Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Unknown Parameter Value
Unknown Parameter Value
Rizal was determined to come back to the Philippines for the following reasons:
To operate his mothers eyes To serve his people who had long been oppressed by Spanish tyrants. To find out for himself how the Noli Me Tangere and his other writings were affecting Filipinos and Spaniards. To inquire why Leonor Rivera remained silent.
Happy Homecoming
When Rizal arrived in Calamba, rumors spread that he was a:
German spy An agent of Otto Von Bismarck the liberator of Germany. A Protestant A Mason A soul halfway to damnation
Paciano did not leave him during the first days after arrival to protect him from any enemy assault. Don Francisco did not permit him to go out alone
In Calamba
Rizal established a medical clinic. Doa Teodora was Rizals first patient Rizal treated her eyes but could not perform any surgical operation because her cataracts were not yet ripe. He painted several beautiful landscapes in Calamba. He translated German poems of Von Wildernath in Tagalog.
Doctor Uliman Rizal was called this name because he came from Germany.
He earned P900 in a few months and P5,000 before he left the Philippines.
Gymnasium was opened by Rizal for the young people He introduced European sports fencing and shooting to discourage them from cockfighting and gambling.
Governor-General Emilio Terrero a liberal minded Spaniard who knew that Rizals life was in jeopardy because the friars were powerful.
Because of this he gave Rizal a bodyguard to protect him.
Governor-General Terrero was not satisfied with the report so he sent the novel to the Permanent Commission of Censorship which was composed of priests and lawyers. Fr. Salvador Font Augustinian friar curate of Tondo was the head of the commission.
The group found that the novel contain subversive ideas against the Church and Spain and recommended that the importation, reproduction and circulation of the pernicious book in the islands be absolutely prohibited.
The newspaper published Fonts written report The banning of the Noli Me Tangere served to make it popular The masses supported the book.
Vicente Barantes Spanish academician of Madrid who formerly occupied high government position in the Philippines bitterly criticized the novel in an article published in the Madrid newspaper, La Espaa Moderna.
Rev. Fr. Vicente Garcia a Filipino Catholic priest-scholar, a theologian of the Manila Cathedral and a Tagalog translator of the famous Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis.
Under the pen name Justo Desiderio Magalang he wrote a defense of the novel published in Singapore.
Rizal cried because of his gratitude to his defenders especially to Fr. Garcia who defended him unexpectedly. He attacked Barantes by exposing his ignorance of Philippine affairs and mental dishonesty which is unworthy of an academician. Because of the interest of both enemies and protectors of the Noli the price of the book increased from five pesetas per copy to 50 pesetas per copy.
Upon hearing about the investigation, the people of Calamba asked helped from Rizal to gather facts and list the grievances so that the government might institute certain agrarian reforms.
Tenants who spent much labor in clearing the lands were dispossessed of the said lands for flimsy reasons High rates of interest were arbitrarily charged the tenants for delayed payment of rentals When the rentals could not be paid, the hacienda management confiscated the work animals, tools, and farm implements of the tenants.
Friars Reaction
Rizals exposure to the deplorable condition angered the friars. The friars exerted pressure to Malacaang to eliminate Rizal. They asked Gov. Gen. Terrero to deport Rizal but the latter refused for there is lack of charges against Rizal in court. Anonymous threats in Rizals life alarmed his parents, siblings, Andrade his bodyguard, friends, and even Terrero, thus they all advised him to leave the country.
Himno Al Trabajo
A poem for Lipa shortly before Rizal left in 1888, he was asked by a friend to write a poem in commemoration of the towns cityhood. Himno Al Trabajo (Hymn To Labor) title of the poem dedicated to the industrious people of Lipa.
Farewell Philippines
On February 3, 1888 Rizal left his country with a heavy heart. But this is for his own good and the safety of his family and friends.