Dapitan City

Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte

Me and my dad have always been history buffs. We usually spend our bonding time watching History Channel and Geographic Channel or talking about politics or the Bible or historical figures. So pretty much, Dapitan was a haven for us.

It was such a beautiful and clean place that's rich in history. It's a shame to think that Filipinos don't really visit Dapitan to learn about our national hero but for Dakak (I shall discuss Dakak further). I also think that this particular place doesn't get featured much by the Department of Tourism when it should most definitely be one of the highlights of the Philippines. Along with that would be that really annoying connotation that all people from Mindanao are Muslims or that you go to Mindanao, you get ransomed and bombed.

Punto Del Desembarco De Rizal

The monument serves as a reminder to all - that Dapitan was once blessed with the distinct privilege and opportunity to shelter the greatest Filipino martyr who lived there on exile for four years, thirteen days and a few hours… sharing his noble life, works and teachings.

Santa Cruz

In front of Punto Del Desembarco De Rizal you'll find the way to the town centre.

I just thought about this now: I should've walked from Punto Del Desembarco De Rizal with my parents by my side so they could act as Parol de Combate and I'm like the exiled Rizal. AHHH the role play opportunity totally wasted.

This is their police station which is super awesome. I wonder if that was the position of the police station during Rizal's time because they still have cannons ...and maybe dungeons too. Criminals beware, you'll get blasted in Dapitan lol

Plaque under the Rizal statue in the middle of the plaza.

When you reach Dapitan's centre, look around. See what Rizal had done from the planted Acacia trees, Relief Map of Mindanao, street lamps (I don't think the original ones lived through).  

Casa Real

Here it is, the Casa Real where Rizal was brought in to meet Don Ricardo Carnicero, Spanish Military Governor of Dapitan. It's also where Rizal resided as an exile from July 1892 to March 1893 before he moved to the land he bought in Talisay.

My dad was spazzing over Casa Real that he was walking up and down the stairs. He said he felt like he was reliving Jose Rizal lol. Of course I did the same thing making sure that I stepped on all the steps where Rizal might've stepped way back XD

Disappointed at the map's maintenance :(

My father was literally climbing places to geek out and get a picture of the map Rizal made. This was his best shot.

See that post with the blue ball on top? That's one of the five pillars Rizal erected. I challenge you to find all five of them!

St. James Church

The church Rizal was required to go to. In front of it is the map of Mindanao that Rizal made with Fr. Francisco De Paula Sanchez.

Full geek mode on inside the church. My dad stood on the spot where Rizal usually was during Sundays. Also went inside confession rooms plus climbed the bell tower. If I remember correctly, Rizal stood at the left pillar (facing the church). You should see a small plaque there saying that that's where Rizal stood.

Donation box 

My dad said that the metal donation box was still the legit one during Rizal's time. Not taking his word for it despite of him being a Rizal course professor.

I love their street lamps 

Parochial School

 Dapitan has a lot of ancestral houses

Second cleanest place I've been to in Mindanao

Some photos from the disappointingly unmaintained Rizal museum

Rizal National Park

Rizal's 70-hectare property in Brgy. Talisay

Casa Residencia

Rizal's residence in Talisay after he left Casa Real. It has a bedroom, three verandas and a comfort room accessible through a bridge. Rizal's kitchen is a separate house.

The woods have been changed but some of the original foundation still remains.

In Rizal's place, you might see people dressed in all white. At first I thought it was a Sunday and that they kind of just dropped by there. They're actually members of a religion called Rizalista which believes that Rizal is God, etc and they maintain the place.

Bust of Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken 

Talisay Water System 

(Rizal's Dam and Aqueduct)

This was constructed in 1895 to provide adequate and year-round water supply for Rizal's farm and household needs.

Downstream

Casitas De Salud

It's where Rizal accommodates his patients. One hut for males and one for females. Each hut could house two patients.

//Won't be posting a picture of Casa Cuadrada//

Heart-shaped rock. //Pardon the ghosts in the picture. I wasn't able to take a decent picture.

Mi Retiro 

(Lover's Rock)

This part of Rizal's property used to be submerged so he had to get on his baroto (small boat) to get to this rock. It's where he spent his time thinking and moments with Josephine Bracken. It was here where they made their informal vows when the parish priest refused to wed them unless Rizal retracts what his beliefs of the church.

View from the rock

Kamayan ni Manay

We ate here because we had no choice. Restaurants were either closed or sold out >.< The food was okay but the inside looked ritzy slash sosyal.

Gloria de Dapitan

It's like a star city in Dapitan with almost the same rates (around P400 per person). We weren't able to actually see inside and play because 'twas almost closing time when we arrived at Dapitan and we had to find a hotel. It's kind of peculiar to place an amusement park in the countryside though.

Dakak

We also skipped going to Dakak because all we have to do there would be eat and swim - which we can do in the next places that we're visiting plus with lesser cost. Because basically, Dakak is a magnet for foreign tourist with lots of $$$ and can hole average Filipino pockets (I heard that entrance alone is P500. Just entrance! No swimming yet).

So why do I bother making a Dakak entry when I obviously have nothing to say about the place? Distaste. I was really really pissed off when I went to Rizal's house in Talisay and wanted a souvenir, being the history geek that I am, and all I saw were Dakak merchandise.

Dakak. Dakak. Dakak. From the moment you enter Dapitan, all you see are these tarpaulins advertising about Dakak and other places. Where does Rizal come in? Why do we not invest in historical places? Why do they encourage foreigners to go to a white-sand beach and yet not promote the rich culture and history of the Filipinos?

I shall stop now and save all my woes for another post.

Dapitan's a la White House city hall that welcomes you as you go there.

I can't wait 'til the next time I go back to Dapitan. When I do, I'm going to do the Rizal experience all over again <3 It would be great to have my friends with me the next time (but they don't like historic stuffs. Ugh. ) and we can monopolize Gloria de Dapitan.