<figure class="image-550">
 <img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-30/el-filibusterismo.webp" alt="Original handwritten cover page of Dr. Jose Rizal's manuscript El Filibusterismo showing his signature, the main title, and the subtitle Continuacion del Noli me tángere" loading="lazy">
 <figcaption>The original manuscript title page of El Filibusterismo handwritten by Dr. Jose Rizal, featuring his signature and the subtitle "Continuacion del Noli me tángere (Novela filipina)".</figcaption>
</figure>

<h2>
The Writing Journey (<time datetime="1887">1887</time>–<time datetime="1891">1891</time>)
</h2>


Rizal began drafting El Filibusterismo in <time datetime="1887-10">October 1887</time> in Calamba, Laguna, shortly after returning home from Europe. His return coincided with the growing agrarian disputes between local tenant farmers - including his own family - and the Dominican order managing the Calamba estate. Witnessing firsthand the systemic oppression of his townspeople deeply influenced the novel's grim tone.


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<li>
London (<time datetime="1888">1888</time>): While annotating Antonio de Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas at the British Museum, Rizal revised several chapters and reworked the plot.
</li>
<li>
Paris and Madrid (<time datetime="1889">1889</time>–<time datetime="1890">1890</time>): Rizal wrote additional chapters while facing personal hardship, including news of his family's forced eviction from Calamba and the tragic end of his relationship with Leonor Rivera.
</li>
<li>
Biarritz, France (<time datetime="1891-03-29">March 29, 1891</time>): Rizal completed the 279-page original manuscript while staying at Villa Eliada, the estate of the Boustead family in southern France.
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</ul>

<h2>
The Move to Ghent and Hardships in Belgium
</h2>


On <time datetime="1891-07-05">July 5, 1891</time>, Rizal moved from Brussels to Ghent, a famous university city in Belgium. He relocated to Ghent for two primary reasons:


<ol class="k-list">
<li>
Lower Costs: Printing rates and living expenses in Ghent were significantly lower than in Brussels or Paris.
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<li>
Fewer Distractions: Rizal sought to avoid social distractions (including his romance with Petite Suzanne in Brussels) to focus strictly on publishing the book.
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</ol>


In Ghent, Rizal lived in extreme frugality, sharing a cheap boarding room with fellow compatriot Jose Alejandro (who later became an engineering scholar and general during the Philippine-American War). Alejandro recounted in his memoirs how he and Rizal rationed tea, sugar, and a box of biscuits over 30 days to save every possible centavo for printing.


Rizal hired F. Meyer-Van Loo Press, located at No. 66 Viaanderen Street, which offered the lowest quotation and agreed to publish the manuscript on an installment plan.


<h2>
Financial Crisis and the "Savior of the Fili"
</h2>


Despite his sacrifices, Rizal quickly exhausted his funds. He pawned his personal jewelry to cover early installments and down payments. Remittances from <a href="/kauswagan/articles/833/today-in-philippine-history-december-19-1839-jose-ma-basa-was-born-in-binondo-manila" class="news_link">Jose Maria Basa</a> in Hong Kong and book sales collected by Rodriguez Arias in Manila were insufficient.


By <time datetime="1891-08-06">August 6, 1891</time>, the printing press suspended work midway through production because Rizal could no longer pay. Disheartened and near total despair, Rizal wrote to Basa that he was on the verge of abandoning or even burning the manuscript.


When news of Rizal's plight reached Valentin Ventura in Paris, Ventura sent the funds necessary to cover the remaining printing bill and resume production. For his generosity, Ventura earned the historic title "Savior of the Fili."


When the novel was released on <time datetime="1891-09-18">September 18, 1891</time>, Rizal sent complimentary copies to Basa, Sixto Lopez, Ferdinand Blumentritt, and Mariano Ponce. In gratitude, Rizal gifted Ventura the original autographed manuscript and a complimentary printed copy.

Rizal's El Filibusterismo: Published Sept 18, 1891

Learn how Jose Rizal published El Filibusterismo on Sept 18, 1891 in Ghent, Belgium - from financial struggles and Valentin Ventura to its radical legacy.

September 18, 1891: Dr. Jose Rizal's El Filibusterismo was published in Ghent, Belgium