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FORT SANTIAGO: DR. JOSE RIZAL'S MARTYRDOM

Fort Santiago and Luneta, June 9, 2000 - Fort Santiago and Luneta: the incarceration and martyrdom of Dr. Jose P. Rizal Fort Santiago was once the bastion of political power during the Spanish regime. For 300 years, the Fort represented the subjugation of freedom.

Its dungeons, tunnels, moats, barracks, and arsenals all bear witness to the untold tortures inflicted on our forefathers because of their patriotic ideals.

From another perspective, the Fort has symbolized the Filipinos' struggle for freedom. It is where the country's foremost martyr, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, spent his last moments before that historic day in December 1896.

These images of Fort Santiago as the site of repression and the fight for freedom are forever imbedded in the annals of Philippine history.

On November 3, 1896, Rizal was imprisoned at Fort Santiago. He was convicted as instigator and chief proponent of the propaganda movement.

It was in Fort Santiago, while imprisoned in his cell, where Rizal wrote the poem "Mi Ultimo Adios" and married Josephine Bracken. Rizal stayed here until December 29, 1896. The following day, he was executed.

Fort Santiago is in Intramuros. It is situated along the southern bank of the Pasig River and was the cradle of political and economic power during the Spanish colonial period.

It was here where the Spaniards governed the whole archipelago for over 300 years. Today, Intramuros is home to the 17th-19th century Spanish architecture, reminders of the country's colonial past.

The historic Fort Santiago, which is now a national shrine, has been transformed into a park with an open-air auditorium. The cell that kept Rizal from November 3 until the day before his martyrdom still stands southwest of Plaza de Armas and beside the ruins of the brick barracks.

Relics of Rizal's chapel cell can be seen across the Plaza on the other side.

Rizal's prison cell was converted into a museum to accommodate historical memorabilia. Although the form of the original structure was not preserved, it was restored in the image of the period's architecture. The chapel cell, the Raha Sulayman Theater, and the brick barracks have also been well preserved.

On the other hand, Rizal Park, or Luneta is the hallowed site of Rizal's execution. His death resounded and further galvanized the struggle for Filipino freedom. This event has ever since been commemorated every 30th of December.

The place is a 48-hectare plaza in the heart of Manila's thriving financial, commercial, industrial and institutional centers, abutting the picturesque Manila Bay.

The park is divided into three sections beginning with the 16-hectare Agrifina Circle adjoining Taft Avenue, where the Departments of Tourism and Finance are located; followed by the 22-hectare park proper, also known as Bagumbayan, that extends down to Roxas Boulevard; and terminating at a 10-hectare open field across Roxas Boulevard fronting Quirino Grandstand along the Bay.

The exact spot where Rizal fell after he was shot can be found in the landscaped middle third section of the park at a point some 100 meters from Roxas Boulevard along the central esplanade. The bayside section of the Park serves as an open audience area for the Quirino Grandstand.

A marker commemorates the spot where Rizal fell in Bagumbayan. Some 30 meters away from Roxas stands the Rizal Monument erected as a tribute to the national hero.

Along the vicinity but within the same area is the Lights and Sounds of Rizal - an audio-visual and three-dimensional diorama of Rizal's execution, consisting of life-size sculptures, light and sound effects, that play a re-enactment of the hero's martyrdom.

Today, the twin historic sites of Fort Santiago and the Luneta are well-known destinations for cultures and legacy tours.