In Rizals Service

Few people know about the cooks named Asing and Tinong who worked for Jose Rizal. Asing was a Chinese cook who worked for Rizal when he and his family were in exile in Hong Kong in 1892, while the latter was Rizal cook and all around handyman in Dapitan.

Interviewed in 1929, Faustino Tinong Alfon a native of San Nicholas, Cebu. he was in his twenties when he enter into Rizals service. He lived and worked in Rizals Talisay estate, cooking meals, assisting the doctor during eye operations and sitting in classes to learn Spanish. He was not paid a fixed salary; but as part of the household, Rizal gave Tinong an allowance of two pesos a month.

Tinong said that Rizal had predilection for lanzones and mangoes, or that Rizals meals usually consisted of three kind of ulam. The first dish was purely Filipino, like siningang or pinaksiw; followed by a Spanish dish; and another Filipino or mestizo dish.

everything was set on the table and eaten altogether, or European style, where dishes are taken in peking order: soup, main dish, salad, and finally coffee or tea.

On June 15, 1913 was Vicente Sottos interview with Rizals Chinese cook in Hong Kong, which appeared in the Special Third anniversary issue of El Renacimiento Filipino.

Ocampo translates sottos questionand answer article from the original Spanish he tried to make it sound contemporary without losing the sense and flavor of the original. Sotto begins with the telephone ringing:

Yes,It is. Do you Fine thank you. I called because. Joaquina Is wantthat you You remember onethis Vicente day the Goodbye Chinaman to go Sotto? asked me about Rizals Chinese Basa. ahora mismo? cook who later entered our service? Well, he can go to your office.

AsQue tal Whowish you is Is this true? Hellow paisana this? ^_^

A while later a Chinaman neatly dressed and with pleasing disposition entered editorial offices of The Philippine Republic.

Is it true that you were the cook of Your province? Buenos dias Your when he Your age? Dr.Rizal name? lived in Hong Kong?

Meuno dia, Asing. Fourty-six. Canton seong!

Si ,seong. I was the cook of the Rizal family for more than a year.

And then Asing said Seong Rizal was very good and Rizal never shouted at him nor he hit asing . he was only 20 at that time, and hes salary was only five pesos a month with food.

Rizal lived with his mother and two sisters, Trinidad and Josefa in Rednaxela Terrace, and he had a clinic near here along DAguilar street. Rizal was a famous eye doctor in the colony and people of different races and nationalities came to him for treatment

Rizals friends who are frequent at the house: The Filipino Sixto Lopez and Jose Basa, The Portuguese Dr.Lorenzo Marques a certain Cunha and a certain Aquino. Don sixto always ate in the Rizal house

What was he What were Rizals accustomed to favorite dishes? bread or rice?
Both. During breakfast as delicadodinner, both well as about his food. ate bread and He were rice everything, at he often served but the was very dinner table. moderate.

My amo was not

Rizal doesnt Drink alcohol he was like a fish: he drank nothing but water. Rizal Work a lot in Hong Kong He never took a siesta. At home he always had a book or newspaper in hand. If not, he would be writing.

When the family of Rizal returned to Manila, Asing served under the late Jose Basa and to this day, he serve his sons who are as good as their father. All in all about 20 years.

What other things can you tell about our[hero] Rizal?

Much time has passed since then and it is hard to remember other details, but I can never forget my good amo. You know, when he was unjustly executed I cried so much as if my own father had died. He was very good!

END