“Not a Trace” of Capiz for Rizal

Old Libas port, early 20th century. Image from Milton Meyer

On July 31, 1896, Jose Rizal boarded S.S. España in Dapitan. He was bound for Manila after receiving permission from the Spanish authorities to leave for Cuba where he would serve as a military physician. The steamer made delightful stopovers in Dumaguete (August 1), Cebu (August 2), Iloilo (August 4), Capiz (August 4), and Romblon (August 5). However, not a sliver of Capiz was seen by the patriot since the steamer docked far away from the port. Of this brief stopover, he wrote:

“The night was rainy and dark when we arrived at Capiz or what seemed to us as Capiz. Ships always anchor at a great distance from the mouth of Tibas [Libas], they say where there is a great marine corporal who acts as governor, administrator, etc., with regard to the mail. A boat was lowered with the second officer and the steward aboard and we expected it to come back within an hour in order to continue our voyage. But, it was not so. Although it left at around 11 o’clock at night, it did not return until the following day, late in the day, because according to what they said, it anchored very far from the shore and it had to row for more than three hours. At Capiz, the passenger do not go ashore, except those who will remain there. Not a trace of the town nor of the presence of a human being can be seen. A sergeant of the Civil Guard, who, they say, was going to Cuba as a volunteer, embarked.”