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MIDTERM PRIMER

SUBJECT: RIZAL AS A FULLY-FUNCTIONAL HUMAN BEING

Term Outcomes:
 Bridge the previous learning on Rizal’s backdrop with his life experiences.
 Identify the general beliefs and principles of Rizalistas.
 Examine the family, childhood, education, and careers of Rizal in Europe.
 Relate the romantic experiences of Rizal with the total development of his humanity.

TOPICS:
1. The Deification of Jose Rizal
2. Rizal’s Childhood, Family, Education, and Career
3. Rizal’s Romances: Joys and Pains

PERFORMANCE TASK: Rizal Infographics

Goal : To exhibit creativity and historical analysis by making an infographic pertaining to

the early life and works of Jose Rizal
Skill/s Required : Graphic Design and Historical Research
Integral Values : Creativity and Resourcefulness

Methods:
1. Individually, think of a specific topic or sub-topic this midterm which greatly stimulated your
interest.
2. Using Microsoft Publisher, Photoshop, Canva, or any other programs or websites intended for
graphic design, make an infographics related to the topic you have chosen.
3. Explicitly and creatively illustrate your chosen topic. Provide relevant and factual information.
4. Save your works in either .jpeg or .png format. Submit by turning in your file in Google
Classroom. The file should be named using this format: YourName_Topic_DegreeProgram.
Example: JuanDelaCruz_JoseRizalandJosephineBracken_MID
5. Deadline shall be during the last day of Midterm Examination.

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MODULE 4
THE DEIFICATION OF RIZAL
Lvl. 4.1 - Limasawa Rerebrace

Most Essential Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, the learners are expected to:
 Trace the historical background of Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi and other groups and cults
considering Rizal as their deity
 Conclusively appraise if Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi is a cult or a mere civic organization
 Discuss the primary and secondary purpose of the Order of Knights of Rizal

Thought to Ponder: It was not the real Jose Rizal who faced the bullets at Bagumbayan in December
30m 1896, but a replica of Jose that was created by Rizal himself. - Basic Rizalian Doctrine

INTRODUCTION
Many years after debates on National hero have been silenced, after many controversies have
been settled and many more are to surface; after countless monuments of Rizal have been erected; and
schools, landmarks, cities, provinces, streets, parks, and many other places have been named after him,
it is not surprising to find even a church or better perchance, a religion (if we can call it one) named
Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi, a “Rizalist” religion.

LESSON INPUTS

Historical Background of IWL

The elders of IWL from Simalhan, Sta. Rosa, Laguna, traced the foundation of the IWL in 1914
at the island of Masbate. This beginning was continued at the Golden Island/Pulong Ginto or the
Lecheria in the year 1936. The term Lecheria was coined by the friars because allegedly, this “Golden
Island” was then a vast farm for the cows and goats owned by the friars where they get their fresh milk.
Leche - is a Spanish term for milk, thus, lecheria is gatasan.

The Anointed and the Disciples

Gaudioso Parabuac, a native of Lingga, Calamba, Laguna, was claimed to have been anointed
by God, after having completed his six-month sacrifice at Mount Makiling.
Through Mr. Severino de Ang, a voice was allegedly heard ordering Mateo Alcuran and Atty.
Alfredo Benedicto, who at that time, were gathered in one house at Galas (Manila), to go to Lacheria in
Laguna to look for two individuals: who then were identified as Jovito Salgado and Gaudioso Parabuac.
On December 24, 1936, these individuals met each other, and accordingly, they received a promise
from the “Holy Voice” or what they called “Banal na Tinig”, that they shall be accorded with Christmas
gift. Since at that time these individuals were digging for some “treasures” at the “Burol ng Lecheria”
they presumed that the gift from the holy voice was referring to a sort of a gem. Contrary to their
expectation, the gift of the holy voice was the “holy word”. These individuals since then received the
message from the holy voice every Saturday afternoon in the eastern part of the Lecheria, in a small hut,
near a giant tamarind tree. After then the gathering gradually grew in numbers. It even included several

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professionals, politicians, and even lawyers. After a year, the holy voice bid these disciples good bye
and allegedly gave them an order, that the great hero, the martyr of Bagumbayan shall be their
“patnubay”.
As time passed their membership increased. This is the start of the Samahan ng Watawat ng
Lagi organization.
But the question still remains - is Jose Rizal the god of IWL?
As the term Iglesia implies, this is a religion among Rizalistas. Accordingly, a Rizalist is a person
who believes in the ideals of Jose Rizal and live with these ideals. According to this religious
organization, the very ideals of Rizal are for the Filipinos to be delivered by a fellow Filipino.
It was further hypothesized by the members of this organization that it was not Jose Rizal who
faced the bullets at Bagumbayan in December 30, 1896, but a replica of Jose that was created by
himself. This attribute catapulted Jose Rizal into an equal footing with God - for he could create a living
being.

THE KNIGHTS OF RIZAL

The order of the Knights of Rizal was established on December 30, 1911 and was granted a
legislative charter as civic and patriotic organization on June 14, 1951 by virtue of Republic Act 646.
This organization is dedicated to promote and keep the ideals of Rizal, not necessarily by
establishing a church and proclaiming Rizal as God, but by sponsoring programs or programs or
projects which are meant to perpetuate the teachings, ideas, and thoughts of our national hero.

PARADOXES AND CONTROVERSIES

Paradoxes are statements which are true but seem to be false, absurd and contradictory. On the
other hand, controversies are disputable claims which are neither true or untrue unless they are proven
by empirical facts and are founded on logic.
1. The Choice of the Philippine National Hero. Jose Rizal’s life and works are filled with
paradoxes and controversies. In fact, more than a hundred years have passed since Jose Rizal’s
execution in Luneta, yet his life and works are still hounded by controversies.
2. America’s Choice. Jose Rizal is the Philippine national hero purportedly believed to be an
American sponsored hero who was chosen by Americans because of this non-revolutionary ideology.
3. The Katipunero’s choice. While the Americans found him non-revolutionary, Rizal was
associated with the Katipunan. Long before the coming of the Americans, Jose Rizal was already the
choice of his compatriots as their leader that even without his knowledge and consent, he had been
chosen by the KKK and that Bonifacio would have him kidnapped and named KKK leader even against
his consent.

Summary:
 Indeed, Rizal did not advocate rising up in arms against Spain, but kind of Revolution that he
espoused was continuing one. Philosophically, it urges the Filipinos to examine themselves.
 Noli me Tangere has served as the Filipino people’s mirror, for them to see who they are, what
they are, and who they can be.
 El Filibusterismo, on the other hand, has emphasized the necessity and inevitability of the
revolution. Jose Rizal’s ideas and ideals served as the seeds of revolution.
 Rizal, therefore, was the soul of the Philippine revolution, the first ever in Asia against the
Western colonial power, and likewise the first country to establish a republic.

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MODULE 5
RIZAL’S FAMILY, CHILDHOOD,
EDUCATION, AND EARLY CAREER
Lvl 4.2 - Limasawa Rerebrace

Most Essential Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, the learners are expected to:
1. Identify the significant factors contributed to Rizals being a hero;
2. Know how his parents mold him to become a better person; and
3. Appreciate the qualities of Rizal as a child to his parents, student, champion and genius

The Hero in a Nutshell:

 Patriot
 Physician
 Man of Letters who was an inspiration to the Philippine nationalist movement
 National Hero and pride of the Malayan race
LESSON INPUTS:

Rizal’S Childhood and Family Life

JOSE RIZAL, the seventh child of Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso y Quintos, was
born in Calamba, Laguna. He was baptized JOSE RIZAL MERCADO at the Catholic of Calamba by the
parish priest Rev. Rufino Collantes with Rev. Pedro Casañas as the sponsor. However, the parochial
church of Calamba and the canonical books, including the book in which Rizal’s baptismal records were
entered, were burned.

Barely three years old, Rizal learned the alphabet from his mother.When he was four years old,
his sister Conception, the eight child in the Rizal family, died at the age of three. It was on this occasion
that Rizal remembered having shed real tears for the first time. During this time his mother taught him
how to read and write. His father hired a classmate by the name of Leon Monroy who, for five months
until his (Monroy) death, taught Rizal the rudiments of Latin.

At about this time two of his mother’s cousin frequented Calamba. Uncle Manuel Alberto, seeing
Rizal frail in body, concerned himself with the physical development of his young nephew and taught the
latter love for the open air and developed in him a great admiration for the beauty of nature, while Uncle
Gregorio, a scholar, instilled into the mind of the boy love for education. He advised Rizal: "Work hard
and perform every task very carefully; learn to be swift as well as thorough; be independent in thinking
and make visual pictures of everything."

With his father, Rizal made a pilgrimage to Antipolo to fulfill the vow made by his mother to take
the child to the Shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo should she and her child survive the ordeal of delivery
which nearly caused his mother’s life. From there they proceeded to Manila and visited his sister
Saturnina who was at the time studying in the La Concordia College in Sta. Ana. At the age of eight,

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Rizal wrote his first poem entitled "Sa Aking Mga Kabata." The poem was written in tagalog and had for
its theme "Love of One’s Language."

EARLY EDUCATION IN CALAMBA AND BIÑAN

Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. It was a typical schooling that a son of 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. Despite the defects of the Spanish system of
elementary education, Rizal was able to acquire the necessary instruction preparatory for college work
in Manila. It may be said that Rizal, who was born a physical weakling, rose to become an intellectual
giant not because of, but rather in spite of, the outmoded and backward system of instruction obtaining
in the Philippines during the last decades of Spanish regime.

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 tutor, Doña Teodora was patient, conscientious, and understanding. It was she who first
discovered that her son had a talent for poetry. Accordingly, she encouraged him to write poems. To
lighten the monotony of memorizing the ABC’s and to stimulate her son’s imagination, she related many
stories.
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.

Jose Goes to Biñan

One Sunday afternoon in June , 1869, Jose, after kissing the hands of his parents and a tearful
parting from his sister, left Calamba for Biñan. He was accompanied by Paciano , who acted as his
second father. The two brothers rode in a carromata, reaching their destination after one and one-half
hours’ drive. They proceeded to their aunt’s house, where Jose was to lodge. It was almost night when
they arrived, and the moon was about to rise.
That same night, Jose, with his cousin named Leandro, went sightseeing in the town. Instead of
enjoying the sights, Jose became depressed because of homesickness. "In the moonlight," he
recounted, "I remembered my home town, my idolized mother, and my solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet
to me was Calamba, my own town, in spite of the fact that was not as wealthy as Biñan."

First Day in Biñan School

The next morning (Monday) Paciano brought his younger brother to the school of Maestro
Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
The school was in the house of the teacher, which was a small nipa hut about 30 meters from
the home of Jose’s aunt.
Paciano knew the teacher quite well because he had been a pupil under him before. He
introduced Jose to the teacher, after which he departed to return to Calamba.
Immediately, Jose was assigned his seat in the class. The teacher asked him:
"Do you know Spanish?"
"A little, sir," replied the Calamba lad.
"Do you know Latin?"

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 "A little, sir."
The boys in the class, especially Pedro, the teacher’s son laughed at Jose’s answers.
The teacher sharply stopped all noises and begun the lessons of the day.
Jose described his teacher in Biñan as follows: "He was tall, thin, long-necked, with sharp nose
and a body slightly bent forward, and he used to wear a sinamay shirt, woven by the skilled hands of the
women of Batangas. He knew by the heart the grammars by Nebrija and Gainza. Add to this severity
that in my judgement was exaggerated and you have a picture, perhaps vague, that I have made of him,
but I remember only this."
First School BrawlIn the afternoon of his first day in school, when the teacher was having his
siesta, Jose met the bully, Pedro. He was angry at this bully for making fun of him during his
conversation with the teacher in the morning.
Jose challenged Pedro to a fight. The latter readily accepted, thinking that he could easily beat
the Calamba boy who was smaller and younger.
The two boys wrestled furiously in the classroom, much to the glee of their classmates. Jose,
having learned the art of wrestling from his athletic Tio Manuel, defeated the bigger boy. For this feat, he
became popular among his classmates.
After the class in the afternoon, a classmate named Andres Salandanan challenged him to an
arm-wrestling match. They went to a sidewalk of a house and wrestled with their arms. Jose, having the
weaker arm, lost and nearly cracked his head on the sidewalk.
In succeeding days he had other fights with the boys of Biñan. He was not quarrelsome by
nature, but he never ran away from a fight.

Best Student in School

In academic studies, Jose beat all Biñan boys. He surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin, and
other subjects.
Some of his older classmates were jealous of his intellectual superiority. They wickedly
squealed to the teacher whenever Jose had a fight outside the school, and even told lies to discredit him
before the teacher’s eyes. Consequently the teacher had to punish Jose.

Early Schooling in Biñan

Jose had a very vivid imagination and a very keen sense of observation. At the age of seven he
traveled with his father for the first time to Manila and thence to Antipolo to fulfill the promise of a
pilgrimage made by his mother at the time of his birth. They embarked in a casco, a very ponderous
vessel commonly used in the Philippines. It was the first trip on the lake that Jose could recollect. As
darkness fell he spent the hours by the katig, admiring the grandeur of the water and the stillness of the
night, although he was seized with a superstitious fear when he saw a water snake entwine itself around
the bamboo beams of the katig. With what joy did he see the sun at the daybreak as its luminous rays
shone upon the glistening surface of the wide lake, producing a brilliant effect! With what joy did he talk
to his father, for he had not uttered a word during the night!
When they proceeded to Antipolo, he experienced the sweetest emotions upon seeing the gay
banks of the Pasig and the towns of Cainta and Taytay. In Antipolo he prayed, kneeling before the
image of the Virgin of Peace and Good Voyage, of whom he would later sing in elegant verses. Then he
saw Manila, the great metropolis , with its Chinese sores and European bazaars. And visited his elder
sister, Saturnina, in Santa Ana, who was a boarding student in the Concordia College.
When he was nine years old, his father sent him to Biñan to continue studying Latin, because his
first teacher had died. His brother Paciano took him to Biñan one Sunday, and Jose bade his parents
and sisters good-bye with tears in his eyes. Oh, how it saddened him to leave for the first time and live
far from his home and his family! But he felt ashamed to cry and had to conceal his tears and
sentiments. "O Shame," he explained, "how many beautiful and pathetic scenes the world would
witness without thee!"

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 They arrived at Biñan in the evening. His brother took him to the house of his aunt where he was
to stay, and left him after introducing him to the teacher. At night, in company with his aunt’s grandson
named Leandro, Jose took a walk around the town in the light of the moon. To him the town looked
extensive and rich but sad and ugly.
His teacher in Biñan was a severe disciplinarian. His name was Justiniano Aquino Cruz. "He
was a tall man, lean and long-necked, with a sharp nose and a body slightly bent forward. He used to
wear a sinamay shirt woven by the deft hands of Batangas women. He knew by memory the grammars
of Nebrija and Gainza. To this add a severity which, in my judgement I have made of him, which is all I
remember."
The boy Jose distinguished himself in class, and succeeded in surpassing many of his older
classmates. Some of these were so wicked that, even without reason, they accused him before the
teacher, for which, in spite of his progress, he received many whippings and strokes from the ferule.
Rare was the day when he was not stretched on the bench for a whipping or punished with five or six
blows on the open palm. Jose’s reaction to all these punishments was one of intense resentment in
order to learn and thus carry out his father’s will.
Jose spent his leisure hours with Justiniano’s father-in-law, a master painter. From him he took
his first two sons, two nephews, and a grandson. His way life was methodical and well regulated. He
heard mass at four if there was one that early, or studied his lesson at that hour and went to mass
afterwards. Returning home, he might look in the orchard for a mambolo fruit to eat, then he took his
breakfast, consisting generally of a plate of rice and two dried sardines.
After that he would go to class, from which he was dismissed at ten, then home again. He ate
with his aunt and then began at ten, then home again. He ate with his aunt and then began to study. At
half past two he returned to class and left at five. He might play for a short time with some cousins
before returning home. He studied his lessons, drew for a while, and then prayed and if there was a
moon, his friends would invite him to play in the street in company with other boys.
Whenever he remembered his town, he thought with tears in his eyes of his beloved father, his
idolized mother, and his solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet was his town even though not so opulent as
Biñan! He grew sad and thoughtful.
While he was studying in Biñan, he returned to his hometown now and then. How long the road
seemed to him in going and how short in coming! When from afar he descried the roof of his house,
secret joy filled his breast. How he looked for pretexts to remain longer at home! A day more seemed to
him a day spent in heaven, and how he wept, though silently and secretly, when he saw the calesa that
was flower that him Biñan! Then everything looked sad; a flower that he touched, a stone that attracted
his attention he gathered, fearful that he might not see it again upon his return. It was a sad but delicate
and quite pain that possessed him.

SUMMARY
1. Rizal’s family and socioeconomic status was fair before the Spanish class. He came from a
middle-class and business-oriented family.
2. Rizal’s socio-economic background therefore, magnified his patriotism and nationalism that
despite of his life’s comfort, he chose to go the other way for his fellow Filipinos.
3. Education became a dominant force that influenced Rizal’s values and ethics.

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MODULE 6
RIZAL’S ROMANCES:JOYS AND PAINS
Lvl. 6 - Panay Cuisses

Most Essential Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this module, the learners are expected to:

 Discuss the women of Rizal and their personal influences
 Appreciate the act of personal sacrifices for a greater cause
 Exhibit selflessness and self-love properly in diverse situations

INTRODUCTION
There are nine (9) recorded women in Rizal's life, however some historians suggest that there have
been more. Below are brief accounts of Jose Rizal's romances:
LESSON INPUTS:

SEGUNDA KATIGBAK: RIZAL'S FIRST LOVE

Jose Rizal was only a young boy of sixteen (16) when he

first fell in love, and it was with Segunda Katigbak, a girl from
Lipa, Batangas and two years his junior. According to
Rizal, "She was rather short, with eyes that were eloquent and
ardent at times and languid at others, rosy-cheeked, with an
enchanting and provocative smile that revealed very beautiful
teeth, and the air of a sylph; her entire self diffused a mysterious
charm."

Stolen Glances
Rizal went to Trozo, Manila one day to visit his
grandmother. His friend, Mariano Katigbak, accompanied
him. Mariano's family were close with Rizal's grandmother, and
upon arrival at Lipa, Mariano's sister Segunda was there at the
old woman's house along with other guests. Rizal was drawn to
hear instantly. Some of the other guests knew that Rizal was a skilled painter and asked him to draw a
portrait of Segunda. He obliged, and reluctantly worked on a pencil sketch of the girl. "From time to
time, she looked at me, and I blushed."

A Blossoming Love
Rizal's sister Olympia was a close friend of Segunda and a student at La Concordia College, and
Rizal went to visit her every week, during which he came to know Segunda more intimately. Their
affection for each other grew deeper with every meeting, one that began with "love at first sight."
Hopeless from the Beginning
Unfortunately, Segunda was already engaged to be married to her townmate, Manuel Luz, and
although Rizal had gotten hints of the lady's affection for him, he timidly decided to back away and did

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not propose. Years later Segunda returned to Lipa and wed her betrothed, leaving a frustrated Rizal to
the mercy of his nostalgic memories. Rizal said while recording his first romance three years
later, "Ended, at an early hour, my first love! My virgin heart will always mourn the reckless step it took
on the flower-decked abyss. My illusions will return, yes, but indifferent, uncertain, ready for the first
betrayal on the path of love."

LEONOR VALENZUELA: PRIVATE LETTERS

When Rizal was a sophomore at the University of Santo Tomas and was
boarding in the house of Dona Concha Leyva in Intramuros he met Leonor
"Orang" Valenzuela, his next-door neighbor and daughter of Capitan Juan
and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela. She was a tall girl who carried herself with
grace and elegance.

Exchanging Love Notes

Rizal was always welcome at the Valenzuela home. He eventually
courted Leonor by sending her love notes, which he wrote in invisible ink
made from a mixture of water and table salt. He taught Leonor how to read
his letters by heating them over a lamp or a candle to allow the words to
surface.
Unfortunately, as with his first love, Jose failed to ask for the lady's hand in marriage.

LEONOR RIVERA: THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT

Leonor Rivera was a young lady from Camiling, and a cousin of Jose Rizal. Leonor's father had
provided room and board in Casa Tomasina, Intramuros for Rizal when the youth was still starting his
third year at the university. The young girl was then a student at La Concordia College where Soledad,
Rizal's little sister was also studying.

A Secret Relationship
Leonor was "tender as a budding flower with kindly, wistful eyes." She and Rizal eventually
became engaged. In her letters, she signed her name as "Taimis" in order to hide their intimate
relationship from the girl's parents.

A Lady's Infidelity
In the autumn of 1890, however, Rizal received a letter from Leonor telling him of her coming
marriage to a man whom her mother chose to be her mate -- an Englishman -- and begged for his
forgiveness. This broke Rizal's heart deeply.

CONSUELO ORTIGA Y PEREZ: A SACRIFICE FOR FRIENDSHIP

In 1882, when Rizal was a student at the Universidad Central de Madrid, he frequented the home of
Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey, the former city mayor of Manila. He lived with his son Rafael and his daughter
Consuelo.

Taken by Charm
Rizal, though he wasn't a handsome man, possessed a great deal of charisma and was gifted with
many talents and a deeply noble character. For this reason, it is of no surprise that Consuelo, the
prettier of Don Pablo's daughters, was very taken with him.

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An Escape from Loneliness
Being lonely and somewhat isolated in a foreign country, Rizal found comfort in Consuelo's
vivacious company. He wrote her a poem entitled A La Senorita C.O. y P. (To Miss C.O.y P.), in which
he expressed his great admiration for the lady.

Backing Out
Rizal's romance with Consuelo did not turn into a serious affair; he decided to take a step back for
two reasons: first, he was still engaged to Leonor Rivera at that time; and second, he was aware of his
friend's (Eduardo de Lete) affection for the girl and he did not want to ruin their friendship over her.

O-SEI-SAN: LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

When Rizal was in Tokyo a few days after he had moved to the Azabu district in 1888, he spotted a
pretty Japanese girl walking past the legion gate. He was captured by the lady's regal air and charisma
and endeavored to find ways to meet her. The girl's name was Seiko Usui. She lived with her parents
and often took afternoon walks by the legation. Rizal waited by the gate one afternoon and introduced
himself.

An Exploration of Beauty
Rizal and O-Sei-San, as he fondly called her, met almost daily. They toured the beautiful city spots,
enjoyed the scenery, and visited the picturesque shrines. Rizal was then a lonely young physician,
disillusioned by his frustrated romance with Leonor Rivera and burdened by soured hopes for justice in
his country. O-Sei-San provided the beautiful escape that he deeply needed, and he saw in her the
qualities of his ideal woman. He was her first love.

Sayonara
Because of his deep affection for her, Rizal was almost tempted to settle down in
Japan. Conveniently enough, he was also offered a good position at the Spanish Legation during that
time. Rizal, however, had set his sights on other matters. He decided to leave Japan and forget his
romance, which pained him gravely as attested by an entry in his diary. His 45-day sojourn in Japan
was one of the happiest interludes in his life.

GERTRUDE BECKETT: A CHISELED BEAUTY

In May 1888 Rizal visited London for a short time, boarding the house of the Beckett family: Mr. &
Mrs. Beckett, their two sons, and their four daughters. The eldest daughter was named Gertrude.

The Artist's Right Hand

Gertrude was a buxom young lady with blue eyes and brown
hair. She fell in love with Rizal and gave him all of her attention
during the family picnics and gatherings. When Rizal stayed indoors
during rainy days painting and sculpting, she helped him mix his colors
and prepare his clay.
Rizal enjoyed her company. Eventually their flirtatious friendship
drifted towards a blossoming romance. He affectionately called her
"Gettie," and in return she called him "Pettie."

Leaving for a Higher Cause

Rizal withdrew before his relationship with Gettie could become
more serious, realizing that he had a greater mission to fulfill and that
in order to accomplish it he could not yield to the option of marrying

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her. He suppressed the yearnings of his heart and decided to leave so that the lady may forget
him. Before he did, however, he finished a number of sculptural works, one of which was a carving of
the heads of the Beckett sisters.

SUZANNE JACOBY: A LOVE UNREQUITED

On January 28, 1890, Rizal left for Brussels, Belgium. He stayed for
a considerable time, paying for room and board. His landladies had a
pretty niece named Petite Suzanne Jacoby. She was taken by Rizal's
charm and gallantry, and provided him good company. Rizal could have
flirted with the lady, considering that his beloved Leonor was far away
and he was a lonely man in a strange and foreign land, but he realized he
could not deceive her.

A Broken Heart
Suzanne fell in love with Rizal, and wept when he left for Madrid in
July 1890. She wrote to him in French:
"Where are you now? Do you think of me once in a while? I am reminded of
our tender conversations, reading your letter, although it is cold and
indifferent. Here in your letter I have something which makes up for your absence. How pleased I would be to
follow you, to travel with you who are always in my thoughts.

You wish me all kinds of luck, but forget that in the absence of a beloved one a tender heart cannot feel
happy.
A thousand things serve to distract your mind, my friend; but in my case, I am sad, lonely, always alone
with my thoughts -- nothing, absolutely nothing relieves my sorrow. Are you coming back? That's what I want
and desire most ardently -- you cannot refuse me.
I do not despair and I limit myself to murmuring against time which runs so fast when it carries us toward
a separation, but goes so slowly when it's bringing us together again.
I feel very unhappy thinking that perhaps I might never see you again.
Goodbye! You know with one word you can make me very happy. Aren't you going to write to me?"

NELLIE BOUSTEAD: A FAILED PROPOSAL

In 1891, Rizal took a vacation in Biarritz in order to find reprieve from his troubles in Madrid. He
was a guest of the Boustead family in their winter residence, Villa Eliada. Mr. and Mrs. Boustead had
two beautiful daughters, Adelina and Nellie.

An Emotional Rebounce
After having lamented his frustrated romance with Leonor Rivera on account of the lady's
engagement to another man, Rizal came to develop considerable affection for Nellie, the prettier and
younger daughter of Mr. Eduardo Boustead. He found her to be intelligent, morally upright, and full of
life. Rizal wrote to his closest friends about his intention to marry her.

Consent from the Lady's Past Love

Rizal's friends were delighted to hear that he had found a suitable girl whom he at last wished to
settle down with. Even Antonio Luna, who had previously loved Nellie, encouraged Rizal to court her
and ask for her hand in marriage. With all the encouragement from the friends he held dear, Rizal
wooed Nellie (also called Nelly) who, in turn, returned his affections.

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A Broken Engagement
Rizal's marriage proposal failed for two reasons: first, Nellie demanded that he give up his Catholic
faith and convert to Protestantism, which was her religion. Rizal did not like this
idea. Second, Nelly's mother did not approve of Rizal, as she had no desire to entrust her daughter to
a man who was wanting in wealth and persecuted in his own country. In spite of the circumstances,
Rizal and Nellie parted as good friends.

JOSEPHINE BRACKEN: TRUE LOVE IN EXILE

Rizal's exile in Dapitan was one of the most lonesome and
sorrowful periods of his life. He missed the company of his friends
and family, and the death of Leonor Rivera on August 28, 1893 left a
gaping void in his heart.
Josephine Bracken arrived at the shores of Dapitan
accompanying her blind adoptive father, Mr. George Taufer. No
ophthalmologist in Hong Kong, their home country, could cure the
man's blindness and so they sought the services of the famous Dr.
Jose Rizal.

Overcoming Barriers

Rizal and Josephine fell in love at first sight. Their romantic

interlude went on for about a month, after which they decided to
marry. The priest of Dapitan, however, refused to conduct the
ceremony without consent from the Bishop of Cebu.
When Mr. Taufer heard of his daughter's plan to marry he became so enraged at the thought of
losing Josephine that he attempted to kill himself with a razor to his throat. Rizal prevented this tragedy
by holding the man's wrists back. Josephine left with her father on the first available steamer to Manila
in order to avoid more trouble. Since Mr. Taufer's blindness was venereal in nature, it was incurable.

Exchanging Vows
Mr. Taufer went back to Hong Kong alone, and Josephine stayed in Manila with Rizal's family. At
length, she returned to Dapitan. Since no priest would marry them, Rizal and Josephine held hands,
exchanged vows, and married themselves before God.

The Loss of a Child

Rizal and Josephine lived together in Dapitan as husband and wife, and in early 1896 they were
expecting a baby. Unfortunately, Josephine had to go into premature labor after Rizal played a prank
and frightened her. A little boy of eight months was born, who lived for only three hours. Rizal named
him Francisco in honor of his father, and buried the child in Dapitan.

SUMMARY:
 Rizal’s romantic experiences were bittersweet as it plainly seems
 However, looking deeper, these experiences led him to his patriotic destiny
 As a millennial, we should learn how to do values appraisal - that is weighing things and knowing
what matters most. Never be afraid to give up good things for a better purpose.

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 ----------------------------------------------SELF-ASSESSMENT----------------------------------------------
Read and analyze the following questions below. This will test the basic knowledge that you have
gained this term. Answer key is provided at the references page.
1. What was the reason why the relationship of Jose Rizal and Segunda Katigbak was not pushed through?
a) Because Segunda cheated Jose with her childhood friend
b) Because Jose cheated Segunda with his childhood friend
c) Because Segunda was already engaged with Manuel Luz
d) Because Jose was already engaged with Leonor Valenzuela

2. Who is the girl linked to Rizal where the young boy sent love letters by using secret ink?
a) Segunda Katigbak b) Leonor Rivera c) Josephine Bracken d) Leonor Valenzuela

3. Which of the following choices is not false about Josephine Bracken?

a) She is not Rizal’s childhood friend and first lover
b) She and Rizal never met in Dapitan, but in Laguna when Rizal was exiled.
c) Rizal married her even without the blessings of the church
d) Rizal wrote his last letter to Josephine during his final days in Fort Santiago

4. The Igelsia Watawat ng Lahi was traced to have been started in the island of _______.
a) Siquijor b) Danjugan c) Samal d) Masbate d)Romblon

5. This is an organization dedicated to promote and keep the Rizalian ideals by sponsoring programs or
projects which are meant to perpetuate the teachings, ideas, and thoughts of Jose Rizal.
a) Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi b) Knights of Rizal c) Marcia dela Martyr

6. Jose Rizal is the ______ son of Fransisco and Teodora Mercado.

a) 8th b) 2nd c) 7th d)
12th

7. Speculatively, at the age of 8 years, Rizal wrote his first poem entitled, “Sa aking mga Kabata”. The poem
revolved around the central theme which is ______.
a) Love for the Filipino Children c) Love for the Filipino language
b) Love for God and Parents d) All of the above

8. Spanish education was marked by strict and rigid delivery of instructions. In Rizal’s early education
experience, he encountered this strategy under Prof. Justiniano Aquino-Cruz. In what particular way did
learning has been acquired by the students back then?
a) memorization using force and whip c) careful and neat handwriting
b) artistic representation of knowledge gains d) philosophizing and synthesizing

9. Which of the following not existing in the current system of learning in public schools but was present
during the Spanish system of education?
a) Teaching of practical skills c) Use of technology for teaching and learning
b) Integration of religious education d) Use of mother tongue based - multilingual education.

10. The founder of Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi was Rizal’s nephew.

a) Absolutely True c) Absolutely False
b) Partly True, Partly False d) Neither True nor False

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 THE LIFE AND WIRKS OF JOSE RIZAL
MIDTERM

References and Resources:

Daquila S., The Seeds of Revolution. Brainbow Essentials, 2009

Zaide S., The History of Filipino People. Rex Bookstore, 2001

Articulo & Florendo. Values and Work Ethics. Trinitas Publishing, Inc., 200

Cruz, Corazon L. Contemporary Ethics, National Book Store, 1993.

Fromm, Erick. Escape from Freedom, 1941

Holy Bible. The Gideons International.

Horney, Karen. Neurosis & Human Growth. 1950

Reviewed and Approved by:

MARILYN T. ALCALA, LPT, Ph. D.

Dean

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