Chapter 3

THE LIFE OF JOSE RIZAL

TOPIC OUTLINE:
• Rizal’s Family
• Childhood and Early Education
• Student of Manila
• Rizal in Europe
• Rizal’s Second Trip to Europe
• Exile in Dapitan
• Trial and Execution

This chapter will cover Rizal’s life and how he became an important hero in the
Philippines.

I. RIZAL’S FAMILY

• Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861 in the town of Calamba, province of
Laguna.
o Calamba is located 54 kilometers south of Manila.
o On the southern part of the town lies the majestic Mount Makiling, and on
the other side is the lake called Laguna de Bay.
• The wonders of creation that surrounded Rizal made him love nature from an
early age. (It influenced his appreciation of art and sciences.)
• Rizal’s father, Francisco Mercado, was a wealthy farmer who lease lands from
the Dominican Friars.
• Francisco’s earliest ancestors were Siang-co and Zun-nio, who later gave birth
to Lam-co.
o Lam-co is said to have come from the district of Fujian in southern China
and migrated to the Philippines in the late 1600s.
 o In 1697, he was baptized in Binondo, adopting “Domingo” as his first
name.
o He married Ines de la Rosa of a known entrepreneurial family in Binondo.
o In 1731, they had a son whom they named Francisco Mercado. (The
surname “Mercado” which means market, was a common surname
adopted by many Chinese merchants at that time.)
• Francisco Mercado became one of the richest in Biñan and owned the largest
herd of carabaos.
o He was also active in local politics and was elected as capitan del pueblo
in 1783.
o He had a son named Juan Mercado who was also elected as capitan del
pueblo in 1808, 1813, and 1823.
• Juan Mercado married Cirila Alejandra, a native of Biñan.
o They had 13 children, including Francisco Engracio, the father of Jose
Rizal.
o Francisco Engracio Mercado added the surname Rizal as he later settled
in the town of Calamba as a farmer. (Rizal means green field)
• Being in a privileged family, Francisco Engracio (1818-1898) had a good
education that started in a Latin school in Biñan.
o He attended that college of San Jose in Manila.
o In 1848, Francisco married Teodora Alfonso (1826-1911) who belonged to
one of the wealthiest families in Manila.
• Teodora whose father was a member of the Spanish Cortes, was educated at the
college of Sta. Rosa.
o Rizal described her as a “woman of more than ordinary culture” and that
she is “a mathematician and has read many books.”
• Because of Francisco and Teodora’s industry and hard work, their family became
a prominent member of the principalia class in the town of Calamba.
• Jose Rizal (1861-1896) is the seventh among the eleven children of Francisco
and Teodora. The other children were:
 o Saturnina (1850-1913); Paciano (1851-1930); Narcisa (1852-1939); Olimpia
(1855-1887); Lucia (1857-1919); Maria (1859-1945); Concepcion (1862-
1865); Josefa (1865-1945); Trinidad (1868-1951); and Solidad (1870-1929).
• Rizal was affectionate to all his siblings. However, his relationship with his only
brother, Paciano, was more than that of an older brother.
o Rizal highly respected him and valued all his advice.
o It was Paciano who accompanied Rizal when he first went to school in
Biñan and convinced Rizal to pursue his studies in Europe.

II. CHILDHOOD AND EARLY EDUCATION

• Rizal had good memories of childhood in Calamba.

o They prayed together during the Angelus.
o There were times when they would stay in the garden exchanging
stories.
o Rizal’s childhood was full of love and care shown to him by his parents
and siblings.
• Due to his poor health, Rizal had a personal servant who, after the daily
Angelus, would tell him legends and fairy tales. – these stories made him
become interested in myths and folklores.
• As a young boy, Rizal demonstrated intelligence and learned easily.
o His first teacher was Doña Teodora who taught him how to pray.
o He was only three years old when he learned the alphabet.
o He showed a great interest in reading books and stayed in their library
at home with his mother.
• Just like the other children in the principalia class, Rizal experience education
under private tutors.
o His first private tutor was Maestro Celestino followed by Maestro Lucas
Padua.
o It was Leon Monroy, his third tutor, who honed his skills in basic Latin,
reading, and writing.
• At the age of nine, Rizal left Calamba with his brother to study in Biñan.
 o After one-and-a-half hour of travel, they reached the town on board a
carromata.
o Rizal stayed to the house of their aunt for more than a year.
o Paciano introduced to the teacher in Biñan, Justiniano Aquino Cruz, who
was the former teacher of Paciano.
• Everyday Rizal would wake up early and either hear mass at four o’clock in the
morning or study his lesson first and go to mass after.
• He would pray with his cousins at six and then study for a while before going to
sleep.
• In Biñan, he excelled in Latin and Spanish. He also had painting lessons under
Maestro Cruz’ father-in-law, Juancho, an old painter.
• After receiving a letter from his sister, Saturnina, Rizal returned to Calamba on
December 17, 1870 after one-and-a-half year of schooling in Biñan.
• He went home on board the steamship Talim and was accompanied by Arturo
Campos, a Frenchman and friend of his father.

III. STUDENT OF MANILA

• Rizal was sent by his father to Ateneo Municipal, formerly known as Escuela Pia,
for a six-year program, Bachiller en Artes.
o He took the entrance exam on June 10, 1872, four months after the
execution of Gomburza.
o He followed the advice of his brother, Paciano, to use the name Jose Rizal
instead of Jose Mercado.
• Like all colleges in Manila, Ateneo was managed by priests, but with an
important difference in the sense that these religious were no friars but Jesuit
Fathers.
o Students were required to attend mass in the morning before the start of
classes.
o Ateneo was also known for its rigid discipline and religious instruction
that trained students’ character.
 • Students in Ateneo were divided into two groups, the Romans and the
Carthaginians. This grouping was done to stimulate the spirit of competition
among students.
o The Roman Empire was composed of students boarding at Ateneo
o The Carthaginians Empire was composed of non-boarding students
• At the start, Rizal lagged behind his classmates but because of his perseverance
and seriousness in studies, he became the “emperor,” a title given to the most
outstanding student in the class.
• Rizal studied at Ateneo from 1872-1877.
o In those years, he consistently showed excellence in his academic
performance.
o He passed the oral examination on March 14, 1877 and graduated with a
degree Bachiller en artes, with the highest honor.
• After finishing Bachiller en Artes, Rizal was sent by his father to the University
of Santo Tomas (UST).
o Initially, Teodora opposed the idea for fear of what had happened to
Gomburza. Despite this, Rizal still pursued university education and
enrolled in UST.
o During his freshman year (1877-1878), he attended the course Philosophy
and Letters.
o In the same year, he took up a vocational course in Ateneo that gave him
the title” Perito Agrimenson” (expert surveyor) issued on November 25,
1881.
• In his second year at UST, Rizal shifted his course to Medicine. He felt the need
to take up this course after learning about his mother’s failing eyesight.
• In 1882, Rizal and Paciano made a secret pact – Rizal would go to Europe to
complete his Medical studies and prepare himself for the great task of liberating
the country from Spanish tyranny.

IV. RIZAL IN EUROPE

• On May 3, 1882, Rizal left the Philippines for Spain.

 o Rizal was only 20 years old and as a young man, he was very observant
and eager to interact with foreign nationals.
o He made sketches of his fellow passengers and of the things that he saw
during his travel.
• Rizal reached Barcelona on June 16, 1882.
o He arrived during summer vacation, so he was able to meet up with
former classmates in Ateneo.
▪ These classmates organized a welcome party and toured Rizal
around the city and brought him to the famous historical sites in
Barcelona.
o In this city, Rizal found time to write an essay entitled “El Amor Patrio”
(Love of Country).
▪ This essay was published on August 20, 1882 in Diariong Tagalog
where he used the pen name Laong Laan.
• After summer vacation, Rizal decided to move to Madrid where he enrolled in
Medicine and Philosophy and Letter at the Universidad Central de Madrid on
November 3, 1882.
o He also took lessons in painting and sculpture at the Academia de San
Fernando, and classes in French, English, and German at the Madrid
Ateneo.
o Not content with these activities, he still managed to enroll at fencing
class at the school of Sanz and Carbonell.
• Rizal was awarded with the degree and title of Licentiate in Medicine for
passing the medical examination in June 1884.
o He continued enrolling in courses that would have led to a Doctorate in
Medicine, but the degree was not given to him because he failed to pay
the fee required to defend his thesis.
o It is important to note that at this time, Rizal was already feeling the
effect of the difficult economic situation in Calamba.
• Rizal also took examination in Greek, Latin and World History.
o He won the first price in Greek and a grade of excellent in history.
 o He also obtained the degree Licenciado en Filosofia y Letras in June 19,
1885 with a rating of sobresaliente.
• In between his studies, Rizal made time for meeting fellow Filipinos in Madrid.
o Known as ilustrados, these Filipinos (enlightened ones) formed the
Circulo Hispano-Filipino which held informal programs with activities like
poetry-reading and debates.
o As a prolific writer and poet, Rizal was asked to write a poem. As a
result, he wrote Mi Piden Versos (They ask me for verses).
o It was also in Madrid that he was able to write the first half of his novel,
Noli Me Tangere.
• While in Madrid, Rizal was exposed to liberal ideas through the masons that he
met.
o He was impressed by the mason’s view about knowledge and reasoning
and how they value brotherhood.
o He joined the masonry and became a Master Mason at the Lodge
Solidaridad on November 15, 1890.
• Filipinos in Madrid occasionally visited Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey, the former city
mayor of Manila under the term of Gov. Gen. Carlos Maria de la Torre.
o Rizal joined his fellow Filipinos at Don Pablo’s house where he met and
became attracted to Consuelo, Don Pablo’s daughter.
▪ He did not pursue her because of his commitment to Leonor
Rivera.
▪ His friend, Eduardo de Lete, was also in love with Consuelo but did
not want to ruin their friendship.
o In 1883, Rizal wrote a poem for Consuelo entitled A Señorita C. O. y R.
• Rizal specialized in ophthalmology and trained under the leading
ophthalmologists in Europe
o He worked as an assistant of Dr. Louis de Weckret of Paris
o Dr. Javier Galezowsky and Dr. Otto Becker in Heidelberg
o Dr. R. Schulzer and Dr. Schwiegger
 • During his stay in Germany, Rizal befriended different scholars like Fredrich
Ratzel, a German historian and Feodor Jagor and Hans Virchow, anthropologists
who were doing studies on the Philippines culture
o Rizal mastered the German language and wrote a paper entitled
Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art).
o He also translated Schiller’s William Tell into Tagalog in 1886.
o It was also in Berlin where he finished Noli Me Tangere which was
published on March 12, 1887 with financial help from his friend Maximo
Viola.
• After five years in Europe, Rizal went home to Calamba on August 8, 1887.
o He spent time with his family in the Philippines
o He also kept himself busy by opening a medical clinic and curing the sick
o He came to be known as Dr. Uliman as he was mistaken for a German
o His vacation, however, was cut short because he was targeted by the
friars
o He left the country for the second time on February 16, 1888

V. RIZAL’S SECOND TRIP TO EUROPE

• In his second trip, Rizal became more active in the propaganda movement.
o The Propaganda Movement campaigned for reforms such as:
▪ For the Philippines to be made a province of Spain so that native
Filipinos would have equal rights accorded to Spaniards;
▪ Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes;
▪ Secularization of parishes
• Rizal became preoccupied with writing articles and essays which were published
in the Propaganda Movement’s newspaper La Solidaridad.
o Among his intellectual works in Europe is his annotation of Antonio de
Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.
o He also wrote an essay entitled “Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos.”
o Another essay he wrote strongly called for reforms; it was called
“Filipinas Dentro de Cien Años.”
 • By July 1891, while in Brussels, Rizal completed his second novel, El
Filibusterismo, which was published on September 18, 1891 through the help of
his friend, Valentin Ventura.
• In 1892, Rizal decided to return to the Philippines thinking that the real struggle
was in his homeland.
o Rizal arrived in the Philippines on June 26, 1892 in spite of warnings and
disapproval of his family
o He visited his friends in Central Luzon and encourage them to join the La
Liga Filipina, a socio-civic organization that Rizal established on July 3,
1892.
o Rizal was arrested and brought to Fort Santiago on July 6, 1892.
▪ He was charged with bringing with him from Hong Kong leaflets
entitled Pobres Failes (Poor Friars), a satire against the rich
Dominican friars and their accumulation of wealth which was
against their vow of poverty.
▪ In spite of his protests and denial of having those materials, Rizal
was exiled to Dapitan in Mindanao.

VI. EXILE IN DAPITAN

• Rizal arrived in Dapitan on board the steamer Cebu on July 17, 1892.
o Dapitan (now a city within Zamboanga del Norte) was a remote town in
Mindanao which served as a politico-military outpost of the Spaniards in
the Philippines.
o It was headed by Captain Ricardo Carnicero, who became a friend of Rizal
during his exile.
• The quiet place of Dapitan became Rizal’s home from 1892 to 1896.
o Here, he practiced medicine, pursued scientific studies, and continued his
artistic pursuits in sculpture, painting, sketching, and writing poetry.
o He established a school for boys and promoted community development
projects.
 o He also found time to study Malayan language and other Philippine
languages.
o He engaged himself in farming and commerce and even invented a
wooden machine for making bricks.
• On September 21, 1892, Rizal won the second prize in a lottery together with
Ricardo Carnicero and other Spaniards.
o His share amounted to 6,200 pesos.
o A portion of his winnings was used in purchasing land approximately one
kilometer away from Dapitan in a place known as Talisay.
o He built his house on the seashore of Talisay as well as a school and
hospital within the area.
• Relative to Rizal’s project to improve and beautify Dapitan, he made a big relief
map of Mindanao in the plaza and used it to teach geography.
o With this map he discussed to the town people the position of Dapitan in
relation to other places in Mindanao.
o Rizal also constructed a water system to supply the town with water for
drinking and irrigation.
o He also helped the people in putting up lampposts at every corner of the
town.
• Having heard of Rizal’s fame as an ophthalmologist, George Taufer who was
suffering from an eye ailment travel from Hong Kong to Dapitan.
o He was accompanied by his adopted daughter, Josephine Bracken, who
eventually fell in love with Rizal.
▪ They lived as husband and wife in Rizal’s octagonal house after
being denied the sacrament of marriage by Fr. Obach, the parish
priest of Dapitan, due to Rizal’s refusal to retract his statements
against the church and to accept other condition.
• On the eve of June 21, 1896, Dr. Pio Valenzuela visited Rizal in Dapitan and
informed him about the founding of Katipunan and the planned revolution.
o Rizal objected to it, citing the importance of a well planed movement with
sufficient arms.
 • On July 30, 1896, Rizal’s request to go to Cuba was approved. The next day, he
left for Manila on board the steamer España.
• On September 3, 1896, he boarded the steamer Isla de Panay which would bring
him to Barcelona.
o Upon arriving at the fort, however, Gov. Gen. Despujol told him that there
was an order to ship him back to Manila.
o On November 3, 1896, Rizal arrived in Manila and was immediately
brought to Fort Santiago.

VII. TRIAL AND EXECUTION

• The preliminary investigation of Rizal’s case began on November 20, 1896.

o He was accused of being the main organizer of the revolution by having
proliferated the ideas of rebellion and of founding illegal organizations.
o Rizal’s lawyer, Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrande, tried his best to save Rizal.
However, on December 26, 1896, the trial ended, and the sentence was
read.
o Jose Rizal was found guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad.
• On December 28, 1896, Gov.Gen. Camilo de Polavieja signed the court decision.
He later decreed that Rizal be executed by firing squad at 7:00 a.m. of
December 30.
• Rizal, on his last remaining days, composed his longest poem, Mi Ultimo Adios,
which was about the farewell to the Filipino people.
o When his mother and sisters visited him on December 29, 1896, Rizal
gave away his remaining possessions.
o He handed his gas lamp to his sister Trinidad and murmured softly in
English, “There is something inside.”
• At 6:30 in the morning of December 30, 1896, Rizal, in black suit with his arms
tied behind his back, walked to Bagumbayan.
o The orders were given, and shots were fired. Consummatum est! (“It is
Finished!”) Rizal died offering his life for his country and its freedom.