Google marks Jose Rizal’s 158th birth anniversary with special Doodle

Google celebrates the 158th birth anniversary of Filipino hero, and acclaimed author and physician Jose Rizal with a Doodle featuring his words that inspired the Philippine national movement.

The Doodle also depicts a quill pen, a powerful tool that Rizal used in his works and writings as he fought for the freedom of the Filipinos. It also illustrates a magnifying glass to represent his occupation as a practicing ophthalmologist during his time.

Born in Calamba, Laguna on this day in 1861, Jose Rizal learned to read and write by age five. He received his secondary education in the city of Manila, and then traveled overseas to study philosophy and medicine at the University of Madrid, the University of Paris, and the University of Heidelberg.

While he was living in Europe, Rizal began publishing a series of works including Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) and El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed) which established him as a leading voice for reform in his homeland. His translation of Antonio De Morga’s 1609 Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas highlighted the achievements of Filipino society prior to Spanish colonization. He was also a frequent contributor to La Solidaridad, a newspaper published in Barcelona, where he advocated for the Philippines to be integrated as a province of Spain with all the basic rights and representation given to the Filipino citizens.

Today, Rizal is remembered as a Filipino national hero whose expression of love and devotion for his nation in his novels, essays, and articles inspired a revolution. A monument in Rizal’s honor stands in Rizal Park located in Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

Google Doodles aim to celebrate a diverse mix of topics that reflect Google’s personality, teach people something new, and are meaningful to local culture. Recently, Google Philippines joined the country in celebrating its 121st Independence Day with a Doodle featuring the Philippine flag.