CHAPTER 20

Ophthalmic Surgeon in
Hong Kong (1891-1892)
Prepared By:
Mr. ENGELL S. JUANITE
 A.
Ob
jec
tiv e
s:
In Europe to
Hong Kong
(1891-92)
November 1891- June 1892 – Rizal left
Europe for Hong Kong
Two reasons:
1. Life was unbearable in Europe
because of his political differences with M.H
del Pilar and other Filipinos in Spain
2.To be near his idolized Philippines and
Family.
 Farewell to Europe
On October 3, 1891- Rizal left Ghent for Paris. to
say goodbye to Lunas, the Padro de Taveras, the
Venturas, and other friends.

Manuel Camus, a compatriot living in the singapore,

and 600 copies of Fili.

October 18,1891- he boarded the steamer

Melbourne bound for Hong Kong.
 October 22, 1891- he sent a letter to
Blumentritt
 There were over 80 first-class passengers-
mostly Europeans, including two spaniards
who were going to Amoy.
 He befriended many missionaries;
Italian Franciscans, French Jesuits, and a
Bishop.
Msgr. Velenteri- all going to china.
 Father Fuchs, a Tyrolese he enjoyed playing
Rizal and The German Ladies
 Rizal, being the only Asian, was eating at
one table.

 A lady said to her companions in German, “

If this man in front of us were a gentleman
he would close the door”
Arrived In Hong Kong
On November 20, 1891, Rizal arrived in Hong
Kong.
He was welcomed by the Filipino residents,
most especially his old friend, Jose Ma. Basa
On December 1, 1891- he wrote his parents
asking their permission to return home.
Arrived In Hong Kong
On the same date, his brother- in- law, Manuel T.
Hidalgo sent him a letter
“Deportation of twenty-five persons from Calamba
Including:
Father,
Neneng,
Sisa, Lucia,
Paciano, and the rest of us”.
Family Reunion in Hong Kong

 Before Christmas in 1891, he was

gladdened by the arrival if his family
 including, his Father, brother, and Silvestre
Ubaldo (brother-in-law) in Hong Kong.
Family Reunion in Hong Kong

 His mother and sisters Lucia, Josefa, and

Trinidad also arrived.
 His mother was then 65 years old and was
almost a blind. In view of the fact, she was
suffered so much from the Spanish Brutality
and injustice.
 On January 31, 1892, he wrote to
Blumentritt, recounting their pleasant life in
Hong Kong as follows; “Here we are all
living together, my parents, sisters, and
brother, in peace and far from the
persecutions they suffered in the
Phillipines. They are very much pleased
with the English government”
Ophthalmic Surgeon in Hong Kong
 Dr. Lorenzo P. Marques, a portuguese physician,
who became his friends and admirer, helped him
to build up a wide clientele.
 In due time, Dr. Rizal became a successful and
well-known medical practitioner in the british
colony.
 He had many patients, including British,
Chinese, Portuguese,and Americans.
 He successfully operated on his mother’s
left eye so that she was able to read and
write again.

 He is also a General Practitioner.

 On January 31, 1892, he wrote a letter to

Blumentritt.
March 21, 1892, some of friends of Dr. Rizal
praising him for practising his medical
profession.
Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin, from Paris, sent a
congratulatory letter
The book of Dr. H. Virchow entitled,
“Diagnostic Pathology”
Another medical entitled, “Traite
Diagnostique” by Mesnichock.
Don Antonio Vergel de Dios, offered him his
services for the purchase of medical books and
Possession Of Dr. Rizal
 Rizal possessed the quality that would make an
ideal ophthalmic surgeon.
 He devoted his lifetime to the practice of
medicine he would have become one of the
Asia’s eminent ophthalmologists.
 Dr. Geminiano de Ocampo, who have been
praised him because Rizal was the Ideal of a
great Ophthalmic surgeon.
Borneo Colonization Project
Governor Valeriano Weyler’s, teroristic
regime
He planned to move the landless
Filipino families to that rich British-
owned Island and carve out of its
virgin wildness a “New Calamba”
Borneo Colonization Project
On March 7, 1892, he went to
Sandakan on board the ship Menon to
negotiate with the British authorities
for the establishment of a Filipino
colony.
The British authorities of Borneo were willing to
give the Filipino colonists 100,000 acres of land,
a beautiful harbor, and a good government for
999 years, free of all charges
Rizal Friends in Europe

 Including Juan and Antonio Luna, Lopez

Jaena, Blumentritt, Dr. Bautista Lin, and etc

 May 26, 1892, Lopez Jaena expressed his

desire to join the colony, and he said to Rizal.
 One of Rizal Brother-in-law, Hidalgo,
the brave Batangueño, objected to
the colonization project.

 “This idea is no good, he said to Rizal

 The infamous Weyler, whom the
Cubans odiously called, “The Butcher”

A new Governor general Eulogio

Despujol, the Count of Caspe ,
announced to the Filipino peoplea fine
program of government.
Governor General
Despujol Betrayal
 After vainly waiting for three months for a reply
to his first letter(dated on December 23, 1892)
 Rizal wrote a second letter (dated on March 21,
1892) and gave it to a ship captain to be sure it
would reach Governor Despujol’s hand.
 Writings in Hong Kong
He wrote “Ang Mga Karapatan Nang Tao”
which is the tagalog translation of “The Rights
of Man” proclaimed by the French Revolution
in 1789.
 Writings in Hong Kong
He wrote “A la Nacion Española” (To the
Spanish Nation), which is appeal to Spain to
right wht wrongs done to the Calamba
tenants.
 Writings in Hong Kong
Another proclaimation, entitled, “Sa Mga
Kababayan” (To My Countrymen), was written
in December 1891, explaining the Calamba
agrarian situation.
 Writings in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Telegraph, whose editor is
Mr. Frazier Smith, was his friend.
The vigilant Spanish censors soon
discovered the spread of Rizal’s ideas
 Writings in Hong Kong
On March 2, 1892, Rizal wrote “Una Visita a
la Victoria Gaol”(A visit to Victoria Gaol), an
account of his visit to the colonial prison in
Hong Kong.
 Writings in Hong Kong
He wrote an article in French entitled, “
Colonisation du British North Borneo, par de
Familles de Iles Philippines” (Colonization of
British North Borneo, by Families from the
Philippines Islands)
 Writings in Hong Kong
He elaborated on the same notion in another
article in Spanish, “Proyecto de Colonizacion
del British North Borneo por los
Filipinos”(Project of the Colonization of British
North Borneo by the Filipinos)
 Writings in Hong Kong
In June 1892, he wrote “ La Mano Roja”(The
Red Hand), which was printed in sheet form
in Hong Kong. It denounces the frequent
outbreaks of international fires in Manila.
 Writings in Hong Kong

Constitution of “Liga Filipina”(Philippine

League), which was printed in Hong Kong,
1892. Copies of the printed Liga constitution
were sent by Rizal to Domingo Franco, his
friend in Manila.
 Decision to Return to Manila

On May 1892, Rizal made up his mind to

to return to Manila. The decision was
spurred by the following:

i. to confer with Governor Despujol

regarding his borneo colonization project
 Decision to Return to Manila

ii. to establish Liga Filipina in Manila;

iii. to prove that Eduardo de Lete was

wrong in attacking him in Madrid that Rizal,
being comfortable and safe in Hong Kong,
had abandoned the country’s cause.
 Decision to Return to Manila

 Lete’s attack, which was printed in La

Solidaridad, on April 15, 1892

 Rizal vehemently protested to Del Pilar, the

editor of La Solidarida, saying.
 Decision to Return to Manila

 To Ponce, Rizal was confided on May 23,

1892:
 Last Hong Kong Letters
 Relatives and friends of Rizal opposed his decision
toreturn home.
 On June 19, 1892, he spent his 31st birthday in Hong
Kong.
 On the following day, June 20,1892, he wrote two
letters which sealed, inscribed on each envelop, “to be
opened after my death”
 Last Hong Kong Letters
The First letter, addressed TO MY
PARENTS, BRETHEN, AND FRIENDS, is
as follows:
The Second letter, addressed TO THE
FILIPINOS,is as follows:
 On June 21, 1892, Rizal penned another
letter in Hong Kong for Governor Despujol,
incidentally his third letter to that
discourteous Spanish chief executive.
 On the same date, Rizal and his sister Lucia,
widow of Herbosa, left Hong Kong for
Manila.
 Rizal Falls into Spanish Trap

 On the same day, a secret case was filed in Manila against Rizal and
his followers “for anti-religious and anti-patriotic agitation”.
 Luis de La Torre, secretary of Governor general, to find out if Rizal
was naturalized as a German citizen, as was rumored, so that he
might take proper action against one, “who had the protection of a
strong nation”
 However, Rizal and sister peacefully crossing the China Sea.
Mr. ENGELL S. JUANITE
Thank you for
listening!