Rizal’s Inventive Ability

One little-known about Rizal was that he was also an

inventor. It should be remember that in 1887, while
practicing medicine in Calamba, He invented a cigarette
lighter which he sent as a gift to Blumintritt. He called it
“SULPUKAN”
This unique cigarette lighter was made
Of wood. “It’s mechanism”, said Rizal,
“is based on the principle of
Compressed air”.
Sulpukan
 “My Retreat”
In February, 1895, Dona Teodora, with her eyesight
fully , restored returned to Manila. During her long stay
in Dapitan, she saw how busy her talented son was and
regretted that he had neglected the Muses. She
requested him to write poetry again.

In response to her request, Rizal wrote a beautiful poem

about his serene life as an exile in Dapitan and sent on
October 22, 1895. This poem was “Mi Retiro” (My
Retreat), which acclaimed by leterary critics as one of
the best ever penned by Rizal.
 Rizal and Josephine Bracken
In the silent hours of the night after the day’s
hard work, Rizal was often sad. He missed his
family and relatives, his good friends in foreign
lands, the exhilarating life in the cities of
Europe, and happy days in Calamba. The death
of Leonor Rivera on August 28, 1893 left a
poignant void in his heart, he needed somebody
to cheer him up in his lonely exile.
In God’s own time, this “somebody” came to
Dapitan, like a sunbeam to dispel his melancholy
mood. She was Josephine Bracken.
 JOSEPNINE
An IrishBRACKEN
girl of sweet
eighteen "slender, a
chestnut blond, with blue
eyes, dressed with elegant
simplicity, with an
atmosphere of light
gayety”. She was born in
Hong Kong on October 3,
1876 of Irish Parents.
 Josephine Parents

JAMES ELIZABETH JANE

A corporal in the
BRACKEN MACBRIDE
British garrison.
 Mr. George Taufer
 Mr. George Taufer a man
who adopted Josephine after
her mother died of
childbirth.

 Mr. Taufer become blind so

he sought for an ophthalmic
specialist.
Rizal and Josephine fell in love with each other
at first sight . After a whirlwind romance of one
month, they agreed to marry. But Father Obach,
the priest of Dapitan refused to marry then
without the permission of the Bishop Of Cebu.
Father Obach
 Rizal and The Katipunan
While Rizal was mourning the loss of his son,
ominous clouds of revolution gradually darkened
the Philippines skies. Andres Bonifacio the
“Great Plebeian,” was sowing the seeds of an
armed uprising. The secret revolutionary society,
Called Katipunan, which he founded on July 7,
1892, was gaining more and more adherents.
Bitukang Manok
Steamer Venus
Rizal objected to Bonifacio’s audacious
project to plunge the country bloody
revolution. He was of the sincere belief that it
was premature, for two reasons:
 The people are not ready for a revolution
 Arms and funds must first be collected
before raising the cry of revolution.
Volunteers as Military Doctor in Calamba
Months before the katipunan contacted him, Rizal had offered
his services as military doctor in Cuba, which was then in the
throes of a revolution and a raging yellow fever epidemic.
There was a shortage of physician to minister to the needs of
the Spanish troops and the Cuba people. It was Blumintritt
who told him of the deplorable health situation in war-ridden
Cuba and advised him to volunteer as army physician..
Acting upon Blumintritt’s advice, Rizal wrote to Governor
General Ramon Blanco, Despujol’s successor, on December
17, 1895, offering his services as military doctor in Cuba.
Months passed and he received no reply from Malacañang.
He gave up hope that his humanitarian offer would ever
receive government approval.
Governor General Ramon
Blanco
 “The Song Of The Traveler”
Great was Rizal’s joy in receiving the gladsome
news from Malacañang. At last, he was free! Once
more, he was going to travel-to Europe and then to
Cuba. It was with this joyous thought of resuming
his travels that he wrote his heart-warming poem
“El canto del Viajero” The Song Of The Traveler
Rizal’s four-year exile in Dapitan came to an end. At
midnight of that date, he was accompanied by
Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica(Narcisa’s daughter), his
three nephews, and six pupils. Almost all Dapitan
folks, young and old, were at the shore to bid him
goodbye. Many wept as the steamer sailed away –
especially the other pupils who were too poor to
accompany their beloved teacher to Manila . As
farewell music, the town brass band strangely played
the dolorous Funeral March of Chopin.
END