Sazon, Rhodel I.

August 17, 2009

2LM2

Q4. The comparison of Rizal’s performance in Ateneo de Municipal and Santo Tomas is

not viable because both institutions differ in many respects. First, the superiority of Santo Tomas

as a University is way unrivalled to that of a secondary school like Ateneo. It is impossible to

compare Santo Tomas because it exhilarated its university charter bestowed by Pope Innocent X

in 1645, 34 years after its establishment as compared to Ateneo that was only elevated to its

university charter in 1959, 100 years after its establishment in 1859. Being stringent, Santo

Tomas being a university is 314 years older than Ateneo (University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo de

Manila University-Wikipedia, 2009, para. 1) (History-UST website, 2009, para. 2 and 4)

(History-ADMU website, 2006, para. 1 and 14), so how could we compare an unmatched

excellence of a university to a newly established institution? Second, the Dominicans implement

in Santo Tomas a Europeanized Educational System wherein every student is expected to be

matured and responsible in using their time compared to the Regulated-Regimented System the

Jesuits utilize where students’ time is hardly grasped by the administrators (Villaroel, 1984).

Thirdly, they say that Rizal had a miserable life in Santo Tomas than in Ateneo because he

received better grades there but even a single document that would prove and suffice the

argument that Rizal had a despondent life in Santo Tomas is never presented. Lastly, college life

is extremely different from the secondary and elementary. The University was a different world

altogether. It was in the nature of a university to be different. There was more freedom and very

little control on one’s private and scholastic conduct (Villaroel, 1984). Therefore, the comparison

made between the University of Santo Tomas and Ateneo de Municipal will never be feasible

and expedient even up to the present time.

 Q5. I believe that it was Rizal’s family that had the greatest impact on him because his

education and profession was also influenced by them. For example, Rizal genuinely wanted to

pursue with Law since he had a preparatory course for it and he performed well in the

Humanities based on his grades but instead, he took up Medicine. Even though he has not left us

a clear clue as to the reasons for this choice, it has always been written and said that the falling

sight of his mother Doña Teodora was a determining factor for choosing the medical profession

(Villaroel, 1984). Rizal's family, particularly his mother, is his main influence in matters of faith

and education (Rizal’s Early Childhood-Filipiniana, 2009, para. 1). Rizal had said before that he

thought of treating his mother’s eyes when he gets home from his study of Ophthalmology in

Madrid (Capino, 1971). Again from here, even his decision to go abroad to complete his studies

is still associated to his family particularly to his mother. From a letter that Rizal wrote to his

family in June 20, 1892, he said on the last paragraph of the letter that until the last moment of

his life, he will think of his family and wish for all kinds of happiness (Ancheta, 1977). We can

see that even up to the last days of Rizal’s life, he would still think of his family and their

goodness because his family meant so much for him. Therefore, of all the triumphs in his

education and in his profession, his family have always been part of this and even his patriotic

activity has been inveigled by his family also, making them the greatest impact on Rizal’s

principles and ideas for the nation.

Bibliography

Ancheta, C. (1977). Jose Rizal’s Life and His Complete Works (Rev. Ed.). Navotas: Navotas

Press, p. 27.
www.admu.edu.ph/index

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ateneo_de_manila_university

Capino, D. (1971). Jose Rizal’s Character Teachings and Examples. Quezon City: Manlapaz

Publishing Company, p.69.

www.filipiniana.net/ArtifactView

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Santo_Tomas

www.ust.edu.ph/index

Villaroel, F. (1984). Jose Rizal and the University of Santo Tomas: Chapter 5: Rizal’s Good

Grades in Medicine. Manila: UST Press, pp. 80-117.