R.A. No. 1425 (Rizal Law) of June 12, 1956. An act to include in the
Lucia (1857-1919)
curricula of all Public and Private schools, colleges and universities courses
on the Life, Works and Writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels NOLI ME
TANGERE and EL FILIBUSTERISMO, authorizing the printing and distribution
thereof, and for other purposes.
Dr. Jose P. Rizal
The Birth of Rizal
 He was born on June 19, 1861 (Wednesday) in Calamba, Laguna.
 He was baptized in the Catholic church by the parish priest named
Father Rufino Collantes, who was a Batangueno.
 His godfather (ninong) was Father Pedro Casanas, native of Calamba
and close friend of the Rizal family.
 His name “Jose” was chosen by his mother who was a devotee of
the Christian saint San Jose (St. Joseph).
 Lieutenant-General Jose Lemery was the governor general when
Rizal was born.
Rizal’s Parents
 Jose Rizal was the seventh of the eleven children of Francisco
Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso Realonda.
 Rizal’s father Francisco (1818-1898) was born in Binan, Laguna, on
May 11, 1818. He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San
Jose in Manila. He died in Manila on January 4, 1898, at the age of
80. Rizal affectionately called him “a model of father”.
 Rizal’s mother Teodora (1826-1911) was born in Manila on
November 8, 1826. She was educated at the college of Santa Rosa.
She died in Manila on August 16, 1911, at the age of 85.
The Rizal Children
1. Saturnina (1850-1913) – oldest sister of Rizal “Nene”.
2. Paciano (1851-1930) - older brother of Rizal and confident of Jose
Rizal. He was immortalized by Rizal as Pilosopo Tasio in his novel
Noli Me Tangere.
3. Narcisa (1852-1939) – a school teacher of Morong. “Sisa”
4. Olimpia (1852-1939) – “Ypia”
5.
6. Maria (1859-1945) – “Biang”
7. Jose (1861-1896) – “Pepe”
8. Concepcion (1861-1896) – she died at the age of 3; her death was
Rizal’s first sorrow in life. “Concha”
9. Josefa (1865-1945) – “Panggoy”
10. Trinidad (1868-1951)- “Trining”
11. Soledad (1870-1929) – youngest of the Rizal children; “Choleng”.
Rizal’s Ancestry
 Paternal Side.
 Dominggo Lamco (Dominggo Mercado), a Chinese Christian
merchant married Ines de la Rosa, a Chinese Christian girl of
Manila. They had a son named Francisco Mercado.
 Francisco Mercado resided in Binan, married a Chinese-Filipino
mestiza, Cirila Bernacha. They had children, one of them is Juan
Mercado (Rizal’s grandfather).
 Juan Mercado, married Cirila Alejandro, a Chinese-Filipino
mestiza. They had thirteen (13) children, the youngest was
Francisco Mercado (Rizal’s father).
 Maternal Side.
 Eugenio Ursua, a Japanese ancestry, married a Filipina
named Benigna (unknown surname).
 Regina, married Manuel de Quintos, a Filipino-Chinese
lawyer from Pangasinan.
 Brigdad, married Lorenzo Alberto Alonso, a prominent
Spanish-Filipino mestizo of Binan. Their children were
Narcisa, Teodora (Rizal’s mother), Gregorio, Mauel, and
Jose.
The Surname Rizal
 It was given by a Spanish alcalde mayor (provincial governor) of
Laguna, who was a family friend. The real surname of Rizal family
was Mercado, which was adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco.
  Rizal means “a field where wheat, cut while still green, sprout
again.”
A Good and Middle-class Family
 The Rizal family belonged to the principalia, a town aristocracy in
Spanish Philippines.
 It was one of the distinguished family in Calamba.
Childhood years in Calamba
 In 1876, when Rizal was only 15 years old write a poem in
remembrance of his beloved town, “Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo” (In
Memory of My Town)
 The story of the Moth – one of the stories told by Dona Teodora to
Jose Rizal, which made a profoundest impression on him.
 At the age of eight he wrote his first poem “Sa Aking Mga Kabata”
(To My Fellow Children).
“… Whoever knows not how to love his native tongue
Is worse than any beast or evil smelling fish…”
- Dr. Jose Rizal
Early Education in Calamba and Binan
 Rizal first teacher was his mother Teodora Alonso
 His private tutors were: Maestro Celestino, Maestro Lucas Padua
and Leon Monroy.
 His first teacher in a formal class in Binan was Maestro Justiniano
Aquino.
 Leandro – Rizal’s cousin
 Pedro – Rizal’s bully
 Andres Salandalan – challenged Rizal in arm-wrestling
 Jose Guevara – Rizal’s classmate in Painting
 Martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za on February 17, 1872 by order of
Governor General Rafael de Izquierdo.
1. Mariano Gomez
2. Jose Burgos – Paciano’s beloved friend, teacher, and
housemate at College of San Jose.
3. Jacinto Zamora
 Injustice to Rizal’s mother. She was accused of poisoning her
brother’s wife (Jose Alberto).
Scholastic Triumphs at Ateneo de Manila (1872-1877)
 Ateneo Municipal (Escuela Pia), a college under the supervision of
the Spanish Jesuits. A bitter rival of the Dominican-owned College of
San Juan.
 He entered this school with the intercession of Manuel Xerez
Burgos- nephew of Fr. Burgos.
 Jesuit System of Education.
1. “Roman Empire” consist of the internos (boarders) and the;
2. “Carthaginian Empire” consist of the externos (non-
boarders).
Each of these empires had its ranks:
 The emperor – the best student
 The tribune – the second best
 The decurion – the third best
 The centurion – the fourth best;
 The stand-bearer – the fifth best
 “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexander Dumas - the first favorite
novel of Rizal.
 Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez – Rizal favorite professor at Ateneo
Municipal.
 Rizal graduated with Highest Honors.
 Segunda Katigbak of Lipa, Rizal’s first love. Unfortunately, she was
married to her townmate, Manuel Luz. Rizal recorded his first and
tragic romance, said: “Ended, at an early hour, my first love! My
virgin heart will always mourn reckless steps it took on the flower-
decked abyss. My illusions will return, yes, but indifferent,
uncertain, ready for the first betrayal on the path of love.”
 She was a close friend to Rizal sister, Olimpia. And sister of Mariano
Katigbak, Rizal’s friend.
 Prepared by: Bb. Anisah P. Palawan (August 8, 2023)
REFERENCE: Zaide, S. Jose Rizal: Life, Works, and Writing of a Genius, Writer, and National Hero . All-
Nations Publishing Co. Inc. 1999.