Dr. Jose Rizal
National Hero of the Philippines
By: Evelyn Esguerra
In this issue, we are going to remember a man who made a huge impact to Philippine history, the pride of the Malayan race and our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. He was a well educated man who finished a course in Philosophy and Letters, completed Bachelor of Arts Degree and earned his degree of Licentiate in Medicine at Universidad Central de Madrid. He was a poet, artist, economist, architect, journalist, novelist, sculptor, businessman, educator and a conversant in at least ten languages. He was a well travelled man, expert swordsman and pistol shooter, a versatile genius and a Filipino polymath.
Dr. Jose Rizal, with all his God given talent and ability was also the most advocate for change in the Philippines during the Spanish Colonial era. Through his literary works, he opened up the minds of the Filipino people to fight for their rights in their own country. His two most famous novels with highly nationalistic and revolutionary tendencies are the NOLI ME TANGERE, a novel exposing the arrogance and despotism of the Spanish clergy, and EL FILIBUSTERISMO which is a sequel to the NOLI, is more revolutionary and tragic than the first. These two novels provoked the animosity of those in power and led himself into trouble with the Spanish officials. He was imprisoned at Fort Santiago from July 6-15, 1892 then exiled to Dapitan until 1896.
During his exile, the rebellion by the militant secret society KATIPUNAN had become a full blown revolution and his enemies lost no time in pressing him down. They were able to enlist witnesses that linked him with these revolts and he was again locked up in Fort Santiago on November 3, 1896. He was convicted of rebellion, sedition and of forming illegal associations. In his prison cell he wrote a poem now known as MI ULTIMO ADIOS, which is considered a masterpiece and a liking document expressing not only his love for his country but also that of countrymen.
He was executed in the cold morning of December 30, 1896 at age 35 at Bagumbayan, Manila Philippines now known as Rizal Park or Luneta. A monument with his remains, now stands near the place where he fell. With his statue carries the inscription:
“I want to show to those who deprive people the right to love of country, that when we know how to sacrifice ourselves for our duties and convictions, death does not matter if one dies for those one loves -for his country and for others dear to him.”
JOSE RIZAL TRIVIA
Contribution to Science
Rizal found Mindanao to be a rich virgin field for collecting specimens. With his baroto (sailboat) and accompanied by his pupils, he explored the jungles and coasts seeking specimens of insects, birds, snakes, lizards, frogs, shells and plants. He sent these specimens to the museum of Europe mainly the Dresden Museum. In payment for these valuable specimens, the European scientists sent him scientific books and surgical instruments.
During his four years exile in Dapitan, Rizal discovered some rare specimens which were named in his honour by the
scientists. Among these were :
¨ Draco Rizali -a flying dragon
¨ Apogonia Rizali -a small beetle
¨ Rhacophorus Rizali -a rare frog
On 21 September 1892, the mail boat “Butuan” arrived in Dapitan carrying lottery Ticket No. 9736 jointly owned by Captain Carnicero, Dr Jose Rizal and Francisco Equilior. The ticket won the second prize of P20,000 in the government-owned Manila Lottery.
Rizal’s share of the winning lottery was P6,200. He gave P2,000 to his father and P200 to his friend Basa in Hongkong and the rest he invested well by purchasing agricultural lands along the coast of Talisay about one kilometer away from Dapitan.
Reference:
Zaide, Gregorio, Jose Rizal : Life works and writing of a genius, writer scientist and national hero, Quezon City: All Nations Publishing Co. Inc. c1999.
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