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LESSON I: Republic Act 1425
Why study the life and works of Rizal?
Republic Act 1425
 On June 12, 1956, Republic Act No. 1425 also known as the Rizal Law was approved. This act
requires all public and private schools, colleges, and universities to include in their curricula the life,
works, and writings of Jose Rizal, with emphasis on two of his novels, El Filibusterismo and Noli Me
Tangere.
 It also mandated the printing and distribution of materials throughout the country, and required
schools, colleges, and libraries to keep adequate number of copies of his two novels for the access
of their students.
Historical Background and Context of R.A. 1425
 1950s
 During the 1950s, there were several efforts to instill among Filipinos the value of patriotism
and the vision of the Philippines as a nation.
 One of the prominent suggestions during the 1950s was Jose Lansang's proposal to create a
"secular nationalist program for building the nation". Lansang was a speechwriter for Pres.
Elpidio Quirisno and is associated with professors from the University of the Philippines who
share the same vision. (Schumacher, 2011)
 This appeal happened in parallel to president Jose P. Laurel's philosophy to introduce Rizalian
education.
 April 3, 1956
 The Committee on Education filed Senate Bill No. 438 which was then supported only by 3
members of the upper house. At the time, the move seemed non-controversial.
 April 17, 1956
 The Chairman of the Committee on Education Jose P. Laurel sponsored the measure. Its
objective was to disseminate the ideas and ideals of Jose Rizal through his novels, Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
The original version of the Senate Bill No. 438 are as follows (Laurel, 1960):
AN ACT TO MAKE NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO COMPULSORY READING MATERIALS IN
ALL
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SECTION 1. Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are hereby declared compulsory reading
matter in all public and private schools, colleges and universities in the Philippines.
SECTION 2. The works mentioned in Section 1 of this Act shall be in original editions or in their
unexpurgated English and Natural Language versions.
SECTION 3. The Department of Education shall take steps to promulgate rules and regulations for the
immediate implementation of the provisions of this Act.
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SECTION 4. No provision of this Act shall be constructed as prohibiting or limiting the study of the
works of other Filipino heroes.
SECTION 5. Any public or private college or university found violating, failure to comply with, or
circumventing the provisions of this act shall be punished accordingly
a. The Head of any public college or university charged with implementing the provisions of this
Act, who shall have been found guilty of violating, failing to comply with, or circumventing the
provisions thereof, shall be dismissed immediately from the service and shall be disqualified
from teaching in any public or government recognized private school, college or university.
b. Government recognition of any private college or university found violating or circumventing
the provisions of this Act shall be immediately withdrawn, and the responsible Head and
professor or professors concerned shall be disqualified from teaching in any
Government-recognized college or university
SECTION 6: This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 However, the Catholic elements asserted that the bill was an attempt to discredit their religion
and that it violates religious freedom.
 According to them, the bill harms the values of the Catholic religion, especially the two novels that
Jose Rizal wrote.
 April 23, 1956
 The debates on Senate Bill 438 began. Senator Claro M. Recto supported Senator Laurel's Bill.
Recto argued that the objective of the bill is to simply appreciate Rizal's role in combating the
Spanish tyranny.
 On the other hand, Senators Rodrigo, Rosales, and Cuenco derived support from the Catholic
church and its devotees. In one of his speeches, Rodrigo said: (Laurel, 1960)
"A vast majority of our people are at the same time Catholics and Filipino citizens. As such, they have
two great loves: their country and their faith. These two loves are not conflicting loves. They are
harmonious affections, like the love for his father and his mother.
This is the basis of my stand. Let us not create a conflict between nationalism and religion; between the
government and the church."
 April 19, 1956
 The conflict reached the House of Representatives when Congressman Jacobo Z. Gonzales
proposed House Bill No. 5561 which was very similar to Senate Bill 438.
 May 2, 1956
 The report of the Committee on Education recommended approval without amendment.
 May 9, 1956
 Debates in the Congress began but the debates in the Senate gained more public and gained
media attention. At one time, there almost was a fist fight on the floor in the Upper Chamber.
Discussions were mostly about the constitutionality of the proposed bill, and the ownership of
the measure.
Notable defenders of the bill:
1. Jose P. Laurel (Author)
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2. Cong. Emilio Cortez
3. Joaquin R. Roces
4. W. Rancap Lagumbay
Notable opposers of the bill:
1. Cong. Ramon Durano
2. Jose Nuguid
3. Marciano Lim
4. Manuel Zosa
5. Lucas Paredes
6. Godofredo Ramos
7. Miguel Cuenco
8. Cong. Carmen Consing
9. Tecla San Andres Ziga
 The debates continued on for more than two weeks until Senator Laurel proposed substitutions to
the proposed bill. To explain the amendment, Senator Laurel said: (Laurel, 1960)
"In my substitute bill, I have included not only the Noli and the Fili but all the works and writings of
Rizal and even those written by other people about him. I eliminated the compulsion idea, although
deep in myself, considering my own information, my own knowledge of the history of mankind,
however poor and however incomplete, notwithstanding my own personal conviction that the state
can properly require, in the case of the Filipinos, the compulsory reading of the Fill and the Noli. After
consulting my own religious conscience as one belonging to my own church, I removed the idea of
compulsion. You will no longer find the word 'compulsory' or 'compulsion' in the substitute bill that I
have filed. But there is one thing on which there could be no compromise for as far as I am concerned. I
have to go no farther; and I say: If Rizal was a hero, and on that there could be no debate, if Rizal is a
national hero. these books that he has written, whenever read, must be read with unexpurgated
original form. Otherwise, I would prefer to have this bill defeated, defeated ignominiously if you wish,
but then I shall have fulfilled my duty."
 The amendment continued to spark debate, specifically the provision on Section 1 and on the
power given to the Board of National Education to implement the said act. Thus, the following
proceeding took place (Laurel, 1960):
ENMIENDA A LA ENMIENDA POR SUBSTITUTION
Senator Primicias. I now, Mr. President, in the name of many members of this body, present this
amendment to the amendment: On page 2, line 6, after the period (1) following the word "act," insert
the following:
"THE BOARD SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS PROVIDING FOR THE EXEMPTION OF
STUDENTS FOR REASONS OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF STATED IN A SWORN WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM THE
REQUIREMENT OF THE PROVISION CONTAINED IN THE SECOND PART OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF
THIS SECTION; BUT NOT FROM TAKING THE COURSE PROVIDED FOR IN THE FIRST PART OF THE SAID
PARAGRAPH."
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The President. Those who are in favor of the amendment will please say aye. (Several senators: Aye).
Those who are against the will say nay. (Silence). The amendment is unanimously approved.
 May 12 1956
 The amendment of the bill was approved in its second reading.
 May 14, 1956
 In the House of Representatives, House Majority Floor Leader Congressman Tolentino
sponsored an amendment similar to Laurel's. However, one of the opposing parties,
Congressman Miguel Cuenco said that the measure was unconstitutional. Congressman
Bengzon, a supporter of the bill mentioned that the amendment represented the "complete
triumph of the Church hierarchy." With 51 congressmen as co-authors (including leaders of the
majority and minority), the measure was approved. (Laurel, 2016)
The Passing of the House and Senate Bill
 President Elpidio Quirino declined to certify that the measure was immediate. With only a few
days left before the Congress adjourns for the year, printed copies must be distributed to the
Congressmen three days before its final approval.
 Opposing parties took advantage of this to defeat the measure. Supporters, on the other hand,
thought of using Senator Laurel's amendment file from the Bureau of Printing and just re-printed
the copies, changing only the Bill Number and the Chamber of Origin. These copies were
distributed to the House days before it was even approved at the 3rd reading in the Senate.
 During the second reading, the speaker carefully prevented insertion of any more amendments,
thus the Senate version of the bill was accepted.
 Senate Bill 438 was approved on third reading, with 23 votes.
 House Bill No. 5561 was also approved on third reading with 71 votes (6 against, 2 abstained, 17
absent) and was sent to the senate on the same day.
 The bill was later passed in Senate on May 17, 1956.
 The Malacanang palace took a few weeks to approve the bill until June 12, 1956, the bill was
signed into law by then President Ramon Magsaysay, this becoming Republic Act 1425.
AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES COURSES ON THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL, PARTICULARLY HIS
NOVELS NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING AND
DISTRIBUTION THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
WHEREAS, today, more than any other period of our history, there is a need for a re-dedication to the
ideals of freedom and nationalism for which our heroes lived and died;
WHEREAS, it is meet that in honoring them, particularly the national hero and patriot, Jose Rizal, we
remember with special fondness and devotion their lives and works that have shaped the
national character; 7
WHEREAS, the life, works and writing of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source of patriotism with which the minds of
the youth, especially during their formative and decisive years in school, should be
suffused;
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WHEREAS, all educational institutions are under the supervision of, and subject to regulation by the
State, and all schools are enjoined to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic
conscience and to teach the duties of citizenship: Now, therefore,
SECTION 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novel Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and
universities, public or private: Provided. That in the collegiate courses, the original or
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their English
translation shall be used as basic texts.
The Board of National Education is hereby authorized and directed to adopt forthwith measures to
implement and carry out the provisions of this Section, including the writing and printing of
appropriate primers, readers and textbooks. The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity
of this Act, promulgate rules and regulations, including those of a disciplinary nature, to carry out and
enforce the provisions of this Act. The Board shall promulgate rules and regulations providing for the
exemption of students for reasons of religious belief stated in a sworn written statement, from the
requirement of the provision contained in the second part of the first paragraph of this section; but
not from taking the course provided for in the first part of said paragraph. Said rules and regulations
shall take effect thirty (30) days after their publication in the Official Gazette.
SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep in their libraries an
adequate number of copies of the original and unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as of Rizal's other works and biography. The said
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their translations in
English as well as other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books for
required reading in all public or private schools, colleges and universities.
The Board of National Education shall determine the adequacy of the number of books, depending
upon the enrollment of the school, college or university.
SECTION 3. The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog and the principal
Philippine dialects; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them
to be distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the Purok
organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country.
SECTION 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or repealing section nine hundred
twenty seven of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines
by public school teachers and other person engaged in any public school.
SECTION 5. The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of
any fund not otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury to carry out the purposes of
this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: June 12, 1956
Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 2971 in June 1956.
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LESSON II: Introduction to the Course Republic Act 1425
 The Rizal Bill was as controversial as Jose Rizal himself.
 The mandatory Rizal subject in the Philippines was the upshot of this bill, which later became a law
in 1956.
 The bill involves mandating educational institutions in the country to offer a course on the hero's
life, works, and writings, especially the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
 The transition from being a bill to becoming a republic act was. however, not easy as the proposal
was met with intense opposition, particularly from the Catholic Church
 Largely because of the issue, the then senator Claro M. Recto-the main proponent of the Rizal
Bill-was even dubbed as a communist and an anti-Catholic.
 Catholic schools threatened to stop operation if the bill was passed though Recto calmly
countered the threat, stating that if that happened, the schools would be nationalized.
 Afterward threatened to be punished in future elections, Recto remained undeterred. Concerning
the suggestion to use instead the expurgated (edited) version of Rizal's novels as mandatory
readings.
 Recto explained his firm support for the unexpurgated version, exclaiming: "The people who
would eliminate the books of Rizal from the schools would blot out from our minds the memory of
the national hero.
 This is not a fight against Recto but a fight against Rizal (Ocampo, 2012, p. 23). The bill was
eventually passed, but with a clause that would allow exemptions to students who think that
reading the Noli and Fili would ruin their faith.
 In other words, one can apply to the Department of Education for exemption from reading Rizal's
novels-though not from taking the Rizal subject. The bill was enacted on June 12. 1956.
RA 1425 and Other Rizal Laws
 The Rizal Bill became the Republic Act No. 1425, known as the "Rizal Law The full name of the law
is "An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and Private Schools, Colleges and Universities
Courses on the Life, Works and Writings of Jose Rizal. Particularly His Novels Noli Me Tangere and
El Filibusterismo, Authorizing the Printing and Distribution Thereof, and for Other Purposes."
 The first section of the law concerns mandating the students to read Rizal's novels. The last two
sections involve making Rizal's writings accessible to the general public-they require the schools to
have a sufficient number of copies in their libraries and mandate the publication of the works in
major Philippine languages.
 Jose P. Laurel, then senator who co-wrote the law, explained that since Jose Rizal was the founder
of the country's nationalism and had significantly contributed to the current condition of the
nation, it is only right that Filipinos, especially the youth, know about and learn to imbibe the great
ideals for which the hero died.
 Accordingly, the Rizal Law aims to accomplish the following goals:
1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism. for which our
heroes lived and died;
2. To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping the Filipino
character; and
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3. To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal's life. works, and writings.
So far, no student has yet officially applied for exemption from reading Rizal's novels.
 Correspondingly, former President Fidel V. Ramos in 1994, through Memorandum Order No. 247,
directed the Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports and the Chairman of the Commission on
Higher Education to fully implement the RA 1425 as there had been reports that the law had still
not been totally carried out.
 In 1995, CHED Memorandum No. 3 was issued enforcing strict compliance to Memorandum Order
No. 247. Not known to many, there is another republic act that concerns the national hero.
Republic Act No. 229 is an act prohibiting cockfighting, horse racing, and jai alai on the thirtieth
day of December of each year and to create a committee to take charge of the proper celebration
of Rizal day in every municipality and chartered city, and for any other purposes.
The Importance of Studying Rizal
 The academic subject on the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal was not mandated by law for
nothing. Far from being impractical, the course interestingly offers many benefits that some
contemporary academicians declare that the subject, especially when taught properly, is more
beneficial than many other subjects in various curricula.
 The following are just some of the significance of the academic subject:
1. The subject provides insights into how to deal with current problems. There is a dictum.
 "He who controls the past controls the future." Our view of history forms the manner we
perceive the present, and therefore influences the kind of solutions we provide for existing
problems.
 The Jose Rizal course, as a history subject, is full of historical information from which one
could base his decisions in life. In various ways, the subject, for instance, teaches that
being educated is a vital ingredient for a person or country to be really free and successful.
2. It helps us understand better ourselves as Filipinos.
 The past helps us understand who we are. We comprehensively define ourselves not only
in terms of where we are going, but also where we come from Our heredity, past
behaviors, and old habits as a nation are all significant clues and determinants to our
present situation.
 Interestingly, the life of a very important national historical figure like Jose Rizal
contributes much to shedding light on our collective experience and identity as Filipino.
The good grasp of the past offered by this subject would help us in dealing wisely with the
present.
3. It teaches nationalism and patriotism.
 Nationalism involves the desire to attain freedom and political independence, especially by
a country under foreign power, while patriotism denotes proud devotion and loyalty to
one's nation. Jose Rizal's life, works, and writings especially his novels-essentially, if not
perfectly, radiate these traits. For one thing, the subject helps us to understand our
country better.
4. It provides various essential life lessons.
 We can learn much from the way Rizal faced various challenges in life. As a controversial
figure in his time, he encountered serious dilemmas and predicaments but responded
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decently and high-mindedly. Through the crucial decisions he made in his life, we can
sense his priorities and convictions, which manifest how noble, selfless, and great our
national hero was. For example, his many resolutions exemplified the aphorism that in this
life there are things more important than personal feeling and happiness.
5. It helps in developing logical and critical thinking.
 Critical Thinking refers to discerning, evaluative, and analytical thinking A philosophy major.
Jose Rizal unsurprisingly demonstrated his critical thinking skills in his argumentative
essays, satires, novels, speeches. and written debates.
 In deciding what to believe or do, Rizal also proved his being a reasonably reflective
thinker, never succumbing to the irrational whims and baseless opinions of anyone. In fact,
he indiscriminately evaluated and criticized even the doctrines of the dominant religion of
his time. A course on Rizal's life, works, and writings, therefore, is also a lesson in critical
thinking.
6. Rizal can serve as a worthwhile model and inspiration to every Filipino
 If one is looking for someone to imitate, then Rizal is a very viable choice. The hero's
philosophies, life principles, convictions, thoughts, ideals. aspirations, and dreams are a
good influence to anyone. Throughout his life, he valued nationalism and patriotism.
respect for parents, love for siblings, and loyalty to friends, and maintained a sense of
chivalry.
 As a man of education, he highly regarded academic excellence, logical and critical thinking,
philosophical and scientific inquiry, linguistic study, and cultural research. As a person. he
manifested versatility and flexibility while sustaining a strong sense of moral uprightness.
7. The subject is a rich source of entertaining narratives
 People love fictions and are even willing to spend for books or movie tickets just to be
entertained by made-up tales. But only a few perhaps know that Rizal's life is full of
fascinating non-fictional accounts. For instance, it is rarely known that
a. Rizal was involved in a love triangle with Antonio Luna as also part of the romantic
equation:
b. Rizal was a model in some of Juan Luna's paintings:
c. Rizal's common-law wife Josephine Bracken was "remarried to a man from Cebu and
had tutored former President Sergio Osmeña;
d. Leonor Rivera (Maria Clara) Rizal's "true love, had a son who married the sister of the
former President of the United Nations General Assembly Carlos P. Romulo;
e. the Filipina beauty queen Gemma Cruz Araneta is a descendant of Rizal's sister, Maria;
f. the sportscaster Chino Trinidad is a descendant of Rizal's "first love" (Segunda
Katigbak); and
g. the original manuscripts of Rizal's novel (Noli and Fili) were once stolen for ransom,
but Alejandro Roces had retrieved them without paying even a single centavo.
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LESSON III: THE PHILIPPINES IN THE 19TH CENTURY AS RIZAL'S CONTEXT
Spanish Colonization
Timeline of the Occupation
 1781
The Economic Society of Friends of the Country was found.
 1869
The Suez Canal opened and cut travel time to Spain.
 1896
The Philippine Revolution broke out.
 1898
Emilio Aguinaldo claimed the country as independent. It was later sold to United States for $20
million.
 1899-1913
Philippine American war.
Spanish Colonization
 Spain used force and religion to occupy the islands. The Philippines became a colony of Spain,
under the leadership of Spaniards. The Philippines remained under Spanish rule for 333 years.
Under the Spanish rule, the way of life of the pre-colonial Philippines has changed significantly.
 To help us understand the effects of these changes, let us look at it in terms of economic, political,
and social aspects.
The Philippines in the 19th Century
 One of the key events which shaped this century was the age of enlightenment in France. This
sparked the French Revolution of 1789 that overthrew monarchy and gave birth to the French
Republic.
 Due to this shift, more countries and its people began ascribing with the ideas of freedom, equality,
and liberty. They also believed that the people should have the sovereignty to determine
governance.
 These changes heavily influenced many changes across Europe, and Spain was not spared.
ECONOMIC
 The End of the Galleon Trade
 The Manila-Acapulco trade or the galleon trade lasted for 250 years (1565-1815). It ended a
few years before Mexico gained independence from Spain.
 The Spanish crown then started direct control of the Philippines from Madrid.
 The Opening of Suez Canal
 Together with the invention of steam ships, travel to and from Spain to Philippines has been
reduced to only 40 days. This made trading and governance easier.
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 Opening of Ports to World Trade
 The bankruptcy of the Royal Company of the Philippines forced Spain to open Manila to world
trade.
 Manila was a strategic harbor for trade and attracted British, Americans, European, and Asian
merchants. Spain then lost its footing on the trade. Philippines benefitted from importing
products and machinery from the west.
 The Philippines gained great economic growth around this time.
 Rise of the Export Crop Economy and Monopolies
 The export economy of the Philippines rapidly rose in response to growing demand from
Europe.
 Manila expanded and more people built shops and came to settle in the city.
 The foreign traders demanded mainly for Philippine agricultural products such rice, cigars,
abaca (Manila hemp), and sugar, which became the leading export crop. A
 The export industry benefitted the middle- and upper-class, especially the hacienderos who
owned lands with the said produce.
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
 Conflicts in Spain
 The conflicts among liberals and conservatives in Spain stirred up governance in the country,
which in turn affected the governance of its colonies.
 Changes in Government Positions
 Several Spanish bureaucrats took advantage of the Philippines' growing economy and travelled
to the country to help "govern" it. Most of them ended up lining their own pockets, benefitting
from the growing economy.
 Rise of the Chinese Mestizo
 Their population exceeded 200,000 in the 19th century.
 Chinese mestizos were landholders and middlemen wholesalers of local produce and foreign
imports.
 Their influence was noticeable in Central Luzon, Cebu, and Iloilo.
 Rise of the Inquilino
 The inquilinos who rented lands had semi-feudal relationships with their kasama (land
tenants). However, the prosperity brought about by the trade stirred conflict as rents
increased. The inquilinos started to challenge the authorities of the friar hacienderos.
The Power of the Church
 The spread of education produced ilustrados that are commonly anti-friar or anti-clerical or
anti-Catholic brought about by:
1. abuses of the friars
2. the influence of the Spanish anticlericalism movement
3. intermingling of the political and religious characteristics of the Spanish patronato real.
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 Some parish priests capitalized on the Filipinos' Catholic faith to justify the incapabilities of the
Spanish government (i.e., the Catholic faith teaches humility and devotion to Spain to save
one's soul).
 Thus, there was clamor in the unhealthy influence of the Catholic church to Filipinos and the
government.
 Gov. Valeriano Weyler in 1891 expressed that instead of claiming that religion is an obstacle in
the Philippines, it should be used in Luzon and Visayas as a means of government which
justified the existence of different religious orders in provinces.
 The Spanish officials then rallied and supported the importance of friars in influencing peace
and order among the Filipino people
 In 1872, Rafael Izquierdo (successor of Gov. Weyler) expressed:
"The religious orders have their defects, their vices and their difficulties, but in the Philippines they
have two qualities which from the political point of view are so great and so important that they
oblige us to prescind from whatever may be alleged against the. One of these qualities is their
unshakeable devotion to Spain, the other is their influence on the natives, which even in the
weakened state in which it is today, is still sufficiently great to consider it as a preserving factor."
(Schumacher, 1991)
 For the abuse of influence and oppressive policies, the Filipino nationalists specifically targeted
friars.
 Filipinos who were unable to attend school in Manila or in Europe remained faithful to the
churches.
 The ilustrados, on the other hand, realized that the Catholic practices were childish and that
some of their policies are oppressive.
 These conflicts with religion inspired many nationalists to start propaganda movements.
 Growing Distaste on the Spanish Regime
 Spain was unable to provide basic needs (public works, schools, peace and order, etc.) to its
colonies became more noticeable.
 The presence of guardia civil (civil guards) in the provinces failed to rid tulisanes (bandits) and
incited fear because they harass farmers for personal gain.
 The highly protective tariffs forced Filipinos to buy Spanish textiles and other products when
there were cheaper British counterparts.
 The exploitative system and incapability of Spain to maintain the Philippines stirred
nationalists to propose separation from Spain.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS
 Spread of Education
 With the modernization of transport, families who can afford higher education for their
children sent them to Europe to study. These young people were later called ilustrados or "the
enlightened ones".
 These ilustrados spread and propagated liberal ideals and stimulated discourse on reforms and
nationalism.
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 The spread of higher education however, was not affordable for the middle- and lower-class
Filipinos.
 Jose Rizal described the young Filipinos in Spain as:
"These friends are all young men, criollos, mestizos, and Malaya; but we call ourselves simply
Filipinos. Almost all were educated by the Jesuits. The Jesuits have surely not intended to teach us
love of the country, but they have showed us all that is beautiful and all that is best. Therefore I do
not fear discord in our homeland; it is possible, but it can be combated and prevented."
(Schumacher, 1997)
 The ilustrados learned the concepts and principles of human dignity and justice, and the
equality of all men. It also imparted humanistic approach on literature, sciences, and
philosophy.
 The Return of the Jesuits
 When they came back to the Philippines in 1859, they brought with them a modern and
inclusive form of educational system.
 They opened Ateneo Municipal, which became both a primary and secondary school. It
welcomed both Filipino and Spanish students and taught languages such as Latin, Spanish,
Greek, French, and English. It also introduced Natural Science in education.
 They also opened Escuela Normal de Maestos which aimed to provide Spanish-speaking
teachers to teach in their proposed new system of primary schooling. This however, induced
conflict, as it allowed indios to learn the Spanish language.
Ideas on Nationalism
 It was in these Jesuit-run schools that concepts of humanistic education began. It opened a
wider perspective for Filipinos.
 Jose Rizal, who was among those who studied in Manila said:
"the eyes of my intelligence opened a little, and my heart began to cherish nobler sentiments..."
and
"my patriotic statements greatly developed". (Schumacher, 1991)
 The Dominican-run institution, University of Sto. Tomas despite their traditional approach in
education still produced nationalist clergy leaders such as Fr. Jose Burgos and Fr. Mariano
Sevilla.
 Other nationalist key figures who also share a non-Jesuit educational background are:
a. Marcelo del Pilar - San Jose
b. Emilio Jacinto - San Juan de Letran
c. Apolinario Mabini - Santo Tomas
 In 1843, Juan dela Matta, a Spanish official suggested to close progressive educational
institutions since they are becoming a fundamental ground for subversive ideas.
 It was, however, the experience of the Filipino students that truly nurtured nationalist ideals.
According to Schumacher (1991), they:
a. became more conscious of the suffering of the Filipino people;
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b. became aware of the backward Spanish political system; and
c. realized the inability of the Spanish government to promote its own welfare and that of
its colonies.
 Interest in the Filipino Past
 This is another factor which contributed to the spread of education which was inspired by
German preoccupation and ethnology to which the Filipino students in Spain were exposed to.
a. Rizal was also tantamount to the creation of the national consciousness.
b. Father Jose Burgos also proposed the importance for Filipinos to look back to their roots.
 The Rise of the Filipino Clergy
 During the beginning of the 19th century, there was a lack of friars and so the training of
Filipino priests started.
 Fr. Pedro Pelaez had Filipino priests under his wing.
 He defended accusations against the Filipino priests, showing the Spaniards that they are
capable equals of the Spanish friars.
 He died in 1863 and was accused of being subversive
 He served as key person in fighting for the rights of the Filipino clergy.
 After Pelaez' death, Fr. Jose Burgos took over his role in advocating for the clergy.
 Burgos published an anonymous pamphlet to defend Pelaez' memory and to call for justice for
the treatment against Filipino clergy.
 Liberal Reformists
 Rose in 1860 and wanted to bring to the Philippines the following:
a. economic progress
b. modern legal system
c. modern liberties (press freedom, association of speech, workship)
 They were mainly composed of criollos (Spaniards born in the Philippines).
 They do not want the Philippines to be separated from Spain. Includes Joaquin Pedro de
Tavera, Antonio Regidor and other lawyers and merchants. who will benefit from a reform..
 The Execution of Filipino Priests
 Carlos Ma. dela Torre, a newly-appointed governor-general, arrived in Manila in 1869 and
promised reforms and freedom of expressions in the Philippines.
 He possessed executive, legislative, and judiciary powers and was supported by liberalists and
the Filipino clergy due to his promised reforms
 He, however, put both groups under secret surveillance for the arrest of Filipino clergy in
Cavite. He also ordered for the execution of Filipino priests, which curtailed the movement of
the Filipino clergy.
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 The Propaganda Movement
 This was composed of talented Filipino students who are nationalist and had passion for
reforms.
 They produced magazines, poetry, and pamphleteering containing commentaries.
 José Rizal who was part of this movement produced two political novels, namely Noli Me
Tangere or Touch Me Not (1886) and El Filibusterismo or The Reign of Greed (1891).
 In 1829, Rizal helped in established La Liga Filipina.
 Rizal was then arrested by the Spanish and sent to exile, and was executed in 1986.
 The remaining members of the movement then formed Katipunan under the leadership of
Andres Bonifacio which aimed to expel the Spaniards from the Philippines.

SPAIN AND THE PHILIPPINES IN THE 19TH CENTURY PART I

19th Century Philippines
 A dynamic and creative age especially in Europe and the United States different Concepts arise
such as:
Industrialism, democracy, and nationalism
 Triggered revolutionary changes in:
Science, technology, economics and prosperity
Conditions of the Philippines:
 Feudalistic social and economic structure
 Censorship
 Racial discrimination
 Intellectual decadence
 Government processes had no respect for the needs of the people
 Clamor for reforms remained unheeded
 Social discontent caused confusion
 Middle class stepped right into the currents of modern liberalism
 Foreign contacts influenced the development of a sense of nationhood among the Filipinos.
Political and Economic Changes
 Elimination of monopoly enjoyed by the galleon to Acapulco (1815)
 1830 Opening of world commerce
 Opening of Suez canal
 The rise of middle class
 Opening of public education
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Economic Situation of the 19th Century Philippines
GALLEON TRADE
"The Manila Galleon was... the first medium to reduce the world to a village." - Nick Joaquin (1990)
When the Spaniards came to the Philippines, our ancestors were already trading with China, Japan,
Siam, India, Cambodia, Borneo and the Moluccas
 Lasted for two and a half centuries after Legazpi's settlement in Cebu, from 1565 to 1815.
 It was the longest shipping line in history existed for roughly 150 years
 108 galleons were used, and of this number, 30 were lost by shipwreck
 It made Manila the first primate city in Southeast Asia by the early seventeenth century.
The galleons carried:
 Cottons
 Ivory
 Gold
 Spices
 Silk
 Damask
 porcelain
The Galleon Trade
Nov. 21, 1564 - San Pedro, San Pablo, San Lucas and San Juan from Mexico noticed the fantastic
Trading system
1521-Magellan arrived Philippines already trading with other Southeast Asian neighbors including
China
Juan Salcedo's account, rescuing the Chinese from a brawl with Filipinos in Taal, Batangas
 Senor Guillermo Gomez Rivera, Phil. Honorary President of Asociacion Cultural Galeon de Manila
 90% of goods were Mexican Silver headed for China
 10% from Phils such as gold, pearls and plants
 Manila is the Center of Commerce in the East
 P 500, 000 goods - Acapulco to Manila (120 days)
 P 250,000 goods - Manila to Acapulco (90 days)
Profile of the Manila Galleon Trade
 In 1454, after Columbus confirmed the existence of the Americas, Pope Alexander the VI issued
"Inter Caetera" dividing the Americas between Portugal and Spain, which they interpreted as
applying to the whole non Christian world.
 Manila Galleon (1565 to 1815) were large Spanish ships that sailed across Pacific between New
Spain (Mexico) and the Philippines.
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 They allowed Spain to trade with East Asia without using Portuguese trade routes. They brought
the first Asian to arrive in North America after Columbus.
 1521 route Magellan discovered the Westward
 1565 Andres de Urdaneta discovered the eastward route (Kuroshio current near Japan America
near Cape Mendocino - Acapulco)
Trade partners:
1. Japan,
2. Taiwan,
3. Fujian province of Ming
4. Dynasty China,
5. Macau,
6. East Timor and
7. Spice Island (Eastern Indonesia)
The first post-Columbian record of Asians in North America
 In 1587, Filipinos landed in California at Morro Bay near San Luis Obispo, 33 years before the May
Flower
 In 1595, a galleon shipwrecked near Point Reyes just north of the San Francisco Bay, survivors
swan to shore
 Chinese artifacts in Mexico date back to 16th century
 Chinese settlement in California goes back to at least the 17th Century
Opening of Suez Canal
 1854, a French company by Ferdinand de Lesseps
 Opened 1869 and it is 163 kilometers long
 Arabic, Egyptian and some European societies benefited from this canal with its help over
irrigation, transportation and strategic military advantages
 Road for global world
Importance of Suez Canal
 Decreases the road between Europe and South Asia from 16000 km (Cape of good hope) to 10000
km
 Europe - for the oil and trade with Asia
 US- transporting troops and military equipment to Afghanistan
 Egypt Control the Suez Canal and Suez-Mediterranean oil pipeline (3,000 barrels)
 It has power in the world economy due to taxes it receives from ships transiting there
 It help reduce unemployment as Egypt need labor force to repair the erosion of coastline
Impact of Suez Canal
 30 days travel time from Phillippines to Spain
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 Brings prosperity to native Indio (illustrados)
 Importation of books, magazines and newspapers with political thoughts and liberal ideas
 Encouraged more Spaniards and Europeans with liberal ideas to come to the Philippines and
interact with Filipino reformists
 Creation of middle class
 Encouraged the illustrados to pursue higher studies abroad
The Philippines and the World Trade
 Increase in trade and navigation in Asia
 There was a "saltatory rise in the level of foreign Trade" in the Philippines
 Foreign merchants introduced modern machinery, advanced money on crops
 Increasing commodity concentration of exports (sugar, abaca, tobacco and coffee) to UK, China,
British East Indies
 Liquid wealth reach Filipinos
DISPARITIES
 Disparities between regions and occupations became more marked
 Domestic textile industry could not compete with foreign imports
 1880, the "decade of death" because of an imbalance between commercial and subsistence
agriculture and arrival of epidemic
ADVANTAGES
 Improvement in communications, finance and infrastracture
 The funds of Obras Pias was employed in the past to finance the galleon trade and used to
establish the Banco Espanol-Filipino (1851) and Monte de Piedad (1882).
 Water system was built in Manila

Rizal's Life: Family, Childhood, and Early Education

Rizal's Family
 Jose Rizal was born in Calamba on June 19, 1861 on a Wednesday between 11-12 midnight.
 His parents' names are Francisco Mercado (father) and Teodora Alonso y Reolanda (mother).
 He is the seventh child of the family. He has nine sisters and a brother.
The names of Rizal's siblings are as follows:
1. Saturnina (1850-1913) - eldest child; later married to Manuel Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas.
2. Paclano (1851-1930) - Rizal's only brother; supported Rizal's ambition to study abroad; translated
some of Jose Rizal's writing into Tagalog
3. Narcisa (1852-1939) - third child in a family; worked as a teacher and a musician; she later married
Antonio Lopez, a teacher from Morong
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4. Olimpia (1855-1887) - fourth child; later married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from
Manila; died while giving birth
5. Lucia (1857-1919) - later married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba.
6. Maria (1859-1945) - later married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
7. Concepcion (1862-1865) - died at the age of three which caused Rizal to shed tears for the first
time.
8. Josefa (1865-1945) - unmarried; headed the women chapter of the Katipunan; epileptic; died a
spinster.
9. Trinidad (1868-1951) - unmarried; member of the women chapter of the Katipunan; last member
of the Rizal family to die.
10. Soledad (1870-1929) - youngest child; married Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba
Rizal had a privileged background. He was born into a well-off family.
 His mother had more than average education. She was taught by her father is Lorenzo Alberto
Alonso, who was a deputy for the Philippines in the Cortes.
 She was also taught by her brother Jose who studied in Europe, spoke 4 languages, and was a
knight in the Order of Isabella the Catholic.
 Her grandfather, Manuel de Quintos, was a well-known lawyer in Manila.
 Rizal's father came from generations of merchants, as apparent in their surname, Mercado.
 However, since there were many Mercados unrelated to Rizal's family, a provincial governor who
added the surname "Rizal" to the family name.
 "Rizal" means "a field where wheat, cut while still green, sprouts again."
 Rizal's grandfather Juan Mercado served as a Mayor of Biñan, Laguna.
 Rizal's father decided to move to Calamba and invested in agriculture. He cultivated lands leased
by the Dominicans and became one of the wealthiest man in the town, and was able to own stone
houses and send his children to school in Manila.
 Rizal's father is described as independent minded and a dynamic gentlemen where Jose might
have inherited his "free soul".
 One of the key events in his family life that has influenced Rizal's view on abuse of power and
authority is the injustice to the Rizal family when his mother Teodora was arrested.
 Jose Alberto (Rizal's uncle) arrived from Europe but found his house in Binan empty as a result of
his wife's irresponsible actions. Upon finding his wife, he threatened to divorce her, but Rizal's
mother Teodora, convinced him not to.
 Alberto's wife reappeared a few days, and with a help of a lieutenant of the civil guard, accused
her husband of poisoning, and also accused Teodora (Rizal's mother) of being an accomplice.
 Rizal's mother was imprisoned by Mr. Antonio Vivencio del Rosario (mayor of the town). During
her trial. Teodora was tricked to admit to the crime with promise that she will be released to be
with her children.
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 The Rizal family sought help from the famous lawyers of Manila (Francisco de Marcaida and
Manuel Marzan) to defend Teodora. It was only when the case reached the Supreme Court that
Mayor del Rosario asked for pardon. Teodora was released after two and a half years.
Rizal's Childhood
As a child, Rizal spent a lot of time in nature making careful observations that sparked his creativity.
 Jose Rizal had an aya or a nanny who would often tell Rizal stories of ghosts, dwarves, and evil
spirits (aswangs) to get him to eat supper.
 He and his siblings were also told about the legend of Maria Makiling and other tales which
sparked young Rizal's creativity and imagination.
In one of his writings, "Memoirs of a Student". Jose Rizal wrote:
"I still remember the first melancholy nights that I spent on the terrace fazotea) of our house as if they
happened only yesterday -- nights full of the saddest poem that made impression of my mind, the
stronger the more tempestuous my present situation is. I had a nurse [aya] who loved me very much
and who, in order to make me take supper (which had on the terrace on moonlit nights), frightened me
with the sudden apparition of some formidable asuang. [ghosts], of a frightful nuna, or parce-nobis, as
she used to call an imaginary being similar to the Bu of the Europeans. They used to take me for a stroll
to the gloomiest places and at night near the flowing river, in the shade of some tree, in the brightness
of the chaste Diana... Thus was my heart nourished with somber and melancholic thoughts, which even
when I was a child already wandered on the wings of fantasy in the lofty regions of the unknown."
Rizal's childhood was grounded on religious belief.
 Teodora, his mother taught him humble prayers which he recited fervently to God.
 Every day, Teodora also made sure Rizal and his siblings recite the rosary together.
 Rizal carried on his religious beliefs and practices until later on in his life.
Rizal experienced grief as a young child..
 When he was four years old, his younger sister Concha died and for the first time. Rizal cried.
*...for the first time I shed tears caused by love and grief, for until then I had shed them only because of
my stubbornness that my loving proving mother so well knew how to correct."
-Jose Rizal, Memoirs of a Student
Rizal travelled to Manila and marveled at the beauty of the place.
 Together with his father, he travelled to Manila on June 6, 1868 and through the Laguna lake for
the first time.
 Rizal marveled at Pasig Cainta, Taytay, Antipolo, Manila, and Santa Ana which they passed through
when they visited his sister Saturnina who was staying as a boarding student at La Concordia.
"I remember that I came to Manila with my father after the birth of the third girl (Trinidad) who
followed me, and it was on 6 June 1868. We boarded a cosco, a very heavy craft. I had never yet gone
through the lake of La Laguna consciously and the first time. I did, I spent the whole night near the
catio, admiring the grandeur of the liquid element, the quietness of the night, while at the same time a
superstitious fear took hold of me when I saw a water snake twine itself on the bamboo canes of the
outriggers. With what joy I saw the sunrise; for the first time I saw how the luminous rays shone,
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producing a brilliant effort on the ruffled surface of the wide lake. With what joy I spoke to my father
for I had not uttered a single word during the night."
-Jose Rizal, Memoirs of a Student
Rizal was very creative as a young child, he wrote a poem, Sa Aking mga kababata at the age of
eight.
Kapagka ang baya'y sadyang umiibig
sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit
sanlang kalayaan nasa ring masapit
katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.

Pagkat ang salitay isang kahatulan

sa bayan, sa hayo't mga kaharian.
at ang isang too'y katulad, kabagay
ng alin mang likha noong kalayaan.

Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita

mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda
kaya ang matapat pagyamaning kusa
na tulad sa isang tunay na nagpala.

Ang wikang tagalog tulad din sa latin.

sa ingles, kastila at salitang anghel
sapagka't ang Poong maalam tumingin
ang siyang naggawad, nagbigay sa atin.

Ang salita noti'y huwad din sa iba

na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
na kayo nawalay dinatnan ng sigwa
ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.
Rizal's Early Education
Rizal's first teacher was his mother.
 She taught him how to read and pray.
 She taught him values which he carried on until later in his life.
"Ah! Without her what would have become of my education and what would have been my fate? Oh,
yes! After God the mother is everything to man. She taught me how to read, she taught me how to
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stammer the humble prayers that I addressed fervently to God, and now that I'm a young man, ah,
where is that simplicity, that innocence of my early days?"
-Jose Rizal, Memoirs of a Student
Rizal's parents provided him adequate education.
 His parents sought and paid private tutors for Rizal, the first one was Maestro Celestino and the
second one was Maestro Lucas Padua.
 His father, Francisco Mercado, paid his old classmate, Leon Monroy to live in their house to teach
Rizal Latin and Spanish. However it did not last long as Monroy died five months later.
Leaving his family so he could study in Biñan was very painful for the young Rizal.
 Following the death of Monroy, Rizal left to study in Biñan, his father's hometown, and is 1-1.5
hours away from Calamba.
"One Sunday, my brother took me to that town after I had bade my family, that is my parents and
brothers [sisters] goodbye, with tears in my eyes. I was nine years old and already I tried to hide my
tears. Oh, education, oh, shame, that obliges us to hide our sentiments and to appear different! How
much beauty, how many tender and pathetic scenes the world would witness without you!"
-Jose Rizal, Memoirs of a Student
Rizal had difficulty adjusting to his new school his classmates.
 Rizal's first teacher was Justiniano Aquino Cruz. He described him as a severe disciplinarian, and
their classes was conducted inside his house, in a nipa hut only 30 meters away from Rizal's aunt.
 Rizal recalled that during his first day, he was assigned a seat in the class and was asked by his
teacher if he knows Spanish and Latin to which he both replied "a little, sir". The whole class
teased him, especially Pedro who was one of the biggest boys in the class.
 He challenged Pedro to a fight as retaliation to the latter's remarks earlier. Remembering his
wrestling training from his uncle, he defeated the bigger boy and earned the respect of his
classmates.
 One afternoon, Rizal was also challenged by another classmate, Andres Salandanan, to an arm
wrestling match which Rizal lost which nearly cost him a cracked skull when he hit the sidewalk
where they fought.
 His teacher's father, Juancho, an old painter lived beside his house. Rizal discovered then that he
had inclination for the arts.
Rizal also faced some adjustments living with his relatives.
 Rizal's stayed with his old aunt, his two cousins, and his two nieces.
 He is always teased in the household and one time, his young niece named Leandro (which is
about his age) pushed him too hard that Rizal almost drowned had he not caught his feet.
 Rizal's other niece Arcadia who was older than him for about three years treated Rizal like a
brother and taught him different games. However, she would often refer to him as "Uncle Jose".
Rizal longed for his family and his hometown.
 Rizal longed for his family and his hometown, Calamba, which he grew up in. He went back from
time to town and each time be delighted at the sight of their home.
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“... I remembered my hometown and I thought, with tears in my eyes, of my beloved father, my idolized
mother, and my solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet to me was Calamba, in spite of the fact that it was not
as wealthy as Binan! I would feel sad and when, least expected, I stopped to reflect,"
-Jose Rizal, Memoirs of a Student
 Formal Schooling at a Village School; Formal Search for Knowledge at Ateneo Municipal
LIFE AT BINAN
 He had a very discipline and systematic life
 Paciano accompanied him on his trip to Binan. They proceeded to their Aunt's house.
 He was introduced to Maestro Justiniano Cruz
 He demonstrated his intellectual superiority and emerges as the best in his class in Latin, Spanish
and the rest of the subjects (elementary). Because of this, he often had duel with his classmates
 He also took painting life under Maestro Cruz' father-in-law (Old Juancho)
 The rigorous life that Rizal had as an elementary pupil at the village school equipped him with
competencies for secondary schooling in Manila.
 He returned to his hometown on December 17, 1870
Private Tutors of Rizal
 Maestro Celestino was Jose's first private tutor
 Maestro Lucas Padua was the second private tutor
 Maestro Leon Monroy became the hero's tutor in Spanish and Latin. He was the classmate of Don
Francisco.
ATENEO MUNICIPAL
 He took entrance examination at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran on June 10,1872.
 He sought admission at the Ateneo Municipal. Thanks to Father Magin Fernando (College Registrar)
he was admitted eventhough:
 late registrant
 very frail and undersized for his age
 He registered under the name of JOSE RIZAL.
ATENEO MUNICIPAL: Educational System
 They offered a program that entitle a student " Bachiller en Artes"
 It offers the best secondary school. It trained the character of every student through rigid
discipline and religious instructions.
 They were required to hear masses in the morning before the start of classes.
 Atenean teachers enforced a program of dividing a class into two competing empires: Romans and
Carthaginians.
 Roman Empire (boarding students at Ateneo);
 Carthaginians (non-boarding students)
 Both empires had their ranks and dignitaries namely: emperor, tribune, decurion, centurion and
standard bearer.
 The Method of instruction was "ratio studiorum" - a system of indoctrination under tight and
constant discipline
 Their aim " Ad majorem Dei Gloriam or For the greater glory of God" - teachers was to make
lifelong Catholics.
 Students life was centered on the chapel, with membership in religious confraternities as the
highest level of extra-curricular activities.
 Rizal passed oral examination on March 14, 1877. He graduated with the degree, Bachiller en
Artes", with the highest academic honors.
 Rizal's academic triumph at Ateneo can be attributed to 3 factors namely: racial pride, monastic
discipline and seclusion of boarding school life.
Extra-curricular Activities
 officer in Religious confraternities
 Academy of Spanish Literature and Academy of Natural
Sciences
 literature
 Poetry writing (Francis Francisco paula de Sanchez)
 took lesson in Spanish
 Painting (Agustin Saez) and Sculpture (Romualdo de Jesus)
 Gymnastics and Fencing
Some of the Literary Works of Dr. Rizal at Ateneo Municipal
 MI PRIMERA INSPIRACION (My First Inspiration) dedicated by Rizal to his mother on the occasion
of the latter's natal day, which according to some was allegedly written by his cousin.
 AL NIÑO JESUS (To the Child Jesus) His expression of devotion to Catholicism, which his mother
implanted in his heart and was strengthened by his schooling at Ateneo.
 UN RECUERDO DE MI PUEBLO (In Memory of my Town) his way of paying homage to his
birthplace, Calamaba. He never forget the tranquility of his hometown.
 THROUGH EDUCATION THE COUNTRY RECEIVES LIGHT that the people have to seek knowledge.
They need to seek knowledge in order to become enlightened individuals, who could be
instrumental in elevating the country into a position of prestige and honor.
 LA ALIANZA INTIMA SOBRE RELIGION Y LA BUENA EDUCATION (The Intimate Alliance between
Religion and Good Education) stressed the importance of religion to education. Religion serves as
a guide and nourishment to true education.
RIZAL AT THE DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
 In April 1877, Rizal at 16 years old, entered University of Santo Tomas. He seek the advice of Fr.
Pablo Ramon Rector of the Ateneo, who have been good to him during his student days, on the
right choice for a career
2 reasons why he enrolled Philosophy and Letters:
 His father liked it
 He was not sure what career to pursue
 However, he shifted to Medicine specializing in Ophthalmology when he found out that his mother
was going blind
 In 1877-78, Rizal studied Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History of Philosophy.
 In 1878-79 took up the medical course.
 Rizal was unhappy at this Dominican Institution of higher learning because:
 1) the Dominican professors were hostile to him
2) the Filipino students were racially discriminated against by the Spaniards
3) the method of instruction was obsolete and repressive
 After finishing the fourth year of his medical course, Rizal decided to study in Spain. He could no
longer endure the rampant bigotry, discrimination, and the hostility in the University of Santo
Tomas.
Like any of us, Dr. Rizal fell in love with these lovely ladies:
 Rizal was infatuated with Segunda Katigbak from. Batangas
 Leonor "Orang" Valenzuela
 Rizal met Leonor when he was a sophomore student at the University of Santo Tomas.
 She was a charming Manila girl who was living next door to Rizal's boarding house.
 Sweetheart of Rizal, Romances lasted one year
 A medical student from Calamba, Laguna the charming daughter of Capitan Juan and Capitana
Sanday Valenzuela.
 Rizal sent Leonor a love notes written in invisible ink
Leonor Rivera
 The beautiful daughter of his landlord Antonio Rivera.
 Tender romances lasted 11 years (1879-1890)
IMPORTANT LITERARY WORKS AS A UNIVERSITY STUDENT
1. A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA
 A poem written in Spanish by Filipino writer and patriot José Rizal, first presented in 1879 in
Manila, while he was studying at the University of Santo Tomas.
 "A La Juventud Filipina" was written by Rizal when he was only eighteen years old, and was
dedicated to the Filipino youth which he described as "the fair hope of my motherland"
2. EL CONSEJO DE LOS DIOSES
 A play written in Spanish by Filipino writer and national hero José Rizal published in La
Solidaridad in 1883.
 El Consejo de los Dioses was written by Rizal when he was only nineteen years old, and reveals
the humanistic education of the Philippines at the time and his answer to scholasticism.
3. JUNTO AL PASIG
 A one-act zarzuela in Spanish written by the Philippine national hero. Jose Rizal, was staged by
the Academy of Spanish Literature members on December 8, 1880. - Rizal wrote it to honor
"Nuestra Senora dela Paz y Buenviaje de Antipolo" (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage).
EDUCATION IN EUROPE
 He traveled alone to Madrid in May 1882 to continue his studies in Medicine at the Universidad
Central de Madrid
 He also took up Licentiate in Medicine in 1884 and Degree of Philosophy and Letters in 1885
 25 year-old Rizal completed in 1887 his eye specialization under the renowned Prof. Otto Becker in
Heidelberg
 FROM CALAMBA TO EUROPE FOR THE SECOND TIME
Seiko Usui
 0-Sei-San signifies harmony, purity, tranquility and reverence for Dr. Rizal. He got tempted to stay
in Japan for good but he felt that he had other duties to fulfil for his country.

RIZAL IN HONG KONG

 Rizal boarded the Zafiro from Manila to Hong Kong. He arrived on Feb. 8, 1888.
 While in Hong Kong, he wrote to Blumentritt about what happened to him when he stayed in his
hometown which dated Feb. 16, 1888. Part of it was:
"At last I can write freely. At last I can express my thoughts without fear of censorship from the chief!
They forced me to leave my country. Half sick I left the house."
 He met Jose Maria Basa, Babino Mauricio and other exiles in Hong Kong. He was depressed that
the government prohibited the Filipinos to return to Manila.
 He became acquainted with important Spaniards while in Hong Kong like Barranda who is
Terrero's secretary. He was accompanied by him to Macau.
Some of his observations about Hong Kong were as follow:
 The celebration of the Chinese New Year was quite very noise due to continuous fireworks
explosion.
 Chinese theatres are usually animated due to the percussion instruments used by the participants.
 The lauriat party, where the guests were served a variety of dishes, showed lavishness and
hospitality among the Chinese.
 The Dominican Order, the richest religion order in Hong Kong, had millions of dollars deposited in
banks earning high interests.
 The graveyard for Catholics, Protestants and Muslims were well maintained.
 Rizal left Hong Kong on Feb. 22, 1888 on the vessel SS Oceania.
RIZAL IN JAPAN
 Rizal arrived in Japan on Feb. 28, 1888 through Yokohama and stayed at Tokyo Hotel for a few
days. Then he stayed at the Spanish Legation for a month.
 This was the time when Rizal learned Nihonggo and dedicated time to study Japanese art and
culture.
 Rizal observed Japan and were impressed by the following:
 The scenic beauty of the country.
  The cleanliness, politeness and industry of the people.
 The picturesque dress and simple charm of the Japanese women.
 The existence of few thieves in Japan.
 The beggars rarely seen in the streets of the city
 Nonetheless. Rizal was disgusted seeing Japanese men pulling the kuruma (rickshaw).
Romance with O-Sei-San
 The romance began when Rizal moved to the Spanish Legation. He saw her walk near the gate.
With that, he got charmed with her beauty and tried to find a way by finding a way to meet and
know her.
 He learned from the gardener that her name is Seiko Usui. He also learned that she lives with her
parents and passes by the legation every afternoon.
 Rizal saw the ideals of womanhood like beauty, charm, intelligence and modesty in her and that
made him too much attracted to Seiko.
 The friendship then turned into a love affair. They both had good mutual perception amongst each
other. To Seiko, Rizal was a man of versatile talents, gallant, has dignity and courteous.
 With their blossoming affair, O-Sei-San even invited Rizal to a cha-no-yu (Tea Ceremony) which
signifies harmony, purity, tranquility and reverence.
 With that being said, Rizal got tempted to stay in Japan for good but he felt that he had other
duties to fulfil for his country so he left Japan and O-Sei-San.
RIZAL IN US
 Rizal left Japan by mid-Apr. 1888 and arrived in the US on Apr. 28, 1888 boarding the steamer
Belgic. However, he and the other passengers weren't allowed to disembark until May 4, 1888.
They were quarantined because the ship carried 600 Chinese. Elections were being held that time
and to gather votes, they made a drama where they adopted measures against Chinese to capture
the sympathies of the people.
 After the said incident, the first class passengers (including Rizal) were allowed to get off, while the
Japanese and Chinese were retained for a longer period.
 Rizal entered the US via San Francisco, CA and he stayed at Palace Hotel. After his two-day stay, he
went to Oakland, CA and passed through Sacramento, Reno, Ogden, Omaha, Chicago and Albany
to reach New York.
 On May 24, 1888 Rizal left New York, NY for Liverpool, England on-board the vessel City of Rome.
OBSERVATIONS OF RIZAL ABOUT THE USA
POSITIVE IMPRESSIONS
 The material progress of the country.
 The drive and the energy of the American people.
 The natural beauty of the land.
 The high standard of living.
 The opportunities for better life offered to poor immigrants.
NEGATIVE IMPRESSIONS
 Non-existence of true civil liberty, as a Negro cannot marry an American and vice-versa.
 The existence of racial prejudice, as shown in their hatred of the Chinese, Japanese and Negroes.
 The valuing of money over human life.
RIZAL IN LONDON
 Rizal arrived in Liverpool on May 24, 1888. He stayed overnight at Adelphi Hotel then moved to
London.
 He resided there from May 1888 to March 1889.
 He opted to make it his second home for the following reasons:
 To improve his knowledge of the English language.
 To study and annotate Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.
 To carry on his fight against Spanish tyranny safely.
 Upon arriving, he stayed as a guest at Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor's place, a practicing lawyer and an
exile of 1872. Then he lived as a boarder of the Beckett Family at No. 37 Chalcot Crescent Primrose
Hill.
 Rizal became acquainted with Dr. Reinhold Rost, the librarian of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It
was he who recommended Rizal to be allowed to undertake research at the British Museum. With
that, he was able to spend time reading Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.
Romance with Gertrude Beckett
 Rizal became attracted to Gertrude, who was also known as Tottie and Sissie.
 She was shorter than Rizal and chubby like Segunda Katigbak.
 Rizal falling in love with Seiko then with Gertrude implied that he was not desperately in love with
Leonor Rivera.
 Two things attracted her to Rizal: propinquity and happy family.
 Rizal suppressed his feelings towards her when he learned that she was falling for him.
Other Writings in London
 Rizal wrote an essay entitled La Vision del Fray Rodriguez - in reply to the attacks made by Fr.
Rodriguez on the Noli Me Tangere. He was able to demonstrate his profound knowledge of
religion and biting satire.
 He also wrote Letter to The Young Women in Malolos. This was requested by Marcelo H. Del Pilar
to commend the young women of Malolos for their courage to establish a school where they could
learn Spanish.
 Rizal contributed two articles in the Trubner's Record, a journal devoted to the literature of the
East. The first is called Specimens of Tagal Folklore which consists of 14 proverbs, 8 puzzles and 2
verses. The second is called Two Eastern Fables, which compared the Japanese folklore to
Philippine folklore.
Short Visit to Paris and Madrid
 He went to Paris on Sept. 1888 in search for historical materials in the Bibliotheque Nationale.
 Juan Luna and Paz Pardo de Tavera - Luna acted as his host during his stay.
 After his search for manuscripts and books, he returned to London.
 He went to Madrid and Barcelona on Dec. 11, 1888.
 He contacted his fellow expatriates and assessed the extend of their agitation for reforms.
 He got acquainted with Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Mariano Ponce, whom he vowed cooperation for
the struggle for reforms.
Founding of Asociacion La Solidaridad
 Rizal learned the plan of the Filipino expatriates in Barcelona to establish a patriotic society that
shall work for reforms from the Spanish government which was called Asociacion La Solaridad. It
was established Dec. 31, 1888.
 On Feb. 15, 1889, Rizal was informed of the organ of the Propaganda Movement by Graciano
Lopez Jaena which was called La Solidaridad.
 Its aims were:
 To work peacefully for political and social reforms
 To portray the deplorable conditions of the Philippines for Spain to remedy them
 To oppose the evil forces of reaction and medievalism
 To advocate liberal ideas and progress
 To champion the legitimate aspirations of the Filipino people to life, democracy and happiness
 When Rizal arrived in Paris it was extremely difficult for a visitor to find a living quarter. It is
because of the approaching Universal Exposition of 1889 which attracted thousands of tourists so
all hotel accommodations were taken.
 The cost of living spiraled high because the French landlords took advantage of the event.
VALENTIN VENTURA
 #45 Rue Maubeuge, where Rizal stayed for a while. In his house, Rizal polished his annotated
edition of Morga's book.
 He used most of his time in the reading room of the National Library checking up his historical
annotations of Morga's book.
 In 1890, the annotated edition of Antonio Morga's Sucesos, printed by Garnes Feres, came out.
There were two (2) major errors in the book which was corrected:
 In the appraisal of the events of the past in the light of present standards
 His inferences on the Church which were unfair since the faults and the cruelty of the friars did not
mean the cruelty of the church
Rizal and Paris Exposition of 1889
 The Paris Exposition was opened on May 6, 1889
 Jose Rizal, Felix R. Hidalgo, Juan Luna and Felix Pardo de Tavera participated in the international
art competition.
 Rizal's entry was a bust, but did not win
 Luna, Hidalgo and Pardo de Tavera's entries copped major awards
Indios Bravos
 Brave Soldiers
 Replaced Kidlat Club
 Its members pledged to excel in intellectual and physical prowess in order to win the admiration of
the foreigners particularly the Spaniards.
 Rizal taught them Judo - an Asian art that he learned while he was in Japan.
RDLM Society
 Redencion de los Malayas ( Redemption of the Malays)
 Rizal rigidly guarded its secret existence Patterned from Masonry
 Aim to propagate all useful knowledge (scientific, artistic, literary) in Philippines
Higher Education and Life Abroad
Education in Manila and Europe and Early Travels
 Don Francisco sent Jose to Manila in June 1872 to enroll in Ateneo Municipal. Paciano found Jose a
boarding house in Intramuros though Jose later transferred to a house on Calle Carballo in Santa
Cruz area. The following year, Jose transferred residence to No. 6 Calle Magallanes. Two years
after, he became an intern (boarding student) in Ateneo and stayed there until his graduation in
the institution.
 From 1877 to 1882, Rizal studied in the University of Santo Tomas, enrolling in the course on
Philosophy in Letters, but shifted to Medicine a year after. During his first year in UST, he
simultaneously took in Ateneo a vocational course leading to being an expert surveyor. He
boarded in the house of a certain Concha Leyva in Intramuros, and later in "Casa Tomasina," at
Calle 6, Santo Tomas, Intramuros. In 'Casa Tomasina', his landlord-uncle Antonio Rivera had a
daughter, Leonor, who became Jose's sweetheart.
Education at Ateneo
 There's a claim that from Biñan school, Rizal studied in Colegio de San Juan de Letran. The story
states that after attending his classes for almost three months in Letran, Jose was asked by the
Dominican friars to look for another school due to his radical and bold questions.
 However, standard biographies agree that Rizal just took the entrance examination in that
institution but Don Francisco sent him to enroll instead in Ateneo Municipal in June 1872. Run by
the Jesuit congregation (Society of Jesus), Ateneo upheld religious instruction, advanced education,
rigid discipline, physical culture, and cultivation of the arts, like music, drawing, and painting.
 Ironically, this school which is now the archrival of La Salle in being exclusively luxurious, among
others, was formerly the 'Escuela Pia' (Charity School) a school for poor boys in Manila established
by the city government in 1817.
 Paciano found Jose a boarding house in Intramuros but he later transferred to the house of a
spinster situated on Calle Carballo in Santa Cruz area. There he became acquainted with various
mestizos that were said to be begotten by friars.
 (Jose perhaps had not thought twice to befriend them, believing that they were probably nice
people—for after all, they were 'mga anak ng pari' [children of priests]).
 To encourage healthy competitions, classes in Ateneo were divided into two groups which
constantly competed against each other. One group, named the Roman Empire, comprised the
interns (boarders) while the other one, the Carthaginian Empire, consisted of the externs (non
boarders).
 Within an empire, members were also in continuous competition as they vied for the top ranks
called dignitaries— Emperor, being the highest position, followed by Tribune, Decurion, Centurion,
and Standard Bearer, respectively.
 Initially placed at the tail of the class as a newcomer, Jose was soon continually promoted-that just
after a month, he had become an Emperor, receiving a religious picture as a prize.
 When the term ended, he attained the mark of 'excellent' in all the subjects and in the
examinations. The second year, Jose transferred residence to No. 6 Calle Magallanes and he
obtained a medal at the end of that academic term. In the third year, he won prizes in the
quarterly examinations. The following year, his parents placed him as intern (boarding student) in
the school and stayed there until his graduation.
 At the end of the school year, he garnered five medals, with which he said he could somewhat
repay his father for his sacrifices. On March 23, 1877, he received the Bachelor of Arts degree,
graduating as one of the nine students in his class declared 'sobresaliente' or outstanding.
 Some of his priest-professors in Ateneo were Jose Bech, a man with mood swings and somewhat
of a lunatic and of an uneven humor; Francisco de Paula Sanchez, an upright, earnest, and caring
teacher whom Rizal considered his best professor; Jose Vilaclara; and a certain Mineves. At the
Ateneo, Rizal cultivated his talent in poetry, applied himself regularly to gymnastics, and devoted
time to painting and sculpture.
 Don Augustin Saez, another professor, thoughtfully guided him in drawing and painting, and the
Filipino Romualdo de Jesus lovingly instructed him in sculpture.
Education at the UST
 In 1877, Rizal enrolled in the University of Santo Tomas, taking the course on Philosophy in Letters.
At the same time, he took in Ateneo a land surveyor and assessor's degree (expert surveyor), a
vocational course. He finished his surveyor's training in 1877, passed the licensing exam in May
1878, though the license was granted to him only in 1881 when he reached the age of majority.
 After a year in UST, Jose changed course and enrolled in medicine to be able to cure the
deteriorating eyesight of his mother. But being tired of the discrimination by the Dominican
professors to Filipino students, he stopped attending classes at UST in 1882.
 It's worthwhile to note that Rizal's another reason for not completing medicine in UST was that
the method of instruction was obsolete and repressive. Rizal's observation perhaps had served as
a challenge for UST to improve in its mode of instructions.
 If records were accurate, Rizal had taken a total of 19 subjects in UST and finished them with
varied grades, ranging from excellent to fair. Notably, he got 'excellent' in all his subjects in the
Philosophy course.
Education in Europe
 On May 3, 1882, he left for Spain and enrolled in Medicine and Philosophy and Letters at the
Universidad Central de Madrid on November 3. In some days of November 1884, Rizal was
involved in the chaotic student demonstrations by the Central University students in which many
were wounded, hit by cane, arrested, and imprisoned
 The protest rallies started after Dr. Miguel Morayta had been excommunicated by bishops for
delivering a liberal speech, proclaiming the freedom of science and the teacher, at the opening
ceremony of the academic year. Incidentally, the street in Manila named after Morayta (Nicanor
Reyes Street today) has always been affected by, if not itself the venue of, student
demonstrations.
 In June of 1884, Rizal received the degree of Licentiate in Medicine at the age of 23. His rating
though was just 'fair' for it was affected by the 'low' grades he got from UST. The next school year
(1884-1885), he took and completed the three additional subjects leading to the Doctor of
Medicine degree. He was not awarded the Doctor's diploma though for failing to pay the fee and
the required thesis.
 Exactly on his 24th birthday, the Madrid university awarded him the degree of Licentiate in
Philosophy and Letters with the grade of excellent ('sobresaliente'). We can thus argue that Rizal
was better as a 'philosopher' than a physician.
 Wanting to cure his mother's advancing blindness, Rizal went to Paris. He was said to have
attended medical lectures at the University of Paris. From November 1885 to February 1886, he
worked as an assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert. Through this leading French ophthalmologist, Rizal
was thankful that he learned how to perform all the ophthalmological operations.
 In February 3, 1886, Rizal arrived in Heidelberg, Germany. He attended the lectures of Dr. Otto
Becker and Prof. Wilhelm Kuehne at the University of Heidelberg. He also worked at the University
Eye Hospital under the guidance of Dr. Becker.
 Under the direction of this renowned German ophthalmologist, Rizal had learned to use the then
newly invented ophthalmoscope (invented by Hermann von Helmholtz) which he later used to
operate on his mother's eye. In Heidelberg, the 25-year-old Rizal completed his eye specialization.
 Afterward, Rizal spent three months in the nearby village, Wilhemsfeld where he wrote the last
few chapters of 'Noli Me Tangere'. He stayed at the pastoral house of a kind Protestant pastor, Dr.
Karl Ullmer, the whole family of whom became Rizal's good friends.
 In August 1886, he attended lectures on history and psychology at the University of Leipzig. In
November 1886, he reached Berlin, the famous city where he worked as an assistant in Dr.
Schweigger's clinic and attended lectures in the University of Berlin.
 In Berlin, he was inducted as a member of the Berlin's 'Ethnological Society', 'Anthropological
Society', and 'Geographical Society'. In April 1887, he was invited to deliver an address in German
before the 'Ethnographic Society' of Berlin on the orthography and structure of the Tagalog
language.
 In Germany, Rizal met and befriended the famous academicians and scholars at the time. Among
them were Prof. Friedrich Ratzel, German historian; Dr. Hanz Meyer, German Anthropologist; Dr.
Feodor Jagor, the author of 'Travels in the Philippines' which Rizal had read as a student in Manila;
Dr. Rudolf Virchow, German anthropologist; and Rudolf's son, Dr. Hans Virchow, Descriptive
Anatomy professor.
 Especially after the hero's martyrdom, these people who were the renowned personalities in the
academe not only in Germany but also in Europe were so proud that once in their life they had
known the educated and great Filipino named Jose Rizal.
Life in Europe
 Sick and tired of the discriminatory and oppressive Dominican professors, Rizal stopped attending
classes at UST in 1882. On May 3 of that year, he left for Spain to complete his studies and widen
his political knowledge through exposure to European governments.
 It's funny that his departure for Spain had gone down to history as a 'secret departure' although at
least ten sure people-including his three siblings and an uncle-collaborated in his going away,
exclusive of the unnamed and unnumbered 'Jesuit priests' and 'intimate friends' who co-conspired
in the plan.
In Europe
 On his way to Madrid, Rizal had many stopovers. He first disembarked and visited the town of
Singapore. Onboard the steamship 'Djemnah' he passed through Punta de Gales, Colombo, and
Aden. En route to Marseilles, he also went across the historic waterway of Suez Canal and visited
the Italian city of Naples. He left Marseilles, France for Barcelona in an express train.
 After some months, Rizal left Barcelona for Madrid. On September 16, 1882, Rizal met Consuelo
Ortiga y Rey was considered the prettier of the daughters of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey, the Spanish
liberal and former mayor of Manila who became vice-president of the Council of the Philippines in
the Ministry of Colonies.
 Consuelo recorded in her diary that she first met Rizal on September 16, 1882 when he went to
Spain for the first time primarily to study. The diary entry indicated that they talked the whole
night and that the young Filipino said many beautiful things about her. The Spanish ladyalso wrote
of a day Rizal spent at their house when he entertained them with his ingenious humor, elegance,
and sleight-of-hand tricks.
 Rizal enrolled in Medicine and Philosophy and Letters at the Universidad Central de Madrid on
November 3, 1882. In Rizal's letter dated February 13, 1883, he informed Paciano of his meeting
with other Filipinos: “The Tuesday of the Carnival we had a Filipino luncheon and dinner in the
house of the Paternos, each one contributing one 'duro'. We ate with our hands, boiled rice,
chicken adobo, fried fish and roast pig."
 Ironically, a year after that sumptuous feasting, Rizal became penniless as his family encountered
economic regression. One day in June 1884, Rizal who failed to eat breakfast still went to school
and even won a gold medal in a contest. At night, he attended the feast held in honor of two
award-winning Filipino painters, Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo.
 In the occasion, he delivered a daring liberal speech which became so controversial that it even
caused sickness to his worrying mother. Perhaps, being broke and hungry could really make one
braver and more impulsive. As one student commented, "Hayop man, 'pag gutom, tumatapang."
 In 1885, Rizal who had finished his two courses in Madrid went to Paris, France. From November
1885 to February 1886, he worked as an assistant tothe celebrated ophthalmologist Dr. Louis de
Weckert.
 In February 3, 1886, he left Paris for Heidelberg, Germany. He attended lectures and training at
the University of Heidelberg where he is said to have completed his eye specialization. Afterward,
Rizal settled for three months in the nearby village, Wilhemsfeld, at the pastoral house of a
Protestant pastor, Dr. Karl Ullmer.
 It was also during this time that the correspondence and long distance friendship between Jose
and Ferdinand Blumentritt began. Rizal wrote a letter in German and sent it with a bilingual
(Spanish and Tagalog) book 'Aritmiteca' to Blumentritt who was interested in studying Jose's
native language.
 Jose traveled next to Leipzig and attended some lectures at its university. Having reached Dresden
afterward, he met and befriended Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, the Director of the Anthropological and
Ethnological Museum. Also a Filipinologist, Meyer showed Rizal some interesting things taken
from tombs in the Philippines.
 In November 1886, he went to Berlin and further enhanced his skills and knowledge in
ophthalmology. In that famous city, not only did he learn other languages but also became
member of various scientific communities and befriended many famed intellectuals at the time.
On February 21, 1887, he finished his first novel and it came off the press a month later.
Grand Europe Tour
 With his friend Maximo Viola who loaned him some amount to cover for the printing of the 'Noli',
Rizal traveled to various places in Europe. Through Paciano's remittance, Jose had paid Viola and
decided to further explore some places in Europe before returning to the Philippines.
 They went first to see Potsdam, a city southwest of Berlin which became the site of the Potsdam
Conference (1945) at which the leaders of powerful nations deliberated upon the postwar
administration of Germany.
 On May 11, 1887, they left Berlin for Dresden and witnessed the regional floral exposition there.
Wanting to visit Blumentritt, they went to Leitmeritz, Bohemia passing through Teschen (Decin,
Czechoslovakia). Professor Blumentritt warmly received them at Leitmeritz railroad station.
 The professor identified them through the pencil sketch which Rizal had previously made of
himself and sent to his European friend. Blumentritt acted as their tour guide, introducing them to
his family and to famous European scientists like Dr. Carlos Czepelak and Prof. Robert Klutschak.
 On May 16, the two Filipinos left Leitmeritz for Prague where they saw the tomb of the famous
astronomer Copernicus. They stopped at Brunn on their way to Vienna. They met the famed
Austrian novelist Norfenfals in Vienna, and Rizal was interviewed by Mr. Alder, a newspaper
correspondent. To see the sights of the Danube River, they left Vienna on a boat where they saw
passengers using paper napkins.
 From Lintz, they had a short stay in Salzburg. Reaching Munich, they tasted the local beer
advertised as Germany's finest. In Nuremberg, they saw the infamous torture machines used in
the so-called Catholic Inquisition. Afterward, they went to Ulm and climbed Germany's tallest
cathedral there. They also went to Sttutgart, Baden, and then Rheinfall where they saw Europe's
most beautiful waterfall.
 In Switzerland, they toured Schaffhausen, Basel, Bern, and Lausanne before staying in Geneva.
Rizal's 15-day stay in Geneva was generally enjoyable except when he learned about the exhibition
of some Igorots in Madrid, side by side some animals and plants. Not only did the primitive Igorots
in 'bahag' become objects of ridicule and laughter, one of them (a woman) also died of
pneumonia.
 On June 19, 1887, Rizal treated Viola for it was his 26th birthday. Four days after, they parted
ways-Viola went back to Barcelona while Rizal proceeded to Italy. In Italy, Rizal went to see Turin,
Milan, Venice, and Florence. In Rome, he paid a visit to the historical places like the Amphitheatre
and the Roman Forum.
 On June 29, he had seen the glorious edifices, like the St. Peter's Church, in the Vatican City.
Literally and figuratively speaking, Rizal did go places. As a co-professor commented, "Nag-gala
talaga ang lolo mo!"
First homecoming
 Despite being warned by friends and loved ones, Jose was adamant in his decision to return to his
native land. From a French port Marseilles, he boarded on July 3 the steamer 'Djemnah' which
sailed to the East through the Suez Canal and reached Saigon on the 30th of the month. He then
took the steamer 'Haiphong' and reached Manila near midnight of August 5.
 After meeting some friends in Manila, he returned to Calamba on August 8. Restoring his mother's
eyesight, he began to be dubbed as "German doctor" or "Doctor Uliman" (from the word 'Aleman'
which means German) and made a lot of money because people from different places flocked him
for a better vision.
 Because of his enemies' allegation that 'Noli' contained subversive ideas, Rizal was summoned by
the Governor General Emilio Terrero. Seeing no problem in the book, Terrero nonetheless
assigned to Rizal a body guard, Don Jose Taviel de Andrade, to protect the 'balikbayan' from his
adversaries.
 In December 1887, the Calamba folks asked Rizal's assistance in collecting information as regards
Dominican hacienda management. It was in compliance to the order of the government to
investigate the way friar estates were run.
 So Rizal had reported, among others, that the Dominican Order had arbitrarily increased the land
rent and charged the tenants for nonexistent agricultural services. The enraged friars pressured
the governor general to 'advise' the author of the 'Noli' to leave the country. (In other words,
"napuno na talaga sa kanya ang nga pari")
 Rizal's (required) second travel abroad may have been upsetting, but it nonetheless provided him
with another opportunity to have a new set of adventurous journey
Second Travel Abroad
 What Rizal failed to accomplish in his six-month stay in the country was visiting his girlfriend
Leonor Rivera in Pangasinan. His father strongly opposed the idea, sensing that the visit would put
Leonor's family in jeopardy.
In Hong Kong and Japan
 On February 3, 1888, Rizal sailed to Hongkong onboard 'Zafiro' and just stayed inside the ship
during its short stop at Amoy. He stayed at Victoria Hotel in Hongkong (not in Sta. Mesa) and
visited the nearby city Macao for two days along with a friend, Jose Maria Basa.
 Among other things, Rizal experienced in Hong Kong the noisy firecracker-laden Chinese New Year
and the marathon lauriat party characterized by numerous dishes being served. (The 'lauriat'
combo meal in 'Chowking' originated from this Chinese party.)
 From Hong Kong, he reached Yokohama, Japan on February 28 and proceeded to Tokyo the next
day. He lived in the Spanish legation in Tokyo upon the invitation of its secretary, Juan Perez
Caballero.
 In March 1888, he heard a Tokyo band nicely playing a European music and was astonished to find
out after the gig that some of its members were Filipinos (Zaide & Zaide, p. 130). We can surmise
from this that even during Rizal's time, some Filipinos were already entertainers in Japan
('Japayuki' or 'Japayuko').
 But if there were a person who was truly entertained at the time, it was Rizal himself who was
amused by the Japanese girl who used to pass by the legation everyday. The 23-year old Seiko Usui
whom he fondly called 'O Sei-San'became his tour guide and sweetheart rolled into one.
Sail to the West
 Because he loved his mission more than O Sei-San, he boarded the 'Belgic' on April 13, 1888. In the
vessel, he had befriended Tetcho Suehiro, a Japanese novelist and human rights fighter who was
also forced by his government to leave his country. The ship arrived in San Francisco on April 28.
 For a week, they were however quarantined, allegedly because of the cholera outbreak in the Far
East. In reality, some politicians were just questioning the arrival of the Chinese coolies in the ship
who would displace white laborers in railroad construction projects.
 On May 6, he went to Oakland. Onboard a train, he took his evening meal at Sacramento and
woke up at Reno, Nevada. He had visited also the states of Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois, and
finally reached New York on May 13. On Bedloe Island, he had seen the Statue of Liberty
symbolizing freedom and democracy.
 Inconsistently, Rizal observed that there was racial inequality in the land and real freedom was
only for the whites. But if Rizal were alive today, he would be surprised that the Americans have
already allowed a black guy to become their president for two terms.
 In Great Britain
 On May 16, 1888 on the ship 'City of Rome' Rizal sailed for Liverpool and arrived on May 24. A day
after, he reached London and stayed briefly at Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor's home. He then boarded
at the Beckett family where he fell in love with Gertrude, the oldest daughter of his landlord.
 In June 1888, Rizal made friends with Dr. Reinhold Rost and his family. Expert in Malayan language,
Rost had in his house a good Filipiniana library. Our national hero was described by Rost as "a
pearl of a man" ('una perla de hombre').
 In London, Rizal manually copied and annotated Morga's 'Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas', a rare book
available in the British Museum. He also became the honorary president ofthe patriotic society
Asociacion La Solidaridad (Solidaridad Association) and wrote articles for the 'La Solidaridad'. In his
10-month stay in London, he had short visits in Paris, Madrid, and Barcelona. In Spain, he met
Marcelo H. del Pilar for the first time.
 Del Pilar was one of the renowned members of the Propaganda Movement with Graciano Lopez
Jaena (publisher of La Solidaridad), Mariano Ponce and Rizal
In France
 Leaving London for good, he went to Paris in March 1889. He shortly lived in the house of a friend,
Valentin Ventura before transferring in a little room where e had as roommates two Filipinos, one
of which was Jose Albert, a student from Manila. In Paris, Rizal frequented the Bibliotheque
Nationale, working on his annotation of the 'Sucesos'.
 He spent his spare hours in the houses of friends like Juan Luna and his wife Paz Pardo de Tavera.
Rizal witnessed the Universal Exposition of Paris, having as its greatest attraction the Eiffel Tower.
He formed the 'Kidlat Club', a temporary social club which brought together Filipinos witnessing
the exposition.
 He also organized the 'Indios Bravos', an association which envisioned Filipinos being recognized
for being admirable in many fields, and the mysterious Redencion de los Malayos (Redemption of
the Malays) which aimed to propagate useful knowledge. In Paris, Rizal also finished and published
his annotation of the 'Sucesos.'
In Belgium
 After celebrating the Yuletide season in Paris in 1889, Rizal shortly visited London for the last time.
With Jose Albert, Rizal left Paris for Brussels on January 28, 1890. The two stayed in a boarding
house administered by the Jacoby sisters (Suzanne and Marie) where Rizal met and had a
transitory affair with Petite, the niece of his landladies.
 In Belgium, Rizal busied himself with writing the 'Fili' and contributing for La Solidaridad using the
pen names Dimas Alang and Laong Laan. When he heard the news that the Calamba agrarian
trouble was getting worse, Rizal decided to go home.
 But Paciano told him through a letter that they lost the court case against the Dominicans in the
Philippines and they intended to bring the case to Madrid. This prompted Jose to go to Madrid
instead to look for a lawyer and influential people who would defend the Calamba tenants.
In Madrid
 Rizal traveled to Madrid in August 1890. Along with his lawyer, Marcelo H. Del Pilar, he tried to
seek justice for his family but could not find anyone who could help him.
 Rizal encountered many adversities and tribulations in Madrid. He heard that his family was forced
to leave their land in Calamba and some family members were even deported to far places. One
 day, Rizal challenged his friend Antonio Luna to a duel when he (Luna), being unsuccessful in
seeking Nellie Boustead's love, gave negative comments on the lady.
 Rizal also dared to a duel Wenceslao Retana of the anti Filipino newspaper 'La Epoca' who wrote
that Rizal's family did not pay their land rent. Both duels were fortunately aborted-Luna became
Rizal's good friend again and Retana even became rizal's first non Filipino biographer.
 In Madrid, Rizal also heard the news of Leonor Rivera's marriage with an Englishman Henry Kipping
who was the choice of Leonor's mother. As if 'misfortunes' were not enough, there emerged the
Del Pilar-Rizal rivalry for leadership in the Asociacion Hispano Filipino.
 The supposedly healthy election for a leader ('Responsible') produced divisive unpleasant split
among the Filipinos in Madrid (the Rizalistas vs. the Pilaristas). Rizal thus decided to leave Madrid,
lest his presence results in more serious faction among Filipinos in Madrid.
In Biarritz, Paris, and Brussels
 Rizal proceeded to take a more than a month vacation in Biarritz, a tourist town in southwestern
France noted for its mild climate and sand beaches. Arriving there in February 1891, Rizal was
welcomed as a family guest in the house of the Bousteds, especially by Nellie whom he had a
serious (but failed) romantic relationship.
 In Biarritz, he continued to worked on his 'El Fili' and completed its manuscript on March 29, the
eve of his departure for Paris. Valentin Ventura hosted his short stay in Paris, and the Jacobies,
especially Petite Suzanne, cordially welcomed his arrival in Brussels in April 1891.
 In Brussels, Rizal revised and prepared for printing his second novel until the end of May. By June
1891, he was already looking for a printing firm to print the 'El Filibusterismo.'
In Ghent
 Rizal went to Ghent in July 1891 because the cost of printing in the place was cheaper. He lived in
a low cost boarding house where he had as roommate Jose Alejandro, an engineering student in
the University of Ghent. Tightening their belts, they rented a room exclusive of breakfast.
 They bought a box of biscuit, counted the contents, and computed for their daily ration for a
month. In just 15 days, Alejandro had eaten up all his shares whereas Rizal frugally limited himself
to his daily allocation.
 The publisher F. Meyer-Van Loo Press, No. 66 Viaanderen Street agreed to print the 'El Fili' on
installment basis. Despite pawning all his jewels and living tightfistedly, Rizal run out of funds and
the printing had to be suspended on August 6.
 But through Valentin Ventura's 'salvific' act, the 'El Filibusterismo' came off the press on
September 18, 1891. Two weeks after, he visited Paris for the last time to bid goodbye to his
friends and compatriots.
In Hong Kong and Sandakan
 In October 1891, Rizal left Europe for Hong Kong onboard the ship 'Melbourne' on which he began
writing his third (but unfinished) novel. He arrived in Hong Kong on November 20 and resided at
No. 5 D' Aguilar Street, No. 2 Rednaxela Terrace. (In case you did not notice, 'Rednaxela' is
'Alexander' spelled reversely).
 Having escaped the friars' persecution, Don Francisco, Paciano, and Silvestre Ubaldo (Jose's
brother in-law) also arrived in Hong Kong. Shortly after, Doña Teodora and children Lucia, Josefa,
and Trinidad also came, and the Rizal family had a sort of family reunion in the Yuletide season of
1891.
 In Hong Kong, Jose opened a medical clinic. A Portuguese friend, Dr. Lorenzo P. Marques helped
him to have plentiful patrons of various nationalities. His successful operation on his mother's left
eye allowed her to read again.
 In March 1892, he went to Sandakan (East Malaysia) aboard 'Menon' to negotiate with British
authorities concerning the founding of a Filipino colony in North Borneo (now called Sabah).
 On March 21, Rizal asked Governor General Eulogio Despujol through a letter to allow the landless
Filipinos, especially the deported Calamba tenants, to establish themselves in North Borneo. Rizal
was back in Hon Kong in April, 1892.
Second homecoming
 Wanting to confer with Despujol concerning his North Borneo colonization project, Rizal left Hong
Kong on June 21, 1892 along with his sister Lucia.
 Without his knowledge, the Spanish consul in Hong Kong sent a cablegram to Despujol stating
figuratively that "the rat is in the trap". A secret case against Rizal was thus filed in Manila for
anti-religious and anti-patriotic public campaign.
 Rizal and his sister arrived in Manila at 12:00 noon of June 26, 1892. At 7 pm, he was able to
confer in Malacañan with Despujol who agreed to pardon his father and told him to return on June
29. He then visited sisters and friends in Manila.
 On June 27, he took a train and visited his friends in Central Luzon. He had a stopover at the
Bautista mansion in Malolos, Bulacan and spent the night in the house of Evaristo Puno in Tarlac,
Tarlac, about 30 kilometers away from the residence of Leonor Rivera-Kipping in Camiling.
 He also went to San Fernando and Bacolor, Pampanga and returned to Manila on June 28, at 5 pm.
On June 29, 30, and July 3, he had other interviews with Despujol. The colonization project was
rejected though Rizal's request to lift the exile of his sisters was granted.
 On the evening of July 3, Rizal spearheaded the meeting in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco on
Ylaya Street, Tondo, Manila of at least 20 Filipinos, including Andres Bonifacio and Apolinario
Mabini. Rizal explained the aims of the civic association 'La Liga Filipina'. Officers were then
elected, having Ambrosio Salvador as the president, thereby officially establishing the league.
 Just three days after though, Rizal was arrested during his interview with the governor general.
Despujol showed him anti-friar leaflets 'Pobres Frailes' (Poor Friars) allegedly discovered in his
sister Lucia's pillow cases.
 Imprisoned in Fort Santiago for almost ten days, Rizal was brought at 12:30 am on July 14 to the
steamer 'Cebu'. Passing through Mindoro and Panay, the vessel docked at Dapitan in Zamboanga
del Norte on the evening of July 17.
 True, Dapitan is a scenic place with fine beaches, perhaps a soothing place for a 'balik-bayan' like
Rizal. But Jose was not there as a tourist or a vacationer he was an exile. The ship captain Delgras
handed him over to the local Spanish commandant, Ricardo Carnicero and that signaled the start
of Rizal's life as a deportee in Dapitan.
Exile, Trial, and Death
Bitter-Sweet Life in Dapitan
 THE DEPORTEE could have stayed in the Dapitan parish convent should he retracted his 'religious
errors' and made a general confession of his past life. Not willing to accede to these main
conditions set by the Jesuits, Jose Rizal instead opted to live at commandant's residence they
called 'Casa Real'.
 The commandant Captain Ricardo Carnicero and Jose Rizal became good friends so much so that
the exile did not feel that the captain was actually his guard. Later in his life in Dapitan, Rizal wrote
a poem 'A Don Ricardo Carnicero' honoring the kind commandant on the occasion of his birthday
on August 26, 1892.
 In September 1892, Rizal and Carnicero won in a lottery. The Manila Lottery ticket no. 9736 jointly
owned by Rizal, Carnicero, and a Spanish resident of Dipolog won the second prize of Php 20, 000.
Rizal used some part of his share (Php 6, 200) in procuring a parcel of land near the coast of Talisay,
a barrio near Dapitan.
 On a property of more than 10 hectares, he put up three houses made of bamboo, wood, and nipa.
He lived in the house which was square in shape. Another house, which was hexagonal, was the
barn where Rizal kept his chickens.
 In his octagonal house lived some of his pupils for Rizal also established a school, teaching young
boys practical subjects like reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and Spanish and English
languages. Later, he constructed additional huts to accommodate his recovering out of-town
patients.
Daily life as an exile
 During his exile, Rizal practiced medicine, taught some pupils, and engaged in farming and
horticulture. He grew many fruit trees (like coconut, mango, lanzones, makopa, santol,
mangosteen, jackfruit, guayabanos, baluno, and nanka) and domesticated some animals (like
rabbits, dogs, cats, and chickens).
 The school he founded in 1893 started with only three pupils, and had about more than 20
students at the time his exile ended.
 Rizal would rise at five in the morning to see his plants, feed his animals, and prepare breakfast.
Having taken his morning meal, he would treat the patients who had come to his house. Paddling
his boat called 'baroto' (he had two of them), he would then proceed to Dapitan town to attend to
his other patients there the whole morning.
 Rizal would return to Talisay to take his lunch. Teaching his pupils would begin at about 2 pm and
would end at 4 or 5 in the afternoon. With the help of his pupils, Rizal would spend the rest of the
afternoon in farming-planting trees, watering the plants, and pruning the fruits. Rizal then would
spend the night reading and writing.
Rizal and the Jesuits
 The first attempt by the Jesuit friars to win back the deported Rizal to the Catholic fold was the
offer for him to live in the Dapitan convent under some conditions. Refusing to compromise, Rizal
did not stay with the parish priest Antonio Obach in the Church convent.
 Just a month after Rizal was deported to Dapitan, the Jesuit Order assigned to Dapitan the priest
Francisco de Paula Sanchez, Rizal’s favorite teacher in Ateneo. Many times, they engaged in cordial
religious discussions.
 But though Rizal appreciated his mentor’s effort, he could not be convinced to change his mind.
Nevertheless, their differences in belief did not get in the way of their good friendship.
 The priest Pablo Pastells, superior of the Jesuit Society in the Philippines, also made some
attempts by correspondence to win over to Catholicism the exiled physician. Four times they
exchanged letters from September 1892 to April 1893.
 The debate was none less than scholarly and it manifested Rizal’s knowledge of the Holy Scriptures
for he quoted verses from it. Though Rizal consistently attended mass in Dapitan, he refused to
espouse the conventional type of Catholicism.
Achievements in Dapitan
 Rizal provided significant community services in Dapitan like improving the town’s drainage and
constructing better water system using empty bottles and bamboo joints.
 He also taught the town folks about health and sanitation so as to avoid the spread of diseases.
With his Jesuit priest friend Sanchez, Rizal made a huge relief map of Mindanao in Dapitan plaza.
Also, he bettered their forest by providing evident trails, stairs, and some benches. He invented a
wooden machine for mass production of bricks. Using the bricks he produced, Rizal built a water
dam for the community with the help of his students.
 As the town’s doctor, Rizal equally treated all patients regardless of their economic and social
status. He accepted as ‘fees’ things like poultry and crops, and at times, even gave his services to
poor folks for free. His specialization was ophthalmology but he also offered treatments to almost
all kinds of diseases like fever, sprain, broken bones, typhoid, and hernia.
 Rizal also helped in the livelihood of the abaca farmers in Dapitan by trading their crops in Manila.
He also gave them lessons in abaca-weaving to produce hammocks. Noticing that the fishing
method by the locals was inefficient, he taught them better techniques like weaving and using
better fishing nets.
As a scientist and philologist
 Aside from doing archaeological excavations, Rizal inspected Dapitan’s rich flora and fauna,
providing a sort of taxonomy to numerous kinds of forest and sea creatures.
 From his laboratory and herbarium, he sent various biological specimens to scientists in Europe
like his dear friend Doctor Adolph B. Meyer in Dresden. In return, the European scholars sent him
books and other academic reading materials.
 From the collections he sent to European scholars, at least three species were named after him: a
Dapitan frog (‘Rhacophorus rizali’), a type of beetle (‘Apogonia rizali’), and a flying dragon (Draco
rizali).
 Having learned the Visayan language, he also engaged himself in the study of language, culture,
and literature. He examined local folklores, customs, Tagalog grammar, and the Malay language.
His intellectual products about these subjects, he related to some European academicians like
Doctor Reinhold Rost, his close philologist friend in London .
Spies and secret emissary
 Not just once did Rizal learn that his 'enemies' sent spies to gather incriminating proofs that Rizal
was a separatist and an insurgent. Perhaps disturbed by his conscience, a physician named Matias
Arrieta revealed his covert mission and asked for forgiveness after he was cured by Rizal (Bantug, n
115)
 In March 1895, a man introduced himself to Rizal as Pablo Mercado. Claiming to be Rizal's relative,
this stranger eagerly volunteered to bring Rizal's letters to certain persons in Manila.
 Made suspicious by the visitor's insistence, Rizal interrogated him and it turned out that his real
name was Florencio Nanaman of Cagayan de Misamis, paid as secret agent by the Recollect friars.
But because it was raining that evening, the kind Rizal did not command Nanaman out of his house
but even let the spy spend the rainy night in his place.
 In July the next year, a different kind of emissary was sent to Rizal. Doctor Pio Valenzuela was sent
to Dapitan by Andres Bonifacio-the Katipunan leader who believed that carrying out revolt had to
be sanctioned first by Rizal.
 Disguised as a mere companion of a blind patient seeking treatment from Rizal, Valenzuela was
able to discreetly deliver the Katipunan's message for Rizal. But Rizal politely refused to approve
the uprising, suggesting that peaceful means was far better than violent ways in obtaining
freedom.
 Rizal further believed that a revolution would be unsuccessful without arms and monetary support
from wealthy Filipinos. He thus recommended that if the Katipunan was to start a revolution, it
had to ask for the support of rich and educated Filipinos, like Antonio Luna who was an expert on
military strategy (Bantug, p. 133).
Visited by loved ones
 Rizal was in Dapitan when he learned that his true love Leonor Rivera had died. What somewhat
consoled his desolate heart was the visits of his mother and some sisters.
 In August 1893, Doña Teodora, along with daughter Trinidad, joined Rizal in Dapitan and resided
with him in his 'casa cuadrada' (square house). The son successfully operated on his mother's
cataract.
 At distinct times, Jose's sisters Maria and Narcisa also visited him. Three of Jose's nephews also
went to Dapitan and had their early education under their uncle: Maria's son Mauricio (Moris) and
Lucia's sons Teodosio (Osio) and Estanislao (Tan). Jose's nieceAngelica, Narcisa's daughter, also
had experience living for some time with her exiled uncle in Mindanao.
 In 1895, Doña Teodora left Dapitan for Manila to be with Don Francisco who was getting weaker.
Shortly after the mother left, Josephine Bracken came to Jose's life. Josephine was an orphan with
Irish blood and the stepdaughter of Jose's patient from Hongkong.
 Rizal and Bracken were unable to obtain a church wedding because Jose would not retract his
anti-Catholic views. He nonetheless took Josephine as his common-law wife who kept him
company and kept house for him.
 Before the year ended in 1895, the couple had a child who was born prematurely. The son who
was named after Rizal's father (Francisco) died a few hours after birth. (For detailed discussion on
Rizal-Bracken relationship, look for the section "Josephine Bracken" under "Rizal's love life".)
Goodbye Dapitan
 In 1895, Blumentritt informed Rizal that the revolution-ridden Cuba, another nation colonized by
Spain, was raged by yellow fever epidemic. Because there was a shortage of physicians to attend
to war victims and disease-stricken people, Rizal in December 1895 wrote to the then Governor
General Ramon Blanco, volunteering to provide medical services in Cuba. Receiving no reply from
Blanco, Rizal lost interest in his request
 But on July 30, 1896, Rizal received a letter from the governor general sanctioning his petition to
serve as volunteer physician in Cuba. Rizal made immediate preparations to leave, selling and
giving as souvenirs to friends and students his various properties.
 In the late afternoon of July 31, Rizal got on the 'España' with Josephine, Narcisa, a niece, three
nephews, and three of his students. Many Dapitan folks, especially Rizal's students, came to see
their beloved doctor for the last time.
 Cordially bidding him goodbye, they shouted "Adios, Dr. Rizal!" and some of his students even
cried. With sorrowing heart, He waved his hand in farewell to the generous and loving Dapitan
folks, saying, "Adios, Dapitan!"
 The steamer departed for Manila at midnight of July 31, 1896. With tears in his eyes, Rizal later
wrote in his diary onboard the ship, "I have been in that district four years, thirteen days, and a
few hours."
JOSE RIZAL: From Dapitan to Trial in Fort Santiago
 VARIOUS SIGNIFICANT EVENTS happened during Rizal's Dapitan-to Manila trip.
 Leaving Dapitan for Manila on July 31, 1896, the steamer 'España' with Rizal as a passenger made
some stopovers in various areas. In Dumaguete, Rizal had visited some friends like a former
classmate from Madrid and had cured a sick Guardia Civil captain.
 In Cebu, he carried out four operations and gave out prescriptions to other patients. Going to Iloilo,
he saw the historical Mactan island. He went shopping and was impressed by the Molo church in
Iloilo. The ship then sailed to Capiz, to Romblon, and finally to Manila.
In Manila
 It is said that as the steamer approached Luzon, there was an attempt by the Katipuneros to help
Rizal escape (Bantug, p. 135). The Katipunero Emilio Jacinto, disguising himself as a ship crew
member, was supposed to have managed to get close to Rizal,
 while another Katipunan member, Guillermo Masankay, circled the ship in a boat. Firm in his aim
to fulfill his mission in Cuba, Rizal accordingly refused to be rescued by Katipunan's envoys.
 Rizal arrived in Manila on August 6, 1896, a day after the mail boat 'Isla de Luzon' had left for Spain,
and so he had to stay in Manila until the next steamer arrived. Afraid that his one- month stay
onboard the ship might bring him troubles, he requested the governor general that he (Rizal) be
isolated from everyone except his family. The government reacted by transferring him near
midnight of the same day to the cruiser 'Castilla' docked at Cavite.
 On August 19, the Katipunan plot to revolt against the Spanish authorities was discovered through
the confession of a certain Teodoro Patiño to Mariano Gíl, Augustinian cura of Tondo. This
discovery led to the arrest of many Katipuneros.
 The Katipunan led by Bonifacio reacted by convening many of its members and deciding to
immediately begin the armed revolt. As a sign of their commitment to the revolution, they tore
their cedulas (residence certificates).
 Katipunan's first major assault happened on August 30 when the Katipuneros attacked the 100
Spanish soldiers protecting the powder magazine in San Juan. Because Spanish reinforcements
arrived, about 150 Katipuneros were killed and more than 200 were taken prisoner.
 This bloody encounter in San Juan and the uprisings in other suburban Manila areas on that same
day prompted the governor general to proclaim a state of war in Manila and other seven nearby
provinces.
 On the same day (August 30), Blanco issued letters of recommendation on Rizal's behalf to Spanish
Minister of War and Minister of Colonies with a cover letter clearing Rizal of any connection to the
raging revolution. On September 2, he was transported to the ship 'Isla de Panay.
 Going to Spain
 The steamer 'Isla de Panay' left Manila for Barcelona the next day. Arriving in Singapore on
September 7, Rizal was urged by some Filipinos like his co passenger Don Pedro Roxas and
Singaporean resident Don Manuel Camus to stay in the British controlled territory.
 Trusting Blanco's words, Rizal refused to stay in Singapore. Without his knowledge however,
Blanco and the Ministers of War and the Colonies had been exchanging telegrams, planning his
arrest upon reaching Barcelona.
 As 'Isla de Panay' made a stopover at Port Said, Egypt on September 27, the passengers had known
that the uprising in the Philippines got worsen as thousands of Spanish soldiers were dispatched to
Manila and many Filipinos were either killed in the battle, or arrested and executed.
 Rizal had the feeling that he had already been associated to the Filipino revolution as his co
passengers became aloof to him. A day after, he wrote a letter to Blumentritt informing him that
he (Rizal) received an information that Blanco had an order to arrest him.
 Before reaching Malta on September 30, he was officially ordered to stay in his cabin until further
orders from Blanco come.
 With Rizal as a prisoner onboard, the 'Isla de Panay' anchored at Barcelona on October 3, 1896. He
was placed under heavy guard by the then Military Commander of Barcelona, General Eulogio
Despujol, the same former governor general who deported Rizal to Dapitan in 1892.
 Early in the morning of October 6, he was transported to Monjuich prison-fortress. In the
afternoon, he was brought to Despujol who told him that there was an order to ship him (Rizal)
back to Manila in the evening.
 He was then taken aboard the ship 'Colon' which left for Manila at 8 pm. The ship was full of
Spanish soldiers and their families who were under orders not to go near or talk to Rizal. Though
he was allowed to take walks on deck during the journey, he was locked up and handcuffed before
reaching any port.
Last homecoming
 Arriving in Manila as a prisoner on November 3, 1896, Rizal was detained in Fort Santiago where
he had been imprisoned four years ago. To gather pieces of evidence against him, some of his
friends, acquaintances, members of the 'La Liga,' and even his brother Paciano were tortured and
forcibly questioned.
 As a preliminary investigation, Rizal underwent a series of interrogation administered by one of
the judges, Colonel Francisco Olive-the same military leader who led the troops that forced the
Rizal family to vacate their Calamba home in 1890.
 Those who were coerced to testify against Rizal were not allowed to be cross examined by the
accused.
 Rizal is said to have admitted knowing most of those questioned, "though he would deny to the
end that he knew either Andres Bonifacio or Apolinario Mabini" (Bantug, p. 139).
 Fifteen pieces of documentary evidence were presented-Rizal's letters, letters of his compatriots
like Marcelo del Pilar and Antonio Luna, a poem (Kundiman), a Masonic document, two transcripts
of speech of Katipuneros (Emilio Jacinto and Jose Turiano Santiago), and Rizal's poem 'A Talisay.'
 The testimonial evidence involved the oral testimonies of 13 Filipinos notably including that of La
Liga officers like Ambrosio Salavador and Deodato Arellano, and the Katipunero Pio Valenzuela.
 Olive submitted the reports to Blanco on November 26 and Captain Rafael Dominguez was
assigned as special Judge Advocate in Rizal's case.
 Dominguez made a summary of the case and delivered it to Blanco who subsequently sent the
papers to Judge Advocate General Don Nicolas Dela Peña.
 After examining the case, Peña recommended that (1) Rizal be instantly brought to trial, (2) he
must be kept in jail, (3) an order of attachment be issued against his property, and (4) a Spanish
army officer, not a civilian lawyer, be permitted to defend him in court.
 On December 8, Rizal was given the restricted right to choose his lawyer from a list of 100 Spanish
army officers. He chose Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade who turned out to be the younger brother of his
bodyguard-friend in Calamba in 1887, Jose Taviel de Andrade.
 Three days after (December 11), the formal charges were read to Rizal in his prison cell, with
Andrade on his side. In short, he was accused of being the main organizer and the 'living soul' of
the revolution having proliferated ideas of rebellion and of founding illegal organizations.
 He pleaded not guilty to the crime of rebellion and explained that ‘La Liga', the constitution of
which he wrote, was just a civic organization.
 On December 13, the day Camilo G. de Polavieja replaced Blanco as governor general, papers of
Rizal's criminal case were sent to Malacañang.
 Concern about the welfare of his people, Rizal on December 15 wrote a manifesto appealing to the
revolutionaries to discontinue the uprising and pursue to attain liberty instead by means of
education and of labor
 But de la Peña interpreted the manifesto as all the more advocating the spirit of rebellion as it
ultimately willed the Filipino liberty. Polavieja thus disallowed to issue Rizal's manifesto.
The rat in the kangaroo court
 On December 26 morning, the Filipino patriot who was once figuratively referred to by Spanish
officials as a 'trapped rat' appeared in the kangaroo court inside the military building, Cuartel de
España. He was tried before seven members of the military court with Lt. Col. Jose Togores Arjona
acting as the president.
 Judge Advocate Dominguez presented Rizal's criminal case followed by the lengthy speech of
Prosecuting Attorney Enrique de Alcocer. To appeal to the emotions of the Spanish judges, Alcocer
went as far as dramatically mentioning the Spanish soldiers who had died in the Filipino traitorous
revolt and discriminately describing Rizal as
 "a typical 'Oriental,' who had presumed to rise from a lower social scale in order to attain powers
and positions that could never be his" (Bantug, p. 144). At the end, Alcocer petitioned for a death
sentence for Rizal and an indemnity of twenty thousand pesos.
 Rizal's defense counsel, Lt. Andrade, then took the floor and tried his very best to save his client by
reading his responsive defense, stressing too that it's but natural for anyone to yearn for liberty
and independence
 Afterward, Rizal was allowed to read his complementary defense consisting of logical proofs that
he could have not taken part in the revolution and that La Liga was distinct from Katipunan.
 He argued, among others, that he even advised the Katipunan emissary (Valenzuela) in Dapitan
not to pursue with the plan to revolt; the revolutionists had used his name without his knowledge;
he could have escaped either in Dapitan or Singapore if he were guilty; and the civic group La Liga
which died out upon his exile did not serve the purpose of the uprising, and he had no knowledge
about its reformation.
 Lt. Col. Arjona then declared the trial over. Expectedly, the entire defense was indifferently
disregarded in Rizal's mock trial as it instantaneously considered him guilty and unanimously voted
for the death sentence.
 The trial ended with the reading of the sentence. Doctor Jose Rizal was found guilty. The sentence
was death by firing squad.
 On December 28, Governor General Polavieja signed the court decision and decreed that the guilty
be executed by firing squad at 7 a.m. of December 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan (Luneta). Because
Rizal was also required to sign the verdict, he stoically signed his own death sentence.
Rizal's last 25 hours
 Accounts on Rizal's last hours vary and largely depend on the historian one is reading.
 What happened in Rizal's life from 6 a.m. of December 29, 1896 until his execution was perhaps
the most controversial in his biography, for the divisive claims-like his supposed retraction and
Catholic marriage with Bracken-allegedly occurred within this time frame.
 Standard biography nonetheless states that at 6 a.m. of December 29, Judge Advocate Dominguez
formally read the death sentence to Rizal.
 At about 7 a.m., he was transferred to either his 'death cell' or 'prison chapel'. He was visited by
Jesuit priests, Miguel Saderra Mata and Luis Viza.
 They brought the medal of the Ateneo's Marian Congregation of which Rizal was a member and
the wooden statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus he had carved in the school.
 Rizal put the wooden image on his table while he rejected the medal saying "Im little of a Marian,
Father." ("Last Hours of Rizal").
 At 8 a.m., the priest Antonio Rosell arrived, after his co priest Viza left. Rizal shared his breakfast
with Rosell. Later, Lt. Andrade came and Rizal thanked his defense lawyer.
 Santiago Mataix of the Spanish newspaper 'El Heraldo de Madrid' interviewed Rizal at about 9 a.m.
 Then came the priest Federico Faura at about 10 a.m. He advised Rizal to forget about his
resentment and marry Josephine canonically. The two had heated discussion about religion as
witnessed by Rosell ("Last Hours of Rizal").
 Two other priests, Jose Vilaclara and Vicente Balaguer (missionary in Dapitan) also visited Rizal at
about 11 a.m. The Jesuits tried to convince Rizal to write a retraction.
 Though still believing in the Holy Scriptures, Rizal supposedly refused to retract his anti-Catholic
views, exclaiming, "Look, Fathers, if I should assent to all you say and sign all you want me to, just
to please you, neither believing nor feeling, I would be a hypocrite and would then be offending
God." (Bantug, p. 148).
 At 12 noon, Rizal was left alone in his cell. He had his lunch, read the Bible, and meditated. About
this time, Balaguer reported to the Archbishop that only a little hope remained that Rizal would
retract ("Last Hours of Rizal").
 Refusing to receive visitors for the meantime, Rizal probably finished his last poem at this moment.
Rizal also wrote to Blumentritt his last letter in which he called the Austrian scholar "my best, my
dearest friend".
 He then had a talk with priests Estanislao March and Vilaclara at about 2 p.m. Balaguer then
returned to Rizal's cell at 3:30 p.m. and allegedly discussed (again) about Rizal's retraction (Zaide,
p. 265). Rizal then wrote letters and dedications and rested for short.
 At 4 p.m., the sorrowful Doña Teodora and Jose's sisters came to see the sentenced Rizal. The
mother was not allowed a last embrace by the guard though her beloved son, in quiet grief,
managed to press a kiss on her hand.
 Dominguez is said to have been moved with compassion at the sight of Rizal's kneeling before his
mother and asking forgiveness.
 As the dear visitors were leaving, Jose handed over to Trinidad an alcohol cooking stove, a gift
from the Pardo de Taveras, whispering to her in a language which the guards could not
comprehend, "There is something in it." That 'something' was Rizal's elegy now known as "Mi
Ultimo Adios."
 The Dean of the Manila Cathedral, Don Silvino Lopez Tuñon, came to exchange some views with
Rizal at about 5:30 p.m. Balaguer and March then left, leaving Vilaclara andTuñon in Rizal's cell. As
Rosell was leaving at about 6 p.m., Josephine Bracken arrived in Fort Santiago.
 Rizal called for her and they emotionally talked to each other ("Last Hours of Rizal"). At 7 p.m.,
Faura returned and convinced Rizal to trust him and other Ateneo professors. After some quiet
moments, Rizal purportedly confessed to Faura ("Last Hours of Rizal").
 Rizal then took his last supper at about 8 p.m. and attended to his personal needs. He then told
Dominguez that he had forgiven his enemies and the military judges who sentenced him to death.
At about 9 or 9:30 p.m., Manila's Royal Audiencia Fiscal Don Gaspar Cestaño came and had an
amiable talk with Rizal.
 'Historian Gregorio F. Zaide alleged that at 10 p.m. Rizal and some Catholic priests worked on the
hero's retraction (Zaide & Zaide, pp. 265-266). Supposedly, Balaguer brought to Rizal a retraction
 draft made by Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda (1890 1903) but Rizal did not like it for being long.
A shorter retraction made by Jesuit Pio Pi was then offered to Rizal which he allegedly liked.
 So it is said that he wrote his retraction renouncing freemasonry and his anti Catholic ideas. Zaide
nonetheless admitted that the supposed retraction is now a (very) controversial document
 For many reasons, Rizal's assumed retraction and his supposed church marriage with Bracken have
been considered highly dubious by many Rizal scholars.
 Rizal then spent the night resting until the crack of dawn of December, perhaps praying and
meditating once in a while. Zaide however alleged that at 3 a.m., heard Mass, confessed sins, and
took Communion.
 At about 4 a.m., he picked up the book 'Imitation of Christ' by Thomas a Kempis, read, and
meditated. At 5 a.m. he washed up, attended to his personal needs, read the Bible, and
contemplated. For breakfast, he was given three boiled eggs
 Rizal's grandniece Asuncion Lopez Rizal Bantug mentioned "three soft boiled eggs" and narrated
that Rizal ate two of them (Bantug, pp. 151 152). Known historian Ambeth R. Ocampo, on the
other hand, wrote "three hard-boiled eggs" and related that Rizal "did not have any breakfast"
(Ocampo, p. 227).
 Both historians however wrote that Rizal placed the boiled egg (or eggs) to a cell corner, saying in
effect, "This is for the rats, let them celebrate likewise!"
 Afterward, Rizal wrote letters, one addressed to his family and another to Paciano. To his family,
he partly wrote, "I ask you for forgiveness for the pain I cause you... I die resigned, hoping that
with my death you will be left in peace..." He also left this message to his sisters:
 "I enjoin you to forgive one another... Treat your old parents as you would like to be treated by
your children later. Love them very much in my memory." To Paciano, he partially wrote, "I am
thinking now how hard you have worked to give me a career ... I know that you have suffered
much on my account, and I am sorry."
 Though some accounts state that Bracken was forbidden from seeing Rizal on this fateful day,
Zaide wrote that at 5:30 a.m., she and Rizal's sister Josefa came. The couple was said to have
embraced for the last time and Rizal gave to Josephine the book 'Imitation of Christ' on which he
wrote the dedication: "To my dear and unhappy wife, Josephine/ December 30th, 1896/ Jose
Rizal".
 Before Rizal made his death march to Bagumbayan, he managed to pen his last letters to his
beloved parents. To Don Francisco, he wrote, "Pardon me for the pain which I repay you Good bye,
Father, goodbye...". Perhaps told by the authorities that the march was about to begin, Rizal
managed to write only the following to his mother:
 To my very dear Mother,
 Sra. Dña. Teodora Alonso
 6 o'clock in the morning, December 30, 1896.
 Jose Rizal
 At 6:30 a.m., Rizal in black suit and black bowler hat, tied elbow to elbow, began his slow walk to
Bagumbayan. He walked along with his defense lawyer, Andrade, and two Jesuit priests, March
and Vilaclara.
 In front of them were the advance guard of armed soldiers and behind them were another group
of military men. The sound of a trumpet signaled the start of the death march and the muffled
sound of drums served as the musical score of the walk.
 Early in that morning, plenty of people had eagerly lined the streets. Some were sympathetic to
him, others-especially the Spaniards wanted nothing less than to see him die. Some observed that
Rizal kept keenly looking around and "it was believed that his family or the Katipuneros would
make a last minute effort to spring him from the trap" (Ocampo, p. 228).
 Once in a while, Rizal conversed with the priests, commenting on things like his happy years in the
Ateneo as they passed by Intramuros. Commenting on the clear morning, he was said to have
 uttered something like, "What a beautiful morning! On days like this, I used to talk a walk here
with my sweetheart."
 After some minutes, they arrived at the historic venue of execution. Filipino soldiers were
deliberately chosen to compose the firing squad. Behind them stood their Spanish counterparts,
ready to execute them also should they decline to do the job.
 There was just a glitch in the proceeding as Rizal refused to kneel and declined the traditional
blindfold. Maintaining that he was not a traitor to his country and to Spain, he even requested to
face the firing squad. After some sweet-talk, Rizal agreed to turn his back to the firing squad but
requested that he be shot not in the head-but in the small of the back instead.
 When agreement had been reached, Rizal thankfully shook the hand of his defense lawyer. The
military physician then asked permission to feel the pulse of the man who had only a few minutes
to live and the doctor was startled to find it normal.
 When the command had been given, the executioners' guns barked at once. Rizal yelled Christ's
two last words "Consummatum est!" ("It is finished!") simultaneously with his final effort to twist
his bullet-pierced body halfway around.
 Facing the sky, Jose Rizal fell on the ground dead at exactly 7:03 in the morning of December 30,
1896.
 FINALS
LESSON I: NOLI ME TANGERE: A Diagnosis of
Filipino Society
A true friend will always have your back.
Ferdinand Blumentritt, Rizal's friend
“Your work, as we Germans say, has been written
with blood and heart. Your work has exceeded
my hopes and I consider myself fortunate and
happy to have been honored with your
friendship........."
(National Centennial Commission, 1961)
 In Berlin, Rizal found himself penniless. No
stipend was received from his family
because of crop failures in Calamba. To
survive, he pawned his diamond ring given to
him by his sister Saturnina and sell his book
to second-hand bookstores, he thought of
burning the manuscript of his first novel
which he had completed.
 Nonetheless, the publication of Noll gave
him great joy despite the hard life in Berlin.
Ideas on Writing a Novel about the Philippines
Luna's Spolarium
 This canvas conveyed the plight of the
vanquished and the pathetic suffering of the
human race
 A reflection of the spirit of the social, moral,
and political life of his time.
 Depicting the country to be redeemed from
bondage and repression
Uncle Tom's Cabin
(Harriet Beecher Stowe)
 The novel portrayed the brutalities
committed by the American slave owners
against their Negro slaves
 The novel provided Rizal the springboard to
write a novel portraying vividly the miseries
of Filipinos under the oppressive rule of the
Spanish tyrants
The Wandering Jew (Eugene Sue)
 This novel made a great impression on Rizal.
According to Quirino, the literary form of the
book could have probably been used by Rizal
as his model to arouse the feeling against
existing Philippine situation and
communicate to the Filipinos the ideals he
wanted them to embrace
Writing of the Noli Me Tangere
 At the outset, the novel was UNTITLED. Later
on, he decided to call his first literary
masterpiece Noli Me Tangere. The title can
be translated into English as "Touch Me Not"
 The aforementioned label has a biblical
basis.
 "as those words were the ones uttered by
Jesus Christ to Mary Magdalene when the
latter visited his tomb before sunrise of
Easter Sunday”
 Rizal deemed it appropriate to use the said
title as his novel contained delicate things
nobody wanted to talk about it touch during
his time.
 He, therefore, trod where angels fear to
tread by exposing the evils of the Church and
the State, which were hazardous to touch.
 The novel came off the press on March 21,
1887 with the financial assistance of Maximo
Viola
Notable among his purposes for writing the
novel were the following:
 To picture the past and the realities of the
Philippines
 To reply to the insults heaped on the
Filipinos and the country
 Unmask the hypocrisy that has impoverished
and brutalized the Filipino people
 To stir patriotism in the Filipino people
Characters in the Noli Me Tangere
Juan Crisostomo Ibarra
˗ The main character of the novel. He
represented the affluent and liberal
European-educated Filipino
Elias
˗ Represented the Filipino masses in the
novel through him. Common people who
 did everything to vindicate them from
the injustices suffered from the Spaniard
Maria Clara
˗ Ibarra's object of love and affection.
represented the Filipino womanhood
trained in a convent and immersed in
education religious in orientation
Don Rafael Ibarra
˗ He was jailed for helping a young boy
being harmed by a Spanish tax collector
˗ He symbolizes an affluent landlord with a
social conscience
Doña Victorina
˗ Social climber, wife of Don Tiburcio
Espadaña
˗ She symbolizes the colonial mentality
among some Filipinos during her time
Doña Patrocinio
˗ Imprudent l, vulgar, cruel, and
quarrelsome
˗ She symbolize the mentality of Guardia
Civil
Sisa
˗ Mother of Basilio and Crispin who lost
her mental balance upon learning to his
sons
˗ She illustrates the typical Filipino
mothers, fully cognizant of the attributes
of their sons and daughters, willing to
defend them from all forms of injustices
and accusations.
Capitan Tiago (Don Anastacio delos Santos)
˗ His wealth was derived from his
involvement in the illegal opium trade.
˗ He represented the subservient Filipino
to the authorities to protect his personal
and business interest
Pilosopo Tasyo
˗ He represented Rizal's epitome of a
philosopher.
˗ He was perceived to be sage by the
educated and a weird or lunatic by those
who did not know him
The School Master of San Diego
˗ He symbolized intellectual dissatisfaction
in Filipino society during Rizal's time.
 Although the novel is a work of fiction, the
characters used by Rizal were persons who
actually existed during those times.
 Maria Clara - Leonor Rivera
 Tasyo - Paciano (his brother)
 Capitan Tiago - Captain Hilario Sunico of
San Nicolas
 Doña Victorina Doña - Augustina Medel
 Basilio and Crispin - Crisostomo brother
of Hagonoy, Bulacan
 Padre Damaso - Typical abusive friar
during Rizal's time
Rizal's Diagnosis of Filipino Society
 Friars were the enemies of reform, progress
and justice
Three (3) Reasons of Rizal
1. The agrarian problem between the tenants
and the Dominicans
2. The influence of the Spanish anti-clericalism
3. Political situation in 1886 and 1872
 70 year after the publication of Noli, the
research undertaken by the Catholics on
Philippine political situation confirmed the
veracity of Rizal's contention
 The friars wielded so much powers
 As cited by Guerrero (1998), Jaena's study of
Philippine institution, the parish priest in
each town can be described as a sword of
Damocles hanging the over the head of
authority-town Mayor.
 Local election was controlled and
manipulated
First Reactions to the Noli
 Prior to the publication of his novel, a
number of works of Filipino writers from
1882 to 1896 were produced.
 Antonio Regidor, a Filipino exile for his
alleged complicity in 1872 uprising
 "The book is superior. If Don Quijote has
made clear its author immortal because he
exposed to the world the suffering of Spain,
your Noli Me Tangere will bring you equal
glory"
(National Heroes Commission, 1963)
Ferdinand Blumentritt, Rizal's friend
"Your work, as we Germans say, has been
written with blood and heart. Your work has
exceeded my hopes and I consider myself
fortunate and happy to have been honored
with your friendship. Not only I but your
country, may feel happy for having 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"
(National Centennial Commission, 1961)
Archbishop Payo
˗ Found the book heretical, impious and
scandalous in its religious aspect;
unpatriotic, subversive of public order
and offensive to government of Spain.
˗ He then forwarded the report of the
committee to Gov. gen. Emilio Terrero
and summoned Rizal to Malacañang
Palace.
Fr. Salvador Font
˗ With no concrete action from Gov. Gen.
Terrero, he asked the Permanent
Commission on censorship to decide on
the fate of the novel
˗ He recommended the prohibition of the
importation, reproduction, and
circulation of the pernicious books in the
Philippines (Palma, 1949)
NOLI ME TANGERE: SUPPLEMENTARY LESSON
 COMPRISING 63 CHAPTERS and an epilogue,
Jose Rizal's first novel 'Noli Me Tangere'
exposes the abuses and inequities of many
Spanish Catholic friars and government
officials during his time.
 Rizal was a student of medicine in the
Universidad Central de Madrid when he
started writing it and was 26 years old at its
publication.
 The author fittingly dedicated the novel to
the country of his people whose miseries
and sorrows he brought to light in an
attempt to awaken them to the truths
concerning the ills of their society.
Paradoxically though, the novel was
originally written in Spanish, the language of
the colonizers and the educated at that time.
 Published in early 1887 in Europe, the novel
is now commonly called by its shortened
name 'Noli'; its English translation is usually
titled 'Touch Me not' and 'The Social Cancer'.
The Latin title which means 'Touch me not'
was taken from Christ's words.
 In a letter to Felix Hidalgo, Rizal however
made a mistake in attributing the quotation
to the Gospel of Luke, for it was in fact
recorded in John 20:17: "Touch me not; for I
am not yet ascended to my Father."
The writing of the novel
 Influenced by Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle
Tom's Cabin, Jose Rizal planned to publish a
book that would reveal the ills of
Spanish-colonized Philippine society. Hence,
in a meeting of Filipinos in Madrid at the
Paterno residence in January 1884, Rizal
suggested the creation of the book.
 The proposal that all of them would
contribute papers on the various facets of
life in the Philippines was unanimously
approved by those present at the reunion,
among whom were the Paternos (Pedro,
Maximino, and Antonio), Graciano Lopez
Jaena, Valentin Ventura, Eduardo de Lete,
Evaristo Aguirre, and Julio Llorente.
 The plan nonetheless did not materialize.
"My proposal on the book," Rizal explained
in his letter dated January 2, 1884, "was
unanimously approved. But afterwards
difficulties and objections were raised which
seemed to me rather odd, and a number of
gentlemen stood up and refused to discuss
the matter any further."
 He noticed that his 'compatriots' were more
interested in writing about women instead
and in spending time gambling or flirting
with Spanish women. (Interestingly, those
Filipinos must have included Rizal's close
friends like Jaena and Ventura).
 Sensing that it was improbable to count on
the support of his companions, Rizal started
writing alone the novel in Madrid toward the
end of the same year and finished about half
of it in the city.
 Leaving for France in 1885, he had written
the third quarter of the novel in Paris. In
Wilhelmsfeld, he penned the last few
chapters of Noli from April to June, 1886.
The novel was completed in Berlin, Germany
at the end of 1886 and the final draft was
ready for publication at the onset of the year
1887.
The printing of Noli
 The transition between 1886 and 1887 was
perhaps one of the most stressful parts in
Rizal's life. While painstakingly preparing the
final draft of the Noli, he actually had in his
heart the fear that it might not be published
at all.
 For how could he have it printed, if for his
personal needs alone, he had insufficient
money? Rizal would not ask his co-Filipinos
in Europe for financial help, especially that
none of them supported him in writing the
Noli.
 Thankfully however, a friend from a rich
family of San Miguel, Bulacan arrived in
Berlin. The 'paldo' (loaded with money) Dr.
Maximo Viola came to Germany to invite
Rizal to accompany him on a Europe tour.
But upon learning Rizal's quandary, the kind
Viola decided to delay the tour and insisted
on lending Rizal some money so that the Noli
could be published.
 But even then, Rizal made some adjustments
in the novel to economize in its printing. He
deleted the chapter entitled "Elias and
Salome" which was supposedly the Chapter
25, following the chapter, “In the Woods."
 The P300 Viola lent to Rizal was thus used to
print the first 2,000 copies of the Noli. Some
references state that Noli Me Tangere
officially came off the press on March 29,
1887 although records also show that by
March 21, Rizal was already sending
Blumentritt a copy of the novel.
 For his generous act, Maximo Viola had
fittingly gone down in Philippine history as
'the savior of the Noli'. As a token of
gratitude, Rizal gave him the galley proofs of
the novel rolled around the pen used in
writing the Noli.
 The author also gave the 'Noli savior' the
first copy to come off the press on which
Rizal inscribed a dedication which describes
Viola as the "first to read and appreciate
[Rizal's]
The synopsis
 The main character of the Noli Me Tangere,
young and wealthy Filipino Crisostomo Ibarra
returned to his country after some years of
study Europe. In his honor, Capitan Tiago
(Santiago de los Santos) threw a party at his
house in Manila.
 The gathering was attended by renowned
local personalities like Padre Damaso, a fat
Franciscan priest who had been assigned for
many years in Ibarra's native town (San
Diego); Fray Sybila, the young Dominican
curate of Binondo; Lieutenant Guevarra of
the Guardia Civil; and Doña Victorina, wife of
a fake Spanish physician Tiburcio de
Espadaña. Crisostomo's father, Don Rafael
Ibarra, was Capitan Tiago's friend. Capitan
Tiago's supposed daughter, Maria Clara, was
Crisostomo's fiancée.
 During the party, Padre Damaso belittled
Ibarra and rudely tried to harm his
reputation. But the gentleman Ibarra simply
ignored the friar's affront. When Ibarra left
Capitan Tiago's house, Lieutenant Guevara
talked to him and related the miserable fate
of his deceased father in San Diego.
 Guevara explained that Don Rafael was
unfairly accused by San Diego curate of
being a heretic and filibuster because of his
 non-participation in mass and confession.
One day, Don Rafael saw a Spanish tax
collector and a weak boy fighting.
 In an attempt to defend the powerless boy,
he had accidentally pushed and killed the
brutal Spaniard. Don Rafael was thus
imprisoned and died in his cell miserably.
Initially buried in consecrated ground, his
body was removed from the Catholic
cemetery under the order of his enemies.
 The next day, Crisostomo visited his
sweetheart, Maria Clara. After the lovely visit
to his girlfriend, Ibarra went to San Diego to
look for his father's grave. He had known
through the grave-digger that his father's
corpse was dug up by order of the curate to
be transferred in the Chinese cemetery. But
since it was raining and the corpse was
heavy, the grave-digger just threw Don
Rafael's corpse into the river.
 Angered by what he learned, Ibarra suddenly
attacked Padre Salvi when he saw this San
Diego parish priest. But Salvi explained to
him that it was Damaso who was the town's
parish priest at the time of Don Rafael's
death.
 When Maria Clara and her family arrived in
San Diego, Ibarra gave picnic at the lake.
During the picnic, Ibarra had saved the life of
Elias-the boatman who was almost killed by
a crocodile trapped in the fish cage. Later in
the picnic, some members of the Guardia
Civil also came, pursuing Elias who had
previously assaulted Padre Damaso and the
alferez.
 But Elias had escaped even before the
Guardia Civil arrived. Later on, Ibarra
received a notice that his donation of a
school in San Diego had been approved by
the Spanish government.
 On the day of San Diego town fiesta, Ibarra
and Maria Clara attended the morning mass
officiated by Padre Salvi and Padre Damaso.
During the mass, Elias silently went near
Ibarra and notified him of the plot to kill him
on the ceremony of the laying of the school's
cornerstone.
 So during the inauguration, when Ibarra was
about to cement the foundation of the
schoolhouse, the platform collapsed.
Fortunately, the quick Elias had rescued
Ibarra and the man who was paid to harm
Ibarra was the one killed in the incident.
 Ibarra hosted a banquet later that day. Padre
Damaso who attended the feast publicly
attacked the dignity of Ibarra's dead father.
The angered host lunged at the ill-mannered
friar and had almost killed Damaso with a
knife were it not for Maria Clara who
interfered just in time
 Ibarra was consequently excommunicated
and his engagement with Maria Clara was
broken as Damaso persuaded Capitan Tiago
to prohibit the lady to marry Ibarra.
 One day, Ibarra's enemies engineered a
helpless attack on the station of the Guardia
Civil, making the attackers believe that Ibarra
was the brain of the uprising. After the
attack failed, Ibarra was incriminated and
arrested.
 Elias helped Ibarra escape from prison.
Before leaving, they discreetly stopped at
Capitan Tiago's house. Maria Clara explained
that she was blackmailed by Padre Salvi to
surrender Ibarra's letter (which was used to
incriminate him) in exchange for the letters
written by her dead mother. From these, she
learned that her real father was Padre
Damaso.
 Ibarra and Elias then took off by boat.
Instructing Ibarra to lie down, Elias covered
him with grass to conceal his presence. As
luck would have it, they were spotted by
their enemies. Elias, thinking he could
outsmart them, jumped into the water. The
guards rained shots on him, all the while not
knowing that they were aiming at the wrong
man.
 Badly injured, Elias reached the forest where
he found the altar boy Basilio who was
sobbing over the body of his dead mother,
Sisa. His mother had previously lost her mind
upon learning that her two sons, altar boys
Crispin and Basilio, were missing from the
convent. Falsely accused of stealing from the
 convent, Crispin had been tortured and killed
by the wicked and crooked sacristan mayor.
Basilio had escaped and the death of his
brother had been covered-up by Salvi.
 Knowing that he would eventually e die, Elias
instructed Basilio to make a funeral pyre and
burn his and Sisa's bodies to ashes. In his
dying breath, Elias mumbled the following
hopeful patriotic words:"I shall die without
seeing the dawn break upon my homeland.
You, who shall see it, salute it! Do not forget
those who have fallen during the night."
 The novel's epilogue narrates that Capitan
Tiago became addicted to opium. Padre
Damaso was assigned to a far province and
was found dead in his bedroom one morning.
The sorrowful Maria Clara, believing that
Ibarra had been shot dead in the river,
entered the nunnery. Padre Salvi left the San
Diego parish and became a chaplain of the
nunnery.
 Some infer that Salvi, who had been
portrayed as having a hidden desire for
Maria Clara, regularly molested her in the
nunnery. Consequently, a pretty crazy
woman was seen one rainy night at the top
of the convent bitterly weeping and cursing
the heavens for the fate it has bestowed
upon her. The woman was not named but it
was assumed that she was none less than
Maria Clara.
The spirit of the Noli
 As intended, Noli Me Tangere creatively
depicts the real conditions of the various
aspects of Filipino society under the Spanish
regime. Largely because of corrupt Spanish
officials and friars, the Filipino way of life had
been backward, anti-intellectual,
anti-progressive, and the country was not in
any way catching up on developments and
the so-called Age of Enlightenment.
 Introducing the spirit of the novel to his
friend Ferdinand Blumentritt, Rizal himself
wrote, "The Novel is the first impartial and
bold account of the life of the Tagalogs. The
Filipinos will find in it the history of the last
ten years."
 Typically a parody, lampoon, and satire of
the Filipino society under the administration
of the colonizers, the novel's characters
represent the various kinds of people
inhabiting the country at the time.
Notable Characters and their Representation
CRISOSTOMO IBARRA
˗ A calm man who is vocal with his
opinions and is a visionary.
˗ He represents Ilustrados who are
Filipinos able to study abroad, often
accused of revolt because of their desire
to improve the living conditions of
Filipinos under the Spanish rule.
˗ Crisostomo Ibarra, for instance,
represents the small group of Filipinos
who had a chance to study abroad and
dreamt of improving the country. Like
Jose Rizal, Ibarra wanted education for
Filipino children, hence his plan to
construct a public school in San Diego.
MARIA CLARA
˗ A religious woman, a faithful lover, a
good friend and an obedient daughter to
Captain Tiago and Pia Alba.
˗ She symbolizes the traditional traits and
pureness of a traditional Filipina.
˗ Patterned after Leonor Rivera, Rizal's
'true love,' Maria Clara's character also
personifies some ideal Filipina-loving and
unwavering in their loyalty to their
respective spouses.
IBARRA & MARIA CLARA
˗ Ibarra and Maria Clara's relationship
shows how the ill fates of the society
affects the personal lives of the Filipinos.
Ibarra wanted to better his countrymen
and seek justice for his late father, while
Maria Clara is pressured to marry a man
(deemed appropriate by her family).
Their love could have endured if not only
for the influence of those around them
and the circumstances they are bound
in.
KAPITAN TIYAGO
˗ A highly-influential and wealthy Filipino.
A friend of the Spanish government. He
is very concerned and protective of his
and his family's social status.
˗ He symbolizes well-off Filipinos who are
willing to exploit fellow Filipinos for
selfish reasons.
˗ Capitan Tiago represents the rich
Filipinos who opted to be allies (as in
'tuta') of Spanish officials and friars just
to preserve their wealth and political
position. Damaso raped Tiago's wife Pia
Alba, but the Capitan seems to be okay
with it.
PIA ALBA
˗ The wife of Captain Tiago and the
mother of Maria Clara; a beautiful
woman; used to be cheerful but became
gloomy when she became pregnant.
˗ She represents all the victims of the
abuses of the church who was forced to
stay silent.
THE DE LOS SANTOS FAMILY
˗ The de los Santoses are an influential
family in their community. As
landowners and holding political power,
they are often looked upon by members
of the community and have friendly
relations with the parish priests and
government officials. However, their
concern for their social status hinder
them from advocating the betterment of
the community since they are afraid of
creating possible conflicts.
DOÑA VICTORINA
˗ Wife of Don Tiburcio; odd, ambitious,
and ignorant.
˗ Represents the wealthy Filipinos who are
ashamed to be associated as indio.
DON TIBURCIO
˗ Husband of Doña Victorina; limp; an
introvert and a fraudulent doctor.
˗ He represents the ignorant Spaniards
who made absurd decisions which led to
catastrophic results to the locals.
THE DE ESPANADA FAMILY
˗ Doña Victorina, whose motive was to be
with a Spaniard met Don Tiburcio got
married to him. These two, albeit their
dislike for each other continued with
their marriage to uphold their status in
the community. Dona Victorina, who was
feared by the community because of her
odd appearance and rude behavior often
competed with Doña Consolacion, who
also married a Spaniard.
˗ Doña Victorina represents some
ambitious Filipinas who wanted to be
classified as
˗ Spanish, hence the putting on of heavy
make-up. Don Tiburcio, her husband,
stands for incompetent and unqualified
Spaniards who illegally practiced their
supposed profession in the Philippines.
ALFEREZ
˗ Husband of Doña Consolacion whom he
fights with violently.
˗ He represents officials of the state who
competes with the church for authority.
DOÑA CONSOLACION
˗ The wife of Alferez who mindlessly
speaks Spanish words without knowing
its meaning and acts like she doesn't
know Tagalog.
˗ Represents the Filipinos who are
embarrassed of their own nationality.
THE ALFEREZ FAMILY
˗ Doña Consolacion, who got wealthy after
marrying Alferez became ashamed of his
Filipino heritage. She often competes
with Dona Victorina. These two are also
concerned about family status since
Alferez holds a position in the
government and are often envious of
with the power of the parish priests. The
couple also fights violently.
ELIAS
˗ A bandit; victim of abuses of the friars
and government.
˗ He represents common Filipinos who
aspires for a better Philippines, and
believes in the power of uprising to
instigate change.
˗ Elias-Ibarra's mysterious friend and
supporter-signifies the Filipinos who
wished to revolutionize the country by
liberating it from Spanish tyranny.
GOVERNOR-GENERAL
˗ He held the second most powerful
position in the colonial government next
to the King. He disliked the powers friars
had.
˗ Represents typical governors-genera
assigned in the Philippines.
ALFONSO LINARES
˗ A young Spanish lawyer; was arranged to
be married to Maria Clara.
˗ Represents Spanish citizens who came to
the Philippines with hope of having a
better life.
PILOSOPO TASYO
˗ The poor pessimist who spends money
on books; smart and observant.
˗ Represents Filipinos, who despite their
economic status, choose to remain well
informed.
˗ Pilosopo Tasio, on the other hand,
symbolizes those whose ideas were
advanced that other people could not
understand him. It is said that Tasio's
character was patterned after Paciano,
Jose's intelligent brother who also
sought reforms.
PADRE DAMASO
˗ A heartless and talkative priest who
abuse his authority.
˗ He represents Spanish friars who use
religion to abuse and mistreat Filipinos.
˗ Damaso, on the other hand, corresponds
to wicked but ironically respected priests.
His character is a reflection of the then
rampant covert fathering of illegitimate
children by friars. In the novel, he is
revealed to be the biological father of
Maria Clara-Ibarra's fiancéewho arguably
stands for the powerless Filipina then.
PADRE BERNARDO SALVI
˗ Successor of Padre Damaso; skinny and
frail; manipulated Maria Clara for his
benefit.
˗ Represents friars who are abusive of
their power over Filipinos.
˗ Padre Salvi, the curate who secretly
harbors lust for Maria Clara, represents
the seemingly kind but in fact wicked
Spanish friars.
PADRE HERNANDO SIBYLA
˗ A Dominican priest and a former
professor at San Juan de Letran college,
he is known to be smart and collected.
˗ He represents friars who were aware of
the abuses and injustice done to the
locals but chooses not to meddle.
THE PARISH PRIESTS
˗ These parish priests represent the
different kind of authorities acquired by
the Spanish friars. They exhibit the
different kinds of priests who thrive in a
system of abuse, using religion as a
shield so they can get their own personal
gains.
SISA
˗ Mother of Crispin and Basilio. Lost her
sanity due to abuses committed to her
children and due to the neglect of her
husband.
˗ She represents the Philippines as a
country.
CRISPIN AND BASILIO
˗ Sons of the deranged Sisa; deprived of
luxuries and education.
 ˗ They represent innocent young Filipinos
charged with crimes they did not commit;
and fall victim to the oppressive
government.
SISA'S FAMILY
˗ This family are victims of abuses. As
commoners, they do not have the power
to call for justice, and fell victim to more
and more abusive practices by the
government and the church.
˗ They represent the average Filipino
family who can't do anything because of
the oppressive system.
Sisa and her sons
˗ Crispin and Basilio epitomize a Filipino
family oppressed by the Spanish
authorities.
˗ Don Rafael Ibarra, Ibarra's father,
epitomizes the rich and at the same time
virtuous and generous Filipinos during
the Spanish era.
Reactions to Noli
 Expectedly, the Spanish officials and friars,
especially the onion-skinned, were infuriated
by the contents of the Noli. Rizal's friends
and compatriots, on the other hand, praised
and defended the novel.
 Non-Filipino defenders of the Noli include
Ferdinand Blumentritt, Rizal's Austrian friend,
and Dr. Miguel Morayta, statesman and
history professor in Central University of
Madrid. Federico Faura, Rizal's Jesuit
professor, told the Noli's author that
"everything in it was the truth," but also
foretold, "You may lose your head for it."
 Today, there are streets in Manila which
were named after Morayta, Blumentritt, and
Faura. (The road 'Morayta' was already
renamed, but is still more known to many by
its old name).
 Even before Jose went home after the
publication of the Noli, his family had been
feeling the backlash produced by the novel.
Using coded words, Paciano wrote Jose that
a "storm" was "threatening Makiling." "It is
only waiting for time," he added, "It should
not surprise those who know that this is time
for typhoons" (Bantug, p. 71). Later in history,
Paciano would proudly translate the Noli
into Tagalog.
 During Rizal's first homecoming in 1887,
Governor General Emilio Terrero summoned
him to the Malacañan Palace a few days
after his (Rizal's) arrival. Terrero told Rizal
that Bernardino Nozaleda, the Archbishop of
Manila, petitioned to ban the Noli.
 The governor general asked Rizal for a copy
of the Noli and found noting 'criminal' in the
book. He nonetheless assigned Lt. Jose Taviel
de Andrade of the Gurdia Civil to be Rizal's
bodyguard, fearing that Noli attackers would
harm the author.
 Meanwhile, an ad hoc committee of the
faculty of the University of Santo Tomas
formed at the request of Manila Archbishop
Pedro Payo, found and denounced Noli as
ecclesiastically heretical, impious, and
scandalous and politically unpatriotic,
subversive of public order, and harmful to
the Spanish government and its
administration in the Philippines.
 The Permanent Commission of Censorship
led by Tondo cura Salvador Font similarly
found the Noli to contain subversive ideas
against the Catholic Church and Spain and
thus recommended the absolute prohibition
on the importation, reproduction, and
circulation of the book.
 In Madrid, a newspaper article written by a
Vicente Barrantes resentfully attacked the
Noli. Similarly, some members of the Spanish
Cortes belabored the novel through formal
speeches labeling it as "anti-Catholic,
Protestant, socialistic."
 Another attacker of Noli happened to be
Rizal's namesake, Jose Rodriguez, an
Augustinian priest who even took great pains
to write eight anti-Noli pamphlets which
were forcibly sold to church-goers. The
arguments outlined in the pamphlets were
nonetheless logically addressed by an
unexpected defender of the novel, the
Filipino theologian and priest, Vicente
Garcia.
 Writing under the penname Justo Desiderio
Magalang, the priest countered the claim
that Noli's author was an "ignorant man" by
saying that Rizal was a graduate of
universities in Spain and was a recipient of
scholastic honors. By sound inference, Garcia
also answered Rodriguez' claim that those
who read the Noli commit a mortal sin by
concluding that he (Rodriguez) therefore
committed a mortal sin since he had read
the novel.
 Describing the effects of Noli, the author
himself wrote, "My book made a lot of noise;
everywhere, I am asked about it. They
wanted to anathematize me ['to
excommunicate me'] because of it... I am
considered a German spy ... a Protestant, a
freemason, a sorcerer, a damned soul and
evil."
 (Rizal was indeed a freemason but, of course,
not the rest of the allegations.) In a letter to
his friend Pastor Ullmer, Rizal narrated, "...
enemies burned my books, friends bought
them for as much as fifty pesos. Bookstores
profited, but I got nothing." Noli therefore is
a classic case of a black market profiting
much from an 'illegal' product.
 The author once received a letter dated
February 15, 1888 which was comparable to
a death threat. The sender wrote in part, "If
you... think you have a grievance, then
challenge us and we shall pick up the
gauntlet, for we are not cowards like you,
which is not to say that a hidden hand will
not put an end to your life.” Ironically, the
sender did not indicate his real name and
just cowardly signed the letter "A Friar".
Noli artifact
 The furniture set of Dr. Karl Ullmer used by
Rizal during his stay in the pastor's house in
Wilhelmsfeld in 1886 is now displayed in the
Peacock Garden Resort in Baclayon, Bohol.
As the last few chapters of the Noli were
written in Ullmer's pastoral house, some
parts of the novel were probably written on
the living room furniture.
 Ullmer's family donated the furniture to
Hans Schoof-the German owner of the
resort- for his advocacy of propagating the
ideals of the Filipino hero. A member of the
'Knights of Rizal', Schoof's better half is a
Filipina.
LESSON II: El Filibusterismo: A Revolution that
Failed
 El Filibusterismo - This novel is dedicated to
the three martyr priests (GOMBURZA)
 Rizal started writing his second novel in
October 1887, while practicing medicine in
Calamba.
 The following year in London, he made some
changes to the plot and corrected some
chapters.
 The last year of the second novel was
finished in Biarritz, on the famous French
Riviera, and also at the time when he had
serious romance with Nelly Boustead in the
1890.
The Publication of El Filibusterismo
 F. Meyer-Van Loo Press, offered the lowest
quotation for the printing of the El Fili and
which can pay on installment basis.
 Valentin Ventura extended financial
assistance in the printing of the novel
 The novel was completed on Sept 1891. All
copies of the Ghent Edition was sent to his
friend in Hong Kong
Comparison of the Noli and Fili
Noli Me Tangere
Romantic novel

 Work of heart and book of feelings
 Dedicated to Motherland
 64 chapters
El Filibusterismo
 Political novel
 Work of head and book of thoughts
Dedicated to Gomburza

 38 chapters
Characters of El Filibusterismo
Simoun
˗ Made to represent the portion of Filipino
society which, tired of the oppressor's
rule wanted that rule to be overthrown
at all cost, but had no systematic plan for
the new society, if the old one is
overthrown
Maria Clara
˗ After 13 years of physical and spiritual
abuse, dies, can be symbolize the
friar-dominated culture which is now
ripe for revolution.
Señor Pasta
˗ The idealist turned mercenary, could be
made to represent that portion of
Filipino society who have abandoned
their noble social ideas and have become
thoroughly self-seeking opportunist,
serving only the interest of those who
have hired them
Isagani
˗ A young student who inspired by high
ideals for his country
˗ Could be made to symbolize the
untested and unreliable idealism of a
segment of the educated Filipino youths
of the time
Paulita Gomez
˗ The hapless object of Isagani's affection
˗ Can be made to represent that portion of
Filipino womanhood-still half breed like
Maria Clara - which is relatively
enlightened but which is itself almost
thoroughly bereft of love of country and
of desire for the social good
Basilio
˗ Medical student who refuses to
entertain any revolution though even in
the face of rampant social injustices,
could be made to symbolize that
segment of educated Filipino society
which has been so brutalized that is has
become insensible to the social welfare.
Placido Penitente
˗ Young man who has been so illusioned
by the state of affairs he find himself in
as a student, entertains the desire to go
abroad.
˗ He could be made to symbolize those
elements of society, which had not yet
been infused with a national sentiment
or social conscience
Don Custodio
˗ Typical Spanish official who occupies
several position despite the absence of
qualification
˗ He portrayed as one who finds pleasure
in developing a feeling of inferiority
among the people
Cabesang Tales
˗ A victim of land grabbing by the friars,
become desperate and joined the
outlaws for personal revenge
Juli
˗ Innocent looking and unaffected
daughter of Cabesang Tales and
sweetheart of Basilio
The School Master
˗ Rusticated as a rebel for having
experimented teaching the Spanish
language to young children against the
wishes of the Spanish friars was
pardoned due to the influence wielded
by Simoun.
Message of the Fili
 The present system of government in the
Philippines can lead to the downfall of Spain
 Intelligent, generous, hard working,
courageous and loyal citizen were driven
into opposition, crime and subversion
 The Spanish colonial government was
arbitrary, lacking in a sense of justice and
responsibility, without interest in the people
under its tutelage
 In this novel, he painted them as abusing
their power to satisfy their evil desire
 He condemned Filipino for their greed,
corruption, hypocrisy and cowardice
 The course of action the Filipino should
Spain will not listen to the warnings
EL FILIBUSTERISMO: SUPPLEMENTARY LESSON
 El Filibusterismo' is Jose Rizal's second novel
written as the sequel of his 'Noli Me Tangere'
 Commonly nicknamed 'El Fili' or simply 'Fili',
the novel was written also in Spanish.
 Its commonly known English alternative title
is 'The Reign of Greed'.
The writing and printing of Fili
 Rizal started writing El Filibusterismo in
October 1887 in Calamba during his first
homecoming.
 The novel was thus written against the
background of threats and oppressions he
and his family suffered because of the Noli
and the so-called Calamba agrarian trouble.
 He continued working on it, making some
revisions, in London in 1888.
 Rizal then went on to write the novel in Paris,
and then in Brussels where distractions were
less and the cost of living was cheaper.
 Being able to focus on finishing the book,
Rizal had finally completed it by March 29,
1891 in Biarritz.
 Jose Alejandrino, Rizal's roommate in
Belgium related that he was the one who
canvassed printing press for El Fili.
 He delivered proofs and revisions to F.
Meyer van Loo in Ghent. For his assistance,
Rizal gave him the El Fili's corrected proofs
and the pen used in doing the corrections.
Unluckily, these historical souvenirs were
either lost or destroyed during the
revolution (Ocampo, p. 111)
 Alejandrino, who later became a general in
the Philippine revolution, may have been the
first person to read the novel aside from the
author. However, the honor of being called
'the savior of the Fili' had gone to Valentin
Ventura-Rizal's friend who partially financed
the novel's publication. (Ventura's steal of
the title, one may argue, is another classic
elucidation of the expression. "That's what
money can do.")
 Initially, Rizal financed El Fili's printing by
pawning his properties.
 In a letter to Jose Basa dated July 9, 1891, he
related: "For the past three months I have
not received a single centavo, so I have
pawned all that I have in order to publish
this book. I will continue publishing it as long
as I can: and when there is nothing to pawn I
will stop..."
 Rizal's next letter to Basa carried the sad
news that the printing had to be suspended
for lack of funds, and it was at this point
where Valentin Ventura came into the
picture.
 Having known Rizal's predicament, Ventura
offered him. financial help. In hindsight, we
can assume that Ventura was bothered by
his conscience, hence his generous monetary
assistance for Rizal's novel. Remember that
Ventura was one of the Filipinos who
promised to co-author Rizal's proposed first
book but ended up contributing nothing.
 But even with Ventura's help, Rizal found it
necessary to fundamentally shorten the
novel. erasing 47 whole pages from the
279-page manuscript to save expenses
(Ocampo, p. 111).
 Thus, the printed El Fili, which came off the
press by the middle of September, 1891,
turned out comprising only 38 chapters
compared to the 64 of the Noli-contrary to
his original plan to make a longer sequel.
 For Ventura's salvific act, Rizal gave him the
novel's original manuscript, a pen, and an
autographed printed copy. In 1925, the
Philippine government bought the El Fili
manuscript from Ventura for a large sum of
10. 000 pesos (Zaide, p. 194). It is now being
kept in the National Library.
Filibustero and Gomburza
 The 'Filibusterismo' in the novel's title is
derived from the simpler term 'filibustero'.
Rizal defined the word ('filibustero') to his
 friend Ferdinand Blumentritt who
encountered but did not fully comprehend
the word in the 'Noli'. Rizal thus explained in
a letter:
 "The word filibustero is little known in the
Philippines ...I heard it for the first time in
1872 when the tragic executions [of the
Gomburza] took place.
 I still remember the panic that this word
created. Our father forbade us to utter it, as
well as the words Cavite, Burgos (one of the
executed priests), etc. The Manila
newspapers and the Spaniards apply this
word to one whom they want to make a
revolutionary suspect. The Filipinos
belonging to the educated class fear the
reach of the word. It... means a dangerous
patriot who will soon be hanged or well, a
presumptuous man."
 The word 'filibustero' thus contextually
means subversive, dissident, revolutionary,
seditious, insurrectionary, and treasonous.
Fittingly, Rizal dedicated the book to the
memory of the Gomburza, the three Filipino
patriotic priests who were accused of being
'filibustero' and thus executed. In his
dedication, Rizal fearlessly declared his
conviction that the Spanish officials'
treatment of the priests' case was unjust "as
[their] complicity in the Cavite Mutiny is not
clearly proved".
 The dedication partly reads: "To the memory
of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (85 years
old), Don Jose Burgos (30) years old), and
Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old). Executed
in the Bagumbayan Field on the 28th of
February, 1872... I have the right to dedicate
my work to you as victims of the evil which I
undertake to combat..."
 Rizal however made mistakes in indicating
the ages of the priests and the date of their
execution. During their martyrdom on the
17th (not 28th) of February, 1872, Gomez
was then 73 (not 85), Burgos was 35 (not 30)
and Zamora was 37 (not 35). Like many other
students today (especially men), Rizal was
perhaps not that good in memorizing
historical details like dates and ages.
 The foreword of the Fili was nonetheless
addressed "To The Filipino People and Their
Government". The original manuscript also
includes a "warning" and an "inscription" on
the title page written by the author's friend,
Ferdinand Blumentritt.
Themes
 Indeed a continuation of the Noli, the El
Filibusterismo exposes the real picture of
Filipino society at the hands of the Spanish
authorities. Socio-political issues mentioned
in the Noli are also dealt with in its sequel:
the abuses and hypocrisy of the members of
the Spanish Catholic clergy, superstitions
disguising as religious faith, the need for
reform in educational system, the
exploitation and corruption of government
officials, and the pretenses of some
social-climbing Filipinos and Spaniards.
 What makes El Fili essentially different from
its prequel is that it offers various means of
attaining social reform and somewhat hinted
what the author believed was ideal. Some
dialogues and incidents seem to suggest the
apparent improbability of any radical
socio-political change. The main character's
persistence to push through with the
rebellion, on the other hand, seems to
suggest that independence is attainable
through revolution. However, the closing
chapters rather insinuate that freedom must
be attained without bloodshed as the story
ends with the failure Simoun's planned
uprising.
 The novel's ending, some scholars explain
however, should not be interpreted as Rizal's
categorical stand against revolution. At best,
Rizal can be said to be against unprepared
and disorganized rebellion of an uneducated
people which could have slim chance of
victory. It is important to note that Rizal
once commented that an upright, patriotic,
and selfless individual like Noli's Elias would
be a viable revolutionary leader. In fact, Rizal
was said to have confessed that he seriously
regretted having killed Elias instead of Ibarra.
These seem to prove that Rizal, though
practically promoting the attainment of
 reforms peacefully, also advocated the idea
of armed revolution under some conditions.
Intelligent as he is, what Rizal would never
subscribe to is the "useless spilling of blood,"
but not the uprising per se.
Noli vs. Fili
 Rizalwrote theEl Filibusterismoabout four
years after the Noli The experiences he had
in those four years spelled a lot of
differences in the way he treated his two
novels.
 In depicting the social conditions in the
country, both novels employ satires and
caricatures. El Fili however is more serious as
there is less humor and more bitterness in
the treatment of situations.
 In the Noli, the author reveals the cruelty
and exploitation suffered by the natives at
the hands of colonizers. In El Fili, Rizal
depicts a society at the brink of rebellion as
the natives' minds have been awakened and
revolutionary forces have been formed
 Generally, El Fili presents a gloomier
depiction of the country under the Spanish
regime. More radical and revolutionary, the
novel has less idealism and romance than
the Noli. The El Fili manifests Rizal's more
mature and less hopeful attitude toward the
socio-political situation in the country. The
grimmer outlook and more tragic mood can
be attributed to the persecutions and
sufferings the author and his family
experienced from the Spanish friars and
officials in the years he was writing the novel
 Notwithstanding the sufferings caused by
the Spaniards to the Rizal family, the Fili, its
author claimed, is not a matter of revenge.
Jose wrote to Blumentritt: "I have not
written in it [Fili] any idea of vengeance
against my enemies, but only for the good of
those who suffer, for the rights of
Tagalogs ..."
 Some of Rizal's friends like Blumentritt and
Graciano Lopez Jaena expressed that Fili was
more superior than Noli. Rizal himself
apparently once believed in the superiority
of the Fili. When its printing had to be
stopped for lack of funds, he wrote to Basa:
"It is a pity because it seems to me that this
second part [the Fili] is more important than
the first [the Noli]."
 After the Fili was published nonetheless,
Rizal appeared to have a change of heart. In
his October 13, 1891 letter to Marcelo Del
Pilar, he said: I appreciate what you say
about my work and I value your opinion
highly that considered my Filibusterismo
inferior to the Noli. I, too frankly, without
irony or words with a double meaning, share
your opinion. For me, the Filibusterismo as a
novel is inferior to the Noli... You are the first
one to tell me the truth and I agree with you.
This flatters me as it proves that I still know
how to judge myself.
 As regards his friends who told him that Fili
was better, Rizal explained in the same letter:
"Blumentritt, all those in Paris and Barcelona,
for their benevolence towards me say it [the
Fili] is superior. I attribute it only to their
benevolence."
Synopsis
 The story in El Filibusterismo revolves
around its main character Simoun who is an
affluent jeweler. Simoun is actually
Crisostomo Ibarra of the Noli whom
everyone thought had been killed by the
Guardia Civil at Laguna de Bay. He had in fact
escaped, fled to Cuba, become wealthy, and
made connections with influential Spanish
officials. Upon his return to the Philippines
after many years, he becomes very
influential as the governor general, who
owes so much to him, consults him in
making decisions.
 In reality however, everything Simoun does
is just part of his grand plan to take revenge
against the Spanish officials and rescue
Maria Clara from the convent. Planning to
stage a revolution, he smuggles arms and
looks for followers, mainly from the
exploited and abused natives. One of his
recruits is Basilio, the son of Sisa, who with
Capitan Tiago's help was able to study in
Manila. Simoun also makes an alliance with
the revolutionary group of Kabesang Tales, a
 former 'cabeza de barangay' who suffered
maltreatments from the hands of the friars.
Using his influence, Simoun encourages
corruption, decadence, and more oppressive
government policies so that the citizens may
become more infuriated.
 However, the planned revolt one night was
not carried out because Simoun, upon
hearing that Maria Clara died in the nunnery,
decided not to give the signal for the
outbreak of the uprising.
 Another plan was made some months later.
At the venue of the wedding reception of
Juanito Pelaez and Paulita Gomez, Simoun
planted many explosives-enough to kill the
invited guests, primarily the friars and
government officials. According to the plot,
the big explosion shall be started by the gift
he would give to the newlyweds at the
reception-a kerosene lamp with an explosive.
When the lamp flickers and someone turns
the wick, it will result into a big explosion
that will become a signal to the
revolutionary troops to simultaneously
attack all the government buildings in
Manila.
 During the reception. Simoun gives his gift to
the newly- weds. Before hurriedly leaving
the venue, he leaves a piece of mysterious
paper bearing the message "You will die
tonight" signed by Juan Crisostomo Ibarra.
 Meanwhile, Isagani, the rejected lover of
Paulita, is standing outside the reception. His
friend Basilio tells him to leave the place
because the lamp will soon blow up.
 When Father Salvi identifies the handwriting
in the note and confirms that it was indeed
Ibarra's, the guests begin to panic. When the
lamp flickers, Father Irene tries to turn the
wick up. But Isagani, wanting to save
Paulita's life, rushes into the house, grabs
the lamp. and throws it into the river where
it explodes.
 Simoun's revolutionary plot was thus known
he is thus hunted by the law enforcers. He
managed to escape but was seriously
wounded. Carrying his jewelry chest, he finds
shelter in the home of Padre Florentino by
the sea. Learning of his presence in the
house of the priest, the lieutenant of the
Guardia Civil informs Padre Florentino that
he will come in the evening to arrest Simoun.
 Simoun then takes poison that he would not
be caught alive. As the poison's effects start
to take toll on his body, he confesses to
Florentino his true identity and his plan of
revenge through bloody revolution.
 After the emotional and agonizing
confession of the dying man, the priest
absolves the dying man from his sins, saying:
"God will forgive you Señor Simoun. He
knows that we are fallible. He has seen that
you have suffered... He has frustrated your
plans one by one... first by the death of
Maria Clara, then by a lack of preparation,
then in some mysterious way. Let us bow to
His will and render Him thanks!"
 The story ends with the priest throwing
Simoun's treasures into the sea so that they
would not be used by the greedy. The priest
hopes that when the right time comes, they
would be recovered and used only for the
good.
Noli and Fili Stolen
 In Rizal's time, the Permanent Commission of
Censorship recommended the absolute
prohibition on the importation, reproduction,
and circulation of the Noli. The copies of the
Fili, on the other hand, was destroyed by
Customs in Manila upon shipment to the
Philippines. The rare surviving copies of the
novels were secretly purchased and
"according to one friend of the family, had to
be read in the smallest, most private room in
the house-the toilet" (Ocampo, p. 108).
 That was the fate of the first edition of
Rizal's novels. But that is nothing compared
to what happened to their original
manuscripts about 70 years after their
publication.
 The original manuscripts of the Noli and Fili
(along with that of the poem 'Mi Ultimo
Adios') were stolen from the National Library
on the evening of December 8, 1961. After
some days, the thieves who outsmarted the
 building's sleepy guards sent a ransom note
"made of newspaper cutouts" to the Jose
Rizal National Centennial Commission
(JRNCC) (Ocampo, p. 148). The robbers
demanded 1.4 million pesos for the return of
the original texts, else Rizal's handiworks
would be burned.
 To summarize the 'historic robbery', the then
Education Secretary Alejandro 'Anding'
Roces personally met with the burglars and,
after some various negotiations, had
retrieved the documents without paying a
single centavo. The manuscripts were
returned on installment basis-the 'Ultimo
Adios' during the first meeting, the 'El Fili' on
the next negotiation, and lastly, the 'Noli'.
There was a time when the demanded
ransom was reduced to 100,000 pesos and
then to 10,000 pesos (Ocampo, p. 148). But
recognizing perhaps that they would get
nothing from the government, the robbers
ultimately settled on returning the expensive
documents, free of charge.
 Many still find this charge-free return of the
manuscripts' strange and mind-blowing. But
the following additional details about the
story could perhaps shed light on the
account.
 During the negotiations, one of the burglars
related to Roces that on the night of the
robbery, "the Rizal manuscripts suddenly
became heavy as a cavan of rice". The thief
thus exclaimed, "The manuscript must be
holy or haunted!" (Ocampo, p. 148). One
robber even claimed that he read Rizal's
handwritten novels and described the
feeling. "Ang sarap basahin, kinikilabutan
ako!" (Ocampo, p. 148). It's remarkably
funny to note however that the thief did not
understand Spanish! Nonetheless, these
indicate that the stealers were probably
bothered by their conscience, hence the
consent to just send back the national hero's
works
 Anding promised not to identify the robbers
or to be a witness against them in court.
Thus, the hilariously controversial thieves
were never known.
The novels' legacy
 For fearlessly depicting the corruptions and
abuses by the Spanish clergy and colonial
government during the Spanish regime in
the Philippines, the two novels
arehistorically very significant. Basically a
social sketch of the country then, the Noli
and Fili reveal the true setting and condition
of the Filipino society in the era.
 As essential source of sociological and
anthropological studies, the books provide
rich insights into the culture of the 19th and
20th century Philippines. Their realistic
depictions expose a conflicted colonial
society seriously split between the
oppressors and the suffering local slaves.
The novels' characters mimic the various
elements and types of individuals in that
society. Furthermore, they show favorable
positive traits of the natives then like the
sense of gratitude, the fidelity of women to
their loved ones, and the yearning for
freedom and equality.
 For their explicit portrayal of what the locals
really wished for their country, the books
were instrumental in forming the Filipino's
(Indios) sense of national identity. Indirectly
but significantly, the novels influenced the
revolution led by the Katipunan as they
inspired Andres Bonifacio and other
revolutionaries in their cause.
 Rizal was arrested, exiled to Dapitan, and
ultimately executed in 1896 based principally
on his writings. In 1956, the Philippine
Congress passed the Rizal Law (Republic Act
1425) requiring all levels of Philippine
schools to teach as part of the curriculum
the hero's two novels.
 Originally written in Spanish, the Noli and
the Fili had been translated into various
languages like Filipino, English, German,
French, Chinese, and other Philippine
languages. In 2007, an English version of Noli
Me Tangere was released to major
Australian book stores. It was published by
Penguin Books Classics as part of the
publication's commitment to publish the
major literary classics of the world.
 LESSON III: Jose Rizal and Philippine
Nationalism: Bayani and Kabayanihan
The Origin of Bayani
According to Nolasco (1997) in his essay,
Pinagmulan ng Salitang Bayani:
 The term bayani had an Austronesian
origin and was brought to our country.
 Refers to warriors who led in defending
their communities against invaders and
any form of danger.
Derivatives include: bajani, majani,

bagani, bahani
In the Filipino culture, heroism is measured by
courage and the number of enemies killed. The
said levels of heroism are divided to:
1. Maniklad - lowest form of bayani;
awarded to those who killed one or two
enemies; wears a yellow or red putong
2. Hanagan - second level of bayani; killed
five enemies; undergoes ritual where
Tagbusaw takes over his/her body and
eats the heart or liver of the enemy;
wears red putong
3. Kinaboan - those who killed 20-27
enemies; wears red pants
4. Luto - those who killed 50-100 enemies;
wears red overcoat
5. Lunugum - favorite of Tagbusaw; those
who killed their enemies inside the
latter's own home; wears black.
According to Salazar (1997) in his essay, Si
Andres Bonifacio at ang Kabayanihang Pilipino sa
Agos ng Kasaysayang Pilipino, "bayani" refers to:
 those who travel and return to their
community
 different concepts (Western hero; Tagalog:
bayani) = =
 The bayani fights with the help of his
compatriots; speaks for and together
with his people.
 The héroe fights alone and is exceptional;
usually above/beyond his people.
 The Bayani is not only awarded to those who
died in battle; he/she only has to do good
deeds and exhibit good influence to be
called as such.
"The summary of all of these differences could be
distilled from the individualism and
preoccupation of the héroe with his own
"persona," as compared with bayani who
belongs to his own group and focused only and
distinctly on advancing the interest of the
group....The action of the bayani is based on the
character of bayan, wherein humility and being
equal with others are valued more." (Salazar
1997, 3-4)
Pantayong Pananaw
According to Salazar (2000), Pantayong pananaw
refers to:
 "one's wholeness that is contingent upon
the interconnections of cultural and
social elements with each other, which is
distributed and understood by an
ethnolinguistic group: the self" (p. 55)
 pantayong pananaw comes from:
 pan- (prefix) which means 'for the
purpose of';
 tayo (root word) which means 'we';
and
 pananaw which translates in English
to 'perspective'.
 the concept of 'self' exists in relation to
others
According to Guillermo (2003), Pantayong
pananaw differentiates the concepts of:
 pangtayo = tayo (we); "from-us-for-us";
speaker and the listeners belong to the same
group and actively converses with each
other.
 pangkami = kami (us); "from-us-for-you";
speaker speaks of himself and the group he
is in while his listeners receive.
Bayan, Bayani, Bayanihan
According to Veneracion (1998):
 Bayan - has a complex meaning. It may be
used to refer to either the people, the nation,
or a place.
 para sa bayan - a popular phrase used to
refer to services rendered for the nation
 kababayan - compatriots
 Bayani is part of the bayan and is among his
kababayan.
 The bayani acts with the community
 bayanihan - active heroism (kabayanihan) of
an individual or a group without asking for
anything in return; those who volunteers in
bayanihan can emerge as a bayani
 pakikipagkapwa - extending the self to
others
 pagdamay - sympathizing and providing
aid
 kawanggawa - providing service without
asking for anything in return