Jose Rizal Stopovers in Dumaguete

BY : Penn Tulabing .Villanueva Larena

While waiting for the boat from Mindanao a group of people from the community usually wait in front of an old house ( Present location Sol y Mar building of the Vicente family).When Rizal and his family arrived in the shore of Dumaguete from Dapitan, he met a couple by the name of Don Deigo Garcia Baena and Doña Ramona Ramos Gonzales Baena, they talked in Spanish and Ramona accompanied them to the near by house of a close relative Sr. Ignacio Gonzales ( narrated by Negros Historian Josefa Villanueva- Perez guest speaker in Dec 30,1984 7:30 am Rizal Day Celebration Quezon Park ,Dumaguete City ) and guest speaker in Dec 30,1985 Rizal Day Celebration Emilio Teves Park Bais City Negros Oriental.

The house in which Silliman Institute was opened to the public for a small class in 1901 on the corner of what is now legaspi St. ( Present Bishop Surban St.) and Rizal Avenue .It was rented by Dr.David Hibbard from the Spanish owner from Bais Sr. Ignacio Gonzales .Prior to 1898 it had served as the official residence of the Spanish Governors of the Province. Local Believe that Dr .Jose Rizal, the martyr hero of the Philippines, was quarter in this house on this way to exile at Dapitan in Northern Mindanao. The building was noted for the beautiful floor of wide, hand-saved Philippine. The Foundation wall of the first story was stone and mortar four feet in thickness. Dr. Hibbard was considered very fortunate to secure the used this building. After the Hibbard moved out, the house became headquarters for the Philippine Constabulary under the leadership of Col.Hermenigildo Teves Villanueva .The upper story was the temporarily furnished classroom for a local High School in 1902 ( present NOHS ) and later became the local Post Office.It was purchased in 1925 from the heirs of Sr. Ignacio Gonzales by Captain Jose Gomez Longa ( Silliman '13) .When the Japanese sailors and marines who were survivors of sea battles or otherwise detached from their units, and was so occupied Dumaguete in 1942.Toward the end of the war it served as quarters for Japanese Imperial forces .When the Americas landed North of Dumaguete,the Japanese destroyed the house and total damaged on the very day of the Liberation Day in 1945 ( Carson, Arthur p392 History of Silliman University 1965)
The House location is now Bethel Guest House in Dumaguete corner Rizal Ave and Present Bishop Surban St.
The steamer anchors quite near the shore because of the great depth of the water. Dumaguete spreads out on the beach. There are big houses, some with galvanized iron roofing… I observed that the people of Dumaguete are fond of decorating their houses with plants and flowers.( Chronology of Philippine Revolution Unpublished book of Dr. T.Valentino Sitoy Jr , P189 ) subject Philippine Revolution NORSU Graduate School .


– From Rizal’s diary, August 1, 1896
After hearing piano music amidst colonial homes and lush greenery, Dr Rizal likened Dumaguete to a little European town. It is no surprise that travelers time and again find it impossible not to fall in love with this southern settlement in Negros Oriental. Much of the old-world charm survives in the “City of Gentle People” that is supported by magnificent green acacias, historic churches and period buildings like the Victorian-style era Houses

Researcher : Josefino "Sir Penn" Tulabing Larena Jr. MPA Candidate 2011
College Faculty,College of Business Education
St. Paul University Dumaguete ( Founded in 1904)
Veterans Ave, Bantayan Dumaguete City
Teaching : Business,Tourism, Sociology, Cultural Anthropology, Philippine
HIstory,Politics & Governance