Rica Cruz BSIT 4A

Consuelo Ortiga Y Perez

I was probably very likable because at least two Filipinos in Spain in Jose Rizals time had had feelings
for her.
I was considered the prettier of the daughters of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey, the Spanish liberal and former
mayor of Manila who became vice-president of the Council of the Philippines in the Ministry of
Colonies. Very supportive to the Filipinos in Madrid, Don Pablos house was the common meeting
place of Circulo Hispano-Filipino members like Rizal. The Ortiga residence was thus frequented by
Filipino lads especially that Don Pablo had beautiful daughters.
I was recorded in my diary that I first met Rizal on September 16, 1882 when he went to Spain for the
first time primarily to study. The diary entry indicated that they talked the whole night and that the
young Filipino said many beautiful things about me. The Spanish ladyalso wrote of a day Rizal spent
at their house when he entertained them with his ingenious humor, elegance, and sleight-of-hand
tricks.
Most likely, I had witnessed Rizals recitation of a poem on October 4, 1882 in the effort to save a
Filipino meeting from disintegration. Rizal had also recorded either in his diary or letters that he
attended another meeting of compatriots in Ortigas residence on October 7, 1882 and the birthday
party of Consuelos father on January 15, 1883.
The following year (1884), Rizal and other compatriots attended (again) the birthday party of Don
Pablo in which there was a dance. It was not clear if Rizal had a dance with Consuelo but five days
after, he sent her a piece of guimaras cloth. Rizal recorded that he again went to see Consuelo on
February 10 after doing something at the university district. On March 15, Rizal and other
compatriotsincluding Eduardo de Letewere again gathered in the Ortiga house.
Lete was actually one of the reasons Rizal gave up his affection for me. Lete seriously liked me
and Rizal did not wish to ruin their friendship over me. It was said that even Maximino and Antonio
Paterno, Rizals good friends, regularly visited the lady. (Thus, we can submit that Consuelo was the
crush ng bayan among Filipinos in Madrid in Rizals time).
It can be remembered that Eduardo de Lete (the karibal) was one of the Filipinos who promised
Rizal of helping in the writing of a nationalistic novel but ended up contributing nothingfor they,
according to Rizal, were more interested to write on women and would rather spend their time
gambling or flirting with Spanish women. It was not clear if Lete and Consuelo became an item but
this Letewhom Rizal considered in suppressing his feelings for Consuelolater attacked the hero
through an article in La Solidaridad on April 15, 1892 depicting Rizal as coward, egoistic,
opportunistic, and someone who had abandoned the countrys cause. Officially therefore, this Lete
had hurt the heros feeling not just once but at least twice.
Rizals admiration for Consuelo was immortalized by the poem he wrote, A La Seorita C.O. y
R. This poem which is now subjectively regarded as one of Rizals best was written either as a
reaction to Consuelos request or out of Rizals pure volition as an admirer. Ultimately though, Rizal
really had to give up his feeling for Consuelo for he was then still engaged to Leonor Rivera.( 2013
by Jensen DG. Maebog)