Rizal's Arrival in Manila (June 1892)

 Rizal returned to the Philippines because he believed the fight for reforms should take place in
his homeland, not in Spain.
 He arrived in Manila on June 26, 1892, at 12:00 noon, accompanied by his sister, Lucia.
 Later that afternoon, at 4:00 PM, he went to Malacañang Palace to meet Governor-General
Eulogio Despujol and discuss his return and reforms.
 On June 27, 1892, at 6:00 AM, Rizal took a train from Tutuban Station to visit Malolos (Bulacan),
San Fernando (Pampanga), Tarlac (Tarlac), and Bacolor (Pampanga).
 He returned to Manila on June 28, 1892, at 5:00 PM after completing his journey.

Founding of La Liga Filipina (July 3, 1892)

 On July 3, 1892, after his morning interview with Governor-General Eulogio Despujol, José Rizal
attended a meeting with fellow patriots at the home of Doroteo Ongjunco, a Chinese-Filipino
mestizo, on Ylaya Street, Tondo, Manila.
 During the meeting, Rizal explained the goals of La Liga Filipina, which aimed to unite Filipinos,
promote economic advancement, and provide opportunities for education and self-
improvement.
 The attendees elected the officers of the Liga: Ambrosio Salvador (President), Deodato Arellano
(Secretary), Agustín de la Rosa (Treasurer), and Bonifacio Arevalo (Fiscal).
 The organization adopted the motto "Unus instar Omnium" (One Like All) and was structured
with a Supreme Council (which governed the entire country), Provincial Councils (for each
province), and Popular Councils (for each town).
 Members were required to:
1. Obey the Supreme Council’s orders.
2. Recruit new members.
3. Keep Liga decisions confidential.
4. Use a symbolic name until becoming a council president.
5. Report significant information to the Fiscal.
6. Behave in a manner befitting a good Filipino.
7. Assist fellow members when needed.

Rizal’s Final Meeting with Governor-General Despujol

 During his last meeting with Governor-General Despujol, Rizal was asked if he still supported his
plan to establish a Filipino colony in British North Borneo.
 Rizal reaffirmed his stance, arguing that the government had failed to address land problems in
the Philippines, which made his proposal necessary.
  Despujol then presented five small sheets of the "Poor Friars" handbill, claiming they had been
found in Rizal’s baggage at the customs house.
 Rizal denied any involvement, stating that the bedding belonged to his sister Lucia and that she
would not have hidden such materials in an obvious place.

Spanish Reaction and Aftermath

 On July 6, 1892, just three days after La Liga Filipina was founded, Spanish authorities arrested
José Rizal.
 On July 7, 1892, Rizal was exiled to Dapitan, marking the end of his direct involvement with La
Liga Filipina.
 Following Rizal’s arrest, Andrés Bonifacio and other Liga members decided to take a more
radical approach.
 On July 7, 1892, the Kataas-taasang Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
(Katipunan/KKK) was formally established, paving the way for the Philippine Revolution.

Exile in Dapitan (1892-1896)

 José Rizal was exiled to Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte, a remote town in Mindanao, from 1892
to 1896, where he spent four years living a peaceful but productive life.
 While in exile, he practiced medicine, pursued scientific studies, improved his language skills,
engaged in artistic and literary works, and contributed to community development projects.
 He invented a wooden machine for making bricks, engaged in farming and commerce, and
established a school for boys.
 Despite his exile, he was still respected by fellow reformers and European scholars for his
intellect and humanitarian efforts.

Medical Practice and Community Contributions

 Rizal’s reputation as a skilled doctor attracted both wealthy and poor patients.
 He used Philippine medicinal plants to treat patients who could not afford imported medicine.
 He often charged little or nothing for his services and accepted in-kind payments from poor
patients.
 With the help of Father Francisco Sánchez, his former Jesuit teacher, he improved the town
plaza and created a large relief map of Mindanao, which remains visible today.
 He designed and built a water system for Dapitan, providing clean water to residents without
government funding, using only his Ateneo education and engineering knowledge.
 To reduce malaria cases, he drained marshlands where mosquitoes thrived.
 A ₱500 fee from a wealthy English patient was used to install street lighting in the town.
Education and Scientific Research

 Rizal fulfilled his dream of opening a school, where he taught about twenty students without
books, using interactive learning methods.
 His curriculum emphasized mathematics, English, and Spanish, and students had to speak only
the language assigned for the day.
 Nature studies included collecting flowers, shells, insects, and reptiles, which were sent to
German museums in exchange for scientific books and instruments.
 He developed a close friendship with Dr. Karl von Heller, director of the Royal Zoological and
Anthropological Museum in Dresden, Germany, who admired him as a reformer.
 Rizal’s scientific contributions included discovering 346 shells from 203 different species, with
several rare species named after him, such as:
1. Draco rizali (a flying dragon)
2. Apogonia rizali (a small beetle)
3. Rhacophorus rizali (a rare frog)

Business Ventures and Economic Reforms

 Rizal studied local languages, including Bisayan, Subanon, and Malayan, and wrote a Tagalog
grammar.
 He composed several poems, including:
1. A Don Ricardo Carnicero
2. Himno a Talisay (Hymn to the Talisay Tree)
3. Mi Retiro (My Retreat)
4. El Canto del Viajero (The Traveler’s Song)
5. Josephine
 He purchased 70 hectares of land, where he built a house, school, and hospital and planted fruit
trees, corn, coffee, cacao, sugarcane, and hemp.
 Partnering with Dapitan merchant Ramón Carreon, Rizal engaged in fishing, copra, and hemp
businesses.
 He founded the Cooperative Association of Dapitan Farmers to break the Chinese monopoly and
help farmers gain better access to markets and supplies.
 He invented a wooden cigarette lighter and developed a brick-making machine based on a
Belgian model that could produce 6,000 bricks per day.

Love and Personal Life in Dapitan

Rizal’s Opposition to the Katipunan

 On July 7, 1892, Andrés Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a revolutionary society aimed at
overthrowing Spanish rule.
 In 1896, Dr. Pío Valenzuela was sent to Dapitan, accompanied by a blind man as a cover, to
inform Rizal of the planned revolution.
 Rizal opposed the uprising, believing the Filipinos were not ready, lacked weapons, and would
suffer heavy casualties.
 He also refused the Katipuneros’ offer to rescue him from exile.

Departure from Dapitan

 Before the Katipuneros approached him, his friend Ferdinand Blumentritt had suggested that he
volunteer as an army doctor in Cuba, where there was a yellow fever epidemic.
 On December 17, 1895, Rizal wrote to Governor-General Ramón Blanco, offering his services as
a doctor in Cuba.
 After months without a response, he was about to lose hope, but on July 30, 1896, he received
approval from the Spanish government.
 He was granted safe passage to Manila, then to Spain, and finally to Cuba.
 On July 31, 1896, Rizal left Dapitan, bidding an emotional farewell to the townspeople who had
come to love him.
 Many Dapitan residents gathered on the beach in tears, expressing gratitude for all he had done
for their community.