Travelling with Rizal in Dapitan

Sometime in October, I saw an announcement posted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines over the Internet about its open invitation for Doing Local and Oral History Seminar Workshop on December 1-2, 2017 in Dapitan City. I submitted my online application attached a 400-word essay expressing my intent of joining the seminar as required from applicants.

By the last week of November, I received a letter from the NHCP informing me that my application was approved. Later in the seminar, I learned that more than a hundred had applied but only 70 were accepted. Honestly, I have been praying for such an opportunity to come. Praise God, He did not only give me this chance to attend this seminar in which the topic is of so much interest to me, He also gave me this gift of finally visiting Dapitan, one of the cities in my bucket list.

By six o’clock in the morning of November 29, 2017, I hitched on a car of our ICO-Municipal Treasurer for Tacloban in which we arrived at 11:30am. By 12:30 noon, I was already on my way to Ormoc via a commercial van. I arrived at the Ormoc’s pier at 2:35pm and by 3:45, I was already on board a Supercat bound for Cebu. I arrived at the Cebu Pier 1 at 6:30pm. I hurriedly get a ticket for Cokaliong ship on my way to Dapitan via Dumaguete. The ship left Cebu at 7pm and arrived in Dumaguete pier by 2am of November 30. By 7am, the ship left Dumaguete and arrived at Dapitan pier at 11:00am. By the gate of the pier, I hired a motorcycle that took me to the gate of the Jose Rizal Memorial State University.

From the gate I just walked to the school’s guest house where I will be staying overnight. I checked-in and paid 150 pesos, then, I went out of the school and look for some food outside. I took my lunch which I had for 60 pesos only. Then, I walked around the vicinity. I noticed that the city was very quiet which is quite strange for any city that I have been. No tall buildings, no big commercial establishments. Very peaceful. Perhaps, it was because of the holiday, Bonifacio Day, but my observation has not change in the succeeding days either. By the end of the street along the university’s campus, I continued to walk on the street and found the historic plaza of Dapitan. I saw the old Municipal Hall which seems to be struggling in its structural integrity given its perceivably rickety second floor and veranda. Today, the building is being used as police station. In front of the building are three old cannons in different sizes. These were used during the Spanish period.

I crossed the street and passed thru the entrance of the old plaza complex. I read first the historical marker and it says that it was Rizal who designed it. It used to have a kiosk at the center but now what stands there is the statue of Rizal built during the American period. It looked like the one in Luneta, but here Rizal was holding his medicine bag and a book. The kiosk which is now concrete is on the left side of the plaza. During Rizal’s time, I have learned later that the kiosk was originally made of wood.

In keeping with the Christmas tradition, the plaza is dotted with landmarks from different parts of the world aside from the towering Christmas Tree with a big i-love-dapitan cut-out below. I saw a replica of Taj Mahal, Chinese Imperial Palace and Germany’s Brundestag Wall as well as the replica of Rizal’s house in Dapitan.

I came near the Rizal monument and read the inscription. From there, I saw the church and the parochial school beside it. I wanted to enter the church but all the doors were closed. I learned that the patron saint of the city is Saint James the Greater. Just across the church is a portion of the plaza which has some mounds of land covered by carabao grass forming the map of Mindanao. This was originally designed by Rizal with Fr. Sanchez and some of the students of the Parochial School. I realized how great Rizal is with all these indelible marks he left this city with as well as in the country.

I took a tricyle to Gloria Mall which is only five minutes or less from the plaza. There are not so many people along the way. There was even lesser inside the mall. It was the smallest mall I have ever visited. I asked myself where all the people have gone. This place should be the busiest area in any city. Only a few are eating on their restaurants and food stalls around the mall. I bought a cone ice cream and ate it while surveying the complex. There was a small park, a cockpit arena and a carnival called Fantasyland. Not so many people are there either. I assume it must be because of the martial law which is in effect in the entire Mindanao due to Marawi siege. I was already hungry but not yet interested to eat my dinner. I entered a coffeshop and drink a medium-sized cappuccino and a piece of cheap bread. After this late merienda, I took a tricycle again and went back to the Dapitan Plaza as I really wanted to see the park all lit-up with the Christmas-around-the-world theme and the giant Christmas Tree. I strolled around the park, got nearer the replicas and had some photos of it. When it started to rain, I went inside the kiosks and waited until the rain stopped. Then, I started walking back to the university but before going inside, I first took my dinner in a carenderia just across the main gate. Then, I walked back to the guesthouse and laid down myself in bed and started watching the mid-90’s movie titled Rizal in Dapitan. I find it so difficult to sleep until past midnight perhaps because I am a stranger to this place.

I woke up at five in the morning, took a bath and readied myself to Dapitan Resort Hotel where the seminar-workshop will be conducted. I checked out at seven and before 7:30 I was already at the venue. The hotel looked old perhaps because of an average maintenance of it. On the right side is the pavilion which can only accommodate a little over a hundred persons.

On the registration table, I finally met NHCP’s Mona Quizon. She was the one whom I have constantly communicated with when I was inquiring about the founding date of my hometown, Lavezares. I told her how happy I am to meet her and thanked her too, for her prompt reply to my inquiry which required her to make an immediate research. Of course, NHCP’s reply to my inquiry then was signed by its then Chairperson, Professor Maria Serena Diokno, who to my surprise is our speaker for the two-day seminar-workshop. In morning of the first day, Prof. Diokno discussed all about doing local historical research. She really is an expert.

After lunch time, we had a walkabout around the city starting off at the Punto del Disembarko de Rizal or the landing site of Rizal. This historical shrine was only developed in 2009 presenting the night when Rizal first arrived in Dapitan. The images of Rizal and his Spanish escorts were all made from bronze. From there, we walked to the plaza which I already had a tour in advance the day before. Then, we went inside the St. James Church, then to the Casa Real where Rizal first stayed with Commandante Militar Ricardo Carnecero. Casa Real now houses the Public Attorney’s Office and the Philippine Coconut Authority. We also took a look at the old convent which is now being used as a high school. We also passed by the old Rizal Hospital now being used by the Department of Agrarian Reform. All these structures are located around the plaza.

On the adjoining streets near the plaza are the old ancestral houses of prominent families of Dapitan. This town center is truly a model of old town planning design which is also called as the plaza complex, a legacy of Spanish colonial period.

On the morning of the second day, Prof. Diokno discussed how to conduct oral history. Beforehand, I thought oral history is very easy to do, now I know it is a very complicated process.

On the afternoon, we visited the Rizal Shrine on a guided tour. Finally, I have seen and felt for real Rizal’s historic sojourn in this 16-hectare property. There I saw Rizal’s hospital made up of wood and nipa. Inside, we found the operating table, his small office and some wooden chests. Then, we went to his main house also made of wood and nipa. Beside his house is his kitchen made also of wood and nipa. The kitchen has an open window so that the smoke will just freely go. It was intentionally detached from the main house so that if ever there would be fire, the main house will be spared. Inside the kitchen, we found some old earthen cooking equipment and native utensils.

In the main house, there is only one room for Rizal. There was a sala, a study nook, and a dining space. All were made of hard wood. In his study nook, there was this table attached a drawer where Rizal kept his papers. One would notice that the chair was higher than normal. This was custom-made for Rizal so he can reach the table as he is short of height. He was only 4’11. I sat on his chair and by the other side on the dining chair. I can only imagine how this place used to be like on an ordinary day during Rizal’s stay. On the sala, a life-sized image of Josephine Bracken is seated. All of us had a photo with her. In front of his house is the giant tree which Rizal planted more than a century ago.

A few steps away from his house near the mountainside is the irrigation system that Rizal had built. It was really an illustration of his engineering prowess. Up to this day, the irrigation structure is very much preserved. Near the sea shore, we found Rizal’s schoolhouse where he taught 16 or 24 boys about different subjects. The schoolhouse is also made of wood and nipa. There was a small table and a small blackboard in it which are only replica of the original. The schoolhouse floor was really high I assume they also conduct classes under it.

Finally, we reach the heart-shaped Mi Retiro rock where Rizal and Josephine spent romantic moments and exchanged vows. This is also where he wrote the famous poem, also the longest titled Mi Retiro. He wrote it as requested by her mother. On the far end of Rizal’s property is the mini-amphitheater where Rizal’s students performed.

We walked back and got inside the Museo ni Rizal. The two-storey building was only inaugurated last year. The design was both modern and classical. There was natural lighting as glass panels partly surround the structure. The museum showcases Rizal’s artifacts and memorabilias, some are original and some are replicas. As one enters the building, the first thing that will be noticed is the three sets of Rizal’s clothing situated right at the center. These are encased on a glass. These include Rizal’s black coat, a chaleco paired with a trouser and what appears to be his pajama set. Beside it is the original blackboard and the table that he used for his students. There was also a mini photo gallery of the members of his family. Hanged on the walls are the pictures of the important people whom he had close contact with while he was Dapitan, farm tools, animal specimens which he discovered and later on scientifically named after him, letters which he sent to his sisters and his friends like Blumentritt, Fr. Pastells and so many others in the various fields. There is also the model laid down on a small table showing the map of Mindanao which he designed in front of the church. We also found the surgery tools which Rizal used as a doctor as well as replicas of his sculptures of different figures. The original of these sculptures are housed at the National Museum according to the curator. There are really more to these that I can remember.

When the tour ended, we went back to the venue on a tricycle. It was the last activity, actually, for the seminar. I no longer waited for the closing ceremony as I really have to catch the 4pm ship bound for Cebu via Dumaguete. At exactly 3:45 in the afternoon, I was already on board M/V Zamboanga. The ship was brand new and it felt so comfortable especially that I was staying at the tourist class. At eight in the evening, the ship had a stop-over in Dumaguete City in Negros Occidental. I step down from it, took a tricycle to  Chowking and took siomai mami for my dinner. Dumaguete City is a busy city. There were lots of people and cars. If I only have more time I would go around the city. I had this feeling this city is one of the progressive cities in the country as this home to sugar barons and hacienderos. Right in front of the port area is the famous Silliman University. At 11 in the evening, we departed Dumaguete Port. By 5 in the morning of the following day, December 3, we were already at Cebu pier. At 7:45 am, I was already on my way to Ormoc via fast cat. At 11:30am, I was on my way to Tacloban. I arrive there at 1:30pm. I got some refreshment at Savemore then boarded on a Grandtours van at 3:00pm and arrived in Calbayog at seven in the evening. Since Grandtours has no more trip for Allen, I waited for Turbanada until 8:30pm. I boarded it as a chance passenger. By 10:45 in the evening, I was finally home.

I took my dinner. Then, fell asleep with Rizal in my mind.