HIS 007: LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL

Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Lesson title: At the University of Santo Tomas Materials:

Learning Targets: PEN PC modules
At the end of the module, students will be able to:
1. figure out the unfinished business of Rizal in References:
UST that led him to make a decision to go Zaide, Gregorio F. (1992). Jose Rizal:
abroad Life, Works and Writings

https://aboutphilippines.org/doc-
1. pdf-ppt-etc/anoutlineofjoserizalslife-
181127014045.pdf

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW

Introduction (2 mins)
Have a nice day! I would like to commend your enthusiasm in complying all the required
tasks for each session. Be comfortable now as we begin with our new lesson

B. MAIN LESSON
Activity 1: Content Notes (13 mins)

Fortunately, Rizal’s tragic first romance, with its bitter disillusionment, did not adversely
affect his studies in the University of Santo Tomas. His love for higher education proved to be
greater than his love for a pretty girl.
In April, 1877, Rizal, who was then nearly 16 years old, matriculated in the University of
Santo Tomas, taking Philosophy and Letters. He enrolled in this course for two reasons: 1. His
father liked it and 2. He was still “Uncertain as to what career to follow.” He had written to the
Father Pablo Ramon, Rector of Ateneo, who had been good to him during his student days in that
college, asking for advice on the choice of career. Unfortunately, the Father Rector was in the
Mindanao and during those days it took several months foe a letter to travel between Manila and
Mindanao. Consequently, during his first-year term (1877-79) in the UST, he studied Cosmology,
Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History of Philosophy.

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 HIS 007: LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

It was during the following school term (1878-1879) that Rizal took up medicine, enrolling
simultaneously in the preparatory medical course and the regular first year medical course. The
reasons why he studied medicine were: (1) he wanted to be a physician so that he might cure his
mother’s failing eyesight and (2) the Father Pablo Ramon, Rector of Ateneo, whom he consulted
for a choice of career, finally answered his letter, recommending medicine.

Romances with Other Girls

Notwithstanding his academic studies in the University of Santo Tomas and
extracurricular activities in the Ateneo, Rizal had ample time for love. He was a romantic dreamer
who liked to sip the “nectar of love.” His sad experience with his first love had made him wiser in
the ways of romance.
Shortly after losing Segunda Katigbak, he paid court to a young woman in Calamba. In
his memoirs, he called her simply Miss L, describing her as “fair with seductive and attractive eyes.”
After visiting her in her house several times, he suddenly stopped his wooing, and the romance
died a natural death.
Several months later, during his sophomore year at the University of Santo Tomas, he
boarded in the house of Doña Concha Leyva in Intramuros. The next-door neighbors of Doña
Concha were Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday Valenzuela, parents of a charming girl named
Leonor. Rizal, the medical student from Calamba, was a welcomed visitor in the Valenzuela home,
where he was the life of the social parties because of his clever sleight-of-hand tricks. He courted
Leonor Valenzuela, who was a tall girl, “almost as tall as Jose himself,” and had a regal bearing. He
sent her over love notes written in invisible ink. This ink consisted of common table salt and water.
It left no trace on the paper. Rizal, who knew his chemistry, taught Orang (pet name of Leonor
Valenzuela) the secret of reading any note written in the invisible ink by heating it over a candle
or lamp so that the lettering may appear. But as with Segunda, he stopped short of proposing
marriage to Orang.
Rizal’s next romance was with another Leonor- Leonor Rivera- his cousin from Camiling.
In 1879, the start of his junior year at the University, he lived in “Casa Tomasina,” a boarding house
managed by his Uncle Antonio Rivera, at No. 6 Calle Santo Tomas, Intramuros. His landlord-uncle
had a pretty daughter, Leonor, a student at La Concordia College, where Soledad (Rizal’s younger
sister) was then studying. Leonor, born in Camiling, Tarlac, on April 11, 1876, was a frail, beautiful,
“tender as a budding flower with kindly, wistful eyes.” Between Jose and Leonor sprang a tenderly

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 HIS 007: LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

beautiful romance. They became engaged. In her letters to Rizal, Leonor signed her name as
“Taimis,” in order to hide their intimate relationship from their parents and friends.

Victim of Spanish Officer’s Brutality

When Rizal was a freshman medical student at the University of Santo Tomas, he got his
first taste of Spanish brutality. One dark night in Calamba, during his summer vacation in 1880,
he was walking in the street. He dimly perceived the figure of a man while passing him. Not
knowing the person due to darkness, he did not salute or say a courteous “Good Evening.” The
vague figure was a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil. With a snarl, he turned upon Rizal, whipped out
a sword and brutally slashed the later on the back.
The wound was not serious, but it was painful. When he recovered, Rizal reported the
incident to General Primo de Rivera, the Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines at that time.
But nothing came out of his complaint, because he was an indio, and the abusive lieutenant was
a Spaniard. In a letter to Blumentritt, dated March 21, 1887, he related: “I went to the Captain
General but I could not obtain any Justice; my wound lasted two weeks.

Rizal, the Champion of Filipino Students

 Rizal was the champion of the Filipino students in their frequent fights against arrogant
Spanish students, who insultingly call their brown classmates, ”Indio, chongo!”. In
retaliation, Filipinos call them ”Kastila, bangus!”. Hostility often exploded in angry street
rumbles.
 Rizal participated in street brawls.
 In 1880, he founded a secret society of Filipino students in UST called Compañerismo
(Comradeship), members were called ”Companions of Jehu”.
 Rizal was the chief of the secret society and his cousin from Batangas, Galicano
Apacible was the secretary.
 There was a time in their fights, when Rizal was wounded on the head, his friends brought
him in his boarding house and Leonor Rivera aided and washed his wound.

UNHAPPY DAYS AT THE UST

Rizal was unhappy in the Dominican institution because:

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 HIS 007: LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

 The Dominican professors were hostile to him

 The Filipino students were racially discriminated against by the Spaniards
 The method of instruction was obsolete and repressive.
 He failed to win high scholastic honors due to the attitude of his professors.

Activity 2: Skill-building Activities (with answer key) (18 mins + 2 mins checking)

Rizal’s decision to study abroad

After finishing Rizal’s fourth year of medical course, he decided to go to Spain because he could
no longer endure the discrimination and hostility in the UST.Many approved this plan. However,
for the first time, he did not seek his parents’ permission for he knew that they would disapprove
it.

 He also didn’t tell his beloved Leonor because he knew she couldn’t keep it a secret.
 Rizal’s parents, Leonor, and the Spanish authorities have no idea of his decision to go
abroad to finish his medical studies in Spain.
 He believed that professors in Spain were more liberal than of those who were in the UST.
 Jose Rizal was disgusted with the antiquated method of instruction in UST (Domincan-
owned university) and racial prejudice of Dominican professors against Filipino students.
 He decided to complete his studies in Spain, because the government of Spain at that time
was constitutional monarchy, which granted human rights to the people.
 Aside from this, his another reason, more importantly than finishing his course was his
”secret mission”.

1. Reflection question: In your own opinion, was it a right decision for Rizal to keep his
travel abroad secret from his parent? Why?
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_______________________________________________________________________

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 HIS 007: LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Check for Understanding

Instructions: Given the list of frustrations Rizal had experienced in UST, identify his coping
mechanisms to overcome and succeed despite frustrations.

Rizal’s frustrations Coping Mechanism

1) Persecution by the
friars as a
“rebellious”
2) Rizal was not
awarded his prize
because he was an
“Indio”
3) His family was
persecuted
4) Rizal witnessed how
Filipinos were
oppressed

C. LESSON WRAP-UP

FAQs

1. Why was Rizal called as the champion of Filipino students?

Possible answer: Rizal was the defender of Filipino students who were discriminated by
the Spaniards. He would even participate in frequent fights against Spanish students who
oftentimes insulted their brown classmates, to the extent that he participated in street fights
involving Filipino and Spanish students.

2. What was Rizal’s secret mission in going abroad?

Answer: Rizal had a mission to deeply observe the life and culture of the European nations
in preparation for his big task in helping his fellow Filipinos from the bondage of the Spaniards.

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 HIS 007: LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Thinking about Learning

“My Learning Tracker”. In this section, you are going to track your learning by
accomplishing the chart below. Write the learning targets, your scores, learning experience
for the session and plan for the next session.

Learning Scores Action Plan

Date
Target/Topic
What module# did you What contributed to the quality of your
What were your
What’s the do? What were the performance today? What will you do next
scores in the
date today? learning targets? What session to maintain your performance or
activities?
activities did you do? improve it?

KEY TO CORRECTIONS
• Possible answers to check for understanding (answers may vary)

Rizal’s frustrations Coping Mechanism

1) Persecution by the
friars as a Rizal was firm in his resolve to finish higher studies
“rebellious”
2) Rizal was not
awarded his prize Rizal was determined to pursue his literary works and
because he was an excelled in his studies
“Indio”

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 HIS 007: LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Module #6 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: ________________________________________ Date: ________________

Rizal continued to be close to his family and showed his

support as a loving son to his parents. He kept his family
3) His family was as an inspiration for all his undertakings. This situation
persecuted taught Rizal to be brave.
4) Rizal witnessed how
Rizal expressed his sentiments through his writings, so
Filipinos were
as to inspire the Filipinos especially the young.
oppressed

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