MYSTICAL ROSE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
Pogolomboy, Mangatarem, Pangasinan

CHAPTER 10: FIRST HOMECOMING, 1887-1888

Rizal returned to the Philippines after five years in Europe and
practiced medicine in Calamba in August 1887, but his enemies
persecuted him and threatened to kill him. Rizal did not forget his
homeland or turn his back on his nationality. It is true that he
studied abroad, acquired the lore and language of foreign
countries, and enjoyed the friendship of many great men of the
Western world, but he stayed in his heart a true Filipino with
undying love for the Philippines and an unwavering
determination to die in the land of his birth.
DECISION TO RETURN HOME
Because of the publication of Noli Me Tangere and the uproar it
caused among the friars, Rizal was warned by Paciano, Silvestre
Ubaldo, Chengoy (Jose M. Cecilio), and other friends not to
return home. Rizal decided to return to the Philippines for four
reasons: to operate on his mother's eyes, to serve his people,
to find out how the Noli and his other writings were affecting
Filipinos and Spaniards in the Philippines, and to inquire
why Leonor Rivera remained silent. He wrote to Blumentritt
in Geneva on June 19, 1887, and in Rome on June 29, 1887,
Rizal wrote to his father, announcing his homecoming. "On the
15th of July, at the latest," he wrote, "I shall embark for our
country, so that from the 15th to the 30th of August, we shall see
each other."
DELIGHTFUL TRIP TO MANILA
Rizal left Rome by train for Marseilles, a French port, and boarded
the steamer Djemnah, the same steamer that brought him to
Europe five years ago. There were 50 passengers, including 4
Englishmen, 2 Germans, 3 Chinese, 2 Japanese, many Frenchmen,
and 1 Filipino (Rizal). Rizal was the only one among the
passengers who could speak many languages, so he acted as an
interpreter for his companions. The steamer was enroute to the
Orient via the Suez Canal, and Rizal saw this historic canal for the
second time in 1882. On board, he played chess with fellow
passengers and engaged in lively conversation in many languages.
After leaving Aden, the weather became rough, and some of
Rizal’s books got wet. On July 30, he transferred to another
steamer, Haiphong, which was Manila-bound, and on August 2,
this steamer left Saigon for Manila.
ARRIVAL IN MANILA
•Rizal voyage From Saigon to Manila was pleasant.
•on August 3rd and the moon was Full, and he stept soundly the
whole night. The calm sea,illumined by the silvery moonlight, was
a magnificent sight to him.
•Near midnight of August 5, the Haiphong arrived in Manila. Rizal
went ashore with a happy heart for her once more trod his
beloved native soil.
•He stayed in the city for a short time to visit his friend.
•He Found Manila the same as when he left it Five years ago.
There were the same old churches and buildings, the same holes
in the roads, the same boats on the Pasig River, at the same heavy
walls surrounding the city
HAPPY HOMECOMING
•On August 8, he return to calamba. His Family welcomed him
affectionately, with plentiful tears of joy. Writing Blumentritt of
his homecoming, he said. I had a pleasant voyage. I Found my
family enjoying good health and our happiness was great in seing
each other again, the shed tears of joy and I had to answer ten
thousand questions at the same time.
•The rejoicing of Rizal’s return over, his family became worried
for his safety. Paciano did not leave him during the first days
after arrival to protect him from any enemy assault. His own
father would not let him go out alone, lest something might
happen to him.
• In calamba, Rizal established a medical clinic. His First patient
was his mother(Theodora Alonzo Rizal), who was almost blind.
He treated her eyes, but could not perform any surgical operation
because her eye cataracts were not yet ripe. News of the arrival of
a great doctor from germany spread Far and wide. Patient From
Manila and the provinces Flocked to calamba. Rizal, who came to
be calle “Dortor Uliman” because he came from germany treated
their ailments. And soon he acquired a lucrative medical
practiced.His professional Fees were reasonable, even gratis to
the poor.Within a few months, he was able to earn P900 as a
physician by February 1988, he earned a total of P5,000 as
medical fees.
•Unlike many successful medical practitioners, Rizal did not
selfishty devote all his time to enriching himself. He opened a
gymnasium for young folks, where he introduced European
sports. At tried to interest his townmates in gymnastics, Fencing
and shooting so as to discourage the cockfights and gambling.
• Rizal suffered one failure during his six months of sojourn in
Calamba his Failure to see Leonor Rivera. He tried to go to
Dagupan, but his parents absolutely forbade to go because
Leonor’s mother did not like him for a son-in-law. With a heavy
heart, Rizal bowed to his parent’s wish.
STORM OVER THE NOLI
•While Rizal was living peacefully in Calamba, his enemies in
training planned his downfall. Aside from medicine, attending his
gymnasium, and participating in the town’s civic activities, he
painted several beautiful landscapes and translated Von
Wildernath’s German poems into Tagalog. One day Rizal
received a letter from the Governor- General Emilio Terrero
who went to Malacañ an Palace.Rizal went to Manila and appeared
at Malacañ ang. When he was informed by Governor-General
Terrero of the charge, he denied It, explaining that he merely
exposed the truth, but he did not advocate subversive ideas.
Pleased by his explanation and curious about the controversial
book, the governor-general asked the author for a copy of Noli so
that he could read it. Unfortunately, Rizal had no copy .He
promised to secure one for the governor-general.
Rizal visited the Jesuit Father to ask for the copy he send them,
but they would not part with it. The Jesuits, especially his
professor – Fr. Francisco Sanchez, Fr Jose Bech, and Fr.
Federico Faura- were glad to see him. He had a spirited
discussion with them about the Noli, and Father Faura ventured
an opinion that “ every thing in it was the truth,” but added; “You
may lose your head for it.Fortunately, Rizal found a copy in the
hands of a friend. He was able to get it and gave it to Governor –
General Terrero. The Governor-general, who was a liberal minded
executive,knew that Rizal’s life was in jeopardy because the friars
were powerful. For security measure, he assigned a young
Spanish lieutenant, Don Jose Taviel de Andrade, as bodyguard
of Rizal. This lieutnent belonged to a noble family. He was
cultured and knew painting and he could speak English , French,
and Spanish. Governor General Terrero read the Noli and found
nothing wrong with it. The Archbishop of Manila, Msgr. Pedro
Payo (a Dominican) sent a copy of the Noli to Father Rector
Gregorio Echavarria of the faculty. The committee, which was
composed of Dominican professor, submitted it’s report to the
father Rector who immediately transmitted it to archbishop
Payo.The faculty members of the University of Santo Tomas
stated that the Noli was “heretical, impious and scandalous in the
religious order anti patriotic subversive of public order injurious
to the government of Spain and it’s function in the Philippine
Island in the political order.Governor General Terrero was
dissatisfied with the report of the Dominicans.He sent the novel to
the Permanent laymen. The report of this commission was
drafted by its head, Fr. Salvador Font, Augustinian cura of
Tondo and submitted to the Governor general on December 29.
It found the novel to contain subversive ideas against the Church
and Spain, and recommended “that the importation , reproduction
and circulation of this pernicious book in the islands be absolutely
prohibited”. When the newspapers published Font’s written
report of the censorship commission. The enemies of Rizal
exulted in unholy glee. The banning of the Noli only served to
make it popular, among the masses. Thanks to Governor General
Terrero, there were no mass imprisonment or mass execution of
Filipinos. He refused to be intimidated by the friars who clamored
for harsh measures against people caught reading the novel and
it’s author.
ATTACKERS OF THE NOLI
Father Font- printed his report and distributed copies of it in
order to discredit the controversial novel.
Fr. Jose Rodriguez and Prior of Guadalupe published a series of
eight pamphlets under the general heading Cuestions de Suno
Interes ( Questions of Supreme Interest) to blast the Noli and
other anti-Spanish writings.
The Eight Pamphlets were entitled:
1 .Porque no los he de leer? ( Why Should I not Read Them?)
2. Guardos de ellos, Porque? ( Beware of Them, Why?)
3. Y que me dice usted de la Peste? ( And what Can You Tell Me of
Plague?)
4. Porque triunfan los impios? ( Why Do the Impions Triumph?)
5 .Cree usted que de versa no hay purgatorio? ( Do you Think
There is Really No Purgatory?)
6.Hay o no hay infierno? ( Is there or is There No Hell?)
7. Que le parece a usted de esos libelos? ( What Do You Think of
These Libels?)
8. Confesion o condenacion?(Confession or Damnation?)
Copies of these anti-Rizal pamphlets written by Fray Rodriguez
were sold daily in the churches after Mass and many Filipinos
were forced to buy them.
The repurcussions of the storm over the Noli reached Spain. It
was fiercely attacked on the session hall of the Senate of the
Spanish Cortes by various senators:
• General Jose de Salamanca on April 1,1888
• General Luis M. de Pando on April 12 and
• Sr. Fernando Vida on June 11
Vicente Madrid- Spanish academian of Madrid
-Occupied high government positions in the Philippine.
-Bitterly criticized the Noli in an article published in La Espana
Moderna( a newspaper of Madrid) in January 1890.
DEFENDERS OF THE NOLI:
• Marcelino H. Del Pillar
• Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor
• Graciano Lopez Jaena
• Mariano Ponce and other Filipino reformists in foreign
lands, rushed to uphold the truths of Noli.
Father Sanchez- defended and praised it in public
 Don Segismundo Moret, former minister of the Crown;
 Dr. Miguel Morayta, historian and statesman; and
 Professor Bluementritt, scholar and educator, read and
liked the novel.
A brilliant defense of the Noli came from an unexpected source. It
was Rev. Vicente Garcia, a Filipino Catholic priest-scholar, a
theologian of the Manila Cathedral, and a Tagalog translator of the
famous Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis.
Father Garcia- writing an under the penname Justo Desiderio
Magalang. Wrote a defense of the Noli which was published in
Singapore as an appendix to a pamphlet dated July 18,1888. He
blasted the arguments of Fr. Rodriguez as follows;
1. Rizal cannot be an ignorant man, as Fr. Rodriguez alleged,
because he was a graduate of Spanish universities and was a
recipient of scholastic honors.
2. Rizal does not attack the Church and Spain, as Fr. Rodriguez
claimed, because what Rizal attacked in the Noli were the
bad Spanish officials and not Spain, and the bad and corrupt
friars and not the Church.
3. Father Rodriguez said that those who read the Noli commit
a mortal sin; since he (Rodriguez) had read the novel,
therefore he also commits a mortal sin.
When Rizal learned of the brilliant defense, he cried because his
gratitude was overwhelming. He defended his own novel against
Barrantes attack in a letter written in Brussels, Belgium, in
February 1880. He exposed Barrantes ignorance of Philippine
affairs and metal dishonesty which is unworthy of an
academician. Barrantes met in Rizal his master in satire and
polemics.
During the days when the Noli was the target of a heated
controversy, all copies of it were sold out and the price per copy
soared to unprecendented level. Both friends and enemies of the
Noli found it extremely difficult to secure a copy.
A letter to Fernando Canon from Geneva, June 13, 1887, the
price he set per copy was five pesetas( equivalent to one peso),
but the price later rose to fifty pesos per copy.
RIZAL AND TAVIEL DE ANDRADE 
The storm over the Noli was raging in fury, Rizal was not
molested in Calamba. This is due to Governor General
Terrero’s generosity in assigning a bodyguard to him. Between
this Spanish bodyguard, Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade, and Rizal, a
beautiful friendship bloomed. 
 
Rizal and Andrade, young, educated and cultured, made walking
the verdant countrysides, discussed topics of common interest,
and enjoyed fencing, shooting, hunting, and painting. Lt. Andrade
became a great admirer of the man he was ordered to watch and
protect.
 
What marred Rizal’s happy days in Calamba with Lt. Andrade
Were : 
1. The death of his older sister, Olimpia and 
2. The groundless tales circulated by his enemies that he was
“a German spy, an agent of Bismarck, a Protestant, a
Mason, a witch, asoul beyong salvation, etc”

CALAMBA’S AGRARIAN TROUBLE

 Governor General Terrero, influenced by certain facts in Noli Me
Tangere, ordered a government investigation of the friar estates
to remedy whatever iniquities might have been present in
connection with land taxes and with tenant relations. One of the
friars estates affected was the Calamba Hacienda which the
Dominican Order owned since 1883.  
 These findings, which were formally submitted to the
government for action, were the following:
1. The hacienda of the Dominican Order comprised not only
the lands around Calamba, but also the town of Calamba.
2. The profits of the Dominican Order continually increased
because of the arbitrary increase of the rentals paid by the
tenants.
3. The hacienda owner never contributed a single centavo for
the celebration of the town fiesta, for the education of the
children, and for their improvement of agriculture.
4. Tenants who had spent much labor in clearing the lands
were dispossessed of said lands for flimsy reason.
5. High rates of interest were charged the tenants for delayed
payment of rentals, and when the rentals could not be paid,
the hacienda their carabaos, tools and homes.
FAREWELL TO CALAMBA
Rizal's exposure of the deplorable conditions of tenancy in
Calamba infuriated further his enemies. The friars exerted
pressure on Malacañang Palace to eliminate him. They
asked Governor General Terrero to deport him, but the latter
refused because there was no valid charge against Rizal in the
court. Anonymous threats against Rizal's life were received by
his parents. The alarmed parents, relatives and friends
(including lt. Taviel de Andrade) advised him to go away, for
his life was in danger. He was compelled to leave Calamba for two
reasons:
(1) his presence in Calamba was jeopardizing the safety and
happiness of his family and friends and
(2) he could fight better his enemies and serve his country's
cause with greater efficacy by writing in foreign countries.
A POEM FOR LIPA
Before Rizal left Calamba in 1888 his friend from Lipa requested
him to write a poem in commemoration of the town's elevation a
villa (city) by virtue of the Beccerra Law of 1888. He wrote a
poem dedicated to the industrious folks of Lipa. This is the
“Himno Al Trabajo” (Hymn to Labor). He finish it before his
departure from Calamba.
Hymn to Labor
For the Motherland in war,
For the Motherland in peace,
Will the Filipino keep watch,
He will live until life will cease!
MEN:
Now the East is glowing with light,
Go! To the field to till the land,
For the labour of man sustains
Fam’ly, home and Motherland.
Hard the land may turn to be,
Scorching the rays of the sun above…
For the country, wife and children
All will be easy to our love.
(Chorus)
WIVES:
Go to work with spirits high,
For the wife keeps home faithfully,
Inculcates love in her children
For virtue, knowledge and country.
When the evening brings repose,
On returning joy awaits you,
And if fate is adverse, the wife,
Shall know the task to continue.
(Chorus)
MAIDENS :
Hail! Hail! Praise to labour,
Of the country wealth and vigor!
For it brow serene’s exalted,
It’s her blood, life, and ardor.
If some youth would show his love
Labor his faith will sustain :
Only a man who struggles and works
Will his offspring know to maintain.
(Chorus)
CHILDREN:
Teach, us ye the laborious work
To pursue your footsteps we wish,
For tomorrow when country calls us
We may be able your task to finish.
And on seeing us the elders will say :
“Look, they’re worthy ‘f their sires of yore!”
Incense does not honor the dead
As does a son with glory and valor.
CHAPTER 11: IN HONG KONG AND MACAO 1888
Rizal was forced to leave his country for a second time in
February 1888, now a full-grown man of 27 years of age, a
practicing physician, and a recognized man of letters. He
was an embittered victim of human iniquities, a
disillusioned dreamer, and a frustrated reformer. The first
time he went abroad in June 1882, he was 21 years old, a
youthful student in search of wisdom in the Old World, a
romantic idealist with beautiful dreams of emancipating
his people from bondage by the magic power of his pen.
THE TRIP TO HONG KONG.
Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong on February 3, 1888, on board
the Zafiro, and he was sick and sad during the crossing of the
choppy China Sea. He did not get off his ship when he made a
stopover at Among due to three reasons: not feeling well,
raining hard, and
hearing that the city was dirty. He arrived in Hong Kong and
wrote a letter to Blumentritt expressing his bitterness. This
letter runs as follows:
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. Oh, dear
Blumentritt, you have no idea of my minor odyssey. Without the
aid of my friend Lieutenant Taviel de Andrade, what would
become of me! Without the sympathies of the Governor General,
the directors of the civil administration and civil government, I
would now be in some dungeon..
-In Hong Kong, Rizal stayed at Victoria Hotel. He was welcomed
by the Filipino residents, including Jose Maria Bosa, Balbino
Mauricio, and Manuel Yriarte (son of Francisco Yriarte alcalde
mayor of Laguna)
~ A Spaniard, Jose Sainz de varanda, who was a former secretary
of Governor General Ferrero, shadowed Rizal’s movement in
Hong Kong. It is believed that he was commissioned by the
Spanish authorities to spy on Rizal.
~Hong Kong”, wrote Rizal to Blumentritt on February 16,1888,
is a small, but very clean city. Many Portuguese, Hindus,
English, Chinese, and Jews live in it. There some filipinos, the
majority of whom being those who had been exiled to the
Marianas Islands in 1872. They are poor, gentle, and timid.
Formerly, they were rich mechanics, industrialists, and
Financiers.
VISIT TO MACAO
February 18- Rizal accompanied by Basa, boarded the ferry
steamer Kiu-Kiang. He was surprised to see among the
passengers a familiar figure- Sainz de Varanda.
“The city of Macao,”, in his diary, “is small, low, and gloomy. There
are many junks, sampans, but few steamers. It looks sad and is
almost dead”.
Rizal and Basa stayed at the home of Don Juan Francisco
Lecaros- a Filipino gentlemen married to a portuguese lady
-rich and spent his days cultivating plants and flowers, many of
each came from the Philippines.
During his two-day sojourn in Macao, Rizal visited the theatre,
casino, cathedral and churches, pagodas botanical garden and
bazaars. He also saw the famous Grotto of Camoens, Portugal’s
national poet.
February 19 in the evening he witnessed a Catholic procession in
which the devotees were dressed in blue and purple dresses and
were carrying unlighted candles.
February 20- Rizal and Basa returned to Hong Kong, again on
board the ferry steamer Kiu Kiang.
EXPERIENCES IN HONG KONG
In two weeks of visiting in Hong Kong, Rizal studied Chinese life,
language, drama and customs. He wrote his own diary the
following experiences.
• First was the noisy celebration of the Chinese New Year which
lasted from February 11th (Saturday) to 13th (Monday). Rizal
himself fired many Firecrackers at the window of his hotel.
•Second was the Boisterous Chinese theatre. In the Chinese
dramatic art Rizal observed a man astride a stick means a man
riding on horseback an actor rising his leg means he is entering a
house, a red dress indicates a wedding, a girl about to be married
coyly covers her face with a fan even in the presence of her fiance
and a man raising a whip signifies he is about to ride a horse.
•Third was the marathon ( auriat party, wherein the guests were
served a numerous dishes such as dried fruits, geese, shirps etc.
The longest meal in the world.
•Fourth was the Dominican order was the richest religious order
in Hong Kong. It owned more than 700 houses for rent and many
shares in foreign bank.
•Fifth was the Hong Kong cemeteries belonging to the
protestants, Catholics and Muslim, Protestants was the most
beautiful. The Catholic cemetery was most pompous with
expensive mausoleum. The Muslim cemetery was the simplest.
DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG
• On February 22,1888, Rizal left Hong Kong on board Oceanic.
• Rizal did not like the meals on board but likes the ship because it
was clean and efficiently managed.
• His cabinmate was a British Protestant missionary who has
lives in China for 27 year. Rizal called him “a good man.”

GROUP 3
JULIUS CALVIN D. URSUA
KRISTENE JOY G. TAMAYO
JOYCE C. PIMENTEL
DOLLY JANE G. ABARQUEZ
JULUIS E. VENTENILLA