We are an old clan from Manila. We are related to the National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal. Our ancestor Lola Eduviges Almeda and Rizal's father
Francisco were cousins, both born in Biņan, Laguna.
525 Masangkay Street (Lolo Higino Francisco's Ancestral Home)
Heroic Acts of Lolo Higino Francisco
(Jan. 11, 1847-Dec.
By Rene Resurreccion, November 18, 2011
La Solidaridad &
Lolo Gino: Financier of the Propaganda Movement
“A rebel in his own right, Francisco helped financially
the Propaganda Movement in Spain, which eventually led to the Revolution of
1896.” (Gwekoh, 1968)
Lolo Gino: Financier of banned La Solidaridad
“Then people would drop in casually in Higino’s home and would slip out with a copy of
the paper tucked into their clothes. The paper had different names; one of them
was La Solidaridad.” (Phil. Free Press, 1953)
Relations with Rizal
Rizal’s Visit to Lolo Gino
“One morning in 1892 a house in Binondo, Manila, the children of Don Higino Francisco were roused
from their beds saying that their famous relative, Dr. Jose Rizal, had arrived and expressed his wish to meet his young relatives. Among the children was Jose Francisco, then aged 8.
“Jose and his siblings lined up in a row in the sala and obediently waited their father to appear
from the door, which led to the street.
When he came inside he was followed by a young man dressed in black. Jose described the stranger as
“handsome but rather short.” “This,”
said Don Higino, referring to the man, “is your Tio Jose.”
Rizal paced down the row of little children examining their faces. Perhaps, Jose thought, “he
was looking for the family resemblance.” (Manila Times, 2005)
Lolo Gino house: “Pre-revolution Underground”
“Visitors, too, kept popping up, like the papers, from nowhere.
Very often, at night, a banca loaded with zacate would stop at the kitchen steps.
From under the zacate, a human figure would suddenly emerge and run into the house.
Next day, the children would find new faces at the breakfast table.
“This is your Lolo Francisco Mercado,”
their father would say.
Or it might be Lola Teodora Alonso,
or Tio Paciano, or Tia Sisang. The Rizal family was being hunted and had scattered and gone into hiding. The Francisco house by the estero had become a station of the pre-Revolution ‘underground.’” (Phil.
Free Press, 1953)
Lolo Gino: Keeper of Noli
“As a token of gratitude, Rizal presented him the original manuscript of his novel Noli Me Tangere.” (National Historical Institute)
Lolo Gino: Giver of gifts to Rizal
“A few days later Rizal was arrested and banished to Dapitan. (Manila Times, 2005)
“Higino continually sent gifts to the hero in
Dapitan. (Phil. Free Press, 1953)
Lolo Gino: Risked His Life for Noli
“Francisco first hid the manuscript in the roof of his two-door accessoria
house at 525 Magdalena, (then San Jose Trozo). When his family was threatened by the Spanish guardia civiles who were constantly
watching the house, he transferred it to the Binondo textile store owned jointly by his daughter, Fausta, and Rizal’s
sister, Trinidad. Whenever he sensed a search of the store, he would risk his life to hide the manuscript under the Binondo
bridge.” (Gwekoh, 1968)
Lolo Gino: Planned Rescuer of Rizal
“Higino Francisco was also responsible for the planned rescue of Dr. Jose Rizal either from his Spanish jailers at the place of his confinement or from the
hands of his custodians at the time of his scheduled execution in Bagumbayan. He was, however, dissuaded by Rizal’s
family from carrying it out” (National Historical Institute)
Katipunan / Revolution
Lolo Gino: Supporter of Katipunan / Revolution
“It was in the house of Francisco’s father, Don Higino, where Rizal and other leaders of the independence movement
held their secret meetings and kept their political
propaganda, including the original manuscript of the Noli.
“As any friend of the hero’s inevitably loves his country, Don Higino proved to be one of the unknown heroes of the revolutionary days.
We might call him a sort of financier of the
revolution.” (The Sunday Times Tribune, 1939)
“Besides contributing cash money for the acquisition
of arms for the Katipunan, he opened wide the doors of his home to the rebels
who needed a sanctuary or assistance.” (Gwekoh, 1968)
Dimasalang Restaurant: Secret meeting place of revolutionaries
“Higino even put up the Dimasalang Restaurant,
which catered exclusively to the patriots to provide them with a place where
their various problems could be resolved.” (Gwekoh, 1968)
Lolo Gino: Protector of Hero Felipe Agoncillo; Financier of Agoncillo’s Escape
“Throwing caution to the wind, Higino not only provided
shelter to Agoncillo, but also helped him secure a passage on board a Japanese vessel, the Heorimi Maru, bound for
Yokohama, Japan.” (National Historical Institute)
Lolo Gino: Imprisoned and tortured by Spanish police
“For openly helping the Revolution, Francisco was imprisoned and tortured by the Spanish police.” (Gwekoh, 1968)
Lolo Higino: Sentenced to Death
“Upon learning of his design, the authorities raided his house. Their search yielded a
large number of firearms. On account of this, he was put in jail, tried and sentenced to death. He was saved from the gallows by the government’s 1897
proclamation of general pardon. (National
Lolo Gino: Returned Noli to Rizal’s Mother
“Knowing that it would fetch a high price later, Francisco, however, returned the Noli to the mother of the hero.
Long after the revolution was over, the government did buy it for P30,000.”
(National Historical Institute)
Lolo Gino: Exhumed Rizal’s Bones
“In August 1898, the Americans having taken Manila, Don Higino, in
the presence of Rizal’s family, opened the hero’s grave in the Paco cemetery and took the remains to his house.” (Phil.
Free Press, 1953)
Lolo Gino: Super-tipid; Supporter of Anti-American Newspaper
“Don Higino Francisco died in 1921 – a man who begrudged paying
a peso for a pair of pants but who lost no time in sending five hundred pesos to the Renacimiento
when that paper was sued for libel in the famed Aves de Rapiņa affair.” (Phil. Free
Gwekoh, Sol H. Higino Francisco:
Custodian of “Noli”. In Hall of Fame.
The “Underground” in Rizal’s Time. In Philippines Free Press, Manila, December 26, 1953.
Higino P. Francisco: Revolutionary Patriot. National Historical Institute
De Ocampo, Esteban A. and Alfredo B. Saulo. First Filipino Diplomat. Manila:
National Historical Institute, 1977.
Historical Bulletin. Volume 15, January – December 1971.
Doņa Narcisa Speaks on Rizal. The
Sunday Tribune Magazine. June 18, 1939.
Don Higino Francisco. Tala ng mga Tala ng Dakilang Kapatiran ng mga “Kawal
ng Bayan,” Dec. 16, 1958, p. 7. Pioneer Printing Press.
De Ocampo, Esteban A. Rizal Meets
His Relatives. Head, Department of History, University of the East.
Commanders, Knights of Rizal. In
Manila Times, May 8, 1961.
10. De Viana, Augusto V. Excerpt from “Rizal Up Close”. National Historical Institute. In The
Manila Times, December 30, 2005)
Rosario, Alfredo G. Excerpt from
“Book Review: A Gem of Historical Writing.” Opinion Page Editor, in The Manila Times, Sunday, September 17, 2006.
Rizal Tree. As recalled by Asuncion
Lopez Bantug (a descendant of Narcisa Rizal). Published in http://www.freewebs.com/rizaltree/index.htm)
13. Interview with clan
ancestors since 1979.
Significance of Don
Higino Francisco’s House
at 525 Masangkay St.
delivered during Doņa
Teodora Alonso’s 100th Death Anniversary)
By Rene Resurreccion,
August 26, 2011
Morning! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
What is the
significance of Don Higino Francisco’s house and what is its relation to Doņa
Press, in 1953, described Don Higino’s house as “the Pre-Revolution Underground,”
the secret meeting place of revolucionarios.
When I interviewed our clan ancestors
as far back as 1977, they were one in describing Lolo Higino as “tahimik
na tao; walang kintatakutan; walang inuurungan.” This raw, reckless
courage of his
prepared him well for his role in the Philippine revolution and the protection
of such important figures as Doņa Teodora. He was a financier of the Propaganda movement, the La
Solidaridad, and the Katipunan.
family was unjustly evicted from Calamba, Laguna in 1890, Lolo Higino offered
his house as refuge and hiding place.
At the back of this house is an estero; it was called Estero de Tetuan
at that time. At night, a banca
filled with dayami would stop at the
steps behind the house, then, when the coast was clear, a human figure would
suddenly emerge from the banca and dash into the house. Lolo Higino would hide
him in a locked, secret room at the attic. In the morning, the family would be
surprised to see that they have a new guest for breakfast. Sometimes Lolo Higino
would say to his
children, “This is your Lolo Francisco,” referring to Rizal’s father.
Some other days, “This is your Lola
Teodora, or “This is your Tio Paciano,” or “This is your Tia Narcisa,”
Out of gratitude
for the protection of his family, Dr. Jose Rizal gave Lolo Higino the original
copy of the Noli Me Tangere in June 1892.
Though arrested, imprisoned and
tortured by the Spaniards, upon release in 1897, Higino still stubbornly continued
with his patriotic deeds. Together
with some of Rizal’s family members, he exhumed Rizal’s body from Paco
Cemetery. He personally washed
Rizal’s bones and put them in an urn, which was kept in this house for some
time until it was given its final resting place. Doņa Teodora would often come
to this house, see Rizal’s bones and mourn for him.
when the Americans took over the government in 1898, Higino did not traffic
with the priceless Noli, but he unselfishly handed it to Doņa Teodora. Later,
the Philippine government
purchased that precious artifact from Doņa Teodora for the fabulous price of
To end, I
hope that we can reflect on Don Higino Francisco’s life. He believed that:
“Ang tunay na kabayanihan, di
naghahanap ng karangalan”
to all of you.
The Clan in Gist
By Rene Resurreccion, July
Around the year 1770, Yunti, a captain of
a Chinese merchant
ship from Northern China came to the Philippines for trade and married Amang, a
frugal Filipino woman from Manila.
They settled in Binondo.
July 3, 1805, their marriage produced a son named Jacinto Yunti, who was fluent
in the Mandarin language and was very frugal. He married Lucia Prospero of Biņan, Laguna in 1843. They became
successful property owners
in Manila and Biņan. They produced
three sons – Vicente, Marcos and Higino.
The youngest Higino was born on January 11, 1847. In 1850, as ordered by the Spanish
authorities, they changed their surname to Francisco.
Higino Francisco became a successful businessman. He owned many properties; he also owned
a hotel named Dimasalang Hotel located in 525 Magdalena St., Trozo, Manila. He
married Eduvijes Almeda of Biņan, Laguna in 1874, who was a relative
of the Rizal family through the father Francisco Mercado. Higino and Eduvijes produced eight
children – Fausta, Dalmacio, Paulino, Escolastica, Estefania, Jacinto, Jose,
and Lucia. Higino was a philanthropist and a patriot. He was a financier of the revolution. He supported the propaganda
and the Katipunan. He kept the
original manuscript of the Noli Me Tangere. He hid the family of Rizal when the Spanish authorities were
after them. He smuggled guns for
the Katipunan. He financed the various
activities of the revolutionaries. His eldest daughter Fausta, who was equally
patriotic, set up a textile store
and a restaurant named Restaurant Dimas-Alang in the corner of Ongpin and Nueva
streets. Secret meetings of the
revolutionaries were held in Don Francisco’s residence and Fausta’s textile
store. Higino was arrested by the
Spanish authorities, imprisoned and tortured. He was released during the general amnesty of 1897.
Americans occupied Manila, Don Francisco exhumed the body of the National Hero
Dr. Jose Rizal from the Paco cemetery and placed his bones in an urn which was
kept in his residence for some
time until it was transferred to the rented house of the Rizal’s in San
Nicolas. Higino returned the
original Noli Me Tangere to Rizal’s mother Teodora who sold it to the
Philippine government for 30,000 pesos.
Fausta married her cousin Jose Mendoza Almeda of Biņan,
Laguna and they produced five children – Irene, Purisima, Tolstoi, Concepcion
(died early), and Pilar. The
eldest Irene married Leon Gabriel Resurreccion of Arayat, Pampanga and produced
five children – Rafael, Jose, Higino, Fausto and Concepcion. Leon and Irene managed the Dimasalang
Hotel of Higino. Irene bought
Hacienda Batuan in Ticao Island, from her Tio Dalmacio, the original owner.
By Rene Resurreccion
August 22, 2011
a trader from Northern China (Shanghai area?) traveled to the Philippines in the late 1700 and met the Filipino woman Amang,
who was a financially prudent woman. They settled in Binondo and bore a son named Jacinto Yunti. As required
by the Spanish decree of 1849, Jacinto changed his family name from Yunti to Francisco. He married Lucia Prospero
of Biņan, Laguna; they were a thrifty couple and they owned properties in Manila and Biņan, Laguna. They bore three
sons, the youngest of whom was Higino Francisco, who married Eduviges Almeda of Biņan, Laguna and who was closely
related to Francisco Mercado of Biņan, Laguna, the father of Dr. Jose Rizal. Higino Francisco owned many properties
in Manila including a textile store in Binondo. He was a financier of the Propaganda movement and the Philippine revolution
against Spain. His ancestral home served as the pre-revolution underground. It served as the center for the distribution
of the banned La Solidaridad and the hiding place of the Katipunan arms, the original copy of the banned Noli Me
Tangere, and the revolutionary heroes including Rizal’s family – father Francisco Mercado, mother Teodora
Alonso, brother Paciano, sister Narcisa, the “First Filipino Diplomat” Felipe Agoncillo, and others. His
residence also served as the secret meeting place of Filipino revolutionaries and place to plan the rescue of Rizal from Fort
Santiago. It was also the place where the exhumed body of Dr. Jose Rizal was kept before it was given its final resting
place. His wife Eduviges was a successful meat trader. All their children were high achievers – Fausta
owned the Dimas-Alang restaurant and many apartment houses; Dalmacio owned a cattle ranch in Ticao, Masbate; Paulino
owned a mansion in Roxas Blvd., Manila; Escolastica introduced the unique cuisine of the clan; Estefania (no
major achievement cited), Paulino became a rich property owner in Biņan, Laguna; Jose became a de campanilla
US-trained doctor of dentistry; and Lucia became a US-trained Professor Emeritus of the University of the Philippines
College of Music. Fausta married Jose Almeda III of Biņan, Laguna and they had 4 children – Irene,
Purisima, Tolstoi, and Pilar. Irene Almeda married Leon Resurreccion of Arayat, Pampanga
and bought her Tio Dalmacio’s ranch in Ticao, Masbate called HB.
Hall of Fame
As the confidant of Jose Rizal, Higino Francisco discharged the trust reposed on him – that of keeping the manuscript
of the famous novel, Noli Me Tangere – at the risk of his life.
* Don Higino Francisco died on December 13, 1921
The youngest of the four children of the propertied couple, Jacinto Francisco and Lucia Prospero of Biņan Laguna, Francisco
was born in Binondo, Manila, on January 11, 1847. Although he had no formal schooling, he acquired through self-study sufficient
knowledge of both Spanish and French to enable him to read books.
As his wife was a close relative of Rizal , Francisco gradually became his loyal and devoted “friend.” In him,
Rizal found not only “willing ears but an understanding mind, a sympathetic heart, a prudent counselor and a reassuring
When Rizal was exiled to Dapitan in July 1892, he entrusted his manuscript of the Noli Me Tangere (Social Cancer) to Francisco
to prevent its falling into iconoclastic hands.
The Noli, the greatest novel ever written by a Filipino, provided a realistic picture of Philippine life during the Spanish
time. It was the single book that ”blew off the lid on Spanish abuses, injustices and misgovernment in the Philippines
and helped to bring about the Revolution.”
Francisco first hid the manuscript in the roof of his two-door accessoria house at 525 Magdalena, (then San Jose Trozo).
When his family was threatened by the Spanish guardia civiles who were constantly watching the house, he transferred it to
the Binondo textile store owned jointly by his daughter, Fausta, and Rizal’s sister, Trinidad. Whenever he sensed a
search of the store, he would risk his life to hide the manuscript under the Binondo bridge.
Although Francisco knew full well that the manuscript was worth a fortune, nevertheless he did not traffic with it. Instead
with a loyal and unselfish heart, he retuned it to Trinidad Rizal, soon after the arrival of the Americans in the Philippines.
A rebel in his own right, Francisco helped financially the Propaganda Movement in Spain, which eventually led to the Revolution
of 1896. Besides contributing cash money for the acquisition of arms for the Katipunan, he opened wide the doors of his home
to the rebels who needed a sanctuary or assistance. He even put up the Dimasalang Restaurant, which catered exclusively to
the patriots to provide them with a place where their various problems could be resolved.
For openly helping the Revolution, Francisco was imprisoned and tortured by the Spanish police.
Soon after the American occupation, Francisco saw to the exhumation of Rizal’s remains, which were buried in the Paco
cemetery. In an urn, which he ordered, he placed the bones and kept them in his house until they were given a decent resting
Francisco died on December 3, 1921*. He was survived by eight of his 11 children, namely, Fausta, Dalmacio, Paulino, Escolastica,
Estafania, Jacinto, Jose and Lucia who is regarded as the dean of music teachers in the Philippines.
In Francisco, “life is not merely a floating shadow, a momentary spark and a dream that vanishes” but one “filled
with great and noble thoughts as well as brave and honest deeds,” laboring until death for the right and the just, and
for consecrating one’s life to the welfare of his own country.
Si Don Higino Francisco ay
sadyang dakila at katangi-tanging Pilipino. Dahil sa kataimtiman at kadalisayan
ng kanyang pagkamakabayan ay siya’y napatanging-kaibigan ni Rizal, at siyang pinagkatiwalaang mag-ingat ng Original
ng kanyang Noli Me Tangere, na matapos magtagumpay ang himagsikan ng “96” at magbalik ang kapayapaan ay magalak
na isinakamay ng mga tagapagmana ng Pinaka-Dakilang Bayani ng Lahi.
Ang tahimik, ngunit Dakila
at magiting na Pilipinong ito at ang kanyang butihing anak na si Doņa Fausta Francisco de Almeda, ang maagap na nangag-abot
ng kamay upang tulungang bumangon ang Pasimuno ng mga “Kawal” nuong minsang maparapa ito sa matarik at mabalakid
na landas na tinatalaktak ng Dakilang Kapatiran ng mga “Kawal ng Bayan.”
Habang-buhay na pagkilala
ang handog namin.
Don Higino Francisco
Pinanganak sa Binundok, Maynila
nuong ika-11 ng Enero 1847, at pumanaw nuong ika-13 ng Disyembre, 1921
Tala ng mga
Tala ng Dakilang Kapatiran ng mga Kawal ng Bayan. December 16, 1958, page 7. Pioneer Printing Press
Residence of Higino Francisco
525 Magdalena, Manila.
In this house the original manuscript of the Noli Me Tangere was kept hidden. The remains of Dr. Rizal were also kept here
for a few days immediately after their exhumation from the Paco Cemetery
on 17 August 1898. Higino Francisco (b. Jan. 11, 1847, d. Dec 13, 1921)
was a friend and admirer of Rizal and a financier of Filipino patriotic activities.
HIGINO P. FRANCISCO: Revolutionary Patriot
A man of rare
civic virtues, Higino Francisco y Prospero played a crucial role in saving the life of Felipe Agoncillo, who would later be
a very important diplomat in the government-in-exile of President Aguinaldo, during the tumultuous year in 1896.
then a wanted man from Taal,
Batangas. He had been ordered deported to Jolo, Sulu by the Spanish colonial government, but had eluded arrest by the
Guardia Civil and gone to Manila.
Hunted by the
law, Agoncillo tried to seek refuge in the homes of several of his relatives and friends in the city, but all of them refused
to let him in for fear of being implicated in his crime. Finally, almost in desperation, he knocked at the door of a
house on Magdalena Street in Tondo. Its occupants were unknown to him. He just took a chance
that they would take him in for the night. Fortunately, luck was on his side that fateful night since the owner of the
house, Higino Francisco, was an assuming patriot.
Throwing caution to the wind, Higino not only provided shelter to Agoncillo, but also helped him secure a passage on board
a Japanese vessel, the Heorimi Maru, bound for Yokohama, Japan.
on April 28. 1896 and, after a fortnight in Japan, he proceeded
to Hong Kong to join other Filipino expatriates.
was also responsible for the planned rescue of Dr. Jose Rizal either from his Spanish jailers at the place of his confinement
or from the hands of his custodians at the time of his scheduled execution in Bagumbayan. He was, however, dissuaded
by Rizal’s family from carrying it out.
of his design, the authorities raided his house. Their search yielded a large number of firearms.
On account of this, he was put in jail, tried and sentenced to death. He was saved from the gallows
by the government’s 1897 proclamation of general pardon.
aided Dr. Rizal in his patriotic endeavors. As a token of gratitude, Rizal presented him the original manuscript of his novel Noli Me Tangere. Knowing that it would fetch a high price
later, Francisco, however, returned it to the mother of the hero. Long after the revolution was over, the government
did buy it for P30, 000.
The street in
Sulucan Estate in Sampaloc known as Miguelin was later renamed Higino Francisco in the patriot’s honor, but due to a
contractual provision involving the estate, its name was changed back to Miguelin.
in December 1921.
- De Ocampo, Esteban A. and Alfredo B. Saulo. First Filipino Diplomat. Manila:
National Historical Institute, 1977
- Historical Bulletin Volume 15, January – December 1971
Don Higino Francisco, relative, faithful friend and adviser of Dr. Jose Rizal
The Philippine National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal
Jose Almeda III of Biņan, Laguna,
cousin of Francisco Mercado, father of Dr. Jose Rizal
Francisco Mercado of Biņan, Laguna,
father of Dr. Jose Rizal
Rizal's book, Noli Me Tangere, the book that started a revolution
Excerpt from “Rizal Up Close”
By Augusto V. De Viana, National Historical Institute
Published in The Manila Times, December 30, 2005
THE common image most Filipinos see national hero Dr. Jose Rizal is that of an unsmiling
man wearing a dark coat. This image was used as a model for his monument at the Luneta
Park. Beyond the cold solid form presented by statues and photographs
depicting him, those that had seen the hero reveal a more human side.
One morning in 1892 a house in Binondo, Manila,
the children of Don Higino Francisco were roused from their beds saying that their famous relative, Dr. Jose Rizal,
had arrived and expressed his wish to meet his young relatives. Among the children was Jose Francisco, then aged 8. Jose and
his siblings lined up in a row in the sala and obediently waited their father to appear from the door, which led to the street.
When he came inside he was followed by a young man dressed in black. Jose described the stranger as “handsome but rather
short.” “This,” said Don Higino, referring to the man, “is your Tio Jose.” Rizal
paced down the row of little children examining their faces. Perhaps, Jose thought, “he was looking for the family resemblance.”
“A few days later Rizal was arrested and banished to Dapitan.
Excerpt from “Book Review: A Gem of Historical Writing”
By Alfredo G. Rosario, Opinion Page Editor
Published in The Manila Times, Sunday, September
The book, The I Stories, by Augusto V. de Viana, adds a new dimension to
Philippine history, particularly about the Philippine Revolution against Spain,
in terms of perspective and insights into hitherto lesser known historical facts. Most
of the stories were eyewitness accounts of people who were close to the scene or actually participated in the events, told
in interviews or statements published in The Manila Times and the Philippines Free Press in the 1920s up to the 1950s and
retrieved by the author for his book “to arouse public interest in history.”
The common use of the pronoun “I” in the personal accounts of these
witnesses of history impels the author to call his book The I Stories.
De Viana acquaints his readers with the inner human side of the national hero and
his close encounters with the Spanish authorities in his efforts to protect his books, the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo,
through the narratives of Dr. Jose Francisco, a relative of the hero’s family, and Perfecto Rufino Riego,
a former cabin boy.
It was in the house of Francisco’s father, Don Higino, where Rizal and other leaders of the independence movement held their secret meetings and kept
their political propaganda, including the original manuscript of the Noli. It was Riego who took the task of smuggling copies
of the Noli and Fili into the country from Hong Kong, where copies of the books were shipped on the boat Don Juan from Germany where they were published.
As recalled by Asuncion Lopez
Published in http://www.freewebs.com/rizaltree/index.htm
"Two years later, in the
turmoil that followed the American occupation of Manila, his
family seized the chance to recover my Lolo Jose's body unhindered by Church or State. Spain
had fallen in the Philippines; American troops took over in Manila on August 13, 1898. Four
days later, on August 17, my Lola Sisa, accompanied by her daughter Angelica, sculptor Romualdo Teodoro de Jesus, Higino
Francisco and Doroteo Ongjungco, went to the Paco Cemetery and had the grave dug up.
"The body was found to have
been buried directly into the earth, without a coffin. Nevertheless, the clothes were still recognizable, though whatever
my Lolo Jose had hidden in his shoes had long rotted away. A vertebra showing a bullet wound was kept in a glass and silver
cup in Lola's house.
"The remains were taken to my Lola Sisa's house, where Higino Francisco and Romualdo Teodoro
de Jesus themselves reverently washed the bones. They were later placed in an ivory urn carved by De Jesus. This urn was venerated
in frequent public ceremonies during the 1900s, when Rizal began to be honored as the National Hero of the