Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood, Early Education

Advocacies of Rizal as Pioneer

Asian Nationalist Leader
 The worth and dignity of the individual;
 The inviolability of human rights;
 The innate equality of all men and races;
 The necessity for constitutional government;
 Due process of law;
 Popular sovereignty as the basis of all political authority,
 Faith in human reason and enlightenment;
 The rights of the masses to public education; and
 Belief in social progress through freedom.
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

 Jose Rizal was born on Wednesday, June 19, 1861 between eleven
to twelve midnight in Calamba Laguna.
 His birth would have caused his mother’s life had she has not
vowed to the Virgin of Antipolo that would take him on a
pilgrimage of the shrine.
 He was baptized at a Catholic Church of Calamba when he was 3
days old by Rev. Rufino Collantes who is a closed family friend
and at the same time stood as his godfather.
 It was noted by Rev. Collantes that the new baby has a big head
and advised the family to take care of this child as he was destined
to become a great person. Which proved to be prophetic and later
explicitly confirmed by subsequent events.
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

The Mercado - Rizal Family

 The Rizals are considered as one of the biggest families during

their time. Domingo Lam-co, the family's paternal ascendant was a
full-blooded Chinese who came to the Philippines from Amoy,
China in the closing years of the 17th century and married a
Chinese half-breed by the name of Ines de la Rosa.
 Researchers revealed that the Mercado-Rizal family had also traces
of Japanese, Spanish, Malay and Even Negrito blood aside from
Chinese.
 Jose Rizal came from a 13-member family consisting of his
parents, Francisco Mercado II and Teodora Alonso Realonda, and
nine sisters and one brother.
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Rizal Family

Francisco Mercado Teodora Alonso

1. Saturnina 2. Paciano 3. Narcisa

1850-1913
1851-1930

4. Olympia 5. Lucia 6. Maria

7. Jose 8. Concepcion 9. Josefa

10. Trinidad 11. Soledad

The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

The Mercado - Rizal Family

The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

The Mercado - Rizal Family

 The Mercado - Rizal Family

SATURNINA RIZAL (1850-1913)

 Eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo marriage.
 Married Manuel Timoteo Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas.
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.
 He was a second father to his younger brother Jose and gave him wise counsel. People who
knew him opined that he was the filosopo Tayo in Noli Me Tangere.
 Immediately after the hero’s execution, He joined the General Aguinaldo’s revolutionary
army where he rose to the rank of Major General.
 He returned to Los Baños after the restoration of peace and order and led the life of a simple
farmer and exemplary citizen. In 1930 he died almost unwept, unhonored and unsung and
was buried in Manila.
NARCISA RIZAL (1852-1939)
 The third child. Married Antonio Lopez at
 Morong, Rizal; a teacher and musician
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

OLYMPIA RIZAL (1855-1887)

The Mercado - Rizal Family

• The fourth child.

• Married Silvestre Ubaldo; died in 1887 from childbirth.
LUCIA RIZAL (1857-1919)
• The fifth child. Married Matriano Herbosa.
MARIA RIZAL (1859-1945)
• The sixth child.
• Married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
JOSE RIZAL (1861-1896)
• The second son and the seventh child.
• He was executed by the Spaniards on December 30,1896
CONCEPCION RIZAL (1862-1865)
• The eight child. Died at the age of three.
JOSEFA RIZAL (1865-1945)
• The ninth child. An epileptic, died a spinster.
TRINIDAD RIZAL (1868-1951)
• The tenth child. Died a spinster and the last of the family to die.
SOLEDAD RIZAL (1870-1929)
• The youngest child married Pantaleon Quintero.
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Jose Rizal’s Childhood

 The life of Rizal like other young Filipino boys had a lot of pleasant and beautiful
memories to reckon during his childhood days in Calamba.
 He grew up in a home environment characterized by joy and contentment.
 His birthplace was an ideal place for artists, poets and budding writers. This is
Calamba, a perfect place to nurture a growing child that holds promise that eventually
became the “cradle of a genius”.
 Mercado family was living a simple and happy life. Mang Kikoy and Aling Lolay loved
their children wherein they taught their children to give respect and show obedience to
their elders and also taught to address elder sister politely with “Senora” and their
brothers with “Senor” (Zaide & Zaide, 2008).
 Jose grew up in a two-story house in which the first floor was built of stone.
 On the ground floor was his mother’s little store and also have a Camarin, where rice
and sugar were kept.
 The family resided on the second floor made out of concrete and wood. Here were the
living room, bedrooms, and kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities.
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Jose Rizal’s Childhood

 The favorite dish of Jose was Carne Asada or beef steak accompanied by a delicious
sauce.
 He also loved champorado and the children were well fed of a mixture of ordinary and
exquisite dishes at the time. (Sta. Maria, 2012).
 The house had a private library which consisted books of more than 1000 volumes.
 It had a grand veranda called azotea, from their children used to watch the people
passing by the streets below, and in that very place many stories had been told by either
their mother or their aya.
 They told of many enchanting tales, fascinating legends and fantastic stories. (Zaide and
Zaide, 2008).
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

The Town that Inspires a Hero

 Calamba was located in the midst of a rich agricultural region in Laguna, the Lake province of
Luzon.It enclosed between the vast Laguna de Bay and the enchanted Mt. Makiling. The Dominican
friars virtually owned the town of Calamba and haciendas at the time, where non-Spanish families
were only renting the lands and they were subject to pay taxes, mostly excessive, in money or kind
(Constantino, 2005).
 This sytem is known by encomienda. Jose captured by the striking impression of their town, and
from there he developed his powerful senses dedicated to poetry and visual arts. He revealed his
heart in the poem entitled “Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo” (In Memory Of my Town).
 Jose was designed by nature to be an artist. It was revealed before he was five years of age, where
his parents including his uncles recognized this exceptional talent and give him all the
encouragement. (Zaide & Zaide, 2008).
 Uncle Jose Alberto, a fine artist himself, helps him to developed innate gift of arts
 Uncle Gregorio, a tireless reader, often lectured the eager child on the foundations of success and
learns 20 languages in his later life.
 Uncle Manuel, a sports and fitness enthusiast, encourage him to frail his body by way of athletic
drills, martial arts and physical exercises.
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Rizal’s Early Education

• Rizal’s mother was his first teacher. He learned the alphabet and the prayers at the age of 3.
• Rizal wrote in his student memoirs, “My mother, taught me how to read and say haltingly the
humble prayers which I raised fervently to God.
• His mother told him about the Parable of the Moth and encouraged him to write poems.
• At the age of eight he wrote his first poem which symbolizes his love for the national language
and encourages his countrymen to do the same.
• His parents employed private, tutors to give him lessons at home. Maestro Celestino and
Maestro Lucas Padua, Leon Monroy. He was sent to a school for boys in the town of Biñan,
where his uncle Jose Alberto was residing. Señor Justiniano Aquino Cruz- strict practitioner of
pounding knowledge not only into the eye and ear, but also the palm.
• “I used to win in the competitions, for nobody happened to be better than I. Of these succeses
I made the most. Despite the reputation I had of being a good boy, rare were the days when the
teacher did not call me up to receive five or six blows on the hand… how it hurt!
• Jose went home after a few months. He left Biñan for the Christmas vacation in 1871. His
education was determined to continue in Manila when injustice occurred in his young, happy
life.
• His mother was thrown to prison. The charge was that she had conspired with her brother,
Alberto, to kill his wife, who had separated from him.
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

SA AKING MGA KABATA

Kapagka ang baya’y sadyang umiibig Ang wikang tagalog tulad din sa latin,
Sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit, Sa ingles, kastila at salitang anghel
sanlang Kalayaan nasa ring masapit Sa pagkat ang Poong maalam tumingin
katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid. Ang syang nag-gawad, nag- bigay sa
atin.
Pagkat ang salita’y isang kahatulan
Sa bayan, sa nayo’t mga kaharian Ang salita natin tulad din sa iba
At ang isang tao’y katulad kabagay Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Ng alin mang likha noong Kalayaan Na akaya nawala’y dinatnan ng sigwa
Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.
Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita
Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda ,
Kaya ang marapat pagyaamanin kusa
Tulad ng inang tunay na nagpala.
 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Precedents Event to the Ignatian Life

 Paciano, Rizal’s brother was studying at Colegio de San Jose under tutelage of
Fr. Jose Burgos

 Cavite mutiny took place on January 20,1872 led by Sergeant La Madrid.

 GOMBURZA Execution February 17, 1872

 The arrest of is mother

 Rizal took and passed the entrance test in Letran

 Rizal matriculated in Ateneo on June 10, 1872.

The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Timeline of Rizal’s Education

 The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Studies in Biñan

 Paciano brought Rizal to Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. Jose met the
bully, Pedro, and challenged him to a fight. Classmate named Andes
Saladanan challenged him to an arm-wrestling match.

 Jose spent many hours at Juancho’s studio. He transcended every Biñan boy
in Spanish, Latin and other subjects.

 His stay in Binan was a remarkable one.

 He excelled in all his subjects especially in Latin and Spanish languages and
because of this it was not surprising that some of his older classmates
became jealous of him.

 He stayed in Binan for one and a half year and his teacher wrote a letter to
his parents telling that, Jose has learned everything and he needs to go to
college in Manila.
The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

ASSESSMENT TASKS