RIZAL LIFE, WORKS , AND IDEALS
FRANCISCO M. ZULUETA
CHAPTER 1
Rizal – A Biographical Sketch The life, works and ideals of DR. JOSE RIZAL had served as an inspiration not
only to Filipinos, nut also to all freedom-loving peoples throughout the world. Endowed with superior intelligence, indeed, he can be considered a rare universal genius. As 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 interest encompassing the full spectrum of available knowledge. 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 have cost his mother’s life had she not vowed to Virgin of Antipolo that would take him on pilgrimage of her shrine. He was baptized at a Catholic Church of Calamba, on June 22, when he was only three days old, b 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) Calamba: “THE Cradle of a Genius”. Scenic Calamba is the picturesque town the 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 sports. Calamba is a town named after a big native jar surrounnded by a big hacienda which belonged to Dominican Order, Which also owned almost all the lands around it. The Rizal Family, Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818-1898), the hero’s father was born in Binan, Laguna. His great, great grandfather was a Christian Chinese named Domingo Lamco. He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose, Manila. He was a hard working and progressive farmer who became wellto-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 Mercados who were not related to us. My father chose Rizal as our surname because Mercado sounded common. It is
in the 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. Doña Teodora Alonzo(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.. Doña 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 refuse 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 taxes.” Such statement, indeed are explicit manifestation 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 riches families on 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-ahorse-drawn carriage, the first to have a home library with almost 1,000 volumes, and probable, 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 backyards. Doña Teodora also managed a general merchandise store which sold various economic goods and operated a small flour-mill and a home-made ham press. Rizal family was highly esteemed and respected in the community because of wealth, culture, hospitality, sincerity and warmth. Hey always participated in almost all social and religious activities in Calamba for a noble cause. Rizal family was truly a happy social institution were parental respect and affection reigned supreme. Both parents and children lived harmoniously united by strong ties of affection, understanding and respect. Don Francisco and Doña 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”. 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 sary as a thanksgiving for all the blessings they had received for the day. 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 agriculture 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 Baños 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 sisters. Rizal had nine sisters, Saturnina (1850-1913), Narcisa (1859-1945), Olimpia (1855-1887), Lucia (1857-1919), Maria (1859-1945), Conception (18621865), 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 notorious land troubles and other agrarian problems. Rizal’s Ancestry. Rizalm 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 chines immigrant from fukien city.
In some historical pieces of documents, 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 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 surch 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 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 wife window shutters with capiz shells. Thick walls of lime an 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 woof 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 house use. Behind the house, stood various tropical fruit-bearing trees, e.g., santol, chico, macopa, atis, balimbing, duhat.
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 birth place 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 climate 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 wish. 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 Happines.
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. 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, 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 hears beats warm. Ah yes! My footsteps insecure In your dark forest deeply sank; and there by every river’s bank I found refreshment and delight; Within that rustic temple played With childhood’s 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 by 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, Come back, gently hour, I yearn! Come back as the birds 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! 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.
His boyhood memories are characterized by playing in the garden while he watched and marveled to birds like the maya, the culiauan, plpit 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 him about the aswang and the tikbalang. Rizal’s First bitter memory was when little coneha (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 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 use 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, in one occasion went on pilgrimage to Antipolo to fulfill his mother’s vow which was promised when he was born. Doña Teodora could not accompany them because she gave birth to her tenth child, Trinidad. They rode 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 marvelled and was awed by the “Splendor and magnificence of the 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 Doña Teodora, concerned themselves with the intellectual artistic and physical raining of their nephew. Jose, the youngest brother of his mother who was also a teacher looked after the regular lessons. Manuel, a man of 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. “I learned to write in my own town,” Wrote the young hero”. “My father, who took charge of 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 Done Francisco sent his son to Biñan to continue his studies of Latin under Maestro Joaquin Alquino Cruz. Rizal described his teachers as “tall, thin, longnecked man, with sharp nose and a body bent slightly forward”. He usually wore a sinamay shirt woven by the skillful hands of the Batangueñas. He knew by heart the grammars of Nebriji and Gainza. Add to this a severity which, to my mind, was excessive, and you have the picture I have learned to him, vague perhaps, but all that I remember.”
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. Rizal left Biñan on December 7, 1871, after staying there for one and half years. In that town, left 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 in Biñan. Rizal’s school day in Biñan 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 jealouse of his intellectual endowments. His schooling in Biñan came when he learned almost all that his teacher to his parents that it was time to sent Rizal to College in Manila. He left Biñan after staying there for one and half years homeward to Calamba where he was warmly welcomed by his parents, brothers 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, not with standing his petty quarrels normal for a young growing boy his age in school, the tragic incident happened in the rizal family when his mother, Doña 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 Biñan 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 to Biñan, he was man and enraged by her infidelity, so he planned to file an annulment of their marriage. He believed that his wife’s sexual infidelity scandals, and to protect the honor of the family, Doña 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 piece of evidence that her husband attempted to poison her, with Doña Teodora’s participation as an accomplice. This lieutenant who was bully and overbearing person who habitually badgered and intimated weaker people had an ax to grind against the Rizal 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’t Francisco and arrested Doña Teodora.
Under normal circumstances, Doña Teodora, the accused should have been confined 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 the imagined that in one occasion he was not accorded greater respect that other guest in the Rizal home. He ordered that Doña Teodora be sent immediately to the provincial jail in Sta. Cruz, the capital of Laguna. Doña Teodora was forced to walk on foot under the scorching heat of the sun, from Calamba to Santa 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 observe because her mother’s case dragged on until it reached the Royal Audiencia (Supreme Court). Inspite of the injustice Doña Teodora experience 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 recognized her innocence and the truth would prevail. GAM-BUR-ZA’s Martyrdom. The painful expirience 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 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 Jose, 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 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 have tried 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 fill of meaning 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 wasdeeply affected with the pathetic incident.This injustic, like that onedone to his beloved mother, was another spanish misrule happening in our land. From these two incidents that were clearly and flagrantly aviolation of human rights and dignity, Rizal at an early age was awakened and to consecrate his life to combat evil force of his time at any cost even at expense of his life The Parable of the Motn. Doña Teodora used to tell stories to her children beforegoing to bed. In one occasion, made an 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 exept his mother and him.The room was dimly lighted by the flickering light from a coconut oil lamp on the table. Doña Teodora was teaching him to read a spanish reader, “The Children’s Friend”. She became impatient and scolded hom for not reading properly. He paid little attention and effort in reading because he was preoccupied and fascinatedwatching the coconut oil lamp while the little moths encircle the flight. When her mother notice that he was yawning and seemed not interested at all, shestopped 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 promise 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 moths which were circling the oil lamp. Doña 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 drawned 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 move 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 feeling fleeting moment, became an important event. He felt an unusual feeling and change himself that the flame and the moth seemed to have some significance in his while her mother’s words appeared to his mind to have a mysterious and brightening basis. He did not know how 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 weather he answered his mother. One thing he knew was the story revealed to him something until then unknown. For him, moth are now significant. Moth talked and they knew hot 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 ideals” is meritorious and exemplary.
Like the young moth, he was destined to die as a martyr for lofty ideals. Literary talents. At the age of eight years. Rizal revealed his GOD – given talents in literary by writing poem. The poem he wrote in Tagalog was entitled Sa Aking Kabata(To My Fellow Children). He wrote this poem asan appeal to his countrymen to love their national language.
Sa Aking Mga Kabata Kapagka ang baya’y sadyang umiibig Sa langit salitang kaloob ng langit Sanlang kalayaan nasa ring masapi
Katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid Pagka’t ang salita’y isang kahatulan Sa bayan, sa nayo't mga kaharian
At ang isang tao’y katulad, kabagay Ng alin mang likha noong kalayaan. Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda Kaya ang marapat pagyamanin kusa Na tulad sa inang tunay na nagpala Ang wikang Tagalog tulad din sa Latin,
Sa Ingles, Kastila, at salitang anghel, Sapagkat ang Poong maalam tumingin Ang siyang naggagawad, nagbibigay sa atin. Ang salita nati’y tulad din sa iba Na may alfabeto at sariling letra, Na kaya nawala’y dinatnan ng sigwa Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.
To My Fellow Children Whenever people of a country truly love The language which by heav'n they were taught to use That country also surely liberty pursue As does the bird which soars to freer space above. For language is the final judge and referee Upon the people in the land where it holds sway; In truth our human race resembles in this way The other living beings born in liberty. Whoever knows not how to love his native tongue Is worse than any best or evil smelling fish. To make our language richer ought to be our wish The same as any mother loves to feed her young.
Tagalog and the Latin language are the same And English and Castilian and the angels' tongue; And God, whose watchful care o'er all is flung, Has given us His blessing in the speech we calim, Our mother tongue, like all the highest tht we know Had alphabet and letters of its very own; But these were lost -- by furious waves were overthrown Like bancas in the stormy sea, long years ago.
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 a part of their culture, will undoubtedly strive for liberty like “ the bird which soars to freer space above” and that Tagalog is equal to English, Latin, Hebrew, French, Spanish, and any other languages.
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 Manila on une 10,1872 to take the entrance examinations and enrolled in ateneoo 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), and Educatioal 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. The Jesuits opened the Ateneo to everyone without any racial or Financial discrimination. However, screening of applicants was stricly observed. Rizal reminisced in his Memorias de un estudiante de Manila that he was almost denied admission because of poor health that short stature.
Rizal’s First Day in Ateneo. When the school year 1871-1872, opened in June, Rizal like any other neophytes in a new schoold environment was fill of exitement 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 college, two empires were established to stimulate the student, a Roman “ empire” and a Carthaginian or Greek “ empire” constantly at war for Supremancy in the class, whose leading post 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 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. “My First Inspiration.” This poem was written by Rizal in Ateneo as a expression of good whishes which was full of endearing filial- affection on his mother’s birthday. The Translation from Spanish to English was by Leon Ma. Guerrero, Jr.
My First Inspiration Why falls so rich a spray of fragrance from the bowers of the balmy flowers upon this festive day? Why from woods and vales do we hear sweet measures ringing that seem to be the singing of a choir of nightingales? Why in the grass below do birds start at the wind's noises, unleashing their honeyed voices as they hop from bough to bough?
Why should the spring that glows its crystalline murmur be tuning to the zephyr's mellow crooning as among the flowers it flows? Why seems to me more endearing, more fair than on other days, the dawn's enchanting face among red clouds appearing? The reason, dear mother, is they feast your day of bloom: the rose with its perfume, the bird with its harmonies. And the spring that rings with laughter upon this joyful day with its murmur seems to say: "Live happily ever after!" And from that spring in the grove now turn to hear the first note that from my lute I emote to the impulse of my love.
Being a brilliant student, Rizal obtained excellent grades and received many prizes offered bt the school. He was very active in co-curricular activities. He participated in literary and religious affairs, took lessons in Solfegio and in drawing and painting under Don Agustin Saez. He read many good books like Alexandre Duma’s and Cesar Cantus’ Universal History. The Count of Monte Cristo Prize-winning pieces were “To the Filipino Youth” (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. Rizal’s Poem on Education. Rizal wrote this poem when he was only fifteen years old. At an early age he was already aware of the value of education and its significant role in the intellectual, physical and moral development of an individual in particular and the progress and welfare f a nation in general. He believed that the ultimate goal of education is the effective participation of the individual in the total process of social interaction in its society. This interpersonal relation maybe the improvement of basic knowledge, intellectual and manual skills, power of reasons and criticism, acquisition of desirable values and attitudes, power of creativity and innovation, cultural appreciation, sense of responsibility and understanding of the modern world.
THROUGH EDUCATION OUR MOTHERLAND RECEIVES LIGHT The vital breath of prudent Education Instills a virtue of enchanting power; She lifts the motherland to highest station And endless dazzling glories on her shower. And as the zephyr's gentle exhalation Revives the matrix of the fragrant flower, So education multiplies her gifts of grace; With prudent hand imparts them to the human race. For her a mortal-man will gladly part With all he has; will give his calm repose; For her are born all science and all art, That brows of men with laurel fair enclose. As from the towering mountain's lofty heart The purest current of the streamlet flows, So education without stint or measure gives Security and peace to lands in which she lives. Where Education reigns on lofty seat Youth blossoms forth with vigor and agility; He error subjugates with solid feet, And is exalted by conceptions of nobility. She breaks the neck of vice and its deceit; Black crime turns pale at Her hostility; The barbarous nations She knows how to tame, From savages creates heroic fame.
And as the spring doth sustenance bestow On all the plants, on bushes in the mead, Its placid plenty goes to overflow And endlessly with lavish love to feed The banks by which it wanders, gliding slow, Supplying beauteous nature's every need; So he who prudent Education doth procure The towering heights of honor will secure. From out his lips the water, crystal pure, Of perfect virtue shall not cease to go. With careful doctrines of his faith made sure, The powers of evil he will overthrow, Like foaming waves that never long endure, But perish on the shore at every blow; And from his good example other men shall learn Their upward steps toward the heavenly paths to turn. Within the breast of wretched humankind She lights the living flame of goodness bright; The hands of fiercest criminal doth bind; And in those breasts will surely pour delight Which seek her mystic benefits to find, Those souls She sets aflame with love of right. It is a noble fully-rounded Education That gives to life its surest consolation.
And as the mighty rock aloft may tower Above the center of the stormy deep In scorn of storm, or fierce Sout’wester's power, Or fury of the waves that raging seep, Until, their first mad hatred spent, they cower, And, tired at last, subside and fall asleep, -So he that takes wise Education by the hand, Invincible shall guide the reigns of motherland. On sapphires shall his service be engraved, A thousand honors to him by his land be granted: For in their bosoms will his noble sons have saved Luxuriant flowers his virtue had transplanted: And by the love of goodness ever lived, The lords and governors will see implanted To endless days, the Christian Education, Within their noble, faith-enrapture nation.
And as in early morning we behold The ruby sun pour forth resplendent rays; And lovely dawn her scarlet and her gold, Her brilliant colors all about her sprays; So skillful noble Teaching doth unfold To living minds the joy of virtuous ways. She offers our dear motherland the light That leads us to immortal glory's height.
Rizal developed an insatiable appetite in reading books fiction and nonfiction. He read romantic novels and lives of great men who had left remarkable achievements with interest and fervor. One of his professors that inspired him to study with seal and enthusiasm and write poetry was Father Francisco Sanchez which he described, “A great educator and scholar.” Young Jose was deeply impressed with fine qualities of this professor who possessed an acuteness of mental discernment and soundness of mind. Rizal had the deepest affection and esteem for this professor whom he considered a consummate teacher. “To the Filipino Youth” was written by Rizal when he was eighteen years old at the University of Santo Tomas in connection with literary contest sponsored by Liceo Artistico-Literario contest was participated in by Filipinos and Spanish-mestizor. The board of judges were composed of Spaniards who were impressed by Rizal’s poem and awarded the first prize. The prize-winning poem, A La Juventud Filipina( To the Filipino Youth) is an open and explicit expression to love of country. Rizal appealed to the youth to rise from apathy and enjoined them to create beautiful verses with art and science “to break the chain that has long bound the poetic genius of the country.”
The classic poem gives a nationalistic and eloquent manifestation that the Philippines is the “Fatherland of the Filipinos” and not the Spaniards who were born n our country.
To The Filipino Youth Theme:”Grow, O Tinnid Flower” Hold high the brow serene, O youth, were now you stand. Let the bright sheen Of your grace be seen, Fair hope of my fatherland! Come now, thou genius grand, And bring down inspiration; With thy mighty hand, Raise the eager mind to higher station.
Come down with pleasing light Of art and science to the flight, O youth, and there untie The chains that heavy lie, Your spirit free to blight.
See how in flaming zone Amid the shadows thrown, The Spaniard holy hand A crown’s resplendent band Proffers to this Indian land. Thou who know wouldst rise On wings of rich emprise, Seek from Olympian Skies Songs of the sweetest strain, Softer than ambrosial rain; Thou whose voice divine Rival’s Philomel’s refrain, And with varied line Through the night benign Tress mortality from pain; Thou, who by sharp strife Wakest thy mind to life; And the memory bright Of thy genius’ light Makest immortal in it’s strength;
And thou in accent clear Of Phoebus, to Apelles dear; Or by the brush’s magic art Takest from nature’s store apart To fix it own simple canvas’ length; Go forth, and then the sacred fire Of thy genius to the laurel may aspire; To spread around the flame, And in victory acclaim, Through wider spheres the human name.
Day, O happy day, Fair Filipinas, for thy land! So bless the Power today That places in thy way This favor and this fortune Grand.
Artistic Skill in Sculpture. Sculpture is the art of curving; molding; welding or producing works of art in three Dimensions. Young Rizal impressed his professors and classmate 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 sculpture. His intention was to take with him the image when he went back to Spain, but unfortunately he forgot. This imagw 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 advance from that of other college 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 close with prayers. Prizes were giver for outstanding and impeccable department. Penalties were meted out for disorderly conduct.
The government subsidized the school from the municipal treasury. Student 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, Latin, Greek and French; world geography and history, the history of spain abd the philippines; arithmetic, algebra and geometry, mineralogy, chemistry, physics,botany and zoology; poetry and rhetoric and philosophy. Jose consistently received the grade of exellent.
Rizal started Medical Studies at sto. Tomas. At the outset, Doña 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. Doña Teodora did not Approve his son to aquire more knowledge because she had apprehension, that this might endanger Jose’s life, like the fate of 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 Doña Teodora about Jose’s further studies.
Rizal’s First Day at the Pontificial University. Rizal Who was sixteen years old enrol in the university taking Philosophy and Letters. The following school years, 1878-1879, he begun his medical studies . He studied medicine because he wanted to be a physician so that he could look after her mother’s failing eyesight. Besides, Father Pablo Ramon, Rector of Ateneo, whom he consulted or advice on the choice of career, recommended medical course. 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 student and mockingly called them “ Indio.” Because of unfriendly attitude of his professors, this most brilliant graduate of Ateneo, virtually failed to maintain high scholarship honors. While some of his scholastic grades in medical education were not excellent, however, they were all passing. 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 Segundiwa Katigbak, who was a boarder at La Concordia College, where his elder sister were studying. Unfortunately, she was already engaged to another young man, thus ending, at an early stage of his life, his first love.
Rizal 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 lass says: “Leonor was a beauty: light skin almost white; wavy hair, almost blond; small and gracious mouth; large, dark eye shaded by long eyelashes; nose of correct profile, neither too sharp nor to 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 hat has long bound the poetic genius of the Country,” inspired him to submit an allegory in prose entitled El Consejo delos Dioses (The Council of Gods) in other 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 impracticalideal.
The contest was opened to both Filipinos that is why many participated- priest, 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 by 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: “The idea and plot of the work are of great originality to which should added the circumstances that throughout the same strive to the utmost a correct style, an admirable richness of detail, delicacy of thought, and figures, and lastly a taste so Hellenic that the reader imagines himself relishing some delicious passage of Homer which with such frequency the Olympic sessions describe to us in their works.” It may be interesting to know, that probably, that was the first time in history, that an Indioa young Filipino medical student excelled in a national literary contest and participated in by the best writers at that time and defeated the best Spanish writers. Rizal was indeed happy, because he prove, that, Filipinos given the fair chance and opportunity to demonstrate their talents can be equal to all races of the world. This winning allergory-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 epic 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, the lyre to Virgil, 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 Cervantes.
Chapter 4
Rizal Left for Spain
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 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 few close friends. He carried with him good recommendations from ateneo authorities to the Jesuit Father in Barceloma 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 thing 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. He wrote in his diary, “ Almost all of those men,” Speaking of Spanish passengers,” spoke ill of the country to which they had gone for pecuniary reasons” 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 he understood. The streamer made stops at Point de Galle, Colombo, Suez Naples and Marseilles, Naple and Italian city impressed him because of its business activity, its gay and lively people indicative of life and energy and its lovely panoramic scenery. On June 12, the ship docked at the French harbor of Marseilles. His brief so journy in Marseilles was a part of his exciting experiences. He took the train for Barcelona, arriving thereon 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 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 famous street, Las Ramblas, in Barcelona. 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 medical 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 read a variety of books to broaden his cultural background ad perspective. From Madrid, he wrote his father on October 28,1883, in which Rizal stated: “ I remember having told you in my former letter that from eight o’clock in the morning until the eight fifteen at night, I have classes except for half an hour which I use for lunch, that is, from two thirty to three in the afternoon; the gymnasium is doing me good.”
The member of the association requested Rizal to write a poem and this was entitled Me piden Versos. The translation from Spanish to English was by Charles E. Derbyshire.
THEY ASK ME FOR VERSE They bid me strike the lyre so long now mute and broken, but not a note can I waken nor will my muse inspire! She stammers coldly and babbles when tortured by my mind; she lies when she laughs and thrills as she lies in her lamentation, for in my sad isolation my soul nor frolics nor feels. There was a time, ’tis true, but now that time has vanished when indulgent love or friendship called me a poet too. Now of that time there lingers hardly a memory, as from a celebration some mysterious refrain that haunts the ears will remain of the orchestra’s actuation.
A scarce-grown plant I seem, uprooted from the Orient, where perfume is the atmosphere and where life is a dream. O land that is never forgotten! And these have taught me to sing: the birds with their melody, the cataracts with their force and, on the swollen shores, the murmuring of the sea. While in my childhood days I could smile upon her sunshine, I felt in my bosom, seething, a fierce volcano ablaze. A poet was I, for I wanted with my verses, with my breath, to say to the swift wind: ‘Fly and propagate her renown! Praise her from zone to zone, from the earth up to the sky!’
I left her! My native hearth, a tree despoiled and shriveled, no longer repeats the echo of my old songs of mirth. I sailed across the vast ocean, craving to change my fate, not noting, in my madness, that, instead of the weal I sought, the sea around me wrought the spectre of death and sadness.
The dreams of younger hours, love, enthusiasm, desire, have been left there under the skies of that fair land of flowers. Oh, do not ask of my heart that languishes, songs of love! For, as without peace I tread this desert of no surprises, I feel that my soul agonizes and that my spirit is dead.
These young Filipinos used to meet and gather at the home of Don Pablo Ortega y Rey, former mayor of Manila, during Governor Carlos dela Torre’s regime. 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 Pilar. 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 culture 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 Masonry for two inferential reasons.: e.g. (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.
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 two Indios won the attention of the Spanish 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 Spoliarium, 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 the city tendered a fraternal banquet and rousing welcome to the two honored artist at Café Ingles on June 25,1884, Rizal, was 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 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 power 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 Indios 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 finish the two course in Medicine and 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 Letter on June 19,1885, Prof. 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 surprised to hear that his subject was the error in the translation of the angel’s song over Bethlehem on the Nativity Rizal complete his studies in Philosophy and Letters and was awarded the degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and letter by the Universidad Central de Madrid on June 19,1885, during his 24th Birthday. His scholastic grade was “ Excellent ” ( Sobresaliente ).
Chapter 5
Rizal to Paris and to Germany
Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to especialize 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 berline, he met with prominent German scientists. In Paris Rizal who was then 24 years old man 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 fellowcountrymen- 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 for 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 a working knowledge on this branch o learning. While in Heidelberg, Rizal had the privilege to work in the clinic of a noted Polish ophthalmologist, Dr. Javier Galezowsky. 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 emotion entitled “A las flores del Heidelberg.”
To the Flowers of Heidelberg
Go to my country, go, O foreign flowers, sown by the traveler along the road, and under that blue heaven that watches over my loved ones, recount the devotion the pilgrim nurses for his native sod! Go and say say that when dawn opened your chalices for the first time beside the icy Neckar, you saw him silent beside you, thinking of her constant vernal clime. Say that when dawn which steals your aroma was whispering playful love songs to your young sweet petals, he, too, murmured canticles of love in his native tongue; that in the morning when the sun first traces the topmost peak of Koenigssthul in gold and with a mild warmth raises to life again the valley, the glade, the forest, he hails that sun, still in its dawning, that in his country in full zenith blazes. And tell of that day
when he collected you along the way among the ruins of a feudal castle, on the banks of the Neckar, or in a forest nook. Recount the words he said as, with great care, between the pages of a worn-out book he pressed the flexible petals that he took. Carry, carry, O flowers, my love to my loved ones, peace to my country and its fecund loam, faith to its men and virtue to its women, health to the gracious beings that dwell within the sacred paternal home. When you reach that shore, deposit the kiss I gave you on the wings of the wind above that with the wind it may rove and I may kiss all that I worship, honor and love! But O you will arrive there, flowers, and you will keep perhaps your vivid hues; but far from your native heroic earth to which you owe your life and worth, your fragrances you will lose! For fragrance is a spirit that never can forsake and never forgets the sky that saw its birth.
To Frankurt and Leipzig. Frankurt 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-seeingat 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 Leipgiz for quite sometime from August 14 to October 29, 1886. It was about time that he wrote with Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt of Leitmeritz, Austria, the noted ethologist 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 regard 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 Philippine Languages. Rizal in his letter said: I have heard that you are studying our language, and that you had already published some works about it; permit me to send you a valuable book written by my country man in our language. The Spanish Version in mediocre because the author is only a modest writer but the Tagalog part is good, and its is precisely the language spoken in our province
The book he sent with his letter was entitled Arithmetica (Arithmetic), published in two languages- Spanish and Tagalog. This was published by the University of Santo Tomas pres 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. Life in Berlin. Rizal liked Berlin, because of its healthy environment, the warmth of the people and the absence of racial discrimination. In this historic city and capital of unified Germany various accomplished professionals, like Dr. Feodor Jagor, German scientist and author of the boor entitled Travels in the Philippines, which Rizal read with interest during his students days in Manila. Mentioned in this book was the downfall of Spanish rule in the Philippines and the coming of 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 of Berlin. The paper which he presented in April, 1887, drew encouraging and favorable comment 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 observe and to learn new knowledge from German Scientist and scholars, and to finish writing novel, Noli Me Tangere. 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 model 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 that the value of education. However, he praised the fine manners, hospitality, spirituality and devotion of Filipino women to 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. Schools 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 scientist.
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 can not be touched by anybody.. I have endeavored to answer the calumnies which for centuries had been heaped on us and our country: I have describe the social condition, the life, our beliefs, our hopes, our desire, 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 for San Miguel, Bulacan, who loaned P300 to Rizal, Noli was finally printed in March, 1887. The author gave away complimentary copies to Viola, Blumentritt,Resurreccion Hidalgo, Lopez Jaena, Juna Luna, Mercelo de Pilar and Regidor. Blumentritt said: “This is the first impartial and daring book on the life of the Tagalogs.. The government and Spanish friars will probably fight the books, that is, they will attack it, but I confide in GOD and the truth 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 Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt. Regidor, a Filipino exile of 1872 in London, said that” The book was superior: and that ;if Don Quijote has made is author immortal because he exposed to the world the sufferings of Spain, your Noli Me Tangere will bring you to equal glory.” Blumentritt, after reading Rizal’s Noli, wrote and congratulated its author, saying.. “Young work as we Germans say has been written with blood of the heart. Your work has exceeded my hopes and considered 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 Friend and admirers praised 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 wa 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 Probihited.
The attacks o Rizal’s first novel were not only confined in the Philippines but were also stage in the Spanish capital Madrid. Senator Fernando Vida, Deputy and Ex- Gerneral Luis M. de Pnado, and Pramides mate Sagasta were among those who unjustly lambasted and criticized Rizal and his Noli in the two chambers of the Spanish Cortes in 1888 and 1899. It is interesting and comforting to learn, however, that about thriteen years lated, U.S. Congressman Henry Allen Cooper or 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 selfGovernment. The U.S. congressman said in part: “It has been said that, if American institutions had done nothing else that 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 if 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.
Chapter 6
Touring Europe with Dr. Viola
After the publication of Noli Me Tangere ini Berlin, Rizal and Dr. Viola left the City on May 11, 1887. May is an ideal month for travel since the season of Spring started to fill the air and flowers of various sizes, shapes and colors pleasing scents start to bloom that exited Admiration. They first visited Potsdam. In this city, they saw the fantastic and imposing Mausolium 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 exibited for viewing and scientific study; monuments and landmarks maintained with their aesthetic and historical significances, musiums where beautiful work of art and other objects of paramount important and pemanent values are displayed and kept; and magnificent building adorned with classical splendor.
Rizal and Viola were impressed with the beautiful and educational things, objects and structures who wee 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 Leitmerits (Litsmerice), Bohemia. Professor Blumentritt recieved 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 e and Blumentritt who came to know each other through correspondence, met in that person as he introduced Dr. Viola to the kind-Hearted Austrian Professor. The professor was Delighted to see Rizal and sponteniusly embraced him like a loving son.
After ab exchange of pleasantries, Blumentritt helped the two Filipino Doctors to get a room at Hotel Krebs, after which he invited them to his house."And from that time on his home was also ours," wrote viola in his diary. "His wife Rosa whose generosity equaled only that of her husband's, gave us her complete attention during our stay in the city." In one of their conversations, Blumentritt remarked to Viola, "that Rizal was the greatest productof the Philippines and that his coming to the word was like the appearance of a rare comet, whose rare brilliance appears only every other century." It was also Bluementritt who said; "Not only is Rizal the most prominent man of his own people, but the greatest man the Malayan race has ever pruduced. His memory will never perish in his fatheland, and future generations of Spanyards will yet learned to utter his name with respect and reverence. AN ENEMY OF SPAIN HE HAS NEVER BEEN ."During their week's stay at Leitmeritz Rizal tuitor 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. Klutschack. Both scientists were highly pleased to meet Filipinos scholars. They had some some pleasant conversations about the Philippines at Leitmeritz.
Rizal and Viola were also invited to a meeting of the Tourist's 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 in pencil sketch of his host and give it to him. Blumetritt was pleased with the fine gift as a gestures 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 Leitsmeritz, Rizal and Viola invited the Blumetritt family in their hotel and tendered a farewell 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 train. Viola observed "the whole Blumetritt 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 Czechoslavakia on the western part of the Moldau River. Blumentritt gave the two Filipino doctors letters of recommendation to Dr, Wellkomm, Professor of History in the University of Prague. The Gennial Professor welcomed them and after a while, he accompanied and showed the two, the city's historic places, important landmarks and interesting spots. They visit the tomb of Nicolaus Compernicus, 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 happend" in Brunn.
In Vienna. Rizal abd Viola arrived in the City of Viebba, capital of Austria. This beautiful city is famous in songs and beautiful stories that impressed the two doctors. They spent four days visiting beautiful buildings and examining sacred images and statues. In Vienna, they lodged at Hotel Metropole. They also visited interesting places, e,g., art galleries and museums, churches, public parjs abd 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 and products that are being towed, archaic villages on the riversides that are serene and peaceful, a favorite subject for photographers, writers, artists, and other lover of arts.
In Lintz(Linz) and Rheinfall. The end of Danube River voyage of Rizal and Viola ended in Lintz. They left Austria from Salzburg, a 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 Germany was brewed there; they drank much of Munich beer in the famous beer gardens of that city. from Munich, they went to nuremburg, a city in central Barabia in West Germanyand the site of trials (1945-46) of Nazis accused of war crimes.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 they steps 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 Stuttgard, another city in Germany, then Baden and finally to Bin Waterfall, "the most beautiful waterfall of Europe."
In the part of June, Rizal and Viola crossed the Swiss border, making brief stops successively at chaffhausen,Vaske,Bern, and Lausanne. They Disembarked at Geneva, seat if the league of Nations. The people of Geneva speak French, Italian and German. In this beautiful and most visited city of switzerland, Rizal and Violaspent some afternoons on exciting boat' trips. The genius from Calamba celebrate his 26th birthday in this wonderful city. On the following day, the two bossom 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 authority of te Roman Catholic Church. In one Ocassion, he went to view St. Peter's Dome by Micheleangelo and Giacomo dela Porta, and St. Peters Basilica, the first known Christian church dedicated in 326 A.D. by Emperor Constantine, andthere he was verry 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 faithfull 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 fait by the Catholics on the Supreme Being. While in Vatican. He took advantage of attending the fiesta of St. Peter Paul.
On June 27, he wrote two letters from Rome: one to his parents, the other to his Friend, Blumentritt. He said "I was in turn, in Milan, in Venice,in Florence, and for some days i have been here, I had already visited San Juan de Letran, San Clemente,the roman forum, the capitolieum, Amphitheatre and the other remarkable tourists spots and memories of Rome."
Describing to Blumentritt, the"grandeur of Rome' part of his letter follows: " I cannot describe the impression Rome has produced on me; " I can only say that my feet are swollen and blistered, but tomorrow I shall go forth anew on foot to see the ruins. here I breathed the same air which Roman heroes have breathed. I salute reverenly each statue and to me, humble inhabitant of a small island, it seems that I am in a sanctuary."
He was extremely delighted with the Coliseum and the Roman forum. there, he ramined s eated for hours, contemplating everything and recreating life to the ruins. He stayed in a 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.
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 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 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 English men, 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 bacame seasick and some of his books got wet. At Saigon on July 30, he transferred to the S.S Hayfong (Haiphong) which reached Manila on August 6. He stayed in Manila for a few days to take a rest and later went home to Calamba in the bosom of his beloved family. he was welcomed affectionately by his family. in his letter to Blumentritt of his homecoming, he said; 'I had a pleasant Voyage. I found my family enjoying the best of health and our happiness was great in seeing each other again. they shed tears of joy and I had to answer the thousand questions at the same time."
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 knowledge about the science of ophthamology 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 become famous as an eye specialist and Sergeon, and even called Doctor Uliman becauuse he was mistaken by the ignorant folks for a German. his professional fees were reasonable, sometime even gratis to the poor. within a short time he was able to earn $900, as a physician.
Rizal kept himself busy and other times he painted 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 induce his town mates to indulge 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 malacanan A month after his return to Calamba, Rizal recieved a letter From Governor-general Emilio Terrero to come to Malacanan. Perhaps somebody must have reached his ears tha the "Noli" contained subversive thoughts inciting the Filipinos to go against the government. in the palace, 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 better expose the excesses of the government and the greedy and ruthless friars though his pen foreign countries. He was also advised by Governor-General Errero to leave the Philippines or his own good.
In September, 1887, he wrote his bosom 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 Protestat, a mason, a witch, and a condemned soul."
Chapter 7
Rizal in Hongkong, Japan and America
Rizal was forced to go abroad for the second time and to part from his family and friend 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 British colony he was met by Filipino residents, 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 a 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 theatre arts. In his diary, his experience were briefly written.
1. The celebration of the 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 theatres 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 guest were served a variety of dishes, such a century eggs, shark fins, white peking ducks, chicken fried and with vinegar, roasted 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.
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 month, during which period he visited the provinces, learned Japanese, and dedicated himself to study of the Japanese theatre, art and language. Rizal, a keen observer and the things which impressed his most about Japan were: 1. The beauty of the country- its plants flowers along the streets, mountains covered by snow during, the winter season, the Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) on its peak blooming seasons, the streams flowing with crystal clear water, the rivers and lakes that abound with various types of fish and other beautiful sceneries. 2. The Japanese have a great fondness for 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 in 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 gift are important aspects o their culture. 6. The basic form of greeting as a sign of politeness is to bow. 7. There are few thieves in Japan. The houses remained open day and night and other valuable articles on the table without being lost. 8. There were few beggars and are rarely 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. Rizal’s Romantic Interlude with O-Sei-San. Rizal’s romance with the Japanese lady named O-Sei-San started in early spring of March, 1888, when he 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 English language. This was the beginning of his frequent visits to the department store.
Meanwhile, he came to know the name of the Japanese lady in the succeeding days. Here name was Seiko Usui and her friends called her O-SeiSan, her pet name. Rizal was really attracted by her beauty, simplicity, charm and intelligence. Aside from knowing English she was very fluent in French. Their friendship develop into a beautiful relationship. The cherry blossoms, the sweet breeze and the romantic climate in Springtime contributed immensely to an emotional intimacy. O-Sei-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, castle, and pavilions, art galleries, museums, Japanese garden and parks and other beautiful and historical spots. 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-SeiSan is reflected and attested in his diary on the day oh his departure to wit: “Japan has pleased me. The beautiful scenery, the flowers, the trees, and the inhabitants- so peaceful, so courteous, and so pleasant. O-Sei-SanSayonara, Sayonara! I have spent a lovely golden month; I do not know if I can have another one like that in all my life. Love, money, friendship, appreciation, honors- these have not been wanting. To think that I am leaving this life for the uncertain, the unknown. There I was offered an easy way to live, beloved and esteemed.
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 the time cheap coolie labor coming from china and other countries were not allowed to enter the United State of America because white laborers were being displaced in the constructions 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 longed quarantine period. In San Francisco. Rizal stayed at Palace Hotel, a first-class hotel in the city. He paid $4 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, 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”
Wide desert without plants nor trees. Far from this desert can be seen blue mountains. In Ogden, the fields are seen with horses, oxen, and trees. The mountains at a distance are covered with a snow. The bank at Salt Lake are more beautiful than other things I saw. There are mountains in the middle of the lake like islands of Talim in Laguna de Bay. Children greeted us at Salt lake City. We passed through the mountains and rocks along a river; the river in noisy and the noise gives life to the lifeless territory. We passed through tunnels made of wood to protect to road against the snow. Icicles in these tunnels are very bright which gives majestic effect. Colorado has more trees than the three states we passed over. There are many horses. Ohama, a city of Nebraska, on the Missouri River is twice as wide as the Pasig River. In the Chicago, there is that every cigar store has an Indian Figure. We saw the Niagra, the most splendid falls I have seen. Albany is a big city. The hudson River which runs along carries many boats and very wide. My grand Transcontinental trip ended on Sunday, May 13, at 11:30a.m” In New York. Rizal arrived at New York on Sunday morning and ended his trip across the American continent full exciting experience. 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.”
The Impressions of Rizal vis-a-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 inqustries; scientific methods of farming and other fields of agriculture; the producing Electric power; good communication and transportation facilities; network of railroad infrastructure; 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 medicine care, advance methods of education and better opportunities for better life extended to poor immigrants. While “America is undoubtedly a great country, but is still has many defects, “He wrote 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 so Journ in Brussels, he met Jose Alejandro was who was studying in Belgiums. 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.”
Chapter 8
Rizal in London, Paris, Brussels and Madrid
Rizal in London. Rizal left for London and lived there for May 1888 to March, 1889, to copy, study and made the annotation of Dr. Antonio de Mora’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Event in the Philippines 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 believe that London was a safe and better to fight the injustice 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 Complete 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 move 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.
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 Vincente Garcia, an old Filipino theologian and Philosopher, wrote an able defense of his Noli against the attacks of Fr. Rodriuez and other friars. The good news came from Mariano Ponce. From London, Rizal made brief visit 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. Them 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 Solaridad and the Propaganda Movement. He exchanged ideals about the Philippines and these two Filipinos promised to cooperate in the struggle for reform.
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 holidays season. In his diary, he wrote; It is the holiday, “I like best to celebrate. It reminds me of 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 Good news. 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 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 Soladaridad. 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 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. 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 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 estate to look into the sources of the agrarian problem in Calamba. One of the friar estates affected was the Calamba Hacienda owned by Dominician 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 managemant 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 arbitrary 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, iin retaliation, persecuted the helpless tenants. 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 “Specimens of Tagal Folklore” and “Two Eastern Fables” and were both published. The “Specimens of Tagal Folklore” dealt with Filipino proverbs and puzzle while the “Two Eastern Fables” dealt with a comparative study of Philippines and Japanese Folklore. On June 12, 1839, Rizal with some Filipinos and their Spanish friends in Madrid organized a society, Asociacion Hispano-Filipina (Spanish-Filipino 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. Domindor 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 Filipinos in Spain the consequently led to the founding of La Soladaridad Graciano Lopez Jaena became the editor of the periodecal of the Propaganda. To demonstrate his unwavering 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 reasons why Rizal left London hastily and move to Paris, so that Gertrude Beckett may forget him. In Paris. Rizal arrived in Paris about two months before the opening of the international Exposition to commemorate French Independence. Wanting to seize the occasion to place his country 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 organiez two societies of Filipinos who were in Paris at that time; one was the Kidlat Club, the other was 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 exposotion. 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 Biblo Nationale, checking up with accuracy his historical annotation 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 theatre, 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 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 his historical intellectual scholarship. However, he could not hide his observation and constructive comment about some flaws that should be pointed out as a matter of record. For Blumentritt, Rizal like some historical commit the flaw in comparing and appraising the events of the pas against the prevailing conditions which apparently are different; and the virtual attacks on the churched were fundamentally unfair and do not conform to approved standards of ethics because the abuses 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 piece of historiography because it can be considered the best of the many histories of the Philippines written bt 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 love Adelina, he did not even show any sign of affection for Nelly. On the other hand, Luna has 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 with the talented gentleman from Calamba, because she showered his 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 Lune that he had no feelings for Nelly. Luna challenged him to duel but fortunately the matter was settled amicable by their friends. Rizal in Brussels. Rizal left Paris 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 was his companion when he moved to Brussels and lived in a modest boarding house. Being 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.
Chapter 9
Rizal Goes Back to HongKong.
Rizal left Ghent for Marseilles where he boarded S.S. Melbourne on October 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 Hongkong, he told del Pilar that he regretted that he could no longer write articles for La Solidaridad, and he was temporarily withdrawing from the Philippines's political concerns in Spain to preserve and uphold the unity among the Filipinos in Europe. But Inspite of his political orientation that may not be the same with theat of del pilar, he had maintained his high regard and admiration for him.
Life in Hongkong. Upon his arrival in hongkong on November 20, 1891, the Filipino residents especially his old friend, Jose M. Basa gave his 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 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 notwithstanding his skills and his tender touch as an ophthalmic surgeon he even recomended some of his patients.
Rizal had all the qualities of an eye specialist, parexcellence and because of many patients of different nationalities who had consulted him for treatment and get well, his name as an eye surgeon landed in various newspaper, magazines, and medical journals. Because of his good reputation as a physician and 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 congratulations note accompanied by a book on Diagnostic Pathology. Don Antonio Vergel de dios, kind-hearted man offered him his services for the purches of medical books, equipment and instruments which he might need in the practice of his medical profession.
From Biarritz, the wealthy Mr. Edward Boustead Adelina's father sent him a letter on March 21, 1892, praising him for practicing his medical profession.
In Europe. The Filipino friends of Rizal learned his medical practice in hongkong and gave him their 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 a great eye specialist. He had a keen and analytical intellect, lightbess of touch, deep knowledge of medicine and ophthalmology and had been properly and adequately 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.
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 Euprope 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 Hildalgo 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 and was replace by Governor Eulogio Dispujol. Rizal armed with an intense desire to help the landless people was determined to puss through the project. With the new leadership of Governor Despujol, 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 and acknowledgment 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 secend 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 any reply, but instead the Governor-General notified the Spanish Consul-General in Hongkong to tell Rizal tht 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 cultuvate a foreign soil."
The lastletter he sent to Governor-General Despujol was a letter requesting permission to change his nationailt and emigrate with his family and other town mates in Calamba who cared to join him in Borneo. Rizal received no reply at all.
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 ByLaws of La Liga Filipina (Philippines League) an association of Filipinos for civic and social activities until its printing in Hongkong in 1892. The Idea of founding the La Liga Filipina was 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 promise its progress.
Rizal also wrote articles on Philippines history, government, and culture for THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, a british daily newspaper where some copies reach the Philippines. The Filipinos read every article with enthusiasm.
Rizal also drew up the plan of a modern school for the education of Filipinos "young men of good family and means in accordance with the demands of modern times and circumstances." Don Mariano Cunanan of Pampanga offered to raise an initial amount of &40,000 to establish such school.
Rizal Decided to Return to Manila. In life, one has to make decision no matter how difficult it may be and the corresponding rosks involved. After pondering about the possible consequences of his action of returning to Manila on May, 1892, Rizal made up mind. His mind. His sudden decision to return was caused by himself immediate desire to see Governor-General Despujol regarding his project in Borneo, to establish the La Liga Filipina in Manila, and protested Eduado de Lete of his article published in La Solaridad on April 15, 1892, portraying him as a coward and opportunistic for being comfortable and safe in hongkong, while he abandoned his country's cause. He approached del Pilar, the editor of La Soladaridad, saying: "I am more convinced that lete, in writing the articles, was too hasty, and you permitted yourself to be carried away. Friend or enemy, if the article has harmed me more it would harm the interest of the Philippines. I am going to activate the Propaganda again and fortify tha Liga."
The last two letters in Hongkong. Rizal's decision to return to Manila was vehemently opposed by his parents, sister, relatives and friend. Trinidad, his sister tear full warmed 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 3 1st birthday with some 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 this letter(One addressed to his family; the other to his countrymen), Rizal spoke of the risk 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 mandkind 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 countryand fellowmen was truly second to none.
The first and last paragraphs of the letter addresses to his parents, brenthren, and friends fellow:
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 judges things according to the consequences; but whether the result be favorable or not, it may always be said that my duty urged me, so if I die in goiing it, it will not matter.
The last paragraphs 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 can not ear the sight of my sister 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.
The last few words he said in his letter to all those whom he loved most, especially his fatherland wer full of emotions- Jou, sorrow and fear, attributer to a dying man whose death seems inevitable.
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 Malacanang 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 Arellano and told them the Objectives of the La Liga Filipina which planned to establish. The day followig 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 reponse 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 league's 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 Dominicians 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 toDapitan in Nothern Mindanao.
Life in Dapitan. At first he lived in the residence of Don Ricardo Carnicero, Captain of the Infantry and politicomilitary governor of Dapitan.
Carnicero was charmed by Rizal's refined manners. On several occasions, they had friendly conversations and sometimes ate together on the same table. Later, Carnicero learned that Rizal was not 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 gave 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 Carnicero's Birthday.
When captain Carnicero 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 practice 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 Dona 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, Doctor Rast, Joesty and Meyer.
Rizal as a Physician. Dr. Rizal contaniued his medical practice in Dapitan. Many patients from different parts of the Philippines from far away palces came for consultation either for eye diseases or for any kind of clinical ailment. Sometimes in August, 1893, Dona Teodora and sister Maria arrived in Dapitan and lived with him for a year. For the third 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 instruction, by removing the bandages from her eyes, causing the wound to be infected.
Rizal could not help shared the incident to his brother-in-law, Manuel Hidalgo, his sister's husband, Saturnina: 'Now I understand very well why physician should not treat the members of his family'.
Rizal became interested in local medicines by way of applaying 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.
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 citizen 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 vision and 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 content, 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," "Delicadez" 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 Gymnatics. 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.
Rizal as an Engineer. Rizal is a full-pledged 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 Engeneering by constructing a system of waterworks in order to provide the people in Dapitan clean water.
It is interesting to note that engineers with adequate knowledge, traning and experience in the field of civil and construction works, marveled how Rizal could built such a system of water works, for he had inadequate equipment, tools and the necessary materials and finances and even without hate help of the government.
An American engineer, H.H. Cameron was all admiration and praised Rizal's ingenuity, for he had no explosives with which to blast the hard rocks and limited resources, except his determined effort and tenacity to construct the aqueduct which had for its bottom the fluted tiles from the old house roof, 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.
Rizal as Scientis. Rizal found Dapitan and other places in Zamboanga an idea place for collection specimens for scientific study. Accompanied by students they explored the forest and seacoast looking for specimen of insects, plants seashells and other aquatic lives. He examined carefully every specimen to find out its potential value.
He Discoveres 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 so he applied the natural fluid extracted from the said root pant and the pain disappeared. In other occasion, he applied the "Hydro alcohilic sokution" extracted from the Nami to a cat so that he could dissect its gonald. In a few minutes, the cat fell asleep and he was able to perform his scientific experiment. As result, he discovered that the fluid extracted from the Nami was an effective medicine and capable of producing anesthetic results, He sent differenttypes of specimen, e.g. insects birds, fish snakes and sheel to dresden. Some of the specimens he sent were rare and had not been known yet which were named in his honor by the European scientist. Among these specimens were Draco Rizali( a flyin dragon), Apogonio rizali(a small bettle), and Rhacaphorus rizali(A rare frog).
In payment of these valuable specimens and in recognition of his effor, the European scientist sent him various scientific books, and journals and surgical instruments.
Rizal's quest for knowledge was boundless. He also conducted researches and studies in anthropological, ethnographical 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 spent his time profitable. He bought 16 hectares of agricultural land where he planted fruit-bearing trees, e.g., mangoes, guavas, lansones, santol and durian, aside from cacao, coffee, sugarcane, corn and coconutes. He also raised livestock, e.g., horse, cattles, ducks and turkeys in his farm. Later, he acquired adjacent land of his farm until his total land area expanded near a river where it became a source of irrigation that consequesntly doubled his rice production.
On this big tract of arable land suitable for agriculture he introduced modern methods of farming and agricultural mean and techniques he had observed in Europe and America. He encourages the farmers in Dapitan and adopt the modern and scientific agriculture methods.
Rizal as an Entepreneur. Rizal was a person who organized, manage and assumed responsibility in any kind of human endeavor. In Dapitan, aside from farming, he engaged in business. His business partnership with a 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 practice and to stabilize the price of hemp in the market.
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 Philippines wood and "its mechanism" said Rizal,"is based on the principle of compressed air". He sent this unique invention to Blumentritt as a gift which he became very delighted.
Meantime, 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 remakable talents for the arts. Before learninng how to read, he could already sketch different pictures of animal, birds, flowers, mountains and human figures. He had also developed an interest in creating different forms and shapes with wax and clay. He curves figures of animals and human figures in wood.
In one occasion, when Rizal was a young boy in Calamba, religious banner which was always used during the town fiesta was damaged, thereby diminishing to a certain extent its aesthatic value. To replace it, Rizal painted in oil colors a new banner that delighted the town people because it was more beautiful that the original one.
Rizal impressed his Jesuits 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-knife.
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 statute representing the mother- dog killing the crocodile by way of avenging her lost puppy.
Other sculpture 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 a Linguist. Rizal could be ranked with the world's great linguistics because of his remarkable skills in speaking several languages as fellows: 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 quite a number of short stories, novels, poems essays, play and fables, He translated his works in different languages, e.g., Spanish, English, Italian, French and German while in Dapitan.
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 occassions 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 Daptipan 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 gon, 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 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.
Rizal and Josephine fell in love.., and each day that passed seemed to bring them 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 Rizal and Josephine calmed him down- 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 father.
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 therafter, lived happily. So great was this Irish orphan's love for him.
The most important document is the letter to the Bishop of Cebu. It bears a documentary stamp and the number 3.486.477.
Most Exellent and Illustrious Bishop of Cebu Fray Martin Garcia Alcocer.
Most Illustious 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 Vey 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.
Dapitan, 6 March, 1895 Most Excellent and Very Reverend Bishop of Cebu
How the late Mr. Famorca of Dapitan came to possess these document is a mystery.
January of the following year Rizal wrote his mother to tell her that he was sending her some salted fish" prepared by the person who lives at my home". She is good, obiddient and meek. All that we lack is to be married; but as you yourself say, "It is better to live in grace of God that to be Married in mortal sin."
To his sister, trinidad, he wrote; Miss J. is better that her reputation... what we only need is to pay a curate, that is to say, it is no necessary to us. Until now we have not quaralled, we are always gay... The public can say that it is a scandal; without doubt it is. It is very scandalous to live better than married people."
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 couple, the loss of the baby was indeed unbrearable.
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 ship 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 Jesuits Order in the Philippines, by correcpondence nad 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 in universal. At the suggestiom of his friend Blumentritt, Dr. Rizal voluteered his services as a physician attached to the Spanish medical corps in Cuba. After a little more than six months, his application was accepted and so he had to leave Dapitan for Manila, where he arrieved on board the Espana 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 o 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.
Chapter 11
THE ARREST AND TRIAL OF RIZAL
Sometime in August 1896, before the outbreak of Philippine Revolution, Andres Bonifacio together with the 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 hepolitely refused. Being a man of principle and conviction, he was ready to face the consequences of his decision.
Rizal stayed on board Castilla for almost a month. By this time, Bonifacoi and his katipunan followers had already proclaimed defiance of Spanish goverment by tearing thier cedula certificates during the famous historical "Cry of the Balintawak". On August 30, 1896, Governnor-General Ramon Blanco gave Rizal a letter of recommendation to the Minister of War, General Marcelode Azcarraga, which said among other things " Rizal's conduct during the four years he remained in dapitan has been exemplary, and he is on way involverd in chimerical (unreal or imaginary)attempt we are now deplorng, neither in the conspiracy nor in 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.
FROM A VOLUNTEER PHYSICIAN TO A PRISONER. From Manila, Governor-General Blanco wired back the most ominous warning for Rizal. " After departure of Rizal very seriour charges filed against him for causing insurrection and Prosecutor requests to be returned here as prisoner under his diposal.."
The steamer 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 arbitrily harassed. Some were even tortured. Documents and letters of Rizal's friends in the Propaganda Movement were seized by the civil guards.
THE TRIAL. Rizal's trial began with the preliminary investigation on November 2o. he appeared before the Judge Advocate, Colonet Francisco Oliver Garcia and subjected to a very tiring and severe investigation for five days. He was accused of the crimes of rebellion, seditin and forming illegal associations.
The result of the preliminary investigation 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.
RIZAL AND HIS DEFENDER. Denied the legal services or an experience civilian lawyer, Rizal was given a list of names of first and second Lieutenants to choose his counsel. He chose the name that seemed familiar to him, that Lieutenant luis Traveil de Andrada who happened to be the brother of Lieutenant Josetraviel 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 commision of offence committed by Rizal were read in the presence o his defender and other persons in the court. Some of the charges were refuted by Rizal to wit:
Meanwhile on December 13, 1896, the case against him was refferred to Governor Gamilo de Polaveja who repalced 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 Filipino people to stop shedding of blood and to achieve their freedoms through education and hard work. What the country needs today are individuals, not only with sense of vision and purpose, but above all, MEN OF CONSCIENCE.
From the beggining, 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 witness to my words are still living. I was convince that the idea was highly absurb and, what as 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 fortunes. This is equally of record.
On Decenber 24, the Ordinary Court Martial of the Post was constituted, with seven members: Colonl Jose Tagores Arojona (Cavalry), Ricardo Muñoz Arias (Captain, Artillery), Mnue; Reguera (Captain,Cavalry), Santiago Osorio (Captain,Rangers),Manuel Escribano (Captain,Engineers), and Fermin Rodrigez (Captain,General Ordinance). The assistant judge advocate general, Enrique de Alcocer, was appointed prosecutor.
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 the military tribunal to decide by imposing death penalty upon the accused.
When theProsecuting Attorney had finished his long and passionate speech, Rizal's defender Traviel de Andrade took the floor and present his eloquent defender characterized by forceful and appropriate expression.
After Lieutenant Traviel de Andrade's able defense on the accused he took his seat. The military court aside Rizal whether he had something to say in additional to the confidence, intelligence and skill 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 had guilty, I could have escape from sinngapore. 3. If i had a hand in therevolution, I could have escaped in a Moro vinta and wouldno build a house, and bought lands in Dapitan. 4. If I were the chief of the revolution, why was I not consulted by revolutionists. 5. The LA Liga Filipina did not live long, for after the first meeting, I was deported to Dapitan and it died out. 6. If the La Liga Filipina was reorganized 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 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 hous 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 were aware that I would ever 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 the military tribunal composed of Military officials. The case was already prejudged in the Absence o 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 accuse 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 avirtual pantomime. No Prosecution witness was allowed to testly so the defense could Not ask questions on crossexamination.
The procedure of trial was a prototype of simplicityif Not a mockery. (1) The prosecution’s 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 Defence brief dated December 25, and (3) Rizal completed The process by reading his “Additions to My Defense,” which He wrote dated December 26.
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 judgment 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 have come cross.” The trial was a 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 the most admirable in Rizal,” wrote Palma, “is His complete selfdenial, his complete abandonment of his Personal interests in order to think only of those of his Country.”
Chapter 12
THE EXECUTION OF A NATIONAL HERO
After the infamous decision of the military court, Rizal Knew that his life was sealedhe 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 number 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-Recto of Ateneo, Antonio Rosell, Luis Viza, Jose Vilaclara, Federico Vauraand and Vincente 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 he afternoon of the same day, the immediate Members of his family- his aged mother, Doña 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 emotionals. voice: “I knew I Had cause 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 in retraction was Still a case where the abundance of material seemed he actually Led to confusion. A number of biographers and hinstorians Had to follow a paper trail down to the primary source 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 textbook 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.
But even if he became a Master Manson, 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 convictions 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 to him, but he did not like it because it was too wordy and too long. Another draft was shown again by Father Balaguer which was 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.
Records showed 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 Iwas 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 error 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 readthe acts of Faith,Hope and Charity from the Spanish prayer book entitled Aceptation dela muerte, (Acceptance of death) and Imitation de Cristo, (The Imitation 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:
Dear Papa,
Forgive me for all the pains and sorrows that I had caused to repay you for yours sacrificesfor my education.
Goodbye, Father.
His last letter to his bosom friend,Professor Bluementritt a part of which read:
My dear friend,
I shall be dead by the time you receive this letter. Tommorow, I shall be shot by a firing squad at seven o’clock in the morning at Bagungbayan Field.
I am innocent of the charges against me and I die with a clear conscience.
Goodbye.
Jose Rizal
His request to be sinot facing the firing squad was denied for the Spanish officer had specific from higher authorities to have him shot at the back
As The people crowded the scene the guns of the firing squadrang 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 7:30 in the morning. Shouts of "Viva Espana!"(Long Live Spain! Death to the traitor,') felled the air.
What an outrage! It was indeed a great day for Spain Little did she realize that 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 coldblooded crimes registered in history since the tragedy og Golgota." While the Military Band played, people began to dispere and to leave the place.
The remains of the great martyr were buried in Paco Cementary but on December 30, 1912, they were transfered to the base of the presedent Rizal monument at the Luneta.
Today, a very famous landmark, right on the heart of Manila, stands a statue of a man silhouetted againts the blue sky. perhaps the greatest educated ,Filipino - a man with a purpose and a man of conscience, martyr and national hero - DR. JOSE RIZAL.
Rizal's "ULTIMON ADIOS". The famous, longest and untitled poem the hero wrote on December 29,1896 the eye of his execution in his prison cell at Fort Santiago was full of beautyful 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 Spanish of this Ultimo Adios was translated in different languages, e.g English, French, German, Italian, Japenese and Malayan.
The translation from Spanish to English was by Charles E.Derbyshire, while the Tagalog translation was by Jose Gatmaitan.
ULTIMO ADIOS Adios, Patria adorada, region del sol querida, Perla del mar de Oriente, nuestro perdido Eden! si fuera mas bri.lante, mas fresca, mas florida, A darte voy alegre, la triste, mustia vida Tambien por ti la diera, la diera por tu bien. En campos de batalla,luchando con delirio, Ostros te dan sus vidas, sin dudas,in pesar. El sitio nada importa: cipres, laurel o lirio, Cedalso o campo abierto combate o cruel martirio, Lo mismo es, si lo piden la partria y el hogar. Yo muero cuando veo que el cielo se colora, Y al firi anuncia el dia tras lobrego capuz: Si grana necesitas nasa tenir la aurora, Vierta la sangre mia derramala en buen hora. Y dorela un reflejo de su nacienete luz!
Miss suenos cuando apenas nino o adolescente, Mis suenos cunado joven, ya lleno de vigor, Fueron el verte un dia, joya del mar de Oriente! Socos nos negros ojos, alta la tersa frente, Sin ceno, sin arrugas, sin manchas de rubor. Ensueno ne vida, mi ardiente vivo anhelo. Salud! te grita el alma que pronto va partir. Salud! oh! que es hermoso caer por darte vuelo. Morir por darte vida, morir bajo tu cielo, Y en tu encantada tierra la eternidad dormir. Si sobrae mi sepulco vierres brotar un dia, Entre la espesa yerba, sencilla humiddle flor. Acercala a tus labios y besa el alma mia. Y siente yo en mi frente, bajo la tumba fria, De tu ternura el soplo, de tu halito el calor.
Deja a la luna verme con luz tranquila y suave, Deja que el alba envie su resplandor fugaz, Deja gemir al viento con su murmullo grave; Y si gemir y pos sobre mi cruz un ave, Deja que el ave entone su cantico de paz Deja que el sol ardiendo las lluvias evapore. Y al cielo tornen puras con mi clamor en pos; Deja que en ser amigo mi fin temprano llore. Y en las serenas tardes cuando por mi alguien ora. Ora tambien, oh Patria! por mi descanse a dios. Ora por todos cuantos murieron sin ventura, Por cuantos pedecieron tormentos sin igual, Por nuestras pobles madres que gimen su amargura, Por huerfanos y viudas, por presos en tortura, Y ora por ti, que veas turedencion final.
Y cuando, en noche oscurra envuelva el cementrio Y solo, con los muertos q eden vilndo alli, No turbes su reposo, no turbes el misterio; tal vez acorde origas de citera o salterio; Soy yo. querida Patria, yo que te canto a ti. Y cuando ya mi tumba, de todos olvidada. No tenga cruz ni peidra que marquen su lugar, Deja que la are hombre, la espanza con la azada. Y mis ceniza, antes que vuelvan a la nada. Y miss ceniza, antes que vuelva a la nada, El polvo de tu afomba que vayan a farmar. Entonces nada importa me pongas enolvido. Tu atosfera, tu expacio, tus valles cruzare Vibrnate y limpia nota sere para tu oido; Aroma, luz, colores, rumor, canto, gemido, Constante repitiendo la esencia de mi fe.
Mi Patria idolatrada, dolor de mis dolores, Querida Filipinas, oye el postrer adios! Ahi te dejo todo:mis padres, mis amores: Voy a donde no hay esclavos, verdugos ni opresores; Donde la fe no mata, donde el que reina es Dios! Adios, padres, hermanos, trozos de alma mia, Amigos de la infacia en el perdido hogar! Dad gracias, que descanso del fatigo dia! Adios, dulce extrangera, mi amiga mi alegra! Adios,queridos seres! Morir es descansar!
LAST FAREWELL
farewell, dear fatherland, climeof the sun caress'd Pearl of the orient seas, our eden lost! Gladly now I go to give thee this faded life's best, And were it brighter, fresher, or more blest, Still would I give it thee, nor count the cost. On the field of battle,'mid the frenzy of light, Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed; The place matter not-cypress or laurel or lily white, Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom's plight, Tis ever the same, to serve our home and country's need. I die just when I see the dawn break, Through the gloom of night, to herald the day; And if color is lacking my blood thou shalt take, Pour'd out at need for the thy dear sake, To dye with its crimson the waking ray
My dreams, when life first opened to me, My dreams, when the hopesof youth beat high, Were to see thy lov'dface, O gem of the orient sea. From gloom and grief, from care and sorrow free; No blush on thy brown, no tcar in thine eye. Dream of my life, my living and burning desire, All hair! cries the sould that is now to take flight; All hair! and sweet it is for thee to expire, To die for thy sake, that thou mayst aspire, And sleep in thy bosom eternity's long night. If over my grave some day thou seest grow. In the grassy sod, a humble flower, Drawit to thy lips and kiss my soul so, while I may feel on my brow in the cold tomb below The touch of thytenderness, thy breath's warm power.
Let the moon beam over me soft and serene, Let the dawn shed overme its radiant flashes, Let the wind with the sand lament over me keen; And if on my cross a bird should be seen, Let it trill there its hymn of peace of my ashes. Let the sun draw the vapors up to the sky, And heavenward in purity bear my tardy protest; Let some kind sould o'er my untimely fate sigh, And in the still evening a prayerbe lifted on high From thee, O my country, that in Godd I may rest. Prayer for all those that hapless have died, For all who have suffered the unmeasur'd pain; For our mothers that bitterly their voes have cried, For windows and orphans, for captives by torture tried; And then for thyself that redemption thou mayst gain.
And when the dark night wraps the graveyard around, With only the dead in their vigil to see; break not my repose or the mystery profound, And perchance thou myst hear sad hymn resound, Tis I, O my country, raising a song unto thee When even my grave is remembered no more, Umark'd by never a cross or a stone; Let the plow sweep through it, the spade turn it o'er That my ashe may carpet thy earthy floor, before into nothingness at last hey are blown. Then will oblivion bring to me no care; As over thy vales and plains I sweep; Throbbing and cleansed in thy space and air, with color and light, with song and lament I fare, Ever repeating the faith that I keep.
My Father ador'd that sadness to my sorrow lends, Beloved Filipinas, hear now mylast good-bye! I give the all; parents and kindred and friends; For I go no slave before the oppressore bends, Where faith never kill, and God reigns e'er on high! Farewell to all, from my soul torn away, Friends of my childhood in the home dispossessed! Give thanks that I rest from wearisome day! Farewell to thee, too, sweet friend, that lightened my way; Beloved creatures all, farewell! In death there is rest!
HULING PAALAM
Paalam na, sintang lupang tinubuan, bayang mayaman sa init ng araw, Edeng maligayang sa ami'y pumanawa at perlas ng dagat sa dakong Silangan Inihahamdog ko ng ganap na tuwa sa iyo yaring buhay na lanta na't aba; naging dakila ma'y iaalay rin nga kung dahil sa iyong ikatitimawa. Ang nanga sa digmaang dumog sa paglaban handog din sa iyo ang kanilang buhay, hirap ay di pansin at di gunamgunam and pagkaparool o pagtatagumpay.
Bibitaya't madlang mabangis na sakit o pakikibakang lubhangmapanganib, pawang titiisin kung ito and nais ng baya't tahanang pinakaiibig Ako'y mamamatay ngayong minamalas ang kulay ng langit na nanganganinag ibinababalang araw ay sisikat sa kabila niyang mapanglaw na ulap Kung dugo ang iyong kinakailangan sa ikadidilag ng iyong pag silang dugo ko'y ibubo't sa isa man lamang nang gumigiti mong sinag ay kuminang. Ang mga nasa ko, mulabg magkaiisip, magpahanggang ngayong maganap ang bait, ang ika'w makitang hiyas na marikit ng dagat Silangan na nakaliligid.
Noo mo'y maningning at sa mga mata mapait na luha bakas ma'y wala na, wala ka ng poot, wala ng balisa walang kadugungua't munti mang pangamba, Sa sandaling buhay maalab kong nais ang kagalingan mo't ang paiwang mong sulit ng kaluluwa kong gayak ng aalis: ginhawa'y kamtan mo! Anong pagkarikit! Nang maaba't ikaw'y mapataas lamang, mamatay at upang mabigyan kang buhay malibing sa lupang puspos ng karikta't, sa silong ng iyong langit ay mahimlay. Kung sa ibang araw ikaw'y may mapansin nipot na bulaklak sa aba kong libing sa gitna ng mga damong masisinsin hagka't ang halik mo'y itaos sa akin
Sa samyo ng iyong pagsuyong matamis, mataos na taghoy ng may sintang dibdib, bayaang tumangap noo ko ng init, na natatabunan ng lupang malamig. Bayaan mong ako'y malasin ng buwan sa liwang niyang hinaho't malamlam; bayaan hihatid sa aking liwayway ang banaag niyang dagling napaparam. Bayaang humibik angsimoy ng hangin; bayaang sa huning masay'y awitin ng darapong ibon sa kurus ng libing ang buhay payapang kinaaaliw.
Bayaang ang araw na lubhang maningas pawiin angulan, gawing pawang ulap, maging panganuring sa langit umakyat, at ang aking daing ay mapakilangkap. Bayang ang aking maagang pagpanaw itangis ng isang lubos na nagmahal; kung may umalala sa akin ng dasal, ako'y iyo sanang idalangin naman. Idalangin mo rin ang di nagkapalad, nanangamatay na't yaong nangaghirap sa daming pasakit, at ang lumalangap naming mga ina ng luhang masaklap. Kung nababalot na ang mga libingan ng sapot na itim ng gabing mapanglaw, at wala ng tanod kundi pawang patay, huwag gambalain ang katahimikan. Pagpitaganan mo ang hiwagang lihim, at mapapakinggan ang tinig marahil, ng isang salterio: Ito nga'y ako ring inaawitan ka ng aking paggiliw.
Kung ang libingan kong limot na ang madla ay wala nang kurus at bato mang tanda sa nangangbubukit ay ipaubayang bungkali't isabog ang natipong lupa. Ang mga abo ko'y bago pailanglang mauwi sa wala na pinanggalingan; ay makalat munang parang kapupunan ng iyong alabok sa lupang tuntungan. Sa gayo'y wala ng anoman sa akin na limutin mo ma't akin lilibutin ang himpapawid mo kaparanga't hangin at ako sa iyo'y magiging taginting Bango, tinig, higing, awit na masaya liwanag at kulay na lugod ng mata't uulit-ulitin sa tuwi-tuwina.
Ako'y yayao na sa bayang payapa, na walang alipi't punong mapang-aba, doo'y i nanatay ang paniniwala at ang naghahari Diyos na dakila. Paalam na liyag, tanging kaulayaw, taga ibang lupang aking katuwaan, paalam sa inyo, mga minamahal; mamatay ay ganap na katahimikan
LAST HOURS TO MARTYRDOM. Biographer Wenceslao Retana, Rafael Palma and Leon Ma. Guerrero recounted Rizal's gift of genius, methodical lifestyle anthe d productive hours, all of which would negate the logic Rizal haw waited until December 29 to fill his remaining few hours with the most important decisions and testam
Lieutenant Andrade, not being a lawyer, must have learned that the maximum penalty of death could not be evaded because the goverment has arranged even the most inclusive and flimsy evidence gainst the accused. Was pardon or communication on the mind of his defence counsel, Andrade?
How could pardon or communication be extended by a goverment so totally bent on destroying the man who inspired the rebellion? Doña Teodora even went to Malacañang 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 ha started clicking even before the trial.
Most histoiansand biographers feel justified in their comments and observations that Rizal's final fate and confrontation with the Manila goverment 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.
RIZAL'S REMAINS. An article from historical references by Luis R sioson, a member of the historicalcommission, shows that the ;ast request Rizal shortly before his execution was denide by the Spanish authorities.
The article said Rizal had one final wish before he faced his executon-to allow his mother Teodora Alonso to take possession of the corpse.
Rizal's plea was turned down by the Spaniards.
Shortly after, then Mnila 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 Rozal's grave. Shewent frome one cementary to another in thecity and beyond the city liits to seach for her brother's body,but failed.
At the end of the day, she almost gave up, as she was passing by pacocementary, Narcisa saw several "guardia civiles," something unusual in those days.
Rizal's sister struggled to sneak in and saw a pot of freshly dug earth which turned out ti be her brother's unmarked grave.
Narcisa place the small marble slab she had carried and which inscribed "R.P.J."
The increibed "R.P.J." was actually Jose Protacio Rizal's initials, but only in verse.
This was intentionally done by the family so the authorities would not notice that the marble slb designed by Doroteo Ongjungco, a family friend, belonged to Rizal.
The famliy feared that any 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 douther, Angelica, and several sculptop-friends had Rizal's body exhumed, almost two years after his death.
Rizal's body was buried without a coffin, and his cloches and shoes could still be identified by the family.
However, whatever was hidden in Rizals shoes as he mentioned to his sisters in the final hour 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 ofRizal's bones were taken home by Narcisa where they were washed with reverence by family friends Higinio Francisco and Romunaldo Teodoro de Jesus.
De Jesus later crafted and 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 Filipinosbegan to take notice of Rizal's heroism.
Sixteen years after Rizals bones were retrieved by his sister,on December 29, 1912, the ivory urn with Rizal 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 group' vigil the whole day.
Sixteen years to the day Rizal was felled by Spanish firing squad, the ivory urn was transferred to the Luneta on "an artillery caisson drawn by six horses"
Scores of Filipinos joined the procession, and thousands more watched the event as Rizal's remains were placed in the midst of a a foundation over which the Rizal monument was to rise almost 90 years later in very ground he had fallen a century ago.
Rizal's parents, Teodora Alonzo 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 affilition before he was executed continued to exile 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 distrubing confusion with regard to the issue, to wit:
1. Alleged Retraction Document- A "Pious Fraud".
It is stated that, any intellectual 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 and 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 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-thingking 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 a 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 as been circulated that Freemasonry is Anti-Catholic and therefore, Mansons are enemies of the AntiCatholic church. There is nothing farther from the truth. Such an attitute 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. RIzal died as a Mason(and this is something cannot be doubted). Then he died as an enemy of the Catholic Church. Yet Dr. Rizal never showed any hatred at any moment during his lifetime and this includes the period when he became a manson. 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.
3. Father Burgos- Not an Enemy of the state either.
Contrary to wahat 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 antinationalistic persons. The case of Father Burgos that were so common during that infamous era brought up against him, Although in some respect similar to that of Cardinal Midzenty, was worse because the Roman Catholic church at that time being very powerful, but Spanish controlled neverthless, could have easily saved him but no, it did not because he was a native priest who was so nationalistic to the pint of working for the secularization of Philippines 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 photostatic copy of same.(For unknown reasons the original is inaccesible to the general publich for closer scrutiny.) There is still nothing definite regarding the authenticity of the alleged retraction document that has benn arrived at yet.
Chapter 13
NOLI AND FILI: Rizal's Immortal Novels
Rizal consecrated his God-given talents, and even sacrificed his own life for the redemption of his countrymen. His entire political life, both in though and action, applied morality to politics, the fundamental belief that "violence breeds violence" and that no good could come of it. He was determined to aid a young people to find its own personality as a nation of the future. The long period of colonial domination and the constant humiliations and discrimination experienced by the Filipinos from their colonial master, the Spaniards developed in them a feeling of inferiority and a lack of racial pride and dignity.
Rizal believed that his life and death were for a purpose and God desire him to act as he did. His efforts to fight to free his countrymen from ignorance and exploitation was vividly and dramatically manifested in his two immortal novels Noli Me Tangere (Social Center) and El Filibusterismo. (The Reign of Greed)
Noli Me Tangere.
Noli is a classic novel, definitive, adhering to an established set of artistic standard, punctuated with humor and wit and of sustained interest, quality and style, vigorous and elegant, full of profound ideas and sublime thoughts, something worthy of its kind and worth remembering.
Noli Me Tangere came into being because Rizal was deeply touched while reading Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin", which portrayed the brutalities of American slave-owners and the pathetic conditions of the unfortunate Negro slaves. His emphathy as he sympathized with this oppressed people became the starting point to write these twin novels. These two novels were aimed towards reform but they were treated with defferent style characterized by a particular and distinctive mode of presenting and treating the content.
While "Noli Me Tangere" was pacifist, choosing peaceful reforms through education of the youth, in "El Filibusterismo", Rizal sought to revenge the sufferings of his family and countrymen resulting from bitter and traumatic experiences. This differrence was accounted for by Rizal's political ideal that the right thing would happen at the right time. He knew that his duty was to continue relentlessly to bring englightenment of his country in general and to its educated youth inparticular, making them see for themselves as they really were- a people under tyranny and misrule of the colonial masters. He also wished that the Spaniards can see for themselves as they were- the oppressors; thereafter leaving it to event to take their course.
"Noli Me Tangere" did not advocate for full independece, but Rizal pstulated it as the only alternative if the Filipino cries were heard. "Noli" was dedicated "To My Country", for the Filipino people-his countrymen. He hoped to bring, about an improvement in the relation between the rulers and the ruled. The novel presented Spain an opportunity to introduce fundamental reforms before it was too late. The book also exposed some Filipino weaknesses as well as friar wickedness.
Rizal was aware of the shortcomings of his own people when it came to misplaced individualism. He emphatically advocated that "there would no tyrants if there were no slaves"; and the tyranny of some was possible only through cowardice and negligence of other. He believed that the youth was the hope of the fatherland, and that they needed education in order to attain reforms through peacful methods. Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase, translated in English which means "Touch me Not". The book contained things nobody in the philippines had dared to speak about because they were delicate matters and could not be touched by anyone.
El Filibusterismo
Fili as a political novel, dramatized bitterness, hatred, pain, violence, sorrow, greed and vengeance. It was dedicated in memory of the martyrdom of the Filipino priests-Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora. who were executed in Bagongbayan Field on Ferbruary 28, 1872. Fili was a novel that bore an irresistible urge to revolution, while promising nothing from it. The novel, however, achieveda dual purpose: both an incitement to revolution and a dreadful warning against it, which appeared very realistic.
Rizal saw no alternative to revolution, since every plea fell on deaf ears. But he could not envision how a revolution could succeed. "El Filibusterismo" was not an appeal. "It was a profound description of revolt, with all the urgency of its demands, and with all the shortcomings in their fulfillment." To Spain it was a last warning.
Symposis of the Noli Me Tangere
The Noli Me Tangere is a classical novel that described the true Philippine socio-political conditions during the last decades of the Spanish rule. The places, the characters and the the incidents were real "The fatcs I narrate are true and they actually happened; Rizal said, I can prove them."
The novel begins with a dinner given by Capitan Tiago in honor of Crisostomo Ibarra, a young and wealthy Filipino who had just returned after several years successful study in Europe.
Ibarra was the only son of Don Rafael Ibarra and the fiance of beautiful and demure Maria Clara, whose supposed father was Capitan Tiago, a friend of Don Rafael.
The guest that graced the occasion were Padre Damaso, Franciscan Parish priest of San Diego, Padre Sibilya, a Dominican priest. Senor Guevara, a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil, Don Tiburcio de Espadana, a pseudo Spanish physician, lame and with physical deformity, hempecked and husband of Dona Victoria, vain and full hallucinatios and pretending to be a pure-bloodied Castillian, and quite a number of ladies.
Ibarra was introduced before the guest and they were all impressed by his gentle manners and winsome personality. His successful Study and various travel abroad was the centerpiece of the conversatio among the guest especially the young ladies except Padre Damaso who seemed not interseted at all and was sulking like a child because he was displeased with the bony nect of the chicken tinola he got that was served during the dinner.
When the dinner was over, Ibarra politely left the house accompanied by Lieutenant Guevara who narrated to him the sad and tragic story of the death of his father while defending a boy who was pushed by an abusie Spanish tax collector; and accidentally killing him. He was thrown in jail without due process where he died later.
He became sad and upset because of the anguish and pain about the story he learned from the lieutenant Guevara. Determined to find out the truth about the death of his father, he went to San diego to look for his father's grave.
At the cementery, the sepulterero (grave-digger) told Ibarra that the corpes of Don Rafael was removed upon the order, of the parish priest to be buried in the chinese cemetery. Because of the heavy rains and gusty winds with lightning and thunder and the heavy corpes, he dragged it and threw the dead body into the lake.
On a fine Sunday morning an interesting incident was the picnic in the lake wherein Ibarra and his family and a few close friends. When everybody was enjoying the serenity of the lake, an almost tragic incident happened when the big Lanca they were riding almost capsized because of the huge wave created by a big crocodile. The dreadful episode that almost spoiled the pinic was the saving of the life of Elias, the boatman when he bravely grappled with the ferocious crocodile in the lake. Ibarra sensing that the life of Elias was in virtual danger, he immediatel jumped into the water and defied the menancing harm in his life. With a dagger, he gave a hard thrash on the crocodile's belly killing the reptile.
Meanwile the people of San Diego were all busy preparing for the celebration of the annual fiesta. One of the highlights of the said occasion was the laying of the cornerstone of the construction of the schoold building. During the ceremony, in the presence of a huge crowd when everybody's attention was focused on the laying of the marker Ibarra went down into the trench when all sudden, a mysterious man attacked and attempted to kill him. Fortunately, Elias the man he saved at the brink of death during the picnic in the lake saved his life.
In the evenning of the same day, a sumptuous dinner for all was attended by the townspeople at the plaza. Padre Damaso kept on insulting the memory of Ibarra's father in the presence of guest. Beclouded with passion and obfuscation, Ibarra almost killed the ill-mannered friar. The timely intervention of Maria Clara prevented the tragic incident.
With this unfortunate episode, he was excommunicated and as a consequence his engagement with Maria Clara was broken. Later, he was pardoned.
Maria Clara could not bear the pain and the anguish surrounding the incident. She could not get over it so she became ill.
When the fiesta was over, a young , boastful, self-conceited and jobless Spaniards, Don Alfonso Linares de Espandana, Cousin of Don Tiburcio de Espadana came to visit the Philippines to look for a woman who can be his wife.
Done Victorina and Padre Damaso intruduced Linares to Maria Clara. The introduction was deliberately planned and they thought would have some positive result, but Maria Clara did not respond because Ibarra left a niche in her heart.
The terriflying impossobility to see her two sons triggered he mental condition to break down and consequently she became insane.
The story of Elias was full of challenges, unpleasant memories evoking feeling of pity and compassion. He related to Ibarra the details of his life.
His grandfather who was employed in a commercial establishment in Manila was accused of setting fire on the firm's warehouse. His punishment was a severe beating that he almost died. His wife was pregnant and after giving birth became a prostitute in order to survive and to support her sick husband and their young sons.
Several years later the older son became a dreaded tulisan roaming around and sowing terror and apprehension among the people of the town. His terroristic unlawful activities finally ended when he was caught by the authorities. His head was cut off and was hanged on a branch of tree near the river, while his headless body was buried.
When her mother saw the horrible object which was her son's head, she fainted and eventually died.
The younger brother left the place and became a helper of a wealthy man. He fell in love with the daughter of the rich man, his master. When the gild's father knew about their relationship, he became furious and investigated his past. The unfortunate lover who impregnated his daughter was Elias father.
Because his master was well-to-do, he was able to force him to leave the place leaving her daughter behind and gave birth to twins- a boy(elias) and a girl.
The wealthy grandfather who had illicit relations with their mother took good care and reared them as rich children while keeping with outmost secrecy about their incestuous and scandalous origin.
Since no one can deny the existence of the truth, their biological relationship was finally discovered and they were disgraced and mortified. They came to know later, that the poor ignored abused old servant of the family was their real father.
Elias and his sister with remorse feeling about their grandfather who was also their father left the place to go to another town where nobody knew them to conceal their shame-full past.
One day, his sister disappeared and was no where to be found. There was even no cue about her whereabouts. Elias worried about her sister's sudden disappearance roamed around the place looking for her. In the late afternoon, the people of Sa Diego found a dead gild in the beach and was later confirmed that she was Elias sister.
Since then, Elias, alone, forlorn, helpless, hopeless, and desperate lived a vagabond life wandering from one place to another without any direction and purpose until he met Ibarra.
The enemies of Ibarra were determined to destroy his life. When Elias learned about the impending arrest of Ibarra, he burned all the papers and the other pieces of evidence that would incriminate his friend. He went to the prison where Ibarra was incarcerated and helped him to escape by way of riding a banca full of zacate (Grass for Horses).
Hurriedly, Ibarra stopped in the house of Capitan Tiago to see Maria Clara and bid goodbye, Maria Clara could not help control her emotions so her eyes welling with tears, she told Ibarra that she gave his letters to the Spanish authorities in exchange of the letter of her late mother; Pia Alba which Padre Salvi Kept. From the letter Padre Salvi gave her she found out that the real father was Padre Damaso.
Hastily, after clasping the hands of Maria Clara, he returned to the banca where Elias was waiting. Elias told Ibarra to lie down in the banca and covered him grass while he paddled the banca along Pasig River headed toward the Manila Bay.
A police boat loaded with Guardia Civil pursued them until they reached the bay. When the police boat was about to overtake their banca, Elias jumped into the water and swam toward the shore diverting the attention of Guardia Civil and giving Ibarra a chance to escape.
With the rapid and successive fir by the Guardi Civil aimed at the swimming Elias, he was hit and he sank, The water turned into red because of the blood-an indication he was wounded.
Thinking that Ibarra was killed, the soldiers stopped firing. The news spread that Ibarra is dead.
In the meantime, Elias who was seriously wounded was able to reach the shore, crawled slowly and hid to the forest. Feeling week and dizzy because of loss of blood, he met Basilio, son of Sisa who was weeping over her mother's dead body.
Elias catching his breath, he told Basilio to set fire on his mothers's dead body and his (Elias body) were to be burned to ashes. Basilia prepared the pyre-a pile of dried wood and leaves for her mother's corpse and that elias.
During the dark night, Elias gasping for breath slowly said, "I die without seeing the dawn".
Little did he know that Maria Clara entered the monastery to seek solitude and peace of mind-secluded, unhappy, desolate and lost to the world the rest of her life.
While Ibarra went to another place which nobody knew because everybody thought that he was dead.
Synopsis of "El Filibusterismo"
Fili is a political novel full of bitterness, sorrow, pain, violence and vengeance to awaken the Filipino people against the absive masters. It bore an irresistible urge to revolution among the Filipino to go against the government and the practice of the church which appeared realistic.
The novel begins on board a steamer Tabo sailing upstream the Pasig River towards Laguna de Bay. Among the passengers were Simoun, a rich jeweler(the principal character) who was also Crisostomo Ibarra in the Noli, Dona Victorina, Don Tiburcio, de Espadana, Paulita Gomez, the beautiful but haunghty, niece of Dont Tiburcio, Isagani, ardent lover of paulita, Padre Florentino, humane, Basilio, son os SIsa and other passengers.
Ibarra with the help of Elias was able to elude the Guardia Civic. He dug the buried treasure and went toCuba. In Cuba, because of his immense wealth, he befriended high ranking officials of the goverment and became powerful. He returned to the Philippines after thirteen years as Simoun-a man wealth, strong, mysterious and powerful and became a close friend and advider of the Spanish Governor-General.
Nobody knew that Simoun, the wealthy and powerful was Ibarra who decided to come back to the Philippines to carry on his plan to overthrow the government through a revolution and save Maria Clara in the Monastery.
But accidentally, Basilio discovered the true identity of Simoun when they met at the grave of Elias and Sisa.
Simoun planned to kill basilio for fear that his identity might be disclosed, howerver, he realized that he (Basilio) has also to avenge the brutal death of his brother that caused the insanity of his mother. He told Basilio his reason why he came back to the philippines and the designs how he would carry his objectives.
Simoun virtually used his wealth and political influence to encourage corruption and other illegal activities government. He promote oppression and total disregard to human dignity of the people especially the poor so that they will hate the government and become desperate and fight to hasten its early downfall. He even supported Chinese tradrs to smuggle arms into the country.
Simoun attempted twice to launch an armed attack to overthrow the government but he was not successful.
The first attempt failed because of the sad news that Maria Clara died in the monastery which he planned to save while the hostilities was going on. In his agonizing moment over the death of the person he loved, he was not able to give the signal of the start of the hostilities to his followers who wer eagerly waiting to begin the revolution.
The second attempt to overthrow the government was likewise a dismal failure. This happened on the occasion of the wedding of Juanito Pelaez and Paulita Gomez where he gave as a wedding gift to the bride and the groom a beautiful lighted lamp. The said lamp has a hidden bomb placed in a small compartment that will explode in the house where the wedding was being held killing all the guests including the Governor-General, the friars, and other high ranking officials of the government. The explotion will serve as a signal to blow all government buildings and important installations in Manila by Simoun's followers.
When Basilio saw Isagani, the nephew of Padre Florentino and jilted lover of paulita, he warned him to leave the place because in a few minutes the lighted lamp will explode.
Upon hearing the horrible secret device in the lamp, Isagani who was still in love with paulita, realized the danger of her life, so he hurriedly rushed in the house, grabbed the lighted lamp and throw into the river where it suddenly explode.
The revolutionary plot was finally discovered by the Spanish authorities that simoun was the brains and he was also Ibarra. With a cordon of soldiers surrounding the place, Simoun managed to escape but the soldiers relentlessly subdued him. He was mortally wounded. Carrying his treasure chest full of money, jewels and valuable things which he greatly valued sought refuge in the house of Padre Florentino near the sea.
He confessed to Father Florentino about his true identity, his mean and cowardly plan to use his wealth to avenge himswlf of the pain inflicted to him and his despicable plan to destroy his friends and enemies for his contemptible and personal selfish ambition.
The Spanish authorities learned that he was in the house of Padre Florentino, so lieutenant Perez of the Guardia Civil informed the priest that they would come to his house and arrest Simoun. But before they could arrest him, he died by talking poison.
Padre Florentino made a sign of cross on the forehead of Simoun and said, "God with his infinite mercy will forgive you, He knows that we are all mortals."
Padre Florentino looked at the lifeless body of Simoun and took the treasure-chest and throw it into the sea. As the chest sank into the sea, he quietly invoked God's Mercy.
"Many natures guard you in her deep abysses among the pearls and corals of her eternal seas. When for some holy and sublime purpose man may need you, God will in His wisdom draw you from the bosom of the waves. Meanwhile, there you will not work woe, you will not distort justice, you will not femonet avarice!"
Other Characters of El Filibusterismo
Cabesang Tales, evicted arbitrarily from his piece of land by the Spanish friars, became desperate and turned himself into banditry. Jule, innocent-looking and unaffected, daughter of Cabesang Tales and sweetheart of Basilio(Sisa'sons) took her own life because she valued chastity and honored rather than to succumb to the amorous mundane desire of Padre Camorra. Makaraig, a student leader with a vision; Padre Milliom, Domican friar, dogmatic and arrogant and complete intolerant of any creed, belief on opinion that differs from his own, teaches at the University of Sto Tomas; Placido penitente, a student of the U.S.T. who became disgusted and disillusioned on the methods of teaching in the University. Seniora Pasta, a Filipino lawyer, insensitive to the needs of the Filipino students who were seeking his legal advice to petition the government for educational reforms.
Tandang Delo, Father of Cabesang Tales and grandfather of jule; Sandoval, a Spanish student and supportive to the cause of Filipino student for meaningful educational reforms; Pecson a Filipino student who agitates for the teaching of Spanish; Cabesana Andana haggard-lok, the mother of Placido Penitente; Pepay, the pretty dancer with expressive eyes and mistress of Don Custodio, Padre Fernandez, a humane Dominican Friar and friend of Isagani; Don Timoteo, gray haired and frank, the father of juanito Pelaez, Tano jolly and care-free, son of Cabesang Tales and brother of Jule; and Chichoy, the creative and skillful silversmith who fashioned the bridal earings for paulita.
The Character in El Filibusterismo are not derived from fictional literature but were drawn from real life and factual situations.
Chapter 14
The Ideals of Rizal
The ideals of Rizal can be considered a unique aspect of our history that gave inspiration to the Filipinos a greater sense of dignity and human values and a faith in their own provide enlightenment and awakening of a blind people towards national progress.
To carry out these noble ideals, Rizal used his pen to arouse his people and advocated peaceful reforms from the Spanish government. He portrayed his ideals in his writings and works.
As an idealist, Rizal knew very well the circumstances and the political climate around him during his time. During the nineteenth century such concepts and democracy and nationalism gained much momentum and triggered revolutionary changes in science, technology, justice, human rights, equality, economics and politics. The conditions that existed in the Philippines around the world gently influenced the ideals of Rizal.
The ideals of Rizal are eloquently demonstrated from his devotion to educate the people on the fundamentals of democracy and the uoliftment of their economics standards. He believed that the Filipinos were not inferior as the Spaniards called "Indio" and only an awakening of their aspirations and spirit were needed to bring forth development. Rizalwwas inspired by U.S president Abraham Lincoln's Political- dictum "Government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and with the watchwords of the french revolution "liberty, equality and fraternity." He also emphasized Confucius Philisophy - "Search into the nature of things, extend the boundaries of knowledge, make the purpose sincere, regulate the mind, cultivate personal virtue promote the harmony of the family, govern the state and keep the world in peace."
For Rizal, the moral and ethical principles regulate a wide range of human conduct nit inly to promote peace and order but also to preserve human dignity. Rizal, cognizant about the prevailing conditions was influenced by various motive- his moral and rational persuasions as well as his tendency to idealize- insisted non-violence means were more acceptable, more reasonable, and efficacious based on reunion and justice. On Nationalism. This relatively modern tem permeated the writings of Rizal. He tried to put emphasis on the need of recovering this great ideal to awake the nationalistic spirit amon the Filipinos who were quite passive. Nationalism- the Devotion to the interest of one's country is a means of existence. The Filipinos should never take for granted nationalism. This in turn help the Filipinos survive through the ages no matter what political and economic oppressions they have to face.
In the Fili. His character were much more eager to press for a Filipino nation. Simoun said. :If they refuse to teach you their language, then cultivate your own, make it more widely known keep alive our native culture for our people, and instead of aspiring to be a mere province, aspire to be a nation develop an independent mentality so that neither rights or customs, nor language the Spaniards may ever feel at home here, or even be looked upon by our people as fellow-citizen or later you shall be free." For Simoun, such a world can only be made after the elimination of "Tyrants and slaves among nations."
Some Rizal's writing sounded ominous and subversive to some of his contemporaries. The Fili, he seemed to have advocated national independence for the Filipino. But how it is to be gained? Rizal hesitated and it seemed that he was aware of the many bloody incidents that would come with the revolution. Rizal's hesitations were clearly reflected in the words of Father Florentino: "I do not mean to say that our freedom must be won at the point of the sword. The sword now counts for very little in the destinies of our times. But I do say that we must win our freedom by deserving it, by improving the mind and enchancing the dignity of the individual, loving what is just and what is good, what is great to the point of dying for it."
Nationalism in Education. Education can be a powerful weapon in propagating nationalism. A nationalist education would place great importance on the teaching of Philippines history from the point of view of the Filipinos people. This will develop an anti-colonial, anti-imperialist, orientation based on our historical experience as a people. Such a history should clarify how why and for whose benefit our people have been exploited and oppressed. A nationalist education would also emphasize a critical study of the Philippine economy so that, as a people, we will learn to be wary of economic progress proposed by foreign governments and institutions. Moreover, we should know how the world capitalism system operates so that we can understand in what way economics development will affect our people. In history, as in economics, we must use only one basic yardstick. We must judge past events and present developments in terms of whether or not they serve or will serve the best interests of the Filipino people.
Educating for nationalism means educating for a national and a social purpose. It means going beyond ( but not neglecting) the conventional tasks of training a person to earn a living and developing his intellect, skills and character.
Educating for nationalism means consciously educating Filipinos to be Filipinos- Filipinos who will work for the Philippines and for the Filipino People. To be pro- Philippines and pro-Filipinos, one must have national identity. Our present educational system promotes pride in our beautiful land, our sampaguita, our Mayon and Banawe, Our smiling people. It promotes national identity or nationhood but nationalism is more that nationhood.
The Filipino people have the right to decide what kind of society they want, what is best for them. They should strive to have the fullest political and economic independence to chat their own future. This is the essence of nationalism.
On Moral Values. Moral values can exist only in a free being and his voluntary human acts. By willingness to be morally good, a man becomes good.
Moral values is universal in the sense that what holds for an individual, holds for all in the same conditions and circumstances. Moral values implies obligation.
Rizal, a man of powerful energy and intellectual endowments valued loyalty, filial devotion, benevolence, love, faithfulness, justice, harmony and peace.
Rizal had a penchant for describing the power structure which seemed to him unjust and thus induced people to criminality and discontent." The discontented, the criminal and the desperate will follow you myself; I would never resort to these extreme measures while I could see some hope in men." He made his major character in Fili point out the needed reforms: radical reforms in the military, in the clergy, in the administration of justice... more respect for human dignity, greater security for the individual, and less privileges for an organization which so easily abuses them."
On Cooperation. Rizal at an early age, was awakened to the necessity of cooperation among men and, thus was a forerunner to the United Nations and the other Worlds efforts at peace keeping. Other tried to influence him to indidualistic ideals but their effort never matched the solid cooperative contivtion of Rizal. He said: "He who wants to help himself should help others, because if he neglects other; he too will be neglected by them. One midrib is easy to break, but not a bundle of many midribs tied together." Rizal wanted so much to unite the FIlipino people.
He believed that class struggle is not a requirement to human progress. Man has been guided by the principle of cooperation and not conflict. "Class war is not the cause of social progress. The cause of this disease is the inability to subsits, and the result of the disease is war. What Karl Marx gained though his studies of social problems was the knowledge of disease in the social progres.
On Nation-building. Nation-building was one of the magnificent obsessions of Rizal. After reading an article of Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Rizal immediately wrote Mariano Ponce. "On the day when all Filipinos like him (Del Pilar) working for unity and like us, on the day we shall have fulfilled our arduous mission which is the formation of the Filipinp Nation."
Rizal consistently fought for human dignity. "Deprive a man then of his dignity," he warned, "and you not only deprive him of his moral stamina but also you render him useless even to those who want to make use of him. Every being in creation has spur, his mainspring; man's is his self-respect; take it away from him and he becomes a corpes; and he who demands activity from a corpse will find worms." In a letter Father Pablo Pastells, Rizal rhapsodized: "To mme man is the masterpiece of creation, perfect within his condition, who cannot be deprive of any of his component parts, moral as well as physician, without disfiguring and making him miserable." Man is not a brute, he is not a machine. His aim mis not merely to produce.. His purpose is not to satisfy the passion of another man. His object is to seek happiness for himself and his fellow men by following the road towards progress and perfection."
For Rizal. "All reforms of a palliative character are not only useless but even injurious when the govenment is confronted with evils that need a radical remedy. In order for the Filipino to progress it was essential for him to have a revolutionary spirit boiling in his veins because "progress necessarily requires change. It implies the overthorm of the pas... and the triumph of new ideal overn the old and accepted ones."
The blue print of Rizal of nation-building included the importance of instilling racial pride and dignity among his peopl, the promotion of naitonal consciousness, the reorientaion of values and attitudes, and the willingness to sacrifice for the country through education.
Rizal insisted on educating his people so that they could eradicate the vices of their society successfully and develop a national awareness of their rights and pride in their country's heritage and culture. He emphasized on the importance of the livelihood of the people- its social welfare and economics justice- as the foremost task in nation-building.
On Democracy. The twin ideals of democracy and liberty, were emphasized by Rizal, carried reverberations throughout the world especially Asia.
Rizal wrote in deeo reassuring style on democracy and liberty because he foresaw various problems not only for himself but also his countrymen. His commitment to liberty was as overpowering that he made sure that he people understood what he was saying. For this purpose, he did not hesitate to use the ordinary way of life to make his ideas clear. "Liberty is not obtained without pain or merit, not is it granted gratis at amore."
In democracy, the supreme power is vested in the people. The political leader's ultimate concern should be the welfare of majority, he willingly binds himself with the ideals of the constitution and the laws of the land and to observe righteousness and justice for the common good. Peoples and governments are complementary, that government having been established for the welfare of the people should know their need.
For the political health of a country, a free and reponsible free press is very important
Rizal used all persuasions to have Spain grant Philippines representation in the Spanish Cortes and freedom of the Press. He cited history to prove that" uprising and revolutions have always occurred in countries where human thought and the huamn heart have been forced to remain silent."
Citing the examples of Napoleon, He said, "If the Napoleon had not tyrannized over the press, perhaps the press itself would have warned him of the peril into which he was hurled and would have made him understand that the people were weary and the world wanted peace... Spain herself records in her history more revolution during the period when the press is gagged.
The press freedom Rizal advocated, would today cover all reforms of mediapress, TV and radio. He advocated his freedom for the good of every one, not only for the populace but especially for the rulers so that in understanding the temper of their people, they may forestall commission of errors. It was also to serve a check on the abuse of authority and a reminder that rulers are accountable to the people who can replace them if they no longer serve the welfare of their constituency.
Rizal was undoubtedly very idealistic, but his ideals were attainable. He proved this in his exile in Daritan where he played very successfully the roles of educator, physician, scientist, businessman, artist, and civic-spirited citizen.
On education. Rizal's love for education since childhood was one of his lofty ideals. For him, "Without education and liberty- the soil and the sun of mankind, no measure can give the desired result. What we want is that no measure can give the desired result. What we want is that no obstacles be placed on (A Filipino's) way not to increase the many that the climate and the situation of the islands already create for him, not to begrudge his educational opportunities for fear that when he becomes intelligent he will separate from the colonizing nation or demand rights to which he is.
To his friend Blumentritt, he wrote: "We shall devote our strenght to the education of the Filipino people, which is necessary condition in the quest for national identity and progress." I put as a premise the education of the people so that through education and work they might have a personality of their own and make themselves worthy of them."
Rizal emphasized the need of the people for education before they could aspire for freedom and all the blessings it would bring. Without education, no reforms is possible, that is no tranquility and happiness are possible. "Our life is useless life which is not consecrated to a great idea. It is a stone wasted in the fields without becoming a part of any edifice." The "great idea" or the "edifice" is the building of the Filipino nation, the establishment of a Philippine Republic.
The education and enlightnment of the people would accelerate the acquisition of liberty and the process of national unification. A people" showing itself worthy, noble and honest" as a result of being enlightened, will not forever be an easy prey to exploitation ad injustice.
As Rizal put it, with the hour's loss in their lives also went the " loss of part of their dignity and their self-respect and increase of despair, resentment and aversion to studies."
From all these, Rizal was obsessed with the idea of education. Education for the masses, education for the elite and also education for the women, as evidenced in his letter of praise to the young women of Malolos whom they asked to be allowed to open a night school for the girls. Of speech concern to Rizal was the education of Filipino women because they are the one who "awaken and prepare the mind of the child for every good and desirable idea- love for honor, love for one's fellowmen and repect for God. Rizal "fortity their children's character against any difficulty and to strengthen their hearts against any danger because life is full of sorrows and perils.“
As pointers in correct behavior, Rizal while in Dapitan taught his pupils the value of honesty, truthfulness and good manners. He told the pupils to be gppd students in academic matters and also trained them to be "Getlemen" in interpersonal relations. He stressed the importance of good manners which was not a difficult task.
On Governance. Since power is the very heart of politics, the ruler who exercises the authority to govern should promote the interest and general welfare of the people. Government exists for the benefits of the governed. It is very important for the protection of the inhabitants, the administration of justice, and the advancement of the physical, economic, social and cultural well-being of the people. The preservation of the state from internal and external danger is one of the primary functions of the government.
The citizens should be encouraged to participate to government undertakings and productive activities by way of consultation through peaceful and lawful means.
The people managing the affairs of government shall have brains and ability, political maturity and experience.
On the Family. The family, as the basic and oldest social institution, is very important in shaping the character of the child. It is the first means where socializing influence is encountered by most children and this, in effect, influences them for the rest of their lives. The family determines the child's social class, religious orientation and the language used and each of these factors have a profound influence on the upbringing of the children. The family teaches children values they hold dead throughout their lives.
The familycts as a social laboratory which prepares the child forlife in the bigger society and that it is the family which is the first, the closest, and the most influential social group in the child's life. The children are expected to be loyal, and obedient to the family.
The greatest legacy that the parents can bequeath their children is rectitude in judgment, generosity in rights, and steadfastness in adversity; the greatest honor that a son can pay his parents is integrity and a good name, that the acts of the sons may never make his parents live with shame, and the rest God will provide.
On livehood. Rizal objected vehemently Marx's Communist ideology. He believed that human progress was guided by cooperation, not conflicts. The people's livehood determined the economic status of the family. He was convinced that an enlightened and constructive economic program was necessary. He regarded livehood asone of the focal points of the government to alleviate poverty. He advocated that the two major means of having a viable livehood program is through equalization of land ownership and regulation of capital. The government has t purchase land from the landlords and place it in the hands of those who actually worked on it. "Regulation of Capital" was essential the combat the ill effects of capitalism, to guard against the control of industries by private individuals, thus giving rise to class distinction and unequal distribution of wealth.
On justice. For Rizal, Justice is the constant and perpetual will to allot to every man his due. In the judicial system, it should undergo differebt court processes and the best credibility should be exercised.
The ideal of justice, indeed, illustrates that the lady of justice truly blindfolded and ready to smite with her sword those whose inequity weigh down her scales can be presented to the world. He attested that the twin ideals of the system of justice are swiftness and fairness. This in effect, is consistent with legal maxim, "that justice delayed is justice denied."
Under a democracy society,“ no person shall be deprived of life, liberty and property without due process of law." A fair, speedy and impartail investigation should be administered before a final judgment is made.
Postscript
Rizal's writings postulated his three-fold program of reforms: the political, educational, and socio-economic. In the political dimension, he aimed at a self-reliant, self respecting government, and a people's government, "made for the people, by the people and answerable to the people."
Foremost among the political reforms were the restoration of Filipino representation to the Spanish Cortes and the freedom of the pree. He demanded the removal of the friars from the administration of provinces, town and parishes.
In his Educational reforms, he gave top priority, he of the importance of education in the pursuit of liberty and freedom. For him, independence was a farce if the people were not ready for self-government . To raise the level of education, he constantly advised his countrymen to acquire more knowledge. He was aware that quality education was possible only with substantion financial support from the government. He stressed the need of hard work.
On the socio-economic aspect, Rizal stressed that economic development would depend largely on the concentration on agricultural improvement since that Philippines is basically an agricultural country. He considered the three basic factors of production- Land, labor and capital.
Land was the prime, labor was necessary for the effective use of the rich natural resources, and capital for the successful operation of any business venture. Land would remain idle without labor, but land and labor must be aided by capital to insure profitable production. Labor and capital should be given their reightful share in the profits of production.
Rizal believed that with sufficient encouragement, the Filipinos would work efficiently to uolift their standard of living.
Rizal's profound wisdom and philosophical insights became the rallying point and inspiration to write the two immortal novel- Noli and Fili and other literary pieces.
Noli and Fili dramatized the real condition of the Philippines and the Filipinos during the decadent days of the Spanish rule. Both rekindled and awakend the Filipino nationalism and paved the way for the Philippines Revolution, and he proved that "the pen is mightier that the sword," to reddem the people from their political slavery.
The premature death robbed Rizal of the reward and consolation of seeing his nationalistic vision realized. But henceforth, no enlightened Filipino would forget that difficult journey toward Philippine nationhood would probably not have been started at all had it not been for D.r Jose Rizal.
People and what they said about Rizal.
"Glory to Rizal In him are typified the best qualities of our race. He elevated the concept of our before the world because all his life hedemonstrated a sincere desire to work for the good of others; he had no ambition for glory or famr, nor did he expect rewards and recompense from anybody. From the same spiritual relationship between him and ourselves, we have the right to believe that in each of us there is a possible Rizal and that what he has done is within our reach and without our power if we exert the same effort, the same means of action, and the same devotion to duty that he displayed in the most heroic acts of his life."
-From Rafael Palma, The Pride of the Malay Race
His consuming life purpose was the secret of his moral courage. Physical courage, it is true, was one of his inherited traits. But that high courage to die loving his murderers, which he at last achieved,- that cannot be inherited. It must be forged out in the fires of sufering and temtation. As we read through his life, we can see how the moral sinew and to make fearful decisions. It required courage to write his two great novels, telling nothing that no other man had ventured to say before, standing almost alone against the powerful interest in his country and in Spain, and knowing full well that despotism would strike back. He had reached another loftier plateau of heroism when he wrote those letter in hongkong. "To be opened after my death," and sailed into the "trap" in Manila without any illusions. The Dapitan exile, when he was tempted to escape, and said "no, not once but hundreds of times for four long years, and when, on the way to Cuba, Pedro Roxas pleaded with him to step off the boat of Singapore upon British territory and save his life, what inner struggle it must have caused him to answer over and over again, "No, no, no!" When the sentence of death and the fateful morning of his execution brought the final test, December 30, 1896, he walked with perfect calm to the firing line as though by his own choice, the only heroic figure in that sordid scene.
"Rizal was the greatest product of the philippines and that his coming to the world was like the apperance of a rate comet, whose brilliance appears only every other century.
Not only is Rizal THE MOST PROMINENT MAN OF HIS OWN PEOPLE but THE GREATEST MAN THE MALYAN RACE HAS PRODUCED. His memory will never perish in his fatherland, and future generations of Spaniards will yet learn to utter his name with repect and reverence. -From Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt. It is eminently proper that Rizal should have become the acknowledged national hero of the Philippines people. The american administration has len every assistance to this recognition, setting aside the anniversary of his death to be a day of observance, placing his picture on the postage stamp most commonly used in the Islands, and on the currency, cooperating with the Filipinos in making the site of his school in Dapitan a national of a monument in his honor on the Luneta in Manila near the place where he met his death. One of the logest and most important streets in Manila has been named in his memory -Rizal Avenue. The Filipinos in many cities and towns have erected monuments to his name, and throughout the Island the public schools teach the young Filipinos to revere his memory as the greatest of Filipino patriot.
-From William Cameron Forbes, American Governor-General of the Philippines. "No has muerto, no. La Gloria es tu destino; tu corona, los fuegos de la aurora, y tu inviolable altar nuestra consciencia." You do not die, no. The glory is your destiny; Your crown, the fires of the dawn, And your inviolable altar your conscience." -From Fernando Ma. Guerrero "Rest in peace in the shadows of oblivion, Redeemer of a country in bondage1grave, do not cry, Heed not the momentary triumph of the Spaniards Because if a bullet destroyed your cranium, Likewise your idea destroyed an empire!" -From Cecilio Apostol, Filipino epic poet.
The proceeding statements are eloquent manifestations that Jose Rizal is unquestionably our national hero and martyr of our country. The new Webster's International Dictionary of the English language, defined a hero as "a prominent or central pesonage taking an admirable part in any remarkable action or event."
"A hero is a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering." He is also"a man honored after death by public outpouring respect to glorify his exceptional service mankind."
Rizal is our national hero because he was towering figure in the Propaganda Campaign from 1882 to 1896. His writings, works and ideals contributed tremendously to the formation of Filipino national Identity. "The doctrines of Rizal are not for one epoch but for all epochs. They are as valid today as they were yesterday."
Perhaps it is high time to stop maligning his memory into the state of confusion that he was an American-anointed national hero.
Indeed, JOSE RIZAL is our national hero because "of his complete selfdenial, his complete abandonment of his personal interest in order to think only of his country and people."
Chapter 15
The EDUCATIONAL Philosophy of Dr. Jose Rizal
"My countrymen, I have given proofs, more than anybody else of desiring liberties for our country and still desire them. But I place as a premise the education of the people so that by means of education and of labor they might have a personality of their own and make themselves worthy of liberties."
-Jose Rizal
What is education? Education is "the culture which each generation purposely gives to whose who are to be its successors, in order to qualify them for at least keeping up, and, if possible, for raising the level of improvement which has been attained." According to Pestalozzi, education is the unfolding of the natural, hidden faculties of the child. Froebel, after him, thought that it is the perrfecting, advancing, and progressing of man from one stage of development to another. Following this definition of education, we shall later find that Dr. Rizal was a real Educator. THE MISSION OF EDUCATION There is a beautiful poem entitled "Instruction." It was Dr. Rizal who wrote it almost immediatly after his arrival in Madrid in 1882. Among other things, he said the education elevates the counry to the highest benefactor of human beings; through it the arts and science, which crown men with honors, are born; it domesticates barbarous nations and make champions of salvages; it is the fountain of crystalline virtue which elevates mortal beings to the height of the gods; through education the human breat is inflamed with the love of the good and the noble which are the balsam of life; education offers the country immortal splendor and lustre.
The aim of education is the development of the people's mentality. Very much depends upon the mentality of the people in the way of improving the condition of the country. Many, howerver have a mistaken concept education aims at the making of every citizen a professional man. Many have mistaken view that education is simply the reception of fashionable diplomas. Some fear that in the near future the country will be flooded with great number of lawyers, doctor, and other professionals. Many look at educational institutions as diplomas mills. But the real aim of education is not in quantity but in ,quality. Dr. Rizal took the view that quantity is immaterial but quality is the first consideration. Isagani said:
Well, what they abound in quantity, perhaps we lack in quality. Although the youth cannot be prevented from studying, and here no other careers are presented to us, for what, shall we let their time and courage be wasted? And if the defect of learning does not prevent have to have them in the end, why can we not have the good ones? And after all though you make this country an agricultural country, a country of laborers, and condemn in it all intellectual work, I do not see any wrong in educating these agriculturists and laborers,in giving them at least an education which will enable them later to perfect themselves and their work, putting them in a condition of understanding many things that at present they do not know.
Lawyers may be plenty. Doctors may abound in number. And all of them make trouble with each other by casting invectives and insults on one another. It is only because they are not the best in their professions. Because human beings are born in ignorance, in knowing nothing, it is necessary that they be given instruction in order to elevate them from the unhappy condition. The first mission of education is to open the possibility of the future to those creature. Education is the one that is needed to open their vision to things ahead of them. It is education which will elevate their aspirations, guide their actions, and enrich their lives.
The most commendable effect of education is to enable the individual to see many things in a wider perspective. Education is a success if the individual would acquire new ideals in order to change his point of biew for the better. When an individual could see error where formerly he saw only narrow truth and, truth in many things which sseemed to him to be all erroneous, when he becomes a broad-minded thinker in place of a narrow- minded fanatic, superstitious ignoramus, then indeed, is education a success.
The far-reaching significance of education is not only but opening of the possibilities of the future to the individual but also his becoming aware of his rights. Education aims at the development of the self- consciousness of the individual as well as the consciousness that he is part of a greater whole. Self-consciousness includes the consciousness of his individual rights granted under the laws of civilized life. He becomes aware that he has alright to his own happiness, life, and liberty. The consciousness that he is a part of a bigger group makes him aware of his obligation to that organic whole. His education will teach him, as an individual, his studies, his duties to the society. In this case, he will develop the sentiment of patriorism and altruistic regard for his fellowmen. Education is, therefore, the foundation of the best interest of the society.
In reality, the consiousness that education is the foundation of society is very well said. Dr. Jose Rizal through the mouth of the mayor who laid down the cornerstone of the Ibarra edifice:
"The school is the foundation of society, the school is book in which is read the future of the people. Show as the school of the people and we will tell you what kind of people they are."
John Dewey has conceived of a similar idea when he considered the school as the connecting agency between the society and the child. It may be said that since the school as the educational institution, molds the mentality of the children and these children are the future members of the society then, indeed, is the school the foundation of a social structure. Parenthetically, the school must not be confused with education, though, in modern times education is safe to say without in any way confusing the two that the school is the best educational agency. At any rate, with or agencies, such as the home, council, the church, and any other social agency. The most convenient one, however is the school. Education is but a means to an end. Speaking of the social development, Dr. Rizal considered education as the prerequisite of any social pregress. He said:
"Without education and liberty, the soil and the sun of mankind, no reform is possible, no measure can give the desired result. This does not mean that we should ask first for the natives the instructions of a sage and all imaginable liberties, in order then to put a hoe in his hand or place him in a workshop; such a pretension would be an absurdity and vain folly. What we wish is that the many obstacles be not put in his way, that the climate and the situation of the islands be not augmented, that instruction be bot begrudged him for fear that when he becomes intelligent he may separate from the colonization or ask for the rights of which he makes himself worthy."
The obstacle to reform lies in the ignorance of the people. Ignorant following is but a product of fanaticism and fanaticism, though intense, is unsteady. At the change of sentiment, fanaticism is bound to fail. Therefore, englightenment must be the basis of any attempt to social progress. Reform is the enlightened way to progress.
The relationship betweel education and libery cannot be over-emphasized. Liberty is the very goal of human progress. But Liberty is a very dangerous thing in the hands of ignorant people. Why give libery to those who do not deserve it? On this point Dr. Rizal issued a minifesto when he was already imprisoned in Fort Santiago. He said among other things: "I have been proofs as one who most wants the liberty of our country and I still want it. But I out as a prerequisite, the education of the people, that by means of instruction and work we will have our own personality and be worthy of liberty. I recommended in my writings the study, civic virtues, without which there is no redemption. I have also written that in orde to make reforms fruitful they must come from above."
A revolution may be a momentary triumph but it will have no lasting effect if the revolting people are not ready for it. The basis, the social foundation, of any lasting revolutionary social change must be the education of the masses. Progress begins with education and it ends in more education. EDUCATING THE EDUCATORS. Education is a complex affair. There are many factors that have to be taken into account by any philosophy of education. The most idealistic, the best philosophy of education would only be fruitless if it fails to consider the various factors that affect educational system. The circumstances surrounding the children who are to be developed by education cannot be ignored. Failure or success of any educational system can ultimately be traced to the neglect in considering these factors. The lack of financial aid is a very great obstacle to the realizatio of any educational program. Coupled with this, the lack if inducenment or stimulus to make the children study makes the second great obstacle. If education does not profit the sons of poor villagers but instead waste their time in reading, writing, and memorizing pieces of work without understanding them, there is really no inducement for education. Right here, Dr. Jose Rizal was thinking of the role of motivation in education. The subject matter will only be boredom to the children if their interest is not capitalized in the process of studying. Study for study's sake is ideal. But the children are more practical that idealistic. Therefore, mere idealism will fail. better expose the excesses of the government and the greedy and ruthless friars through his pen in foreign countries. He was also advised by Governor-General 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."
