Kaayusan,” “Delicadeza” and
“Palabra de honor” (Word of Honor).

On nationalism, he emphasized concern for national unity and the Filipino tenacity in the pursuit
and defense of national ideals.

Rizal taught these young boys reading, writing, in Spanish and English, history and geography,
mathematics, industrial arts activities, the study of nature, ethics and gymnastics. He trained them to
collect various specimens of plants and animals for scientific study. He also emphasized the value of good
manners and good conduct.

In line with his pedagogical philosophy of Sound Mind in a Sound Body, the students happily
engaged in boxing, wrestling, swimming, fencing, arnis, and boating.

Rizal as an Engineer. Rizal is a full-fledged surveyor which he obtained from Ateneo and passed the
prescribed examination. In his desire to know more about Engineering as a field of learning, he read a lot
of books about the subject to have a better knowledge about construction works.

Rizal endowed with superior intelligence was able to apply his knowledge of engineering by
constructing a system of waterworks in order to provide the people in Dapitan clean water.

An American Engineer, H.H. Cameron was all admiration and praised Rizal’s ingenuity, for he had
no explosive with which to blast the hard rocks and limited resources, except his determined efforts and
tenacity to construct the aqueduct which had for its bottom the fluted tiles from the old house roofs, and
was covered with concrete made from lime burned from the sea coral. The length of the aqueduct is long
and it winds in and out among the rocks and is carried across gutters in bamboo pipes upheld by rocks to
the distribution reservoir.

57
Rizal as Scientist. Rizal found Dapitan and other places in Zamboanga an ideal place for collecting
specimens for scientific study. Accompanied by students they explored the forest and seacost looking for
specimen of insects, plants seashells and other aquatic lives. He examined carefully every specimen to
find out its potential value.

He discovered Nami, a kind of root plant to be edible when cooked properly, but it was poisonous
because it contained hydrocyanic acid. In one incident, his middle finger was bitten by a centipede and
the pain was so intense and so he applied the natural fluid extracted from the said root plant and the pain
disappeared.

Rizal’s quest for knowledge was boundless. He also conducted researches and studies in
anthropological, ethnographical, archeological, geographical and geological field of knowledge.

Rizal as a Farmer. In Dapitan, instead of wasting his time doing nothing and thinking of this exile, he
thought of how he could spend his time profitably. He bought 16 hectares of agricultural land where he
planted fruit – bearing trees. Later he acquired adjacent lands of his farm until his total land area expanded
near a river where it became a source of irrigation that consequently doubled his rice production.

On this big tract off arable land suitable for agriculture, he introduced modern methods of farming
and agricultural means and techniques he had observed in Europe and America. He encourages the
farmers in Dapitan to discard their primitive system and practices of farming and adopt the modern and
scientific agricultural methods.

Rizal as Entrepreneur. Rizal was a person who organized, managed, and assumed responsibility in any
kind of human endeavor. In Dapitan, aside from farming, he engaged in business. His business partnership
is with Dapitan merchant turned profitable. His business ventures included fishing, copra and hemp
industries.

Rizal introduced a modern method of hemp – stripping through a machine in order to improve
the quality and at the same time increased the production. He also organized a cooperative in Dapitan
where the farmers jointly owned means of production and distribution of goods and services operated by
themselves to get rid of pernicious business practices and to stabilize the price of hemp in the market.

In one of his letters to his brother-in-law, Manuel Hidalgo, he expressed his plan to improve the
fishing industry of Dapitan. He observed that Dapitan like Calamba has good grounds for fishing for it
abounded with corals.

Rizal as an Inventor. Perhaps few Filipinos knew that Rizal was also an inventor. Even when he was still
in Calamba, and actively engaged in the practice of medicine he invented a cigarette lighter, he called
Sulpukan. This unique cigarette lighter was made of Philippine wood and its mechanism said Rizal, “is

58
based on the principle of compressed air/” he sent this unique invention to Blumentritt as a gift which he
became very much delighted.

Meanwhile, while in Dapitan as an exile he invented a machine for making bricks – a rectangular
block of clay hardened by drying in the sun or burning in a kiln used for building and paving. The machine
could manufacture 6,000 pieces of bricks every day. He wrote Blumentritt, “I have made a wooded
machine for making bricks, and I believe it could make more or less 6,000 bricks a day.”

Rizal as an Artist. Rizal as a young boy at the age of five revealed his remarkable talents for the arts.
Before learning how to read, he could already sketch different pictures of animals, birds, flowers,
mountains, and human figures. He had also developed an interest in creating different forms and shapes
with wax and clay. He curved figures of animals and human figures in wood.

Rizal impressed his Jesuit professors in the Ateneo when he was studying because of artistic skill
when he curved an image of Our Virgin Mary on a piece of batikuling (Philippine hardwood) with his
pocket-kmife.

In London, he curved “The Triumph of Death Over Life” and “The Triumph of Science Over Death”.

In Dapitan, he curved, “The Mother’s Revenge”. He modeled a statue representing the mother –
dog killing the crocodile by way of avenging her lost puppy.

Other sculptural works of Rizal in Dapitan using wood as its medium were the bust of Father
Guerrico – an Ateneo professor, “The Dapitan Girl” and Josephine Bracken which appeared realistic
because of their anatomical shapes and proportion.

Rizal as Linguist. Rizal could be ranked with the world’s great linguistic because of his remarkable skills in
speaking several languages as follows: Spanish, Latin, English, Greek, French, German, Arabic, Hebrew,
Dutch, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Swedish, Portuguese, Russian, and Sanskrit; Ilokano, Bisayan, and
Subanun.

Inspite of his other activities, he wrote a Tagalog grammar, made comparative study of the
Bisayan and Malayan languages and conducted a research on the Bisayan (Cebuana) and Subunan
languages.

Rizal as a Writer. Rizal wrote a quite a number of short stories, novels, poems, essays, plays, and fables.
He translated his works in different languages, e.g. Spanish, English, Italian, French, and German while in
Dapitan.

59
Rizal as a Musician. Music had always been a part in every Filipino reunion and social functions in
Barcelona, Madrid and other cities of Europe. At times, when feeling nostalgic of their loved ones back
home, it provided therapeutic effects to lessen their loneliness.

Rizal admitted that he had no natural aptitude for music. But his determined effort and constant
practice, he learned to play the flute fairly well.

In various occasions during social gathering of Filipinos in Barcelona and Madrid, Rizal as flutist
can produce melodies and expressive sounds to the delight of his friends and other guests.

It is said that he composed the song entitled “Leonor”, “El Canto del Prisoner” and “Alin Mang
Lahi” which were characterized by melodic rhythm and tone and expressive of sentiments and emotions.

Josephine Bracken in Dapitan. One of the most significant events worth remembering in connection with
Rizal’s life in Dapitan was the coming of Miss Josephine Bracken.

In the still of the night, after a hard day’s work, Rizal could not free himself from the pangs of
extreme melancholy. He thought of his family, relatives and friends and his happy boyhood days in
Calamba, the exhilarating moments of his life in the historical and beautiful cities of Europe and other
places of interest he had gone, the bitter memories about Leonor Rivera’s marriage to an Englishman,
whom he loved so dearly for years and the many disappointments and sad experiences caused his heart
to bleed.

The misfortune and challenges which marred and befallen in his life could wrecked a man of
weaker stuff.

But God in his time and in his mysterious way writes straight in crooked lines. The light of hope
and beckoned lovingly in the distance upon the arrival of an eighteen-year-old lady, sweet, slender,
almond blue eyes, brown hair, and dressed with elegant simplicity – Miss Josephine Bracken.

Born on October 3, 1876 in Hongkong of Irish parents. Her mother died from childbirth and was
adopted by an American engineer, George Taufer, who after a few years with delightful memories with
amiable and kind-hearted Josephine.

Josephine, her adopting father, Engineer father, and Manuela Orlac, a Filipino companion arrived
in Dapitan in February 1895, coming the way from Hongkong. Their purpose of going to Dapitan was to
consult Dr. Rizal for surgical treatment of Engineer Taufer’s blindness whose reputation as ophthalmic
surgeon was not only recognized in the country but also in Hongkong. Mr. Julio Llorente, a friend of Rizal
gave them a note of introduction.

Rizal and Josephine fell in love, and each day that passed seemed to bring them closer together.
Towards the end of February, Rizal told George Taufer that he was in love with Josephine and that he
intended to marry her. Taufer objected vehemently. Both Josephine and Rizal calmed him down –

60
Josephine promising to accompany him back to Manila and telling Rizal she would return. She did. In April,
into the arms of Rizal, - to an ecstatic reunion of a man burdened by exile because he gallantly fought for
the emerging nation and a woman saddened by a forlorn past, orphaned and dominated but adoptive
child.

Josephine gave joy to Rizal. Rizal was fascinated by her lack of pretenses, so their love blossomed.

Perhaps they were destined to be husband and wife because of their intense mutual love for each
other. Since there were no legal impediments, they agreed to marry. Father Obach, the parish priest of
Dapitan refused to marry them in the absence of the ecclesiastical permission from the Bishop of Cebu.

Since the parish of Dapitan could not solemnize the marriage, one moonlight night they went to
the beach clasped each other’s hand and united themselves before Heaven. Better a union by the grace
of God than marriage darkened by sin.

Rizal and Josephine pledged to love each other and lived as husband and wife, and thereafter,
lived happily.

So great was this Irish orphan’s love for him.

The most important document in the letter of the Bishop of Cebu. It bears a documentary
stampand the number 3.486.477

Most Excellent and Illustrious Bishop of Cebu

Fray Martin Garcia Alcocer

Most Illustrious Sir:

Mr. Jose Rizal Mercado Y Alonzo, native of Calamba, Laguna, age 33 years, with due respect
expounds to your Lordship.

Desiring to marry in the church, Miss Josefina Leopoldina Taufer, age 18 years, orphan of mother,
registered in the American consulate in Manila where she was residing and also professing the Roman
Catholic and Apostolic religion and having been informed by the Very Reverend Father Antonio Obach,
S.J., missionary of this district, that it was necessary to apply to your illustrious Lordship for the issue of
the permit, in accordance with customs, requests your Lordship to please issue the pertinent
authorization.

He has no doubt that he will be granted this permission considering the recognized piety and
righteousness of Your Lordship whose life may God preserve for many years.

61
 Dapitan, 6 March, 1895
Most Excellent and
Very Reverend Bishop of Cebu

How the late Mr. Famorca of Dapitan came to possess these documents is a mystery.

After living in for almost eight months, Josephine was in the family way, but unfortunately, she
gave birth prematurely to an eight- month boy, that lived for only a few hours. For the couple, the loss of
the baby was indeed unbearable.

Some reactionary Filipinos believed that Rizal led an immortal life with Josephine in Dapitan. The
letter to the Bishop threw a new light on the relationship. Obviously, Rizal would have married her if
circumstances had permitted. On March 14, 1895(the same month in which he wrote the Bishop) , he sent
a letter to his mother in Manila through Josephine whom according to the letter, he “was on the point of
marrying … our relations were broken on her suggestion on account of the numerous difficulties in the
way”.

Other interesting events and incidents in connection with Rizal’s life in Dapitan included: his long
controversy on philosophy and religion with Rev. Pablo Pastells, Superior of the Jesuit Order in the
Philippines, by corresponding and the visit of Dr. Pio Valenzuela, who was Andres Bonifacio’s emissary, to
sound Rizal’s views on the proposed uprising against the Spanish government.

Rizal to Cuba. Rizal’s concern for the welfare of mankind is universal. At the suggestion of his friend
Blumentritt, Dr. Rizal volunteered his services as a physician attached to the Spanish medical corps in
Cuba. After a little in more than six months, his application was accepted and so he had to leave Dapitan
for Manila where he arrived on board the Espaňa on August 6, 1896. Since the mail boat for Spain had
already left the day before his arrival, Rizal had to wait for the next streamer. In the meantime, he
requested the authorities not to allow anybody except his family to communicate with him. Accordingly,
he was transferred to the Spanish cruiser Castilla then anchored near Cavite to wait for the next streamer
which was scheduled to sail for Spain the following month.

62
Activity 10

Questions to Answer:
1. Why did Rizal go to Malacaňang when he arrived in Manila on June 26, 1892?
2. Who was the founder of the Filipino League (La Liga Filipina)?
3. Who ordered his arrest and later on deported to Dapitan?
4. Describe Rizal’s life in Dapitan.
5. For Rizal, why is education very essential especially on the part of the youth?
6. What were the important aspects of education that Rizal taught to his students in Dapitan?
7. Why was the American engineer H.F. Cameron all admiration and praise on Rizal’s ingenuity?
8. What kind of root plant did Rizal discover while performing some scientific experiments that was
an effective medicine and capable of producing anesthetic results?
9. Describe Rizal as an entrepreneur.
10. Describe Josephine Bracken as a lady. Why did Rizal fall in love with her?

63
Chapter 11

The Arrest and Trial of Rizal

Sometimes in August 1896, before the outbreak of Philippine Revolution, Andres Bonifacio
together with other katipuneros attempted to save Rizal from the cruiser, Castilla, anchored at Cavite.
Through a motor boat, they were able to board surreptitiously the cruiser to persuade Rizal to escape,
but he politely refused. Being a man of principle and convictions, he was ready to face the consequences
of his decision.

Rizal stayed on board Castilla for almost a month. By this time, Bonifacio and his Katipunan
followers had already proclaimed defiance of the Spanish Government by tearing their cedula certificates
during the famous historical “Cry of the Balintawak”. On August 30, 1896, Governor-General Ramon
Blanco gave Rizal a letter of recommendation to the Minister of War, General Marcelo de Azcarraga which
said among other things, “Rizal’s conduct during the four years he remained in Dapitan has been
exemplary, and he is no way involved in the chimerical (unreal or imaginary) attempt we are now
deploring, neither in the conspiracy nor any of the secret societies that have been formed.

The next day his ship sailed for Spain on his way to Cuba. In his farewell letters to his family, he
said: “We are in the hands of Divine Providence. Not all who go to Cuba die; and in the end, if one has to
die, let him die at least doing something good.”.

Events had moved so swiftly and conspired recklessly against Rizal. On September 30, 1896, Rizal
left for Spain on board the streamer Isla de Panay, while the Revolution had began in the nearby provinces
around Manila and other parts of Luzon. While the ship was cruising the Mediteranean Sea, Rizal was
informed by the captain of the ship, that he had just received a telegraphic order from the Minister of
War to arrest and confined him in his cabin. Rizal was greatly surprised by this sudden order. When the
ship arrived at Barcelona on October 6, he was transferred to Montjuich Castle, in cell No.11. a few hours
later, General Despujol the Governor-General who deported him to Dapitan in 1892 and who was now in-
charge of Montjuich prison, came and informed Rizal that he would be sent back to Manila on board the
S.S. Colon.

From a Volunteer Physician to a Prisoner. From Manila, Governor-General Blanco wired back the most
ominous warning of Rizal. “After departure of Rizal very serious charges filed against him for causing
insurrection and prosecutor requests to be returned here as prisoner under his disposal”.

The streamer reached Manila on November 3. Rizal under tight security was brought and detained
to Fort Santiago. While Rizal was held incommunicado in Fort Santiago, the Spanish authorities were busy
looking for evidence against him. Many Filipinos who sympathized with him were arbitrary harassed.
Some were even tortured. Documents and letters of Rizal’s friends in the Propaganda Movement were
seized by the civil guards.

64
The Trial. Rizal’s trial began with the preliminary investigation on November 20. He appeared before the
Judge Advocate, Coronel Francisco Oliver Garcia and subjected to a very tiring and severe investigation
for five days. He was accused of the crimes of rebellion, sedition and forming illegal associations.

The results of the preliminary investigations of the case conducted by Colonel Olive Garcia were
transmitted to Governor-General Ramon Blanco for appropriate action, who in turn, appointed Captain
Rafael Dominguez as the Judge Advocate to evaluate the case and subsequently, made the corresponding
decision against Rizal.

Dominguez, without delay, made a brief summary of the charges against the accused and
transmitted them to Judge Advocate General Nicolas de la Peňa for legal opinion and adjudication.

Immediately, after looking into the case, Peňa submitted the following recommendations to wit:
1. The accused be brought to trial without delay
2. The accused be incarcerated in prison, and
3. The accused should be defended in court by an army officer

Rizal and His Defender. Denied the legal services of an experience civilian lawyer, Rizal was given a list of
names of first and second lieutenants to choose his counsel. He chose the named that sound to be familiar
to him, that of Lieutenant Luis Taviel de Andrada who happened to be the brother of Lieutenant Jose
Taviel de Andrada, the officer once assigned to him when he was under surveillance during his brief
sojourn in Calamba after his first return from Europe. Rizal and Andrada became fast friends. When he
was notified by authorities that he was chosen by Rizal to be his defender, he accepted the responsibility.

The charges of the commission of offense committed by Rizal were read in the presence of his defender
and other persons in the court. Some of the charges were refuted by Rizal to wit:
1. Since his deportation to Dapitan within a period of four years, he had not engaged in any political
activities
2. The declaration of the witnesses against him were fabricated and not true

Meanwhile, on December 13, 1896, the case against him was referred to Governor Camilo de Polaveja
who replaced Governor General Blanco. By virtue of the authority granted to him by the Spanish
authorities, it was within his power to order the creation of a Court Martial consisting of military personnel
who could try the accused.

On December 15, 1896, Rizal wrote a public declaration of his avowed intentions. He appealed to the
Filipino people to stop shedding of blood and to achieve their freedoms though education and hard work.
What the country needs today are individuals, not only with a sense of vision and purpose, but above all,
MEN OF CONSCIENCE.

This declaration which was written in his prison cell at Fort Santiago, a portion of which stated:

65
 From the beginning, whom I had news of what was being planned, I opposed it, fought for it, and
demonstrated its absolute impossibility. This is the truth, and witnesses to my words are still living. I was
convinced that the idea was highly absurd and what was worse, would bring great suffering. I did more
when later inspite of my counsels, the movement broke out, I spontaneously offered not only my services
but my life, and even my name so that they might use them in the manner they saw fit to suppress the
rebellion for, convinced of the evils that would befall them, I considered myself fortunate if, at any
sacrifice, I could prevent such useless misfortunes. This is equally of record.

On December 24, the Ordinary Court Martial of the Post was constituted with seven members:
Colonel Jose Tagores Arjona (Calvary), Ricardo Muňoz Arias (Captain, Artillery), Manuel Reguera (Captain
Calvary), Santiago Osorio (Captain Rangers), Manuel Escribano (Captain Engineers), and Fermin Rodriguez
(Captain General Ordinance). The assistant judge advocate general, Enrique de Alcoocer, was appointed
prosecutor.

Rizal Tried by a Court Martial. On December 26, Rizal was tried by a Court Martial of Seven Spanish army
officers at the Hall of Banners of Cuartel del Espaňa. Also in the courtroom were Captain Rafael
Dominguez, the Judge Advocate, Lieutenant Enrique de Alcocer, the prosecuting Attorney, Dr. Jose Rizal
the accused, and Lieutenant Traviel de Andrade, his defender and some spectators – Filipinos and
Spaniards. Josephine Bracken and a sister of Rizal and some of Filipino and foreign newspapermen
witnessed the proceedings and deliberations.

Judge advocate Dominguez opened the trial by reading the charges against Rizal, e.g., rebellion,
sedition and illegal association. After the presentation of the charges against the accused, the prosecuting
Attorney Alcocer stood up and delivered his remarks by giving the summary of the charges against Rizal
and urged the members of military tribunal to decide by imposing death penalty upon the accused.

When the Prosecuting Attorney had finished his long and passionate speech, Rizal’s defender
Traviel de Andrade took the floor and presented his eloquent defense characterized by forceful and
appropriate expression.

After Lieutenant Traviel de Andrade’s able defense on the accused, he took his seat. The military
court asked Rizal whether he had something to say in addition to the confidence, intelligence and skills of
his counsel about this case.

Rizal presented his own brief-memorandum of points of facts as follows:

1. I could not be guilty of rebellion, for I even advised Dr. Pio Valenzuela in Dapitan not to rise in
revolution.
2. The revolutionists used my name without my knowledge. If I were guilty, I could have escaped from
Singapore.
3. If I had a hand in the revolution, I could have escaped in a Moro vinta and would not built a house,
and bought lands in Dapitan
4. If I were the chief of the revolution, why was I not consulted by the revolutionist?

66
 5. The La Liga Filipina did not live long, for after the first meeting, I was deported to Dapitanand it
died out
6. If the La Liga Filipina was recognized nine months later, I did not know about it
7. It was true, I wrote the Constitution and By-Laws of the La Liga Filipina, but this is only civic
association and not a revolutionary society.
8. While it was true that there were some bitter statements in my letters, it was because they were
written when my family was being persecuted, being dispossessed of their houses and lands, and
my brother and my brother-in-law were deported without a due process
9. It was not true that the revolution was inspired in one of my speeches at the house of Doroteo
Ongjunco, as alleged by witnesses whom I would like to confront. My friends knew very well about
my vehement opposition to an armed rebellion. Why did the Katipunan send an emissary to
Dapitan who was a stranger to me? Because those who knew me aware that I would never sanction
any violent movement.
10. My life in Dapitan had been exemplary as evidence by my productive activities for the welfare of
the people; the politico-military commanders and missionary priests could attest to these.

At the outset, the trial was patently a farce, and evidently, there would be a miscarriage of justice. Rizal
was a civilian, but he was tried by a military tribunal composed of military officials. The case was already
prejudged in the absence of a due process. Rizal was not even given the right to face his accusers and the
witnesses against him in open court. All the accusations against Rizal were considered and all the
arguments and evidence in his favor were virtually disregarded by the military judges. It seemed that the
members of the military court met not to evaluate the evidence presented before them, but to accused
and condemn Rizal. The Military Court prejudiced even before the trial began, apparently, Rizal could not
expect to have a fair, honest and impartial justice.

The so-called trial was a virtual pantomime. No prosecution witness was allowed to testify so the
defense could not ask questions on cross-examinations.

The procedure of trial was prototype of simplicity if not a mockery.

1. The prosecutions brief (In Law, a memorandum of facts for use in conducting a case) was read
before the court by the prosecutor
2. Andrade presented the defense brief dated December 25 and
3. Rizal completed the process by reading his “Additions to My Defense” which he wrote dated
December 26.

Rizal concluded: “He never sought liberty to rebel but only political liberties”. Rizal’s last message to
the court was attached to the brief for the defense as ordered by the president of the Military Court.

When Rizal had concluded his defense the court room was cleared, and the members of the Military
Tribunal went into secret sessions to deliberate and render its decision.

After a while, the presiding officer of the Military Court and its members made its deliberation to
resolve the charges and unanimously voted for the imposition of the extreme death penalty.

67
 On the same day, December 26, Innocent’s Day the Military Court submitted its verdict on the charges
against Rizal to Governor-General Polavieja who affirmed the death sentence and decreed that the
accused Jose Rizal should be executed before a firing squad at seven o’clock in the morning on December
30, 1896, on the field of Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park), with all the formalities required by law.

Rizal was advised of the judgement on December 29, which he signed in witness that it had been made
known to him. Retana writes of Rizal’s signature on the death sentence: “it was written in a very steady,
clear and beautiful hand, every stroke denoting the most complete self-possession; the most beautiful
signature of Rizal I had come across.”

The trial was sham. It was ridiculous and an utter display of power, arrogance and deceit and total
mockery of the law.

But Rizal personified a lesson in history that cannot be reversed by time or circumstances and be
remained steadfast and firm in his faith and convictions.“What is most admirable in Rizal,” wrote Palma,
“is his complete self-denial, his complete abandonment of his personal interests in order to think only of
those of his country.”

68
Activity 11

Questions to Answer:

1. Why did Rizal politely refuse Bonifacio and other Katipuneros to help him escape from the cruiser
Castilla anchored at Cavite?
2. While Rizal was held encomunicado, in Fort Santiago, what were the Spanish authorities doing?
3. Describe the trial of Rizal.
4. Who was the defender of Rizal who was an army officer?
5. What were some of the charges against Rizal during the trial that he refuted to be baseless and
unfounded?
6. Can you give a brief description of Rizal’s trial by a Court Martial?
7. Do you think there was a fair trial conducted by the Military Tribunal? Explain your answer.
8. Who was the Spanish Governor-General who affirmed the death sentence of Rizal?
9. Why was the trial of Rizal a sham?
10. How did biographer Rafael Palma describe Rizal after the judgement of the trial Spanish
authorities handed the decision?

69
Chapter 12

The Execution of a National Hero

After the infamous decision of the military court, Rizal knew that his fate was sealed – he was
destined to die. He was formally notified of his death sentence twenty-four hours before the exact time
of the execution. During his remaining hours, he received a numbers of visitors from his prison cell in Fort
Santiago. They were the Jesuit fathers who were his former professors at Ateneo and who offered him
spiritual consolation and prayers. They were Fathers Miguel Saderra Mata – Rector of Ateneo, Antonio
Rosell, Luis Viza, Jose Vilaclara, Federico Faura and Vicente Balaguer.

Don Santiago Mataix, correspondent of the Heraldo de Madrid and Lieutenant Taviel de Andrada,
his able and gallant defender during the trial also came to see him.

In the afternoon of the same day, the immediate members of his family- his aged mother Doňa
Teodora, sisters and Josephine Bracken came. To his sister Trinidad, he gave his alcohol cooking lamp,
inside which he had written his Ultimo Adios.

Before they left the prison cell, Rizal kissed his mother’s hand and told her with a soft and
emotional voice: “I knew I had caused you pain and moments of unhappiness, please forgive me,” then
he gave Josephine a tender kiss as if to say, “goodbye my dear and unhappy wife.” They left the prison
cell with tears in their eyes.

The Retraction. Rizal’s life as a national hero of the Philippines was the most documented both in primary
and secondary sources. However, the issue on retraction was still a case where the abundance of material
seemed to actually led to confusion. A number of biographers and historians had to follow a paper trail
down to the primary sources to establish the validity of this piece of information. As a national hero of
the Philippines, Rizal’s life has become public – he has little or no private life left. Some textbooks and
other printed literature give the impression that Rizal – a multi- talented, liberal minded, self-denying and
reformist intellectual with emotional sensitivity, a man of strong character and conviction did not embrace
back the Catholic faith until his last breath. His retraction continues to intrigue historians and
academicians.

Bur even if he became a Master Mason, since at the early childhood the Catholic doctrine and
teachings were deeply implanted in his mind, he continued to have faith in God. It is interesting to note
that when a person is at the point of death, he returns back to his Creator. Imbued with courage and
moral conviction are facets of Jose Rizal that continued to fascinate people’s imagination.

At around ten o’clock in the evening, a draft of the retraction from Archbishop Bernardo Nozaleda
was shown too wordy and too long. Another draft was shown again by Father Balaguer which was

70
prepared by Father Pio Pi, the Superior of the Jesuit Mission in the Philippines. Rizal like it, however, he
wanted some portions be changed.

During his last hours at the prison cell at Fort Santiago, he agonized on the question of whether
to heed the advice of the priests attending to his spiritual needs to reconcile with the Catholic Church
which he finally abandoned in favor of Free Masonry.

Rizal finally relented and wrote a letter of retraction which was published in the Spanish
newspapers during that time.

Record shows that Rizal wrote the retraction and finally signed in which he renounced Masonry.
A portion of it read:
“ I declare that I am a Catholic, and in this religion, in which I was born
and educated, I wish to live and die. “

Rizal’s retraction was premised on the attacks he made against various practices of the church
and certain errors in religion and not his personal political philosophy and conviction.

His retraction and his renunciation of Masonry and returning to the fold of Catholicism made Rizal
even a greater man because it takes moral courage for any man to recognize his errors and misconceptions
and to rectify what was conceived bad and immoral.

In the morning of December 30, 1896, Rizal woke up early and recited the morning prayer his
mother taught him when he was a young boy.

He heard mass said by Father Balaguer. Before the mass began, he confessed before Father
Balaguer and received Holy Communion during the mass. He also read the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity
from the Spanish prayer book entitled Aceptation dela Muerte, (Acceptance of Death) and Imitacion de
Cristo, (The Immitation of Christ) by Thomas a Kempis.

At around five o’clock in the morning, he had his last breakfast. A little later, Josephine
accompanied by his sister Trinidad came. Rizal requested Father Balaguer to solemnize a canonical
marriage with Josephine an hour before his death.

Rizal’s Last Letters. Rizal wrote farewell letters to his father, to his mother, to his brother Paciano, and to
his intimate friend, Blumentritt.

The words he said were products of his thoughts and feelings reflective of his mental and
emotional conditions, character, temperament and conviction.

His last letter to his father:

71
Dear Papa,

Forgive me for all the pains and sorrows that I had caused you to repay you for sacrifices for my
education.
Goodbye, Father.
Pepe

His last letter to his bosom friend, Professor Blumentritt a part of which read:

My dear friend,

I shall be dead by the time you receive this letter. Tomorrow, I shall be shot by a firing squad at
seven o’clock in the morning at Bagongbayan Field.

I am innocent of the charges against me and I die with a clear conscience.

Goodbye.
Jose Rizal

The Death March Begins. At about 6:30 in the morning on December 30, 1896, at Fort Santiago, the
trumpet with its deafening tone sounded out that the death march was about to begin. With martial pomp
and precision marching, the Spanish Soldiers with drawn bayonets, ostentatiously displayed their gala
uniforms.

Rizal wore a black suit and vest with black hat, he walked calmly with noble bearing, his body upright,
erect yet without affectation with his defender, Lieutenant Taviel de Andrade and two priests while a
platoon of Spanish guards marched behind them. His arms were tied behind his back.

The participants of the death march moved on a brisk fashion with the beat of the drum as
spectators lined along the street from Fort Santiago to plaza del Palacio in front of the Manila Cathedral,
then to Malecon Street (now Bonifacio Drive) until they reached the Bagongbayan Field. A huge crowd of
Filipinos and foreigners moved closer to the cordon formed by Spanish soldiers who liked to capture a
glimpse of Rizal.

The Execution. Dr. Jose Rizal bade farewell to his defender, the two priests and Josephine. “Farewell,
sweet foreigner, my darling, my delight.” The priest blessed him.

A military physician, Dr. Felipe Castillo, examined Rizal and was surprised only to find out that his
pulse was perfectly normal.

Rizal looked unperturbed as he marched to the place of his glory and immortality. His face was
quite pale, but serene and bright like the sky on its horizon beckoning a new dawn.

72
 His lips shaded by thin moustache smiled at the world, as if he wanted to bid goodbye to all. His
request to be shot facing the firing squad was denied for the Spanish officer had specific order from higher
authorities to have him shot at the back.

As the people crowded the scene, the guns of the firing squad rang out successively and suddenly,
an immense sigh arose from the multitude, indicating that all was over.

Rizal’s body riddled by bullets fell lifeless on the ground with his face upward facing the sky. He
died exactly at 7:03 in the morning. Shouts of “Viva Espaňa” (Long Live Spain! Death to the traitors) filled
the air.

What an outrage! It was indeed a great day for Spain. Little did she realize the shots that snuffled
the life of Rizal shattered to pieces her empire.

An eye witness of the execution, Howard Q. Bray wrote: “Never while life lasts, shall I forget that
awful morning nor the thrilling sensation I felt when the rifles cracked and his mangled body fell on the
public promenade amid the jeers of Spaniards and monks, thus consummating one of the most cold-
blooded crimes registered in history since the tragedy of Golgota.” While the Military Band played, people
began to disperse and to leave the place.

The remains of the great martyr were buried in Paco Cemetery but on December 30, 1912, they
were transferred to the base of the present Rizal monument at the Luneta.

Today, a very famous landmark, right on the heart of Manila, stands a statue of a man silhouetted
against the blue sky, perhaps the greatest educated Filipino – a man with purpose and a man of
conscience, martyr and national hero – DR. JOSE RIZAL.

Rizal’s “ULTIMO ADIOS”. The famous, longest and untitled poem which the hero wrote on December 29,
1896, the eve of his execution in his prison cell at Fort Santiago was full of beautiful and sublime thoughts
characterized with a sense of lofty ideals, love of country and his countrymen. It is full of emotions filled
with sadness and nostalgic memories because he was leaving his loved ones and his beloved country.

The original in the Spanish of this Ultimo Adios was translated in different languages, e.g. English,
French, German, Italian, Japanese and Malayan.

The translation from Spanish to English was by Charles E. Derbyshire, while the Tagalog translation
was by Jose Gatmaitan.

Last Hours to Martyrdom. Biographer Wenceslao Retana, Rafael Palma, and Leon Ma. Guerrero
recounted Rizal’s gift of genius, methodical lifestyle and productive hours, all of which would negate the
logic Rizal had waited until December 29 to fill his remaining few hours with the most important decisions
and testament of his agony.

73
 Lieutenant Andrade, not being a lawyer, must have learned that the maximum penalty of death
could not be evaded because the government has arranged even the most inclusive and flimsy evidence
against the accused. Was pardon or commutation on the mind of his defense counsel, Andrade?

How could pardon or commutation be extended by a government so totally bent on destroying

the man who inspired the rebellion? Doňa Teodora even went to Malacaňang with a petition for a pardon,
but she was not admitted to the Palace.

When Rizal learned on Christmas Day that an ordinary court martial of the Post was constituted
to try him for the complex and capital crime of rebellion through illegal association he must have known
that the countdown to martyrdom would be quick and had started clicking even before the trial.

Most historians and biographers feel justified in their comments and observations that Rizal’s final
fate and confrontation with the Manila government had been sealed by the publication of the Noli in
March, 1887 and the Fili in September, 1891.

These two novels had transformed Rizal from a social to a political crusader for his people.

Truly, his homeland has become the only logical venue of his supreme mission of a lifetime – love
of country.

Rizal’s Remains. An article from historical references by Luis R. Sioson, a member of the Historical
Commission, shows thsat a last request of Rizal shortly before his execution, was denied by the Spanish
authorities.

The article said Rizal had one final wish before he faced his execution – to allow his mother
Teodora Alonso to take possession of his corpse.

Rizal’s plea was turned down by the Spaniards.

Shortly after, then Manila Mayor Manuel Luengo, allowed Rizal’s mother to take her son’s body.

After the execution, Rizal’s family went to Bagumbayan to claim the body but found none.

Rizal’s sister, Narcisa, searched the whole day bringing a small marble slab which the family
wanted to place on Rizal’s grave. She went from one cemetery to another in the city and beyond city limits
to search for her brother’s body, but failed.

At the end of the day, she almost gave up, but as she was passing by Paco cemetery, Narcisa saw
several “guardia civiles”, something unusual in those days.

74
 Rizal’s sister struggled to sneak in and saw a plot of fleshly dug earth which turned out to be her
brother’s unmarked grave.

Narcisa placed the small marble slab she had carried and which inscribed “R.P.J”

The inscription “R.P.J” was actually Jose Protacio Rizal’s initials, but only in reverse.

This was intentionally done by the family so the authorities would not notice that the marble slab
designed by Doroteo Ongjungco, a family friend, belonged to Rizal.

The family feared that the untoward attraction would cause the transfer of Rizal’s body.

When the Americans had taken over Manila on August 17, 1898, the family led by Narcisa, her
daughter, Angelica, and several sculptor friends had Rizal’s body exhumed, almost two years after his
death.

Rizal’s body was buried without a coffin, and his clothes and shoes could still be identified by the
family.

However, whatever was hidden in Rizal’s as he mentioned to his sisters in the final hours before
his execution crumbled to the touch.

Rizal’s vertebra showed a bullet bored through, leaving a scar. Narcisa later kept that bullet-
scarred bone in a glass and silver cup in her house.

The rest of Rizal’s bones were taken home by Narcisa where they were washed with reverence by
family friends Higinio Francisco and Romualdo Teodoro de Jesus.

De Jesus later crafted an ivory urn to serve as a receptacle for Rizal’s remains, which by the turn
of the century became the center of frequent public display of respect as the Filipinos began to take notice
of Rizal’s heroism.

Sixteen years after Rizal’s bones were retrieved by his sister, on December 29, 1912, the ivory urn
with Rizal’s remains was carried in a procession to the Ayuntamiento in Intramuros, a symbol of the mighty
Spanish rule.

Mounted on a splendid catafalque adorned with floral blooms, the urn became the object of
patriotic and civic groups’ vigil the whole day.

Sixteen years to the day Rizal was felled by a Spanish firing squad, the ivory urn was transferred
to the Luneta on “an artillery caisson drawn by six heroes.”

75
 Scores of Filipino joined the procession, and thousands more watched the event as Rizal’s remains
were placed in the midst of a foundation over which the Rizal monument was to rise almost 90 years later
in the very ground he had fallen a century ago.

Rizal’s parents, Teodora Alonso and Francisco Mercado, according to historians did not live long
enough to see the monument offered by a grateful nation to their martyred son who led the rise against
the tyranny of Spain more than 100 years ago.

On Dr. Rizal’s Alleged Retraction

The alleged retraction of Dr. Jose Rizal on his Masonic affiliation before he was executed
continued to excite and intrigue the imagination of historians, biographers, scholars, academicians and
students.

In the October 12, 1960 issue of the Collegian, the official publication of the University of the
Philippines, an article on the alleged retraction presented some disturbing confusion with regard to the
issue, to wit:
1. Alleged Retraction Document – A “Pious Fraud”
It is stated that, any intellectually honest person will not conclude that Dr. Jose Rizal retracted
because a piece of paper purporting that such a retraction occurred says so, regardless of the
dubious circumstances under which such a document – if it can be considered as such – came into
light. Among other things, this alleged retraction document has been called by responsible people
a “pious fraud” and is in itself an insult not only to the venerable memory of the dead hero but
more particularly so to the intelligence of the greatest Filipino to have graced the pages of our
history.
In his Commonwealth biographical contest- winning book, “The Pride of the Malay Race”
(translated from the Spanish original by ex-Justice Roman Ozaeta), Dr. Rafael Palma, one-time
President of the University, presented the soundest arguments – which any sound thinking
individual would readily conclude as most logical indeed – why Dr. Rizal would never retract and
could not have retracted his Masonic affiliation.
Dr. Palma’s book should surpass all other biographies of the national hero for the reason that if it
takes a Roman Catholic to understand another of the same sect, then it may be equally stated that
it takes Mason to understand fully another Mason. As both Dr. Rizal and Dr. Palma belonged to the
same society, more or less their minds were oriented to the same manner of thinking.
2. Freemasonry Not Anti-Catholic
It is indeed very unfortunate that in this country and in so many other countries were Roman
Catholic fanatics abound, so much publicity has been circulated that Freemasonry is anti-Catholic
and therefore, Masons are enemies of the Catholic Church. There is nothing farther from the truth.
Such an attitude towards an age-old international fraternity whose main object is to foster “
brotherhood among men under the fatherhood of God ”, smacks of sheer ignorance, bias and
intolerance. In consequence of such erroneous thinking, it follows that if Dr. Jose Rizal died as a
Mason (and this is something that cannot be doubted), then he died as an enemy of the Catholic

76
 Church. Yet, Dr. Rizal never showed any hatred at any moment during his lifetime and this includes
the period when he became a Mason. But then it is inconceivable to a lot of fanatically-minded
Catholics that Dr. Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero died as a Mason. Hence, the necessity of
creating an alleged retraction document event if it had to be worded in a most “puerile” and
illogical manner.
It might surprise many “believers” to learn that there are many Catholics in this country who are
also Masons. Is there any more tangible proof than this that Freemasonry is neither Anti-Catholic
nor Anti-Religious? Ironically, it was a group of Spanish officers loyal to the Spanish crown first
introduced Masonry into this country. But it was not this group of Mason’s which earned the ire of
the Catholic church in the Philippines but our prominent Filipino patriots who were practically all
members of the Fraternity. viz., Rizal, M.H. del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, regidor, and Aguinaldo,
and who were responsible for the toppling down of the tyrannical and despotic Spanish colonial
regime then a combination of church and state.
3. Father Burgos – Not an Enemy of the State Either.
Contrary to what a lot of misinformed individuals claim, there is no conclusive proof as yet (and
probably there never will be) that Father Burgos was really guilty of the trumped-up charges him
by jealous and anti-nationalistic persons. The case of Father Burgos that were so common during
that infamous era brought up against him, although in some respects similar to that of Cardinal
Midzentry, was worse because the Roman Catholic church at that time being very powerful, but
Spanish controlled nevertheless, could have easily saved him but no, it did not because he was a
native priest who was so nationalistic to the point of working for the secularization of the
Philippine parishes? What a paradox, indeed!
4. The Case of the NBI Handwriting Expert
The alleged retraction paper examined was not the original but only a photo static copy of same.
(For unknown reasons the original is inaccessible to the general public for closer scrutiny.) There is
still nothing definite regarding the authenticity of the alleged retraction document that has been
arrived at yet.

77
Activity 12
Questions to Answer:

1. After the infamous decision of the military court of the execution of Rizal, who were his visitors
in his prison cell in Fort Santiago?
2. When did Dr. Jose Rizal wrote his poem entitled Ultimo Adios?
3. What is your opinion about Rizal’s retraction? Explain your answer.
4. Who prepared the letter of retraction of Rizal?
5. Do you think the request of Rizal to father Balaguer to solemnize a canonical marriage with
Josephine Bracken an hour before his death was affected? Explain your answer.
6. What was contained in Rizal’s last letter to his father? If you were Don Francisco how would
you feel?
7. Describe the death march of Rizal.
8. Who was the military physician who examined Rizal before he was executed? What was his
clinical findings?
9. Why did Rizal want to be shot facing the firing squad?
10. What was the exact time when Dr. Jose Rizal died?

78