Rizal's whistle-blower woes revealed at National Library

While the nation reels under the weight of successive corruption scandals, a new exhibit at the National Library of the Philippines features Jose Rizal's woes as the first Filipino whistleblower — as well as his determination to prevail against all odds.

- By LISA GUERRERO NAKPIL

As the Philippines prepares to take the plum position of "Guest of Honor" at the Frankfurt Book Fair, a unique exhibition on the untold story of the "Noli Me Tangere" traces the arc of the book as the country's very first Filipino political exposé on corruption — but also its dangers and triumphs for Jose Rizal.

Titled "From Calamba to Frankfurt: Jose Rizal and Germany," it is part of the Manila launch conceptualized by Sen. Loren Legarda, the prime advocate of the Philippines' strategic participation in the world's largest and oldest publishing platform in the world. The "Noli" saw its completion and its first printing in Germany, highlighting its intertwined history with the Philippines.