PACIANO RIZAL: PINOY HERO'S BIG BROTHER

 

ON HIS ADVICE, the national hero dropped the last three names in his full name and thus enrolled at the Ateneo as ‘Jose Protasio Rizal.’

      Paciano,the second of eleven children of Don Francisco and Doña Teodora, is the only brother of Dr. Jose Rizal. 

Had Paciano owned a Facebook account and you were his friend, you would not be entertained that much by looking at his photo albums. Paciano had only two known pictures—one is a ‘stolen shot’ by a nephew during a family reunion, and the other, taken posthumously, of his corpse. A descendant explained that Paciano—unlike his brother who even frequented photo studios for his pictures—did not want to be photographed. The reason was that “he was a wanted man in the past and if there were no photographs of him, then it would be hard for the authorities to arrest him. He could walk everywhere without being recognized”

   Paciano had a very fair complexion and rosy cheeks. His descendants were quick to add that their lolo was more handsome than the national hero, and much taller, about 5’7” to 5’9. “When he died and the body was brought to the funeraria, his feet stuck out of the coffin, which was too small for him”

This description though was neither relative nor one-sided, for it was confirmed by Jose Rizal himself. In a letter to Blumentritt, he wrote: "Paciano is more refined and serious than I, taller, more slender, and fairer in complexion than I with a nose that is fine, beautiful and sharp pointed, but he is bow-legged” 

Being Jose’s second father

Acting as Jose’s caring guardian, Paciano brought him to Biñan to study under the tutelage of Justiniano Aquino Cruz. Paciano also accompanied the young Rizal in taking the entrance exam at the College of the San Juan de Letran and in matriculating instead at the Ateneo Municipal. Paciano even looked for Jose’s boarding house in the Walled City.

In choosing a course to take at the University of Santo Tomas, Rizal was said to have originally thought about law. Paciano however warned him that being a lawyer could be problematic, for one might find himself backing a wrong cause. Because he also wished to cure their mother, Jose thus opted to take medicine instead.

The Revolutionary Paciano

 After his brother’s execution in December 1896, Paciano joined the Katipuneros in Cavite under General Emilio Aguinaldo. He was not new to reform and revolutionary organizations. He had been an avid member of Propaganda Movement, soliciting funds to finance the organization and the nationalist paper ‘Diariong Tagalog’.

As Katipunero, Paciano was later commissioned as general of the revolutionary forces. He was said to have been elected too as secretary of finance in the Department Government of Central Luzon. Assigned as revolutionary commander in Laguna.

 During the Philippine-American War, Paciano continued to fight for Philippine independence in his area of jurisdiction in Laguna. During the revolution, he was said to have had several meetings with Apolinario Mabini. He was released soon after on the power of his promise that he would lead a peaceful life.

On April 13, 1930, Don Paciano died of tuberculosis at his Los Baños home at age of 79. His remains were buried in the North Cemetery in Manila. His life exemplifies that ‘a brother is a brother’ and reminds us that siblings must stand united and remain loyal to each other.  

                                 

JOSEPHINE BRACKEN: TRUE LOVE IN EXILE

Josephine Bracken

In the last days of February while still in Dapitan , Rizal met an 18 year old petite Irish girl, with bold blue eyes, brown eyes, brown hair and a happy disposition. She was Josephine Bracken, the adopted daughter of George Taufer from Hong Kong who came to Dapitan to seek Rizal for eye treatment. 
Rizal was physically attracted to her. His loneliness and boredom must have taken the measure of him and what could be a better diversion that to fall in love again. Rizal's exile in Dapitan was one of the most lonesome and sorrowful periods of his life.  He missed the company of his friends and family.
Josephine Bracken arrived at the shores of Dapitan accompanying her blind adoptive father, Mr. George Taufer.  No ophthalmologist in Hong Kong, their home country, could cure the man's blindness and so they sought the services of the famous Dr. Jose Rizal.


Rizal and Josephine fell in love at first sight.  Their romantic interlude went on for about a month, after which they decided to marry. Since no priest would marry them, Rizal and Josephine held hands, exchanged vows, and married themselves before God.  
Rizal and Josephine lived together in Dapitan as husband and wife, and in early 1896 they were expecting a baby.  Unfortunately, Josephine had to go into premature labor after Rizal played a prank and frightened her.  A little boy of eight months was born, who lived for only three hours.  Rizal named him Francisco in honor of his father, and buried the child in Dapitan.

RETRACTION CONTROVERSY

                                               

If someone asks me whether Dr. Jose Rizal had retracted or not, then I would say No. I do not believe that he wrote and signed a retraction document that would mean his acceptance to Catholic faith. In my opinion, it’s not a controversy but a mystery regarding that Rizal, a great philosopher, a nation’s hero and a pen-warrior did retract his advocacies. However, Rizal did respect the activities of Catholicism. He continued to hear mass while he was exiled in Dapitan.

As I recall, Rizal did not like the way the Spanish friars treating the Filipinos with the unlawful abuse of legislative, executive and judicial powers.  I think it’s not Rizal’s will to retract instead the friars like him to do so. I do not think that he could give up his principles and advocacies in a sudden manner.I just wonder how the Philippines would be if Rizal was proven to retract. The Filipinos at those times would lose their motivation and be slaves of our own nation not knowing we could win back independence within a certain time.

Rizal was not afraid to die for the sake of the Filipinos. He could not be force to change his idealistic thoughts towards independence. Also, he couldn’t be stop to write articles and poems by the means of death threats and court trials. He was such a mighty warrior ready to defend with the use of his pen and infinite nationalistic mind. That’s why there’s no way to believe that our national hero could swallow his pride for us Filipinos and retract like giving up and surrendering from a long-time war for the search of hope and freedom.

However, nobody was certain that he really signed it. As a matter of fact, there appeared several versions of the said document and that caused the uncertainty whether Rizal really had retracted. God only knows what the truth and I know Rizal believed in God not in the Spanish friars who tend to kill the soul and mind of the Filipinos.

If Rizal was really proven to retract contradicting beliefs against Catholicism, then how come he became a NATIONAL HERO? A true hero NEVER gives up and pursuing thoroughly his idealistic thoughts to banish the colonization into our country. Also a true Filipino, WILL NOT kneel to foreign invaders and display his weaknesses to mess the character and image of Filipinos. Dr. Jose Rizal had proven his true blood of nationalism  at the Bagumbayan. So, I as a Filipino DO NOT BELIEVE that Rizal did retract as describe by the Jesuits.

RIZAL'S CAREERS AND CONTRIBUTIONS

              

Rizal had maximized his stay in Dapitan by devoting much of his time in improving his artistic and literary skills; doing agricultural and civic projects; engaging in business activities, and writing letters to his friends in Europe. His careers and achievements in different fields were as follows:

* As a PHYSICIAN, Rizal provided free medicine to his patients, most of them were underprivileged. 
* As an ENGINEER, Rizal applied his knowledge through the waterworks system he constructed in Dapitan.
* As an educator, Rizal established a school in Dapitan which was attended by 16 young boys from prominent families. Instead of charging them for the matriculation, he made the students do community projects for him like maintaining his garden and field. He taught them reading, writing in English and Spanish, geography, history, mathematics, industrial work, nature study, morals and gymnastics. 
* As an AGRICULTURIST, Rizal devoted time in planting important crops and fruit-bearing trees in his 16-hectare land (later, reaching as large as 70 hectares). He planted cacao, coffee,sugarcane, and coconuts, among many others. 
* As a BUSINESSMAN, the adventurous Rizal, with his partner, Ramon Carreon, tried his luck in the fishing, hemp and copra industries. 
* As an INVENTOR, little was known of Rizal. In 1887, during his medical practice in Calamba, he invented a special type of lighter called sulpukan which he sent to Blumentritt as a gift. 
* As an ARTIST, he had contributed his talent in the Sisters of Charity who were preparing for the arrival of the image of the Holy Virgin. 
* As a LINGUIST, Rizal was interested in the languages used in Dapitan, thus, studied and made comparisons of the Bisayan and Malayan languages existing in the region. In fact, Rizal had knowledge in 22 languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Bisayan, Subanun, Spanish, Latin, Greek, English, French, German, Arabic, Malayan, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Dutch, Catalan, Italian, Chinese, Japanes, Portuguese, Swedish and Russian.
* As a SCIENTIST, Rizal shared his interest with nature to his students. With his boys, they explored the jungles and searched for specimens which he sent to museums in Europe, particularly in Dressed Museum. In return, scientific books and surgical instruments were delivered to him from the European scientists. He also made a bulk of other researches and studies in the fields of ethnography, archaeology, geology, anthropology and geography. However, Rizal's most significant contribution in the scientific world was his discovery of three species:

  Draco rizali – flying dragon
  Apogonia rizali – small beetle
  Rhacophorus rizali – rare frog

TO THE YOUNG WOMEN OF MALOLOS

                  

To the young woman of Malolos is an essay written by Jose Rrizal while he was in London upon the request of Marcelo H. Del Pilar. 
The yellow roses symbolist a love, purity and peace to the woman of Malolos. They also show education is important to each person. And all filipinos have a hidden talent and ability to raise the living. 

• Rizal pays homage to 20 women of Malolos who desire to educate themselves

• In this way, Rizal sees in these women ray of hope in restoring the Filipino woman’s dignity and worth

• Rizal emphasizes the importance of Filipino mothers

• Rizal refers to different women in society; mothers of daughters wives and even the unmarried ones. Mothers responsibility according to Rizal : Whatever the mother shows to her children is what the children will also become.

FILIPINO MOTHERS SHOULD:

Teach their children to love God, country and fellowman.
Honored to offer their sons in defense to their country.
Protect their dignity and honor.
Educate themselves.
Live the real Christian way with good moral and manners.

A REACTION TO RIZAL'S LIFE IN DAPITAN

                              

                                    

Jose Rizal, a man with so many accomplishments. Jose Rizal gives all of us inspiration in all the things we do. He inspires us to be hardworking and diligent, which most of us are not. 
I am amazed that even though Rizal was in exile, he didn’t mind the fact that he was sent to Dapitan to live like a prisoner and yet he still manages to accomplish many things. He taught the poor Mindanao folk to unite for trading so that they may become independent and free themselves from the Chinese and thus become less exploited, in the sense that he organized a cooperative even in exile. While many people would be in panic, despair or lose hope for any success in their lives because of being exiled Jose Rizal continued to serve his country. This is what made Jose Rizal stand out of the others as a hero to a nation. He was truly a man of action. He always put his countrymen first before him.
He truly was a man of action, he did not only looked over the people nor just tell people what to do, he helped them in their everyday work. Rizal was intelligent and yet very humble. 

Right now I wish that the tree he planted would somehow magically make Rizal appear in this time of ours so that I can praise him for what he did for us. 
Rizal was truly a person for his countrymen, he was a patriot and nationalistic for he never wanted to see his fellow countrymen being oppressed and being exploited.
It would be such an honor to know more about our hero.