Rizal: The Great Hero from the Malayan Race. A Filipino

Rizal has been considered as the National Hero of our motherland. Reknown worldwide because of his exceptional talents. But most importantly because of his patriotism and martyrdom for his beloved country, the Philippines. Generations today may only know him thru books and other published items at school. This Lakbay Aral for our Rizal subject thought me the life and how great our national hero is.

Our Lakbay Aral happened sometime in July. Considered as a main requirement for the subject itself. At first it was kinda boring, you know may be because of the reason "are we going to consult Rizal when solving for something?" Ridiculous isn't it? Yes of course. But along the way or during the lakbay aral; I learned something about the hero that stood on that monument, and it goes like this.

First stop The Paco Park (Paco Cemetery)

Rizal was interred here after sentence to death by firing squad at Bagumbayan (now Luneta). At first, the Spanish government in Manila kept the body the whole day due to they believe that most of the filipinos are pagans, they considered Rizal as somewhat like a deity, They will get his body parts and make an accessories from it (necklace, bracelets etc.). The same day Dona Teodora commanded her daughters to look for Pepe's body, they learned that a grave has been dug up at Paco Cemetery, they paid the caretaker to guard the grave. Rizal was interred at Paco until the year 1912.

Next Stop: Rizal Park (Luneta)

Built from a public land in honor for a great individual. The park has the hero's statue made from bronze granite with a title "Motto Stella". Recently the statue has been involved in some issues with the construction of the controversial Tore de Manila of DMCI. law suits from all corners of the country sprung up regarding this.

The park serves as tourist spot for many individuals coming from the four corners of the globe. What I learned when I visited the park again after more than a decade is the remarkable work of an individual, his sacrifice, suffering and dedication for his beloved homeland. Despite of what he experienced he still choose to give his life and fight peacefully for the freedom of our country that we cherish nowadays. Hence the saying "you can't put a good man down."

Next Destination: Intramuros Manila

Intramuros is well known for its walls and Spanish themed buildings and street names. Home of the famous San Agustin Church, Ateneo Municipal and the First Building of University of Santo Tomas. We visited the following places where Rizal spend his time as a school boy from the province of Laguna.

He went to Ateneo De Municipal De Manila and took up Land Surveyor and Assessor's degree. He graduated and declared as sobresaliente or outstanding. Today the you will never see the remains of the said school. If you will look for the location, it is currently sitting beside ECJ Building in Sta. Lucia St.

The Ateneo De Municipal De Manila nowadays, a tent building.

Landmark of the School

The boys of Team Kuya Marc. Behind us is the place where Ateneo De Municipal De Manila stood before.

The University of Santo Tomas

Yes you heard it right the oldest university in Asia. The one celebrating its quadrennial the Growling Tigers of the UAAP. Rizal step his foot on this school during his school days in Manila. He took up medicine during his stay. Nowadays the famous university is sitting in Espanya St. in Manila, but before it is located at Intramuros in Aduana St (now A. Soriano Ave. The remains of the school cannot be traced any longer. It is now replaced by a building named BF Condominium.

The Landmark where UST was founded.

Cuartel De Espanya

This is where the trial of Rizal was held. The verdict for Rizal is to execute him by firing squad in Bagumbayan on 30th of Decemeber 1986 at 7:00 in the morning. Cuartel De Espanya like the UST in Intramuros is not visible any longer. The Cuartel is now the famous facade of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (University of the City of Manila).

Next Stop: Fort Santiago (Fuerte de Santiago)

Known for its walls and as a common spot for elementary field trips; Fort Santiago played a vital role for Jose Rizal. This is where he was kept as a prisoner after his exile in Dapitan. From the entrance of the walled city you can find the foot-steps of our hero. Fort Santiago is not only an imprisonment for Rizal but also for the "enemies" of the Spanish government. The walled city comprises of many underground caves that serves as jails for the prisoners that are against the state. The city also served as a final home for Rizal before his execution.

postern marker of Fort Santiago

Reconstructed Facade of Fort Santiago

The Lesser arms of the monarch of  Spain.

Upon entering the gates of the walled city you will notice the foot-like markings on it. These were the last steps of our beloved hero before he was executed.

Here are some of the spots that you can find inside the Walled City.

Jose Rizal Statue

Team Kuya Marc

Behind the postern is where our national hero's cell before he was executed.

Postigo De La Nuestra Senora De Soledad

Team Kuya Marc

Marking dedicated to the filipinos who died inside a dungeon

Fort Santiago holds some nightmare for many filipinos. Most of them are captives that are against the Spanish government. Some of them are allegedly working against them. Inside the walled city you will find many dungeons some are near the Pasig river. When the water on the river rises it will fill the dungeon where the captives are held as prisoners. When the morning comes bodies can be found dead and will be thrown away to only God knows where. Here are some of the dungeons that we found during the visit.

One of the dungeons we found inside Fort Santiago

One of the dungeons we found inside Fort Santiago

One of the dungeons we found inside Fort Santiago

One of the dungeons we found inside Fort Santiago

One of the dungeons we found inside Fort Santiago

One of the dungeons we found inside Fort Santiago

If you want to see more of the photos regarding our trip in Fort Santiago. Please visit my facebook page www.facebook.com/mmferranco.

We will now proceed to the country's center for national artifacts and exhibits. The National Museum.

National Museum (Pambansang Museo)

Is a national museum in the Philippines and serves as an educational, scientific and cultural institution in preserving the various permanent national collections featuring the ethnographic, anthropological, archaeological and visual artistry of the Philippines. Since 1998, the National Museum has deemed as regulatory and enforcement agency of the National Government in the restoring and safeguarding of important cultural properties, sites and reservations throughout the Philippines.

History:

The National Museum began as the Insular Museum of Ethnology, Natural History, and Commerce in 1901 under the Department of Public Instruction through Philippine Commission Act No. 284. It was subsequently transferred under the Department of Interior as the Bureau of Ethnological Survey after the passage of the Philippine Commission Act No. 841 in 1903. This new bureau was responsible for the Philippine participation in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. After the exposition, it was abolished as a separate bureau and was renamed the Philippine Museum.

The National Museum went through the division and distribution of its functions to other government agencies. The Philippine Legislature passed Act No. 4007 in 1933 abolishing the museum and appropriated its divisions to the following agencies: the Division of Fine Arts and History to the National Library, the Division of Ethnology went to the Bureau of Science, and the Division of Anthropology which included archaeology, ethnography and physical anthropology and the other sections of natural history of the Bureau of Science were organized into a National History Museum Division. The latter was transformed into an independent unit under the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce through Commonwealth Act No. 453 in 1939.

The Japanese Occupation brought back the divisions under the National Museum of the Philippines as provided by Philippine Republic Executive Order No. 94. But the museum will lost a large part of its collection during the liberation of Manila when the Legislative Building was destroyed by American artillery. Fortunately, the Legislative Building was immediately restored through the American reparation funds bringing the museum back to its operations.

The museum’s role in cultural growth was recognized as contributory to government’s desire for national development. It was revitalized in 1966 when President Ferdinand Marcos signed Republic Act No. 4846 or the Cultural Properties and Protection Act. The law designated the museum as the lead agency in the protection and preservation of the nation’s cultural properties through the conduct of census, study, and declaration of such properties and the monitoring and regulation of archaeological exploration, excavation, or diggings in historical or archaeological sites. With its new powers, it was able to strengthen its cultural mandate by declaring properties, structures, and sites of historical and cultural value to the nation. The educational mandate was strengthened because it was able to inform the public of the researches it conducted and through the acquisition and exhibition of archaeological finds. (source: wikipedia.org)

Location:

Padre Burgos Avenue, Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila

Of course the museum holds multi-folds of historical items from all the parts of the country, but what we are after at are the exhibits from nonetheless the national hero himself. If you will be going to the museum one of these days and you want to see the things I've mentioned you need to proceed to Gallery 5.

The Chandelier inside the National Art Gallery

The fifth gallery holds everything about our national hero, coming from portraits, sculptures, paintings, busts and many more. Here are some of the things you can find inside Gallery Five.

Oyang Dapitana

Bust of Capitan Carnicero

One of the many busts of Jose Rizal inside gallery 5

A head turner painting of our national hero.

Mother's Revenge.

The Hermit (Ermitanyo)

The Hermit (Ermitanyo)

One of the many paintings about Jose Rizal.

To know more about what's inside the gallery 5, you may visit the national museum personally or go to their website (www.nationalmuseum.gov.ph).

I personally uploaded the other photos on my facebook account.

We will now proceed to the last place we went during the lakbay aral. Nonetheless but The Manila Chinatown in Binondo.

Of course Binondo is known for being the home of the Filipino-Chinese community. But hidden in its streets lies the fact that Rizal has connections here. In fact our hero resided in Binondo. The place where he stayed is also the same place where the original manuscript was kept. His remains were also kept in the residence of Higino Francisco for a few days immediately after his exhumation from the Cemetery of Paco dated 17-Aug-1898.

Unfortunately we are not able to see the exact location of the residence, We found out that the property was sold and bought by someone else. Only the ruins were left. The house number 525 Magdalena St. was replaced by 525 Masangkay St. Binondo, Manila.

Remains from the residence of Higino Francisco

Remains from the residence of Higino Francisco

The postern from the residence of Higino Francisco.
Source: google

This sums up the Lakbay Aral that we conducted for or Rizal Subject. One thing that kept me writing this blog about our famous National Hero is the saying: "You can't put a good man down." Even if Rizal is already dead for over a century, still we can't deny the fact that what he did for his motherland will remain forever.

markiDF

BSME Student

Technological University of the Philippines - Taguig