CHAPTER 5

JOSE RIZAL’S LIFE: EXILE, TRIAL AND DEATH

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. analyze the factors that led to Jose Rizal’s execution on Spanish colonial rule and the
Philippine revolution; and
2. analyze the effects of Jose Rizal’s execution on Spanish colonial rule and the Philippine
revolution.

Jose Rizal’s Exile (1892-96)

Jose dwelled as exile in Dapitan,
Zamboanga Del Norte, a far-removed town in
Mindanao from 1892 to 1896. This four-year
interregnum in Jose’s life was summed up by Zaide
and Zaide (2104) as:
Tediously unexciting, but was abundantly fruitful
with varied achievements. He practiced medicine,
pursed scientific studies, continued his artistic and
literary works, widened his knowledge of
languages, established a school for boys, promoted community development projects, invented a
wooden machine for making bricks, and engaged in farming and commerce. Despite his multifarious
activities, fellow reformists, and eminent scientists and scholars of Europe.

In Dapitan, Jose had a very peaceful, happy, and enjoyable life and the way he lived it was
extremely good and deserving to be admired and copied. He made sure his stay in Dapitan would be
fruitful, so he engaged in manifold activities. His excellent skill in the science of medicine spread like
wild fire in Dapitan. His medical practice attracted many patients who were mostly poor. He put to
good use the curative values of the Philippines medicinal plants which he studied and doled them
out to his poor patients who could not afford to buy imported medicine. He welcomed both affluent
and indigent patients. He normally undercharged them if not for free and accepted any payments in
kind from those who had little or no money.

With the assistance of Father Francisco Sanchez, his former Jesuit teacher, Jose buckled
down to work. He enhanced the town plaza and accentuated it with a huge relief map of Mindanao,
which can still be viewed today. One of the impressive projects of Jose was the water system he
designed and constructed in order that people of Dapitan can have
access to clean water. In spite of lack of funds, exiguous resources and
no government assistance, he was able to build it, armed only with his
training in Ateneo, readings of engineering books, sheer determination
and ingenuity. To reduce the occurrence of malaria, he drained the
marshes where mosquitos thrived. Utilizing the 500 pesos he received
from an English patient, he introduced a lighting system made up of
coconut oil lamps in glass protectors which lighted up dark areas in the
town.
 Imbued with the value of education since childhood, Jose realized his dream to establish his
own school in which he applied the educational system he learned abroad. The school opened with
three pupils which increased to 16 and later to 21. His lessons constituted of reading, writing
languages (Spanish and English), geography, history, mathematics (arithmetic and geometry),
industrial work, study of nature, and morals. He also trained and exposed them to gymnastics,
boxing, wrestling, stone-throwing, swimming, arnis (native frencing), and boating for physical
development and discipline. He did not charge his pupils for sharing his knowledge, instead, he
encouraged them to help him in his garden, farm, and construction projects in the community.

Jose conducted scientific studies in

the rich virgin field if Dapitan and
collected specimens of animals and
plants. He forwarded these specimens to
the Dresden museum of Europe and he
received scientific books and surgical
instruments as payment. He has an
impressive assemblage of his study of 346
shells from 203 species. He obtained
knowledge on some rare specimens which
were named in his honor by European
scientists such as Draco rizali (a flying
dragon), Apogonia rizali (a small beetle), and Rhacophorus rizali (a rare frog).

While in Dapitan, Jose studied the Bisayan, Subanum, and Malayan languages and wrote a
Tagalog grammar. He wrote poems entitled: A Don Ricardo Carnicero, Himno A Talisay (Hymn to the
Talisay Tree) Mi Retiro (My Retreat), El Canto del Viajero (The Song of the Traveler) and Josephine.
He also made some drawings and sculptures of people and things that captivated him.

Jose acquired lands in Dapitan which reached total holdings of 70 hectares, where he
constructed his house, school, hospital, and planted in his farm many fruit trees, corn, coffee, cacao,
sugarcane, and hemp. He also introduced and encouraged the use of modern European and
American methods of agriculture. He, however, did not realize his dream of transforming Dapitan
into an agricultural colony because he did not get the acceptance and permission of the
government.

In collaboration with Ramon Carreon, a Dapitan merchant, Jose was successful in his
business ventures in fishing, copra, and hemp industries. He established the Cooperative Association
of Dapitan Farmers to break the Chinese business in monopoly in Dapitan. The confederation,
according to Jose Rizal’s Political and Historical Writings (1964) aimed “to improve the farm
products, obtain better outlets for them, collect funds for their purchases, and help the producers
and workers by establishing a store wherein they can buy prime commodities at moderate prices.”

He devised an unusual “sulpukan”, a cigarette lighter made of wood which employed the
principle of compressed air. Subsequently, it was received by Blumentritt as a gift. He also formed an
idea of a machine for making bricks. Patterned after a Belgian example, Jose’s version could produce
about 6,000 bricks daily.

In spite of his achievements in Dapitan, Jose felt empty. He missed his family, relatives, and
friends. He felt he needed somebody to rejuvenate him. Expressed in Letters between Rizal and
Family Members (1964), Jose found his answer in Josephine Bracken:
 In God’s own time, this “somebody” came to Dapitan, like a sunbeam to dispel his
melancholy mood. She was Josephine Bracken, an Irish girl of sweet eighteen, “slender, a
chestnut blond, with blue eyes, dressed with elegant simplicity, with an atmosphere of light
gayety”. She of Irish parents. She was born in Hong Kong on October 3, 1876 of Irish parents
– James Bracken, a corporal in the British garrison, and Elizabeth Jane MacBride.

Jose and Josephine fell inlove with each other and decided to seal their relationship with
marriage but no priest would marry them. Even without the blessing of the church, Jose and
Josephine joyfully shared each other’s life in Dapitan. His happiness doubled when he learned that
Josephine was expecting a baby. By twist of fate, the baby, only lived for three hours. He named his
baby boy “Francisco” in honor to his father.

In 1876, Andres Bonifacio and his Katipunan (revolutionary society he founded on July 7,
1892) organized an armed rebellion. They assigned Dr. Pio Valenzuela to notify Jose Rizal about their
plan. To conceal his assignment, Dr. Pio was accompanied by Raymundo Mata, a blind man to
consult Jose’s medical advised. Jose opposed the Katipuneros very bold and shocking uprising. He
firmly believed that they are not ready for a revolution. He added that they do not have adequate
arms and funds. He also declined the offer of Katipuneros to rescue him.

Several months before the Katipuneros communicated with Jose, Blumentritt revealed to
him the pitiful health situation (yellow fever epidemic) in war-ridden Cuba and admonished him to
volunteer as an army doctor there to end his exile. On December 17, 1895, acting upon his friend’s
counsel, Jose sent Governor General Ramon Blanco a letter, offering his medical services in Cuba. He
almost gave up hope when he did not get a response after months had passed.

However, on July 30, 1896, when he least expected it, a letter from the Spanish Governor
arrived informing him of his proposal. This letter also expressed that he would be given a pass so
that he could travel in Manila, where he would given a safe-conduct to Spain and subsequently to
Cuba.

July 31, 1896 marked Jose Rizal’s emotionally charged departure from a town he learned to
love. Many teary-eyed Dapitan folks were at the shore to bid goodbye to a person who unselfishly
did all he can for their town. With weeping heart brimming with tears of nostalgic memories, Jose
gestured his farewell salute to the town’s devoted and friendly folks.