End of Rizal’s Exile in Dapitan

Rizal considered his exile as a golden cage. There was a time when he asked to be relocated in
Ilocos claiming that he was sick. There was also plans to move him elsewhere such as Lepanto in the
Cordilleras.

During the peak of Cuban revolution, Rizal heard the news that there was shortage in physicians
in Cuba. He followed the advice of his friend Ferdinand Blumentritt to offer himself as part of the Spanish
medical corps. So he wrote a request to Governor General Ramon Blanco on December 17, 1895. But for
months Rizal waited in vain for the governor's reply, and loss hope that his request will be granted. It took
almost 7 months before the Governor General replied. It was July 1, 1896 when Rizal received a letter
saying that he was accepted to serve as a physician in Cuba. But It only reached Rizal in the 30th of July. At
that time, Rizal already lost his interest in serving Cuba but still he decided to continue since he already
gave his word of honor. The letter also stated that Rizal will be given a pass so that he can go to Manila,
then to Spain where its Minister of War will assign shim to the Army of Operations in Cuba.

July 31, 1896 marks the end of Rizal’s exile in Dapitan. Before he left, he burned down his house,
sold off his things, and gave a piece of his land to Talisay to his trusted workers. He also wrote an emotional
poem entitled Canto del Viajero (The Song of the Traveler).

Together with his wife, Josephine, his sisters, Narcisa, his niece, Angelica, three nephews and six
students, Rizal left Dapitan on board the steamer España. On the way to Manila, Rizal made stopovers in
Dumaguete and Manila. In Dumaguete, he met with his former classmate Judge Herrero Regidor and had
dinner together. While in Cebu, Rizal successfully performed an ophthalmic operation to a cross-eyed
merchant.

Rizal arrived in Manila on August 6, 1896. But he was left by the vessel Isla de Luzon that was
supposed to take him in Spain. So instead, he was transferred to the next ship Castilla. He was prohibited
from leaving the vicinity but was allowed to accept visitors so long as they were his immediate family.

The Katipunan made an attempt to rescue Rizal and smuggle him to Japan. Emilio Jacinto,
accompanied by other Katipuneros, smuggled himself aboard pretending to be a sailor and tried to
convince Rizal to escape with them. But Rizal refused to do so.

Rizal remained aboard the Castilla from August 6 to September 2, 1896. On August 19, 1896, the
Katipunan was finally discovered by the Spaniards. The Philippine Revolution finally broke out on August
23, 1896. At that time, rumors spread out that he was involved with the Katipunan. On September 2, Rizal
was transferred to Isla de Panay to sail off to Spain. On the way to Spain, the ship made a stopover in
Singapore in the night of September. Rizal’s companions were Don Pedro Roxas and his son Perequin who
asked him to jump off the ship and escape. But again, Rizal refused saying that he was not afraid and that
he was innocent.

Reflection:

The happenings during the end of Rizal’s exile in Dapitan showed one great trait of Rizal. It only
proves that Rizal never goes back on his word of honor. Once he promised and said something, he will
always remain committed on it. An example is when he volunteered to be part of the medical corps in
Cuba. Because of the delay of his request, Rizal was not anymore enthusiastic about serving there. But he
still proceeded because he already gave his word of honor. Rizal also had the chance to escape in the
hands of the Spaniards, not only once, but twice. It showed how courageous he is. He was not afraid of
what might happen to him even if it means being killed.