CHAPTER 3: RIZAL’S LIFE: FAMILY, CHILDHOOD AND EARLY EDUCATION

Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood, and Early Education

 The wisdom and sacrifices of Jose P. Rizal for the country earned him the title of the
greatest Malayan who ever lived. It was an honor he rightfully deserves. Up to this day,
no Asian has surpassed Rizal’s ingenuity and extreme intelligence.

 The fact that he is the national hero of the Philippines is just one side of him. The life
and times of Rizal, thought short, is an endeavor that scholars and scientists alike find
worthy to study and analyze.
 What is it about the union of Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonzo (Rizal’s parents)
that produce Jose Rizal?
 As well-known Rizalist, Dr. Austin Craig was the first to trace Rizal’s family roots and
discover his Chinese ancestry.
 Jose Rizal was a 9th generation patrilineal descendant of Chinese immigrant and business
tycoon Don Domingo Lanco (Chinese name: pinyin: Ke Yinan) of Laguna
- was the great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal.
- Lamco is originally from Amoy, China who came to the Philippines in the mid-
17th century.
- This is where he met his wife, Inez de la Rosa daughter of Agustin Chino an
immigrant trader from Chuanchow.
 To prevent conflict and hostility with the Spanish authorities, he decided to drop the name
Lam-co and adapted a Spanish surname.
 As merchants, they choose the name “Mercado” because it means market.

 Lamco started the businesses of the Mercado clan.

 He was a successful entrepreneur in spite of the discrimination experienced by Chinese

traders from the Spaniards.
 In June 1697, Lamco was baptized in the Catholic church of Manila’s Parian Chinese
ghetto and moved to Binan, Laguna.
 He was 35 years old at that time.

 His financial state improved in Binan and he became a Chinese community leader.

 Lamco’s son Francisco Mercado and grandson Juan Mercado married Chinese mestizas
and both served as distinguished mayors of Binan for five terms.
 Juan’s wife, Cirila Alejandra, was the daughter of an immigrant trader and Domingo
Lamco’s baptismal godson Siong-co
 Siong-co they are the parents of Rizal’s father.

 When Rizal’s father was born, the family transferred to Calamba.

 The house they built was the first stone house in the whole town.
 Jose Rizal’s brother, Paciano was identified with one of the martyred priest, Jose
Burgos so the family changed their surname from Mercado to Rizal.
 Recent genealogical findings revealed that Rizal also had Spanish, Japanese and
Negrito ancestry.
 Teodora (Rizal’s Mother) great grandfather, Eugenio Ursua was a descendant of
Japanese settlers.
 Ursua married a Filipina named Benigna and

 their union produced Regina Ursua.

 Atty. Manuel de Quintos, a Sangley mestizo from Pangasinan married Regina and their

 daughter is named Brigida.

 Brigida married a half-caste Spaniard named Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo. They are the
parents of Teodora and Rizal’s grandparents.
JOSE RIZAL’S FAMILY

 The Rizal family belonged to the “principalia” an aristocratic town of distinguished

families.

 By frugal living, hard and honest work, Rizal’s parents were able to live well. From the
farms, which were rented from the Dominican Order, they harvested rice, corn and
sugarcane. They raised pigs, chickens and turkeys in their backyard. In addition, Dona
Teodora managed a grocery store and operated a small flour mill.

 Rizal’s parents were able to build a large stone house which was situated near the toen
church. They owned a carriage which was a status symbol of the illustrados in the
Philippines and a private library consisting of the 1,000 volumes.
 Their children were studying in the colleges in Manila.

 They participated in all social and religious affairs in the community. They were gracious
and hospitable to all visitors and guests during the town fiesta and other holidays.

 The Rizal family had a simple, contented and happy life and was intimately close. Don
Francisco and Dona Teodora loved their children, but they never spoiled them. They were
strict parents and they trained their children to loved God, to behave well, to be obedient
and to respect people especially the old folks.

 When the children got into mischief, they were given a good spanking because they
believed in the saying “Spare the rod and spoil the child”.
THE HERO’S FATHER

 Don Francisco Mercado Rizal - (1818-1898) Jose Rizal’s father,

- was born in Binan, Laguna.
- He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila.
- After their parent’s death, Francisco and two of his sisters moved to Calamba.
- He became a tenant farmer of the Dominican owned hacienda.
- He was hardworking, and independent-minded who talked less but worked more and
valiant spirit.

Jose Rizal described his father in his diary:

“My father was a model of fathers had given us an education commensurate with our small
fortune; and through thrift he was able to build a stone house, erect a little nipa house in
the middle of our orchard under the shade of some trees and others.”
THE HERO’S MOTHER

 Dona Teodora Alonso Y Realonda (1826-1911) was born on Meisik, Sta. Cruz, Manila.
- She studied at Colegio de Sta. Rosa in Manila.
- She was a woman of refined culture and character, with exemplary literary talents, the
fortitude of a Spartan woman and with business ability, she manage their store.

Rizal lovingly described his mother:

“My mother is a woman of more than ordinary culture; she knows literature and speaks
Spanish better than I. She even corrected my poems and gave me wise advises when I was
studying rhetoric. She is a mathematician and has read many books”
Both parents greatly influenced Rizal as shown in his character.
“From his father he inherited a profound sense of dignity and self-
respect, seriousness and from his mother the dreamer and bravery
for sacrifices and her literary prowness.”

Don Francisco Mercado Rizal and Dona Teodora Alonso Y

Realonda were blessed with eleven (11) children: two (2) boys and
nine (9) girls. They were as follows in the order of their birth.
RIZAL SIBLINGS
1. Saturnina ((1850-1913)
- Eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo marriage. Married Manuel Timoteo Hidalgo of
Tanauan, Batangas.

2. Paciano (1851-1930)
- Only brother of Jose Rizal and the second child. Studied at San Jose College in Manila;
became a farmer and later a general of the Philippine Revolution.

3. Narcisa (1852-1939)
- Narcisa "Sisa" was a school teacher. She married Antonio Lopez, the nephew of Fr.
Leoncio Lopez.

4. Olympia (1855-1887)
-Olympia "Ypia," the fourth of the Rizal children, married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph
operator who hailed from Manila.
5. Lucia (1857-1919)
- Lucia married Mariano Herbosa, who was the nephew of Fr. Casanas, Jose Rizal's
godfather. When her husband died of cholera he wasn't given the honor of a Christian
burial because he was Rizal's brother-in-law.

6. Maria (1859-1945)
- Maria "Biang" married a man from Laguna, Daniel Faustino Cruz.

7. Jose Protacio Mercado Y Realonda (1861-1896)

- His name was “Pepe”, the greatest filipinp hero, and peerless genius.
- He became the national hero of the Philippines. He was a Filipino nationalist and
polymath during the tail end of the Spanish period of the Philippines. An
ophthalmologist by profession, Rizal became a writer and a key member of the
Filipino propaganda movement which advocated political reforms for the colony under
Spain.
8. Concepion (1862-1865)
- Concepcion "Concha," Jose's younger sister, died at the age of 3 when she fell severely ill.
- Her death was Rizal's first sorrow in life.

9. Josefa (1865-1945)
- Her nickname was "Panggoy". She was epileptic and died spinster at the age of 80. She became a member
of Katipunan.

10. Trinidad (1868-1951)

- Her nickname was “Trining”. She was the last of the Rizal children to survive and died as spinster too
and died at the age of 83.
- She also became a member of Katipunan and she was the caretaker of “Mi Ultimo Adios”.

11. Soledad (1870-1929)

- Soledad "Choleng" was the youngest of the Rizal children. Her husband, Pantaleon Quintero, hailed
from Calamba.
THE BIRTH OF RIZAL

 Jose P. Rizal, the 7th child of the Rizal family

 was born on June 19, 1861, Wednesday, Between 11:00 and 12:00 midnight in the town of
Calamba, Province of Laguna, Philippines.

 His mother almost died during her delivery because Jose’s head was big. As he recounted in
his student memories:
“My coming out in this vale of tears would have cost my mother her life, had she not vowed to
the Virgin of Antipolo to take me to her sanctuary by way of pilgrimage”.

 He was baptized in the Catholic Church in Calamba on June 22, 1861 by the parish
priest, Father Rufino Collantes.
 His Godfather was father Pedro Casanas, a close friend of the Rizal family.

 Father Collantes was impressed by the big head of baby Jose.

 He told them “Take good care of this child, for someday he will become a great man.”

·The name “Jose” was chosen by his mother in honor of San Jose (St. Joseph) whose feast
was March 19.

 His complete name was JOSE PROTACIO MERCADO RIZAL ALONZO Y

REALONDA.

 The name “Protacio” was taken from the Catholic calendar which was a practice during the
Spanish time, that when a child is born, he/she is named after the saint of the day.
· The surname Mercado which means Market in English was adopted in 1731 by
his paternal great-grandfather, Domingo Lamco, a full blooded Chinese merchant.

 Added surname Rizal was given by Don Francisco which is closer to the Spanish
word Racial which means ”luntiang bukirin” related to his work as hacienda
owner/farmer.

 Alonzo was the surname of Rizal’s mother and

 Realonda was used by Dona Teodora which is the surname of her godmother.
JOSE RIZAL’S CHILDHOOD YEARS

· Jose Rizal, as a young boy had beautiful, fruitful and pleasant memories as well as
sorrow.
 He grew up in a happy home.
 He could remember the tenderest care of his parents because he was frail, sickly and
undersized boy.
 His father built a nipa hut in the garden for him to play in the daytime.
 At the age of three (3), he enjoyed watching in the garden the insects, the maya, culiawan,
maria capra, pipit, the martin and other birds.
 He listened “with excitement and wonder” to their twilight songs and sounds.
· Another childhood memory was the daily praying of Angelus of 6:00pm in their
altar as all of them gathered for prayers.
 At the “azotea” on a moonlight night, the aya (nursemaid) would tell stories about
fairies, legends, tales of buried treasures, and other fabulous stories.

 Sometimes if he did not like to eat his supper, the aya would threaten him that asuwang,
tikbalang, nuno or the turbaned Bombay will come to take him away.

· He is brought for a walk for the relief-giving breeze, to see the fruit bearing trees,
flowers, birds.

 The scenic beauty of his hometown Calamba, the legendary Mt. Makiling and the distant
Antipolo with the shrine of the miraculous Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.
 At the age of three (3), he began to join religious processions, novena in the church and

 at the age of five (5), he was able to read the Spanish Bible with the help of his mother.

 When Rizal was nearly 7 years old (June 6, 1868), his father took him for a pilgrimage to
Antipolo in order to fulfill his mother’s vows which was made when Jose was born.

 Dona Teodora could not accompany them because he had given birth to Trinidad.

 It was the first trip of Rizal accros Laguna de Bay and his first pilgrimage to Antipolo

· After praying at the shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo, they went to Manila, to visit his
sister Saturnina at the La Concordia College in Santa Ana.
THE HERO’S FIRST SORROW

 The Rizal children were bound together by the ties of love and
care.

 Jose loved most his little sister Concha (Concepcion) who was
next to him.

 Unfortunately, Concha died at the age of three and for the first
time he shed tears for love and grief, which is said to be his first
sorrow.
THE STORY OF THE MOTH

· Of all the stories told by Dona Teodora to Jose, the story of the moth made the
profoundest imprint on him which he recalled after some years…

 “My mother was teaching me how to read in Spanish “the Children’s Friends (El Amigo
de Los Ninos). This first rare book and old copy. This night, my mother became impatient
with hearing me read so poorly. I did not understand Spanish and so I could not read with
expression. She took the book and read it to me but I was watching the flame with some
little moths cicling around the flame. Soon as my mother noticed that I was interested. She
stopped and said to me, “I am going to read to you a very pretty story. I once opened my
eyes on hearing the word story. She told me “The story of the moth”.
 Mayroon daw dalawang ga gamugamo, isang matanda at isang bata. Maibigin silang
maglaro sa tabi ng ilaw na kandila. Isang gabi ang batang gamugamo ay lumipad nang
lubhang malapit sa ningas ng kandila. “Mag-ingat ka!” ang tawag ng matandang
gamugamo. “Baka masunog ang pakpak mo ay hindi ka na makalipad.”

“Hindi ako natatakot,” ang mayabang na sagot ng batang gamugamo. At nagpatuloy

siya ng palipad sa paligid-ligid ng magandang ningas. Minsan, sa kanyang paglipad ay
nadikit sa ningas ang kanyang pakpak at siya ay nalaglag sa mesa.

“Sinabi ko na nga ba sa iyo,” ang sabi ng matandang gamugamo. “Ngayon ay hindi ka

na makalilipad na muli. Samantalang nakikinig si Rizal sa kwento nalilibang naman siya sa
maliliit na gamugamong naglalaro sa kanilang ilaw. Napansin nya ang malaking hangad ng
maliliit na kulisap na makalapit sa ilaw sa paghanap ng liwanag kahit mapanganib. At nang
masunog ang pakpak at malaglag sa mesa ang batang gamugamo sa kwento ay siya ring
pagkasunog ng pakpak at pagkalaglag ng isang tunay na gamugamo sa langis ng tinghoy.
RIZAL’S MENTORS

 Dona Teodora, Rizal’s mother was his first teacher.

 Barely three (3) years old, had Rizal learned the alphabet from his mother. He was taught
how to read and write Spanish.

· As he grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him lessons at home.

 The first was Maestro Celestino and the

 second, Maestro Lucas Padua.

 Later, and old man named Leon Monroy, a former classmate of Rizal’s father, became
the boy’s tutor. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home and instructed Jose in Spanish
and Latin. Unfortunately, he did not live long. He died five months later.
 After Monroy’s death, the hero’s parents decided to send their gifted son to a private
school in Binan.

· At about this time, two of his mother’s cousin frequented Calamba.

 Uncle Manuel Alberto, seeing Rizal frail in body, concerned himself with the physical
development of his young nephew and taught the latter love for the open air and
developed in him a great admiration for the beauty of nature,

 while uncle Gregorio, a scholar, instilled in to the mind of the boy love for education.
He advised Rizal: “Work hard and perform every task very carefully; learn to be swift
as well as thorough; be independent in thinking and make visual pictures of
everything.”
 Rizal possessed a God-given talent for literature. His mother who was a lover of literature
noticed his poetic inclination; hence, she encouraged him to write poetry.

· Since childhood, Rizal showed an unusual talent in art and literature.

 He scribbled verse on loose sheets of paper and on the textbooks of his sisters.

 His mother, who was a lover of literature, noticed his son’s inclination and gift for writing
poetry.

 At the age of eight years old, Rizal wrote his first poem in the native language
entitled, “Sa Aking Mga Kabata –To my Fellow Chidren”
“Sa Aking Mga Kabata”
(To my fellow children)

Kapagka ang baya'y sadyang umiibig

sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit,
sanlang kalayaan nasa ring masapit
katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.
Pagkat ang salita'y isang kahatulan
sa bayan, sa nayo't mga kaharian,
at ang isang tao'y katulad, kabagay
ng alin mang likha noong kalayaan.
Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita
mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda,
kaya ang marapat pagyamaning kusa
na tulad sa isang tunay na nagpala.
Ang wikang tagalog tulad din sa latin,
sa ingles, kastila at salitang anghel
sapagka't ang Poong maalam tumingin
ang siyang naggawad, nagbigay sa atin.
Ang salita nati'y huwad din sa iba
na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
na kaya nawala'y dinatnan ng sigwa
ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.
TEACHER’S INSIGHT

This poem reveals Rizal’s earliest nationalist sentiment. In poetic verses, he proudly
proclaimed that a people who truly love their native language will surely strive for liberty like
“the bird which soar to freer space above” and that Tagalog is the equal of Latin, English,
Spanish, and intellectual honesty
·
Father Leoncio Lopez, the old and learned parish priest of Calamba fostered Rizal’s love for
scholarship and intellectual honesty.

· At an early age, Rizal was already exposed to the injustices and brutalities of Spanish
authority in the Philippines particularly the Guardia Civil who were supposed to protect the
people from harm. Rizal wondered why these abuses were happening especially to the poor.
Years later, he related:
I spent many, many hours of my childhood down on the shore of the lake, Laguna de
Bay. I was dreaming of what might be over on the other side of waves. Almost every
day, in our town, we saw the Guardia Civil lieutenant injuring some unarmed and
inoffensive villagers. The villagers’ only fault was that while at a distance he had not
taken off his hat and made his bow. The alcalde treated the poor villagers in the same
way whenever he visited us.

We saw a restraint put upon brutality. Acts of violence and other excess were
commited daily. . . I asked myself if, in the lands which lay across the lake, the people
lived in the same way. I wondered if there, they tortured any countryman with hard
and cruel whips merely on suspicion. Or ever yonder also, in order to live in peace,
would one have to bribe tyrants.
TEACHER’S INSIGHT

Rizal, young as he was, grieved deeply over the unhappy situations of his
beloved fatherland. The Spanish misdeeds awakened in his boyish heart a great
determination to fight tyranny.

Jose Rizal loved his sisters that usually wrote letters to them while in the
Philippines and foreign countries. He emphasized his ideas about women and
their righteous place in the society. He also compared the Filipina to European
women as to their dignity. One of his letters before he left the Philippines for
Cuba in 1896 stated thus:
To my Sisters,
“I urged you take care, serve and love our parents as you would like your children later to take care of you,
serve and love you in your old age. May you live united, forgive one another’s asperities and slight—faults,
the natural thorns of life because it is a displeasure for parents to see that their children are not living in
harmony. Afterwards, when our parents are dead, we shall miss them greatly and we shall be sorry for not
having served them while they lived.

I give my brother-in-law very many thanks for the friendship they have always accorded me; they have loved
me as a brother; I could not help but love them likewise.
May my nephews and nieces stud, be good, obedient to their parents, grandparents and aunts.

May my boys continue behaving as well . . . I shall know how to take care of them if I return. God will
dispose of that. They have lost nothing: it is always good to have behaved well.
Yours,
RIZAL