A first-edition copy of El Filibusterismo bearing the signature of Jose Rizal was sold for P21 million at an auction held on February 14.
According to Leon Gallery, the sale of Rizal’s original signed novel set a new record for the most expensive book ever auctioned in the Philippines.
Bidding for the rare literary piece opened at P5 million and eventually climbed toP21 million.
With the buyer’s premium included, the total acquisition cost reached approximately P25.3 million.
The sale surpassed the previous record set in 2025 by an autographed copy of Noli Me Tangere, which was sold for P19 million.
Rizal, widely regarded as the country’s national hero, is celebrated for his novels that exposed social injustices during the Spanish colonial period.
Noli Me Tangere was first published in 1887, followed by its sequel, El Filibusterismo, in 1891.