Central Mindanao University

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Department of Social Sciences

I. Course Title: The Life and Works of Jose Rizal

II. Course Overview

A. Introduction

As mandated by Republic Act 1425, this course covers the life and works of the country’s national hero,
Jose Rizal. Among the topics

covered are Rizal’s biography and his writings, particularly the novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, some his essays, and

various correspondence. This course allows you to understand and view Philippine history in the context
of the life and works of Jose

Rizal.

B. Course Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, you are expected to demonstrate recognition of the different narratives
and interpretations of Rizal’s life

and works and to develop a deep sense of responsive citizenship, nationalism, and resource
management. You are also expected to

be able to explain the circumstances of Jose Rizal’s life in the context of the 19th century situation of the
Philippines under the Spanish

colonial rule. The course also allows you to develop the critical use primary sources to argue in favor or
against a particular issue.

Also, you will be expected to produce a creative work that conveys the significance of Rizal for the
current generation. Lastly, you will

manifest interest in our local history and concern in promoting and preserving our country’s national
patrimony and cultural heritage.

C. Module and Unit Topics

To ensure the accomplishment of the learning outcomes, this course will cover the following topics for
you to master:

MODULE 1: The Rizal Law and The Theory of Nationalism

In this module you will be introduced to the Republic Act 1425, otherwise known as the Rizal Law. This
module will also guide you to
understand the theory of nationalism. You will be able to determine the importance of studying Jose
Rizal in the 21st century and to

value the concept of nation and nationalism.

MODULE 2: Rizal’s Cultural Roots

This module recalls the life of Jose Rizal through the written works of various historians and writers.
Further, you are going to learn

Rizal’s background, his roots, and the events that were significant in the formation of his character. You
will be guided by this module

to understand Rizal’s family and the significance of the Chinese in Philippine history, to discuss his family
background, and to present

the issues on land ownership during the Spanish Colonial period.

MODULE 3: Rizal in nineteenth century context

This module outlines the significant events in Rizal’s life that shaped his nationalist sensibilities and how
it will act as a catalyst for him

to finally draft and finish his first novel. This module will also present the life of Rizal, the conditions and
problems of the Philippines

in the 19th century and its impact on his nationalistic ideas.

MODULE 4: Rizal’s change in perspective on the Spanish Rule

This module presents a different perspective of Philippine history prior to the arrival of the Spanish
colonizers and the pre-colonial

past as one of Rizal’s motivations in writing his two novels. This module also explains the circumstances
that led to Rizal’s change in

perspective on the Spanish rule- from being a propagandist asking for reform and campaigning for
assimilation to having a more

aggressive stance against the corruption of leaders, particularly the friars.

MODULE 5: Rizal’s other written works

This module presents some of Rizal’s timeless writings that helped awaken the minds and the hearts of
the Filipino people concerning

the oppression under the Spanish colonization. In this module, you will learn how Rizal revealed the
backwardness of the country and

exposed the causes of the peoples’ suffering through his written works.

MODULE 6: Rizal’s Heroism, the Nation, and the World

The last part of this module discusses how the influence of Rizal continues to live on in the present and
his impact on Philippine

society.

III. Study Schedule

Week Topic Learning Outcomes Suggested Readings Suggested Activities

MODULE 1 THE RIZAL LAW AND THE THEORY OF NATIONALISM

Lesson 1 The Rizal Law (Republic Act 1425)

Week 1 1. Explain the rationale of the Rizal Law

2. Determine the issues and interests at stake

in the debate over Rizal bill

3. Determine the value of studying Jose Rizal

in the 21st century.

● Republic of the Philippines. 1956.

Republic Act 1425. Available online,

http://www.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic

-act-no-1425/

● Laurel, Jose B. Jr. 1960. The trials of

the Rizal Bill. Historical Bulletin

4(2):130-39 Republic of the

Philippines. 1956. Republic Act 1425.

Available online,

http://www.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic

-act-no-1425/.

Activity 1.1: Choose a family member/s to

conduct an interview. Ask the following

questions: (1) Who is Jose Rizal?, (2) Why

was he shot to death?, and (3) Why is Rizal

our national hero?. Reflect on their answers

and justify the importance of studying Jose

Rizal today. Please respond in not more than

5 sentences only.

Quiz 1.1: Multiple Choice

Lesson 2 The Theory of Nationalism

Week 2 1. Define nationalism in relation to the

concepts of nation, state, and nation-

state

2. Appraise the development of nationalism

in the country

3. Explain the relevance of nationalism and

nation-building at present

● Dela Costa, Horacio. 2006. The

background of nationalism. Manila: La

Solidaridad Pub. House

● Lichauco, Alexander. The Lichauco

Papers. Nationalism. 2000.

● Nationalism: in five minutes. Retrieved

from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY

0JRHsFGZ8

Activity 1.2: Create three concept maps on

the following:

Set A: Nation

Set B: Nationalism

Set B: Approach to merge nation and

nationalism

MODULE 2 RIZAL’S CULTURAL ROOTS

Lesson 1 The Ascendance of the Chinese Mestizo

Week 3 1. Explain the role of the Chinese mestizos in

the Philippine society

2. Identify the Chinese influences in the Filipino

way of life

● Wickberg, Edgar. 1964. The Chinese

mestizo in the Philippine history.

Journal of Southeast Asian History

5(1): 62-100.

Activity 2.1: Many Chinese customs and

practices have been integrated into the

Filipino way of life. Can you cite some

examples? Please respond in 5 sentences or

less.

Lesson 2 Rizal in the 19th century Philippines

Week 4 1. Identify the social context within which Rizal

was situated.

2. Analyse various social,political, economic,

and cultural changes that occurred in the 19th

century.

3. Explain how these changes affected and

influence Jose Rizal.

● Romero, Ma. Corona, Sta. Romana,

Julita, & Santos, Lourdes. (1978). Rizal

and the Development of National

Consciousness. Quezon City: JMC

Press, Inc.

Activity 2.2: Identify at least five events that

took place in the mid-19th century outside the

Philippines that might have influenced the

young Jose Rizal in charting the course of his

ideals, missions, and aspiration for the

Philippines. Describe these events through

illustrations. Choose only two.

Lesson 3 Agrarian Relations and the Friar Lands

Week 5 1. Identify the different issues on land

ownership from pre-colonial to colonial

period.

2. Explain how the hacienda system impacts

the Philippines.

● Estella, J., Mallari, A., Obias, R. 2018.

The Life and Works of Jose Rizal. C&E

Publishing.

Activity 2.3: Write a short complaint letter

addressed to the Governor-General

concerning the land problems. Limit it to 5-7

sentences only.

MODULE 3 DEVELOPMENT OF RIZAL’S NATIONALISM

Lesson 1 Life of Jose Rizal

Week 6-7 1. Determine the important events during

Rizal’s childhood that influenced the

formation of his character

2. Analyse the experiences Rizal had abroad

that helped shape his nationalist sensibilities.

● Estella, J., Mallari, A., Obias, R. (2018).

The Life and Works of Jose Rizal. C & E

Publishing.

Activity 3.2: After reading Rizal’s biography,

write a narrative about him using the Real Life

Narratives Worksheet (google classroom).

Include a main idea based on the character,

sequence of events from his life, and a strong

closing statement

3. Appraise the effects of Rizal’s execution on

Spanish colonial rule and the Philippine

revolution

● Guerrero, Leon Ma. 2010. The first

Filipino: A biography of Jose Rizal.

Manila: Guerrero Publishing.

Activity 3.3: Fill in the conversation bubbles

of the comic strip provided in the google

classroom

Quiz 3.1: Multiple Choice

Lesson 2 The Propaganda Movement and La Solidaridad

Week 8 1. Analyse the different works of Rizal as a

propagandist and their significance to the

development of Rizal’s nationalist

consciousness.

2. Explain the principle of assimilation

advocated by the Propaganda Movement.

3. Assess Rizal’s involvement in the

Propaganda Movement.

● Rizal, Jose. 2011. Rizal’s toast to Luna

and Hidalgo. Presidential Museum and

Library, Republic of the Philippines,

Online, http;//malacanang.gov.ph/4071-

jose-rizalshomage-to-luna-and-hidalgo.

● Schumacher, John. 1997. Early Filipino

student activities in Spain, 1880-1882.

In The propaganda movement: 1880-

1895; The creators of a Filipino

consciousness, the makers of the

revolution, 19-39. Also read page 236.

Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila

University Press. DS675 S385 1997.

Activity #2: Using any meme generator app

or website, create your own meme about any

political, social, environment, or cultural issue

of the country.

MODULE 4 RIZAL’S CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE ON THE SPANISH RULE

Lesson 1 Pre-colonial Philippines: Rizal’s Annotations of Morga

Week 9 1. Analyse Rizal’s ideas on how to read and

study Philippine history.

2. Compare and contrast Rizal and Morga’s

differing views of the Filipinos and Philippine

culture.

● Rizal, Jose. 1961 [1890]. Sucesos de

las Islas Filipinas por el Doctor Antonio

de Morga,obra publicada en Mejico el

año de 1609 nuevamente sacada a luz

y anatoda (Events of the Philippine

Islands by Dr. Antoneo de Morga,

published in Mexico 1609 recently

brought to light and anotated). Manila:

Activity 4.1: Based on Morga’s work, list

three pre-colonial customs and traditions that

you consider unique and/or admirable.

Explain why

Jose Rizal National Centennial

Commission. DS674 M83 1961;

ENGLISH VERSION: DS674 M8313

1962 [Read “To The Filipinos” (p.vii),

Blumentritt’s Prologue, Rizal’s

annotations in Chapter 8].

Lesson 2 Noli Me Tangere

Week 10-11 1. Identify the important characters and their

symbolic representations as used by Rizal in

the novel

2. Characterize the present Philippine situation

critically through the examples provided in

Noli Me Tangere

3. Assess how Rizal’s message in Noli Me

Tangere can be applied to the social

conditions of 21st century Philippines

● Rizal, Jose. 1896. Noli me tangere,

trans. Ma. Soledad Lacson-Locsin.

Makati: Bookmark. PQ8897 R5 N531

1996 [Read Dedication and Chaps. 1-

32].
Activity 4.2: As depicted in the Noli Me

Tangere, discuss the social cancer that were

prevalent in Philippine society during the

Spanish occupation. Answer in not less than

5 sentences.

Quiz 4.2: Multiple Choice

Lesson 3 El Filibusterismo

Week 12-13 1. Compare and Contrast the characters, plot,

and theme of Noli Me Tangere and El

Filibusterismo

2. Recognize the importance of the youth in

nation-building

3. Assess the significance of Rizal’s two novels

in the 21st century Philippines

● Rizal, Jose. 1896. El Fililusterismo,

trans. Ma. Soledad Lacson-Locsin.

Makati: Bookmark. PQ8897 R5 N531

1996.

Activity 4.3: Based on the novel El

Filibusterismo, what are Rizal’s views on

independence and human freedom?

Quiz 4.3: Multiple Choice

MODULE 5 RIZAL’S OTHER WRITTEN WORKS

Lesson 1 Indolence and the Spanish Colonial Rule

Week 14 1. Analyse the significance of Rizal’s Sobre La

indolencia de los Filipinos in relation to the

Filipino nationalism.

2. Assess the presumed indolence of the

Filipinos and its correlation to the inferiority of

Filipinos to the Spanish colonizers.

● Rizal, Jose. 1890. Sobre la indolencia

de los Filipinos (On the Indolence of

the Filipinos). In La Solidaridad, vol. 2:

1890, trans. Guadalupe Fores-

Ganzon, 322-27, 340-45, 362-69,388-

401, 416-21.Pasig City: Fundacion

Santiago. DS651 S6 1996.

Twitter is often referred to as a micro blogging

site. Posts on Twitter are limited to 140

characters per post and are called tweets.

Tweets are written as though you are having a

conversation with a friend.

Create a Tweet for each of the following

categories and remember to stay within the

140 characters (approximately 36 words) for

each tweet.

1. Why Filipinos are indolent

2. Rizal’s concept of the indolence of

the Filipino
3. Words of encouragement to work

harder

Lesson 2 To the Women of Malolos

Week 14 1. Outline the events that prompted Rizal to to

write to a letter the women of Malolos

2. Evaluate the role of Filipino women in nation-

building

● Rizal, Jose. 1889. Retrieved from

http://kwentongebabuhayrizal.blogspot

.com/2013/07/to-young-women-of-

malolos-full-copy.html

Activity 5.2: Situating yourself back in time,

imagine you are one of the 20 women Rizal

dedicated his letter to and write a response

letter addressed to him. Limit your reply to 5-7

sentences only.

MODULE 6 RIZAL’S HEROISM, THE NATION, AND THE WORLD

Lesson 1 The Transcendental Hero

Week 16 1. Discuss the various representations of Rizal

as a national hero.

2. Evaluate and demonstrate the relevance of

Rizal as a national hero to the 21st century

Filipinos.

● Joaquin, Nick.2005. Anatomy of the

anti-hero. In A question of heroes, 50-

64. Mandaluyong City: Anvil. PS9993

J62A16 2005.

● Constantino, Renato. 1996. Our task:

To make Rizal obsolete. In The Filipinos

Activity 6.1: What is your take on whether

Rizal deserves the title as the Philippine

national hero or another hero should be given

merit. 5 to 7 sentences only

in the Philippines and other essays,

137-52.PS9993 C6 F4a.

IV. Contact Information of the Facilitator

You can contact me through:

Email at f.meshelle.rivera@cmu.edu.ph

Facebook Messenger – Meshelle Rivera

Mobile Number – 0975 173 3976 (I do not entertain calls, only text messages.)

Note: This course outline is subject to change based on the needs of the class