DAPITAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE

---

Like Dipolog City, Dapitan City is also the most tranquil city I’ve ever seen. It is also the least traffic city I’ve ever visited. The city gives you an impression of a peaceful province rather than a city or town. Walking around gives you a very relaxed feeling. Dapitan is a coastal city with a noticeably smaller population. The city is surrounded by numerous mountains and the sea giving it a very serene and peaceful environment.



Dapitan City is well-known as the exile home of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine National Hero. During my travel in Dapitan, our client recommended a visit to Rizal residence. So I took a quick visit there shortly after finishing my work. I was really impressed by the city’s effort in preserving this historical place in Dapitan.



Known to the locals as parke, or Rizal Park, I was able to personally see the original place exactly where Rizal’s home was built. Although the structures built around the park are just replicas of the original, you can imagine how simple Jose Rizal’s life was during his exile in this city.





Inside the park, you will find the house of Dr. Jose Rizal built on its original location. Just at the vicinity of the house is an open kitchen where he used to cook his meals. There is also a huge piece of rock facing the sea and according to our tour guide it was the place where Jose and his girlfriend used to share their romantic memories. The huge rock is surrounded by a small lagoon. A few meters away is an open auditorium which, according to the tour guide, served as the teaching place for the children of Dapitan. You will also see the small clinic at the center of the park wherein the national hero used to treat the eyes of his patients.

---