Life, Works and

Writings
of
Dr. Jose P. Rizal
His Departure from Europe
and
Life in Hong Kong
 Story time
After the success of his second novel, the El Filibusterismo, Rizal
left Europe for Hong kong for two reasons:
1.) His widening political differences with Marcelo H. del Pilar and
2.) to be near the Philippines and his family.
Although there was evidence of the indifference of the
management controlling La Solidaridad of Rizal’s second novel,
prior to his departure from Europe, he however, notified del Pilar
of his termination from the political arena in Spain, to preserve
unity and that he had the highest regard for him
Story time

Two weeks after the publication of the El Fili

he bade goodbye to his friends in Ghent

carrying with him, a recommendation by

Juan Luna for Manuel Camus, a compatriot
in Singapore and 600 copies of his novel
Story time
Rizal described his trip “Heavenly” and while on abroad aroused
the interest and admiration his fellow passengers of various
nationalities by his mastery of different langauges and of his
ability to draw or sketch.

On board the ship, there was an incident which amused him. A

group of German ladies sitting in a nerby table, were gaily talking
and gossiping about him.

Although he understood what they were talking about, he kept

quiet and left them alone with their gossips, until when the door
of the dining room was blown open when the ship encountered a
heavy squall.
Story time

One of the ladies made a remark in

German: “ If the man in front of us were a
gentleman, he would close the door.’’ Rizal
stood up to close the door, and after he sat
down, he then talked with them in German
to their consternation and embarrassment,
but this anyway, led to their friendship,
admitting that even if his skin was brown,
he was an exceptionally cultured
gentlemen.
Story time

Rizal arrived in Hong Kong on November 20, 1891, and

stayed for almost seven months before he travelled
again. He was met by his old friend, Jose Ma. Basa.
On December 1, 1889, he wrote his parents that he
would like to go home, but while waiting for their reply,
he received a letter from Manuel T. Hidalgo, his
brother-in-law written on the same date, relating the
bad news that there were twenty-Five person from
Calamba who were deported and the list included his
father, Sisa, Lucia, Paciano, and the rest of the family.
Story time
His brother- in- law futher added
that he was preparing a letter for
the Queen regent of Spain
explaining the Calamba incident
and pleading for justice, and that
if need he would seek the support
of Queen Victoria of England. In
both instances, nothing came
about it.
Story time

Before Christmas in 1891, he was gladdened by the

arrival of his father, Paciano, Silvestre Ubaldo,
Olympia’s husband. Later his mother and sister
Lucia, Josefa, and Trinidad. Rizal though happy felt
sad, that his mother, 65 years of age, showed
manifestation of Spanish brutality and was almost
blind. But he operated her left eye so that she
regained her sight and was able to read and write
again. The Christmas reunion was one of the
happiest moments in his life.
Story time

Rizal practiced medicine to support himself and the family

and become successful and popular. He received substantial
support, financially and morally, from many friends, and
among these were:
Dr. Lorenzo P. Marquez, who gave him some of his eye cases;
Dr. Ariston Lin, who sent him a book on
Diagnostic Pathology written by a friend, Dr. H. Virchow and
another medical book entitled
Traite Diagnostique by Mesnishock; Dr. Antonio Vergel de
Dios, who offered his services for the purchase of medical
books and instruments and also encouragement and praises
from Mr. Bousted.
Story time

Rizal would have been a renowned

opthalmologist if he had
concentrated on his medical practice,
since he had a wide clientele of
different nationalities.
Dr. Germiniano de Ocampo, a
distinguished opthalmologist
describes him as one of with the
potentials for greatness in the field
and said this of him:
Story time

“He (Rizal) had all the qualities that

would make him an ideal opthalmic
surgeon - a keen and analytical intellect,
lightness of touch and artistry of a
painter, courage and imperturbability, a
broad and deep knowledge of medicine
and opthalmology and last but not the
least, he had been properly and
adequately trained by master opthalmic
surgeons.”
The Borneo
Project
Story time

Rizal had other interest other than

practicing medicine and curing people
and these did not concern himself, but of
the many Filipinos who were in exile and
faced the prospect of having no country.
It was during the cruel administration of
Governor-General Weyler that the
concept of having a Borneo colonization
project was conceived.
Story time

He planned to move the

landless Filipino families to
that British-owned island
and carved out of its virgin
wildness a “New Calamba’’.
Story time

So intense was his desire to accomplish the project

that he went to Sandakan during the first week of
March 1892 negotiate with the Nritish authorities
for the establishment of a Filipino colony. His mission
was successful, and the British North Company
establish the land up to the Bangkoga River in
Maradu Bay consisting of 100,000 acres of land area
for such project. Aside from there, they were offered a
beautiful harbor and a good goverment free of all
charges A month later, specifically on April 20 of the
same year, he was back in Hong Kong, bringing the
good news
Story time

There were many friends who approved

the project; the Lunas Dr. Bautista Lin,Dr.
Blumentritt; especial Graciano Lopez Jaena
who wrote Rizal of his desire to join the project
and stay in Borneo, where he could plant sugar
cane and produce sugar. There was a
dissenting voice, however, and this came from
his brother-in-law, Hidalgo, the brave
Bantangueño. He could not accept the idea of
leaving the Philippines and moreover was
concerned with what people would say
Story time

But Rizal thought the idea was good,

and taking into consideration the political
events in the Philippines, the replacement of the
Governor Wyler, popularly known
among the Cubans as the “Butcher’’, by
Governor-General Eulogio Despujol the
Count of Caspe, he thought the change
was for better.
Story time

Consequently, Rizal wrote the new

governor-general, a letter congratulating
him of his new position and offering his
cooperation. The governor-general did
not answer, much less acknowledge his
letter, he sent another letter entrusting I
to the ship captain to assure its safety
arrival
 Story time
Rizal waited three months for the reply and in the
meantime occupied his time by writing on different
topics but mostly on nationalistics issues. Among
them was an article in French entitled Colonization
de British North Borneo, par de families del iles
Philippines (Colonization of British North Borneo
by Families From the Philippine island), and
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), both of which expounded and justified
the colonization of British North Borneo project.
Story time

However, during this lull, what

he considered as an accomplishment
was the preparation of the
constitution of Liga Filipina, an association
of Filipino Patriots in
Hong Kong. This was born out of the
idea conceived by Jose Ma. Basa
which was realized after its
establishment by Rizal.
Story time
It was April 15, 1892, that La
Solidaridad published an article written by
Eduardo de Lete portraying Rizal as
“Cowardly, egoistic, opportunistic - a
patriot in words” only seeking the comforts
and safety in Hong Kong. Rizal protested
to del Pilar about the article and described
it as “too hasty and you permitted yourself
to be carried away” and described the
effects it woud have on the reform
movement.
Story time

However, he remarked that the

article awakened in him the
interest of the reform movement
and that he was going to activate
the propaganda movement in
Hong Kong by strengthening the
newly founded association - Liga
Filipina
Story time

He Confided his bitterness to Mariano

Ponce in a letter dated May 23, 1892 when he
wrote:

I am very sorry that del Pilar allowed the

article to be published because it will lead
many to believe that there is really schism among us. I
believe that we have little
misunderstanding and personal differences
among ourselves, without exhibiting them in
public
Story time
Actually, Governor Despujol received the
letters and frowned upon the idea, and instead wrote
the Spanish consul in Hong Kong to tell Rizal that
“the Philippines lacked laborers and it was not very patriot to go off
and cultivate foreign soil”

In May 1892 Rizal made a decision to return

to Manila, spurred by the following reasons:

1. To confer personally with the Governor on

the British North Borneo Colonization project;

2. To establish the Liga Filipina in Manila; and

3. To prove that Lete was wrong that being safe

and comfertable in Hong Kong, he had
abandoned the country’s cause.
Story time
As to whether the article afftected him, he made
a decision to return to Manila and going to the
“Lion’s Den” for as asserted, the arena was no
longer in Spain, but in Philippines itself.

He spent his birthday in Hong Kong and the

next day, June 20, spent the day writing letters.
Two letters were sealed and given to Dr. Marquez, with
instructions not to open them but only after his
death. One letter was for his “parent, brethren and
friends,” while the other was for the “Filipinos.” This
showed that Rizal knew what was going to happen to
him and showed premonition of his death.
Story time

On june 21, he wrote Governor Despujol

another letter with the message that he was coming
home and placed himself under the protection of the
Spanish Goverment. On
that very same day, Rizal, together with his
sister, Lucia, left for the Philippines unaware
of the Governor’s duplicity; of the things that
were planned for him or of the sinister trap
that was laid, with the filing secretly of “anti-
religious and anti-patriotic agitation charges
not only against Rizal but also of his followers.