Summary Report In Rizal

Rizal Technological University

Summary Report in Rizal’s Life and Works
Title: Chapter 20
Ophthalmic Surgeon In Hong Kong (1891 – 1892)

Prepared By:
Solano, Michael Ross A.
CEIT – 02 – 401E
Hist3 / 3:00p – 4:30p / TF

Submitted to:

Dr. Jesus Granil

Introduction:
Chapter 20 (Ophthalmic Surgeon In Hong Kong) talks about what Rizal did when he left Europe and what are his reasons, the experience that he encountered while travelling to Hong Kong from Europe, It also tackles the reunion between him and his family, the suffering of his mother from the Spaniards, the operation of her mother, the people who helped him to start a business and how his skill in medicine brought him to fame and especially the success of his career.

Body of the Report: After the publication of El Filibusterismo, Rizal left Europe for Hong Kong, where he lived from November, 1891 to June, 1892. His reasons for leaving Europe were Life was unbearable in Europe because of his political differences with M.H. del Pilar and other Filipinos in Spain and to be near in the Philippines and his family.

Before he left Europe he spend time to say goodbye to those people who appreciated him and accepted him, those people were the Lunas, the Pardo de Taveras, the Venturas, and other friends. When he finally fixed all things, he boarded the steamer Melbourne bound for Hong Kong. He brought with him a letter of recommendation by Juan Luna for Manuel Camus and six hundred copies of El Fili. He is the only Asian passenger in the steamer. As usual, he got the attention of his fellow – passenger because of his knowledge of many languages and his skill in sketching.

One evening, passengers were having their meals then suddenly, one group of German ladies are gossiping about the Asian male who is taking his meal quietly who is Rizal, then, Rizal caught the attention of those ladies and started to listen what were their talking about. Rizal, was fluent in German so he understood all the words that the ladies speaking. The fast running steamer encountered a heavy squall and the door of the room was blown open, the ladies started to make a deal that if Rizal was going to stand up and close the door they will surely say that Rizal is gentleman. Without having a word, Rizal rose and closed the door. After what had happened he spoke to those German ladies in fluent German and the ladies felt very embarrassed because of what they did, and thereafter, they treated Rizal with admiration and respect, despite his brown skin, for he was a cultured man.

On November 20, 1891, Rizal arrived in Hong Kong. He was welcomed by the Filipino residents, Jose Ma. Basa, his old friend. He established his residence at No. 5 D’ Aguilar Street, No. 2 Rednaxola Terrace. On December 1, 1891, he wrote to his parents asking permission if he could return home but on the same date, Manuel Hidalgo, his brother – in – Law, sent him a letter saying that his family is part of the deportation of twenty five person from Calamba. The content of letter clearly revealed the despair and sorrow of the Rizal family. Again, he felt the sadness and eagerness to be in the Philippines to help his family from suffering. It is also stated that Hidalgo was preparing a letter to the Queen Regent of Spain to secure justice in Calamba and if doesn’t work, he will write to the Queen Victoria of England appealing for protection.

Before the Christmas of 1891, he was gladdened by the arrival of his father, brother, and Silvestre Ubaldo (his brother – in – law) in Hong Kong. Not long afterwards his mother, and sisters Lucia, Josefa, and Trinidad also arrived. A 65 years old mother of Rizal was almost blind because of the brutality that she suffered from the Spaniards. A year before, Rizal’s mother was arrested on the flimsy charge that she was not using her surname “Realonda” and despite of her age and blindness, she was forced by a cruel Spanish officer to walk from Calamba to Santa Cruz the Capital of Laguna. Fortunately, the Spanish governor of Laguna pitied her and kindly set her free.

The Christmas of 1891 in Hong Kong was one of the happiest Yuletide celebrations in Rizal’s life. For he experienced again the bond with his family.

From the day he met Blumentritt, the closeness of the two are still there. Rizal wrote to Blumentritt, recounting their pleasant life in Hong Kong. He wrote that his having a great time with his family, far and free from the persecutions in the Philippines. He also stated that he was very much pleased with the English Government.

To earn a living for himself and for his family, Rizal practiced medicine. In the long run, Rizal became well – known because of his skill as an ophthalmic surgeon. The person behind of his clientele was Dr. Lorenzo P. Marques, the person who helped Rizal to start the business. As time goes by, Rizal brought fame to his name. He had many patients, including British, Chinese, Portuguese and Americans. He also successfully operated her mother’s left eye. Aside from being an eye specialist, he was a general practitioner. Again, he wrote to Blumentritt saying the success of his career and thanking that God spared them from danger.

Some friends of Rizal in Europe gave him moral and substantial aid in his medical practice. Those people were Biarritz, Mr. Boustead who praised him because of what he achieved, Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin who sent him a book called Diagnostic Pathology by Dr. Virchow and Traite Diagnostique by Mesnichock. Don Antonio Vergel de Dios also offered him services for the purchase of medical books and instruments.

“Rizal possessed the qualities of a great and ideal ophthalmic surgeon. He had devoted his lifetime to the practice of medicine he would become one of Asia’s eminent ophthalmologists.” Said by Dr. Geminiano de Ocampo, distinguished Filipino Ophthalmologist.

Comment: My report was totally focused on what Rizal really is. In terms of being a simple person, being a son, and being a Doctor.

I’m impressed by him because of being true to himself, being a person. A person that you can call “straight to the point”. His cool attitude brought him to be respected and admired by other nation. There is a point in my report that Rizal is being cool I should say, the way he treated the German Ladies was absolutely perfect. For me the ladies don’t just talk they judge. It reminds us that there should be no person be treated like what the ladies did. Here, Rizal shows that no matter what your nationality is or your color, the most important is the wit that you have, the manner and the conduct.

Rizal being a son is tough one. If you can imagine how heartbreaking the moment when he longs for his family, his strong faith guided him. He was never lost but instead he steadfast and became molded. My report discussed how the eagerness of Rizal was. When the time Rizal and his family met, even though I don’t see what was really happening in that time, I know Rizal’s heart is overflowing with joy because finally he is back in his family’s arm. The lesson here is that we can use

our family as our foundation in our down moments and use it as a power to stand up and move forward.

Rizal being a doctor. I saw here that Rizal is very ambitious in a way that you can say that it is impossible but suddenly, it’s there, he did it. Like what he did, he aims to be an eye specialist/doctor so, he practiced medicine without any hesitations. You can see the heart of Rizal that he really wants it not just because he likes it, he likes it because he knows that he can use himself for the benefit of others. In that sense, he became well – known, he brought fame to his name and the most important thing he cured the almost blind left eye of his mother. Rizal serves as a good example to a student like me in terms of pursuing dreams. Rizal never got tired achieving dreams. We should soar high and dream big.

His friends are very helpful to him. They never let Rizal empty handed in a way that they helped him to build his own clientele, giving books to gain more knowledge about medicine and even sending congratulatory message.

Comparison: I compare Rizal to our fellow Overseas Filipino Workers. Why? Because they experienced the same feelings, have their missions, but different situation and different times.
Our Overseas Filipino Workers brought their missions in their hearts and minds as they left here in the Philippines. Their mission is to work/earn a living for each of their families, to give a better life for their children, and many other reasons. Rizal went to different places not to be an OFW but to be far from the people who wants to persecute him. He also has his mission, to work an evidence or literary works that can be an eye opener to the world, especially to the Filipinos that the Spaniards regime is not good for the country, its abusive, unequal, injustice and corruption.

Rizal and OFW’s feelings are very similar because the way Rizal misses his family, it’s the same thing, how OFW’s felt when they are far from their loved ones.

I also compare Rizal to Joseph the Dreamer why I compare him? Because for me all of the things happening in the life of Rizal in Hong Kong are his dreams. He dreamt to be with his family, to be near in the Philippines, to be a practitioner or help to cure his mother’s eye.

Joseph is a son, he has his dreams, but there are people that hinder him, which is his brothers to pursue it. The first dream was while binding sheaves in the field, Joseph’s sheaf arose and stood upright and his brothers' sheaves stood all around and bowed down to his sheaf. The second dream was, the sun, the moon and the eleven stars bowed down to him. To cut the story short, Joseph became the Governor of Egypt, which his dreams told him. Like Rizal, he is a son, he has his own dreams to our nation and to himself as well. At some point, there are some people that are making barriers to stop Rizal to pursue his aspirations for our nation. His dream for our country is to be free from the Spaniards, but that dream seems going to be impossible, so he never gives up, he worked with his works to fulfill his dream.

He continues to fight with his own strength and knowledge. He uses pen not by sword. The difference from the two is the dream of Joseph was achieved while he’s still alive, but Rizal’s dream was achieved when he’s gone.

Conclusion:
The love of Rizal to his family, the strength he got from every situation, the faith that his holding, the manner that brings him to be respected, the joy inside him, the care that he brings to other, the knowledge that in his mind, the fame that he brought to his name, and the success that he got. These attitudes are the things that Rizal possesses. Despite of all the troubles he faced from Europe, he has still the face to continue his life and step into the right path and never let go off those attitudes.

Friends are the people whom you can count on in good times and even in your most down moments. Like the friends of Rizal, even if they’re far from him, they exerted effort to offer something that Rizal may be needed and even sending a congratulatory letters, they did it to show appreciation, by that, I can say that Rizal’s feeling is overwhelmed that many of his friends are appreciating him and on what his doing.

In this chapter, I therefore conclude that Rizal is a very whole-hearted person.