The Arrival in Manila

Rizal arrived in Manila, accompanied by his sister Lucia on the 26th of June, 1892. Like the heroes of old, he was awaited by a crowd, watching or spying on him, before he was consecrated to history. The carabineers, headed by their commandant, a captain and lieutenant of the Guardia Civil Veterana, and a sergeant in civilian clothes were there.

In afternoon at 4:00 Rizal proceed to Malacanang Palace, residence of Governor-General Eulogio Despujol. When he arrived in Manila, he announced a series of reforms, which created a certain waved of popularity in his favor.

On Wednesday, the 29th, he went to Malacanang for his appointment with Governor-General. The interview lasted for two hours. He did not succeed in obtaining the freedom of his brother; he left with the prospect of succeeding in the near future.

On Thursday he had another meeting with Despujol. This time, the matter of the Borneo settlement was taken up. Despujol expressed strong opposition to the idea.

The Governor-General offered lands, a league and a half from Calamba. In this particular session, Despujol annulled the deportation of Rizal’s brother and on Sunday, July 3, Rizal went personally to thank the Governor, and inform him that his father and brothers were arriving by the first boat available

On the night of July 3, Sunday, Rizal went to the house of Doroteo Ongjunco where the organization La Liga Filipina was founded

On July 5, Tuesday all the houses Rizal had previously visited were searched by the police.

On the 6th of July, the most dramatic conference between Rizal and the Governor took place.

Despujol then informed Rizal that he was under arrest as of that moment, and that his nephew and assistant, Ramon Despujol , would escort him in the palace coast to Fort Santiago.

From July 6 to 14 he was in a state of incommunicado.

The same night that Rizal was held incommunicado at Fort Santiago, a group of resolute men secretly met in the house of Deodato Arellano.

Arellano, Andres Bonifacio, Valentin Diaz, Teodoro Plata, Jose Dizon and Ladislao Diwa

It has been said that it was at this meeting that Katipunan was founded.

Rizal Deported to DapitanRizal was visited by the nephew of Despujol to inform him that at 10:00 that night he was to leave for Dapitan. Rizal prepared his baggage, but when the men who are supposed to take him did not come at the appointed time, he went to sleep, an indication that he was not worried at all.

“ wherever I go, I shall always be in the

hands of God, in whose hands lie the destinies all men”

On Sunday, July 17, 1892, at seven in the evening, they arrived in Dapitan. This was the beginning of an epoch of Rizal’s life which was to last four years.

DapitanThe small to which Rizal was exile was a little port situated at the northern part of the island of Mindanao.

In Dapitan, two tasks were simultaneously undertaken by Carcinero, with whom Rizal stayed and Father Obach. The former’s task was to soften Rizal; the latter is to convert him. Both of them, however, underestimated the dimensions of Rizal’s character. With his good nature, his natural charisma, his propriety, his neat and stylish looks. He gradually won the confidence of the captain. But Carcinero took advantage of this to get to know the thinking of Rizal, his projects, which later transmitted to Despujol in his report.

Captain Carninero continued with the report in the manner of a conversation: What were the reforms desired by Rizal? He replied: representation in the Cortes, secularization of the friars; the provision of curates from among both peninsulares and the insular clergy; the implementation of primary instruction; the filling up of positions or assignments in equal proportions between Filipinos and peninsulares; and finally, the setting up of a clean and honest administration.

In September also, an unexpected fortune came along to provide the funds needed for the projected improvements and planting of corps. Rizal won second prize in a lottery. The price was shared equally, one third each for Carnicero, and another Spaniard (residing in Dipolog) and Rizal himself. Each won a little or more than P6,000.00. A good son and a grateful soul, he notified his mother in Hong Kong that he had sent P2,000.00 to his father after paying a few small debts in Manila. With the rest he planned to build a small house in Dapitan. He told them also that he had sent P200.00.

Early in 1893, Rizal left his quarters with the Captain, having been granted some lands a kilometer away from Dapitan. He now had his own hacienda, with lanzones, mangoes, cacao, santol, and mangosteen. Then site of his new home was called Talisay.

On March 8, Rizal’s own house was completed. It was simply constructed with nipa roof, post and rafters of unhewn wood, as he himself describes it in his poem “Mi Retiro”. Since there was no regular supply of fish for the town’s consumption, he went into partnership with Spaniard Miranda in a fishing project.

In the first few months of 1893, many changes took place. Father Pastells was replaced by Father Ricart. In February , Father Sanchez term in Dapitan came to end. On May 4 Carnicero left for Manila, a result of pressure exerted by the new Jesuits superior who blamed the failure of the attempts to convert Rizal on Carnicero’s liberal thinking as well as his overly generous treatment of the rebel.

The Minister of the Colony, Maura, asked Despujol to resign , and when the latter refused, Maura dismissed him.

Thank You for Listening Folks!

Prepared By:Mark Edison V. Sacramento

BSE IV Social Studies