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Social Science 3 Jose Rizals Life, Works & Writings
CHAPTER 10 JOSE RIZALS FIRST HOMECOMING 1887-1888
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- All the alluring beauties of foreign countries and all the beautiful memories of his sojourn in alien lands could neither make Rizal forget his fatherland nor turn his back to his own nationality but he remained at heart a true Filipino with love for the Philippines and an unshakable determination to die in the land of his birth.
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Decision to return home
Because of the publication of the Noli Me Tangere and the uproar it caused among the friars, Rizal was warned by Paciano, Silvestre Ubaldo, Chengoy and other friends not to return home.
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Reasons why Rizal was determined to return to the Philippines:
1. to operate on his mothers eyes 2. to serve his people who had long been oppressed by Spanish tyrants 3. to find out for himself how the Noli and his other writings were affecting Filipinos and Spaniards in the Philippines 4. to inquire why Leonor Rivera remained silent
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June 29, 1887 Rizal wrote a letter to his father announcing his homecoming.
Delightful trip to Manila - Rizal was the only one among the passengers who could speak many languages, so that he acted as interpreter for his companions.
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Arrival in Manila August 5, Rizal arrived in Manila. He stayed in the city for a short time to visit his friends. He found Manila the same as when he left it five years ago.
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Happy Homecoming On August 8, He returned to Calamba. His family welcomed him affectionately, with plentiful tears of joy.
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The rejoicings of Rizals return over, his family became worried for his safety. They did not leave him during the first days after arrival to protect him from any enemy assault.
In Calamba, Rizal established a medical clinic. His first patient was his mother, who was almost blind.
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News of the arrival of a great doctor from Germany spread far and wide. Patients from Manila and other province flocked to Calamba.
He was called Doctor Uliman because he came from Germany.
February, 1888, he earned a total of P5,000 medical fees.
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Storm over the Noli Me Tangere
Governor General Emilio Terrero wrote a letter to Rizal requesting him to come to Malacanang Palace because somebody had whispered to the governors ear that the Noli contained subversive ideas.
Governor General Terrero read the Noli and found nothing wrong with it.
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Storm over the Noli Me Tangere
But Rizals enemies were powerful. The Archbishop of Manila, Msgr. Pedro Payo sent a copy of the Noli to father Rector Gregorio Echavarria of the University of Santo Tomas for examination by a committee of the faculty.
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Storm over the Noli Me Tangere
The report of the faculty members of UST stated that the Noli was heretical, impious, and scandalous in the religious order, and antipatriotic, subversive of public order, injurious to the government of Spain and its function in the Philippine Island in the political order.
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Storm over the Noli Me Tangere
Governor General Terrero was dissatisfied with the report, he sent the novel to the Permanent Commission of Censorship which was composed of priests and laymen.
The commission headed by Fr. Salvador Font found that the novel contain subversive ideas against the church and Spain, and recommended that the importation, reproduction and circulation of this book in the island be absolutely prohibited.
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Attackers of the Noli Me Tangere
The battle over the Noli took the form of a virulent war of words. Father Font printed hid report and distributed copies of it in order to discredit the controversial novel. Father Jose Rodriguez published a series of eight pamphlets under the general heading Cuestiones de Sumo Interes (Questions of Supreme Interest) to blast the Noli and other anti-Spanish writings. Eight Pamphlets 1. Porque no los he des leer? (Why should I not read them?). 2. Guardaos de ellos. Porque? (Beware of them. Why?).
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Attackers of the Noli Me Tangere
3. Y-que me dice usted de la peste? (And what can you tell me of Plague?) 4. Porque triunfan los impios? (Why do the impious triumph?). 5. Cree usted que de versa no hay purgatorio? (Do you think there is really no purgatory?). 6. Hay o no hay infierno? (Is there or is there no hell?). 7. Que le parece a usted de esos libelos? (What do you think of these libels?). 8. Confesion o condenacion? (Confession or Damnation?).
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Attackers of the Noli Me Tangere
Copies of anti-Rizal pamphlets were sold daily in the churches. Many Filipinos were forced to buy them in order not to displease the friars.
The storm over the Noli reached Spain. It was attacked on the session hall of the senate of the Spanish Cortes by various senators, particularly General Jose de Salamanca, General Luis M. Pando and Fernando Vida.
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Defenders of the Noli Me Tangere
Marcelo H del Pilar, Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce and other Filipino reformists in foreign lands rushed to uphold the truths of the novel.
Father Sanchez, Rizals favorite teacher in Ateneo, defended and praised it in public.
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Defenders of the Noli Me Tangere
A brilliant defense of the Noli came from an unexpected source. Rev. Vicente Garcia, writing under the penname Justo Desiderio Magalang, wrote a defense of the Noli which was published in Singapore as an appendix to a pamphlet dated July 18, 1888.
When Rizal learned of the brilliant defense of Father Garcia of his novel, he cried because his gratitude was overwhelming.
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Rizal and Taviel de Andrade
Governor General Terrero assigned Jose Taviel de Andrade as Rizals bodyguard.
Rizal and Andrade, both young, educated and cultured, made walking tours of the verdant countryside, discussed topics of common interest, and enjoyed fencing, shooting and painting.
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What marred Rizals happy days in Calamba with Andrade were:
1. the death of his older sister,
Olimpia a
2. the groundless tales circulated by his enemies that he was German spy, a Protestant, a Mason and a witch.
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Farewell to Calamba The friars exerted pressure on Malacanang Palce to eliminate Rizal. They asked Governor General Terrero to deport Rizal but he refused because there was no valid charge against Rizal in court.
Anonymous threats against Rizals life were received by his parents. The alarmed parents, relatives and friends advised him to leave the Philippines for his life was in danger.
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Rizal had to go but he was not running like a coward from a fight. He was courageous, a fact which his worst enemies could not deny.
He was not afraid of any man and neither was he afraid to die.
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He was compelled to leave Calamba for two reasons: 1. his presence in Calamba was jeopardizing the safety and happiness of his family and friends 2. he could fight better his enemies and serve his countrys cause with greater efficacy by writing in foreign countries.
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