GERIZAL Notes Life and Works of Rizal The Debate Over the Rizal Bill In Favor of the Rizal Bill (Non-religious sector) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Senator Jose P. Laurel and Senator Claro M. Recto Manila Mayor Arsenio Lacson Judge Guillermo Guevarra Former Justice Roman Ozaeta Vice-President Carlos P. Garcia 100 UP faculty members The College Editors’ Guild The Knights of Rizal The Women Writers of the Vernacular Magtanggul Asa Fr. Joaquin Jaromillo Rizalist group Spirit of 1896 The Association of Public Secondary School Administrators The Philippine Public School Teachers Association Religious group Bathalismo The Batangas provincial government Philippine Veterans Legion of Cavite The Baguio City Council Against the Rizal Bill (Religious sector, particularly Roman Catholics that are in positions) ● Archbishop of Manila Rufino Santos and other Catholic bishops ● Senator Decoroso Rosales ● Senator Mariano Cuenco ● Senator Francisco Rodrigo ● The Catholic Action of the Philippines ● The Holy Name Society of the Philippines ● The Legion of Mary ● The Knights of Columbus ● The Daughters of Isabela ● Catholic Welfare Organization The Story of the Rizal Bill ● Senator Jose P. Laurel filed Senate Bill 438 on April 17, 1956. The bill aimed to make Noli and Fili required reading for public and private colleges and universities. ● Laguna Rep. Jacabo Gonzales told Senator Laurel he would introduce a similar measure in the House (House Bill 5561). ● Senator Laurel argued that the reading of Rizal’s two books would teach the people to resist tyranny and oppression of all forms. ● Catholic lay people and clergy opposed the measure in hearings of the Senate Committee on Education. They said the Noli and Fili have numerous attacks on dogmas and practices of Catholicism. ● Municipal councils sent in resolutions endorsing the Bill. Catholic organizations also launched a national campaign against it. ● Senator Recto branded criticism of Rizal’s novels by the Church as unfair and unjustified presentation of the national hero’s writings. ● He pointed out that Rizal wrote the books to inculcate civic consciousness, national dignity, personal pride and patriotism. ● He also said that the charges leveled against Rizal by the Filipino Church hierarchy were also the ones made by the Spanish friars. ● Senator Recto also pointed out to Senator Rodrigo that the Filipino Church hierarchy found 170 passages in the Noli and 50 instances in the Fili that are offensive to the Catholic faith. ● Fr. Joaquin Jaromillo was discredited by the Catholic Welfare Organization, saying he was not allowed by the Church hierarchy to speak in the Senate in favor of the Rizal Bill. ● Senator Rosales, although conceding that Rizal is the greatest of Filipino heroes, said that the novels were partially rotten apples that everyone would be compelled to eat. ● He also threatened that all Catholic schools would close if the Bill passed. Recto said that the government would just nationalize all of them. ● Senator Recto clarified that the Bill only required students to read the books, not to force them to believe Rizal’s opinions. He also said that professors and teachers could challenge Rizal. ● Senator Recto said that Rizal deserves to remain forever a “living and decisive symbol” in the national life of the Philippines. He also believed that reading his writings would lead to a revival of national awareness. ● Senator Recto also pointed out that the Vatican and the Catholic hierarchy in Spain did not even place the Noli and Fili in the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. ● Senator Rodrigo proposed the following: ○ 1) school authorities would keep unexpurgated copies of the books ○ 2) use expurgated copies at the discretion of the school ○ 3) include the two novels in their unexpurgated form in a list of required readings ○ 4) use of footnotes to explain controversial or derogatory portions ● Bishop Manuel Yap of Bacolod reportedly said that Catholics should not read Rizal’s novels and warned that legislators in favor of the Rizal Bill would be voted out of office in the next election. ● Senator Recto blasted Bishop Yap and the Catholic hierarchy for wanting not only eternity, but also worldly possessions. He even offered to campaign for supporters of the Rizal Bill in the next elections. ● At last, the Senate unanimously approved Senator Laurel’s substitute measure on May 12, 1956, making the original and unexpurgated editions of the Noli and Fili basic texts in college courses. ● As a compromise, a paragraph was inserted that college students could be exempted from reading the unexpurgated texts for reasons of religious belief. Highlights of “The Story of ther Rizal Bill” Purpose of the Bill: ● Filed by Senator Jose P. Laurel as Senate Bill 438 on April 17, 1956, it aimed to make José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo required reading in public and private colleges and universities. ● A similar measure, House Bill 5561, was introduced by Laguna Representative Jacobo Gonzales. Arguments for the Bill: ● Advocates believed the novels would teach Filipinos to resist oppression and tyranny, inculcate civic consciousness, national pride, and patriotism. ● Senator Claro M. Recto argued that Rizal’s works were critical for national awareness and dignity. He clarified the Bill only mandated reading the novels, not adopting Rizal’s opinions. Opposition to the Bill: ● Mainly led by the Catholic Church, which argued the novels contained attacks on Catholic dogmas and practices. ● Religious leaders like Senator Decoroso Rosales and Bishop Manuel Yap voiced strong resistance, citing moral and doctrinal concerns. Some even threatened to close Catholic schools if the Bill was passed. Debate Highlights: ● The Catholic hierarchy highlighted offensive passages in the novels. Senator Recto rebutted these criticisms, stating that neither the Vatican nor the Catholic Church in Spain banned the novels. ● Proposed amendments included using expurgated versions or providing explanatory footnotes for controversial passages. Resolution and Compromise: ● The Senate unanimously approved a substitute measure on May 12, 1956, requiring the original and unexpurgated texts of the novels in college courses. ● A compromise allowed exemptions for students who objected to reading the texts based on religious beliefs. Readings on Perspectives on Rizal as the National Hero Veneration Without Understanding by Renato Constantino ● Rizal’s Stance on the Philippine Revolution: ○ Rizal repudiated the revolution and opposed the revolutionary efforts of the Katipunan, led by Andres Bonifacio. ○ He believed in reforms through education and non-violent means rather than armed resistance. ● American Influence on Rizal’s Heroism: ○ The elevation of Rizal as the national hero was influenced by American colonial authorities, particularly Governor William Howard Taft. ● ● ● ● ○ Rizal was favored because his reformist views aligned with the Americans’ colonial agenda, unlike other heroes like Bonifacio or Mabini, who advocated for independence. The Limitations of Rizal’s Heroism: ○ Rizal’s approach was shaped by his ilustrado (educated elite) background, which limited his understanding of and connection with the Filipino masses. ○ His vision of freedom was more aligned with the aspirations of the elite rather than full independence for the nation. Critical Evaluation of Hero Worship: ○ Constantino argues for a more critical and historical analysis of Rizal's contributions, emphasizing the need to understand the context and limitations of his era. ○ Blind adoration of Rizal has overshadowed other revolutionary figures and historical movements. Nationalism and the Role of the Masses: ○ The essay highlights the role of the masses, especially through the Katipunan, as the true drivers of the revolution. ○ Rizal’s ideals, while significant, should not overshadow the broader anti-colonial struggles led by the Filipino people. The Evolving Concept of Filipino Identity: ○ Rizal contributed to the development of Filipino consciousness by elevating the term "Filipino" from a racial label to a marker of national identity. ○ However, true decolonization and independence remain unfinished tasks for contemporary Filipinos. Perspectives on Rizal as the National Hero Constantino, Veneration Without Understanding ● Unlike Washington, Lenin, Bolivar, Sun Yat Sen, Mao, and Ho Chi Minh, who were leaders of their revolutions and principal heroes of their peoples, Rizal was not the leader of the Philippine Revolution. ● Rizal’s pre-eminence among Filipino national heroes was partly the result of American sponsorship, which manifested in 1) encouraging a Rizal cult and 2) minimizing the importance of other heroes or vilifying them. ● William Howard Taft supposedly suggested to the Philippine Commission in 1901 that Filipinos be given a national hero, saying “And now, gentlemen, you must have a national hero.” ● American colonial officials chose Rizal over Aguinaldo (too militant), Bonifacio (too radical), and Mabini (unregenerate). ● American sponsorship of Rizal as the national hero resulted in the following: ○ 1) Act No. 137 which renamed Morong as the province of Rizal ○ 2) Act No. 243 which authorized a public subscription for the erection of the Rizal monument at Luneta ○ 3) Act No. 346 which set aside the anniversary of his death as a day of observance ● The Americans sponsored Rizal, according to Forbes, because “Rizal 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.” ● The attention lavished on Rizal relegated other heroes to the background, since these heroes’ revolutionary example and anti-American pronouncements might have stiffened Filipino resistance to American rule. De Ocampo, Who Made Rizal our Foremost National Hero, and Why? ● Rizal is the Philippines’ foremost national hero because he took an “admirable part” in the Propaganda Movement from 1882 to 1896. ● Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere contributed tremendously to the formation of Filipino nationality more than any single work by a Filipino writer. ● No Filipino has yet been born who could equal or surpass Rizal as “a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering.” ● Rizal is the greatest Filipino hero because he is “a man honored after death by public worship, because of exceptional service to [hu]mankind.” ● Even before the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution, Rizal’s leadership was already recognized by Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad. ● The Katipunan recognized Rizal’s leadership and greatness by making him its Honorary President and using “Rizal” as the password for third-degree members. ● On December 29, 1897, General Emilio Aguinaldo commemorated Rizal’s death in Hong Kong. ● On December 20, 1898, Aguinaldo proclaimed December 30 as Rizal Day and held a Rizal Day program on December 30 in Manila. ● Dr. T.H. Pardo both denied that Rizal was made a hero by the Americans. ● Even if Rizal was chosen by the Taft Commission as the national hero, he was alreadde Tavera, a Filipino, was the one who said that Morong should be renamed as the province of Rizal. ● Americans Justice George A. Malcolm and Dr. Frank C. Laubach y accepted by the Filipino people as the foremost hero and martyr of the Philippines. Malay, Veneration With Understanding ● A man becomes a hero, or a national hero, not because he leads a revolution, but because he is admired for his achievements and noble qualities, and considered a model or ideal. ● A man becomes a hero, or a national hero, if he accomplishes some achievement or achievements that his people admire so much that they would place him in higher regard than any man of the country. ● Malay contests Constantino’s criterion that “revolutionary leadership” should govern the choice of who the national hero is. He further criticizes ● ● ● ● Constantino’s contention that our veneration of Rizal as the national hero is “veneration without understanding.” Rizal continues to be venerated with understanding because the masses continue to admire him for his achievements and noble qualities, and consider him a model or ideal. With regard to Rizal being an American-sponsored hero: ○ 1) Rizal was already honored when Aguinaldo declared December 30, 1898 as a day of mourning ○ 2) The Katipunan already regarded Rizal as a sort of national hero. He was the honorary president of the Katipunan, and Rizal’s picture was displayed in meeting rooms. To say that Rizal was chosen by the Americans is an insult to the masses who, according to Rizal’s detractors, have allowed themselves to be duped for so long. Detractors also underestimate the intelligence and understanding of the masses, for they know that Rizal lived and died for all of us, not only for an elite class. The Rizals got rich by selling sugar Economic Conditions in Rizal’s Time ● A characteristic of the 19th century was the shift of trade from low-bulk high-priced commodities like spices to bulky goods of low unit-value like sugar, coffee, fibers, and oil seeds. ● The Philippines rode the wave of bulk commodity trading that characterized 19th-century commerce. ● Exports rose from one million pesos in 1825 to 36.6 million pesos in 1895; imports from 1.85 million pesos to 25.4 million pesos in the same years. ● The British and American merchants made both spot purchases and crop advances and even stimulated some development, as the Americans did with abaca. ● There was some correlation between geographic concentration and commodity concentration. The top four exports—sugar, abaca, tobacco, and coffee—made up between 56 percent and 95 percent of total exports. ● For imports, textiles made up 30-60 percent of the imports. ● For the whole Philippines, cane sugar production rose from 6,000 tons in 1810 to 233,000 tons in 1894. ● The trade in domestically grown crops meant that the effects of international commerce reached far into the countryside and drew new participants into the money economy. ● The new rich were labeled “brutes loaded with gold.” Displaying their intelligence and aspirations, they sent their sons to study in Manila and later abroad, and ● ● ● ● ● acquired furniture and other articles of luxury for their personal use. The new rich went to Manila to make their purchases from the leading merchants, who welcomed their patronage. In the 19th century, the Philippines greatly expanded its volume of foreign trade and diversified its economic structure, with the new money flows circulating far into the countryside and giving an impulse to the formation of a native middle class. Those who controlled large rice-, sugar-, and abaca-growing lands in Central Luzon, Batangas, parts of the Bikol region, Negros, and Panay profited the most. These included not only the Filipino hacenderos of Pampanga, Batangas, and Western Visayas, and the friar orders owning the large haciendas of Bulacan, Laguna, and Cavite, but also the inquilinos (lessees) of the friar haciendas. The prosperity which the new export economy had brought to some may be illustrated by the case of Rizal’s Chinese ancestor Domingo Lam-co. When he had come to the Biñan hacienda in the mid-18th century, the average holding of an inquilino was 2.9 hectares. When Rizal’s father moved to the Calamba hacienda, the Rizal family in the 1890s rented from the hacienda over 390 hectares. Politics in the Spanish Philippines ● The king or queen of Spain was the ruler of the Philippines. The country was ruled through Mexico via the Consejo de las Indias or Council of the Indies. ● The governor general represented the king or queen. He had blanket authority during typhoons, floods, epidemics, earthquakes, etc. ● The Real Audiencia was the supreme court. It was composed of oidores (judges) who checked the activities of the governor general. ● The Real Audiencia gave power to the Residencia to check the governor general. However, the governor general was also honorary head of the Real Audiencia. ● There was a union of Church and State during the Spanish Occupation, meaning the Church could meddle in government matters and the government could meddle in Church matters. The governor general was also vice-patron of the Church. ● The ayuntamiento in Intramuros was the office of the governor general. Malacañang Palace was his summer residence. ● Only a peninsular (a Spaniard who was born in Spain) could become governor general. An insular (a Spaniard born in the Philippines) and a mestizo could not. ● There were two kinds of provinces: the corregimiento and the alcaldia. A corregimiento, headed by a corregidor, still had resistance and could not pay taxes. A corregidor had to be a man knowledgeable in military strategies. ● An alcalde mayor also had to be a peninsular. Most of the time, he was also a lawyer. What made an alcalde ● ● ● ● ● ● mayor rich and powerful was his right to engage in trade. Under the provincial government was the municipal government. A town or pueblo was headed by a gobernadorcillo, also called capitan municipal or simply capitan. There were gobernacillos de naturales and gobernadorcillos de mestizos in some towns. In Binondo, they were also gobernadorcillos de chinos. He was voted by thirteen electors, composed of six former cabezas de barangay (village heads), six current cabezas and the outgoing gobernadorcillo. The parish priest had to approve the election of a gobernadorcillo. If approved, his name was sent to the alcalde mayor and afterwards forwarded to the governor general for final approval. Gobernadorcillos and cabezas were in charge of the collection of taxes. They had to be rich because they had to pay for the taxes of people who went to the mountains. The highest position a Filipino could occupy was that of gobernadorcillo. Social and Cultural Conditions Under Spain ● Spanish influence made its impact on our indigenous culture. It can be seen through the change in Filipino names, intermarriages, the plaza complex, fiestas and ● ● ● ● ● other religious rituals, attire and ornaments, house styles, religion and education. Many Filipinos did not change their names. They used names such as Gatmaitan, Gatbonton, Dimalanta, Dimagiba, Bayani, Magtanggol, Magiting, etc. At first, the Spaniards did not attempt to change our naming practices. Those who became Christians chose Spanish names, usually the names of saints. Many Filipinos still did not have surnames so confusion arose. To remedy the situation, Governor General Narciso Claveria issued a decree in 1849 allowing Filipinos to change their names. The Spaniards as a rule did not intermarry with Filipinos. There were exceptions to this rule, of course. A child of a Filipino woman and a Spaniard was called mestizo Español. A child of a Chinese man and a Filipino woman was called mestizo de Sangley. Children of Filipinos were called indios (Indians). Technically those who could be called Filipinos were the insulares, Spaniards born in the Philippines. Social Stratification 1. Peninsulares 2. Insulares 3. Mestizos de Español 4. Indios 5. Mestizos de Sangley 6. Chinos 7. Infieles (Infidels) ● The Spaniards introduced the type of house called antillean. They are now usually called bahay na bato. ● ● ● ● ● The first floor of the house is made of stone, while the second floor is made of first-class wood. Many Filipinos who had contacts with the Spaniards learned the Spanish language. Such contacts led to adoptions of Spanish words among many Filipino languages. During the early period of Spanish rule, public education was not available to majority of Filipinos. In 1863, public primary and secondary schools were opened to Filipinos. Despite the move, many children were afraid to go to school because teachers were often brutal. With the rise of the middle class, many Filipinos were able to go colegios such as Ateneo Municipal and San Juan de Letran. Later, they were admitted to UST. Filipinos were given a chance to become lawyers, physicians, teachers, etc., unlike people in other colonies. The Rise of Philippine Nationalism ● Louis L. Snyder defines nationalism as “a condition of mind, feeling, or sentiment of a group of people living in a well-defined geographical area, speaking a common language, possessing a literature in which the aspirations of the nation have been expressed, being attached to common traditions, and, in some cases, having a common religion.” ● A nation is, according to Benedict Anderson, an “imagined community.” ● A nation is limited because it has an official boundary. A nation is sovereign because it has supreme authority inside its boundary. ● A nation is imagined because it allows members of the nation to feel a connection with one another even though they will never meet all other members of the nation. ● A nation is a community because members of the nation have a deep horizontal comradeship regardless of their background. The Opening of Suez Canal ● The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 resulted in the shorter route and travel time between the Philippines and Spain. ● Many progressive Spaniards migrated to the Philippines. ● These Spaniards influenced some educated Filipinos and soon both were advocating changes in the administration of the Philippines. ● Another effect of the opening of the Suez Canal was the influx of progressive books and periodicals to the country. ● Educated Filipinos who read about these ideas learned about democratic practices in Europe such as freedom of the press and freedom of speech. ● Shorter travel time and distance encouraged and allowed many educated Filipinos to study in European universities. Liberalism in the Philippines ● The revolutionaries in Spain overthrew Queen Isabella II and established the Provisional Government in 1868. The revolution brought some liberal and progressive Spanish leaders to the Philippines. ● One of them was Governor-General Carlos Maria de la Torre, who arrived in Manila in 1869. ● De la Torre’s administration was significant because he abolished censorship of the press, among other things. ● De la Torre’s tenure lasted until 1871. He was replaced by Rafael de Izquierdo who boasted that he would rule the Philippines “with a cross in one hand and a sword in the other.” The Campaign for Secularization ● Priesthood during the Spanish Occupation was composed of two classes: the regular and the secular. ● In the Philippines, the friars or members of religious orders not only led evangelization among non-Christians but also held parishes. ● The friars had to administer the parishes because there were only a few seculars in the first century of Spanish rule. ● When Filipinos became seculars they were given subordinate positions because the friars refused to vacate the parishes. ● This refusal led to controversy between the regulars and the seculars. This controversy started when the seculars asked for their right to administer the parishes. ● The first leader of the secularization campaign was Fr. Pedro Pablo Pelaez (1812-1863), a Spanish mestizo. ● ● ● ● ● After his death, he was succeeded by Fr. Jose Burgos (1837-1872), also a Spanish mestizo. Other member priests of the campaign were Spanish or Chinese mestizos or Filipinos. Among them were Fr. Mariano Gomez and Fr. Jacinto Zamora. The mutineers included Filipinos, mestizos and creoles. The government ordered the arrest of Filipinos and mestizos who were allegedly behind the rebellion. Many priests who were part of the secularization campaign were arrested. Civilians were also arrested. Those arrested were exiled to Guam, while Fr. Gomez, Fr. Burgos and Fr. Zamora were sentenced to death. The Execution of Gomburza ● During the trial of Gomburza, the government failed to prove convincingly that they were part of the Cavite Mutiny. ● Governor-General de Izquierdo promised to present documents that would prove the three priests’ involvement but he never did. ● In spite of the lack of evidence, the three priests were sentenced to death by garrote. ● On February 17, 1872, the three priests marched from Fort Santiago to Bagumbayan Field. ● Gomburza maintained their innocence until the end. ● The Spaniards fled towards Intramuros because they thought the Filipinos were about to rebel. ● The importance of Gomburza’s execution rested on the fact that the Filipinos who witnessed the event began to think of themselves as Filipinos, not Ilocanos, Tagalogs, Visayans etc. ● The Filipinos suspected that because they belonged to a different race, the Spaniards (who thought themselves superior to Filipinos) took them beasts of burden. ● From that time on, Filipinos began to feel the need for unity. Jose Rizal, 11 years old in 1872, would later dedicate El Filibusterismo to Gomburza. The Life of Jose Rizal Rizal’s Family ● Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. ● Rizal’s father, Francisco Engracio Mercado, was a wealthy farmer who leased lands from the Dominican friars. ● Don Francisco’s earliest ancestors were Siang-co and Zun-nio, who later gave birth to Lam-co. Lam-co was from Fujian and migrated to the Philippines in the 1600s. In 1697, he was baptized, adopting Domingo as his first name. He married Ines de la Rosa of Binondo. In 1731, they had a son whom they named Francisco Mercado. ● Francisco Mercado became one of the richest persons in Biñan. His son Juan Mercado married Cirila Alejandra of Biñan. One of Juan and Cirila’s 13 children was Francisco Engracio Mercado (1818-1898). ● Francisco Engracio Mercado married Teodora Alonso (1826-1911), who belonged to one of the richest families in Manila. ● Because of Francisco and Teodora’s industry and hard work, their family became one of the most prominent principalia families in Calamba. ● Jose Rizal (1861-1896) was the seventh among the 11 children of Francisco and Teodora. Jose’s relationship with his only brother, Paciano (1851-1930), was more than that of an older brother. Jose highly respected him and valued his advice. Childhood and Early Education ● Rizal had good memories of his childhood in Calamba. As a family, the Rizals prayed the Angelus together. Rizal’s childhood was full of love and care shown to him by his parents and siblings. ● Because of his poor health, Rizal had a personal servant who would tell him legends and fairy tales. ● Doña Teodora was Rizal’s first teacher. Later, he had private tutors just like the children of the principalia. His private teachers were Maestro Celestino, Maestro Lucas Padua, and Maestro Leon Monroy. ● At the age of nine, Rizal left Calamba with his brother to study in Biñan. In Biñan, Rizal excelled in Latin and Spanish. He also studied painting under Maestro Juancho. ● Rizal returned to Calamba on December 17, 1870 after one-and-a half year of schooling in Biñan. Student of Manila ● Rizal was sent by Don Francisco to Ateneo Municipal to study Bachiller en Artes (Bachelor of Arts). He took the entrance exam on June 10, 1872, four months after the execution of Gomburza. ● Rizal took Paciano’s advice to use the name Jose Rizal instead of Jose Mercado. ● Ateneo was known to offer the best education for boys. Ateneo was managed by the Jesuits, who were not regarded as friars. ● Students in Ateneo were divided into two groups, the Romans (boarding students) and the Carthaginians (non-boarding students). After a month in Ateneo, he became “emperor,” the most outstanding student in class. ● Rizal was an excellent student at the Ateneo, where he studied from 1872 to1877. He graduated in 1877 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts with the highest honors (sobresaliente). ● After finishing Bachelor of Arts, Rizal was sent by Don Francisco to UST. Rizal studied Philosophy and Letters during his first year (1877-1878) at UST, while studying a surveying course in Ateneo. ● In his second year at UST, Rizal shifted to Medicine after learning his mother’s failing eyesight. He took the Pre-Medical and Medical courses at the same time. ● Rizal’s academic performance in UST was not as impressive as his performance in Ateneo. Nonetheless, he was still one of seven students who remained in the Medicine course in his last year at UST out of the original batch of 24. Rizal in Europe ● In 1882 Rizal and Paciano decided that Rizal would go to Europe to complete his medical studies. On May 3, Rizal left the Philippines for Spain. ● Rizal arrived in Barcelona on June 16. His former Ateneo classmates organized a welcome party for him at a coffee house in Plaza de Cataluña. In Barcelona, Rizal found time to write the essay “El Amor Patrio,” which was later published on August 20, 1882 in Diariong Tagalog where he used the pen name Laong Laan. ● Rizal moved to Madrid where he enrolled in Medicine and Philosophy and Letters at the Universidad Central de Madrid on November 3, 1882. ● He also took lessons in painting and sculpture at the Academia de San Fernando, and classes in French, English, and German at the Madrid Ateneo. He also enrolled in fencing at the schools of Sanz and Carbonell. ● Rizal obtained the degree of Licentiate in Medicine for passing the medical examinations in June 1884. With the Licentiate in Medicine, Rizal was able to practice medicine. ● Rizal continued to courses that would lead to a Doctorate in Medicine but the degree was not awarded to him because he could not pay the fees required to defend his thesis. ● Rizal also obtained the degree Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters from the Universidad Central de Madrid on June 19, 1885 with a rating of sobresaliente (excellent). ● In between his studies, Rizal made time for meeting fellow Filipinos in Madrid. Known as ilustrados (enlightened ones), these Filipinos formed the Circulo Hispano-Filipino which had activities such as poetry reading and debates. ● In a reunion of Filipinos in the Madrid house of Pedro Paterno on January 2, 1884, Rizal proposed the writing of a novel about Philippine society. It was in Madrid that Rizal wrote the first half of Noli Me Tangere. ● While in Madrid, Rizal was exposed to liberal ideas through the masons he met. He was impressed with the masons’ view about knowledge and reasoning and how they valued brotherhood. Rizal joined the Lodge Solidaridad on November 15, 1890. ● Rizal joined fellow Filipinos at the house of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey where he met and became attracted to Consuelo, Don Pablo’s daughter. However, Rizal did not pursue her because of his commitment to Leonor Rivera. ● Rizal specialized in ophthalmology and trained under the leading ophthalmologists in Europe like Dr. Louis de Wecker of Paris for whom he worked as an assistant from October 1885 to March 1886. ● In Germany, he also worked with expert ophthalmologists Dr. Javier Galezowsky and Dr. Otto Becker in 1886 and Dr. R. Schulzer and Dr. Schwiegger in 1887. ● In Germany, Rizal befriended scholars such as Fredrich Ratzel, Ferdinand Blumentritt, Feodor Jagor, and Hans Virchow. ● Rizal wrote a paper entitled Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art). It was also in Berlin where Rizal finished Noli Me Tangere which was published on March 21, 1887 with a loan from his friend Maximo Viola. ● Rizal went back to Calamba on August 8, 1887. He spent his time with his family and kept himself busy by opening a medical clinic and curing the sick. He became known as Doctor Uliman because he was mistaken for a German. ● Rizal’s vacation was interrupted because of the friars’ negative reaction to the Noli Me Tangere. He left the Philippines for the second time on February 16, 1888. Rizal in Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, and the United States ● Rizal met in Hong Kong Jose Ma. Basa and Balbino Mauricio who were exiled after the events of 1872. He also visited nearby Macau. ● Rizal arrived in Yokohama on February 28, 1888 and stayed in Tokyo. Rizal thought Japan was beautiful and the Japanese people were industrious, clean, honest, and polite. He also thought Japanese women were charming. ● Rizal also met and became attracted to Usui Seiko (Osei San), who worked at the Spanish Consulate in Tokyo. ● Rizal left Japan on April 13, 1888 and arrived in San Francisco on April 28, 1888. He landed in San Francisco on May 5, 1888. He crossed the continent and arrived in New York City on May 13, 1888. ● Rizal thought that the United States was a land of great opportunity especially for immigrants. However, Rizal complained about the racial prejudice of the Americans. According to him, “America is the land par excellence of freedom but only for the whites.” ● Rizal left New York on May 16, 1888 and arrived in Liverpool on May 24, 1888. Rizal’s Second Trip to Europe ● In his second trip to Europe, Rizal became more active in the Propaganda Movement with fellow ilustrados such as Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Antonio Luna, and Mariano Ponce. ● The Propaganda Movement campaigned for the following: ○ The Philippines to be made a province of Spain (not an “overseas province”) so that Filipinos would have the same rights accorded to Spaniards ○ Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes ○ Secularization of the parishes ● Rizal published articles and essays in the Propaganda Movement’s newspaper, La Solidaridad. Among them were Sobre La Indolencia de los Filipinos (On the Indolence of the Filipinos) and Filipinas Dentro de Cien Años (The Philippines a Century Hence). ● Rizal also published in Europe his annotation of Antonio de Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Events in the Philippine Islands) ● By July 1891, while in Brussels, Rizal completed his second novel, El Filibusterismo, which was published on September 18, 1891 in Ghent through the help of his friend, Valentin Ventura. ● Rizal left Europe for good on October 18, 1891 and arrived in Hong Kong on November 20, 1891. Rizal set up two medical clinics in Hong Kong. ● Rizal decided to return to the Philippines thinking that the real struggle was in his homeland. He arrived on June 26, 1892 and he encouraged his friends to join La Liga Filipina, which he later established on July 3, 1892. ● Unfortunately, Rizal was arrested on July 6, 1892 and brought to Fort Santiago. He was accused of bringing from Hong Kong leaflets called Pobres Frailes (Poor Friars). In spite of his denial, Rizal was exiled to Dapitan in Mindanao. Exile in Dapitan ● Dapitan became Rizal’s home from 1892 to 1896. He practiced medicine, pursued scientific studies, and continued his artistic pursuits. ● Rizal established a school for boys and engaged in farming and commerce. ● On September 21, 1892, Rizal won second prize in a lottery together with Dapitan commandant Captain Ricardo Carnicero. Rizal’s share, 6,200 pesos, was used to buy land in Talisay, approximately one kilometer away from Dapitan. Rizal built a house, school, and hospital in Talisay. ● George Taufer travelled to Dapitan from Hong Kong. He was accompanied by his adopted daughter, Josephine Bracken, who fell in love with Rizal. ● Rizal and Josephine lived as husband and wife in Rizal’s house after being denied the sacrament of marriage by Father Obach, the parish priest of Dapitan, due to Rizal’s refusal to retract his statements against the Church. ● On the eve of June 21, 1896, Dr. Pio Valenzuela visited Rizal in Dapitan and informed him about the Katipunan and the impending revolution. Rizal objected to it, citing the importance of a well-planned movement with sufficient arms. ● Meanwhile, Rizal asked Governor-General Ramon Blanco for a review of his case. He said that if his request would not be granted, he would volunteer to serve as a surgeon under the Spanish army fighting in the Cuban revolution. ● Rizal’s request to go to Cuba was approved on July 30, 1896. The next day, he left for Manila. On August 6, 1896, he boarded Castilla. On September 2, Rizal left onboard Isla de Panay. ● Upon arriving in Barcelona, Governor-General Despujol told him that there was an order to ship him back to Manila. On November 3, 1896, Rizal arrived in Manila and was immediately brought to Fort Santiago. Trial and Execution ● The preliminary investigation of Rizal’s case began on November 20, 1896. He was accused of being the main organizer of the revolution by proliferating ideas of rebellion and of founding illegal organizations. ● Rizal pleaded not guilty and even wrote a manifesto appealing to the revolutionaries to discontinue the fighting. However, the Spanish authorities were not happy with the manifesto and did not issue it. ● Rizal’s lawyer, Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade, tried his best to save Rizal. On December 26, 1896, the trial ended and the sentence was read. Rizal was found guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad. ● On December 28, 1896, Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja signed the court decision and decreed that Rizal be executed at 7:00am on December 30, 1896. ● Rizal, on his last remaining days, composed his longest poem, Mi Ultimo Adios, his farewell to the Filipino people. ● When his mother and sisters visited him on December 29, 1896, Rizal gave away his remaining possessions. ● Rizal handed his gas lamp to his sister Trinidad and murmured softly in English, “There is something inside.” Trinidad and Maria would later extract from the lamp the copy of Rizal’s last poem. ● After his family left, Jesuits Father Jose Vilaclara and Father Vicente Balaguer arrived to convince him to retract from freemasonry. ● At around 10:00pm a draft of retraction arrived from Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda. Father Balaguer showed Rizal another draft made by Jesuit Father Pio Pi. Rizal liked Father Pi’s draft but wanted to include his Catholic upbringing and education. At 11:30pm Rizal signed the retraction document. ● After signing the document, Rizal had confession with Father Vilaclara. ● ● At 1:30am on December 30, 1896, Rizal woke up, prayed, and confessed again. He confessed four times. Rizal also prayed the Rosary in between confessions. ● After confessing for the last time, Rizal heard Mass and received Communion on his knees. ● At 5:00am, Rizal ate breakfast and autographed his books. Narcisa Rizal and Josephine Bracken arrived. Rizal requested that he and Josephine finally be married. Father Balaguer married Rizal and Josephine. Rizal gave Josephine his autographed copy of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. ● At 6:30am on December 30, 1896, Rizal walked to Bagumbayan. The orders were given and shots were fired. “Consummatum est (It is finished!),” Rizal cried when he was shot. Rizal died offering his life for his country and its freedom.
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