A first edition copy of "El Filibusterismo" by Philippine national hero Jose Rizal was sold for ₱21 million at an auction held on February 14, setting a new record in history as the most expensive book ever sold in the Philippines.
The rare volume, which bears Rizal’s signature and a personal dedication, was auctioned during the Asian Cultural Council Auction 2026, organized by Leon Gallery.
Bidding opened at ₱5 million and climbed steadily to ₱21 million. Including the buyer’s premium and value-added tax, the total purchase price reached approximately ₱25.3 million.
According to Leon Gallery, the sale established a new world record for the most expensive book sold in the country.
It surpassed the previous record set in 2025, when an autographed copy of Noli Me Tangere, Rizal’s earlier novel, fetched ₱19 million at auction.
The inscription, dated September 16, 1891, in Ghent, reads: “A mi querido amigo el doctor T. H. Pardo de Tavera, Jose Rizal, Gante, 16/IX 1891” (“To my dear friend, Dr. T. H. Pardo de Tavera, Jose Rizal, Ghent, 16 September 1891”).
The book was dedicated to Rizal’s close friend, scholar and physician, Trinidad Hermenegildo Pardo de Tavera.
Beyond its literary significance, the copy is considered a deeply personal artifact. It comes from the collection of Pardo de Tavera, as evidenced by an ex-libris bearing his name on the marbled endpaper and a title page stamp identifying him as the owner.
Published in 1891 in Ghent, Belgium, El Filibusterismo is the sequel to Noli Me Tangere and remains one of the most important works in Philippine literature.
