Rizal’s Exile in Dapitan

Unit 3 - Lesson 3
objectives:

● assess the activities which kept Jose Rizal busy while

in Dapitan;
● discuss the reason for his exile in Dapitan; and
● discover the benefits of Rizal’s exile in Dapitan (to
the community).

Content is sourced from the official textbook published for the university: “Life and Works of Rizal - L.Roda & M. Bongcales
2018” This material is to be utilized strictly for this subject and this subject alone. Reproduction and Utilization of this
material outside of its intended use is strictly prohibited.
Introduction

About a century and two decades ago, a man from Calamba was exiled in Dapitan, which was a
remote municipality in Mindanao. “It was previously under the care of the Recollects but later
its jurisdiction was taken over by the Jesuits”. (Anacoreta P. Purino, 2014). Presently it is known
as Dapitan City, the twin city of Dipolog City (capital of Zamboanga del Norte). Dapitan’s state
during Jose Rizal’s banishment was far from its present condition. Aside from being known as
the Shrine City, it is now a tourist destination. Both foreign and local tourists are enticed to visit
the place, not only because of the well-known Gloria de Dapitan which housed the Gloria’s
Fantasyland, but also of the famous Dakak Park and Beach Resort. Dapitan’s Jose Rizal
Memorial State College, is currently the Jose Rizal Memorial State University. The hero’s stay in
Dapitan contributed to the making of this place known by the society.
 Where is Dapitan located?
Want to visit the place someday? You can start off
from Dumaguete City, or from any part of the
country.
From Dumaguete City to the Pulauan Port in
Dapitan City, travel time by boat takes about four to
five hours, but traveling by Fast Cat, takes only three.
For those who travel by plane, the place can be
reached in less than an hour starting off from the
Dipolog City Airport. Travel time from Mactan-Cebu
International Airport (MCIA) to Dipolog City Airport
also takes less than an hour.

image: Wikipedia - https://images.app.goo.gl/kerBk5MuUVBrf7bZ6

before we continue our discussion
let us watch this film uploaded on YouTube. https://youtu.be/hrwSAXpXzAM
This is a supplemental material that may help us get a visual impression of
Rizal’s exile in Dapitan.
Guide questions
1. Describe how Rizal’s place in Dapitan looked like
2. What are the activities that Rizal initiated during his stay in Dapitan?
3. Describe Rizal’s relationship with the people of Dapitan, its
government and its Church.
Deportation to Dapitan

image: Rizal Museum in Dapitan NHCP https://images.app.goo.gl/BY4jCKFEAQDRzsRb7

Deportation
Fr. Pablo Pastells, the Jesuit superior of the Philippines, and
Governor-general Eulogio Despujol, joined forces in choosing Dapitan as Jose
Rizal’s place of exile.

There were two reasons for their decision:

1. Governor-general Eulogio Despujol wanted to keep Jose Rizal away from

the politically related activities in Manila, so he placed him in isolation.

2. Fr. Pablo Pastells had in mind that while in Dapitan Jose Rizal might be
brought back to his
 Rizal in Dapitan
On the 17th of July 1892, Jose Rizal finally reached his destination, Dapitan. Jose Rizal’s last four years in
thisworld were spent in Dapitan. He was brought to Dapitan by the steamer, Cebu, which at the same time
carried a letter from Father Pablo Pastells. Such letter was for Father Obach, informing him that Jose
Rizal could be allowed to stay in the convent of the parish, provided that the latter would adhere to some
conditions:

1. “That Rizal publicly retract his errors concerning religion,

that make statements that were clearly pro-Spanish and
against revolution.”

2. “That he perform the church rites and make a general

confession of his past life.”

Jose Rizal did not agree with these conditions. Consequently,

he lived in the house of the commandant, Captain Carnicero.
image: Bust of Ricardo Carnicero from Xiao Time https://images.app.goo.gl/LZvs3NFDXdqwB8Wb8
Four Fruitful Years
Jose Rizal spent four busy, fruitful years in Dapitan. The
activities he did in the place contributed so much to its
development, and the welfare of its populace. He used a
portion of his share from the lottery, (which was won by
three persons) in purchasing a 16-hectare land. Lots of
activities were engaged by him to make the land productive.
He planted various fruit-bearing trees, and raised a number
of livestock. This land was in Talisay, Dapitan.

Imagine how lucky Rizal got to be amidst the exile

He was famous, as a physician, not only in Dapitan, but also in Bohol, Cebu,
Negros and Panay islands, some places in Luzon, and even Hong Kong.

It was in Dapitan where Jose Rizal successfully operated on his mother’s eyes.
He medicated other patients too. The poor were free of charge,
but from those who can afford, he received fees.

Many activities made Jose Rizal busy in his stay in Dapitan.

His efforts were thriving. He had various achievements.
Aside from his medical activities, he also had others such as;
scientific, engineering, and farming.

#sanaall
Rizal the Scientist
Scientific Activities
Jose Rizal found Dapitan, his place of exile, as endowed with specimens. Exploring the
forests and shores with his pupils, they looked for different specimens, which were later
sent by Jose Rizal to the Museum of Dresden and to other Museums in Europe.
European scientists gave recognition to Jose Rizal for his discovery of rare
specimens. There was:

● a Philippine Gliding Lizard which was named: Draco Rizali;

● a small beetle named: Apogonia Rizali;
● and arare frog named: Rhacophorus Rizali.
 ● Draco Rizali (left);
● Apogonia Rizali (lower right);
● Rhacophorus Rizali (upper right).

image: Rizal’s discoveries Wordpress https://images.app.goo.gl/GZLPXkLCcWoC2uct8

Rizal the Engineer
 Engineering Activities
Jose Rizal had knowledge in
engineering considering that he
finished his course in surveying.
He was able to successfully build
a water system even with the
scarcity of materials needed. He
was helped by his pupils and by
Fr. Sanchez who visited him in
Dapitan.

Image: Talisay water system http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2012/02/rizal-in-dapitan.html

 Engineering Activities
During Jose Rizal’s exile in Dapitan, electric lighting system was not heard
of in the place, it was not known yet. “La Electricista was established in
1891 and began its operations in late 1894, it was the first electric
company to provide electricity to Manila.” (Quora) During those times, it
took so long for development from Manila to reach the far- flung areas.
Jose Rizal put up a lighting system in his place of exile using lamps fueled
with crude coconut oil. It was Dapitan’s first.

https://www.quora.com/What-year-did-electricity-first-arrive-in-the-Philippines
Rizal the Farmer
Farming Activities
Jose Rizal also engaged in farming. He used a portion of his share from the
lottery, (which was won by three persons) in purchasing a 16-hectare land.
Lots of activities weredone by him to make the land productive. He planted
various fruit-bearing trees, and raised a number of livestock. This
land was in Talisay, Dapitan.

Rizal told this to his nephews: “We cannot all be doctors. It

is necessary that there will be some people to cultivate the
land. I who have spent my life studying, I am now going to
plant coconuts!.” ( as quoted by Ambeth R. Ocampo,2017)
Rizal the Inventor
 Inventions
Known as a talented individual, Jose Rizal had an
ability to invent. Aside from the cigarette lighter
(Sulpukan), that he invented while practicing medicine
in Calamba, he also invented something while in
Dapitan. It was a wooden machine for the making of
bricks. It could produce at least six thousand units of
bricks per day. He had no oven; that was his problem.
He sought advise from his friend, Blumentritt, through
correspondence on how to arrange the bricks, as he was
going to bake them outdoors.
read more at:
https://www.philstar.com/business/science-and-environment/2015/01/01/1408250/rizal-was-inventor-w
Rizal the Businessman
Business Ventures
Jose Rizal engaged himself in business and became a merchant. He
bought abaca and sent it to Manila, and from it gained a few pesos. He
partnered with Ramon Carreon in fishing, in hemp, and in copra business,
and even invited his relatives to do business and come
to Dapitan.
Rizal the Writer
He did not stop being a writer while on exile. He wrote beautiful poems
about Dapitan, accepted requests of loved ones to write a poem. Also aside
from speaking different languages, he also “wrote a grammar of the
Tagalog language.” ( Zaide and Zaide, 2008).
Rizal the Educator
 Teacher Rizal
As proof for his devotion to
education, even in Dapitan,
he still took time to teach
some pupils. No fees were
collected from his pupils,
but they were asked to help
work in his farm and in
some projects of the the
community.

image: Casa Redonda, taken from the textbook Life and Works of Rizal (REAP)
 Teacher Rizal cont.
“The Casa Redonda (image previously) is a replica of the octagonal clinic of
Rizal. It also served as a dormitory of some of his pupils. Reconstructed
with similar materials as the main house, it now stands as a reminder of
the numerous medications performed by Rizal during his
exile in Dapitan. It was also here where he removed his
mother’s cataracts.” (Balais 2013)

http://harrybalais.com/2013/10/rizal-shrine-in-dapitan-the-heros-exile/
I guess we can agree that
Jose Rizal is the
ultimate#sanaall
Pio Valenzuela’s Visit

Image: Sculptures of Jose Rizal (right) and Pio Valenzuela (left) discussing about the Katipunan - retrieved from: Rappler
https://images.app.goo.gl/KRG2PdgMv5TPCrmD6
Pio Valenzuela and the KKK
Andres Bonifacio knew Jose Rizal during the Liga
Filipina days. Jose Rizal did not know him personally,
nevertheless, he sent Dr. Pio Valenzuela to Dapitan in
1886, to solicit Jose Rizal’s opinion and support for the
revolution that the Katipunan planned. In Valenzuela’s
visit, he brought a blind man with to hide the real
reason for his coming to Dapitan. Jose Rizal told
Valenzuela that it was not the right time to stage a
revolution, it was premature, and it was bound to fail.
Discussion Time!
How did the KKK and La Liga differ in terms of
goals and purpose and what do you think made
Rizal disagree with Bonifacio’s means achieving
Philippine independence, i.e. Revolution?

Share your answers in the forum.

Mapa Sa Mindanao
image: map of mindanao in Dapitan https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Relief_Map_of_Mindanao_by_Jose_Rizal_in_Dapitan_City.jpg
 Mapa sa Mindanao

Another accomplishment
of Jose Rizal while in
Dapitan was the making of
the map of Mindanao in
front of the Dapitan City
Church. This was done
with the help of a friend.

image: map of mindanao in Dapitan https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Relief_Map_of_Mindanao_by_Jose_Rizal_in_Dapitan_City.jpg

Synthesis
Lesson 3 discusses what and how Jose Rizal’s activities while in exile in
Dapitan helped the community in the past and contributed to the society
at present. It could be possible that if it was not Jose Rizal who was exiled
in that place, it would not be as it is now.

From his student life in Biñan, to his travels abroad, until his exile in
Dapitan, Jose Rizal remained to be a busy man. He kept himself busy and
he always achieved something, not only for himself, but most importantly
to the people he love; family, friends, and fellowmen.
end of presentation