LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
THE STUDY OF RIZAL IN HISTORICAL AND
CRITICAL APPROACH
 The teaching of Jose Rizal‘s life, works, and writings is
mandated by Republic Act 1425, otherwise known as the
Rizal Law. Senator Jose P. Laurel, the person who
sponsored the said law, said that since Rizal was the
founder of Philippine nationalism and has contributed
much to the current standing of this nation, it is only right
that the youth as well as all the people in the country know
about and learn to imbibe the great ideals for which he died.
 The Rizal Law, enacted in 1956, seeks to accomplish the
following goals:
 To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of
freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes
lived and died
 To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting
his life and works in shaping the Filipino character
 To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through
the study of Rizal‘s life, works, and writings.
19th CENTURY PHILIPPINES AS RIZAL’S CONTEXT
POLITICAL CONTEXT – the struggle of nationalism
a. The French Revolution
b. American Civil War
 CONSERVATISM VS. LIBERALISM – in Spain there
was the split among the intellectuals into the irreconcilable
camps, the Conversatives and the Liberals, neither of
which advantage adequate practical solutions to end all
strives.
 FRAILOCRACY – rule of the friars
Political Structure During Spanish Colonial Period
ECONOMIC CONTEXT
Industrialization – this generally applied to the extraordinary
transformation in the method of: production, transportation, and
communication through the substitution of the manual labor to
machine.
1. ENCOMIENDA TO HACIENDA – encomienda
and hacienda systems. Labor systems developed by
Spain granting large amount of land to settlers in the
Americas and claiming ownership of all of the
resources and of the natives. The encomienda and
hacienda systems developed an exchange among the
natives for work in return of protection and education.
2. GALLEON TRADE
 Manila - Acapulo Galleon Trade- was the main
source of income for the colony during its early
years. Service was inaugurated in 1565 and
continued into the early 19th century.
 The Galleon trade brought silver from New Spain
and silk from China by way of Manila. This way,
the Philippines earned its income through buy and
sell – that is, they bought American silver for
resale to China.
3. INDULTO DE COMERCIO – privilege of
provincial governors to engage in and monopolize
trade.
 Forced Labor (Polo y servicio)- Is the forced
labor for 40 days of men ranging from 16-60 years
of age who were obligated to give personal
services to community projects. One could be
exempted from polo y servicio by paying the falla,
a daily fine of one and a half real.
 In 1884, labor was reduced to 15 days. The polo
system was patterned after the Mexican
repartimento, selection of forced labor.
 Taxation – to support the colony, several forms
of taxes and monopolies were imposed.
 Direct: the tithe is the payment of the 10% of an
individual’s annual income to the government.
The sanctorum is the tax being paid as support to
the church, the tribute(buwis) is the tax or rent
given to the landlord a resident is under. It may be
in cash or in kind (tobacco, chickens, produce,
gold, blankets, cotton, rice, etc. depending on the
region of the country), fixed at 8 reals and later
increased to 15 reals.
SOCIOCULTURAL CONTEXT – related to the different
groups of people in society and their habits, traditions, and
beliefs.
Philippine Educational System During Spanish Time
 1855 - the year Spain realized the need of establishing
a system of public education for the indios.
- this was also the year that Gov. Gen Crespo
organized a Commission and recommended
remedial measures to improve elementary
education.
 1861 – the year Commission completed its report and
forwarded it to Spain.
 1863 – the year that the Educational Decree of 1863
was issued.
Provisions f Educational Decree of 1863
1. Establishments of Teacher Training School.
2. Government supervises the public school system.
3. Use of Spanish as medium of instruction in all schools.
4. Establishment of one primary schools for boys and for
girls in each of major town.
Defects of Educational System During Spanish Time
1. Emphasis on Religion
 Fear of God was emphasized.
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
 Obedience to friars was instilled in the mind of the
people.
 Indios were constantly reminded that they have
inferior intelligence and were fit for manual labor
only.
 Will of God was also emphasized.
2. Absence of Academic Freedom
 Most schools were not opened to the natives.
 Students were not allowed to express their
opinion.
3. Racial Discrimination
 prior to educational decree of 1863, the schools
were not opened to the natives.
 Spaniards hesitated to consider the indios as
educable as themselves.
4. Limited curriculum
 Education was limited to the 3Rs, that is, Reading,
Writing and Arithmetic
The Philippines of Rizal’s Time
During the time of Rizal, the sinister shadow of Spain’s
decadence darkened the Philippine skies. The Filipino agonized
beneath the yoke of Spanish misrule, for they were unfortunate
victims of the evils of an unjust, bigoted, and deteriorating
colonial power. Among these evils were as follows:
a. Evil of the Unjust Colonial Power – instability of
colonial administration
b. Corrupt Officialdom
c. No Philippine representation in the Spain Cortes
d. Human Rights Denied to Filipinos
e. No Equality Before the Law
f. Maladministration of JusticeP
g. Racial Discrimination
h. Frailocracy
i. Forced Labor or “Polo Y Servicios’
j. Haciendas Owned by the Friars
k. The Guardia Civil
JOSE RIZAL’S GENEALOGY AND EARLY
EDUCATION
The Martyr-national hero of the Philippines, Jose Protacio
Realonda Alonso Mercado Rizal, known to a child of a
good family‖ was born on June 19, 1861 between eleven
o‘clock and twelve o‘clock at night, a few days before the
full moon in Calamba, on the southwest shore of the
picturesque Laguna de Bay some forty miles south of
Manila.
Domingo Lam-Co; the family‘s paternal ascendant was
full-blooded Chinese who migrated to the Philippines from
Amoy, China in the late 17th Century. There were also
traces of Japanese, Spanish, Malay and some Negro
ancestry in the grandmother, Domingo Lam-Co‘s wife,
Ines de la Rosa.
Mercado was used for trader
Francisco Mercado was born in Biňan and lived to be
eighty years old, the youngest in the family of thirteen
siblings: men and six women, alternating in the following
order: Petrona, Gabino, Potenciana, Leoncio, Tomasa,
Casimiro, Basilisa, Gabriel, Fausta, Julian, Cornelio,
Gregorio, and Francisco.
Parents of the thirteen siblings were Captain Juan
Mercado, who had been the Gobernadorcillo or Mayor of
Biňan, and Cirala Alejandra, daughter of Maria Guiňo.
Juan Mercado was the order of the two brothers- Juan and
Clemente- sons of Francisco Mercado and Bernarda
Monicha.
The hero‘s father was named Francisco in memory of his
grandfather.
The name Francisco was a name held in high honor in
Laguna for it had belonged to a famous sea captain who
had been given the ENCONMIENDA OF BAY for his
services and had won the regard of those who paid tribute
to him because of his fairness and interest in their welfare.
Mrs. Teodora Alonso, mother of Jose Rizal, was a second
among the children ( Narcisa, Teodora, Gregorio, Manuel
and Jose) of Mrs. Brigida de Quintos, daughter of Mr.
Manuel De Quintos of a well-known family in Pangasinan
and Regina Ursua of the Ursua family.
The Name
Jose Protacio Realonda Alonso Rizal Mercado,
 Jose- was chosen by his mother who was devotee of
the Christian saint San Jose (St.Joseph)
 Protacio- was taken from St. Protacio, who were very
properly was a martyr. That a Filipino priest baptized
him and a secular Archbishop confirmed him seem
fitting.
 Rizal- the name was adapted in 1850 by authority of
the Royal Decree of 1849, upon the order of Governor
Narciso Claveria. Rizal was a shortened form of
Spanish word for ―second crop,‖ seemed suited to a
family of farmers who were making a second start in a
new home.
 Alonzo-old surname of his mother·
 Y-and-Realonda- it was used by Doña Teodora from
the surname of her godmother based on the culture by
that time
 Mercado- adopted in 1731 by Domigo Lamco (the
paternal great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal) which
the Spanish term mercado means ‗market‘ in English
The Parents
FRANCISCO MERCADO (1818-1898)
 Father of Jose Rizal who was the youngest of
13 offsprings of Juan and Cirila Mercado.
Born in Biñan, Laguna on April 18, 1818;
studied in San Jose College, Manila; and died
in Manila.
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
TEODORA ALONSO (1827-1913)
 Mother of Jose Rizal who was the second
child of Lorenzo Alonso and Brijida de
Quintos. She studied at the Colegio de Santa
Rosa. She was a business-minded woman,
courteous, religious, hard-working and well-
read. She was born in Santa Cruz, Manila on
November 14, 1827 and in 1913 in Manila.
The Siblings
Jose was the seventh of eleven children; the younger
of two boys.
1. SATURNINA RIZAL (1850-1913)
 Eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo marriage.
Married Manuel Timoteo Hidalgo of
Tanauan, Batangas.
2. PACIANO RIZAL (1851-1930)
 Only brother of Jose Rizal and the second
child. Studied at San Jose College in Manila;
became a farmer and later a general of the
Philippine Revolution.
3. NARCISA RIZAL (1852-1939)
 The third child. married Antonio Lopez at
Morong, Rizal; a teacher and musician.
4. OLYMPIA RIZAL (1855-1887)
 The fourth child. Married Silvestre Ubaldo;
died in 1887 from childbirth.
5. LUCIA RIZAL (1857-1919)
 The fifth child. Married Matriano Herbosa.
6. MARIA RIZAL (1859-1945)
 The sixth child. Married Daniel Faustino
Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
7. JOSE RIZAL (1861-1896)
 The second son and the seventh child. He was
executed by the Spaniards on December
30,1896.
8. CONCEPCION RIZAL (1862-1865)
 The eight child. Died at the age of three.
9. JOSEFA RIZAL (1865-1945)
 The ninth child. An epileptic, died a spinster.
10. TRINIDAD RIZAL (1868-1951)
 The tenth child. Died a spinster and the last
of the family to die.
11. SOLEDAD RIZAL (1870-1929)
 The youngest child married Pantaleon
Quintero
Early Education
 Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. It was
a typical schooling that a son 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.
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 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.
The Inspiration of the parable of the Moth
 The parable told that the young moth was attracted to
the flame, and thought that it could conquer it, it
pushed itself to the burning flame and got burned. The
moth died a martyr in its own illusion, he truly thought
he conquered the burning flame, but it was not.
 At the young age, Rizal gained inspiration from the
parable, that it is not impossible to conquer
insurmountable odds and be martyr in reality but never
in illusion. This was what he did as he grew in age and
in wisdom.
JOSE RIZAL: HIS EDUCATION AND CAREER
Rizal’s Formative Years in Ateneo and Scholastic Records
The role of the Jesuits in Philippine education is very
important. After they were expelled from the
archipelago in 1768, the order remained dormant until
members returned in 1859. When the Jesuits re-
emerged to convert the Mindanao population, they
were also asked to take charge of the Ateneo School.
By 1865, Ateneo was a secondary school that offered
rigorous courses almost equivalent to college
academics. Ateneo was considered the finest school in
the Phlippines because of the rigorous intellectual
standards of the Jesuits.
It was Father Sanchez who recognized Rizal‘s talent
as a poet and encouraged him to practice this craft.
Rizal‘s student poems are impressionistic and
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
amateurish, but they contain the seeds of his future 1. 3 May 1882
nationalism. Rizal left Philippines for the first time Spain. He
boarded the Salvadora using a passport of Jose
College Life in Unibersidad de Santo Tomas Mercado, which was procured for him by his uncle
After Ateneo, Rizal enrolled at the University of Sto Antonio Rivera, father of Leonor Rivera. He was
Tomas, a Dominican school. This University of Sto accompanied to the quay where the Salvadora was
Tomas that Rizal continued to create his vision of moored by his uncle Antonio, Vicente Gella, and
Philippine nationalism. Mateo Evangelista.
Rizal, upon entering the university, was not certain 2. 4 May 1882
which course of study he wanted to pursue. The Jesuit He got seasick on board the boat.
priests who had been his former mentors had advised 3. 5 May1882
him to take up farming, or to join the order and be a He conversed with the passengers of the ship; he was
man of the cloth. However, his tastes went towards still feeling sea-sick.
law, literature, or medicine. In the end, he decided to 4. 6 May 1882
sign up for Philosophy and Letters during his freshman He played chess with the passengers on board.
year because of the following reasons: 5. 8 May 1882
a. It was what his father would have wanted for He saw mountains and Islands.
him. 6. 9 May 1882
b. He had failed to seek the advice of the rector Rizal arrived at Singapore.
of the Ateneo, Father Ramon Pablo.
As part of the course, he had to complete units in the following 7. 10 May 1882
subjects: He went around the town of Singapore and maid some
 Cosmology and Metaphysics observations.
 Theodicy 8. 11 May 1882
 History of Philosophy In Singapore, at 2 p.m., Rizal boarded the boat
After completing his first year, Rizal decided to take up Djemnah to continue his trip to Spain. He found the
medicine as his university course. This change of heart was due boat clean and well kept.
to two factors: 9. 12 May 1882
1. Father Ramon Pablo, rector of the Ateneo, had advised He had a conversation with the passengers of the boat.
him to pursue the course. 10. 13 May 1882
2. Rizal's mother had failing eyesight and he thought he Rizal was seasick again.
owed it to her to become a doctor and cure her 11. 14 May 1882
condition. On his way to Marseilles, Rizal had a terrible dream.
Rizal's performance at the University of Santo Tomas was not He dreamed he was traveling with Neneng (Saturnina)
as excellent as his time at the Ateneo. His grades after shifting and their path was blocked by snakes.
to medicine had suffered as well 12. May 15 1882
Rizal had another disheartening dream. He dreamed he
Unfortunately, Rizal was not happy at UST and this reflected returned to Calamba and after meeting his parents who
on his grades (Zaide & Zaide, 1999). There were three main did not talk to him because of not having consulted
factors that contributed to his unhappiness at the university, them about his first trip abroad, he returned traveling
namely: abroad with one hundred pesos he again borrowed. He
1. The Dominican professors were hostile to him. was so sad and broken hearted. Soon he woke up and
2. Filipino students suffered discrimination. found himself inside his cabin.
3. The method of instruction at UST was obsolete and 13. 17 May 1882
repressive. Rizal arrived at Punta de Gales.
Likewise, there were three main reasons for his struggling 14. 18 May 1882
academic performance (Guerrero, 1998): At 7:30 a.m., he left Punta de Gales for Colombo. In
1. Rizal was not satisfied with the system of education at the afternoon, Rizal arrived at Colombo and in the
the university. evening the trip was resumed.
2. There were plenty of things to distract a young man in 15. 26 May 1882
the peak of his youth. Rizal was nearing the African coast
3. Medicine was not Rizal's true vocation. 16. 27 May 1882
He landed at Aden at about 8:30 a.m. He made
JOSE RIZAL'S TRAVELS ABROAD observation at the time.
17. 2 June 1882
Rizal's First Trip Abroad He arrived at the Suez Canal en route to Marseilles.
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
18. 3 June 1882
He was quarantined on board the Djemnah in the Suez
Canal.
19. 6 June 1882
It was the fourth day at Suez Canal and was still
quarantined on board of the boat.
20. 7 June 1882
Rizal arrived at Port Said. In a letter to his parents, He
described his trip en route to Aden along the Suez
Canal.
21. 11 June 1882
Rizal disembarked and, accompanied by a guide, went
around the City of Naples for one hour. This was the
first European ground he set foot on.
22. 12 June 1882
At ten o’clock in the evening, the boat anchored at
Marseilles. He sleptn board.
23. 13 June 1882
Early on the morning he landed at Marseilles and
boarded at the Noalles Hotel. Later he around for
observation.
24. 14 June 1882
His second in Marseilles.
25. 15 June 1882
He left Marseilles for Barcelona in an express train.
Rizal’s Second Travel Abroad
In Hong Kong and Macao
 On Feb 3, 1888, after a short stay of 6 months in his
beloved Calamba, Rizal left Philippines.
 Half-sick and Disillusion.
 Zafiro - The steamer he rode on.
 The vessel arrived in Amoy (Xiamen), china but Rizal
did not land Because of his frail health, the City ‘s
rainy weather and the report that the city was dirty.
 While in HongKong he met Jose Ma Basa, Balbino
Maurico, and Manuel Yrairte who were farmer exiles
from the Philippines.
 Rizal and Basa went to Macau, rode on a vessel called
Kiu-Kiang.
 During Rizal's two weeks’ vacation in Hong Kong,
 He studied Chinese life and observe the following.
1. The Chinese new year.
2. Chinese theaters.
3. The Marathon Lauriat at Party.
4. The richest religious group in Hong Kong are the
Dominican Order
5. The cemeteries in Hong Kong.
 Oceanic - an American vessel
JAPAN
 Rizal arrived at Yokohama
 He stayed at Grand Hotel
 The next day he went to Tokyo and stay there for 3
days.
 Later he moved over to the Spanish Legation on
invitation of its secretary, Juan Perez Caballero.
 He accepted the invitational since staying with the
Spaniards would save him money and he believed that
he had nothing to hide from them.
 Rizal was impressed of Japan's Culture
 Few beggars on the streets; few Thieves
 Clean houses
 Japanese are Happy and Industrious.
 Rizal took time to learn the language and customs of
Japan.
 He was embarrassed, because he looks like Japanese
but could not speak Japanese.
Seiko Usui or Osei-san
Rizal's love interest in Japan.
For 45 days he stayed in Japan.
Rizal left yokohama on April 13, 1888 on board the
steamer
BELGIC bound for USA.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
 Rizal boarded the English vessel Belgic on April 18,
1888.
 Rizal reached San Francisco. Dubbed American as “A
motherland for the poor who wish to work”. And
America is the land Par Excellence of Freedom but
only for the whites.
 They experienced discrimination in America upon
arrival with the Chinese passengers.
 Rizal arrived New York on May 13 and he called New
York
 The Big Town
Rizal's Impression about America
Positive
America is a land of great opportunity especially for
the immigrants
It has a large farms and factories
It has a high standard of living
Negative
Racial Discrimination
He left New York on May 1888 - March 1889
LONDON
He lived in London from May 1888-March 1889 for 3 Reasons:
1. To improve his knowledge on English.
2. To study Dr. Antonio de Morga's SUCESOS DE
LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS (Historical Events of the
Philippines Islands), with found in the British
Museum.
3. London was safe from Spaniards.
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
 He worked in the British Museum Library, studied,
copied and published Morgan's book.
 He stayed as a guest of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor.
 By May, He moved to a boarding house owned by the
Beckett family.
 Because he was on excellent linguist, he became
friends with Dr. Reinhold Rost, A Sanskrit scholar of
that century.
 Rost was impressed with his manners and called him
“UNA PERLA DE HOMBRE” or pearl of a Man.
ENGLAND (UNITED KINGDOM)
 May 16, 1888 – He arrived at Liver pool, England and
boarded at the Adelphi Hotel.
 In London, he published the second edition of the Noli
Me Tangere.
BELGIUM
 February 12, 1890 – he arrived at Brussels, Belgium.
 September 25, 1891 – Valen Ventura sent Rizal in
Ghent, Belgium 200 frames for the publications
expenses of the Fill.
FRANCE
 February 11, 1891 – Rizal finished writings his book
El Filibusterismo in Biarritz, France.
News from Calamba
 Persecution of Calamba Tenants
 Manuel Hidalgo, Saturnina’s husband was exiled in
Bohol.
 Laureano Viado, was arrested for possessing copies of
Noli.
 Rev. Vicente Garcia’s favorable defense of the Noli
 Reformists in Barcelona
Foundation of the ASSOCIATION LA SOLIDARIDAD
 Pres: Galiciano Apacible
 Vice Pres: Graciano Lopez Jaena
 Honorary Pres: Jose Rizal
 Graciano Lopez Jaena founded the newspaper LA
SOLIDADRIDAD
 Rizal first article: LOS AGRICULTORES
FILIPINOS (The Filipino Farmers) Pen names:
Dimasalang, Laong Laan
 He wrote a pamphlet against Jose Rodriguez
“LAVISION DEL FRAY Rodriguez” Letter to the
young women of Malolos.
Rizal’s Third Trip
FRANCE
 October 17, 1891 – Rizal arrived at Marseilles with
boxes of Morga and Fili.
HONG KONG
 October 18, 1891 – Rizal arrived Hong Kong boarded
the Melbourne.
 Rizal sent to Manuel Camus in Singapore 20 copies of
the Fili and he gave Camus 25% commission for the
books sold.
Last Homecoming (1892 -1896)
1. June 26, 1892 – Rizal arrived in the Philippines from
Hong Kong boarded the boat Don Juan.
2. Rizal firmly believed that the fight for Filipino
liberties had assumed a new phase: it must be fought
in the Phil. No in Spain.
3. July 3, 1892 – Rizal founded the La Liya Filipina in
Calle Ilaya, Tondo.
4. July 7, 1892 – Despujol released his gubernational
decree ordering the deportation of Jose Rizal to
Dapitan.
5. June 15, 1892 – Rizal began his exile in lonely Dapitan
for his last 4 years.
EXILE, TRIAL, AND DEATH
 As soon as Rizal arrived in Manila on June 26,1892,
he was welcomed by Apolinario Mabini, Andres
Bonifacio, Ambrosio Salvador, Pedro Serrano Laktaw,
Deodato Arellano, and other patriots, who, altogether
founded La Liga Filipina (The Filipino League). They
wanted to discuss the plan for La Liga Filipina which
was held in a house on Calle Ylaya. That time, Rizal
was able to talk to GovernorGeneral Despujol on July
1892, saying his gratitude for lifting the order of exile
for his sisters.
 Dapitan is a remote town in Mindanao, which served
as an outpost of the Spaniards in the Philippines.
Dapitan became the only witness to Rizal’s fate since
July 1896. During his exile, Rizal became close with
Captain Ricardo Carnicero for allowing him to roam
the place on the condition that Rizal will relay his
activities in his office once a week. In Dapitan, he
continued his medicine, research and continued his
talent in sculpture, painting, sketching and poetry
writing. He put up a school for boys and introduced
projects for the community. As a gift to Captain
Carnicero, Rizal wrote a poem entitled, “A Don
Ricardo Carnicero” on August 26, 1892.
 Rizal helped the people of Dapitan with their
livelihood — he did farming and business and even
invented a wooden equipment in making bricks. On
September 21, 1892, Rizal together with Carnicero
and another Spaniard, won a lottery ticket. The amount
given to him as his share was P6,200. Part of his share
was used to buy a land in Talisay. He built a house, a
clinic and a school within the area. He sent letters to
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
Blumentritt, narrating his daily activities in Dapitan:
He wrote poems, performed operation on his mother’s
eyes, and studied on medicinal plants of Dapitan to be
prescribed to his patients.
 That time, Rizal had been known to be one of the best
ophthalmologist. Upon hearing this, George Tauffer
who had an eye ailment, together with her adopted
daughter, Josephine Bracken, traveled from Hong
Kong to Dapitan. Rizal developed an attraction with
Josephine and soon, they became husband and wife
even if it was against Father Obach and both their
relatives.
 When revolution commenced in Manila in 1896, Dr.
Pio Valenzuela together with Raymundo Mata, a blind
man, visited Rizal in Dapitan to narrate to him the
founding of Katipunan and its plan for revolution. For
awhile, Rizal sent letters to Governor General Ramon
Blanco from 1894 to 1895. He wanted his case be
reviewed so Blumentriit proposed that Rizal may offer
his services as a surgeon to the Spanish government in
Cuba to end his exile. That time, Cuba was also a
colony of Spain and was raged by a yellow-fever
epidemic. On July 30,1896, Governor-General Ramon
Blanco granted Rizal’s request to go to Cuba. Rizal left
Manila, embarked the steamer España and on
September 3, 1896 he went to Barcelona boarded the
steamer Isla de Panay. When he arrived at the port,
Governor-General Despujol told Rizal that there was a
command to return him back to Manila. Rizal was
arrested while on his trip at the Mediterranean Sea. He
was put into prison in Barcelona, Spain and was
brought back to the Philippines. Safely guarded while
on the way from Barcelona to Manila, Rizal reached
the capital on November 3,1896 and was soon brought
to be imprisoned at Fort Santiago.
Trial and Death of Rizal
Note that Rizal cited twelve points to prove his innocence:
1. Rizal was against rebellion as testified by Pio
Valenzuela.
2. No letter consisting of revolutionary elements was
addressed to the Katipunan was written
3. Without his consent, the Katipunan used his name as
one of the passwords.
4. If he was guilty, he could have left the country while
in exile; he would not have built a home, and would
not have bought a parcel of alnd to put up a hospital in
Dapitan.
5. The revolutionists could have consulted him if he was
the leader.
6. He did not deny that he wrote the by-laws of the Liga
Filipina, but to make things clear, it is a different
organization from Katipunan. The former being a civic
association and the latter being a revolutionary society.
7. After the first meeting of the Liga, the association
banished because of his exile in Dapitan and it did not
last long.
8. He had no idea, that the Liga was reorganized nine
months after.
9. If the Liga had a revolutionary purpose, then
Katipunan should not have been founded.
10. If the Spanish authorities found his letters offending, it
was because in 1890, his family has been persecuted.
11. He lived a good life in Dapitan – the politico military
commander and missionary priest in the province
could attest to it.
12. The witnesses said that if the speech delivered at
Doroteo Ongjunco’s house had inspired the
revolution, he should be given a chance to confront
these persons. If he was in the revolution, the
Katipunan should not have sent an unfamiliar emissary
to him in Dapitan. For this, his friends knew that he
never promoted violence
Rizal’s Remaining Days and The Last Farewell
 When Rizal heard the court decision, he knew that
there will be no chance of changing his fate. At six o’
clock in the morning of December 29, 1896, Captain
Rafael Dominguez, read him the official notice of his
execution. Rizal spent his last hours by going to the
prison chapel. His mother and sisters visited him on
the same day. He then gave them his remaining
possessions, reached out for the gas lamp and gave it
to his sister, Trinidad and carefully whispered,
“There is something inside.” Then Trinidad and his
sister Maria got a copy of Rizal’s last poem from the
lamp. Unfortunately, it was said that on his last days
that Rizal was not allowed to embrace his mother.
 He took time to write his last letter to his best friend
Bluementrit. The last poem he composed was the
longest he ever written, it was entitled “Mi Ultimo
Adios” or My Last Farewell.
 Wearing a black suit, black pants, black bowler hat,
and white shirt with his arms tied behind his back,
Rizal walked to Bagumbayan at 6:30 in the morning
of December 30, 1896. He walked along with his
defense lawyer, Andrade, and two Jesuit priests,
March and Vilaclara. In front of them were the
advance guard of armed soldiers and behind them were
another group of military men. The sound of a trumpet
signaled the start of the death march and the muffled
sound of drums served as the musical score of the
walk.
 Before leaving Rizal in his appointed place, the priests
offered him a crucifix to kiss “but he turned his head
away and silently prepared for his death. When the
command had been given, the executioners’ guns
barked at once. Rizal yelled Christ’s two words,
“Consummatum est!” (It is finished!) simultaneously
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
with his final effort to twist his bullet-pieced body
halfway around.
 Silence was all over. Unfortunately, the Captain did
not keep his words about the request made by Rizal of
not shooting his head, but one of his men came near to
the body and gave Rizal “tira de gracia” or the mercy
shot in the head to make sure that Rizal is dead.
 The Spaniards houted, Viva Espana! Muerte a los
Traidores! But the crowd did not respond. To break
the ice, the military band played “Marcha de Cadiz,”
and so they cheered.
ANNOTATION OF ANTONIO MORGA’S SUCESOS DE
LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS
Rizal’s Arguments of Morga’s Sucesos
Three main propositions were emphasized in
Rizal’s New Edition of Morga’sSucesos:
1. The people of the Philippines had a culture on their
own, even before the coming of the Spaniards;
2. Filipinos were decimated, demoralized, exploited,
and ruined by the Spanish colonization; and
3. The present state of the Philippines was not necessarily
superior to its past.
In Rizal’s historical essay, he correctly observed that as a
colony of Spain, “The Philippines was depopulated,
impoverished and retarded, astounded by metaphorsis,
with no confidence in her past, still without faith in her
present and without faltering hope in the future. He went to
say:“…little by little, they (Filipinos) lost their old
traditions, the mementoes of their past; they gave up their
writing, their songs, their poems, their laws, in order to
learn other doctrines which they did not understand,
another morality, another aesthetics, different from those
inspired by their climate and their manner of
thinking. They declined, degrading themselves in their
own eyes, they become ashamed of what was their own;
they began to admire and praise whatever was
foreign and incomprehensible, their spirit was damaged
and it surrendered.” Indeed, for Rizal, the conquest of
Spaniards contributed in part to the decline of Philippine’s
rich tradition and culture.
RIZAL'S NOVELS
NOLI ME TANGERE
 Noli Me Tángere, is an 1887 novel by José Rizal
during the colonization of the Philippines by Spain to
describe perceived inequities of the Spanish Catholic
friars and the ruling government.
 Originally written in Spanish, the book is more
commonly published and read in the Philippines in
either Tagalog or English.
 Early English translations of the novel used titles like
An Eagle Flight (1900) and The Social Cancer (1912),
disregarding the symbolism of the title, but the more
recent translations were published using the
original Latin title.
 It has also been noted by the Austro-
Hungarian writer Ferdinand Blumentritt that "Noli Me
Tángere" was a name used by local Filipinos for
cancer of the eyelids; that as an ophthalmologist
himself Rizal was influenced by this fact is suggested
in the novel's dedication, "To My fatherland".
History on Publication
 Rizal finished the novel in February 1887. At first,
according to one of Rizal's biographers, Rizal feared
the novel might not be printed, and that it would
remain unread. He was struggling with financial
constraints at the time and thought it would be hard to
pursue printing the novel.
 Financial aid came from a friend named Máximo
Viola; this helped him print the book at Berliner
Buchdruckerei-Aktiengesellschaft in Berlin. Rizal was
initially hesitant, but Viola insisted and ended up
lending Rizal ₱300 for 2,000 copies. The printing was
finished earlier than the estimated five months. Viola
arrived in Berlin in December 1886, and by March 21,
1887, Rizal had sent a copy of the novel to his friend,
Blumentritt.
 The book was banned by Spanish authorities in the
Philippines, although copies were smuggled into the
country. The first Philippine edition (and the second
published edition) was finally printed in 1899 in
Manila by Chofre y Compania in Escolta.
Major Characters
Crisóstomo Ibarra
 Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin, commonly
referred to in the novel as Ibarra or Crisostomo, is the
novel's protagonist. The mestizo (mixed-race) son of
Filipino businessman Don Rafael Ibarra, he studied in
Europe for seven years. Ibarra is also María Clara's
fiancé.
María Clara
 María Clara de los Santos, commonly referred to as
María Clara, is Ibarra's fiancée and the most beautiful
and widely celebrated girl in San Diego. She was
raised by Kapitán Tiago de los Santos, and his cousin,
Isabel. In the later parts of the novel, she was revealed
to be an illegitimate daughter of Father Dámaso, the
former curate of the town, and Doña Pía Alba, Kapitán
Tiago's wife, who had died giving birth to María Clara
Kapitán Tiago
 Don Santiago de los Santos, known by his nickname
Tiago and political title Kapitán Tiago, is said to be
the richest man in the region of Binondo and
possessed real properties in Pampanga and Laguna
de Baý. He is also said to be a good Catholic, a friend
of the Spanish government and thus was considered a
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
Spaniard by the colonial elite. Kapitán Tiago never
attended school, so he became the domestic helper of
a Dominican friar who gave him an informal
education. He later married Pía Alba from Santa Cruz.
Padre Dámaso
 Dámaso Verdolagas, better known as Padre Dámaso,
is a Franciscan friar and the former parish curate of
San Diego. He is notorious for speaking with harsh
words, highhandedness, and his cruelty during his
ministry in the town. An enemy of Crisóstomo's father,
Don Rafael Ibarra, Dámaso is revealed to be María
Clara's biological father. Later, he and María Clara had
bitter arguments on whether she would marry Alfonso
Linares de Espadaña (which he preferred) or enter the
nunnery (her desperate alternative). At the end of the
novel, he is again reassigned to a distant town and later
found dead in his bed.
Elías
 Elías is Ibarra's mysterious friend and ally. Elías made
his first appearance as a pilot during a picnic of Ibarra
and María Clara and her friends.
Pilósopong Tasyo
 Filósofo Tasio (Tagalog: Pilósopong Tasyo) was
enrolled in a philosophy course and was a talented
student, but his mother was a rich but superstitious
matron. Like many Filipino Catholics under the sway
of the friars, she believed that too much learning
condemned souls to hell. She then made Tasyo choose
between leaving college or becoming a priest. Since he
was in love, he left college and married.
Doña Victorina
 Doña Victorina de los Reyes de de Espadaña,
commonly known as Doña Victorina, is an ambitious
Filipina who classifies herself as a Spaniard and
mimics Spanish ladies by putting on heavy make-up.
The novel narrates Doña Victorina's younger days: she
had lots of admirers, but she spurned them all because
none of them were Spaniards. Later on, she met and
married Don Tiburcio de Espadaña, an official of the
customs bureau ten years her junior. However, their
marriage is childless.
Sisa, Crispín, and Basilio
Sisa, Crispín, and Basilio represent a Filipino family persecuted
by the Spanish authorities:
 Narcisa, or Sisa, is the deranged mother of Basilio and
Crispín. Described as beautiful and young, although
she loves her children very much, she cannot protect
them from the beatings of her husband, Pedro.
 Crispín is Sisa's seven-year-old son. An altar boy, he
was unjustly accused of stealing from the church.
After failing to force Crispín to return the money he
allegedly stole, Father Salví and the head sacristan
killed him. It is not directly stated that he was killed,
but a dream of Basilio's suggests that Crispín died
during his encounter with Padre Salví and his minion.
 Basilio is Sisa's 10-year-old son. An acolyte tasked to
ring the church's bells for the Angelus, he faced the
dread of losing his younger brother and the descent of
his mother into insanity. the end of the novel, a dying
Elías requested Basilio to cremate him and Sisa in the
woods in exchange for a chest of gold located nearby.
He later played a major role in El filibusterismo.
Salome
 Salomé is Elías' sweetheart. She lived in a little house
by the lake, and though Elías would like to marry her,
he tells her that it would do her or their children no
good to be related to a fugitive like himself. In the
original publication of Noli Me Tángere, the chapter
that explores the identity of Elías and Salomé was
omitted, classifying her as a totally non- existent
character. This chapter, entitled Elías y Salomé, was
probably the 25th chapter of the novel. However,
recent editions and translations of Noli include this
chapter either on the appendix or as Chapter X (Ex).
EL FILIBUSTERISMO
 El filibusterismo (transl. The filibusterism; The
Subversive or The Subversion, as in the Locsín
English translation, are also possible translations), also
known by its alternative English title The Reign of
Greed, is the second novel written by Philippine
national hero José Rizal. It is the sequel to Noli Me
Tángere and, like the first book, was written in
Spanish. It was first published in 1891 in Ghent.
 The theme and plot of El Filibusterismo was changed
to convey the message that the present system of
government in the Philippines through corrupt
officials, dominated by the friars can lead to the
downfall of Spain.
Major Characters
a. Simoun – Crisóstomo Ibarra in disguise, presumed
dead at the end of Noli Me Tángere. Ibarra has
returned as the wealthy jeweler Simoun. His
appearance is described as being tanned, having a
sparse beard, long white hair, and large blue-tinted
glasses. He was sometimes crude and confrontational.
He was derisively described by Custodio and Ben-
Zayb as an American mulatto or a British Indian.
While presenting as the arrogant elitist on the outside,
he secretly plans a violent revolution in order to
avenge himself for his misfortunes as Crisóstomo
Ibarra, as well as hasten Elias' reformist goals.
b. Basilio – son of Sisa and another character from Noli
Me Tángere. In the events of El fili, he an aspiring and
so far successful physician on his last year at university
and was waiting for license to be released upon his
graduation. After his mother's death in the Noli, he
applied as servant in Kapitán Tiago's household in
exchange for food, lodging, and being allowed to
study. Eventually he took up medicine, and with Tiago
having retired from society, he also became the
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
manager of Tiago's vast estate. He is a quiet,
contemplative man who is more aware of his
immediate duties as a servant, doctor, and member of
the student association he is of politics or patriotic
endeavors. His sweetheart is Juli, the daughter of
Kabesang Tales whose family took him in when he
was a young boy fleeing the Guardia Civil and his
mother.
c. Isagani – Basilio's friend. He is described as a poet,
taller and more robust than Basilio although younger.
He is the nephew of Padre Florentino, but is also
rumored to be Florentino's son with his old sweetheart
before he was ordained as a priest. During the events
of the novel, Isagani is finishing his studies at the
Ateneo Municipal and is planning to take medicine. A
member of the student association, Isagani is proud
and naive, and tends to put himself on the spot when
his ideals are affronted. His unrestrained idealism and
poeticism clash with the more practical and mundane
concerns of his girlfriend, Paulita Gomez. When
Isagani allows himself to be arrested after their
association is outlawed, Paulita leaves him for Juanito
Peláez. In his final mention in the novel, he was
bidding goodbye to his landlords, the Orenda family,
to stay with Florentino permanently.
d. Father Florentino – Isagani's uncle and a retired
priest. Florentino was the son of a wealthy and
influential Manila family. He entered the priesthood at
the insistence of his mother. As a result he had to break
an affair with a woman he loved, and in despair
devoted himself to his parish. When the 1872 Cavite
mutiny broke out, he promptly resigned from the
priesthood, fearful of drawing unwanted attention. He
was an indio and a secular, or a priest that was
unaffiliated with the orders, and yet his parish drew in
a huge income. He retired to family's large estate along
the shores of the Pacific. He is described as white-
haired, with a quiet, serene personality and a strong
build. He did not smoke or drink. He was well by
his peers, even by Spanish friars and officials.
e. Father Fernández – a Dominican who was a friend
of Isagani. Following the incident with the posters, he
invited Isagani to a dialogue, not so much as a teacher
with his student but as a friar with a Filipino. Although
they failed to resolve their differences, they each
promised to approach their colleagues with the
opposing views from the other party – although both
feared that given the animosity that existed between
their sides, their own compatriots may not believe in
the other party's existence.
f. Kapitán Tiago – Don Santiago de los Santos. María
Clara's stepfather. Having several landholdings in
Pampanga, Binondo, and Laguna, as well as taking
ownership of the Ibarras' vast estate, Tiago still fell
into depression following María's entry into the
convent. He alleviated this by smoking opium, which
quickly became an uncontrolled vice, exacerbated by
his association with Padre Írene who regularly
supplied him with the substance. Tiago hired Basilio
as a capista, a servant who given the opportunity to
study as part of his wages; Basilio eventually pursued
medicine and became his caregiver and the manager of
his estate. Tiago died of shock upon hearing of
Basilio's arrest and Padre Írene's embellished stories of
violent revolt.
g. Captain-General – the highest-ranking official in the
Philippines during the Spanish period. The Captain-
General in El fili is Simoun's friend and confidant, and
is described as having an insatiable lust for gold.
Simoun met him when he was still a major during the
Ten Years' War in Cuba. He secured the major's
friendship and promotion to Captain- General through
bribes. When he was posted in the Philippines, Simoun
used him as a pawn in his power plays to drive the
country into revolution. The Captain-General was
shamed into not extending his tenure after being
rebuked by a high official in the aftermath of Basilio's
imprisonment. This decision to retire would later on
prove to be a crucial element to schemes.
h. Father Bernardo Salví – the former parish priest of
San Diego in Noli Me Tángere, and now the director
and chaplain of the Santa Clara convent. The epilogue
of the Noli implies that Salví regularly rapes María
Clara when he is present at the convent. In El fili, he is
described her confessor. In spite of reports of Ibarra's
death, Salví believes that he is still alive and lives in
constant fear of his revenge.
i. Father Millon – a Dominican who serves as a physics
professor in the University of Santo Tomas.
j. Quiroga – a Chinese businessman who aspired to be a
consul for China in the Philippines. Simoun coerced
Quiroga into hiding weapons inside the latter's
warehouses in preparation for the revolution.
k. Don Custodio – Custodio de Salazar y Sánchez de
Monteredondo, a famous "contractor" who was tasked
by the Captain-General to develop the students
association's proposal for an academy for the teaching
of Spanish, but was then also under pressure from the
priests not to compromise their prerogatives as
monopolizers of instruction. Some of the novel's most
scathing criticism is reserved for Custodio, who is
portrayed as an opportunist who married his way into
high society, who regularly criticized favored ideas
that did not come from him, but was ultimately,
laughably incompetent in spite of his scruples.
l. Ben-Zayb – A columnist for the Manila Spanish
newspaper El Grito de la Integridad. Ben-Zayb is his
pen name and is an anagram of Ybanez, an alternate
spelling of his last name Ibañez. His first name is not
mentioned. Ben-Zayb is said to have the looks of a
friar, who believes that in Manila they think because
he thinks. He is deeply patriotic, sometimes to the
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
point of jingoism. As a journalist he has no qualms
embellishing a story, conflating and butchering details,
turning phrases over and over, making a mundane
story sound better than it actually is. Father Camorra
derisively calls him an ink-slinger.
m. Father Camorra – the parish priest of Tiani. Ben-
Zayb's regular foil, he is said to look like an
artilleryman in counterpoint to Ben-Zayb's friar looks.
He stops at nothing to mock and humiliate Ben-Zayb's
liberal pretensions. In his own parish, Camorra has a
reputation for unrestrained lustfulness. He drives Juli
into suicide after attempting to rape her inside the
convent. For his misbehavior he was "detained" in a
luxurious riverside villa just outside Manila.
n. Father Írene – Kapitán Tiago's spiritual adviser.
Along with Custodio, Írene is severely criticized as a
representative of priests who allied themselves with
temporal authority for the sake of power and monetary
gain. Known to many as the final authority who Don
Custodio consults, the student association sought his
support and gifted him with two chestnut-colored
horses, yet he betrayed the students by counseling
Custodio into making them fee collectors in their own
school, which was then to be administered by the
Dominicans instead of being a secular and privately
managed institution as the students envisioned. Írene
secretly but regularly supplies Kapitán Tiago with
opium while exhorting Basilio to do his duty. Írene
embellished stories of panic following the outlawing
of the student association Basilio was part of,
hastening Kapitán Tiago's death. With Basilio in
prison, he then struck Basilio out of Tiago's last will
and testament, ensuring he inherited nothing.
o. Placido Penitente – a student of the University of
Santo Tomas who had a distaste for study and would
have left school if it were not for his mother's pleas for
him to stay. He clashes with his physics professor, who
then accuses him of being a member of the student
association, whom the friars despise. Following the
confrontation, he meets Simoun at the Quiapo Fair.
Seeing potential in Placido, Simoun takes him along to
survey his preparations for the upcoming revolution.
The following morning Placido has become one of
Simoun's committed followers. He is later seen with
the former schoolmaster of San Diego, who was now
Simoun's bomb-maker.
p. Paulita Gómez – the girlfriend of Isagani and the
niece of Doña Victorina, the old Indio who passes
herself off as a Peninsular, who is the wife of the quack
doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña. In the end, she and
Isagani part ways, Paulita believing she will have no
future if she marries him. She eventually marries
Juanito Peláez.
Characters from Barrio Sagpang:
a. Kabesang Tales – Telesforo Juan de Dios, a former
kabesa of Barrio Sagpang in Tiani. He was a sugarcane
planter who cleared lands he thought belonged to no
one, losing his wife and eldest daughter in the
endeavor. When the Dominicans took over his farm,
he fought to his last money to have it retained in his
possession. While his suit against the Dominicans was
ongoing, he was kidnapped by bandits while he was
out patrolling his fields. Having no money to pay his
captors, his daughter Juli was forced to become a maid
in exchange for her mistress paying his ransom. When
his son Tano was conscripted into the Guardia Civil,
again Tales had no money to pay for Tano's exclusion
from the draft. When in spite of all Tales lost the case,
he not only lost his farm but was also dealt with a
heavy fine. He later joined the bandits and became one
of their fiercest commanders. Tandang Selo, his father,
would later on join his band after the death of Juli.
b. Tandang Selo – father of Kabesang Tales and
grandfather of Tano and Juli. A deer hunter and later
on a broom-maker, he and Tales took in the young,
sick Basilio who was then fleeing from the Guardia
Civil. On Christmas Day, when Juli left to be with her
mistress, Selo suffered some form of stroke that
impaired his ability to speak. After Juli's suicide, Selo
left town permanently, taking with him his hunting
spear. He was later seen with the bandits and was
killed in an encounter with the Guardia Civil –
ironically by the gun of the troops' sharpshooter Tano,
his grandson.
c. Juli – Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the
youngest daughter of Kabesang Tales. When Tales
was captured by bandits, Juli petitioned Hermana
Penchang to pay for his ransom. In exchange, she had
to work as Penchang's maid. Basilio ransomed her and
bought a house for her family. When Basilio was sent
to prison, Juli approached Tiani's curate, Padre
Camorra, for help. When Camorra tried to rape her
instead, Juli jumped to her death from the church's
tower.
d. Tano – Kabesang Tales's son, second to Lucia who
died in childhood. He was nicknamed "Carolino" after
returning from Guardia Civil training in the Carolines.
His squad was escorting prisoners through a road that
skirted a mountain when they were ambushed by
bandits. In the ensuing battle, Tano, the squad's
sharpshooter, killed a surrendering bandit a distance,
not knowing it was his own grandfather Selo.
e. Hermana Penchang – the one among the "rich folks"
of Tiani who lent Juli money to ransom Kabesang
Tales from the bandits. In return, Juli will serve as her
maid until the money was paid off. Penchang is
described as a pious woman who speaks Spanish;
however, her piety was clouded over by the virtues
taught by the friars. While Juli was in her service, she
made her work constantly, refusing to give her time off
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
so she can take care of her grandfather Selo.
Nevertheless, when the rich folks of Tiani shunned Juli
because to support her family in any way might earn
some form of retribution from the friars, Penchang was
the only one who took pity upon her.
f. Hermana Báli – Juli's mother-figure and counselor.
She accompanied Juli in her efforts to secure
Kabesang Tales' ransom and later on Basilio's release.
Báli was a panguinguera– a gambler – who once
performed religious services in a Manila convent.
When Tales was captured by bandits, it was Báli who
suggested to Juli the idea to borrow money from
Tiani's wealthy citizens, payable when Tales' legal
dispute over his farm was won.
JOSE RIZAL AND PHILIPPINE NATIONALISM:
BAYANI AND KABAYANIHAN
HERO vs. BAYANI
In mythology, a hero is someone who possesses great
courage, strength, and is favored by the gods. The
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines "hero" as "a
mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent
endowed with great strength or ability; an illustrious warrior; a
person admired for achievements and noble qualities; one who
shows great courage.”
The Changing Forms and Definitions of Bayani and
Kabayanihan
Anchored on the definitions given by old dictionaries,
mga bayani may historically (and profoundly) refer to those
who contributed to the birth of a nation. In the early times,
heroes are the warriors and generals who serve their cause with
sword, distilling blood and tears; they are those, for the
Filipinos, who served their cause with a pen, demonstrating that
the pen is as mighty as the sword to redeem a people from their
political slavery. However, the modern-day bayani may refer to
someone who contributes to a nation in a global world
Why Is Rizal Our Greatest Hero?
In an article entitled, “Who Made Rizal Our Foremost
National Hero and Why?,”the author, Esteban A. de Ocampo,
denies the claim that Rizal is a made-to-order national hero
manufactured by the Americans, mainly by Civil Governor
William Howard Taft. Instead, he defended Rizal as the
country’s foremost hero.
JOSE RIZAL AND PHILIPPINE NATIONALISM:
NATIONAL SYMBOL
Symbols are representations of many things. When
people see a particular symbol, they associate it with
something meaningful or standard. Let us see how well you
know the national symbols of the Philippines. Identify what is
being asked for in each item. Write the correct answer on the
blank.
According to the National Commission for Culture
and the Arts (NCCA), official national symbols of the
Philippines represent the country’s traditions and ideals and
convey the principles of Philippine sovereignty and national
solidarity
Making A National Symbol Official
A Philippine national symbol will be considered
official once it is declared through a law or a proclamation.
National symbols such as the cariñosa, carabao,
bangus(milkfish), and anahaw (footstool palm) that are
circulating through various sources have no official status
and have not established by law. According to Nestor Castro, a
Filipino cultural anthropologist, most of these unofficial
symbols were passed on a tradition in schools every start of
the school year when students were asked to buy posters
containing the supposed national symbols. While official
national symbols are declared through law, Castro and
National Historical Commission of the Philippines(NHCP)
Section Chief Teodoro Atienza considered that the public must
be consulted first before declaration of national symbol
Filipinos as National Symbol
According to the NHCP Section Chief Teodoro
Atienza, and Filipino historian Ambeth Ocampo, there is no
Filipino historical figure officially declared national hero
through law or executive order, although there were laws and
proclamations honoring Filipino heroes. In the Rizal Law
principally sponsored by Claro M. Recto and enacted in1956,
Jose Rizal is mentioned as a national hero in the "whereas"
clause of the law. Although, "whereas" clauses function as a
preamble or introduction and it is not part ofthe provisions. On
November 15, 1995, the Technical Committee of the National
Heroes Committee, created through Executive Order No. 5 by
former President Fidel Ramos, recommended nine Filipino
historical figures to be National Heroes: Jose Rizal, Andres
Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Marcelo H.
del Pilar, Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat, Juan Luna, Melchora
Aquino, and Gabriela Silang. No action has been taken for these
recommended National Heroes until it was revisited in one of
the proceedings of the 14th Congress in 2009
Rizal as A National Symbol
It was shown in the previous lesson how Rizal was
recognized as our national hero. Granting that he belongs to the
unofficial national symbols, it cannot be denied that Rizal’s
name and memory have long been representing the
principles of sovereignty and national solidarity, symbolizing
our country.
Values Derived from Rizal’s Life
From the various representations of Rizal as a national symbol,
one may learn
significant ideals and principles that may be of good use in
everyday life. By studying
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
Rizal’s life and works, the following values may be captured
(as adopted from Mañebog et. Al, 2018):
1. Nationalism and Patriotism
 Nationalism involves the desire to attain freedom
and political independence, especially by a
country under a foreign power. Jose Rizal’s life,
works and writings, especially his novels, radiate
this value.
2. Patriotism
 Patriotism denotes proud devotion and loyalty to
one’s nation. Rizal’s visions and proposals on
how the people of our country could be on the
road to progress are commendable. The aim, of
course, is so that the Filipinos could enjoy the
fullness of nationhood, especially politically,
culturally, and economically, under the mantle
of national solidarity.
3. Faith in God
 When Rizal was studying in Madrid, Spain, he
assured his mother, through his letter, of his faith
in God. When his sister Olympia dided of
childbirth in 1887, Rizal pronounced, “I console
myself saying that it was the will of God and what
He does must be the best.”
4. Love of Fellowmen
 Rizal advocated thinking well of our fellowmen.
His life exemplified the principle that love of
neighbor entails involvement in his or her behalf.
Rizal’s thought on love for our fellowmen is
biblical and timeless.
5. Love of Parents
 Rizal’s love for his parents is great and very
admirable. He studied medicine and
ophthalmology just to cure his mother’s failing
eyesight. Rizal also adored his father. In 1881, he
made a clay bust of his father. About six years
later, he carved a life-size wood sculpture of Don
Francisco as an expression of his love for him. In
his novels, Noli and El Fili, the character of Ibarra
has also shown his love for his father.
6. Devotion to Truth
 Rizal is a believer of revealing the truth. He
believed that it was not good to hide the truth.
Rizal’s persevering search for truth in serving his
country was a motivating virtue. Wishing to get a
t the cause of his people’s backwardness, Rizal
did intensive studies and carried out broad
observations on the progress of other nations.
7. Purity and idealism
 Rizal was a person guided not only by practical
considerations but also by ideals. Extraordinary
also was his insistence on purity of thoughts.
8. Noble Thought and Conduct
 Rizal’s works and writings promoted good
conduct, clean conscience, and upright thinking.
In his writings, for instance, he advised mothers
to awaken the mind of the children and prepare
them for every good and desirable thought and
deed.
9. Charity
 Rizal seemed to feel happy when he could
give joy to somebody. All his sacrifices for
his country were charitable acts for his
fellowmen.
10. Dedication to Duty
 Dedication to one’s duty was another
splendid virtue of Rizal. He virtually
dedicated his whole life in securing freedom
for his country and happiness for his people,
a commitment historically unequaled in the
history of his country.
11. Moral Courage
 Rizal’s courage in working for the betterment of
his country, despite all odds, is avirtue that is so
essential even today. His moral courage to do the
best for his people is worth imitating by our
present leaders.
12. Willpower
 Willpower is the ability to control or
restrain oneself. Although the Spanish
colonizers instilled in Rizal’s generation
inferiority complex and the idea that locals were
better governed by the Spaniards, Rizal worked
on the opposite idea that his people could be great
and deserved freedom.
13. Integrity
 Integrity refers to the quality of being honest and
having strong moral principles. In many aspects,
Rizal is a model of moral uprightness and honesty.
These virtues he held were the result of his
constant love and search for the truth.
14. Sincerity
 Sincerity is essentially linked to humility as it
makes us know the truth about ourselves, to
accept the truth whatever it may be, and
live according to it. Rizal’s sincerity is
manifested in his acceptance that whatever he
possessed, he owed them to God who had planned
a duty he had to carry out.
15. Self-Denial
 Rizal gave up his personal desires for a better
cause, that is, working for the welfare of his
country. His self-denial involved self-sacrifice
and altruism.
16. Perseverance
 It refers to the steadfastness in doing something
despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. In
serving his country, Rizal showed mental and
moral strength in meeting and enduring pain,
adversity and peril.
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 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL NOTES
17. Discipline and Self-Control
 Discipline is the suppression of base desires, and REFERENCES
is typically understood to be synonymous with
self-restraint and control. In many instances, Rizal https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-rizal-
used reason to determine the best course of system/life-and-works-of-rizal/chapter-11-jose-rizal-and-
action regardless of his desires. In fact, he philippine-nationalism-national-symbol/20844978
deprived himself of many unsound pleasures
18. Initiative https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-rizal-
 Initiative is the ability to assess and initiate things system/life-and-works-of-rizal/chapter-6-annotation-of-
independently. Patriotic as he was, Rizal antonio-morgas-sucesos-de-las-islas-filipinas/20844768
manifested the power to act or take charge before
others do, especially in nationalistic pursuits https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/university-of-rizal-
19. Prudence system/life-and-works-of-rizal/chapter-10-jose-rizal-and-
 Prudence care, caution and good judgment, as philippine-nationalism-bayani-and-kabayanihan/20844977
well as wisdom in looking ahead. Rizal showed
prudence in choosing the best means of https://bshmjoserizal.weebly.com/our-hero-jose-rizal/chapter-
accomplishing things. Hehad the habit of six-rizals-trips-abroad-and-homecomings
selecting the most courteous and profitable course
of action. https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/don-honorio-ventura-
20. Chivalry, Courtesy and Politeness technological-state-university/rizals-life-and-works/rizal-
 Chivalry is the combination of qualities second-travel-london-japan-usa/21892901
expected of an ideal gentleman, especially
courtesy and readiness to help the weak or https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/la-verdad-christian-
women. Rizal’s sense of chivalry prompted him college/bachelor-of-science-in-accountancy-i/19th-century-
to challenge Antonio Luna to a duel when the philippines-as-rizals-context/11636319
intoxicated Luna made negative comments
against a woman. Nellie Boustead. Being http://www.joserizal.ph/tr01.html
well-bred, Rizal was courteous as he was
gracious and considerate towards others.
21. Frugality
 Rizal was careful about spending money and any
other resources and in using thing when he did not
need to. He practices frugality when he was a
student Madrid; he would have his shoes repaired
instead of buying new ones. To economize in the
printing of his Noli, Rizal deleted the chapter
“Elias and Salome,” which was supposed to be
Chapter 25.
22. Love for Justice
 Justice refers to fairness in the way people
are dealt with. Having a good conscience,
Rizal found joy in being just and in fighting for
justice. He died fighting for justice not only for
himself and his family but also for his people.

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