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Rizal Leaves the Philippines for the Second Time

 On february 3, 1888 he left the Philippines for the second time to give peace to his family and friends and to continue the second phase of his leadership and work for his country. Passing through Hong Kong and Japan for a few weeks he made useful observations on the life and culture of the peoples. On his way to the United States, he met and befriended a Japanese Law restricting Freedom of the press.

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 The two easily became friends; they travelled together on the way to london. The brief friendship between these two Asian champions of press freedom was significant. Greatly impressed by the patriotism of his Filipino friends, Techo was to write two novels showing Rizals influence. The Big Storm of the Southern Ocean is similar to the Noli Me Tangere and the big Ocean To El Filibusterismo

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In his travel memories, Techo wrote:

I had met him on board the Belgic bound for San Francisco. From that time we were together through Anerica and London. We came and went with each other very often. He was frank and daring fellow, fond of various arts, especially good at drawing and also exquisite at soldering works. I heard from him that the Spanish government announced to regard him as a political offender and that whoever gained Rizals work was to be taken for as his sympathizer, and to be imprisoned

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A Public Demonstration Is Another Eye-Opener.

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A few weeks after Rizals departure, a public demonstration headed by Doroteo Cortes, a lawyer, took place in manila on march 1, 1888. A petition signed by several hundred persons, including prominent princepales of Manila and neighboring town was presented to the civil governor of manila, Jose Centeno, for transmittal to the Queen of Spain. This was an offshoot of an earlier dispute between the friar curate of Binondo and somein the district.

Among other things the petitioners asked for the removal of the arcbishop of manila, Pedro Payo, and the expulsion of the Spanish friars from the country. Several persons who took part in the big public demonstration were either jailed or exiled because the petition was considered subversive or seditios

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 The calamba affair must have inspired the demonstration. Awakening of some kind was becoming noticeable. This was a healthy sign for a peoples that had been sleeping too long. Rizal could see this from afar. And in the faraway places he had chosen to go, he continued preparing himself-researching, studying, writing,observing,planning. What he saw and experienced in his short stay in the country made him a more determined crusader.

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