The Study of Rizal

Course: Reverence
without Understanding
Objectives:
1. Understand the concepts about:
• Rizal being a human and a hero
• The patriotic objectives of Rizal Law, and
• Rizal’s ideas as a reply to the challenges of our
millennium.
 For five minutes, reflect on this question and feel free
to share your insights on the question I will post on our
class. (Your answers will serve as your attendance for this
meeting)

WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY THE

LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL?
“ Taking up Rizal course for credits, like reading Shakespeare to
get by in English courses, can be tiresome business for the
youth. If reading and discussing the texts cannot be fun but
boring. Rizal will be nothing more than a label for beds,
matches, cements, and corporations. “

Cristobal, Adrian
Redacting Rizal: 2004
 Rizal: Human and Hero
• Reverence without understanding is for deities, not flesh and
blood heroes like Rizal. Hero-worship must be both historical-
critical.” (Ocampo: 1969)
• We must view Rizal as an evolving personality within an
evolving historical period.
• Rizal was capable of unraveling the myths that were woven
by the oppressors of his time, but he would have been at a loss
to see through the more sophisticated myths and recognize
the subtle techniques of present-day colonialist, given the
state of his knowledge and experience at that time.
 Rizal: Human and Hero
• Many of his social criticisms are still valid today because
certain aspect of out life is still carry-over of the feudal and
colonial society of his time.
• To be able to appreciate a hero for that matter, we must be
able to learn more about him – not merely his acts but the
thoughts behind his acts, his reasons, the situation he found
himself in as well as his motivations.
• “If Rizal is treated like God, he becomes unattainable and his
accomplishments inhuman.” (Cristobal, 2004)
The Patriotic Objectives of Rizal Law
Republic Act 1425, commonly known as the Rizal Law and
authored by Senator Claro M. Recto, was signed by the president
of June 12, 1956. The passing of the Rizal Law gave rise to the
implementation of the Rizal course as a requirement for
graduation in all non-degree and degree courses in the tertiary
education. It requires the curricula of private and public schools,
colleges and universities to include courses on the life, works and
writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo. According to the Official Gazette, the law
was made effective on August 16, 1956.
Particularly the Rizal Law aims to:
a. recognize the relevance of Rizal’s ideals, thoughts,
teachings and life-values to present conditions in the community
and the country and apply them in the solution to day-to-day
situations and problems of contemporary life.
b. develop an understanding and appreciation of the
qualities, behavior, and character of Rizal, as well as his thoughts
and ideas, and thus foster the development of moral character,
personal discipline, citizenship, and vocational efficiency.
c. comply with the patriotic objectives of the Rizal Law given
by the late Senator Jose P. Laurel
 Rizal: An example of Sacrifice
• Our national hero was a man of peace with a vision.
• Rizal suffered as much as his countrymen.
• He was the spark that gave birth to Philippine pride for one’s
country and people.
• Yet all he wanted for his people was that they educate
themselves so that they could stand as free men and face the
world with head held high.
“Whatever our condition might be then, let us love our country
always and let us wish nothing but her welfare. Thus we shall
labor in conformity with the purpose of humanity dictated by
God which is the harmony and universal peace of His creations.”

- Letter of Rizal to Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt

 Rizal: A Modern Day Hero
• According to Nick Joaquin, Rizal was greatly aggrieved by his
physique.
• It is his feelings of inadequacy that made him dynamic and he
continually looked for ways to be better than others.
• Rizal's determination to excel in as many fields as possible was to
show the world that he was capable, that he was as tall as the next
man.
• “There is a need for a rededication to the ideals of freedom and
nationalism for our heroes who lived and died.”
• From a weak, frail child, Jose Rizal rose to become one of the
tallest men in history.
Jose Rizal’s Geneology

Genealogy – study of ancestry and family histories. An expert in this field is

called genealogist.
 BIRTH OF A HERO
• He was born on June 19, 1861, between eleven and twelve in the
evening in Calamba, Laguna.
• Rizal was baptized by Fr. Rufino Collantes on June 22, 1861, while
Fr. Pedro Casanas stood as Rizal’s godfather.
• The delivery was exceedingly difficult and the mother almost died.
Her seemingly miraculous survival was attributed to Our Lady of
Peace and Good Voyage.
• He was named “Jose” by his pious mother, in honor of St. Joseph.
• His full name is Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda.
One of Rizal’s most
famous photos Rizal as a young man

The 11-year old Rizal

 CHINESE ANCESTRY
• Rizal’s paternal ancestor, Domingo Lam-Co, was a native of the Chinchew
district in China.
• He was baptized in the Parian Church of San Gabriel on a Sunday in June
1697.
• Siang-co and Zun-nio was the name of his parents.
• Lam Co took the name Domingo, the Spanish term for Sunday.
• He was married to Inez dela Rosa, who was half of his age.
• Her father was Agustin Chinco, also a Chinese chinchew and married to
Jacinta Rafaela, a Chinese meztiso in Parian.
• They have six children named Magdalena Vergara, Josepha, Cristoval de la
Trinidad, Juan Batista, Francisco Hong-Sun, Inez dela Rosa.
 PATERNAL SIDE
• Domingo Lamco
Rizal’s great-great-grandfather, a Chinese immigrant from
Chiangchow who arrived in Manila in about 1690 who married
Ines dela Rosa. They took the surname “Mercado” in 1731.
• Francisco Mercado
– Son of Domingo and Ines
– Rizal’s great-grandfather
– Married Cirila Bernacha
– Resided in Biñan, Laguna
– Was elected gobernadorcillo of Biñan
 PATERNAL SIDE
• Juan Mercado
– Son of Francisco and Cirila
– Rizal’s grandfather
– Married Cirila Alejandro
– Was also elected gobernadorcillo of Biñan
– Had thirteen children
• Francisco Mercado
– Youngest son of Juan and Cirila
– Rizal’s father
– Lost his father at the age of 8
– Married Teodora
– Settled in Calamba, Laguna
– Engaged in farming and business
 MATERNAL SIDE
• Lakandula
– last king of Tondo
• Eugenio Ursua
– Teodora’s great-grandfather and was of Japanese ancestry
– Married to Benigna (a Filipina)
• Regina Ursua
– Daughter of Eugenio and Benigna who married Atty. Manuel de Quintos
• Brigida de Quintos
– Daughter of Regina and Atty. Quintos who married Alberto Alonso and
had five children
Francisco Mercado Rizal
• Youngest son of Juan and Cirila
• Rizal’s father
• Born on May 11, 1818
• Lost his father at the age of 8
• Married Teodora
• Settled in Calamba, Laguna
• Died on January 5, 1898 at the age
of 80
Teodora Alonzo Realonda
• Rizal’s mother
• Born on November 8, 1826
• Studied at the College of Santa Rosa
• Died on August 16, 1911 at the age of 84
• One of the most highly educated women
in the Philippines.
• A gifted woman with insights into
literature, arts, music, and other forms of
Philippine culture.
• A fine mathematician, gourmet cook,
interior decorator, and collector of fine
books.
Saturnina (1850 – 1913) “Neneng”
• Eldest of the Rizal children and
married to Manuel Timoteo
Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas.
• Have 5 children.
• She published Pascual H. Poblete’s
translation of the Noli Me Tangere
Paciano (1851 – 1930)
• 79 years old and was the oldest boy
in the family.
• He joined the revolutionary army
and rose to the rank of Major
General.
• He learned English through self-
study and his favorite periodical
was Philippine free Press.
• He was with Severina Decena
Narcisa (1852 – 1939) “Sisa”
• Married to Antonio Lopez, a
schoolmaster from Morong.
• It is said that Sisa could recite
from memory all the poems of
Rizal.
• Her son Leoncio, a physician and
professor at the College of
Medicine, UST.
Olympia (1855 – 1887) “Ypia”
• Married to Silvestre Ubaldo, a
telegraph operator in Manila.
• Died in 1887 from childbirth
• Her son Aristeo, a retired
physician and professor at the
Philippine General Hospital and
the College of Medicine, UP.
Lucia (1857 – 1919)
• Married to Mariano Herbosa of
Calamba, a farmer and nephew of Fr.
Pedro Casanas.
• Mariano died of cholera in 1889 and
was denied a Christian burial, because
he was a brother-in-law of Jose Rizal.
• One of the daughter Delfina who
helped Mrs. Marcela Agoncillo make
the first Filipino flag in Hongkong.
Maria (1859 – 1945) “Biang”
• Married Daniel Faustino Cruz of
Binan, Laguna.
• Mauricio was one of the children of
Maria and Faustino who killed by
the Japanese in 1945.
• Gemma Cruz, the first Filipina to
bring home an international
beauty title is a descendant family
of Rizal.
Jose (1861 – 1896) “Pepe”
• Second son and seventh child.
• He became the national hero.
• He married to Josephine Bracken,
a pretty Irish from Hongkong.
Concepcion (1862 – 1865) “Concha”
• She died at the age of three.

Josefa (1865 – 1945) “Panggoy”

• Epileptic
• Died a spinster
Trinidad (1868 – 1951) “Trining”
• She did not marry.
• The last of the family died at the
age of 83.
Soledad (1870 – 1929) “Choleng”
• She married to Pantaleon
Quintero of Calamba.
• She studied at La Concordia
College where she and Leonor
Rivera were classmates.
• One of the five children of Soledad
and Pantaleon is Amelia, married
to Bernabe Malvar, son of General
Miguel Malvar
 The Royal Decree of 1849: The
Claveria List
• In 1731, Domingo Lamco adopted the surname “Mercado” (market).
• In 1849, Gov. Gen. Claveria ordered all Filipinos to adopt Spanish surnames.
• Francisco adopted the surname “Rizal” that was suggested by the provincial
governor, who was a family friend.
• The list of produced and approved family names can be referred from the “Catalogo
Alfabetico de Apellidos”.
The Rizal Surname
• Originally “Ricial”
• In Spanish, it means “green fields”
• Prophetic according to Leon Ma. Guerrero: “a field where wheat, cut while still in
green, sprouts again.”
• Only Jose used the surname Rizal until 1891
Jose Rizal’s
Childhood
 Rizal’s Early Childhood Memories
• The first memory of Rizal, in his infancy, was his happy days in the
family garden.
• Because he was frail, sickly, and undersized child, he was given the
most tender care by his parents.
• His father built a nipa cottage in the garden for him to play in the
daytime.
• Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus prayer.
• By nightfall, Rizal related, his mother gathered all the children at the
house to pray the Angelus.
• With nostalgic feeling, he also remembered the happy moonlit nights
at the azotea after the rosary.
 The Hero’s First Sorrow
• The Rizal children were bound together by the ties of love and
companionship. Their parents taught them to love one another, to behave
properly in front of elders, to be truthful and religious, and to help one
another.
• They affectionately called their father Tatay, and mother Nanay.
• Jose was jokingly called Ute by his brother and sisters. The people in
Calamba knew him as Pepe or Pepito.
• Of his sisters, Jose loved most little Concha (Concepcion). He was one year
older than Concha. He played with her, and from her, he learned the
sweetness of brotherly love. Unfortunately, Concha died of sickness in
1865 when he was 3 years old
• Jose, who was very fond of her, cried bitterly to lose her.
 First Education from Mother
• Jose’s first teacher was his mother.
• At the age of 3, Jose learned the alphabet and prayers from her.
• Seeing Rizal had a talent for poetry, she encouraged him to write
poems. She gave her all her love and all that she learned in college.
 The Story of the Moth
• Of the story told by Dona
Teodora to Jose, it was that of
the young moth made the
profoundest impression on
him.
• The tragic fate of the young
moth, which died a martyr to
its illusions, left a deep
impress on Rizal’s mind.
 Rizal’s Three Uncles
• There were 3 uncles, brothers of his mother, who played a great part in
the early education of Rizal.
• Uncle Gregorio was a lover of books. He instilled into the mind of his
nephew a great love for books. He taught him to work hard, to think for
himself, and to observe life keenly.
• Uncle Jose, who had been educated at Calcutta, India, was the youngest
brother of Dona Teodora. He encouraged his nephew to paint, sketch,
and sculpture.
• Uncle Manuel was a big, strong, and husky man. He looked after the
physical training of his sickly and weak nephew. He encourage Rizal to
learn swimming, fencing, wrestling, and other sports, so that in later
years Rizal’s frail body acquired agility, endurance, and strength.
A Group of Sketches by Rizal
 Artistic Talents
• Since early childhood Rizal revealed
his God-given talents for the arts.
• He drew sketches and pictures on his
books of his sisters, for which reason
he was scolded by his mother. He
carved figures of animals and persons
out of wood. Even before he learned
to read, he could already sketch
pictures of birds, flowers, fruits,
rivers, mountains, animals and
persons.
 Artistic Talents
• He loved to ride on a spirited pony (
which his father bought for him) or take
long walks in the meadows for him) or
take long walks in the meadows and
lakeshore with his big black dog named
Usman.
• At one time, his sisters teased him: “Ute,
what are you doing with so many
statuettes?” He replied:
“ Don’t you know that people will erect
monument and statues in my honor for
the future?”
 Rizal’s Early Writings
• In 1868, before he was eight years old, he wrote a Tagalog drama. This
drama was stages in Calamba in connection with the town fiesta.
• At an early age when children usually begin to learn ABC, he was already
writing poems.
• The first known poem that he wrote was a Tagalog poem entitled Sa Aking
Mga Kababata (To My Fellow Children).
• His mother was a strong influence upon his education and helped develop
his early interest in poetry, music, and European literature.
• Readings in Tagalog poetry and daily assignments in Philippine History by
his mother inculcated in him a sense of the Filipino culture.
• Rizal’s deep love for his mother was expressed in the poem “Mother’s
Birthday”
 Influences on Hero’s Boyhood
Hereditary Influence
• According to biological science there are inherent qualities which a
person inherits from ancestors and parents.
• From Malayan ancestors, Rizal evidently, inherited his love for
freedom, his innate desire to travel and his indomitable courage.
• From Spanish ancestors he got his elegance of bearing, sensitivity to
insult and gallantry to ladies.
• From his father he inherited a profound sense of self-respect, the love
for work and the habit of independent thinking.
• And from his mother his religious nature, the spirit of self-sacrifice and
the passion for arts and literature.
Environmental Influence
• According to psychologist, environment as well as heredity affects
the nature of a person. It includes places, associates and events.
• The beautiful scenic of Calamba and the beautiful garden of the
Rizal family stimulated the inborn artistic and literary talents of
Jose Rizal.
• The religious atmosphere at his home fortified his religious
nature.
• His brother Paciano instilled in his mind the love for freedom
and justice.
• From sisters he learned to be courteous and kind to women.
• The fairy tales told by his aya awakened his interest in folklore
and legends.
• Father Leoncio Lopez a parish priest in Calamba fostered
Rizal’s love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.
• The sorrows in his family such as death of Concha in 1865
and the imprisonment of his mother in 187-74 contributed to
strengthen his character, enabling him to resist blows
adversity in later years.
• The Spanish abuses and cruelties which he witnessed in his
boyhood such as brutal acts if the lieutenant of the Guardia
Civil and the alcalde, the unjust tortures inflicted on innocent
Filipinos and the execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos and
Zamora in 1872 awakened his spirit of patriotism and
inspired him to consecrate his life and talents to redeem his
oppressed people.
. “Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times
when the ‘hero’ within us is revealed”

- Bob Riley

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