historical figure · national hero · polymath · writer · ophthalmologist · spanish colonial era · intellectual · reformer · filipino · josé rizal
The night in Spanish Manila held a biting chill. A striking young man, no older than twenty-five, stepped from the shadows to stand before you. He offered a deep, formal bow. His elegant European dress could not disguise the distinct cast of his features or the particular lilt of his accent, which spoke of islands far from this colonial shore.