RIZAL SA DAPITAN

REACTION PAPER.
SUBMITTED BY: MACHADO, NOEL M. JR. ID-4A

Father Superior Pastells informed Father Obach that Rizal could live at the
parish convent on the following conditions: 1."That Rizal publicly retract his
errors concerning religion, and make statements that were clearly pro-
Spanish and against revolution. 2."That he performs the church rites and
make a general confession of his past life. 3."That henceforth he conducts
himself in an exemplary manner as a Spanish subject and a man of religion."
Rizal (the prisoner) lived in the house of Captain Carnicero (the warden).
Their relations were warm and friendly. According to Rizal, individual
judgment, a gift from God and everybody should use it like a lantern to show
the way and that self-esteem, if moderated by judgment, saves man from
unworthy acts. Pursuit of truth, may lie in different paths, and thus "religious
may vary, but they all lead to the light." According to Father Pastells, Divine
faith supersedes everything, including reason, self-esteem, and individual
judgment. Man’s intelligence limited; hence one needs the guidance of (He
refuted Rizal's attacks on Catholic dogmas as misconceptions of rationalism
and naturalism, errors of misguided souls) Rizal could not be convinced. Rizal
and Pastells remained good friends. Father Pastells gave Rizal a copy of the
Imitacion de Cristo (Imitation of Christ). Rizal gave his Jesuit opponent in
debate a bust of St. Paul. Rizal continued to be a Catholic. His Catholicism,
however, was the Catholicism that inquires and enlightens, the "Catholicism
of Renan and Teilhard de Chardin." Rizal Challenges a Frenchman to duel.
Mr. Juan Lardet, a French businessman purchased many logs from the lands
of Rizal and it so happened that some of the logs were of poor quality. Lardet,
in a letter written to Antonio Miranda, a friend of Rizal, expressed his disgust
with the business deal and stated that "if he (Rizal - Z) were a truthful man, he
would have told me that the lumber not included in the account were bad.
Miranda forwarded Lardet's letter to Rizal making Rizal flared up in anger for
the Frenchman's unsavory comment as an affront to his integrity.
Immediately, he confronted Lardet and challenged him to a duel. Carnicero, a
commandant, told the Frenchman to apologize rather than accept the
challenge quotint, "My friend, you have not a Chinaman's chance in a fight
with Rizal on a field of honor. Rizal is an expert in martial arts, particularly in
fencing and pistol shooting." Heeding commandant's advice, Lardet wrote to
Rizal in French apologizing for the insulting comment. Rizal, as a gentleman
and well-versed in pundonor (Hispanic chivalric code) accepted the apology,
and good relations between him and the Frenchman were restored. It is
interesting to recall that twice before his sensitivity caused him to challenge
people to a dual Antonio Luna in 1890 and W.E. Retana in the same year.
Rizal and Father Sanchez. Fr. Francisco de Paua Sanchez, Rizal’s favorite
teacher at the Ateneo de Manila, to Dapitan. He was the only Spanish priest
to defend Rizal's Noli Me Tangere in public. Many Jesuits tried their best to
bring back Rizal within the Catholic fold, discarding his errors of religion.
Father Sanchez used to argue theologically in a friendly manner with Rizal
but all the efforts of Sanchez were in vain. Despite his failures to persuade
Rizal, Fr. Sanchez enjoyed the latters company and he even assisted Rizal in
beautifying the town plaza. Since August 1893, members of his family took
turns in visiting him in order to assuage his loneliness. He built his house by
the seashore of Talisay, surrounded by fruit trees and another house for his
school boys and a hospital for his parents. Describing his life in Dapitan, Rizal
wrote to Blumentritt on Dec. 19, 1893. I shall tell you how we live here. I have
three houses; one square, another hexagonal, and a third octagonal, all of
bamboo, wood and nipa. In the square house we live, my mother, sister
Trinidad, a nephew and I; in the octagonal live my boys or some good
youngsters whom I teach arithmetic, Spanish and English; and in the
hexagonal live my chickens. From my house I hear the murmur of a crystal-
clear brook which comes from the high rocks; I see the seashore, the sea
where I have small boats, two canoes or barotos, as they say here. I have
many fruit trees, mangoes, lanzones, guayabanos, baluno, Nangka, etc. I
have rabbits, dogs, cats, etc. I rise early - at five - visit my plants, feed the
chickens, awaken my people and put them in movement. At half-past seven
we breakfast with tea, pastries, cheese, sweetmeats, etc. Later I treat my
poor patients who come to my land; I dress, I go to the town in my baroto,
treat the people there, and return at 12 when my luncheon awaits me. Then I
teach the boys until 4 P.M. and devote the after- noon to agriculture. I spend
the night reading and studying. Rizal’s encounter with the friar’s spy.
Pablo Mercado- assumed name of the spy whose real name was Florencio
Namanan. He was a native of Cagayan de Misamis, single and about 30
years old. Hired by the Recollect Friar’s to a secret mission: 1. Introduce
himself to Rizal as a friend and relative to spy on his activities. 2. Filch letters
and writings of Rizal. Captain Juan Sitges- succeeded Captain Carnicero on
May 24, 1893 and instructed Anastacio Adriatico for the investigation.
Available documents on the failed mission of the spy have been quoted by
three Rizalisst biographers_ Retana (1907), Palma (1949) and Jose Baron
Fernandez (1982). The secret mission of the spy was an espionage plot
concocted by the friars. Due to poverty of the people in Dapitan, Rizal gave
them free medicines. August 1893- the operation of Dona Teodora. His fame
as physician particularly as eye specialist spread far and wide. Don Ignacio
Tumarong paid Rizal P3000 for restoring his eyesight. Don Florencio
Azacarraga, a rich hacendero of Aklan cured of eye ailment paid Rizal a
cargo of sugar. Rizal having the title of perito agrimensor applied his
knowledge of engineering by constructing a system of waterworks given
inadequate tools and without aid from the government. He was praised by an
American Engineer, Mr. M. F. Cameron. Spent many months draining the
mashes in order to get rid of malaria. Lighting system, Beautification of
Dapitan. During his travels abroad he observed the education system of
modern nations because he knows how important education is. CASA
CUADRADA was built to serve the growing population of his pupils. Area
underneath served as their workshop place. Estab school in 1893, with 16
pupils and later to 21. Subjects taught: reading, writing, languages (Spanish
and English), geography, history, mathematics (arithmetic and geometry),
industrial work, nature study, morals and gymnastics; He trained them how to
collect specimens of plants and animals, to love work, and to "behave-like
men." Formal classes were conducted from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. After class
hours: pupils play games in order to strengthen their bodies (gymnastics,
boxing, wrestling, stone-throwing, swimming, arnis, and boating.) Language
used: Spanish and English on every day (alternatively). As in the Ateneo, the
best pupil was called "emperor" and he sat at the head of the bench; the
poorest pupil occupied the end of the bench. Instead of charging the students
with tuition fees, he made them work in his garden, fields, and construction
projects in the community. His favorite rendezvous with his boys was under a
Talisay tree, after which the place was named. In honor of Talisay, he wrote a
poem entitled "Himno A Talisay" for his pupils to sing. The poem seemed to
be free from any trace of revolutionary ideas. However, on December 2,
1896, at the time of the trial of Dr. Jose Rizal, copies of documents ascribed
to Rizal were transmitted by Colonel Francisco Olive to the investigating
officer Rafael Dominguez. The documents written in Tagalog, were
confiscated by the Spanish authorities of the Veteran Civil Guard from Mr.
Fresell’s warehouse, claiming that the papers were owned by Andres
Bonifacio. We are children, we are the latest born. But our hearts beat high,
and tomorrow we shall be full-grown men who will know how to defend their
hearths and homes. We are children, yes, we are children but nothing daunts
us, neither wave nor storm nor thunder. With strong right arm and unclouded
brow we shall know how to fight in the hour of danger. Our hands shall take
up in turn those instruments of sovereign Reason, the sword, the pen, the
spade. The Spanish prosecutors claimed that the lyrics of Rizal’s Hymn to
Talisay and Kundiman contained seditious ideas, encouraging the Filipinos to
revolt. Jose Rizal denied that the confiscated papers with verses of
Kundiman came from him but he accepted the validity of To Talisay. An
interesting question that remains unanswered is if there was a possibility that
a copy of the Hymn to Talisay reached the hands of Andres Bonifacio, despite
the fact that it was exclusively taught by Jose Rizal to his students in Talisay.
Could it be possible that Rizal gave Dr. Pio Valenzuela a copy of the song
during Dr. Valenzuela’s visit to Dapitan? Or it was a mere accident that
Bonifacio and Rizal both used the words “sword, pen and spade” in their
poems and letters, to which the Spanish authorities attached rebellious
meanings, and used them as evidences to incriminate Jose Rizal. There was
no question to Rizal's versatility when it comes to science. Rizal conducted
anthropological, ethnographical, archaeological, geological and geographical
studies. Rizal was able to explore the jungles and coasts of Dapitan and
nearby areas seeking specimens of insects, birds, snakes, lizards, frogs,
shells, and plants. Rizal built up a rich collection of oncology, which consisted
of 346 shells representing 203 species. In payment for these valuable
specimens, the European scientist sent him scientific books and surgical
instruments (especially for Ophthalmology). Rizal helped the Sisters of
Charity in painting an image for their sanctuary of the Holy Virgin. He
modeled the right foot of the image, the serpent and the apple in the serpent’s
mouth. He also designed the curtain in the painting. He drew the three rare
species he discovered in animal life: the dragon, the frog and the beetle. He
also drew fishes a caught in Dapitan. He drew “The Mother’s Revenge”. It
shows a mother-dog killing a crocodile. It was when his pupils secretly visited
him in Dapitan and his puppy followed them but was eaten by a crocodile. He
acquired 16 hectares of land in Talisay. He built his home, school and
hospital there. He also planted cacao, coffee, sugarcane, coconuts and fruit
trees in his land. He had a total land holding of about 70 hectares. There he
introduced modern methods of agriculture. He wanted to establish an
agricultural colony in the sisio of ponot near Sindagan Bay but failed to
materialize due to lack of support from the government. He partnered with
Ramon Carreon, a Dapitan merchant in business ventures such as fishing,
copra & hemp industries. On May 14, 1893, they became partners in lime
manufacturing. In his letter to Hidalgo dated January 19, 1893, he planned to
improve the fishing methods in Dapitan through the use of big net for trawl
fishing (pukutan) and teaching them better methods of fishing. Hemp (the
cannabis plant, esp. when grown for fiber.) was the most profitable business
venture of Rizal. On January 1, 1895, he organized the Cooperative
Association of Dapitan Farmers to break the Chines monopoly business in
Dapitan. In 1887, he invented the “sulpukan”, a wooden cigarette lighter made
of wood as a gift to Blumentritt. He invented a wooden machine which could
manufacture about 6000 bricks. This poem was made in response to his
mother's request, Doña Teodora it was about his serene life as an exile in
Dapitan and sent it to her on October 22, 1895, it is one of the best ever
poem made by Rizal. This poem tells a story about someone who leaves the
chaos of the modern world to be alone and reflect on nature. They retreat to
repose, to be at ease, so they can silence the grief, or forget the stress of life.
For a while he is content with all around him, admiring nature, then as he
becomes lonely, he remembers that God is always with him. He tells us
briefly of his faith and Gods ability to always be there with him. With a sudden
memory of all the things he saw as grief, he realizes that they were what they
were and it is his choice to see them as he once did. His choice to stay and
die in his own solitude, he decides to return to the world from which he once
chose to retreat. The death of Leonora Rivera on August 28, 1893 due to
child birth left a painful nothingness in Rizal's life. A lady came to Dapitan,
who is Josephine Bracken an Irish girl of sweet eighteen, she accompanied
his step-father, George Taufer, who later became blind, to seek for the
ophthalmic services of the famous Rizal. They went to manila because no
ophthalmic surgeon could cure his father's blindness in Hong Kong, their
home town. After hearing that Rizal was in Dapitan, they proceeded together
with Manuela Orlac and they bring together with them a card of introduction
from Julio Llorente, Rizal’s friend and schoolmate. Rizal and bracken fell in
love with each other at first sight and after a month of romance they agreed to
marry. But father Obach, priest of Dapitan, refused to marry them without the
permission of Cebu's bishop. When Taufer heard about the marriage, he
attempted to commit suicide by cutting of his throat but Rizal grabbed his
wrist and prevented the attempted suicide. Mr. Taugher’s illness was not
cured because his ailment was incurable. To avoid tragedy, Josephine went
to manila with Taufer. But Josephine stayed at manila with Rizal’s family while
his father was returning home to Hong Kong. Later she returned to Dapitan
and lived with Rizal and marry themselves in the eyes of GOD. Rizal made a
poem for his lady in titled “Josephine, Josephine”. In the 1896, the couple
were so happy about the said pregnancy of bracken. Unfortunately, Rizal
played a prank on bracken which result to a premature birth to an eight-month
baby boy who lived only for 3 hours and died. Rizal named his son
“Francisco” in honor to his Father, Don Francisco. Andres Bonifacio, the
“great plebeian”, found the revolutionary society called Katipunan on July 7,
1892. In a secret meeting of the Katipunan on May 2, 1896, dr. Pio
Valenzuela was named emissary to Dapitan, in order to inform Rizal about
the launching of revolution. To disguise his mission, he brought with him a
blind man named Raymundo Mata and a guide, which is ostensibly going to
Dapitan to seek Rizal’s medical advices. Valenzuela arrived at Dapitan on
June 21, 1896. After talking to Rizal about the rebellion, Rizal objected
Bonifacio's project to plunge in bloody revolution for two reasons: 1. the
people are not ready for the revolution. 2. and the arms and funds must
first be collected before raising the cry of revolution. He also disapproved of
the plan of the Katipunan to rescue him because he had given his words to
the Spanish authority and he did not want to break it. Months before the
Katipunan contacted him, Rizal had offered his services as military doctor in
Cuba. Blumentritt advised Rizal to volunteer as army physician there. Thus,
Rizal wrote to Governor General Ramn Blanco on Dec. 17, 1895 to offer his
services in Cuba. The reply from Governor Blanco reached Rizal on July 30,
1896. With Rizal’s joyous thought of resuming his travels, he wrote a poem
entitled Ël Canto de Viajero” (The song of the traveler. Rizal’s four-year exile
in Dapitan ended on July 31, 1896. At midnight on that date, he embarked on
board the streamer Ëspana”. As farewell music, the town brass band played a
funeral song. When he could no longer see the shoreline, he went to his cabin
and wrote in his diary: Ï have been in that district for four years, thirteen days,
and a few hours.”