Heroic Acts of Lolo Higino Francisco
(Jan. 11, 1847-Dec. 13, 1921)

La Solidaridad & Propaganda Movement

Lolo Gino: Financier of the Propaganda Movement

“A rebel in his own right, Francisco helped financially the Propaganda Movement in Spain, which eventually led to the Revolution of 1896.” (Gwekoh, 1968)

Lolo Gino: Financier of banned La Solidaridad

“Then people would drop in casually in Higino’s home and would slip out with a copy of the paper tucked into their clothes.  The paper had different names; one of them was La Solidaridad.” (Phil. Free Press, 1953)

Relations with Rizal

Rizal’s Visit to Lolo Gino

“One morning in 1892 a house in Binondo, Manila, the children of Don Higino Francisco were roused from their beds saying that their famous relative, Dr. Jose Rizal, had arrived and expressed his wish to meet his young relatives. Among the children was Jose Francisco, then aged 8.

“Jose and his siblings lined up in a row in the sala and obediently waited their father to appear from the door, which led to the street.

When he came inside he was followed by a young man dressed in black. Jose described the stranger as “handsome but rather short.” “This,” said Don Higino, referring to the man, “is your Tio Jose.”

Rizal paced down the row of little children examining their faces. Perhaps, Jose thought, “he was looking for the family resemblance.” (Manila Times, 2005)

Lolo Gino house: “Pre-revolution Underground”

“Visitors, too, kept popping up, like the papers, from nowhere.  Very often, at night, a banca loaded with zacate would stop at the kitchen steps.  From under the zacate, a human figure would suddenly emerge and run into the house.  Next day, the children would find new faces at the breakfast table. 

“This is your Lolo Francisco Mercado,” their father would say. 

Or it might be Lola Teodora Alonso, or Tio Paciano, or Tia Sisang.  The Rizal family was being hunted and had scattered and gone into hiding.  The Francisco house by the estero had become a station of the pre-Revolution ‘underground.’” (Phil. Free Press, 1953)

Lolo Gino: Keeper of Noli

“As a token of gratitude, Rizal presented him the original manuscript of his novel Noli Me Tangere.” (National Historical Institute) 

Lolo Gino: Giver of gifts to Rizal

“A few days later Rizal was arrested and banished to Dapitan.  (Manila Times, 2005)

“Higino continually sent gifts to the hero in Dapitan. (Phil. Free Press, 1953)

Lolo Gino: Risked His Life for Noli

“Francisco first hid the manuscript in the roof of his two-door accessoria house at 525 Magdalena, (then San Jose Trozo). When his family was threatened by the Spanish guardia civiles who were constantly watching the house, he transferred it to the Binondo textile store owned jointly by his daughter, Fausta, and Rizal’s sister, Trinidad. Whenever he sensed a search of the store, he would risk his life to hide the manuscript under the Binondo bridge.” (Gwekoh, 1968)

Lolo Gino: Planned Rescuer of Rizal 

“Higino Francisco was also responsible for the planned rescue of Dr. Jose Rizal either from his Spanish jailers at the place of his confinement or from the hands of his custodians at the time of his scheduled execution in Bagumbayan.  He was, however, dissuaded by Rizal’s family from carrying it out” (National Historical Institute) 

Katipunan / Revolution

Lolo Gino: Supporter of Katipunan / Revolution

“It was in the house of Francisco’s father, Don Higino, where Rizal and other leaders of the independence movement held their secret meetings and kept their political propaganda, including the original manuscript of the Noli. 

“As any friend of the hero’s inevitably loves his country, Don Higino proved to be one of the unknown heroes of the revolutionary days.  We might call him a sort of financier of the revolution.” (The Sunday Times Tribune, 1939)   

“Besides contributing cash money for the acquisition of arms for the Katipunan, he opened wide the doors of his home to the rebels who needed a sanctuary or assistance.” (Gwekoh, 1968)

Dimasalang Restaurant: Secret meeting place of revolutionaries

“Higino even put up the Dimasalang Restaurant, which catered exclusively to the patriots to provide them with a place where their various problems could be resolved.” (Gwekoh, 1968)

Lolo Gino: Protector of Hero Felipe Agoncillo; Financier of Agoncillo’s Escape

“Throwing caution to the wind, Higino not only provided shelter to Agoncillo, but also helped him secure a passage on board a Japanese vessel, the Heorimi Maru, bound for Yokohama, Japan.” (National Historical Institute) 

Lolo Gino: Imprisoned and tortured by Spanish police

“For openly helping the Revolution, Francisco was imprisoned and tortured by the Spanish police.” (Gwekoh, 1968)

Lolo Higino: Sentenced to Death

“Upon learning of his design, the authorities raided his house.  Their search yielded a large number of firearms.  On account of this, he was put in jail, tried and sentenced to death.  He was saved from the gallows by the government’s 1897 proclamation of general pardon. (National Historical Institute) 

Post Revolution

Lolo Gino: Returned Noli to Rizal’s Mother

“Knowing that it would fetch a high price later, Francisco, however, returned the Noli to the mother of the hero. 

Long after the revolution was over, the government did buy it for P30,000.” (National Historical Institute) 

Lolo Gino: Exhumed Rizal’s Bones

“In August 1898, the Americans having taken Manila, Don Higino, in the presence of Rizal’s family, opened the hero’s grave in the Paco cemetery and took the remains to his house.” (Phil. Free Press, 1953)

Lolo Gino: Super-tipid; Supporter of Anti-American Newspaper

“Don Higino Francisco died in 1921 – a man who begrudged paying a peso for a pair of pants but who lost no time in sending five hundred pesos to the Renacimiento when that paper was sued for libel in the famed Aves de Rapiña affair.” (Phil. Free Press, 1953)

References:

1.     Gwekoh, Sol H.  Higino Francisco: Custodian of “Noli”.  In Hall of Fame.  Date unknown.

2.     The “Underground” in Rizal’s Time.  In Philippines Free Press, Manila, December 26, 1953.

3.      Higino P. Francisco: Revolutionary Patriot. National Historical Institute Website. http://www.nhi.gov.ph//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=240)

4.      De Ocampo, Esteban A. and Alfredo B. Saulo. First Filipino Diplomat. Manila:  National Historical Institute, 1977. 

5.      Historical Bulletin. Volume 15, January – December 1971.

6.      Doña Narcisa Speaks on Rizal.  The Sunday Tribune Magazine.  June 18, 1939.

7.      Don Higino Francisco. Tala ng mga Tala ng Dakilang Kapatiran ng mga “Kawal ng Bayan,” Dec. 16, 1958, p. 7. Pioneer Printing Press.

8.      De Ocampo, Esteban A.  Rizal Meets His Relatives.  Head, Department of History, University of the East.

9.      Commanders, Knights of Rizal.  In Manila Times, May 8, 1961.

10. De Viana, Augusto V.  Excerpt from “Rizal Up Close”.  National Historical Institute.  In The Manila Times, December 30, 2005)

11. Rosario, Alfredo G.  Excerpt from “Book Review: A Gem of Historical Writing.” Opinion Page Editor, in The Manila Times, Sunday, September 17, 2006.

12. Rizal Tree.  As recalled by Asuncion Lopez Bantug (a descendant of Narcisa Rizal).  Published in http://www.freewebs.com/rizaltree/index.htm)

13. Interview with clan ancestors since 1979.

(The End)

Significance of Don Higino Francisco’s House at 525 Masangkay St.

(Speech delivered during Doña Teodora Alonso’s 100^th Death Anniversary)

By Rene Resurreccion, August 26, 2011

Good Morning!  Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! 

What is the significance of Don Higino Francisco’s house and what is its relation to Doña Teodora Alonso? 

The Free Press, in 1953, described Don Higino’s house as “the Pre-Revolution Underground,” the secret meeting place of revolucionarios.  When I interviewed our clan ancestors as far back as 1977, they were one in describing Lolo Higino as “tahimik na tao; walang kintatakutan; walang inuurungan.”  This raw, reckless courage of his prepared him well for his role in the Philippine revolution and the protection of such important figures as Doña Teodora.  He was a financier of the Propaganda movement, the La Solidaridad, and the Katipunan.  

When Rizal’s family was unjustly evicted from Calamba, Laguna in 1890, Lolo Higino offered his house as refuge and hiding place.  At the back of this house is an estero; it was called Estero de Tetuan at that time.  At night, a banca filled with dayami would stop at the steps behind the house, then, when the coast was clear, a human figure would suddenly emerge from the banca and dash into the house. Lolo Higino would hide him in a locked, secret room at the attic. In the morning, the family would be surprised to see that they have a new guest for breakfast.  Sometimes Lolo Higino would say to his children, “This is your Lolo Francisco,” referring to Rizal’s father.  Some other days, “This is your Lola Teodora, or “This is your Tio Paciano,” or “This is your Tia Narcisa,” etc.  

Out of gratitude for the protection of his family, Dr. Jose Rizal gave Lolo Higino the original copy of the Noli Me Tangere in June 1892.  Though arrested, imprisoned and tortured by the Spaniards, upon release in 1897, Higino still stubbornly continued with his patriotic deeds.  Together with some of Rizal’s family members, he exhumed Rizal’s body from Paco Cemetery.  He personally washed Rizal’s bones and put them in an urn, which was kept in this house for some time until it was given its final resting place. Doña Teodora would often come to this house, see Rizal’s bones and mourn for him.  

Finally, when the Americans took over the government in 1898, Higino did not traffic with the priceless Noli, but he unselfishly handed it to Doña Teodora.  Later, the Philippine government purchased that precious artifact from Doña Teodora for the fabulous price of P30,000.  

To end, I hope that we can reflect on Don Higino Francisco’s life.  He believed that:

 “Ang tunay na kabayanihan, di naghahanap ng karangalan” 

Good morning to all of you.

The Clan in Gist

By Rene Resurreccion, July 8, 2011

Around the year 1770, Yunti, a captain of a Chinese merchant ship from Northern China came to the Philippines for trade and married Amang, a frugal Filipino woman from Manila.  They settled in Binondo.  

On July 3, 1805, their marriage produced a son named Jacinto Yunti, who was fluent in the Mandarin language and was very frugal.  He married Lucia Prospero of Biñan, Laguna in 1843.  They became successful property owners in Manila and Biñan.  They produced three sons – Vicente, Marcos and Higino.  The youngest Higino was born on January 11, 1847.  In 1850, as ordered by the Spanish authorities, they changed their surname to Francisco.  

Higino Francisco became a successful businessman.  He owned many properties; he also owned a hotel named Dimasalang Hotel located in 525 Magdalena St., Trozo, Manila. He married Eduvijes Almeda of Biñan, Laguna in 1874, who was a relative of the Rizal family through the father Francisco Mercado.  Higino and Eduvijes produced eight children – Fausta, Dalmacio, Paulino, Escolastica, Estefania, Jacinto, Jose, and Lucia. Higino was a philanthropist and a patriot.  He was a financier of the revolution.  He supported the propaganda movement and the Katipunan.  He kept the original manuscript of the Noli Me Tangere.  He hid the family of Rizal when the Spanish authorities were after them.  He smuggled guns for the Katipunan.  He financed the various activities of the revolutionaries. His eldest daughter Fausta, who was equally patriotic,  set up a textile store and a restaurant named Restaurant Dimas-Alang in the corner of Ongpin and Nueva streets.  Secret meetings of the revolutionaries were held in Don Francisco’s residence and Fausta’s textile store.  Higino was arrested by the Spanish authorities, imprisoned and tortured.  He was released during the general amnesty of 1897. 

When the Americans occupied Manila, Don Francisco exhumed the body of the National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal from the Paco cemetery and placed his bones in an urn which was kept in his residence for some  time until it was transferred to the rented house of the Rizal’s in San Nicolas.  Higino returned the original Noli Me Tangere to Rizal’s mother Teodora who sold it to the Philippine government for 30,000 pesos.  

Fausta married her cousin Jose Mendoza Almeda of Biñan, Laguna and they produced five children – Irene, Purisima, Tolstoi, Concepcion (died early), and Pilar.  The eldest Irene married Leon Gabriel Resurreccion of Arayat, Pampanga and produced five children – Rafael, Jose, Higino, Fausto and Concepcion.  Leon and Irene managed the Dimasalang Hotel of Higino.  Irene bought Hacienda Batuan in Ticao Island, from her Tio Dalmacio, the original owner. (The End)