Rizal Without the Overcoat

Ambeth R. Ocampo

Jose Rizals greatest misfortune was being acknowledged as National Hero of the
Philippines
Was Jose Rizal an American sponsored hero?
-

The Americans over emphasized Rizal and has pushed other heroes in obscurity as
second class heroes.
The KKK password was Rizal
Andres Bonifacio offered KKK honorary presidency to Rizal and attempted to rescue
him in Dapitan
Rizal was already considered a hero even before the Americans.
The Americans built on the prevailing sentiment of the people

Jose Rizals Trip to America / Rizals Anti Americanism

-

He described Niagara falls as not as pretty or mysteriously beautiful as the

waterfalls in Los Banos
Impressed with New York where everything was new
Undoubtedly, America is a great country, but it still has many defects. No civil
liberty
Rizal was no ordinary Asian traveller, the only asian traveller who travelled first
class
had he been subject to more discrimination, his impressions of America would have
been worse
Rizal loves America but not its people
Americans were robots hurled to discredit Europe
Though Rizal hated Spaniards he was compelled to defend Europe and Spain against
Americans

Rectos Rizal Bill

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Recto fought tooth and nail to have the Rizal bill passed into law in 1956
The Catholic hierarchy found 170 passages in El Fili and 50 in Noli offensive to the
catholic faith
Catholic schools threatened to close if the Recto bill was passed
Church officials threatened to punish legislators
There was apropos to use expurgated novels as textbooks, with the un-expurgated
copies to be kept under lock and key. Recto threw this out
This is not a fight against Recto but a fight against Rizal...now that Rizal is dead and
they can no longer attempt at his life, they are attempting to blot out his memory.

Why Rizal is the National Hero

-

Thru Rizals Letters, diaries and writings, he had planned his entire life down to the
last detail. He did not leave anything to chance, not even the choreography of his
death.

Rizal was a quiet and peaceful man who wilfully and calmly walked to his death for
his convictions.
Convictions:
o I cannot live knowing that many are suffering unjust persecution because of
me
o I know that the future of my country gravitates around me
o What matters death if one dies for what one loves, for ones country and for
those whom he loves?
o I would hesitate to serve my people (indios) if they require my services in
Philippine politics
o I shall die blessing my country and wishing her the dawn of her redemption

Deflating the Historical Ego

-

There were 12 students in Rizals class, 9 of which got the same grade as Rizal
He got good grades in Ateneo but not in SantoTomas
He was never granted the academic title Dr.
Ocampo terms it as being lost in translation

Is Rizal Really Still Alive?

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Rizalistas believe that Rizal is alive and well in Mount Banahaw and he would come
back after the end of the world
After his execution his body was reported missing and was replaced by a white cock
which flew in the direction of Cavite, supposedly to join the soul of Fr. Burgos who
was also believed to be still alive
Rizals soul was believed to have the ability to transfer from place to place within the
Paco cemetery
Rizals continuing existence even after his death was brought about by Filipino
rebels using his name in recruiting more people to join the cause

The Writ that Could Have Changed History

-

Writ of habeas corpus for Rizal

Rizal left Dapitan for Barcelona
His application to work for the Spanish army in Cuba was approved by the
Governador General
He was implicated in a revolution which happened in Manila and was immediately
detained in Barcelona and sent back to the Philippines

The Other Rizal

-

Paciano Rizal was a general in the revolution

His membership in the katipunan is at question
Jose was the only member of the family who used the surname Rizal to avoid being
associated with his brother
Paciano ran the hacienda and secretly sent his younger brother off to Europe without
their mothers consent
Paciano and Jose made a pact that they will work for the country and that only one of
them should get married

Blumentritts Role in the Propaganda War

-

Ferdinand Blumentritt is one of the first European scholars who specialized in

Philippine studies
Blumentritt worked against U.S. imperialistic designs
Blumentritt attacked anti-Filipino writers like Quiopquiap and Retana
During the American period, he attacked James Le Roy
German takeover

Ho Chin Minh and Rizal

-

Uncle Ho is the father of Vietnamese democracy

The only similarity is in belief of nationality

The Everyday Rizal

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Rizal usually had hot chocolate and tuyo for breakfast

He was too proud to let his landlady he didnt have any money for food
Rizals stinginess

Smokers Street and Betel Buts

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Calle Fumadero
In 1879 Rizal bought hashish for experimental purposes

What did Jose Rizal Read?

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Rizal owned a collection of 22,000 books, which Josephine Bracken wanted to obtain
due to monetary value

The Great Dapitan Stocking Market

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Chinese prejudice
Economic nationalism
Despite his Chinese ancestry, Rizal had anti-Chinese feelings

Rizal and Orwell

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Animal farm
Los animals de Suan

Rizal on Domingo de Ramos

-

Christianity is no longer the religion of the poor but a church of the rich and powerful
against the poor and weak
Anticlerical sentiment of Rizal and the revolution
Filibustero

The matter of reading Rizals novels

-

The Filipino at present will only read Rizals work as either part of school or a
requirement

Question of the texts meanings from generation to generation

Translation of texts is a problem

Austin Coates
-

London born Rizal biographer

Noted for writing a readable and approachable biography of Rizal as compared to that
of Retana and Leon ma. Guerrero
In 1950 he set out in interviewing people who knew Rizal
His interviews led him to discover that the intellectual community in Hong Kong was
populated by the Portuguese and not the Brits
Josephine Bracken was buried in a paupers
Coates believes that Rizal left behind an enigma
Rizal was the first ophthalmic surgeon in Asia, trained by the best Opthalmic surgeons
in Europe

Manuel Sarkisyanz
-

Rizal was not a martyr but a victim of a struggle between Spain and Spain
Sarkisyanz was born in Armenia in 1923
Professor of south east Asian history and politics in at the University of Heidelberg
In a way Rizal was a martyr of Spanish democracy
Francisco pi y Margall
Prior to the establishment of Rizalistas Rizal was already consider as a miracle
worker (Medicine and Opthalmology)

The woman who could have been Mrs. Rizal

-

Leonor Rivera is assumed to be Maria Clara

When Jose met Leonor they immediately got engaged before Leonor became 15.
Rizal and other upper class families did not adhere to old courting rituals (service)
When Rizal left, his relationship with Leonor became a relationship based on
correspondence
Due to the separation, Leonor became sickly
Leonors mother bribed the postman to give her all the letters from Rizal
Leonor married Charles Henry Kipping as for a means to a brighter future
Leonor agreed to marry kipping because she was convinced that Rizal had forgotten
her
Leonor died giving birth in 1893

Rizals Amusements
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Rizals kargada was at the right

Rizal had a liking for western women
Had several acquaintances in Europe

In Paris
-

They lived it up in Paris, enjoying cultural and leisure activities

A past time was fencing and shooting, though Rizals skill is questionable

Demythologizing Rizal
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Doctor Maximo Viola

Casas de palomas de bajo vuelo
Educational Trips
Viola had to produce another image
Letters to Paciano would often portray his observations about prostitutes and their
ways

Did Rizal love Josephine Bracken enough to retract?

-

They were only to be married if Rizal retracted from religious error

...She obeys me and attends to me in a way a Filipina may not easily do
1896, Bracken has a miscarriage, at the same year she wanted to have a breakup
The Rizal family denies the marriage
Issues with the will
Bracken forgery
La viuda de Rizal

Rizals last letters

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Rizals last meal was 3 hard boiled eggs, which he placed at the corner of his cell
saying let the rats have a feast too
He instructed his family that after his execution he be buried under ground, with a
cross showing my name, date of birth and death, and the fence was to be optional
Rizal wrote letters to his brother and father asking for forgiveness
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.

Mabini (as written by Andres Bonifacios wife)

-

Emilio Jacinto mentions that Mabini says bad things about Rizal
Mabini wants to stress that he was better than Rizal
He only arrives at meetings when the food is already set

Rizals Vital Statistics

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Measurements based on Rizals coats

Shoulder width 16 to 17
Chest 37
Waist 25 to 26
Head was 6 across
Measurements remain unverifiable
Height varies from 411 to 53

Rizals Penmanship
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Mabini has the smallest penmanship

Marcelo H. Del Pilar has the worst
Antonio Luna has the best (Best penmanship award in Ateneo)
Graphology