1.

JOSE RIZAL’A BIRTH AND FAMILY

Reported by: Jeriel Virtudazo

THE BIRTH 

•Jose Rizal  

- born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. 

- Wednesday, between 11 and 21 midnight to name after the Christian saint  San Jose
(St. Joseph)

-vowed pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the virgin of Antipolo

•Father Rufino Collantes, baptized Rizal on June 22, 1861, at age 3 days in the Catholic
Church

-a Batangueño 

-“Take good care of this child, for someday he will become a great man”

•Father Pedro Casanas - godfather of Rizal, close friend of the Rizal family

•Lieutenant-General Lemery – governor general of the Philippines when Rizal was born
(February 2, 1861 to July 7, 1862)

RIZAL’S PARENTS

•Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818-1898)

-born May 11,1818 in Biñan, Laguna, died on January 8, 1898 in Manila (80 yrs old)

-studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila

-tenant-farmer in Calamba of the Dominican-owned hacienda

-hardy and independent-minded man, who talked less and walk more, was strong in
body and valiant spirit

-“model of fathers”-Rizal

-met Teodora while studying in Manila

•Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda (1826-1911)

-born on November 8, 1826 in Manila, died on August 16, 1911 in Manila

-studied at the College of Santa Rosa, she was a remarkable woman, possessing
refined culture, literary talent, business ability, and fortitude of a Spartan woman
Francisco and Teodora

-married on June 28, 1848.osettled in Calamba, they engaged in farming and business
and reared their big family of 11 children.

Siblings 
•Saturnina (1850-1913) - Neneng; married Manual T. Hidalgo of Tanawan, Batangas

•Paciano (1851-1930)  

-had two children by his mistress (Severina Decena) 

– a boy and a girl, a combat general during the revolution

-like a 2nd father to Jose; 

“most noble of Filipinos”

-died April 13, 1930 (79)

-joined the Philippine Revolution (combat general)

-Pilosopo Tasio (Noli Me Tangere)

•Narcisa (1852-1939) 

- Sisa; married Antonio Lopez (nephew of Father Leoncio Lopez)

•Olimpia (1855-1887) -  Ypia; married Silvestre Ubaldo

•Lucia (1857-1919) - married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba, nephew of Father Casanas

•Maria (1859-1945)

 – Biang; married Daniel Faustino Cruz

•Jose (1861-1896) 

-Pepe

-lived with Josephine Bracken (Irish girl from Hong Kong)

-had a son named Francisco, buried in Dapitan

•Concepcion (1862-1865)

 – Concha; died at age 3 and was Rizal’s first sorrow in life

•Josefa (1865-1945) 

– Panggoy; died an old maid aged 80

•Trinidad (1868-1951) 

– Trining, died an old maid aged 83

•Soledad (1870-1929)

 – Choleng, married Pantaleon Quintero

Family

Don Francisco and Doña Teodora Live in a harmonious relationship. Just like an
ordinary family they show love and care to their children. They don't spoil their children.
In fact, every time their children made a wrong deed and involved bad activities, they
are there to discipline them. 
As catholic believe they taught their children to be courteous to people especially in
elders. The love of God become their foundation to value and respects one's right.

2. EDUCATION
Reported by: Alemer Donal

2.1 FIRST TEACHER

Rizal was first schooled in their home by his mother, Doña Teodora, a
remarkably good and educated woman herself. She was Rizal's first teacher.

2.2 PRIVATE TUTOR

Private tutors were employed to give Jose lessons at home. His first tutor was
Maestro Celestino and second was Maestro Lucas Padua. Later, Don Francisco hired
his former classmate named Leon Monroy.

2.3 FIRST FORMAL SCHOOLING - BIÑAN, LAGUNA (1870-1871)

It was a Sunday afternoon in June 1870, when Jose, after kissing the hands of
his parents and a tearful parting from his sisters left Calamba for Biñan. Accompanied
by his brother Paciano. Paciano brought Jose to Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz's
schoolhouse located about 30 meters away from their aunt's house where Jose will be
staying. The school was a small nipa hut. Paciano, who had been a pupil of Maestro
Cruz, introduced Jose to him, after which he left for Calamba.

Later during the day, Jose met Pedro, who bullied him earlier and challenged him
into a fight. Thinking that he would defeat Jose because of the latter's young age and
small physique, Pedro readily accepted the challenge.

Jose's life in Biñan was also marked by happiness. Near the school, lived an old
painter whose name was Juancho, He was the father-in-law of his teacher, Maestro
Justiniano Aquino Cruz. One of his classmates, Jose Guevarra who also loved painting
joined him. They both became apprentices of old Juancho. Expectedly, they improved
their art and they became "favourite painters of the class."

His education in Biñan was concentrated on learning the four R's-Reading,

Writing, Arithmetic, and Religion.

2.4 AFTER BINAN

After a year and a half of rigid instruction, Maestro Justiniano informed the
parents of Jose that the boy had learnt everything that he could teach him, and that the
boy should be sent to college in Manila. And so Saturnina, the eldest of the Rizal
siblings, wrote Jose informing him that the steamer "Talim" would be arriving to Biñan,
which he could board bound for Calamba.

2.5 THE IMPRISONMENT OF DOÑA TEODORA

Jose Alberto, the brother of Doña Teodora, went on a business trip to Europe.
Upon his return, he found out that his wife abandoned their home and their children and
lived with another man.

Doña Teodora was arrested and was forced to walk for about 50 kilometers from
Calamba to Santa Cruz. She was imprisoned there for two years and a half. Jose heard
that his mother got sick while inside her prison cell, no proper medical treatment was
given her, and she was treated unkindly. This saddened the barely 11-year old Jose.
2.6 THE DEATH OF GOMBURZA

On the night of January 20, 1872, about 200 Filipino soldiers and workers of the
Cavite arsenal rose in violent revolt under the leadership of La Madrid, a Filipino
sergeant. 

On the night of January 20, 1872, about 200 Filipino soldiers and workers of the
Cavite arsenal rose in violent revolt under the leadership of La Madrid, a Filipino
sergeant. On the sunrise of February 17, 1872, by order of Governor General Rafael de
Izquierdo, the three priests were executed through a garrote, a method of execution by
strangling with an iron collar. 

Later, Rizal wrote his second novel, El Filibusterismo, that he dedicated to the
three priests.

2.7 MANILA EXPERIENCE (1872-1877)

The family of Don Francisco was undaunted by the two tragic events: the
imprisonment of Doña Teodora and the execution of the three priests.
Jose was sent to manila to study at the Ateneo de Municipal.

On his first day in Manila, Jose was accompanied by his brother, Paciano. He
took and passed all subjects during the entrance examination at the College of San
Juan de Letran.

At first, he was refused admittance in the said school for two reasons: (1) he was
already late for registration and (2) he was so frail and sickly, aside from being too small
for his age. However, due to the intervention of Manuel Xeres Burgos, the nephew of
one of the martyred priests, Jose was finally admitted.

2.8 ATENEO DE MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE

Jose enrolled at Ateneo under the surname "Rizal" because their family name
Mercado had been under suspicion of the Spanish authorities. His brother, Paciano,
had used their surname Mercado when he studied at the College of San Jose. The
authorities knew that Paciano was Father Burgos favorite student and confidant.

The school offered subjects in physical culture, humanities, and science. Aside
from academic subjects, the school offered courses in agriculture, commerce,
mechanics, and surveying.
The students were divided into two groups: the internos, who were composed of the
boarders and the externos, the non-boarders. The internos, known also as the "Roman
Empire" and the externos, the "Carthaginian Empire" always competed with each other
in school activities.

Ateneo students were required to wear uniform: a hem-fabric trousers and

striped cotton coat materials called Rayadillo.

Jose Bech as a "tall, thin man, with a body slightly bent forward, a harried walk,
and an ascetic face, sever and inspired small deep-sunken eyes, a sharp nose that was
almost Greek, and thin lip forming an arc whose ends fell toward the chin." Because he
was an externo, he was assigned to the Carthaginian.

To improve his knowledge and fluency in Spanish, Jose took private lessons
during recess time at the Santa Isabel College.
When the school year ended, Jose spent his summer vacation in Calamba.

This time an adolescent, had shown interest in reading romantic novels. Among
his favorite was the "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexander Dumas.

In June 1874, his junior year in college, Jose went back to Manila to continue his
quest for knowledge.
 When the classes ended in March 1875, he returned to Laguna, dissatisfied with
the result of his performance in school.

Rizal's senior year in Ateneo was a memorable one. On June 16, 1875, he
became an interno under Father Francisco de Paula Sanchez who was a very good
professor and scholar.

Being the emperor, he was an active member of a religious society, the Marian
Congregation, a devotee of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the college
patroness. He was also a member of the Academy for Spanish Literature and the
Academy of Natural Sciences.

When he reached his grandmother's house, he met other guests, one of whom
was very attractive girl named Segunda Katigbak. Segunda was a college student at La
Concordia College where his sister Olimpia was also studying. Unfortunately, Segunda
was already engaged to marry her town mate, Manuel Luz. Jose.

2.9 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS EXPERIENCE

After graduating in Ateneo with highest honors with the degree of Bachelor of
Arts (equivalent to only high school during the Spanish time), Jose Rizal decided to
continue his studies in Manila despite his mother's objection. Both his father Don
Francisco and brother Paciano wanted him to pursue his studies.

In April 1877, Don Francisco told Paciano to accompany his younger brother to
enroll in Manila. Jose Rizal who was only sixteen years old that time, enrolled
Philosophy and Letters in the University of Sto. Tomas. At seventeen, he passed the
board examination for surveyors but was not granted the title because he was under
age. This time, he was the President of the Academy of Spanish Literature and
Secretary of the Academy of Natural Science. He remained member of the Marian
Congregation, of which he was the secretary.

In 1879, at the start of his junior year in UST, he lived in a boarding house in
Intramuros where he met a frail, pretty young lady, Leonor Rivera, who was the
daughter of his landlord uncle Antonio Rivera. To keep their intimate relationship secret,
Leonor used Taimis as her pen name.

It was during this time that he was able to write so many award-winning pieces in
Literature. He wrote "A La Juventud Filipina,".

The years that followed, Jose joined several contests one of which was a contest
sponsored by Artistic Literary Lyceum to commemorate the fourth centennial of the
death of Cervantes.

Even if the judges in that contest were all Spaniards but Jose's entry entitled
"The Council of the Gods" won the first prize for its literary superiority over the others.
The "Junta al Pasig" (Beside the Pasig) which he also wrote was a zarzuela. It was
staged by the Ateneans in 1880 on the occasion of the annual Feast of the Immaculate
Conception. He also wrote a sonnet entitled "A Filipina" for the album of the Society of
Sculptors, a poem urging all Filipino artists to glorify the Philippines.

They agreed that Paciano would send a monthly allowance of 35.00 and his
Uncle Antonio would solicit from friends for other expenses.

The three other reasons why Rizal decided to continue his studies abroad...

1. The biased and hostile treatment of the Dominican professors against him;

2. He was disgusted with the antiquated method of instruction in the

University of Sto. Tomas during that time; and

3. The racial discrimination that the Dominican professors had against the Filipinos.

3.
Reported by: Jay Pogosa

4. EXILE

4.1 ARREST AND THE DECREE OF DEPORTATION

<Jose Rizal was arrested because of the leaflets found on his baggage during their stay
in Hotel del Oriente. The leaflet entitled "Pobre Frailes"(Poor Friars) made the governor
general dismayed and Jose Rizal was arrested and brought to Fort Santiago
accompanied by Ramon Despujol.

<July 7,1892-Decree of deportation was immediately published at Gaceta de Manila.

4.2 BOUND TO DAPITAN

<July 14,1892-It was 10:00 in the evening when Jose Rizal was scheduled to leave Fort
Santiago. He boarded the ferryboat "Cebu" bound to Dapitan around 1:00 in the
morning.

<July 17,1892-The ferryboat "Cebu" arrived in Dapitan where he was met by Ricardo
Carcinero.

4.3 LIFE IN DAPITAN

<August 30,1892-Ricardo Carcinero informed Governor General Eulogio Despujol that

Jose Rizal wanted reforms in the Philippines but does not want friars to be evicted.

<September 21,1892-He submitted another report to Governor General about reforms,

these were freedom of religion and the press.

<Jose Rizal became a teacher during his stay in Dapitan.

<August 28,1893-He heard the death of his beloved Leonor Rivera.

4.4 REVAMP IN LEADERSHIP

<Governor General Eulogio Despujol was replaced by Federico Ochando and

eventually took over by Ramon Blanco.

<Ricardo Carcinero was also replaced by Juan Sitges.

4.5 PLAN TO VOLUNTEER AS MILITARY DOCTOR IN CUBA

<On November 17,1895-Rizal wrote a petition to General Blanco to volunteer as a

physician in the Spanish army in Cuba.

<July 1,1896-Jose Rizal received a letter from Governor General Blanco.

4.6 DEPARTURE FROM DAPITAN TO MANILA

<July 31,1896-He left Dapitan and boarded España which will take him to Manila.

<August 6,1896-Jose Rizal arrived in manila.

4.7 VOYAGE TO CUBA

<August 30,1896-Governor General gave Jose Rizal 3 letters.

<September 2,1896-he was transferred to the steamer Isla de Panay.

<September 3,1896-Isla de Panay left Manila.

<September 30,1896-The captain of the chief informed Rizal that he would be confined
to his cabin.

4.8 ARRIVAL IN SPAIN

<October 3,1896-Isla de Panay arrived in Barcelona.

<October 6,1896-The passengers and crew of Isla de Panay were allowed to land. He is
taken to Montjuich Castle to be detained temporarily.

<Jose Rizal would be taken back to the Philippines on board on steamer colon.

<October 6,1896-The steamer colon left Barcelona for Manila.

5. TRIAL AND EXECUTION

Reported by: Riza M. Saliot

Back in Fort Santiago and the Initial Investigation

November 3, 1896
The steamer Colon arrived in Manila and gave too much happiness on the part of
the Spanish friars and government officials. Jose Rizal was back to the Philippines as a
prisoner and was strictly guarded on when he was brought back to Fort Santiago. He
was held in incommunicado for almost 4 weeks in his prison cell. Col. Francisco Olive
was the man who is responsible for the return of Rizal.

November 30, 1896

Col. Francisco summoned Jose Rizal to appear before him for an initial
investigation of his case. Evidences were consisted of documentary and oral evidences:
documents, letters, and lyrics of Kundiman. Oral testimonies consisted among others
were the sworn statements of Aguedo Del Rosario and Francisco Quizon—who
identified him as the head of the Katipunan. Statements were also taken from Salvador
Dizon, Deodato Arellano, and Timoteo Paez.

After the investigation, Colonel Olive submitted his findings to his Excellency
Governor General Blanco where he appointed Captain Rafael Dominguez to act as a
special judge advocate. As expected, he found probable cause and recommended the
prosecution of Jose Rizal for rebellion. Governor General Blanco forwarded the case to
Nicolas Peña. Jose Rizal chose Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade—he is Jose Taviel’s
bodyguard before, Jose Rizal’s brother.
 December 31, 1896
The charges were formally read to Jose Rizal: rebellion, sedition, and illegal
association. He was pleaded not guilty.

The Trial
December 3, 1896
Before the trial started, governor General Camilo G. Polavieja replaced Governor
General Ramon Blanco, and officially assumed the post as Governor General of the
Philippine Island, two days after the arraignment of Rizal.

December 17, 1896

Peña endorsed that the case of Jose Rizal was ready for trial. The case was
turned over to Capt. Dominquez and Lt. Alcocer, who would act as prosecutors of the
case.

December 26, 1896

Court martials with 7 members was convened at the Cartel de España, which
converted into a temporary courtroom: Lt. Col. Jose Togores Arjona, President and
Capt. Ricardo Muñoz Arias, Capt. Manuel Reguera, Capt. Santiago Izquierdo Osorio,
Capt. Manel Diaz Escribano, Capt. Fermin Perez Rodriguez, and Capt. Braulio
Rodriguez Nuñez. Present at the trial were Jose Rizal and his counsel, the prosecutors,
Josephine Bracken, the officials of the government officers of the Army, some
peninsulares, some natives and correspondents of newspapers.

The trial started with the prosecution presenting the evidence to establish the
case. Andrade took the defense of Jose Rizal, focuses on a provision in the Penal Code
of Spain in the Philippines. It provided that the guilt of an accused could only be
established by means of ocular inspection, official documents, credible witnesses, and
among others. The prosecution was failed to prove Jose Rizal’s guilt by any of these
means. Thus, he must be acquitted of the charges.

Sentence to death
After the defense of Jose Rizal, the case was submitted to the court for
resolution. The military court found Jose Rizal guilty of the crime charged and was
sentence to die. The decision was as follows:

“In the plaza of Manila on the 26th day of the month, December, 1896, the
Council of War presided over by Lt. Col. D. Jose Togores Arjona, having met this day,
to look into and pass sentence in the case against Dr. Jose Rizal Mercado y Alonso,
accused of the crimes of rebellion, sedition, and illegal association, has carefully and
thoroughly examined the said case, after a reading of his actuations by the Judge
Advocates, and have seen the Fiscal’s accusation, heard the allegation of the defense
and the declarations of the accused, hereby declares that the punishable acts consist of
the crimes of illegal association and of promoting and inducing to execute the latter; Dr.
Jose Rizal is therefore, found guilty of being the author of said rebellion. By virtue of its
powers, the council dictates the following sentence: Dr. Jose Rizal should be, and is
hereby condemned to death.”
 General Polavieja upon affirmation of Peña approved the sentence of Jose Rizal
on December 28. He ordered that the convict be executed through a firing squad in the
morning of December 30.

Last Moments
December 29 (morning), first to visit Jose Rizal were Fathers Saderra and
Viza.After the two left, Fathers Balaguer and Vilaclara replaced them. Fathers March
and Faura also visited Rizal. They kept on urging him to return to the church and to
retract all his errors. At the same day, Jose Rizal wrote two letters, one was for his
brother Paciano whom he ahd not seen for a long time and the other letter was for his
family whome he wanted to see before his death. Jose Rizal wrote:

“I should like to see some of you before I die, though it may be very painful. Let
the bravest come over. I have to say some important things.”

Doña Teodora arrived with Trinidad at seven o’clock in the evening. He gave to
his sister Trinidad a cooking lamp and told her that there was something inside. He was
referring to his Mi Ultimo Adios, his farewell poem. Then came Josephine, his poor and
unhappy wife.

The Execution
Jose Rizal woke up early in the day of his execution. He took his breakfast at
5:30 am. Then Josephine came with his sister Josefa. After a little conversation with his
wife; he gave her a devotional book Imitacion de Cristo. He wrote a note in the following
words:

“To my dear and unhappy wife Josephine Bracken.”

Before his execution, he wrote his last words to his parents. It was written at 6
o’clock in the morning of December 30, 1896, an hour before his execution.

The letter read:

“My Most Beloved Father, Forgive me for the pain with which I pay you for your
struggles and toils in order to give me education. I did not want this nor I did I expect it.
Farewell, Father, Farewell! To my very beloved Mother, Mrs. Teodora Alonso.”

At 6:30 in the morning. The artillery of soldiers was ready to escort Jose Rizal.
He was tied elbow to elbow. He was accompanied by Fathers March and Villaclara and
his counsel Lt. Taviel de Andrade. At the beginning of the march, he told the two priests,
“We are on the road to Calvary.”

A drum and bugle together with an escort of artillery of soldiers accompanied the
march to Bagumbayan. Rafael Palma described Jose Rizal during the walk as follows:
 “He walked with noble bearing, his body was upright, erect yet without
affectation. To me, that represented his whole character; inflexible and daring. I could
understand why he did not bend neither to tyranny nor to death.”

The place of execution was crowded with people, many of whom were Spaniards
wanting to see Jose Rizal die. Upon reaching the square formed by soldiers, he bade
farewell to his counsel and two Jesuit priests. He then walked at the middle of the
square. His last request was to face the firing squad but was not considered by the
Captain of the Artillery.

Surprisingly, the military doctor who went to check his pulse found to be normal.
And finally, the captain shouted the order to fire. Rizal was hit in the body and died at
about 7:03 am.

Many Spaniards present at the execution shouted ‘Long Live Spain’ and ‘Death
to Traitors’. These were heard three to four times. The artillery band played Marcha de
Cadiz. Eventually, the crowd disappeared.

6. THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE

Reported by: Ferlie Agripo

SEGUNDA KATIGBAK

Segunda was a pretty fourteen-year-old lady from Lipa, Batangas whom he met
during one of his visits to his maternal grandmother in Trozo, Manila. His old
grandmother was a friend of the Katigbak family from Lipa. When he reached his
grandmother's house, he saw other guests.

JACINTA IBARDO LAZA (MISS L)

Shortly after his relationship with Segunda Katigbak, he met another girl whom
he called as Miss L. Jose Rizal described her as "fair with seductive and attractive
eyes."

LEONOR VALENZUELA

When he (Jose) was a sophomore in his medical studies at the University of

Santo Tomas, he met this charming lady named Leonor Valenzuela. She was the
daughter of Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela. Jose Rizal was a frequent
visitor especially during special occasions because of his ability to do tricks.

LEONOR RIVERA

Rizal described Leonor as "tender as budding flower with kindly, wistful His next
romance was with Leonor Rivera, a cousin from Camiling. Jose eyes." To hide their
relationship from their parents and friends, Leonor used a pen name "Taimis".

CONSUELO ORTEGA Y PEREZ

In 1882, Jose Rizal met Consuelo Ortigas y Perez where he was attracted to her,
a daughter of the former mayor of Manila, Don Pablo Ortigas Y Perez.
O-SEI-SAN

When he went to Japan, he met this young lady named O-Sei-San. He saw in
her the qualities of an ideal woman, "beautiful, charming, modest, and intelligent."

GERTRUDE BECKET

After his visit in the United States, Jose Rizal had lived in London. He stayed with
the Becket family where he met Gertrude, the oldest of the four sisters. The Becket
children were composed of two sons, and four daughters. Gertie or Tottie to her friends
was described as "a buxom girl with brown eyes and rosy cheeks" who fell in love with
Jose Rizal.

NELLY BOUSTED

Although Madrid maybe considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world,
Jose Rizal had so many disappointments and sad experiences in the city. To find
comfort and a little solace for all his frustrations, he decided to take a vacation in the
resort of Biarritz on the French Riviera, an ideal setting for romance. He became a
guest of the rich Bousted family and befriended Mr. Eduardo Bousted, his wife, and two
charming daughters Adelina and Nelly.

SUZANNE JACOBY

She was a lovely young lady niece of the Jacoby sisters. After several meetings,
Jose and Suzanne had fallen deeply in love with each other. It was a short sojourn in
Brussels so he had to leave the place. Suzanne grieved and cried so much when Jose
Rizal left the place. When he was already in Madrid, Suzanne wrote him a letter stating:

"I feel very unhappy thinking that perhaps I might never see you again."

JOSEPHINE BRACKEN

Josephine Bracken was described as "slender, a chestnut blonde, with blue

eyes, dressed with elegant simplicity, with an atmosphere of light gaiety" came into his
life when he needed somebody to cheer him up in his lonely exile in Dapitan.