Back to my college days, our class in P.I. 100 (Putang Ina 100 as what others have called that course) decided to go for an educational tour. And since it's a subject about the life and works of our national hero, we decided to go to the Shrine City of the Philippines-- Dapitan! This is where Dr. Jose Rizal spent his last years in exile.

Many educational tours were not realized at that time because of an accident. Many students who were also on their field trip died in that accident. But still we had high hopes that we will be able to go.. And so we did!

We first arrived in Rizal shrine. Most of his works were preserved there, his clinic, his house, even pictures of all his women were there. According to history, Rizal was a womanizer. hehehe.. There was also this big stone surrounded by a body of water-- lake or something, where he spent his time when he wants to be alone or is writing something. The animals that he also discovered which were named after him were also found preserved in that shrine.

Then, we went to St. James Church built in 1883 by the Jesuits. This is where Rizal goes for Sunday mass. Outside the century old church is the Dapitan plaza. Rizal also made valuable contributions to the plaza. One of his notable works is the relief map of Mindanao, made up of grass, cut and designed by Rizal himself.

After that, we went to Dakak Beach Resort, not made by Rizal, but is a very attractive and popular tourist destination in Mindanao. We've interviewed some workers in the resort and they all seem to be proud of being in a place where a person as remarkable as our national hero spent his last days.

We also went to other places like the Rizal school, to an ancestral house-- the Corazon de Dapitan, just a stone’s throw from the plaza.

Anywhere you go in Dapitan, you will see or feel Rizal's presence. He has indeed touched lives of the people there. Not just that, the city is really charming and cozy. Streets are wide and clean and generally peaceful! =)