Rizaliana Museum at USPF
According to the curator, the
The University has in its possession the original checkered winter coat and overcoat of the hero, the same one you often see Jose Rizal wearing in his famous photos. Other Rizal belongings include two evening white shirts, checkered winter pants, winter vest, cotton blue-stripped summer pants, a cotton collarless white shirt, and undershirt, cotton shirt cuffs, two pairs of socks and horse-riding breeches.
I still can’t get over Rizal’s waist measurement, it’s definitely smaller than mine. Jose Rizal’s height, as shared by a student guide, was around 4’11” – 5 ft. and 2 inches, definitely short by today’s standard. However, he was blessed with a sharp intellect and artistic talent as indicated by the sketches, literary and sculptural works he produced.
I also saw photographs of Rizal's family (Saturnina is the best looking sibling), a copy of Rizal and Trinidad's school report cards ( Rizal had excellent grades while Trinidad was average) and Josephine Bracken's letters (reminds me of the quaint English used by Conan Doyle in his Sherlock Holmes stories).
Sorry, I wasn' t allowed to take photos of the artifacts. As explained by my guide, these artifacts are light sensitive. I merely took a photo of the framed composite photos of artists trying to replicate the clothes of Rizal for the mobile museum.
The personal belongings of Rizal were donated by Doña Trinidad, Rizal’s younger sister to the University. Her niece, Concepcion Herbosa, the daughter of Mariano Herbosa and Lucia Rizal was married to the former USPF Vice President Escolastico Duterte. She promised to donate the personal belongings of her brother when she visited USPF on February 11, 1951. Doña Trinidad wanted to give her niece the cherished possessions of our national hero. I bet you didn't know that fact.
I asked the guide whether there are any relations left of Jose Rizal in Cebu. She told me that Concepcion Herbosa, who taught at the USPF, and Escolastico Duterte had no children.
If you want to visit the museum, you have to book in advance. You may contact Mr. Lucio Pulmones of the USPF Student Affairs Office at tel. nos. 4148773 loc. 122.
