LESSON: 8
JOSE RIZAL AND HIS THOUGHTS ON
EDUCATION (Rizal would Criticize Today’s
Society)
Introduction
Education is an important value that we
Filipinos have. While it is practical and enhances a
person’s intellect and give him opportunities to
pursue careers and occupations, it brings a person
to a respectable social status.
However, Filipinos at the time of Rizal did
not have the same educational system that we
have now. Our system today, respects academic
freedom, allows free intellectual growth and
coupled with good facilities. Institutions follow
uniform standards. All Filipinos, rich and poor alike,
have opportunities to go to school. During the
hero’s time, they did not have the same privileges
that we have. The system was poorly managed,
and the government could not provide enough
facilities.
The state of education in the Philippines during the
Spanish Period
-There was inadequate educational system.
- The poor system caused intellectual decadence.
- There was no education curricula.
- There was inadequate facilities.
- School use obsolete teaching methods.
- There was no government supervision of school.
- Students did not enjoy academic freedom.
- Teachers were not qualified.
- Friars control schools.
- Training to memorize and do rote memory exercises
and limiting success to memorizing hampered
intellectual progress
- Filipinos suffered from discrimination in education
- There were limited number of schools.
University of Sto. Tomas (college)
Colegio de San Juan de Letran (the official secondary
school)
Ateneo de manila
Colegio de Santa Isabel
College of La Concordia (1869)
 Seminaries in Manila, Cebu, Jaro, Nueva
Caceres, Nueva Segovia maintained by
religious orders
 Latin schools, school for boys and girls
 There were trainings for Filipinos to become
diocesan priests (non-members of the
religious)
Two important decrees on education:
Education Decree of 1861
Moret Decree of 1870
-Educational reforms started on 1855
-Governor Crespo organized a commission to study the
condition of the educational system in the Philippines
and find remedial measure to improve elementary
education.
Educational Decree of December 20, 1863
- establishment of one primary school in every town for
boys and girls
- teachers were trained at a normal school for men
(starting 1865; this made training available for aspiring
secondary school teacher)
- government finally supervised public schools; - Friars
were assigned to implement the educational reforms,
however they did not agree with the teaching of the
Spanish language;they thought that Filipinos would
oppose Spain after learning the language
- they tried to keep the filipinos in “darkness”; and
controlled the flow of ideas of freedom and
independence
- books to be read by Filipinos had to be checked
(censored) by government and church authorities
Segismundo Moret
-Former minister of the crown
-Read and liked the novel
-Segismundo Moret also defend Noli me Tangere
Moret Decree of 1870
-Reforms intended: secularization of education in the
Philippines, government control over education
-The decree was not implmented
However, the decree inspired students to clamor for
reforms in education
RIZAL'S ACTIVITIES IN DAPITAN
( 1893-1896 )
" I WANT TO DO ALL THAT I CAN FOR THIS TOWN "
 Rizal was exiled in Dapitan from July 17, 1892 to
July 31, 1896
 He Established " Clinic "
 Rizal operated his mother's cataract
 Rizal Studied local medicine
 He Established " SCHOOL "
 NO TUITION FEE
 He taught his students a practical skills of self
sufficiency and resourcefulness
 HE TAUGHT: - Reading - Writing- Geography –
History - Arithmetic – Mathematics - Industrial
Arts - Natural Science - Values ( Moral ) –
Gymnastics
 He conducted his classes under the Talisay Tree
  He Established " COMMUNITY PROJECTS "-
WATER SYSTEM (Talisay Water System),
BEAUTIFICATION OF THE TOWN (Relief map of
Mindanao)
• Scientific Discoveries
- Draco Rizali
- Apogonia Rizali
- Racophoruz Rizali
BUSINESS
-fishing, copra,hemp
FARMING
• He bought hectars of land
• He introduced modern methods of Farming.
INVENTOR
• Rizal's cigarette lighter
ARTIST
• PAINTINGS
• SKETCHES
• SCULPTURE
ROMANCE WITH JOSEPHINE BRACKEN
A D I O S, D A P I T A N ! 1893-1896
JULY 31, 1896 - RIZAL LEFT DAPITAN
He was approved to be a doctor of Spanish Army in
Cuba
LESSON 9:
RIZAL AS A REFORMIST AND A REVOLUTIONARY
INTRODUCTION
The concept of truth, justice, freedom, love,
equality and peace are enshrined in the Philippine
Constitution. The concepts are considered universal
principles, so that all groups of people of
different nations, have ways to give them effect and
give their constituents opportunities to enjoy
them. As in our Constitution, substantive civil and
political rights are based on them, legal
duties limit their exercise to promote fairness to all,
responsibilities burden all with equity still on
account of these principles.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REFORM AND REVOLUTION
THE CONCEPTS OF REFORM AND REVOLUTION BRING
ABOUT THE IDEA OF SOCIAL CHANGE AND
INNOVATION.
REFORM
THE TERM “REFORM” IS USED FREQUENTLY BY
POLITICIANS, SOCIAL GROUPS AND MASSES WHO WISH
TO ACHIEVE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGES BY
IMPROVING THE STATUS QUO.
REVOLUTION
IS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE THAT RESULTS IN THE
OVERTHROW OF THE STATUS QUO, AND ESPECIALLY OF
THE GOVERNMENT,BYFORCE.
CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
A CLASS OF RIGHTS THAT PROTECT INDIVIDUALS'
FREEDOM FROM INFRINGEMENT BY GOVERNMENTS,
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS
POLITICAL RIGHTS
THESE ARE THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL PROCESSES. IT ALSO
INCLUDES NATURAL JUSTICE IN LAW.
CIVIL RIGHTS
IT ENSURES THE PEOPLE'S PHYSICAL AND MENTAL
INTEGRITY, LIFE AND SAFETY PROTECTION FROM
DISCRIMINATION ON GROUNDS.
EXAMPLES OF CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
RIGHT TO VOTE
ALL CITIZENS OF THE PHILIPPINES EXERCISE SUFFRAGE,
NOT OTHERWISE DISQUALIFIED BY LAW, WHO ARE AT
LEAST EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE, AND WHO SHALL HAVE
RESIDED IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR AT LEAST ONE TEAR
AND IN THE PLACE WHEREIN THEY PROPOSE TO VOTE,
FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING
THE ELECTION.
RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL
IT IS A DUE PROCESS THAT IS INTERPRETED AS THE
RIGHT TO BE TREATED FAIRLY, EFFICIENTLY AND
EFFECTIVELY BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. THE
RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS PLACE LIMITATIONS ON LAWS
AND LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE
FUNDAMENTAL FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE
RIGHT TO GOVERNMENT SERVICES
IT MAINTAINS THE COUNTRY'S INFRASTRUCTURES,
PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT, STRENGTHENS THE
ECONOMY, AND ENSURES ACCESS TO EDUCATION
WERE ALSO CONSIDERED IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT
PRIORITIES
RIGHT TO A PUBLIC EDUCATION
IT PROTECTS AND PROMOTES THE RIGHT OF ALL
CITIZENS TO QUALITY EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS, AND
SHALL TAKE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO MAKE SUCH
EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
RIGHT TO USE PUBLIC FACILITIES
ACT OF 1964 PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION IN PUBLIC
FACILITIES BECAUSE OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, OR
NATIONAL ORIGIN. PUBLIC FACILITIES ARE FACILITIES
OWNED, OPERATED OR MANAGED BY THE STATE OR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LIKE COURTHOUSES OR JAILS.
RIGHT TO LIBERTY AND SECURITY OF THE PERSON
THIS PROTECTS AGAINST THE UNLAWFUL OR
ARBITRARY DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY. A PERSON WHO
IS ARRESTED OR DETAINED IS ENTITLED TO CERTAIN
MINIMUM RIGHTS.
RIGHT TO EQUAL PROTECTION BEFORE THE LAW
-EVERY PERSON HAS THE RIGHT TO ENJOY THE
PERSON'S HUMAN RIGHTS WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION.
-EVERY PERSON IS EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW AND IS
ENTITLED TO EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAW
WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION.
-EVERY PERSON HAS THE RIGHT TO EQUAL AND
EFFECTIVE PROTECTION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION.
RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY
EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL
ASSEMBLY AND TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION WITH
OTHERS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO FORM AND JOIN
TRADE UNIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF HIS
INTERESTS
RIGHTS TO BE FREE FROM TORTURE
IT STATES THAT A PERSON MUST NOT BE TORTURED OR
TREATED IN A WAY THAT IS CRUEL, INHUMAN OR
DEGRADING.
RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
-EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF
EXPESSION.
-THIS RIGHT SHALL INCLUDE FREEDOM TO HOLD
OPINIONS AND TO RECEIVE AND IMPART
INFORMATION AND IDEAS WITHOUT INTERFERENCE BY
PUBLIC AUTHORITY AND REGARDLESS OF FRONTIERS.
FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set
forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind,
such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or
other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth
or other status
ACCESS TO THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM
ability of people to seek and obtain a remedy through
formal or informal institutions of justice for grievances
in compliance with human rights standards.
PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL LIFE
Political rights refer to an individual's ability to
participate in the civil and political life of the society and
state without fear of discrimination or repression, and is
tied closely to citizenship status.
FREEDOM OF RELIGION
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought,
conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to
change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone
or in community with others and in public or private, to
manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching,
practice and observance.
ACCESS TO INFORMATION
right to access information is an essential component of
a democratic society – enabling citizens to hold their
elected representatives accountable for the decisions
they make and the ways in which they spend public
money
RIGHT TO PRIVATE AND FAMILY LIFE
Article 8: Right to privacy
Everyone has the right to respect for his private and
family life, his home and his correspondence
PROPERTY RIGHTS
define the theoretical and legal ownership of resources
and how they can be used
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
right to move freely within a country for those who are
lawfully within the country, the right to leave any
country and the right to enter a country of which you
are a citizen
RIGHT TO SEEK ASYLUM
According to Article 14 , everyone has the right to seek
and to enjoy asylum. The declaration is regarded as a
milestone in international human rights law.
MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPAGANDA:
-Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes
-Rights for diocesan clergy to administer parishes
(Secularization)
-Equality of Spanish and Filipino and equal opportunity
to enter government service
- Spanish citizenship to Filipinos
-Recognition of the Philippines as a province of Spain
(Assimilation)
-Abolition of the mandatory polo y servicios and the
bandala
-Recognition for basic freedoms of people in the
Philippines
MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE KATIPUNAN:
political – independence or separation of the Philippines
from Spain
moral – good manners, hygiene, good morals, and
rejection of religious fanaticism and weakness of
character
civic – self-help and the defense of the poor and the
oppressed
RIZAL AS REFORM AND REVOLUTION
DIFFERENCE OF REFORM AND REVOLUTION
Reforms usually imply that changes are made to the
existing structure . While revolution often entails the
complete disruption and radical change of the status
quo.
WHAT IS REFORM
Used by politicians, social groups and masses who wish
to achieve political and social changes by improving the
status quo. Modification of existing law, policies
practices and institutions with such changes being
achieved peaceful discussion
WHAT IS REVOLUTION
Radical and pervasive change in society and social
structure especially one made suddenly and often
accompanied by violence. Compare social evolution, a
sudden complete or marked change in something
RENATO CONSTANTINO 1968 ESSAY 2VERENATION
WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING
Argued that Rizal was against revolution.
Dec. 1896
Constantino based this view on a document of Rizal in
dec. 1896 that asking Katepuneros to lay down arms
condemning violence that was planned without his
knowledge and consent
June 19, 1887
RIZAL is branded reformists because they have not read
his letter to Ferdinand Blumentritt that says
" I assure you that I have no desire to take part in
conspiracies which seem to me very premature and
risky. But if government drives us to brink, that is to say
when no other hopes remains but seek destruction in
war, when Filipinos word prefer to die rather than
endure their misery any longer , then I will also a
partisan of violent means
RIZAL VS BONIFACIO
Rizal as reformists
Andres Bonifacio was revolution
These positions are clearly seen,
iconographically, with Rizal/Bonifacio, such that when
students play out the characters in the “Noli Me
Tangere” representing positions of reform/revolution,
Ibarra always looks like Rizal in monuments, with the
black coat, book and quill; while Elias looks like
Bonifacio in statues, wearing a white camisa de chino
and red kundiman pants, and carrying a bolo
Rizal could not have thought of Bonifacio when
he published the “Noli” in 1887. Thus, if we are to
understand Rizal correctly when Ibarra and Elias discuss
their positions on reform and revolution, this is not Rizal
and Bonifacio arguing. Rather, both Ibarra and Elias are
Rizal. In the “Noli” we see Rizal thinking aloud, arguing
with himself.
Jose Rizal as a revolutionary is obvious when re-
reading his personal letters to other Filipinos and to
Blumentritt. He states, fairly straight forward in fact,
that the Propaganda was finished, and that action in the
Philippines was the next step. In this he broke away
from other Propagandists
Lesson 10
THE LAST WORKS OF RIZAL AND THE RETRACTION
CONTROVERSY
THE LAST WORK OF RIZAL
WHEN DID RIZAL KNOW OF HIS SENTENCE AND
DEATH?
DECEMBER 26, 1896
 THE MILITARY COURT TRIED JOSE RIZAL; FOUND
GUILTY OF REBELLION,SEDITION, AND
CONSPIRACY.
REASON: ACCORDING TO SPANISH AUTHORITIES,
RIZAL'S WRITINGS "FATALLY AND NECESSARILY"
INCITED THE REBELLION.
6:00 AM
CAPT. RAFAEL DOMINGUEZ READ BEFORE HIS DEATH
SENTENCE.
WHEN DID RIZAL SPEND HIS LAST HOURS?
 RIZAL WAS TRANSFERRED TO HIS DEATH CELL
IN FORT SANTIAGO
 HIS COUNSEL
 SPANISH OFFICIALS
 PRIESTS
 FORMER PROFESSORS
 ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA, REV. BERNARDINO
NOZELADA, WHO CLAIMED THAT RIZAL
RECANTED HIS STATEMENTS AGAINST THE
CHURCH AND RETURNED TO THE CATHOLIC
FAITH.
 THE CONTROVERSY OVER RIZAL'S RETRACTION
HAS NOT BEEN SETTLED. THE "ORIGINAL"
DOCUMENT OF RIZAL'S "RETRACTION" WAS
FOUND IN THE ARCHIDIOCESAN ARCHIVES IN
1935, 39 YEARS AFTER HAVING DISAPPEARED
THE DAY RIZAL WAS SHOT. THERE WAS NO
RECORD OF ANYBODY SEEING THIS "ORIGINAL"
DOCUMENT IN 1896,EXCEPT THE PUBLICHERS
OF LA VOZ ESPANOLA, WHICH PUBLISHED ITS
CONTENTS ON THE DAY OF RIZAL'S EXECUTION.
 ‘’WE HAVE SEEN AND READ HIS (RIZAL’S) OWN
HANDWRITTEN RETRACTION WHICH HE SENT
TO OUR DEAR AND VENERABLE
ARCHBISHOP....” MOST EXPERTS THINK THAT
THE HANDWRITING ON THE DOCUMENT IS
AUTHENTIC. HOWEVER, SCHOLARS ARE
BAFFLED AS TO WHY RIZAL, WHO
COURAGEOUSLY FACED PERSECUTION FOR
MOST OF HIS LIFE, AND WHO WAS FINALLY
SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HIS BELIEFS,
WOULD SUDDENLY BALK AT THE LAST, FUTIILE
MOMENT.
 WHAT ELSE DID RIZAL DO DURING HIS LAST
HOURS?
 he read the bible
 Read Thomas à Kempis’s "Imitation of
Christ"
 He also wrote his last poem “Mi Ultimo
Adiós”
 he wrote letters to Paciano Rizal and
Ferdinand Blumentritt
LAST HOUR OF RIZAL
 AFTER BEING COURT-MARTIALED, RIZAL
RETURNED TO HIS CELL IN FORT SANTIAGO TO
PREPARE HIS RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY.
 DURING HIS LAST 24 HOURS ON EARTH – FROM
6:00 A.M. OF DEC. 29 TO 6:00 A.M. OF DEC. 30,
1896
– HE WAS BUSY MEETING VISITORS
WHICH INCLUDES HIS FAMILY AND
FRIENDS.
 HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO WRITE HIS LAST POEM –
HIS FINAL CONTRIBUTION FOR THE
EMANCIPATION OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE.
 AS A CHRISTIAN AND A HERO-MARTYR, HE WAS
SERENELY RESIGNED TO DIE FOR HIS BELOVED
COUNTRY.
DECEMBER 29, 1896
6:00 AM
Captain Rafael Rodriguez read Rizal’s death sentence –
- he will be shot at the back by firing squad at in
Bagumbayan.
7:00 A.M.
Rizal was moved to the prison chapel where he spent
his last moments. His first visitors were Jesuit priests.
7 : 15 AM
Rizal reminded Fr. Luis Viza the statuette of the Sacred
Heart of Jesus whom he carved wih his pen knife as a
student in Ateneo.
8 : 00 AM
Rizal had a breakfast with Fr. Antonio Rosell. After
breakfast, his attorney, Lt.Luis Taviel de Andrade came.
9 : 00 AM
Fr. Federico Faura arrived. Rizal reminded the priest of
his earlier ‘prophecy’ about Rizal.
10 : 00 AM
More Jesuit priests had visited him. After then, he was
interviewed by Santiago Mataix for the newspaper El
Heraldo de Madrid.
12:00-3 : 30 PM
Rizal was left alone in his cell. He took his lunch and
continued writing his farewell poem which he hid in an
alcohol cooking stove. He also wrote his last letter to
Prof. Blumentritt.
Prof. Ferdinanad Blumentritt:
My dear Brother:
When you receive this letter, I shall be dead.
Tomorrow at 7, shall be shot; but I am innocent of the
crime of rebellion.
I am going to die with a tranquil conscience.
Goodbye, my best, my dearest friend, and never
think ill of me.
Fort Santiago, December 29, 1896.
(Signed) Jose Rizal
Regards to the entire family, to Sra. Rosa, Loleng,
Conradito, and Federico.
I am leaving a book for you as a last remembrance of
mine.
3 : 30 PM
Father Vicente Balaguer returned to fort santiago and
discussed with Rizal his retraction letter of the anti-
catholic ideas in his writings and membership in
masonry
4: 00 PM
Teodora Alonzo visited him. They had a very emotional
encounter. Rizal gave the alcohol cooking stove to
Trinidad which contains his farewell poem. Several
priests have visited him afterwards.
6:00 PM
Don Silvino Lopez, dean of the Manila Cathedral visited
him.
8:00 PM
Rizal had his last supper. He told Captain Dominguez
that he forgave his enemies including the military
judges.
9:30 PM
Rizal was visited by Don GasparCestano, fiscal of the
Royal Audience deManila
10:00 PM
The draft of the retraction letter sent by the anti-Filipino
Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda was given by
Fr.Balaguer to Rizal for his signature. He had rejected it.
WHEN WAS RIZAL EXECUTED?
On December 30, 1896, around 7 a.m at Luneta,
Manila, Rizal was executed by firing squad
DECEMBER 30, 1896
3:00 A.M.
Rizal heard masses, confessed his sins and took holy
communion .
5:30 A.M.
He took his last breakfast in earth, after this he wrote 2
letters address to his family and older brother paciano.
To my family,
I ask you for forgiveness for the pain I cause you, but
some day I shall have to die and it is better that I die
now in the plentitude of my conscience.
Dear parents, sisters and brother, Give thanks to God
that I may preserve my tranquility before my death. I
die resigned, hoping that with my death you will be left
in peace. Ah! It is better to die than to live suffering.
Console yourselves.
I enjoin you to forgive one another the little
meanness of life and try to live united in peace and
good harmony. Treat your old parents as you would like
to be treated by your children later. Love them very
much in my memory.
Bury me in the ground. Place a stone and a cross over
it. My name, the date of my birth and of my death.
Nothing more. If later you wish to surround my grave
with a fence, you can do it. No anniversaries. I prefer
Paang Bundok.
Have pity on poor Josephine.
To Paciano,
It has been four years a half that we have not seen
each other, addressed each other in writing or orally. I
don't think this is due to a lack of affection on my part
or yours but, knowing each other so well, we has no
need of words to understand each other.
Now I am about to die, and it is to you that I
dedicate any last lines, to tell you how sad I am to leave
you alone in life, burdened with the weight of the family
and our old parents.
I am thinking of how you have worked to enable
me to have a career. I believe I have not tried to waste
my time. Brother, if the fruit has been bitter, it's not my
fault, it is the fault of circumstances. I know that you
have suffered much because of me, I am so sorry.
I assure you that I am innocent of this crime of
rebellion. If my former writings had contributed this, I
should not deny it but then I believe I have cleansed
myself of this with my exile.
Tell our father I remember him, but how? I
remember my whole childhood, his tenderness, his
love. Ask him to forgive me for the pain I caused him
unwillingly.
Your brother,
Jose Rizal
5:30 AM
Josephine Bracken, accompanied by a sister of Rizal
(Josefa), arrived. Josephine, with tears in her eyes, bade
him farewell. Rizal embraced her for the last time and
before she left, Rizal gave her a last gift a religious book,
Imitation of Christ by Father Thomas a Kempis.
6:00 AM
As the soldiers were getting ready for the death march
to Bagumbayan, Rizal wrote his last letter to his beloved
parent
My beloved father,
Pardon me for the pain with which I repay you for
sorrow and sacrifices for my education.
I did not want nor did I prefer it.
Goodbye father, goodbye..
To my very dear mother,
Sra. Doña. Teodora Alonso
6 o'clock in the morning Dec 30, 1896
Jose Rizal
6:30 AM
Trumpet sounded at Fort Santiago, a signal to begin the
death march to Bagumbayan, the designated place for
the execution.
7:00 AM
Arrived at the bagong bayan.
7:03 AM
Rizal died in the bloom of manhood at the aged 35
years, 5 months and 11 days.
THE RETRACTION CONTROVERSY
RETRACTION
It is an act of a person to renounce his own statement
thereby reversing what has been establish as fact with
said statement
I declare myself a catholic and in this Religion in
which I was born and educated I wish to live and die.
I retract with all my heart whatever in my words,
writings, publications and conduct has been contrary to
my character as son of the Catholic Church. I believe
and I confess whatever she teaches and I submit to
whatever she demands. I abominate Masonry, as the
enemy which is of the Church, and as a Society
prohibited by the Church. The Diocesan Prelate may, as
the Superior Ecclesiastical Authority, make public this
spontaneous manifestation of mine in order to repair
the scandal which my acts may have caused and so that
God and people may pardon me.
Manila 29 of December of 1896
–José Rizal–
4 Different Version of Rizal Retraction
 The text published in La Voz Española and Diaro
de Manila on the veryday of Rizal Execution,
Dec 30, 1896
 Came from an anonymous writer who revealed
himself years later as fr. Balaguer it appeared in
 Barcelona, Spain on February 14, 1897, in the
fortnightly magazine in La Juventud
 That was said to be the original text was
discovered in Archdiocesan archives on May 18,
1935 after disappeared for 39 years from the
afternoon of the day when Rizal shoot.
 Appeared in El Imparcial on the day after Rizal's
execution. It is the short formula of the
retraction.
IT IS TRUE THAT RIZAL RETRACTED?
EVIDENCE OF RIZAL RETRACTION
 Fr. Balaguer say, Rizal on the 29th day of
december 1896, he said he witness Rizal wrote
& signed the retractioN document with other
jesuit priest present at the death cell.
 1935 original letter of rizal reteaction was found
by Fr. Manuel Garcia.
 Rizal signed the prayer book entitled acts of
faith, hope and charity.
 Rizal perform acts of piety during his 24 hours
REASON FOR RETRACTION
1. To give Josephine a legal status as his wife.
2. Rizal want to save his family from further
persecution.
3. To secure reforms from spanish government.
Rafael Palma
"The letter of retraction is not keeping with Rizal
character and mature beliefs. The retraction story is a
pious fraud"
EVIDENCE AGAINST RETRACTION
1. Rizal burial was kept secret.
2. He was not buried in the Catholic cemetery of
paco but in the ground.
3. There was no entry in the book of burials that
rizal body was buried on the page of December
30 and it appears on social pages.
4. There is no marriage certificate on public
records of the marriage with Josephine Bracken
5. Retraction document wasn't made in public
until 1935.
FR. VICENTE BALAGUER- FR. Pio Pi-Archbishop
Bernardino nozalza- Thomas Gonzalez Feijoo
6. The differences between the text of 1935
document and the version of the retraction of
the Jesuit priest had present.
 First, instead of the words "mi cualidad" (with
"u") which appear in the original and the
newspaper texts, the Jesuits’ copies have "mi
calidad" (with "u").
 Second, the Jesuits’ copies of the retraction
omit the word "Catolica" after the first "Iglesias"
which are found in the original and the
newspaper texts.
 Third, the Jesuits’ copies of the retraction add
before the third "Iglesias" the word "misma"
which is not found in the original and the
newspaper texts of the retraction.
 Fourth, with regards to paragraphing which
immediately strikes the eye of the critical
reader, Fr. Balaguer’s text does not begin the
second paragraph until the fifth sentences while
the original and the newspaper copies start the
second paragraph immediately with the second
sentences.
 Fifth, whereas the texts of the retraction in the
original and in the manila newspapers have only
four commas, the text of Fr. Balaguer’s copy has
eleven commas.
 Sixth, the most important of all, Fr. Balaguer’s
copy did not have the names of the witnesses
from the texts of the newspapers in Manila.
Recardo Pascual
concluded that the 1935 retraction document
was a forgery. but he was not able to identify the
forgers.
Teodoro M. kalaw
Said that the retractioN was really originally
written by Rizal , it has been judge by them through
their deep study.
CONCLUSION
Whether the said controversy is true or not, the
important thing is Dr. Jose Rizal has made a large
contribution and is considered as largest factor why we
claimed our independence against Spaniards.
As senator Jose Diokno stated, “Rizal is still Rizal
– the hero who courted death ‘to prove to those who
deny our patriotism that we know how to die for our
duty and our beliefs’.” Whatever further study that may
emerge as to the truth about Rizal’s retraction
controversy, “…it detracts nothing from his greatness as
a Filipino.”.
LESSON 11: RIZAL'S EXILE TRIAL AND
EXECUTION
RIZAL'S EXILE
Jose Rizal's arrival in MAnila on June 26,
1892 had become very sensational among the
filipinos. his popularity feared the Spaniards, and
such paid careful attention to his every move - all
houses where he had been were searched and the
filipinos seen in his company and the filipinos seen
in his company were suspected.
as he had planned, on july 3, 1892 he
founded the la liga filipina in the house of doroteo
ongjunco in tondo, manila.
four days after the civic organization's
foundation, jose rizal was arrested by the spanish
authorities on four grounds;
1. For publishing anti-catholic and anti-friar
books and articles,
2. for having in possession, a bundle of
handbills, the Pobres frailes, in which
advocacies were in violation of the spanish
orders;
3. for dedicating his novel, el filibusterismo to
the three 'traitors' (gomez, burgos and
zamora) and for emphasizing on the novel's
title page that "the only salvation for the
philippines was separation from the mother
country (referring to spain)", and
4. for simply criticizing the religion and aiming
for its exclusion from the filipino culture.
RIZAL'S EXILE in DAPITAN
 june 17, 1892-rizal, together with his guard
captain ricardo carnicero, arrived in dapitan
 rizal was given the choice to live in the
house of the parish priest, fr. antonio
obach or at carnicero's house
He could live in priest's quarters only if:
*he publicly retracted his masonic and antichurch
beliefs
*he regularly participate in church rites
*he conduct himself as a good spanish subject and
a man of religion
*rizal made him a bust and composed a poem in
his honor "a don ricardo carnicero" on his
birthday on august 26, 1892
LIFE IN TALISAY
 BOTH MEN BETTED on the lottery and won
20,000 pesos
 lottery ticket number: 9736
 rizal built a school and accepted students
with no tuition
 the other part was used for his eye clinic
 he also built a house for the ladies in his
family who were to visit him in dapitan
 carnicero also wrote a letter to governor
generalto allow his mother and sisters to
join him in dapitan
 may 4, 1893-carnicero was replaced by
captain juan sitges
 he did not want living with a deportee
 he assigned rizal to live in a house near the
headquarters
 the jesuits sent is old professor at the
ateneo, fr. francisco de paula sanchez-to
entice him back to the church
 he helped clean up the plaza of dapitan and
lit it up at night with coconut oil lamps
 rizal fell in love with the eighteen-year old
josephine bracken
RIZAL'S EXILE
 Rizal and Josephine tried to have
themselves married at Catholic Rites but Fr.
Obach Required that rizal retract his beliefs.
 Rizal's relatives and friends looked at
Josephine with suspicion and
condescension.
 Pablo Mercado - a spy of the friars who
posed as Rizal's Relative ( florencio
namaan - his true name)
Pio Valenzuela- an emissary of andres bonifacio,
he was asking for advice on how to launch a
revolution. he offered to have katipunan assist him
in escaping from dapitan.
RIZAL'S EXILE
 rizal objected to the projected revolution, the
revolutionaries must have enough arms and
weapons.
 When cuba was under revolution and raging
yellow fever epidemic, rizal wrote to
governor general ramon blanco offering his
service as a military doctor.
July 1, 1896- governor general ramon blanco
approved the request of rizal .
RIZAL'S EXILE
 at the midight of that day, he left aboard the
steamer ESPAÑa.
 the towns people of dapitan wept because
they considered rizal as a good son and
neighbor.
 He stayed in dapitan for four years, thirteen
days and a few hours.
August 6, 1896-upon arriving in manila bay , rizal
was not able to leave immediately for spain in the
vessel isla de luzon already left.
Aug. 6, - Sept. 2, 1896- He was transferred to
spanish cruiser castilla and stayed there for a
month.
August 19, 1896- the katipunan plot to overthrow
the spanish rule by means of revolution, it was
discovered by fr. mariano gil after teodoro
patino's disclosure of organization's secrets.
at that time, katipunan was already
discovered and the philippine revolution was
already raging.
August 26, 18960- Bonifacio and katipunan raised
the cry of revolution (sigaw sa pugadlawin) in
the hills of balintawak , a few miles north of manila.
 in the afternoon, governor general blanco
proclaimed a state of war in the first eight
provinces for rising arms against spain.
 : manila, bulacan, cavite, batangas,
laguna, pampanga, nueva ecija, and
tarlac.
 rizal received letters from governor
general blanco which absolved him from
all the blame for the raging revolution.
 He transferred to isla de panay which was
sailing for Barcelona, spain.
Don Pedro Roxas- advised rizal to stay and take
advantage of the protection of british law.
RIZAL'S TRIAL
September 30, 1896 at 4:00 pm
 The Isla De Panay had already sailed past
Port Said in Egypt and was now sailing in
the Mediterranean.
September 30, 1896
 A telegraphic message was received
ordering that Rizal be placed under arrest.
OCTOBER 3, 1896
 The isla de panay arrived in barcelona with
rIZAL a prisoner on board.
 rizal was confined in his cabin
 he was arrested by former gov. general
eulogio despujol, the man who placed him
in exile in dapitan now serving as the
military commander of barcelona.
OCTOBER 6, 1896
 Rizal conscientiously recorded the events in
his diary.
 He was given a good cabin in the second
class and although strictly guarded, he was
courteously treated by the army officers.
 rizal was escorted to the prison - fortress
named montjuich- an infamous fortress in
madrid.
rizal's interview with despujol he would be shipped
back to manila.
on the night of the same day, after the interview,
rizal was taken aboard the colon which was loaded
with spanish troops sailed for manila.
OCTOBER 8, 1896
 rizal learned that the madrid papers were
full of stories regarding the revolutions in the
philippines and he was blamed for it.
"i belive that what god is doing to me is a
blessing , allowing me to go back to the
philippines in order to be able to destroy such
accusations. because either they do me justice
and recognize my innocence and then i will be
rehabilitated or they sentence me to death and
thereby, before the eyes of society, i atone for
my supposed crime society will forgive me and
later, without any doubt, justice will be done me
and i will be one more martyr. at any rate
instead of dying abroad or in the manigua
( jungle in cuba). i'll die in my own country. i
believe that what is happening is the best that
can happen to me. always let god's will be done
! i feel more calm with regard to my future. i feel
that peace has descended upon me, thank god !
thou art my hope and my consolation! let your
will be done; i am ready to obey it. either i will
be condemned or absolved. im happy and
ready."
CONFISCATION OF RIZAL'S DIARY
octoBER 11, 1896
 rizal's diary was confiscated during his way
to port said, his cabin was searched nothing
significant was found..
UNSUCCESSFUL RESCUE IN SINGAPORE MANILA ON SEPTEMBER 12 , 1891. THIS
POEM AS FOLLOWS:
dr. antonio ma. regidor and sixto lopez
 they exerted all their efforts to find a lawyer
in singapore who could aid their friend Kundiman
ATTORNEY HUGH FORT IN THE ORIENT BEAUTIFUL
 AN ENGLISH LAWYER IN SINGAPORE. WHERE THE SUN IS BORN,
 UNFORTUNATELY, CHIEF JUSTICE IN A LAND OF BEAUTY
LIONEL, THE JUDGE IN SINGapore FULL OF ENCHANTMENTS
denied the request. BUT BOUND IN CHAINS.
WHERE THE DESPOT REIGNS,
ARRIVAL IN MANILA THE LAND DEAREST TO ME.
nOVEMBER 3, 1896 AH! THAT IS MY COUNTRY,
 THE COLON ARRIVED IN MANILA BAY SHE IS A SLAVE OPPRESSED
AND RIZAL WAS TAKEN TO FORT GROANING IN THE TYRANTS GRIPS;
SANTIAGO. LUCKY SHALL HE BE
WHO CAN GIVE HER LIBERTY

 DEODATO ARELLANO 5. A LETTER OF CARLOS OLIVER TO AN

 DR. PIO VALENZUELA UNIDENTIFIED PERSON DATED
 MOISES SALVADOR BARCELONA, SEPTEMBER 18, 1891,
 JOSE DIZON DESCRIBING RIZAL AS THE MAN TO
 DOMINGO FRANCO FREE THE PHILIPPINES FROM SPANISH
 TEMOTEO PAEZ OPPRESSION.
 PEDRO SERRANO LAKTAW 6. A MASONIC DOCUMENT, DATED
MANILA, FEBRUARY 9, 1892, HONORING
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION RIZAL FOR HIS PATRIOTIC SERVICES.
NOVEMBER 20, 1896 7. A LETTER SIGNED DIMASALANG
 RIZAL WAS BROUGHT BEFORE A (RIZAL'S PSEUDONYM) TO TENLUZ
SPANISH MILITARY TRIBUNAL HEADED ( JUAN ZULUETA'S PSEUDONYM),
BY COLONEL FRANCISCO OLIVE. DATED HONGKONG. MAY 24, 1892,
STATING THAT HE WAS PREPARING A
TWO KINDS OF EVIDENCE WERE PRESENTED SAFE REFUGE FOR FILIPINOS WHO
AGAINST RIZAL, NAMELY DOCUMENTARY AND MAY BE PROSECUTED BY THE SPANISH
TESTIMONIAL. THE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE AUTHORITIES.
CONSISTED OF FIFTEEN EXHIBITS, AS 8. A LETTER OF DIMASALANG TO AN
FOLLOWS: UNIDENTIFIED COMMITTEE, DATED
1. A LETTER OF ANTONIO LUNA TO HONGKONG JUNE 1, 1892, SOLICITING
MARIANO PONCE, DATED MADRID, THE AID OF THE COMMITTEE IN THE
OCTOBER 16, 1888 SHOWING RIZAL'S "PATRIOTIC WORK".
CONNECTION WITH THE FILIPINO 9. AN ANONYMOUS AND UNDATED
REFORM CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN. LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE
2. A LETTER OF RIZAL TO HIS FAMILY, HONGKONG TELEGRAPH , CENSURING
DATED MADRID, AUGUST 20, 1890, THE BANISHMENT OF RIZAL TO
STATING THAT THE DEPORTATIONS DAPITAN.
ARE GOOD FOR THEY WILL 10. A LETTER OF ILDEFONSO LAUREL TO
ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE TO HATE RIZAL, DATED MANILA, SEPTEMBER 3,
TYRRANY. 1892, SAYING THAT THE FILIPINO
3. A LETTER FROM MARCELO H. DEL PEOPLE LOOK UP TO HIM (RIZAL) AS
PILAR TO DEODATO ARELLANO, DATED THEIR SAVIOR.
MADRID, JANUARY 7, 1889, 11. A LETTER OF ILDEFONSO LAUREL TO
IMPLICATING RIZAL IN THE RIZAL DATED MANILA, 17, 1893,
PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN IN SPAIN. INFORMING UNIDENTIFIED
4. A POEM ENTITLED KUNDIMAN, CORRESPONDENT OF THE ARREST
ALLEGEDLY WRITTEN BY RIZAL IN
 AND BANISHMENT OF DOROTEO 1. the accused be immediately brought to trial
CORTES and ambrosio salvador. 2. he should be kept in prison
12. a letter of marcelo h. del pilar to don juan a. 3. an order of attachment be issued against
tenluz (juan zuleta) dated madrid, june 1, his property to the amount of 1 million pesos
1893 recommending the establishment of a as indemnity
special organization, independent of 4. he should be defended in court by an army
masonry, to help the cause of the filipino officer, not by a civillian lawyer
people.
13. transcript of a speech of pingkian (emilio RIZAL CHOOSES HIS DEFENDER
jacinto), in a reunion of the katipunan on july DECEMBER 8, 1896
23, 1893, in which the following cry was  FEAST DAY OF IMMACULATE
uttered "long live the philippines! long live CONCEPTION, A LIST OF 100 FIRST AND
liberty1 long live doctor jose rizal! Unity!. SECOND LIUTENANTS IN THE SPANISH
14. transcript of a speech of tik-tik (jose turiano ARMY WAS PRESENTED TO RIZAL.
santiago) in the same katipunan reunion, LT. LUIS TAVIEL DE ANDRADE
where in the katipuneros shouted: " long live  THE LAWYER OF JOSE RIZAL AND
eminent doctor rizal! death to the oppressor BROTHER OF HIS FORMER
nation!. BODYGUARD JOSE TAVIEL DE
15. a poem by laong laan (rizal), entitled a ANDRADE.
talisay, in which the author makes the
dapitan schoolboys sing that they know how READING OF INFORMATION OF CHARGES TO
to fight for their rights. THE ACCUSED
DECEMBER 11, 1896
the testimonial evidence consisted of the oral  THE INFORMATION OF CHARGES WAS
testimonies of; FORMALLY READ TO RIZAL IN HIS
PRISON CELL, WITH HIS COUNSEL
 martin constantino PRESENT.
 aguedo del rosario
 jose reyes HE WAS charges into;
 moises salvador
 jose dizon  rebellion
 domingo franco  sedition
 deodato arellano  conspiracy to overthrow the government of
 ambrosio salvador spain
 pedro serrano laktaw  being the mastermind of the revolution.
 dr. pio valenzuela
 antonio salazar DECEMBER 13, 1896
 francisco quizon  THE CASE WAS FORWARDED TO
 timoteo paez GOVERNOR GENERAL CAMILO DE
POLAVIEJA - REPLACEMENT OF
november 26, 1896 GOVERNOR BLANCO.
 ORAL TESTIMONIES WERE TAKEN AND
WERE USED TO IMPLICATE RIZAL IN RIZAL MANIFESTO TO HIS PEOPLE
THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION. DECEMBER 15, 1896
 GOVERNOR GENERAL APPOINTED  RIZAL WROTE A MANIFESTO TO HIS
CAPTAIN RAFAEL DOMINgQUEZ TO PEOPLE APPEALING TO THEM TO STOP
INSTITUTE CHARGES AGAINST RIZAL.. THE NECESSARY SHEDDING OF BLOOD
 immediately, dominguez made a brief AND TO ACHIEVE THEIR LIBERTIES BY
resume of the charges and returned the MEANS OF EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY.
papers to gov. general blanco who  FORTUNATELY FOR RIZAL, JUDGE
thereupon, transmitted them to the judge ADVOCATE GENERAL NICOLAS DE LA
advocate general , don nicolas de la pena, PENA RECOMMENDED TO GOV.
for an opinion GENERAL POLAVIEJA THAT THE
MANIFESTO BE SUPRESSED.

RIZAL’S TRIAL RIZAL'S SADDEST CHRISTMAS

DECEMBER 25, 1896
 ON THIS DAY CHRISTENDOM
JOYOUSLY CELEBRATED THE
BIRTHDAY OF CHRIST WHO WAS BORN
TO REDEEM MAN KIND AND TO BRING
PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD TO ALL
MEN IN THE WORLD.
FORT SANTIAGO, DECEMBER 25, 1896
MY VERY DISTUINGISHED DEFENDER,
THE INVESTIGATING JUDGE HAS
INFORMED ME THAT TOMORROW MY CASE
WILL HEARD BEFORE THE COURT. I WAS
WAITING FOR YOU THIS MORNING TO TELL
YOU OF AN IMPORTANT MATTER, BUT
UNDOUBTEDLY THE PRESSURE OF YOUR
WORK DID NOT PERMIT YOU TO COME AS
EXPECTED BY THE INVESTIGATING JUDGE. IF
YOU HAVE TIME, I SHOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO
YOU BEFORE I APPEAR BEFORE THE COURT; I
SHALL BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COME THIS
AFTERNOON, THIS EVENING OR TOMORROW.
WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS I
REITERATE. ALWAYS YOUR ATTENTIVE AND
AFFECTIONATE SERVANT AND CLIENT.
JOSE RIZAL
THE TRIAL OF RIZAL
DECEMBER 26, 1896
 RIZAL ACTUAL TRIAL BEGAN
 IT WAS HELD AT THE HALL OF
BANNERS OF THE CUARTEL DE
ESPANA IN FORT SANTIAGO.
1. HE COULD NOT BE GUILTY OF
REBELLION , FOR HE ADVISED DR. PIO
VALENZUELA IN DAPITAN NOT TO RISE
IN REVOLUTION.
2. HE DID NOT CORRESPOND WITH THE
RADICAL, REVOLUTIONARY
ELELMENTS.
3. THE REVOLUTION USED HIS NAME
WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE. IF HE
WERE GUILTY HE COULD HAVE
ESCAPED IN SINGAPORE.
4. IF HE HAD AN HAND IN THE
REVOLUTION, HE COULD HAVE
ESCAPED IN A moro vinta and would not
built a home, hospital, and bought lands in
dapitan.
5. if he were the chief of the revolution, why
was he not consulted by the revolutionists?
6. it was true he wrote the by-laws of the la
liga filipina, but this is only a civic
association- not a revolutionary society.
7. the la liga filipina did not live long, for after the
first meeting he was banished to dapitan and it died
out.
8. if the la liga filipina was recognized nine months
later, he did not know about it.
9. the la liga did not serve the purpose of the
revolutionists, otherwise they would not have
supplanted it with the katipunan.
10. if it were true that there were some bitter
comments in rizal's letters, it's were because they
are written in 1890 when his family was being
persecuted, being dispossessed of houses,
warehouse, lands etc. and his brother and all his
brothers in law were deported.
11. his life in dapitan had been exemplary as the
politico-military commanders and missionary priets
could ATTEST.
12. IT WAS NOT TRUE THAT THE REVOLUTION
WAS INSPIRED BY HIS ONE SPEECH AT THE
HOUSE OF DEROTEO ONGJUNCO, AS
ALLEGED BY WITNESSES WHOM HE WOULD
LIKE TO CONFRONT. HIS FRIENDS KNEW HIS
OPPOSITION TO ARMED REBELLION. WHY DID
THE KATIPUNAN SEND AN EMISSARY TO
DAPITAN WHO WAS UNKNOWN TO HIM?
BECAUSE THOSE WHO KNEW HIM WERE
AWARE THAT HE WOULD NEVER SANCTION
ANY VIOLENT MOVEMENT.
DECEMBER 26, 1896
 THE COURT JUDGE RIZAL GUILTY FOR
THE CHARGHES AND VOTED FOR THE
DEATH PENALTY.
DEC. 28, 1896
 GOVERNOR GENERAL POLAVIEJA
SIGNED RIZAL'S DEATH WARRANT
ORDERING HIM TO BE SHOT AT 7:00 IN
THE MORNING AT BAGUMBAYAN.
RIZAL'S EXecution
 rizal was transferred to the prison chapel
 fr. miguel saderra mata, rector of the
ateneo municipal and fr. luis viza.
 fr. viza, brought the image of the sacred
heart of jesus .
 fr. antonio rosell, - ate breakfast with rizal.
Lt. Taviel De Andrade- also arrived and rizal
thanked him for his gallant services
Fr. Balaguer- he remained with rizal around noon.
  at three o'clock in the afternoon, Fr.
balaguer returned and tried to persuade
rizal to retract his masonic beliefs but rizal
remained firm.
 after he left, Rizal's mother and sister's
arrived.
 rizal gave an alcohol stove to trinidad
which was a gift from pardo de tavera and
whispered to her *there is something
inside*.
 he also told her to look inside his shoes
after he is executed.
 after his family left, fathers villaclara and
balaguer again arrived to convince rizal to
retract.
 Archbishop Bernandino Nozaleda
 by eight in the evening, fr. balaguer
returned with fr. viza and again talked to
rizal on religious matters. at this point, they
were joined by fiscal gaspar castaÑo of the
royal audiencia.
 at around 10:00, a draft of retraction arrived
from archbishop bernandino nozaleda.
 Another draft or retraction was made by fr.
pio pi - the superior of the Jesuit missions
in the philippines.
 at 11:30, rizal signed his retraction from the
freemansonry and it was witnessed by
juan del fresno - the chief of the guard
detail and the adjutant of the plaza elroy
moure .
 after signing, rizal had confession with fr.
villaclara and rested afterwards.
 Juan del fresno
 At 5:00am, rizal had his last breakfast,
autographed his remaining books which
became his last souvenirs.
 fr. balaguer - performed the marriage rites
of rizal and josephine
 rizal gave a book to josephine, imitacion de
cristo by thomas kempis which he
autographed.
 afterwards, he wrote three farewell letters:
to parents, dr. blumentritt, and paciano.
 he also requested to be shot at his front ,
but it was denied.
 at around 6:30, rizal was taken from cell
and the march to bagumbayan began.
 rizal had requested the firing squad to spare
his head which was granted.
dr. felipe ruiz castillo took rizal's pulse and found
that it was normal.
the commanding officer ordered his men to
aim by means of his saber and there was a
simultaneous crack of gunfire and jose rizal made
one last effort to drop on his backwith his face
facing the sun.
" consummatum est" -last words of rizal
 The spectators shouted 'VIVA ESPAña'.
 the military band played marcha de cadiz.
 rizal's body was secretly buried at paco
cemetery, where leater it was traced by his
sister.
 "RPJ"
 the remains of rizal's were cleaned in higino
mercado's house in binondo and were given
to Doña teodora.
 his remains were laid to rest inside the Rizal
monument in luneta.
o
LESSON 12: Jose Rizal, An Asian Nationalist
Introduction:
There are different forms of heroism. Some anchor
their heroic deeds on nationalist ideals. Some
express their patriotism, and do sacrifices for it. In
this lesson, we will learn how the status of national
hero is recognized.
Who is a hero or ‘bayani’? A hero is a person
who is admired for great or brave acts or fine
qualities or a person who is greatly admired.
SELECTION AND PROCLAMATION OF
NATIONAL HEROES
Executive Summary
No law, executive order or proclamation has been
enacted or issued officially proclaiming any Filipino
historical figure as a national hero.
Even Jose Rizal was not explicitly proclaimed as a
national hero. The position Rizal now holds in
Philippine history is a tribute to the continued
veneration or acclamation of the people in
recognition of his contribution to the significant
social transformations that took place in our
country.
Despite the lack of any official declaration explicitly
proclaiming them as national heroes, they remain
admired and revered for their roles in Philippine
history.
NATIONAL HEROES COMMITTEE
On March 28, 1993, President Fidel V. Ramos
issued Executive Order No.75 entitled “Creating the
National Heroes Committee Under the Office of the
President.”

WHAT MAKES A HERO?
According to the NATIONAL HEROES
COMMITTEE, heroes…
 Have a concept of nation and aspire and
struggle for a nation’s freedom
 Define and contribute to a nation’s freedom,
order quality of life and destiny
 Are part of the people’s expression
 Think of future generations  “You cannot legislate heroism. Rizal was already a
The Technical Committee of the National Heroes
Committee adopted the following criteria on June
3, 1993 and November 15, 1995:  questioned.”
1. Heroes are those who have a concept of
nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for
the nation's freedom.
2. Heroes are those who define and contribute
to a system or life of freedom and order for
a nation.
3. Heroes are those who contribute to the
quality of life and destiny of a nation.
4. A hero is part of the people's expression.
5.  A hero thinks of the future, especially the
future generation.
6. The choice of a hero involves not only the
recounting of an episode or events in
history, but of the entire
WHO IS  YOUR NATIONAL HERO?
The National Heroes Committee recommended
these 9 historical figures to be declared as national
heroes in 1995, but no action was taken.
Historical Figures Recommended as National
Heroes:  “What Constantino conveniently leaves out are: that
1. Jose Rizal- JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL
MERCADO Y ALONSO REALONDA
(JUNE 19, 1861 - DECEMBER 30, 1896)
2. Andres Bonifacio- ANDRES BONIFACIO Y
DE CASTRO (NOVEMBER 30, 1863 - MAY
10, 1897)
3. Emilio Aguinaldo- EMILIO AGUINALDO Y
FAMY (MARCH 22, 1869 - FEBRUARY 6,
1964)
4. Apolinario Mabini- APOLINARIO MABINI Y
MARANAN (JULY 23, 1864 - MAY
13,1903)
5. Marcelo H. del Pilar- Marcelo H. del Pilar
(AUGUST 30, 1850 - JULY 4, 1896)
6. Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat- Sultan Dipatuan
Kudarat (1581 - 1671 )
7. Juan Luna- ( OCTOBER 26, 1866 -
DECEMBER 7, 1899)
8. Melchora Aquino- Melchora Aquino de
Ramos (JANUARY 6, 1812 - FEBRUARY
19, 1919)
9. Gabriela Silang- María Josefa Gabriela
Cariño de Silang (MARCH 19, 1731 -
SEPTEMBER 20, 1763)
LESSON 13: Jose Rizal , and the American
Made Hero Controversy
hero before the Americans came to the Philippines.
Wherever you ask Filipinos, Rizal is their hero. In
short, it’s a kind of consensus that shouldn’t be
-Ambeth Ocampo
From Renato Constantino’s book, 
Dissent and Counter-Consciousness (1970)
  AN AMERICAN-SPONSORED HERO
“Although Rizal was already a revered figure and
became more so after his martyrdom, it cannot be
denied that his pre-eminence among our heroes
was partly the result of American sponsorship.
There is no question that Rizal had the qualities of
greatness. History cannot deny his patriotism. He
was a martyr to oppression, obscurantism and
bigotry. 
His dramatic death captured the imagination of our
people. Still, we must accept the fact that his formal
designation as our national hero, his elevation to
his present eminence so far above all our other
heroes was abetted and encouraged by the
Americans.” -Renato Constantino
Rizal was considered a hero in his lifetime; that he
was honorary president of the Katipunan; that his
picture was displayed during Katipunan meetings;
and that his name was one of the passwords of the
Katipunan. Then, of course, the annual
commemoration of Rizal’s death each year in
December 30, was started by Emilio Aguinaldo’s
short-lived First Philippine Republic in 1898 (before
the American colonial period) and continues to our
day.”-Ambeth Ocampo
The Free Press of December 28, 1946,
gives this account of a meeting of the Philippine
Commission: “And now, gentlemen, you must
have a national hero.” In these fateful words,
addressed by then Civil Governor W. H. Taft to the
Filipino members of the civil commission.
 
“In the subsequent discussion in which the
rival merits of the revolutionary heroes were
considered, the final choice-now universally
acclaimed as a wise one-was Rizal.”
Theodore Friend says that Taft “with other
American colonial officials and some conservative
Filipinos, chose Rizal as a model hero over other
contestants –Aguinaldo too militant, Bonifacio too
radical, Mabini unregenerate.”  unraveling the past, we become confronted with
This decision to sponsor Rizal was
implemented with the passage of the following Acts
of the Philippine Commission:
Act No. 137, which organized the politico-military
district of Morong and named it the province of
Rizal; 
Act No. 243, which authorized a public subscription
for the erection of a monument in honor of Rizal at
the Luneta, and;
Act No. 346, which set aside the anniversary of his
death as a day of observance.  the acknowledged national hero of the Philippine
The reason for the enthusiastic American
attitude becomes clear in the following appraisal of
Rizal: He never advocated independence, nor did
he advocate armed resistance to the government.
He urged reform from within by publicity, by public
education, and appeal to the public conscience.
Taft’s appreciation for Rizal has much the
same basis, as evidenced by his calling Rizal “the
greatest Filipino, a physician, a novelist and a poet
(who) because of his struggle for a betterment of
conditions under Spanish rule was unjustly
convicted and shot….”  required the passage of the Sedition Law
Factors contributed to Rizal’s acceptability to
the Americans  as the official hero of the
Filipinos.
He was safely dead by the time the
American began their aggression. No embarrassing
anti-American quotations could ever be attributed to
him.
Rizal’s dramatic martyrdom had already
made him the symbol of Spanish oppression. To
focus attention on him would serve not only to
concentrate Filipino hatred against the erstwhile
oppressors, but it would also blunt their feelings of
animosity toward the new conquerors against
whom there was still organized resistance at that
time. 
The attention lavished on Rizal relegated
other heroes to the background-heroes whose
revolutionary example and anti-American
pronouncements might have stiffened Filipino
resistance to the new conquerors. 
“A proper understanding of our history is very
important to us because it will serve to
demonstrate how our present has been
distorted by a faulty knowledge of our past. By
the present already as future.” 
AN AMERICAN-SPONSORED HERO
We have magnified Rizal role to such an extent that
we have lost our sense of proportion and relegated
to a subordinate position our other great men and
the historic events in which they took, part
This early example of American "aid" is
summarized by Governor W. Cameron Forbes who
wrote in his book, The Philippine Islands: It is
eminently proper that Rizal should have become
people.
The reason for the enthusiastic American
attitude becomes clear in the following appraisal of
Rizal by Forbes: Rizal never advocated
independence, nor did he advocate armed
resistance to the government .
The public image that the Americans
desired for a Filipino national hero was quite clear.
They favored a hero who would not run against the
grain of American colonial policy. We must take
these acts of the Americans in furtherance of a
Rizal cult in the light of their initial policies which
prohibiting the display of the Filipino flag. The
heroes who advocated independence were
therefore ignored. For to have encouraged a
movement to revere Bonifacio or Mabini would not
have been consistent with American colonial policy.
To focus attention on him would serve not only to
concentrate Filipino hatred against the erstwhile
oppressors, it would also blunt their feelings of
animosity toward the new conquerors against
whom there was still organized resistance at that
time
The American especially emphasized the fact that
Rizal was a reformer, not a separatis
It must also be remembered that the Filipino
members of the Philippine Commission were
conservative ilustrados.
Rizal belonged to the right social class- the
class that they were cultivating and building up for
leadership
It may be argued that, faced with humiliation of a
second colonization, we as people felt the need for
a superhero to bolster the national ego and we
therefore allowed ourselves to be propagandized in
favor of one acceptable to the colonizer. Be that as
it may, certainly it is now time for us to view Rizal
with more rationality and the more historicity.  history, a set of goals and belief in a specific future.
A proper understanding of our history is very
important to us because it will serve to demonstrate
how our present has been distorted by a faulty
knowledge of our past.
Orthodox historians have presented history as a
succession of exploits of eminent personalities,
leading many of us to regard history as the product
of gifted individuals.
LESSON 14: JOSE RIZAL, AN ASIAN
NATIONALIST
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
defines “nationalism” as generally used in
describing two phenomena: the attitude that the
members of a nation possess about their nation’s
identity and the actions that the members of a
nation take to achieve and attain self-
determination.  what it is all about.
 
Dr. Jose Rizal was a nationalist. In 1882,
Rizal took Licentiate in Medicine at the Universidad
Central de Madrid and afterwards specialized in
Ophthalmology in France and Germany under Dr.
Louis de Weckert and Dr. Otto Becker.  group, conformity and like-mindedness which will
 
For his almost ten years of stay abroad from
1882 to 1892, Rizal made sure that his time was
duly spent in various efforts in securing better
status for the Philippines. He had proven that
distance is not a hindrance in fulfilling one’s
commitment to a noble purpose.  the motherland. He nurtured the same ideals during
 
When the Philippine Revolution broke out in
1896, Rizal was in Dapitan as an exile. Patriotic
leaders attempted to secure Rizal’s approval of the
revolution, but Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Andres
Bonifacio’s emissary, revealed in his 1896 account
that Rizal did not favor it. In his later account,
however, Valenzuela reversed his earlier testimony
by saying that the hero was not against the
revolution, instead, provided advice that could be of
help to the revolutionaries. 
 
Rizal may not be direct participants to the
two phenomenon’s that greatly affected the
Philippines, but his name was evoked by the
partakers and will always be honored as inspiration
and guiding force in the success of the said
episodes. 
Nationalism - is the idea of oneness by a group of
people who possess common traditions, shared
There is a strong identification with the values, the
heroes, and the traits of a country.
Democracy - comes from the Greek word demos,
which means people. It is a government in which all
the power is shared the democracy by citizens.
Democracy is sometimes known as representative
government. Under this form of government., the
people have the right to sit in a chamber that
determines their future. 
Imperialism - is the policy of extending a nation
control and authority beyond its territorial
boundaries through the acquisition of new
territories. 
RIZAL’S CONCEPT OF FILIPINO NATIONALISM
Nationalism as a concept was still vague
from its humble beginnings in 1872, particularly for
the poor people in the Philippines. Jose Rizal and
other reformers at the time had but a scant idea of
Rizal’s concept of nationalism is parallel
with that of Hans Kohn, who is nationalism is first
and foremost a state of mind an act of
consciousness. It is a group consciousness that
strives towards achieving homogeneity within the
lead to and facilitate common action.
Rizal showed national sentiment throughout
his career even as a youth through his poem “A la
Juventud Filipina,” which was dedicated to the
youth. He admonished the Filipino youth to strive
hard because they are considered the fair hope of
his manhood as manifested in all his writings like
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Even in his
personal letters, when he called to all women of the
Philippines to poverty, illiteracy and ignorance. All
his efforts were concentrated on achieving his goal.
Rizal’s Factors in the Early Development of
Nationalism
  Rizal emphasize the importance of the
Tagalog Language and its impact upon the
Philippines.
 He was openly critical of the friars.
 He defended Filipino civil rights.
 He discovered the power of the pen.
 He conceived a form of gradual nationalism.
Special Topic: All the Girls Rizal Loved Before
Introduction
It can only be with true passion that one can
conquer and accomplish what Filipino hero Jose
Rizal had in his thirty-five-year life. He stopped at
nothing when it came to expressing his love not just
for his country but also his women. His travels
across the Philippines and the world swayed him
into multifarious relationships that colored almost
half his life. There are nine women on record. It’s
not to say that all those relationships were serious,
but he did pursue when he wanted to pursue,
cared, at least, and displayed his attentiveness and
charm unapologetically.
But amidst the flirting, he was a big believer
that women should be empowered. This was
evident in his essay, “To the Young Women of
Malolos,” which he wrote for the 20 women of
Bulacan who fought to have a night school so they
could study Spanish.
A supporter of women empowerment—who
has that swagger? It’s not so hard to imagine
anyone flirting back after he inks his first sentence.
As proof of his “ways,” here are the
recorded stories of the nine women of Dr. Jose
Rizal.
1. Segunda Katigbak- Rizal’s first love
 A Batangueña, whom Rizal met when he
was only a 16-year-old boy
 They met when the young hero visited his
grandmother with his friend, Mariano
Katigbak.
 Rizal had to stop pursuing her because she
was already engaged to be married to a
man who lived in her town.
2. Leonor Valenzuela- Rizal’s second object of
affection
 Orang, who was then 14 years old, was his
neighbor
 They met when Rizal was a sophomore
medical student at the University of Santo
Tomas, during which time they lived at the
same boarding house in Intramuros.
 During the courtship, Rizal was said to have
sent Leonor private and secret love letters,
which he wrote using invisible ink made with
water and salt. To read the letters, Orang
had to heat the letter over a candle or a
lamp.
3. Leonor Rivera
 They met when Rizal was 18 and Leonor
was 13, at the boarding house of Rizal’s
uncle in Intramuros, Manila. Leonor was
Rizal’s second cousin.
 It was a perfect love story in the beginning:
he, the intelligent charmer, and she, the
beautiful student who had a beautiful
singing voice and was a talented piano
player. Soon, they fell in love. But as tragic
love stories go, they were besieged by
obstacles. Leonor’s parents highly
disapproved of their relationship as they
were wary of Rizal being a “filibuster.” 
 In his letters, Rizal called Leonor ‘Taimis’ to
hide her identity.
 In 1890, Leonor wrote a letter to Rizal
saying that she was engaged to be married
to a British engineer named Henry Kipping.
That same year, the wedding pushed
through.
4. Consuelo Ortega y Perez
 Daughter of Don Pablo Ortega y Rey, who
was then Mayor of Manila. 
 While Rizal was in Madrid, he would hang
out at Don Pablo’s house, which became a
place where Filipino students would often
get together. Through one of these
gatherings, Rizal met Consuelo.
 He showed affection towards Consuelo but
was not serious in his pursuit as he was still
engaged to Leonor Rivera at the time. 
 In the end, Consuelo got engaged to Rizal’s
friend, Eduardo de Lete.
5. Seiko Usui
 In 1888, Rizal had just arrived in Japan from
Hongkong upon an invitation to take a job
offer at the Spanish Legation. One day,
while he was in the office grounds, he saw
O-Sei-San walk past the legation’s gate and
was immediately enthralled by her beauty. 
 As days went by, O-Sei-San taught Rizal
the ways of the Japanese. 
 According to many accounts, Rizal was
ready to move to Japan, stay with O-Sei-
San, and live a peaceful life with his love.
 Unfortunately for this relationship, country-  Josephine was the adopted daughter of one
saving duties would call and he had to leave George Taufer, whom she lived with in
Japan for San Francisco. He never saw O- Hongkong for years before she needed to
Sei-San again. Their affair lasted for around seek help from an ophthalmologist due to
two months. George’s blindness. They then sought the
6. Gertrude Beckett help of Jose Rizal, who was already exiled
 In the same year he began and ended his in Dapitan at the time. 
relations with O-Sei-San, Rizal, then 27,  Rizal and Josephine fell in love and in a
went to London and met a woman named month made the announcement that they
Gertrude Beckett.  wanted to get married. But just like the other
 Gertrude showered Rizal with all the love Rizal great loves, this one was once again
and attention of a girl who is hopelessly in complicated. No priest would marry the two,
love. She even assisted Rizal as he finished for reasons that are still unclear—but
some of his sculptures. perhaps it was because of Rizal’s status in
 He called her Gettie, she called him Pettie. politics. Without a legal paper, Rizal and
But all documents lead to say one thing: the Josephine lived together, and had a son,
feelings weren’t mutually shared. who died a few hours after birth. Rizal
 In 1889, Rizal left London, and left Gettie a named his son after his father, Francisco.
composite carving of the heads of the
Beckett sisters.  In retrospect, maybe Rizal was not meant
7. Suzanne Jacoby for a long commitment, like marriage—with all his
 When Rizal arrived in Belgium in 1890, he travels and freedom-fighting obligations. Maybe
lived at a boarding house that was run by heroes can only be alone with their thoughts. Left
two sisters whose last name was Jacoby. alone, they will naturally think too much, and
The sisters had a niece named Suzanne. thinking for an entire country, we assume, can be
 The relationship was probably a fling, too, exhausting. Maybe Rizal just always needed a
as Rizal made no mention of Suzanne when companion.
he wrote letters to his friends about his stay
in Belgium.  But if there’s one thing his dalliances and
 Rizal left the country in August that year. longings and pursuits remind us, it is that heroes
Suzanne was heartbroken.  are humans, too. Humans have needs. And he did
 In 1891, Rizal went back to Belgium—not die for our country. 
for Suzanne—but to finish writing El
Filibusterismo. He stayed for a few months,
left, and never returned. 
8. Nellie Boustead
 Rizal and Nellie met in Biarritz, where
Nellie’s wealthy family hosted Rizal’s stay at
their residence on the French Riviera. 
 During his stay at Biarritz, Rizal learned of
Leonor Rivera’s engagement and thought of
pursuing a romantic relationship with Nellie.
After strengthening their relationship, Rizal
wrote letters to his friends, telling them
about his intention to marry her. They were
all supportive, including Antonio Luna.  
 Although they seemed like the ideal couple,
marriage for Rizal was still not meant to be. 
9. Josephine Bracken
 Josephine was the woman who stayed with
Rizal until his execution in 1896. She was
also, allegedly, the woman whom Rizal
married. However, accounts of their
marriage have been much-debated over the
years.