Rizal’s Life and Works
BSLM-2A
1ST Semester (Midterms)
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Alonzo y Realonda
-The founder of Philippine Nationalism
-The Greatest Hero of the Malayan Race
-He was a polymath, nationalist, & the most prominent
advocate for reforms in the Philippines
REPUBLIC ACT 1425 or the "RIZAL'S LAW”
-An act to include in the 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 purposes.
Jose P. Laurel - the sponsor of the said law
Claro Mayo Recto - the author or main proponent of the
law
 It was enacted and signed on June 12. 1956 which
coincides the Philippine Independence Day.
Three Main Goals of Rizal's Law
1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of
freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes
lived and died.
2. To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting
his life and works in shaping the Filipino
character
3. To gain an inspiring source of patriotism
through the study of Rizal's life, works, and
writings.
CONTENTS of the RIZAL’S LAW
Section 1: This section mandates the students to read the
two greatest novels of Rizal. These two shall be included
in the curricula of all schools, colleges and universities,
public or private.
Section 2: This section mandates the schools to have “an
adequate number” of copies in their libraries.
Section 3: This section orders the Board of National
Education to publish the works in English, Tagalog, and
other major Philippine languages.
Section 4: It prohibits the discussion of religious
doctrines by persons engaged in any public school.
Section 5: a sum of 300 thousand pesos is appropriated to
carry out the purposes of the law.
Section 6: It shall take effect upon its approval
Evils of the Unjust Colonial Power
PREPARED BY: APARTMENT BUDZ
•Instability of colonial administration
•Corrupt Officialdom
•No Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes
•Human Rights Denied to Filipinos
•No Equality Before the Law
•Maladministration of Justice
•Racial Discrimination
•Frailocracy
•Forced Labor or “Polo Y Servicios”
•Haciendas Owned by the Friars
•The Guardia Civil
The Rizal Ancestry
As typical Filipino, Rizal was a product of the mixture of
races. In his veins flowed the blood of both East and West.
Predominantly, he was a Malayan and was a magnificent
specimen of Asian manhood. Rizal's great-great grandfather
on his father side was Domingo
Lameo, a Chinese immigrant from the Fukien city of
Changchow, who arrived in Manila in about 1690. He
became a Christian , married a well-to-do Chinese Christian
Girl of Manila named Ines de la Rosa, and assumed in 1731
the surname Mercado, which was appropriate for him
because he was a merchant. The Spanish term mercado
means "market" in English. Domingo Mercado and Ines de
la Rosa had a son, Francisco Mercado, who resided in
Biñan, married a Chinese-Filipino mestiza, Cirila Bernacha,
and was elected gobernadorcilloof the town. One their sons,
Juan Mercado, Rizal's grandfather, married Cirila Alejandro,
a Chinese-Filipino mestiza. Like his father, he was elected
gobernadorcillo of Biñan. Capitan Juan and CapitanaCirila
had thirteen children, the youngest being Francisco
Mercado, Rizal's Father.
At the age of eight, Francisco Mercado lost his father and
grew up to manhood under the care of his mother. He
studied Latin and Philosophy in the College of San Jose in
Manila. While studying in Manila, He met and fell in love
with Teodora Alonso Realonda, a Student in the College of
Santa Rosa. They were married on June 28, 1848. After
which they settle down in Calamba, where they engaged in
farming and business and reared a big family.
It is said that Doña Teodora's family descended from
Lakandula, the last native king Tondo. Her great-
grandfather, Rizal's maternal great-great-grandfather,
Eugenio Ursua (of Japanese ancestry), who married a
Filipina named Benigna (surname unknown). Their
daughter, Regina, married Manuel de Quintos, Filipino-
Chinese lawyer from Pangasinan. One of the daughters of
Atty. Quintos and Regina was Brigida, who married
Lorenzo Alberto Alonso, a prominent Spanish-Filipino
mestizo of Biñan. Their children were Narcisa, Teodora
(Rizal's mother), Gregorio, Manuel, and Jose.
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Rizal’s Life and Works
BSLM-2A
1ST Semester (Midterms)
Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861. It was a Wednesday
evening in Calamba, Laguna, and his mother nearly died in
the process. He was baptized three days later, on June 22, by
the parish priest of the Catholic church in his town, Fr.
Rufino Collantes from Batangas. His godfather, Fr. Pedro
Casanas, was a close family friend. Rizal's mother named
him after St. Joseph, to whom she was ardently devoted.
RIZAL'S FAMILY
Francisco Mercado Rizal was born on May 11, 1818 in
Binan, Laguna. He was a graduate of the College of San
Jose in Manila, studying Latin and Philosophy. Francisco
moved to Calamba to become a tenant-farmer of a
hacienda owned by the Dominicans. He died at the age of
80 on January 5, 1898 in Manila. About his father, Jose
Rizal says that he is "a model of fathers."
Teodora Alonso Realonda was born on November 8,
1826 in Manila. She was a graduate of the College of
Santa Rosa. She died at the age of 85 on August 16, 1911
in Manila. About his mother, Jose Rizal says, "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."
Rizal is the seventh of eleven children:
1. Saturnina
2. Paciano
3. Narcisa
4. Olimpia
5. Lucia
6. Maria
7. Jose
8. Concepcion
9. Josefa
10. Trinidad
11. Soledad
Rizal's family was a mixture of races. They were a
combination of Negrito, Malay, Indonesian, Japanese,
Chinese, and Spanish, though Jose was predominantly
Malayan. Mercado was the original surname of the Rizal
family. Domingo Lamco, Jose's great-great-grandfather,
adopted the name Rizal in 1731 and it became a second
surname of the family.
Early Education in Calamba and Biñan
Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. It
was a typical schooling that a son of an ilustrado family
received during his time, characterized by the four R’s-
reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion. Instruction was
rigid and strict. Knowledge was forced into the minds of
the pupils by means of the tedious memory method aided
by the teacher’s whip. Despite the defects of the Spanish
system of elementary education, Rizal was able to acquire
the necessary instruction preparatory for college work in
Manila. It may be said that Rizal, who was born a
physical weakling, rose to become an intellectual giant
not because of, but rather in spite of, the outmoded and
backward system of instruction obtaining in the
PREPARED BY: APARTMENT BUDZ
Philippines during the last decades of Spanish regime.
The Hero’s First Teacher
The first teacher of Rizal was his mother, who was a
remarkable woman of good character and fine culture. On
her lap, he learned at the age of three the alphabet and the
prayers. "My mother," wrote Rizal in his student
memoirs, "taught me how to read and to say haltingly the
humble prayers which I raised fervently to God."
As tutor, Doña Teodora was patient, conscientious, and
understanding. It was she who first discovered that her
son had a talent for poetry. Accordingly, she encouraged
him to write poems. To lighten the monotony of
memorizing the ABC’s and to stimulate her son’s
imagination, she related many stories.
As Jose grew older, his parents employed private tutors to
give him lessons at home. The first was Maestro
Celestino and the second, Maestro Lucas Padua. Later, an
old man named Leon Monroy, a former classmate of
Rizal’s father, became the boy’s tutor. This old teacher
lived at the Rizal home and instructed Jose in Spanish
and Latin. Unfortunately, he did not lived long. He died
five months later.
After a Monroy’s death, the hero’s parents decided to
send their gifted son to a private school in Biñan.
Jose Goes to Biñan
One Sunday afternoon in June , 1869, Jose, after kissing
the hands of his parents and a tearful parting from his
sister, left Calamba for Biñan. He was accompanied by
Paciano , who acted as his second father. The two
brothers rode in a carromata, reaching their destination
after one and one-half hours’ drive. They proceeded to
their aunt’s house, where Jose was to lodge. It was almost
night when they arrived, and the moon was about to rise.
That same night, Jose, with his cousin named Leandro,
went sightseeing in the town. Instead of enjoying the
sights, Jose became depressed because of homesickness.
"In the moonlight," he recounted, "I remembered my
home town, my idolized mother, and my solicitous
sisters. Ah, how sweet to me was Calamba, my own
town, in spite of the fact that was not as wealthy as
Biñan."
First Day in Biñan School
The next morning (Monday) Paciano brought his younger
brother to the school of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
The school was in the house of the teacher, which was a
small nipa hut about 30 meters from the home of Jose’s
aunt.
Paciano knew the teacher quite well because he had been
a pupil under him before. He introduced Jose to the
teacher, after which he departed to return to Calamba.
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Rizal’s Life and Works
BSLM-2A
1ST Semester (Midterms)
Immediately, Jose was assigned his seat in the class. The
teacher asked him:
"Do you know Spanish?"
"A little, sir," replied the Calamba lad.
"Do you know Latin?"
"A little, sir."
The boys in the class, especially Pedro, the teacher’s son
laughed at Jose’s answers.
The teacher sharply stopped all noises and begun the
lessons of the day.
Jose described his teacher in Biñan as follows: "He was
tall, thin, long-necked, with sharp nose and a body
slightly bent forward, and he used to wear a sinamay
shirt, woven by the skilled hands of the women of
Batangas. He knew by the heart the grammars by Nebrija
and Gainza. Add to this severity that in my judgement
was exaggerated and you have a picture, perhaps vague,
that I have made of him, but I remember only this."
First School BrawlIn the afternoon of his first day in
school, when the teacher was having his siesta, Jose met
the bully, Pedro. He was angry at this bully for making
fun of him during his conversation with the teacher in the
morning.
Jose challenged Pedro to a fight. The latter readily
accepted, thinking that he could easily beat the Calamba
boy who was smaller and younger.
The two boys wrestled furiously in the classroom, much
to the glee of their classmates. Jose, having learned the
art of wrestling from his athletic Tio Manuel, defeated the
bigger boy. For this feat, he became popular among his
classmates.
After the class in the afternoon, a classmate named
Andres Salandanan challenged him to an arm-wrestling
match. They went to a sidewalk of a house and wrestled
with their arms. Jose, having the weaker arm, lost and
nearly cracked his head on the sidewalk.
In succeeding days he had other fights with the boys of
Biñan. He was not quarrelsome by nature, but he never
ran away from a fight.
Best Student in School
In academic studies, Jose beat all Biñan boys. He
surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin, and other subjects.
Some of his older classmates were jealous of his
intellectual superiority. They wickedly squealed to the
teacher whenever Jose had a fight outside the school, and
even told lies to discredit him before the teacher’s eyes.
Consequently the teacher had to punish Jose.
Early Schooling in Biñan
Jose had a very vivid imagination and a very keen sense
PREPARED BY: APARTMENT BUDZ
of observation. At the age of seven he traveled with his
father for the first time to Manila and thence to Antipolo
to fulfill the promise of a pilgrimage made by his mother
at the time of his birth. They embarked in a casco, a very
ponderous vessel commonly used in the Philippines. It
was the first trip on the lake that Jose could recollect. As
darkness fell he spent the hours by the katig, admiring the
grandeur of the water and the stillness of the night,
although he was seized with a superstitious fear when he
saw a water snake entwine itself around the bamboo
beams of the katig. With what joy did he see the sun at
the daybreak as its luminous rays shone upon the
glistening surface of the wide lake, producing a brilliant
effect! With what joy did he talk to his father, for he had
not uttered a word during the night!
When they proceeded to Antipolo, he experienced the
sweetest emotions upon seeing the gay banks of the Pasig
and the towns of Cainta and Taytay. In Antipolo he
prayed, kneeling before the image of the Virgin of Peace
and Good Voyage, of whom he would later sing in
elegant verses. Then he saw Manila, the great
metropolis , with its Chinese sores and European bazaars.
And visited his elder sister, Saturnina, in Santa Ana, who
was a boarding student in the Concordia College.
When he was nine years old, his father sent him to Biñan
to continue studying Latin, because his first teacher had
died. His brother Paciano took him to Biñan one Sunday,
and Jose bade his parents and sisters good-bye with tears
in his eyes. Oh, how it saddened him to leave for the first
time and live far from his home and his family! But he
felt ashamed to cry and had to conceal his tears and
sentiments. "O Shame," he explained, "how many
beautiful and pathetic scenes the world would witness
without thee!"
They arrived at Biñan in the evening. His brother took
him to the house of his aunt where he was to stay, and left
him after introducing him to the teacher. At night, in
company with his aunt’s grandson named Leandro, Jose
took a walk around the town in the light of the moon. To
him the town looked extensive and rich but sad .and ugly.
His teacher in Biñan was a severe disciplinarian. His
name was Justiniano Aquino Cruz. "He was a tall man,
lean and long-necked, with a sharp nose and a body
slightly bent forward. He used to wear a sinamay shirt
woven by the deft hands of Batangas women. He knew
by memory the grammars of Nebrija and Gainza. To this
add a severity which, in my judgement I have made of
him, which is all I remember."
The boy Jose distinguished himself in class, and
succeeded in surpassing many of his older classmates.
Some of these were so wicked that, even without reason,
they accused him before the teacher, for which, in spite of
his progress, he received many whippings and strokes
from the ferule. Rare was the day when he was not
stretched on the bench for a whipping or punished with
five or six blows on the open palm. Jose’s reaction to all
these punishments was one of intense resentment in order
to learn and thus carry out his father’s will.
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Rizal’s Life and Works
BSLM-2A
1ST Semester (Midterms) PREPARED BY: APARTMENT BUDZ
Jose spent his leisure hours with Justiniano’s father-in- He took the entrance examinations at the College of San
law, a master painter. From him he took his first two Juan de Letran which was first wish by his father but change
sons, two nephews, and a grandson. His way life was to Ateneo instead
methodical and well regulated. He heard mass at four if
there was one that early, or studied his lesson at that hour Fr. Magin Fernando refuse to admit him because:
and went to mass afterwards. Returning home, he might
look in the orchard for a mambolo fruit to eat, then he LATE REGISTRATION
took his breakfast, consisting generally of a plate of rice SICKLY AND UNDERSIZED FOR HIS AGE
and two dried sardines.
 Fr. Manuel Xerez-Burgos (nephew of Fr. Burgos)
After that he would go to class, from which he was interceded
dismissed at ten, then home again. He ate with his aunt
and then began at ten, then home again. He ate with his
aunt and then began to study. At half past two he returned
to class and left at five. He might play for a short time His Activities in Ateneo
with some cousins before returning home. He studied his
lessons, drew for a while, and then prayed and if there  Study and reading until 4 p.m.
was a moon, his friends would invite him to play in the  Some of the books read by Rizal:
street in company with other boys.
(1) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
Whenever he remembered his town, he thought with tears
in his eyes of his beloved father, his idolized mother, and (2) Travels in the Philippines by Dr. Feodor (Fyodor) Jagor
his solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet was his town even  4 – 5 exercise
though not so opulent as Biñan! He grew sad and
 5 – 6 social and misc obligations.
thoughtful.

While he was studying in Biñan, he returned to his  1st year in Ateneo

hometown now and then. How long the road seemed to
him in going and how short in coming! When from afar LATIN- Excellent
he descried the roof of his house, secret joy filled his SPANISH- Excellent
breast. How he looked for pretexts to remain longer at GREEK- Excellent
home! A day more seemed to him a day spent in heaven,
and how he wept, though silently and secretly, when he
saw the calesa that was flower that him Biñan! Then  2nd year in Ateneo
everything looked sad; a flower that he touched, a stone
that attracted his attention he gathered, fearful that he Spanish- Excellent
might not see it again upon his return. It was a sad but Greek-Excellent
delicate and quite pain that possessed him WORLD GEOGRAPHY- Excellent

RIZAL IN HIS HIGHER EDUCATION When Rizal Enters Ateneo.

 Returned to Calamba in March 1874 for his

 Rizal took and passed the examination in summer vacation.
COLLEGE OF SAN JUAN DE LETRAN but he  2nd year in Ateneo (1873-1874)
enrolled in ATENEO when he came back to
Received excellent grades and a gold medal.
Manila.
Returned to Calamba in March 1874 for his
Academic Performance in Ateneo summer vacation.
 According to Ambeth Ocampo there were only
twelve students in a class, nine of which, including  3rd year in Ateneo
Jose Rizal, graduated sobresaliente with the same LATIN- Excellent
excellent mark in all their subjects in school year SPANISH- Excellent
1876-77. WORLD HISTORY- Excellent
 At the age of 16 – Rizal graduated with highest HISTORY OF SPAIN & PHIL.- Excellent
honors. He took a post-graduated course there in ARETHMETIC- Excellent
land surveying. ALGEBRA- Excellent
 1877 – completed his surveyor’s training GREEK- Excellent
 May 1878 - passed the licensing exam
 1881 – granted a license in 1881
 4th year in Ateneo
 June 10, 1872-accompanied by Paciano.

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Rizal’s Life and Works
BSLM-2A
1ST Semester (Midterms) PREPARED BY: APARTMENT BUDZ
RHETORIC & POETRY- Excellent Unfortunately, Rizal was not happy at UST and this
FRENCH- Excellent reflected on his grades (Zaide & Zaide, 1999).
GEOMETRIC & TRIGONOMETRY- Excellent
There were three main factors that contributed to his
unhappiness at the university, namely:
 5th Year in Ateneo
1. The Dominican professors were hostile to him.
PHILOSOPHY- Excellent 2. Filipino students suffered discrimination.
PHILOSOPHY 2- Excellent 3. The method of instruction at UST was obsolete and
MINERALOGY & CHEMISTRY- Excellent repressive.
PHYSICS- Excellent
BOTANY & ZOOLOGY- Excellent Likewise, there were three main reasons for his struggling
academic performance (Guerrero, 1998):

Rizal at the University of Santo Tomas 1877-1882
Jose Rizal, having completed his Bachiller en Artes at the
Ateneo Municipal, was now eligible for higher education at
a university. His mother, Doña Teodora, had second
thoughts about sending her son to school because of the
previous incident involving the execution of friars Gomez,
Burgos and Zamora. However, it was Don Francisco who
decided his son should to the University of Santo Tomas, a
prestigious institution run by the Dominican order.
1. Rizal was not satisfied with the system of education at the
university.
2. There were plenty of things to distract a young man in the
peak of his youth.
3. Medicine was not Rizal's true vocation.
He would later find out that his real calling was in the arts,
not in medicine.

Rizal, upon entering the university, was not certain which

course of study he wanted to pursue. The Jesuit priests who
had been his former mentors had advised him to take up
farming, or to join the order and be a man of the cloth.
However, his tastes went towards law, literature, or
medicine. In the end, he decided to sign up for Philosophy
and Letters during his freshman year because of the
following reasons:

1. It was what his father would have wanted for him.

2. He had failed to seek the advice of the rector of the

Ateneo, Father Ramon Pablo.

As part of the course, he had to complete units in the

following subjects:

 Cosmology and Metaphysics

 Theodicy
 History of Philosophy

His report card was very impressive.

Shifting to Medicine
After completing his first year, Rizal decided to take up
medicine as his university course. This change of heart was
due to two factors:

Father Ramon Pablo, rector of the Ateneo, had advised him

to pursue the course.

Rizal's mother had failing eyesight and he thought he owed

it to her to become a doctor and cure her condition.

Rizal's performance at the University of Santo Tomas was

not as excellent as his time at the Ateneo. His grades after
shifting to medicine had suffered as well.