MODULE 3

CHAPTER 3: Rizal’s life: Family, Childhood and Early

Education (1861-1877)
LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

 Analyze Rizal’s family, childhood and early education;
 Evaluate the People and events and their influence on Rizal’s early life.

LEARNING CONTENT

TOPIC 1 – BIRTH OF RIZAL

On the moonlit night of June 19, 1861, in the lakeshore town of Calamba,
Laguna, Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso was born. In his autobiography,
which he wrote when he was 17 years old, Rizal recounted that his mother almost died
during the delivery because of his big head.” It would have cost my mother her life had
she not vowed to the virgin of Antipolo to take me her sanctuary by way of pilgrimage.”

Three days after his birth, Rizal was baptized in the Catholic church of Calamba
on June 22, 1861 by Fr. Rufino Collantes, a Filipino priest from Batangas. His
godfather was Pedro Casañas, a native of Calamba and friend of Rizal’ family. He
was named Jose in honor of St. Joseph, the patron saint of laborers and soldiers. He
was given a second first name, Protasio, after a 4th century saint who was a bishop of
Milan.

THE RIZAL’S PARENTS

His father, Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818- 1898), an

industrious farmer whom Rizal called “a model of
fathers,” came from Biñan, Laguna. He studied Latin
and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila.
In early manhood, following his parent’s death, he
moved to Calamba and became a tenant farmer of the
Dominican-owned hacienda. He was a hardy and
independent-minded man, who talked less and worked
more, and was strong in body and valiant in spirit.
 Her mother, Teodora Alonzo Quintos y Realonda
(1826-1911), was born in Sta. Cruz, Manila. She was
educated at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known
college for girls in the city. She was a remarkable
woman, possessing intelligence, refined culture,
literary talent, business ability and fortitude. Rizal loving
said to her: “My mother is a woman of more than
ordinary culture; she knows literature and speaks
Spanish better than I. She corrected my poems and
gave me good advice when I was studying rhetoric. She
is a mathematician and has read many books.

THE RIZAL CHILDREN

God blessed the marriage of Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso
Realonda with eleven children-two boys and nine girls. These children were as
follows:

1. Saturnina Rizal, 63 (1850-1913) “The Second Mother”

Born as Saturnina Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda or

simply Saturnina Hidalgo. She was the eldest sister of Jose Rizal.
She was married to Manuel T. Hidalgo, a native and one of the
richest persons in Tanauan, Batangas. She was known as Neneng.
She died in September 14, 1913.

2. Paciano Rizal, 79 (1851-1930) “The Big Brother”

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. He devotedly took care of Jose Rizal.
As Nick Joaquin said, “Without Paciano to back him up, it’s doubtful
that Rizal would have gotten as far as he reached.”
3. Narcisa Rizal, 87 (1852-1939) “The Hospital Sister”

The third child, her pet name was Sisa and she married
Antonia Lopez (nephew of Father Leoncio Lopez) at Morong, Rizal;
a teacher and musician. Like Saturnina, Narcisa helped in financing
Rizal’s studies in Europe, even pawning her jewelry and peddling
her clothes if needed. It is said that Doña Narcissa could recite from
memory almost all the poems of Rizal. Narcisa was perhaps the
most hospitable among the siblings.
4. Olimpia Rizal, 32 (1855-1887) “The Go-Between”

The fourth child. Married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph

operator from Manila. Olimpia died in August 1887 at age 32 due to
childbirth. Jose loved to tease her, sometimes good-humoredly
describing her as his stout sister. Jose’s first love, Segunda
Katigbak, was Olimpia’s schoolmate at the La Concordia College.
Rizal confided to Olimpia about Segunda and the sister willingly
served as the mediator between the two teenage lovers.

5. Lucia Rizal, 62 (185-1919) “A Fellow-Sufferer”

The fifth child. Married Mariano Herbosa. Charged of inciting the

Calamba townsfolk not to pay land rent and causing unrest, the
couple was once ordered to be deported along with some Rizal
family members. Mariano died during the cholera epidemic in May
1889. He was refused a Catholic burial for not going to confession
since his marriage to Lucia. In Jose’s article in La Solidaridad entitled
Una profanacion (‘A Profanation’), he scornfully attacked the friars for
declining to bury in ‘sacred ground’ a ‘good Christian’ simply because
he was the “brother-in-law of Rizal”.
6. Maria Rizal, 86 (1859-1945) “The Confidant”

The sixth child. Married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan Laguna. Jose
confided to Maria about his plans of marrying Josephine Bracken
when most of the Rizal family was not open to the idea. He had also
brought up to Maria his plans of establishing a Filipino colony in
North British Borneo. Jose and Maria often wrote to each other
particularly when Jose was studying abroad.
7. Jose Rizal, 35 (1861-1896)

The second son and the seventh child. The greatest Filipino hero
and peerless genius. He was born on June 19, 1861. His nickname
was Pepe. During his exile in Dapitan he lived with Josephine
Bracken, Irish girl from Hong Kong. He was executed by the
Spaniards on December 30, 1896.

8. Concepcion Rizal, 3 (1862-1865) “A Dear Loss”

The eighth child. Died at the age of three. She is fondly called
‘Concha’ by her siblings. Jose loved most ‘Concha’ who was a year
younger than him. Jose played games and shared children stories
with her. She was Jose’s first grief as he mournfully wept when she
died of sickness in 1865. In Rizal’s memoir he wrote, “When I was
four years old, I lost my little sister Concha, and then for the first
time I shed tears caused by love and grief.”
9. Josefa Rizal, 80 (1865-1945) “The Katipunera”

The ninth child. An epileptic, died a spinster. She is nicknamed as

“Panggoy”. After Jose was executed, Josefa joined the Katipunan.
She was one of the original 29 women admitted to the Katipunan
along with Gregoria de Jesus, wife of Andres Bonifacio. They
secured the secret papers and documents of the society. The
danced and sang during meetings to confuse civil guards that the
meetings were just harmless social gatherings.

10. Trinidad Rizal, 83 (1868-1951) “The Steward”

The tenth child. Died a spinster and the last of the family
to die. “Trining” along with their mother, joined Jose in Dapitan
and resided with him in his square house during his exile. A day
before Jose’s execution, Trining and their mother visited him at
Fort Santiago prison cell. As they were leaving, Jose handed over
to Trining an alcohol cooking stove, a gift from Pardo de Taveras,
whispering to her in a language which the guards could not
understand, “There is something in it.” That ‘something’ was
Rizal’s elegy now known as “Mi Ultimo Adios.” Like Josefa and
two nieces, Trinidad joined the Katipunan after Rizal’s death.
 11. Soledad Rizal, 59 (1870-1929) “The Teacher”

The youngest child; married Pantaleon Quintero. She was

a teacher and was probably the best educated among Jose’s
sisters, which made Jose very proud of her. However, Jose
reprimanded her for getting married to Pantaleon Quintero of
Calamba without their parent’s consent. Jose was very much
against women who allow themselves to be courted outside their
homes. He said to Choleng, “If you have a sweetheart, behave
towards him nobly and with dignity, instead of resorting to secret
meetings and conversations which do nothing but lower woman’s
worth in the eyes of man. You should value more, esteem more
your honor and you will be more esteemed and valued.”

FAMILY TREE OF JOSE RIZAL

(Ancestry of José Rizal)

Note:
This does not include all of the ancestor's siblings, only the notable ones.
 THE RIZAL HOME

The house of the Rizal family,where he was born, was one of the distinguished
stone houses in Calamba during the Spanish times. It was a two-storey
building,rectangular in shape, built of adobe stones and hard-woods and roofed with
red tiles. Behind the house were the poultry yard full of turkeys and chickens and a big
garden of tropical fruit trees- atis, balimbing,chico, macopa, papaya, santol,etc.

It was a happy home where parental affection and children’s laughter reigned.
By day it hummed with the noises of children at play and the songs of the birds in the
garden. By night, it echoed with the soft notes of family prayers. Such a wholesome
home, naturally, reared a wholesome family, and such a family was the Rizal family.

TOPIC 2: CHILDHOOD YEARS IN CALAMBA

Calamba was named after a big native jar. A hacienda town which belonged
to the Dominican Order, which also owned all the lands around it. It is a beautiful
town covered with irrigated rice fields and sugar lands.
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

The first memory of Rizal, was his happy days in the family garden when he
was three years old. Because he was a frail, sickly and undersized child, he was given
the most loving care by his parents. Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus
prayer, by nightfall, his mother gathered all the children at the house to pray the
Angelus. Rizal also remembered the night- time walk in the town, especially during
moonlit nights. The Rizal children were bound together by ties of love and
companionship. They were well-bred, for their parents taught them to love and help
one another. Of his sisters, Rizal loved most Concepcion (the little Concha). He was
a year older than her, he played with her and from her he learned sisterly love.
Unfortunately, Concha died of sickness in 1865. The death of little Concha brought
Rizal his first sorrow.

At the age of three, Rizal began to take part in the family prayers. When Rizal
was five years old, he was able to read haltingly the Spanish family bible. One of the
memorable anecdotes between the young Jose was when his mother was reading to
him a Spanish reader entitled El Amigo de los Niños (The Children’s Friend). She
noticed him not paying attention to her as she was reading the contents of the book in
Spanish. Jose instead was attracted to a pair of moths circling the flame of the oil
lamp. The smaller moth got so attracted to the flame that if flew too close, its wings
got burned and fell into the oil and died. The Story of the Moth- made the profoundest
impression on Rizal“died a martyr to its illusions”

At the age of five, Rizal began to make sketches with his pencil and to mould
in clay and wax objects which attracted his fancy. Sa Aking Mga Kabata (To My Fellow
Children) - Rizal’s first poem in native language at the age of eight. This poem reveals
Rizal’s earliest nationalist sentiment. At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first dramatic
work which was a Tagalog comedy.
INFLUENCES ON RIZAL’S BOYHOOD

In the lives of all men there are influences which cause some to be great and
others not. In the case of Rizal, he had all the favorable influences, few other children
in his time enjoyed. Aside from his immediate family, Rizal’s three uncles added to
Rizal’s inspiration. Tio Jose Alberto- studied for eleven years in British school in
Calcutta, India and had traveled in Europe. He inspired Rizal to develop his artistic
ability. Tio Manuel- a husky and athletic man, encouraged Rizal to develop his frail
body by means of physical exercises. Tio Gregorio- a book lover, intensified Rizal’s
voracious reading of good book. Father Leoncio Lopez- the old and learned parish
priest of Calamba, fostered Rizal’s love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

TOPIC 3: EARLY EDUCATION IN CALAMBA AND BIÑAN

At the age of three, Rizal was first taught by his mother, who was remarkable
woman of good character and fine culture. He learned from her the alphabet and the
prayers. At this stage he demonstrated superior intelligence which induced his parents
to hire tutors for him. Maestro Celestino- Rizal’s first private tutor and Maestro Lucas
Padua- Rizal’s second tutor. Later, Leon Monroy- a former classmate of Rizal’s father
became Rizal’s tutor that instructed Jose in Spanish and Latin. Unfortunately, he died
five months later.
 On June, 1869- Rizal left Calamba for Binan accompanied by Paciano. Maestro
Justiniano Aquino Cruz was Rizal’s teacher in a private school in Binan. Jose was 9
years old at that time. The school was also the house of his teacher. Rizal described
him as a tall, thin, long-necked man with a body slightly bent forward. As a teacher he
was quick to discipline his students for any infractions with a short thin stick, especially
if the wrong answer is given. This was the old system of education at that time. The
infliction of pain was made to ensure that the student remembers the lesson. Jose
became an outstanding student surpassing his classmates in Spanish, Latin, and other
subjects. He was also very popular, that some of his classmates spread rumors to
discredit him. Many times he was punished for his alleged wrongdoings. The day was
unusual when Rizal was not laid out on a bench and given five or six blows because
of fighting. Rizal’s daily life in Biñan were as follows: Heard the four o’ clock mass then
at ten o’ clock went home at once and went at school at two and came out at five. At
the end of his schooling, Maestro Justiniano recommended that Jose should be sent
to Manila. In December 17, 1870, Rizal left Binan after one year and a half of
schooling. He bade farewell to this school and his teacher. He also collected pebbles
from the river as souvenirs, knowing that he will never return to Biñan. After the
Christmas of that year Don Francisco decided to send Jose to Manila to continue his
studies.

MARTYRDOM OF GOM-BUR-ZA

Night of January 20, 1872- about 200 Filipino soldiers and workmen of the
Cavite arsenal under the leadership of Lamadrid, Filipino sergeant, rose in violent
mutiny because of the abolition of their usual privileges, including exemption from
tribute and polo (forced labor) by the reactionary Governor Rafael de Izquierdo. The
Spanish authorities, in order to liquidate Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and
Jacinto Zamora leaders of the secular movement to Filipinize the Philippine parishes,
and their supporters magnified the failed mutiny “into” a “revolt” for Philippine
independence. Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora were
executed at sunrise of February 17,1872, by order of Governor General Izquierdo. The
martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za in 1872 truly inspired Rizal to fight the evils of Spanish
tyranny and redeem his oppressed people. Rizal dedicated his second novel, El
Filibusterismo, to Gom-Bur-Za.

INJUSTICE TO RIZAL’S MOTHER

Before June of 1872, tragedy struck the Rizal family. Dona Teodora was
suddenly arrested on a malicious charge that she and her brother, Jose Alberto, tried
to poison the latter’s deceitful wife. She was forced to walk from Calamba to Santa
Cruz (capital of Laguna province), a distance of 50 kilometers. Dona Teodora was
incarcerated at the provincial prison, where she languished for two years and a half.
Recounting this incidence of his mother’s imprisonment, Rizal said in his student
memoirs: “Our mother was unjustly snatched away from us and by whom? By some
men who had been our friends and whom we treated as honored guests.”

TOPIC 4: AT THE ATENEO MUNICIPAL (1872-1877)

The Ateneo Municipal is a college under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits.
It was formerly Escuela Pia (Charity School), a school for poor boys in Manila which
was established by the city government in 1817. On June 10, 1872, Rizal
accompanied by Paciano went to Manila. Father Magin Ferrando who was the college
registrar, refused to admit Rizal in Ateneo for two reasons: (1) he was late for
registration (2) he was sickly and undersized for his age. Through the intercession of
Manuel Xerez Burgos, Rizal was reluctantly admitted at the Ateneo. Jose was the first
of his family to adopt the surname “Rizal”. He registered under this name at Ateneo
because their family name “Mercado” had come under the suspicion of the Spanish
authorities. At the time Jose studied in the Ateneo, this college was located in
Intramuros 25 minutes’ walk from the college.

JESUIT SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

The system of education given by the Jesuits in the Ateneo was more advanced
than that of other colleges in that period. It trained the character of the student by rigid
discipline and religious instruction. It promoted physical culture, humanities, and
scientific studies. Aside from academic courses leading to the degree of Bachelor of
Arts, it offered vocational courses in agriculture, commerce, mechanics and surveying.
The students heard Mass in the morning before the beginning of the daily class.
Classes in every subject were opened and closed with prayers.

Students were divided into two groups: Roman Empire- consisting of internos
(boarders) and the Carthaginian Empire- composed of the externos (non-boarders).
The empires had ranks: Emperor- the best student in each “empire, Tribune- the
second best, Decurion- the third best, Centurion-the fourth best and the Stand-bearer-
the fifth best. Between empires they fought for intellectual supremacy. Within in the
“empire” the students fought for these positions by challenging the ones holding the
ranks to answer questions based on the day’s lesson.

FIRST YEAR IN ATENEO (1872-1873)

Father Jose Bech was Rizal’s first professor in Ateneo. To improve his Spanish,
Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College during the noon recesses when
other students were playing or gossiping. He paid three pesos for those extra Spanish
lessons. Being a newcomer and knowing little Spanish, Rizal was placed at the bottom
of the class. He was an externo, hence he was assigned to the Carthaginians,
occupying the end of the line. After the first week, the frail Calamba boy progressed
rapidly. At the end of the month, he became “emperor”. He was the brightest pupil in
the whole class, and he was awarded a prize, a religious picture. He was proud of it
because it was the first prize he ever won at the Ateneo.

In the second half of his year in the Ateneo, he did not try enough to retain his
academic supremacy which he held during the first half of the term because he
resented some remarks of his professor. He placed second at the end of the year,
although all his grades were still marked “Excellent”. At the end of the school year in
March, 1873, Rizal returned to Calamba for summer vacation. He did not enjoy his
vacation because his mother was in prison. Without telling his father, he went to Santa
Cruz and visited his mother in prison. He told her of his brilliant grades at the Ateneo.
She gladly embraced her favorite son. When the summer vacation ended, Rizal
returned to Manila for his second year term in Ateneo.

SECOND YEAR IN ATENEO (1872-1873)

Nothing unusual happened to Rizal during his second term in the Ateneo,
except that he repented having neglected his studies the previous year. To regain his
lost class leadership, he studied harder. Once more he became “emperor”. At the end
of the school year, Rizal received excellent grades in all subjects and a gold medal.
With such scholastic honors, he triumphantly returned to Calamba in March, 1874 for
the summer vacation.

PROPHECY OF MOTHER’S RELEASE

Rizal lost no time in going to Santa Cruz in order to visit his mother in the
provincial jail. He cheered up Doña Teodora’s lonely hearth with news of his scholastic
triumphs in Ateneo and with funny tales about his professors and fellow students. His
mother was very happy to know that her favorite child was making such splendid
progress in college. In the course of their conversation, Doña Teodora told her son of
her dream the previous night. Rizal, interpreting the dream told her that she would be
released from prison in three months’ time. Barely three months passed, and suddenly
Doña Teodora was set free. By that time, Rizal was already in Manila attending his
classes at the Ateneo.

TEENAGE INTEREST IN READING

It was during the summer vacation in 1874 in Calamba when Rizal began to
take interest in reading romantic novels. As a normal teenager, he became interested
in love stories and romantic tales. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas-
the first favorite novel of Rizal which made a deep impression on him. As a voracious
reader, he read not only fiction, but also non-fiction. The Universal History by Ce sar
Cantu- Rizal persuaded his father to buy him this costly set of historical work that was
a great aid in his studies and enabled him to win more prizes in Ateneo. Later Rizal
read the book of Dr. Feodor Jagor- He wrote Travels in the Philippines. Rizal was
impressed in this book because of (1) Jagor’s keen observations of the defects of
Spanish colonization, (2) his prophecy that someday Spain would lose the Philippines
and that America would come to succeed her as colonizer.

THIRD YEAR IN ATENEO (1874-1875)

When Rizal returned for his third year, his mother was released from prison. He
was able to concentrate more on his studies. However, at the end of the year, he
remained dissatisfied even as his grades remained excellent. He won only a single
medal in Latin as his Spanish classmate beat him in speaking Spanish. At the end of
the school year (March 1875), Rizal returned to Calamba for the summer vacation.

FOURTH YEAR IN ATENEO (1875-1876)

After a refreshing and happy summer vacation, Rizal went back to Manila for
his fourth year course. On June 16, 1875, he became an interno in the Ateneo. One
of his professors this time was Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez- a great educator and
scholar, one of Rizal’s professors who inspired him to study harder and to write poetry.
Rizal was highest in all subjects and won five medals at the end of the school term.
He was the most brilliant Atenean, he was truly “the pride of the Jesuits”. On March
23, 1877- Commencement Day, Rizal, who was 16 years old, received the degree of
Bachelor of Arts, with highest honors.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Rizal, unsurpassed in academic triumphs, was not a mere bookworm. He was

active in extra-curricular activities. An “emperor” inside the classroom, he was a
campus leader outside. He was an active member later secretary, of a religious
society, the Marian Congregation. He was accepted as member of this solidarity not
only because of his academic brilliance but also because of his devotion to Our Lady
of the Immaculate Conception, the college patroness. Rizal was also a member of the
Academy of Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural Sciences. These
“academies” were exclusive societies in the Ateneo, to which only Ateneans who were
gifted in literature and sciences could qualify for membership.
POEMS
It was Dona Teodora who was first discovered the poetic genius of her son, and
it was also she who first encouraged him to write poems. However it was Father
Sanchez who inspired Rizal to make full use of his God-given gift in poetry.
Some examples of his writings when he was at Ateneo:
 1874- Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration), the first poem Rizal
probably wrote during his days in Ateneo which was dedicated to his mother on her
birthday; Rizal wrote it before he was 14 years old.

1876, Rizal wrote poems on various topics-religion, education, childhood

memories and war. Below are some of his outstanding poems:

1. Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town)- a tender poem in honor

of Calamba, the hero’s natal town, Rizal was 15 yrs old when he wrote this poem;

2. Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion (Intimate Alliance

Between Religion and Good Education)- Rizal showed the importance of religion in
education;

3.San Eustacio, Martir (St. Eustace, the Martyr)- a drama based on the prose
story of St. Eustace which he wrote in poetic verses during the summer vacation of
1876 and finished it on June 2, 1876.

PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURAL WORKS

Aside from writing poetry, he devoted his spare time to fine arts. He studied
painting under the famous Spanish painter Agustin Saez, and sculpture under
Romualdo de Jesus, noted Filipino sculptor. Both art masters honored him with their
affection, for he was a talented pupil.

FIRST ROMANCE OF RIZAL

Rizal was linked to numerous women

in his day, but the first love he ever had,
according to his diary Memorias de un
Estudiante de Manila, was Segunda
Katigbak. He details his feelings for her and
documents their correspondence, which is
something many of us can relate with. These
were the three words Rizal used to describe
the 14-year-old Katigbak in his diary. “She is
not the most beautiful woman I had ever
seen,” writes Rizal somewhat harshly, “but I
blushed every time she looked at me,” he
concedes. “I have not met anyone more
alluring and beguiling.”Coincidentally, Katigbak attended the same school as Rizal’s
sisters, Colegio de la Concordia. Many times, Rizal visited Katigbak at La Concordia
under the pretense of visiting his sisters there.

Despite the many times they rendezvoused, Rizal and Katigbak never became
official, writes Ocampo. Rizal suspected the latter was already engaged, which was a
mistake. He decided to stay away from Katigbak and made excuses for himself. In his
youth, Rizal was also naïve about the qualities of real love, equating it with physical
attractiveness and wealth. “I shut my heart out to love,” writes Rizal in his diary, “I am
not rich and I am not handsome; I am neither sophisticated nor attractive,” he
continues. “Until I see more proof that she loves me, I will not commit to her or tell her
that I love her.” Their relationship ended when Katigbak was instructed by her father
to return to their family’s province in Laguna.

The last time they ever met was at a fiesta in Laguna, when Rizal, astride his
horse, rode up to Katigbak. She'd expected him to get down, talk, and have a good
time. However, Rizal became immobile and speechless.“I said nothing. All I did was
take off my hat,” he confesses in his diary. “The same thing happens to me at the most
trying times of my life! I become too slick, speechless, and overcome with emotions.”
Rizal’s first romance was ruined by his own shyness and reserve.