Caraga state university

Ampayon, Butuan City 8600, Philippines

URL: www.carsu.edu.ph

Lesson 5
Rizal’ s Family and Ancestry
 According to the psychologists, what a person is results
from the interaction of nature and nurture. Therefore, to
understand the life of Rizal, it is necessary to know the
factors that influenced him during his childhood and his
formation into the greatest hero we have in the country.
 Calamba at the Time of Rizal’s Birth

Calamba (Laguna) at the time of Rizal’s birth was a

hacienda town where people engaged in agricultural
activities. Calamba was a progressive among the towns of
Laguna because of the massive production of sugar. Its
fertile soil and favorable climate, people were able to raise
and harvest different crops. But the lands were almost
owned by the Dominican friars, thus, as a friar estate
farmers rented the land and paid taxes. The tenants,
however, were resilient despite hardships and cruelties from
the owners due to increase of taxes and suppress production
of their agricultural products.
 The Birth of Jose Rizal

Taken from his memoirs as cited by Zaide, Rizal was

born on Wednesday night of June 19, 1861 in Calamba,
Province of Laguna. His mother almost lost her life during his
birth because of his big head but was believed being relieved
by the Virgin of Antipolo. After three days, he was baptized in
Calamba Church by Fr. Rufino Collantes with Fr. Pedro
Casañas, a family friend as his godfather. The name Jose was
chosen by his mother who was a devotee to St. Joseph.
 Rizal’s Ancestry

Rizal came from a mixture of different races- Chinese, Filipino,

Spanish and Japanese ancestry. Below is the ancestry of Rizal
both from his parents.
Rizal’s Ancestry
✓ The Rizal genealogy started from Lam Co who became Domingo Lamco
was a Chinese immigrant from Changchow, China arrived in Manila
about 1690. He became a Christian and married a wealthy Chinese
mestiza, Ines dela Rosa in 1731.
✓ To avoid prejudices and by the order of the Spanish government, he
assumed a surname of Mercado. The couple moved to Biñan ended as
tenants of the Dominican hacienda. Their son named Francisco Mercado
married a wealthy Chinese mestiza, Cirila Bernacha.
✓ Because of economic status of the family, Francisco Mercado became a
gobernadorcillo of Biñan. One of their sons named Juan Mercado
became a gobernadorcillo also who married to a Chinese mestizo, Cirila
Alejandro. The latest couple had thirteen children; the youngest was
Francisco Mercado, Jose Rizal’s father.
✓ The Alonso genealogy started from Eugenio Ursua believed to have a
Japanese ancestry who married to a Filipina named Benigna. Their
daughter, Regina Ursua married a Chinese mestizo lawyer, Manuel de
Quintos from Lingayen, Pangasinan. One of their daughters named
Regina de Quintos married a Spanish-Filipino mestizo Lorenzo Alberto
Alonso of Biñan. The latest couple had five children, the second was
Teodora Alonso, Jose Rizal’s mother.
 Rizal’s Family

Rizal was raised in a middle class family which is considered as

principalia or ruling elite in the 19th century. The family source of
income was agriculture; farming and stockraising. From the
Dominican hacienda, they rented the lands where they owned farms
of rice, corn and sugarcane. The following are the evidences and the
properties which made Rizal’s family as an affluent family:
✓ stone house of adobe and hardwood located in calle real
✓ a carriage which is a status symbol of the ilustrados
✓ a private library in their house with numerous volumes of books
✓ sent their children to Manila for education
✓ presence of personal servants taking care of the needs of the children
✓ private tutors to improve Spanish language and the academics of the children
✓ participated prominently in some social and religious affairs in the community
✓ Rizal’s father, Don Francisco Mercado was an educated man who studied Latin
and Philosophy courses at the Colegio de San Jose in Manila. Rizal described
him “a model of all fathers” because of his honesty, frugality and industry that
makes their family more progressive than others. He was one of the reasons why
Rizal studied and completed the course on Philosophy.
✓ Rizal’s mother was also an educated woman who completed education at the
Colegio de Santa Rosa , a prestigious college for girls in Manila. Rizal described
her as “a woman of more than ordinary culture”, a dedicated wife and mother.
She inspired Rizal in literature particularly in poetry.
✓ The family of Rizal kept Filipino tradition as close to one another. They were
together in the practices of the Angelus during sunset, attending mass during
Sundays and Catholic holidays. According to Zaide, Rizal’s parents were strict
and they trained the children to love God, to behave well, to be obedient, and to
respect the people especially the elderlies.
 References

Garcia, Carlito & Cruz, Cynthia (2005). Rizal and the Development of Filipino
Nationalism: A textbook on the Life, Works of our National Hero

Zaide, Gregorio & Zaide, Sonia (2008). “Jose Rizal: Life, Work, and Writings of a
Genius, Writer, Scientist, and National Hero.” 2nd Ed. Quezon City: All- Nations
Publishing Co., Inc.