LIFE AND WORKS OF JOSE RIZAL (GNED09)
Lesson 1: The Republic Act 1425 also known as Rizal Law
Introduction
The study of life and works of Jose Rizal started when the
government-mandated law in 1956. It was noted that
several debates happened in the part of those in favor and
against. The government considered several points as to
why Rizal should be part of the school curriculum such as
Rizal's relevance to the Filipino, an example of par
excellence of a good citizen (Zafra, 1977), an inspiration for
nation-building, a symbol of nationalism and patriotism,
and a hero that gave huge importance to education. The
government took that step believing that with citizenry
infused with the spirit and idealism of Rizal, the country
would be on its way to national progress.
After the completion of this lesson the students will be
able to:
1. understand the Republic Act 1425 also known as Rizal
law
2. explain the history of the Rizal Law and its important
provisions
3. assess the effectiveness and significance of Rizal course
The Republic Act 1425 also known as Rizal Law
It is an act enacted on June 12, 1956. It directs all public
and private schools, colleges, and universities to include in
their curricula course or subject the life, works, and
writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his two novels, the Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The Board of National
Education mandates to carry out the force as a purpose
and intent of the Rizal Law (Executive Summary by Nera
and Castillo).
The History of Rizal Law
The Proponent of Rizal Law
Claro M. Recto, a brilliant man, a nationalist, and
parliamentarian who fought tooth-and-nail to get the Rizal
Bill passed into law in 1956. His deep knowledge in history
and law showed his authority on life and works of Rizal.
Jose P. Laurel, a man who also believed in the greatest
contribution of Rizal to the country and decided to support
Recto’s stand. He sponsored the Rizal bill in the senate. He
also proposed an amendment on the substituted bill to put
the stability and fairness of the measures.
The Trials of Rizal Law in the Senate and Congress
 Senator Jose P. Laurel emphasized the need to read
the 2 novels (Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterimo) for
it is the reflection of our strengths and weaknesses.
 It encourages us, Filipino, to become conscious and
learn to prepare for painful sacrifices that lead to self-
reliance, self-respect, and freedom.
 The Catholic Church and other Catholic organizations
challenged the compulsory nature of Rizal course.
 They think that the bill violates religious freedom.
 Debates on Senate Bill No. 438 began on April 23,
1956.
 Senators Mariano J. Cuenco, Francisco Rodrigo, and
Decoroso Rosales as identified supportive catholic
showed their disagreement in the bill.
 Senator Rodrigo remarked, "Let us not create a
conflict between nationalism and religion; between
the government and the church."
 Jose Ma. Hernandez, Chancellor of San Sebastian
College and President of Catholic Action of the
Philippines stated the SB 438 is “pedagogically
unsound on the ground that the youth enrolled in
country’s colleges and universities are immature and
incapable of reading Rizal”.
 Hernandez was asked by Laurel based on his
statement but he gave a vague answer.
 Fr. Jesus Cavana from Order of St. Vicente de Paul
stated “it would be dangerous to expose young minds
to possible perversion against the Catholic Church”
 Judge Guillermo Guevarra prompted Fr. Jesus Cavana
on his claims that the characters in the Noli may
present an imminent danger in the mind of the youth.
Guillermo stated, "the Church has nothing to fear
unless of course, they are afraid that such practices
still exist....."
 Senator Claro M. Recto supported Senator Jose P.
Laurel
 The gist of Senator Claro M. Recto’s arguments was other Catholic organizations expressed their strong
that the state is competent to require the reading of disagreement with the bill.
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo in our public  The pastoral letter was used as a formal statement of
and private schools. strong opposition on the said bill and it was delivered
 The bill was created to foster a better appreciation of in sermons in the church.
Rizal's times and of the role he played in combatting  The said letter contains the evident defiance of Canon
Spanish tyranny. Law, strong disapproval to “compulsory nature” which
 He added that Rizal aims for CNPP (civic conscience, in their stand, it forces the Catholic youth to read
national identity, personal pride, and patriotism) of doctrinal that attacks their religion, and opposition to
Filipinos. the anti-Catholicism statements written in the novels
 The conflict reached the House of Representative on of Rizal.
April 19, 1956, when Congressman Jacobo V. Gonzales  The threat of closure of 600 Catholics schools and
introduced House Bill No. 5561 identical copy of colleges and the statement of Bishop Manuel Yap
Senate Bill No. 438. from Bacolod to those parts of the senate who will
 Debates started on May 9, 1956, following the report vote to pass the bill onto law will be given a strong
of the Committee of Education, dated May 2, 1956, punishment.
recommending approval without amendment.  The Student Catholic Action of the Philippines filed
 The discussions revolved around the constitutionality their disapproval of the bill.
and the propriety of the measure.
 On May 9, 1956, the controversy took a new though Final Notes:
not quite unexpected turn that gave hope to the final After three readings, both bills were approved and on June
resolution of the issue. Sen. Laurel proposed an 12, 1950, it was signed into law by President Ramon
amendment by substitution. Magsaysay. According to Iniego (2015), the real victor of
 An inclusion of not limited to Noli Me Tangere and El the law is the spirit of nationalism and the embedded
Filibusterismo but all of Rizal’s Works and the written morality of Rizal’s life and writings. One of the greatest
works of other people about him. efforts that caused an impact on the political, social, and
 Removed the idea of compulsion cultural minds of the past and the future generation.
 The written books of Rizal must be read in
unexpurgated, original form.
 Senator Lim proposed the exemption of students from
the requirements of the bill, on certain conditions.
 The revised and improve condition can be found in the
second paragraph of Section 1 of RA 1425.
 The Senate solution seemed to be acceptable enough,
on May 14, 1956, the substitute bill of Sen. Laurel was
amended and approved on second reading in the
Upper House.
 The Senate Bill no. 438 was approved on third reading
with 23 votes in favor
 The House Bill no. 5561 was also approved on the
third reading, with 71 votes in favor
 The bill was passed on May 17, 1956, provided that
the number Senate bill should also appear in the
enrolled copies.
 Malacanang took the time to review the bill and
consider other aspects.
 On June 12, 1956, it was signed into law by President
Ramon Magsaysay and became Republic Act No. 1425.

The Opposition of the Catholics and Other Sectors

 The Catholic Church, Catholic Action of the Philippines,

Congregation of Missions, Knight of Columbus,
Catholic Teachers Guild, Student Catholic Action, and

Lesson 2: The Concept of Hero
Introduction
In the famous quote of Napoleon Bonaparte "true heroism
consists in being superior to the ills of life, in whatever
shapes they may challenge us to combat". In his time,
being a hero is someone who is willing to be superior and
surpass the challenges. In a different view, “heroism is not
only in the man but in the occasion” this is a quote of
Calvin Coolidge an American President. If you are going to
read and analyze both quotes, can you tell which one is a
far more accurate meaning of heroism is? The quote only
gives us the impression that the term heroism is changing
and somehow related to the culture. A concept that
intersects on many factors and perspectives. In this lesson,
we will try to understand the concept of hero based on the
meaning of hero and heroism and the criteria set in the
Philippine context, discuss the different classification of
heroes and assess Rizal in the context heroism.
After the completion of this lesson the students will be
able to:
1. understand the meaning of the term hero and heroism
and the criteria or standards set by the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines.
2. discuss the different classification of heroes
3. assess Rizal in the context of heroism as to influence the
nation and the Filipinos
Defining Heroism
The term “hero” is derived from the Greek word for hero
or warrior which means protector or defender. Mostly, it
refers to men and their acts which resonates to the Greek
mythology. It refers to the persons of great courage and
strength, celebrated for their bold exploits, and to
individuals known for “feasts of courage or nobility of
purpose” or prominent people known for their
achievements (Goethals and Allison, 2012). Heroes first
appeared in myths of various dimensions, and in many
cases, the path of their life seems to represent the daily or
seasonal changes; symbolizes nature, the growth, and the
existence of human beings. In other myths, heroes
represent the peoples they lead and in the historical
events of wanderings and wars. Other kinds of heroes’
actions symbolize changes in the ideas and social
conditions of the societies they belong to. Historical
heroes are considered real, who have lived in a situation
that calls for their heroic deed and performs a task for
their own country; mythical heroes who have been
nothing but symbols; and fictional heroes who feature only
in the literature of later days. The
question is, what makes a hero?
In the Philippine context, a hero means a prominent or
central personage taking an admirable part in any
remarkable action or event; a person of distinguished valor
or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering; and a
man honored after death by public worship because of
exceptional service to mankind. It is bound with the
understanding that the true heroes of Philippine history
deserve to have this title, for they didn’t have any idea
that one day they will be given recognition, as to the stand
that they just acted upon their principles (Ocampo, 1960).
The concept of honoring heroes came only to the
Philippines in
1900 when the Philippine Commission (Pardo de Tavera,
Legarda, Luzurriaga (Filipino members) and headed by
William Howard Taft) approved Act No. 137 combining the
districts of Morong and Manila to be named as "Province
of Rizal," in honor of the most illustrious Filipino. This act
was uncertain to most Filipinos but the basis of the
Commission was so strong that it has surpassed the
public’s questions (Galang, 2012).
Criteria of Hero
On March 28, 1993, thru the President's Executive Order
No. 75, the National Heroes Committee was created,
commissioned to study, evaluate, and recommend
historical figures to be declared as national heroes. The
Committee composed of worthy members, with a series of
discussions came up with the new criteria.
1. the extent of sacrifices to the welfare of the country
2. the motive and methods employed in the attainment of
an ideal outcome
3. moral character of the person concerned
4. influence of the person concerned of his age and or the
succeeding age
5. possess the concept of nation and aspire to struggle for
the nation’s freedom
6. define and contribute to a system of life of freedom and
order for a nation
7. contributes to the quality of life and destiny of a nation
8. part of the people’s expression
9. thinks of the future, especially the future generation
10. choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an
episode or events in history but the entire process that
made this particular person a hero.
Classification of Heroes
In every historical period, it produces a different kind of
hero. Hence, it gives us the classification of heroes based
on the historical period and the entire process that shaped
their values and beliefs.

Pre-colonial Heroes
These heroes were presented as the mystical character,
participating in drastic events and belonging to imaginary
societies.
 Epic hero – usually found in the fictional tales of
the early Filipinos. They are characterized as
saviors of their communities and the threat to the
enemy tribes.
 Mythical hero – usually represents the culture
and the values of a specific group of people from
a specific time frame (Scott, 1988).
Colonial Heroes
The first heroes to carry out an organized resistance
against the Spanish government and other colonial
regimes for centuries. The main thrust of their struggle is
the following religious, economic, and political freedoms.
 Native heroes – these are the people who first
resisted the Spanish colonial rule. Their resistance
was motivated by their preference to keep their
old-beliefs, lands, and freedom and refused to
comply with Spanish colonial policies.
 Revolutionary heroes – these are the people who
led revolts and fight against the colonial regime to
attain complete freedom. They were guided by a
belief in autonomy and self- governance.
Revolutionary heroes can be further classified
into:
o Known heroes – also called popular
heroes due to their remarkable
contribution to the resistance against the
Spanish. They are known for their
excellent leadership skills, courage, and
an unwavering will.
o Unknown heroes – also known as unsung
heroes, though they contributed
significantly in the certain stages of the
revolution they remained unrecognized
due to academic and political reasons.
o Martyrs – these are the people who
courageously faced brutal death or
punishment at the hands of the rival to
fight for their beliefs. They are considered
threats to the Spanish regime. Most of
them were sent to the public places (for
example, plaza) and executed by garrote
or by a firing squad.
Post-colonial Heroes
They are called “postwar heroes”, honored men who
displayed “heroic qualities” even after the colonial era.
Thus, they are categorized as political heroes. They often
criticize the current political system. As a result, they are
regarded as state enemies and become victims of state
violence.
 Idealistic heroes – they are the advocates of
idealism. They believe in the peaceful means of
effecting changes and reforms in the society. They
choose intellect over violence.
 Realistic heroes – they are more practical and
preferred immediate solutions to resolve the
existing social and political problems. They believe
in radical methods and reject moderate and
centrist stand.
Modern-day Heroes
These are heroes in a post-colonial era were global
harmony and freedom exist. Instead of resolving the issue
through extremism, these heroes express their heroism
differently.
 OFW
 Athletes
 Artists
 Celebrities/Famous Personalities
Accidental Heroes
These are the individual who got involved in a risky
situation without a concrete plan before the event. They
become heroes unintentionally, by acting out of the needs
of the situation.
Final Notes:
The Filipino’s expectations of public figures and heroes are
different now than it was more than a hundred years ago,
and it may continue to change. It may be due to the
realization that no one is perfect. Even Jose Rizal, has flaws
and some questionable decisions at some point in his life.
Still, he never stops to reach us and express hi aspiration
as a person who wanted to make his country a better place
to his "kababayan”.
I hope that the definition, criteria set and the classification
of national heroes will be looked at as to whom should we
entrust our attitude, beliefs, faith, and values in the course
of our life.

Lesson 3: The Role of Rizal in the Nation-building
Introduction
Jose Rizal is known as a novelist, poet, teacher, linguist,
ophthalmologist, sportsman, artist, essayist, and a great
thinker. One thing that we do not know is that he is also a
futurist. He expressed his prediction on what will happen
in the future as to how he observed the events in his time.
His futuristic sense was observed in his works and his
correspondence (e.g letters, essays, journal) with family,
friends, and adversaries which offers a rich display of
meaning about colonial life, the nature of power within
the Spanish patrimonial order, and understanding the
nation. In this sense, he was considered a Filipino with a
valuable role in many aspects such as social, political, and
economical as through his vision, the Philippine is truly in
need of a united nation.
In this lesson, we will understand his futuristic sense and
his blueprint that led us to see the value of his role in the
different aspects of building the nation.
After the completion of this lesson the students will be
able to:
1. understand the futuristic sense of Rizal and his views
about the country
2. understand his proposed blueprint on Nation-Building
3. discuss the role of Rizal in the Nation-Building
The Futuristic Rizal
I wanted to start the paragraph by citing an excerpt from
Rizal’s Dedicatory, “It is necessary to first lay bare the past
in order to better judge the present and to survey the road
trodden during three centuries”. “We proceed to study the
future.”
It was noted that even before the holism (a belief of a
whole is greater than the sum of its’ parts) was adapted in
the modern world. Rizal had already applied the theory to
his school in Dapitan. He introduced the importance of
teaching the “whole man”. He taught his student with
formal academic subjects, sports such as boxing,
swimming, fencing, and the need to engage in community
services. As an important part of their education, Rizal
tried to venture them to these activities and test them and
apply it to real scenarios. For he believed it was in an
unpredictable world where intelligence was needed most.
His two novels are considered a promising work that
expresses his vision of the Filipino nation. In Noli Me
Tangere, he warned the Spanish authorities on the
possible outcome if they continue to impose a colonial
policy or lack of policy. In El FIlibusterismo, he predicted
the coming of Revolution which will eventually fail due to
lack of arms and organization skills. He also warned us
through Padre Florentino, that we will never have a
successful state until we have a successful nation.
He foretold that Spain and the Philippines would become
equally independent partners in the world, but the United
States will colonize the Philippines and would emerge as a
new colonial power in Asia.
Why Rizal think of these concerns? It is simply because he
foresaw the strengths and weaknesses of the nation. His
ideal nation-state was embodied in La Liga Filipina where
he
proposed to have an organized basis of regional and
district councils, unite the archipelago, provide mutual
assistance from each member and create a moral
community that works for the common good and the
better future (Trillana II, 2012). A vision upon which La Liga
was founded, is as vital today as it was 100 years ago.
Rizal, through his writings and his deeds, has given us a
blueprint for our future. What is the concept of our future
or nation-building?
Rizal’s Concept of the Nation-Building
Rizal aimed at the restoration of Filipino dignity and the
recognition of their natural rights. Though, his political
conviction and concept of nationalism matured between
1882 and 1887, he gained a better perspective of his
country's problem. He witnessed how his country was
abused, oppressed, slandered, and remain helpless in
those years. He began to understand now that the
prolonged suppression of his people was caused primarily
by two factors; the absence of national consciousness and
the poor structure of education.
He showed his people how to express nationalism and
conceived an idealism of dedication and courage to
achieve a better Philippine society. Hence, his blueprint for
nation-building includes the following:
 importance of education;
 inculcating racial pride and dignity among the
people;
 promotion of national consciousness;
 re-orientation of values and attitudes and;
 the willingness to sacrifice for the country
Rizal’s Role in the Nation-Building
 Insist on making the education as the instrument
of social progress
 Encourage us to create a more nationalistic
mission through reforms that uplift the pride and
dignity of the Filipino
  Awakens the national consciousness
 Resonates the need for Individual Regeneration
 Remind us, that the people’s welfare is the
concern of the Government
 Strive for national unity

Final Notes:
Rizal’s suggestion gives us the idea that the past shapes
the present and the future, for him it is important to study
and anticipate the events. Make the past as a guide to
confront the things that are happening and the things that
might happen. As he also suggests, this nation possessed a
solid ground on which to build the just, caring, and
progressive society. As Rizal knew then, we must know
now that we can move forward only if we work together,
combining our will towards a common goal and finding
direction from the lesson of the past.

Always remember that it is in our end if we will choose to

use his blueprint, and take his role to build our nation.

Lesson 4: The Philippines in the 19th century
Introduction
The 19th century was considered an upheaval of different
events and history. It was experienced in Asia, Europe, and
the America, the events that surged inevitably and
compared to a sea tides which significantly affecting the
lives and fortunes of the people. In this century, it is deem
important to appreciate and understand the life of Jose
Rizal and know the historical background of the world but
of great emphasis to the situation of the Philippines during
his time.
After the completion of this lesson:
1. appraise the link between the individual and society
2. analyze the various social, political, economic, and
cultural changes that occurred in the nineteenth century
3. understand Jose Rizal in the context of his times
4. relate these situations to the events in the current
century.
The Economic
After about 1830, the flowering of the nationalist
movement will never be possible without the economic
growth that took place in the nineteenth-century. The
growth of export economy in those years gave an
increasing fortune to the Filipino that belongs to middle
and upper classes as well as the Western merchants
(specifically, British and Americans). It is noted that supply
of both machineries and consumer goods was provided by
the West but not from Spain. The Philippine foreign trade
for the beginning, middle, and end of this period were
remarkable in these years.
The export of agricultural products was the main source of
our flourishing economy. It was due to the rapid growth of
population led to high demand for rice. The highest profit
goes to provinces of Central Luzon, Batangas, and parts of
Bikol region, Negros, and Panay. The Filipino hacenderos
of Pampanga, Batangas, and Western Visayas, and the friar
orders owning the large hectares of land in Bulacan,
Laguna, and Cavite and the inquilinos (leaseholders of
agricultural land) of the friar haciendas.
Many of these inquilinos were equivalently hacenderos in
their own right, passing on from one generation to the
next the lands they rented from the friar’s hacienda, and
farming them by means of their share-tenants or
“kasama”. They stood in a semifeudal relationship which is
considered different from the existed relationship
between owner-hacenderos and their tenants.
The Chinese ancestors of Rizal illustrated the richness of
new export economy when Domingo Lam-co/Lameo came
to Binan hacienda in the eighteenth century. The average
holding of an inquilino was around 2.9 hectares; after Rizal
family moved in Calamba in 1890’s and rented over 390
hectares.
As the land grew in value and rents were raised, a friction
came between the inquilino and haciendas (mostly the
friar’s haciendas). A combination of traditional method
and modernizing efficiency led to dispute over who should
gain the largest profit. In this circumstance, it lead to
questioning the friars’ right to the haciendas. A foretold of
an “agrarian revolt” which put this idea that the
prosperous inquilinos would challenge the friars
ownership of land which will be
politically and economically motivated - to weaken the
influence of the friars in the political system.
The Social
The Spain became less willing or able to promote the
prosperity in the Philippines in terms of education, social,
and religious sector, the government tended to stay with
the famous Spanish rule – the devotion of Filipinos to their
Catholic faith.
The Secularization Controversy
The Philippines were visited by two kinds of priests
Regulars and Seculars. Regular priest belonged to religious
orders. They do possess the main task which was to spread
Christianity, examples are Franciscan, Dominicans,
Augustinian, Augustinian Recollect and Jesuits. Secular
priests do not belong to the religious order but they are
trained to run parishes. They were under the supervision
of the bishops.
The Regulars priest or the friars was given a unique form of
government called “frailocracy” a government of friars.
These friars (Augustinians, Dominicans and Franciscans)
they were authorized to manage the religious and
educational life of the Philippines, and later they acquire
an influential political power in the nineteenth century.
The conflict started when bishops insisted on visiting the
parishes run by the regular priests. The regular priest
argued and refused the visit and claimed that they were
not under the bishop’s jurisdiction. If the bishop insist they
threatened to leave the parishes.
Archbishop Basilio Sancho de Sta. Justa accepted the
resignations of the regular priests and assigned the secular
priests. Due to lack of priest to manage the parishes in our
country, a decision was made to ordained Filipino priest. A
Royal Decree was issued on November 9, 1774 provided
for secularization of all parishes and transfer of parochial
administration. The lack of friars at the beginning of the
nineteenth century led to turning over many parishes to
the
Filipino priests. In 1825, the number of friars began to
increase and series of moves to deprive the Filipinos the
right to run parishes succeed.
Until a new generation of Filipino priests under the
leadership of Fr. Pedro Pelaez, fought to disprove the
accusations and doubts to the Filipino clergy by showing
that they can be equal in ability to the friars. Pelaez died in
the earthquake and was accused as a subversive. His role
and advocacies were taken by his young disciples, Fr. Jose
Burgos who published an anonymous pamphlet defending
the memory of Pelaez and asking for justice to the Filipino
clergy. He was supported by Father Mariano Gomez and
Fr. Jacinto Zamora. They were famous GOMBURZA that
was executed through garrote.
Educational System
The educational system that time lacks a systematic
government supervision. The curricula was limited, there
was no academic freedom and the schools do prescribe
qualifications for their teachers.
The criticism in the educational system in that time:
 Overemphasis to Religion
 Learning by route not particular to HOTS
 Obsolete teaching methods
 Poor classroom facilities
 Absence of teaching materials
 Neglect on primary education
 The absence of academic freedom
Racial Discrimination
The racial prejudice was prevalent in government offices,
in the courts of justice, in the armed forces, in the social
circles and even in the educational institutions and in the
ecclesiastical hierarchy. Father Jose Burgos complained the
Spanish misconception that a man’s merit depended on
the pigment of his skin, the height of his nose, the color of
his hair, and the shape of his skull; the complained of the
lack of opportunities for educated young Filipinos to rise in
the service of God and country.
In Rizal’s time, white skin, a high nose, and Castilian
lineage were a badge of vaunted superiority. A Spaniard or
a mestizo, were privileged for political and social prestige
in the community, regardless of their capability.
Forced Labor
The “polo” it was a compulsory labor imposed by the
Spanish colonial authorities on adult Filipino males in the
construction for churches, schools, hospitals; building and
repair of roads and bridges; the building of ships in the
shipyards, and other public works.
The Filipinos came to hate the mandated labor. Due to
the following reasons:
 The white Spanish were exempted to this labor
 Filipino polistas, were supposed to receive a daily
stipend of two pesetas (50 centavos) but only a
part of this amount was given or worse, they were
not given at all.
 It became an inconvenience to common people as
it disturbed their work in farms and shops.
The Cultural
The key factor in the development of nationalism was the
cultural development happened in 1860. It has been a
common place to speak of the role of ideas learned by the
Illustrados (group of people who obtain education from
Europe) in the emergence of the nationalist movement.
Jose Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar propagated and wrote
progressive ideas in newspapers and essays. The agenda
focused on the spread of higher education among middle-
and lower-middle-class Filipinos who could not afford to
go abroad.
One of the major influences on the educational
development of the 19th century was the return of the
Jesuits. They returned with ideas and methods new to the
Philippine educational system. They asked the
Ayuntamiento to supervise the municipal primary school in
1859 and renamed it Ateneo Municipal and opened it to
the Filipino students as well as the Spaniards for whom it
had been founded.
In 1865, it had been transformed into a secondary school
that offered a level of instruction which can be
synonymous to the system of colleges. Several languages
were offered in this school such as Latin, Spanish, Greek,
French, and English. As Rizal stated through [Filosofo
Tasio] say “The Philippines owes (the Jesuits) the
beginning of the Natural Sciences, soul of the nineteenth
century”.
Under the direction of the Jesuits, another educational
institution was opened it was named as Escuela Normal de
Maestro. It was opened in 1865 with a purpose, to provide
Spanish- speaking teachers for the projected primary
school system. The educational institution embodies a
hope of progress in the minds of many Filipinos, and will
eventually be opposed by people who taught that the
modern education for Filipino will be a threat to the
continuance ofther Spanish rule.

The Ateneo, did not taught the concept of nationalism or
the liberal principle of progress to their students. It is more
on imparting the humanistic education in literature,
science, and philosophy in inculcating principles of human
dignity and justice. The idea of equality of all men as it
effectively undermined the foundations of the Spanish
colonial regime even without the Spanish Jesuits. The eyes
of the Filipino students had been opened to a much wider
perspective, before they arrived in Europe. Not all
educational institution in that time do advocate those
ideas and aimed for modernization of curriculum. Also in
that time, it was noted that the Filipino nationalists were
much less appreciative of other educational institutions,
run by the Dominicans.
The final cultural factor in the rise of nationalism was the
interest to our history. The strategy was inspired from
European specifically the Germans which mostly
preoccupied with history and ethnology. In the German
universities of the nineteenth century, the idea of
examining the origins of European nations and the people.
Rizal was the first to see the importance of such historical
investigation which essential to the creation of national
consciousness among his countrymen.
He annotated the book of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las
Islas Filipinas in order to seek a foundation to his
nationalism in the historical past and emphasize the
importance our history to the national task.
The Political
The instability of government led to an impossible
attainment of consistent policy in the overseas colonies.
The worst cases used the Philippines as a handy dumping
ground of reward party to those officials and jobseekers.
Each change of government brought a whole new mob of
job seekers to the Philippines waiting to full their pockets
came from the Filipinos fruit of labor. The Filipinos were
deprived of those few position they formerly held and
eventually replaced by Spanish bureaucrats who had no
interest or knowledge about the country. The corruption,
the abuses of guardia civil, discrimination and unfair
justice system, and inequality in taxes were the hardest
challenge in the political development in the Philippines.
The Struggles of Liberalism
The Spain was largely influence by two opposing ideals
from French Revolution and the American Revolution. This
influence could be seen in the struggles of the people for
constitutionalism. The Spain encountered a huge political
problem. Two sides of principles and ideals arise, the
liberals who were constitutionalists and inspired by the
ideals of liberty, equality and opportunity. They also
advocated to limit the absolutism so that people of Spain
may enjoy their human rights. On the other hand, the
conservatives who wanted the retention of the monarchy.
The Bourbon Dynasty
It was restored during the time of Alfonso XII which he
ruled from 1875 to 1885. During his reign, the Spain was
generally peaceful. The constitution of 1876 was
proclaimed. It included many fundamental liberties such as
freedom of worship, freedom of expression, freedom of
assembly, universal suffrage and freedom of domicile
(residence). After his death in 1885. His posthumous son
was born but Alfonso’s widowed mother, Queen Maria
Cristina, acted as
Regent of Spain from 1885 to 1896. During her rule
Paraxedes Mateo Sagasta and Antonio Canovas del Castillo
alternated as Prime Minister. The most outstanding
problem during the Regency was the implementation of
the different constitutional laws which greatly affects the
political system of the Philippines.
The Instability of Colonial Administration
The Spanish government underwent frequent changes
came from the bitter struggles between the forces of
despotism and liberalism and the explosions of the Carlist
Wars.
This political instability in Spain unpleasantly affected
Philippine affairs because it brought about frequent shifts
in colonial policies and colonial officials. The Philippines
was ruled by 50 governor general, each serving an average
term of only one year and three months in these
conclusive years 1835-1897. At one time, from December-
1853 to November 1854 a period of less than a year there
were four governor-generals.
In the year 1850, a Spanish jurist who was appointed oidor
(magistrate) of the Royal Audiencia of Manila left Madrid
with his whole family and took the route of Cape of Good
Hope, arriving in Manila after a leisurely trip of about six
months. In his surprise, he was replaced by another jurist
while he was on his trip. The frequent change of colonial
officials impedes the political and economic development
of the Philippines.
The Corrupt Colonial Officials
The colonial officials sent by Spain to the Philippines, with
few exception were either highly corrupt, incompetent, or
cruel.
General Rafael de Izquierdo, a boastful and ruthless
governor general, aroused the anger of the Fiilipinos after
he ordered the public execution of the GOMBURZA.

His successor Admiral Jose Malcampo, a good Moro fighter
but was incompetent and weak administrator.
General Fernando Primo de Rivera, known for accepting
bribes from gambling casinos in Manila which he
scandalously permitted to operate.
General Valeriano Weyler, a cruel and corrupt governor
general of Hispanic-German ancestry. He arrived in Manila
as a poor man and returned to Spain a millionaire. He
received huge bribes and gifts of diamonds for his wife.
The Filipinos disrespectfully called him “tyrant” because of
his brutal persecution of Calamba tenants, particularly
Rizal’s family.
General Camilo de Polavieja, an able militarist but a
heartless governor general, was widely detested by the
Filipino people for executing Jose Rizal.
After the loss of Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, Argentina, and
other colonies in Latin America, various job-seekers and
penniless Spanish sycophants came to the Philippines,
where they became judges, provincial executives, army
officers, government employees. They were either
relatives or proteges of civil officials and friars. Mostly,
they do not possess a genuine attitude and values.
The Philippine Representation in Spanish Cortes
In order to gain the support of overseas colonies during
the Napoleonic invasion, Spain granted them
representation in the Cortes (Spanish Parliament).
Philippines experienced her first period of representation
in the Cortes from 1810 to 1813. The first Philippine
delegate was Ventura de los Reyes, took active part in the
framing of Constitution of 1812, Spain’s first democratic
constitution and was one of its 184 signers. He also
advocated the abolition of galleon trade.
The first period of Philippine representation in Spanish
Cortes (1810-1813) was fruitful with beneficent results for
the welfare of the colony. However, the second (1820-
1823) and third (1834-1837) representation were less
fruitful because the Philippine delegates were not as
energetic as De los Reyes.
Unfortunately, the representation of overseas colonies
was abolished in 1837. It left an adverse effect to the
Philippines as condition became worst for there were no
means by which Filipino people could expose the abuses
perpetrated by the officials.
Many pleaded for the restoration of Philippine
representation in the Cortes. Graciano Lopez Jaena,
pleaded for the restoration of the said representation.
Spain, ignored the plea of Lopez Jaena and his
compatriots. They was embittered by the fact that Cuba
and Puerto Rico were granted by representation in Cortes
by Spanish Constitution of 1876. Until the end of Spanish
colonization, Philippines were never granted to restore the
Philippine representation in the Cortes.
Frailocracy
It is a unique form of government in Hispanic Philippines
meaning a government by friars”. The friars ruled the
Philippines through a concealment of civil government.
The colonial authorities, from the governor general down
to the alcaldes mayors, were under the control of the
friars.
Aside from priestly duties, the friar was the supervisor of
local elections, inspector pf schools and taxes, the arbiter
of morals, the censor of books and comedias, the
superintendent of public works and the guardian of peace
and order. They are the great advisors. They do possess
the
authority and influence to the country and the system.
Frailocracy has two faces the bad and good. Rizal
portrayed the bad face of evil-hearted friars through his
writings and revealed their oppression to the Filipinos. For
the sake of historical truth, the other face of frailocracy
was the ecclesiastical element on the life of Filipinos.
The Guardia Civil
It was considered the last hated symbol of Spanish tyranny
– the guardia civil (constabulary) which was created by the
Royal Decree of February 12, 1852, as amended by the
Royal Decree of March 24, 1888. The purpose of this unit
was to maintain the peace and order in the Philippines. It
was patterned in the Guardia Civil in Spain.
It is true that the Guardia Civil in the Philippines had
rendered an outstanding service in suppressing the bandits
in the provinces, they later became infamous in their
rampant abuses, such as maltreating innocent people,
taking carabaos, chickens, and valuable belongings, and
raping women. Rizal witnessed the abuses committed by
the Guardia Civil on the residents of Calamba. He and his
mother became victims of the brutalities of the lieutenant
of Guardia Civil.
No Equality Before the Law
Some of the Spanish colonial authorities failed to
implement Christ’s percept of the brotherhood of all men
under the fatherhood of God. They arrogantly regarded
the brown-skinned Filipinos as inferior beings, not their
Christian brothers to be protected but rather as their
majesty’s subjects to be exploited.

The Filipinos were abused, brutalized, persecuted, and

slandered by their Spanish masters. They could not appeal
to the law for justice because of the law, being dispensed
by Spaniards was only in favor for white Spaniards.
The Spanish Penal Code, which was enforced in the
Philippines particularly imposed heavier penalties on
native Filipinos or mestizos and lighter penalties on white-
complexioned Spaniards. As Professor Ferdinand
Blumentritt wrote to Rizal in 1887: “The provision of the
Penal Code that a heavier penalty will be imposed on the
Indio or mestizo irritates me exceedingly, because it
signifies that every person not born white is in fact a latent
criminal”.

Maladministration of Justice

The courts of justice in the Philippines during Rizal’s time

were notoriously corrupt. Some of the Spanish judges,
fiscals, and other court officials were inept, venal, and
oftentimes ignorant of law.

To the Filipino masses, a litigation in court was a calamity.

The expenses incurred even in a simple lawsuit often
exceeded the value of the property at issue, so that in
many instances the litigants found themselves
underprivileged at the end of the long tussle. The judicial
procedure was so slow and clumsy.

Human Rights Denied to Filipinos

Since the adaptation of the Spanish Constitution of 1812,

the people of Spain cherished the freedom of speech,
freedom of press, freedom of association, and other
human rights (except freedom of religion) but denied
these rights to the Filipinos.

Final Notes:
The nineteenth century in the lens of Rizal revealed the
huge problem in the Philippines. The instability of political
system, the obsolete method of education, discrimination
and denied rights, and most importantly was the
oppression of our own ideals and identity as Filipino. Truly,
that the economic, social, cultural, and political was
painted in the saddest strokes through the unfavorable
condition. The said situation and events became his
inspiration to create reforms, inspire nationalism, and
change the society.

Lesson 5: Jose Rizal, his family background, Education and
First sojourn to Europe
After the completion of the lessons, students will be able
to:
1. analyze Rizal's family, childhood, and early education
2. evaluate the people and events and their influence on
Rizal's early life
3. present their own family tree and share to the class the
influences of their family and other close persons/people
in their life
1. BIRTH
 June 19, 1861 – birth date of Jose Rizal.
 Born in Calamba, Laguna Province.
 June 22, 1862 – he was baptized in the Catholic
church of his town at the age of 3.
 Father Rufino Collantes – baptized Rizal.
 Father Pedro Casañas – Rizal’s godfather.
 Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda –
full name of Jose Rizal.
 Meanings of Rizal’s Names
Jose – chosen by his mother who was a devotee of the
Christian saint San Jose (St. Joseph).
Protacio – from Gervacio P. which came from a Christian
calendar.
Mercado – adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco (the
paternal great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal). The
Spanish term “Mercado” means “market” in English.
Rizal – in Spanish means a field where wheat, cut while
still green, sprouts again.
Y – and
Alonzo – old surname of his mother.
Realonda – used by Doña Teodora from the surname of
her godmother.
Lieutenant-General Jose Lemary – governor general of the
Philippines when Rizal was born.
2. PARENTS
Francisco Mercado Rizal
- Born on May 11, 1818.
- Born in Biñan, Laguna.
- Studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in
Manila.
- June 28, 1848 – he married Teodora.
- The youngest of the 13 children of Cirila Alejandro and
Juan Mercado.
Teodora Alonzo Realonda
- Born on November 09, 1827.
- Educated at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known
college for girls.
- Died in Manila on August 16, 1911 at the age of 85.
3. The Rizal Children
A. Saturnina (1850-1913) – oldest of the Rizal children;
nicknamed Neneng.
B. Paciano (1851-1930) – older brother and confident of
Jose Rizal; second father of Rizal; Pilosopo Tasio in Noli Me
Tangere, became a revolutionary general during the
Philippine revolution
C. Narcisa (1852-1939) – pet name: Sisa, married to
Antonio Lopez, a teacher from Morong, Rizal
D. Olimpia (185501887) – pet name: Ypia, married to
Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph Operator from Manila.
E. Lucia (1857-1919) – married Mariano Herbosa, who died
of cholera in 1889 and was denied Christian burial because
he was a brother-in-law of Dr. Rizal.
F. Maria (1859-1945) – nickname: Biang, married to Daniel
Faustino Cruz of Binan, Laguna
G. JOSE (1861-1896) – the greatest Filipino hero and
peerless genius; nickname: Pepe.
H. Concepcion (1862-1865) – pet name: Concha; she died
of sickness at the age of 3; her death was Rizal’s first
sorrow in life.
I. Josefa (1865-1945) – pet name: Panggoy; died an old
maid at the age of 80, head of the women chapter of
Katipunan.
J. Trinidad (1868-1951) – pet name: Trining; also died an
old maid at the age of 83.
K. Soledad (1870-1929) – youngest of the Rizal children;
pet name: Choleng, married to Pantaleon Quintero of
Calamba
4. Rizal’s Ancestry
Paternal Side
- Domingo Lamco – great-great grandfather of Rizal; a
Chinese immigrant from Changchow; he was married to a
Chinese Christian girl of Manila named Ines de la Rosa
- 1731 – he adopted the name Mercado meaning Market
- Francisco Mercado – Domingo Lamco’s son; married
Cirila Bernacha.
- Juan Mercado – Francisco’s son married to Cirila
Alejandro.
- Francisco Mercado – youngest son of Juan Mercado;
Rizal’s father.
Maternal Side
- Lakan Dula – descendant; last native king of Tondo.
- Eugenio Ursua – great-great grandfather of Rizal;
Japanese married to a Filipina named Benigna.
- Regina – daughter of Eugenio, married Manuel de
Quintos (Filipino-Chinese lawyer).
- Brigida – daughter of Regina who married Lorenzo
Alberto Alonso (Spanish-Filipino mestizo).
5. The Rizal Home
A 2-storey building, rectangular in shape, built of adobe
stones and hardwoods, and roofed with red tiles.
Behind the house were poultry yard full of turkeys and
chickens, and a big garden of tropical fruit trees (atis,
balimbing, chico, macopa, papaya, santol, tampoy, etc.).
6. A Good and Middle-Class Family
Principalia – a town aristocracy in Spanish Philippines was
one of the distinguished families in Calamba.
Carriage – a status symbol of the ilustrados in Spanish
Philippines.
Private Library – the largest in Calamba; consisted of more
than 1,000 volumes.
II. Calamba, the Hero’s town
7. Calamba
 Natal town of Rizal.
 Named after a big native jar.
 Happiest period of Rizal’s life was spent in this
lakeshore town, a worthy prelude to his Hamlet-
like tragic manhood.
 Hacienda town which belonged to the Dominican
Order.
 Picturesque town nestling on a verdant plain
covered with irrigated rice fields and sugar lands.
 A few kilometers to the south looms of the
legendary Mt. Makiling and beyond this mountain
is the province of Batangas.
 East of the town is the Laguna de Bay.
 Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My
Town) - A poem written by Rizal in 1876 when he
was 15 years old and a student of Ateneo de
Manila.
8. Earliest Childhood Memories
 The first memory of Rizal, in his infancy, was his
happy days in the family garden when he was 3
years old. He was given the tenderest care by his
parents because he was frail, sickly, and
undersized.
 His father built a little nipa cottage in the garden
for him to play in the daytime.
 An aya (nurse maid), a kind old woman, was
employed to look after him.
 He watched from the cottage, the culiauan, maya,
maria capra, & martin pitpit and other birds and
listened with ―wonder and joy‖ to the twilight
songs.
 The daily Angelus prayer.
 The happy moonlit nights at the azotea after the
nightly Rosary.
The imaginary tales told by the aya aroused Rizal’s interest
in legends and folklore.
The aya would threaten Rizal with asuang, nuno, tigbalang,
or a terrible bearded and turbaned
Bombay would come to take him away if he would not eat
his supper.
The nocturnal walk in the town esp. when there was a
moon with his aya by the river.
9. The Hero’s First Sorrow
Death of Little Concha (Concepcion)
- ―When I was four years old,‖ he said, ―I lost my little
sister Concha, and then for the first time I shed tears
caused by love and grief...‖
10. Devoted Son of the Church
 Young Rizal is a religious boy. He grew up a good
Catholic.
 At the age of 3, he began to take part in the family
prayer. His mother taught him the Catholic
Prayers. At the age of 5 years old, he was able to
read the Spanish family bible.
 He was so seriously devout that he was laughingly
called Manong Jose by the Hermanos & Hermanas
Terceras.
 Father Leoncio Lopez, town priest, one of the men
he esteemed & respected in Calamba during his
boyhood.
11. The Story of the Moth
The story of the moth and the flame was told to Rizal by
his mother on a night when her mother was teaching him
how to read a book entitled ―The Children’s Friend‖ (El
Amigos
de los Niños). His mother grew impatient of his poor
reading and lack of focus and always straying his eyes on
the flame of the lamp and the cheerful moths surrounding
it. Knowing his interest to stories, his mother decided to
stop teaching
him and instead read him an interesting story. Upon
hearing the story, it gave a deep impression on Rizal.
However, it’s not the story’s moral that truly struck him,
he actually envied the moths and their fate and considered
that the light was so fine a thing that it was worth dying
for.
12. Artistic Talents
  Age 5, started making sketches with his pencil and
to mold in clay and wax objects which attracted
his fancy.
 A religious banner was always used during fiesta
and it was spoiled; Rizal painted in oil colors a new
banner that delighted the town folks.
 Jose had the soul of a genuine artist.
 Age 6, his sisters laughed at him for spending so
much time making those images rather than
participating in their games. He told them ―All
right laugh at me now! Someday
 when I die, people will make monuments and
images of me!‖
13. First Poem by Rizal
Age 8, Rizal wrote his first poem in the native language
entitled ―Sa Aking Mga Kabata‖ (To My Fellow Children).
He wrote it in an appeal to our people to love our national
language.
14. First Drama by Rizal
 Age 8, Rizal wrote his first dramatic work which
was a Tagalog Comedy. It was staged in a Calamba
festival.
 A gobernadorcillo from Paete purchased the
manuscript for 2 pesos. Rizal as Boy Magician
 He learned various tricks such as making a coin
appear and disappear in his fingers and making a
handkerchief vanish in thin air.
 Entertained his town folks with magic-lantern
exhibitions. This consisted of an ordinary lamp
casting its shadow on white screen.
 Also gained skill in manipulating marionettes
(puppet shows).
 In Chapter XVII and XVIII of his second novel, El
Filibusterismo (Treason), he revealed his wide
knowledge of magic.
15. Influences in the Hero’s Boyhood
Hereditary Influence - inherent qualities which a person
inherits from his ancestors and parents.
- Malayan Ancestors - love for freedom, desire to travel,
and indomitable courage.
- Chinese Ancestors - serious nature, frugality, patience,
and love for children.
- Spanish Ancestors - elegance of bearing, sensitivity to
insult, and gallantry to ladies.
- Father - sense of self-respect, love for work, and habit of
independent thinking.
- Mother - religious nature, spirit of self-sacrifice, passion
for arts and literature.
Environmental Influence - environment, as well as
heredity, affects the nature of a person; includes places,
associates, & events.
- Calamba and the garden of the Rizal family - stimulated
the inborn artistic and literary talents of Jose Rizal.
- Religious atmosphere at his home - fortified his religious
nature.
- Paciano - love of freedom and justice.
- Sisters – to be courteous and kind to women.
- Fairy tales told by his aya - interest in folklores and
legends.
- 3 Uncles: Tio Jose Alberto - artistic ability, who studied 11
years in a British school in Calcutta, India; Tio Manuel -
develop his frail body by means of physical exercises
including horse riding, walking, and wrestling; Tio Gregorio
- Rizal’s voracious reading of good books.
- Father Leoncio Lopez - fostered Rizal’s love for
scholarship and intellectual honesty.
- The sorrows in his family contributed for Rizal to
strengthen his character.
- The Spanish abuses and cruelties he witnessed awakened
Rizal’s spirit of patriotism and inspired him to consecrate
his life and talents to redeem his oppressed people.
Aid of Divine Providence
- A person cannot attain greatness in the annals of the
nation despite having everything life (brains, wealth, and
power) without this.
- Rizal was providentially destined to be the pride and
glory of his nation; endowed by God with versatile gifts of
a genius, vibrant spirit of a nationalist, and the valiant
heart to sacrifice for a noble cause.
III. Early Education in Calamba and Biñan
16. The Hero’s First Teacher
Doña Teodora, his mother, was his first teacher.
Private tutors: Maestro Celestino (first tutor) and Maestro
Lucas Padua (second tutor). Leon Monroy, a former
classmate of Rizal’s father, became the hero’s tutor in
Spanish and Latin.
17. Jose Goes to Biñan
After Monroy’s death, Rizal’s parents decided to send him
to a private school in Biñan.
June 1869. Jose left Calamba for Biñan with Paciano.
Carromata – their mode of transportation.
Aunt’s House – where Jose lodge.
18. First Day in Biñan School
Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz – owner and teacher of
the school.
Rizal described Maestro Justiniano as ―tall, thin, long-
necked, and sharp-nosed with a bodyslightly bent
forward.‖
19. First School Brawl
Jose challenged Pedro to a fight and he won having
learned the art of wrestling from his athletic Tio Manuel.
Andres Salandaan challenged Rizal to an arm-wrestling
match. Jose, having the weaker arm, lost and nearly
cracked his head on sidewalk.
20. Painting Lessons in Biñan
Old Juancho, father-in-law of the school teacher, freely
gave Jose painting lessons.
Jose Rizal and his classmate Jose Guevarra became
apprentices of the old painter.
21. Best Student in School
Jose surpassed his classmates in Spanish, Latin, and other
subjects.
 His older classmates were jealous and wickedly
squealed to the teacher whenever he had fights.
 Jose usually received five or six blows while laid
out on a bench from his teacher.
 December 17, 1870 – Jose left Biñan using the
steamer Talim for Calamba.
 Arturo Camps – Frenchman and friend of his
father who took care of him during his trip.
22. Martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za
 January 20, 1872 – Cavite Mutiny.
 February 17, 1872 – Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose
Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora were implicated and
executed.
 The GOMBURZA were leaders of the
secularization movement.
 The martyrdom of the 3 priests inspired Rizal to
fight the evils of Spanish tyranny.
 Paciano quit his studies at the College of San Jose
and returned to Calamba, where he told the
heroic story of Burgos to Rizal.
 In 1891, Rizal dedicated his second novel El
Filibusterismo to GOMBURZA
. Father Magin Fernando – college registrar of Ateneo
23. Injustice to the Hero’s Mother
 In 1872, Doña Teodora was arrested on a
malicious charge that she aided his brother Jose
Alberto in trying to poison his wife.
 Jose Alberto planned to divorce his wife because
of her infidelity. His wife connived with the
Spanish lieutenant of the Guardia Civil and filed a
case against Rizal’s mother.
 Antonio Vivencio del Rosario – gobernadorcillo of
Calamba, helped the lieutenant arrest Doña
Teodora.
 50 kilometers – Doña Teodora was made to walk
from Calamba to the provincial prison in Santa
Cruz.
 Don Francisco de Mercaida and Don Manuel
Marzan – most famous lawyers of Manila,
defended Doña Teodora in court.
 After 2 1⁄2 years the Royal Audencia acquitted
Doña Teodora
Lesson : Higher Education and Life Abroad
After the completion of the lessons, students will be able
to:
1. Appreciate how Rizal’s education shaped him as a
person.
2. Enumerate Rizal’s admirable traits while studying in and
touring Europe
3. Narrate the events that led to the writing of Rizal’s first
novel
IV. Scholastic Triumphs at Ateneo de Manila
(1872-1877)
Jose was sent to Manila four months after the Martyrdom
of GomBurZa and with Doña Teodora still in prison. He
studied in the Ateneo Municipal, a college under the
supervision of the Spanish Jesuits.
24. Ateneo Municipal
Bitter rival of the Dominican-owned College of San Juan de
Letran. Formerly the Escuela Pia (Charity School) – for poor
boys in Manila established in 1817.
In 1859, name was changed to Ateneo Municipal by the
Jesuits and later became the Ateneo de Manila.
25. Rizal Enters the Ateneo
June 10, 1872 – Jose, accompanied by Paciano, went to
Manila to take the entrance examinations on Christian
Doctrine, arithmetic, and reading at College of San Juan de
Letran, and passed them. His father was the first one who
wished him to study at Letran but he changed his mind
and decided to send Jose at Ateneo instead.
Municipal, refused to admit Jose because:
(1) he was late for registration and
(2) he was sickly and undersized for his age (11 years old).
Manuel Xerez Burgos – nephew of Father Burgos; upon his
intercession, Jose Rizal was admitted at Ateneo.
Jose used Rizal instead of Mercado because the name
―Mercado‖ had come under suspicion of the Spanish
authorities.
Boarded in a house on Caraballo Street, owned by Titay
who owed Rizal family 300 pesos.
Jesuit System of Education
Jesuit trained the character of the student by rigid
discipline, humanities, and religious instruction.
The students heard Mass in the morning before the
beginning of daily class.
Classes were opened and closed with prayers.
Students were divided into two groups: Roman Empire –
consisting of the internos (boarders) with red banners; and
Carthaginian Empire – composed of the externos (non-
boarders) with blue banners.
Each of these empires had its rank. Students fought for
positions. Any student could challenge any officer in his
―empire‖ to answer questions on the day’s lesson. With 3
mistakes, opponents could lose his position.
1st best: EMPEROR
2nd best: TRIBUNE
3rd best: DECURION
4th best: CENTURION
5th best: STANDARD-BEARER
Ateneo students’ uniform is consisted of ―hemp-fabric
trousers‖ and ―striped cotton coat‖. The coat was called
rayadillo and was adopted as the uniform for Filipino
troops during the days of the First Philippine Republic.
26. Rizal’s First Year in Ateneo (1872-73)
 June 1872 – first day of class in Ateneo.
 Fr. Jose Bech – first professor of Rizal.
 Rizal was placed at the bottom of the class since
he was a newcomer and knows little Spanish. He
was an externo and was assigned to
Carthaginians. At the end of the month, he
became emperor of his Empire. He was the
brightest pupil in the whole class.
 Took private lessons in Santa Isabel College and
paid 3 pesos for extra Spanish lessons.
 Placed 2nd at the end of the year, although all his
grades were still marked Excellent.
27. Summer Vacation (1873)
 March 1873 – Rizal returned to Calamba for
summer vacation.
 His sister Neneng (Saturnina) brought him to
Tanawan to cheer him up.
 Visited his mother in prison at Santa Cruz without
telling his father.
 After vacation, he returned to Manila for his 2nd
year term in Ateneo.
 Boarded inside Intramuros at No. 8 Magallanes
Street.
 Doña Pepay – landlady and old widow with a
widowed daughter and four sons
28. Second Year in Ateneo (1873-74)
 Rizal lost the leadership but he repented and even
studied harder, once more he became emperor.
He received excellent grades in all subjects and a
gold medal.
 He had 3 classmates from Biñan who had also
been his classmates in the school of Maestro
Justiniano.
29. Prophecy of Mother’s Release
 Doña Teodora told her son of her dream the
previous night. Rizal, interpreting the dream, told
her that she would be released from prison in 3
months’ time. It became true.
 Doña Teodora likened his son to the youthful
Joseph in the Bible in his ability to interpret
dreams.
30. Teenage Interest in Reading
 The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas –
Jose Rizal’s first favorite novel.
 Also read non-fiction, Cesar Cantu’s historical
work Universal History.
 He also read Travels in the Philippines by Dr.
Feodor Jagor, German who visited the Philippines
in 1859-1860. In this book, he foretold that
someday Spain would lose the Philippines and
that America would come to succeed here as
colonizer.
31. Third Year in Ateneo (1874-75)
Shortly after the opening of classes, his mother was
released from prison.
Rizal did not make an excellent showing in his studies.
He failed to win the medal in Spanish because his spoken
was not fluently sonorous.
32. Fourth Year in Ateneo (1875-76)
June 16, 1875 – he became an inferno in Ateneo.
Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez – inspired him to study
harder and write poetry. Rizal described
him as ―model of uprightness, earnestness, and love for
the advancement of his pupils‖.
He returned to Calamba with 5 medals and excellent
ratings.
33. Last Year in Ateneo (1876-77)
June 1876 – last year of Rizal in Ateneo.
The most brilliant Atenean of his time, ―the pride of the
Jesuits‖.
Obtained highest grades in all subjects.
34. Graduation with Highest Honors
Excellent scholastic records from 1872-1877.
March 23, 1877 – Commencement Day. 16 year old Rizal
received from his Alma Mater the degree of Bachelor of
Arts with highest honors.
35. Extra-Curricular Activities
 An emperor inside the classroom and campus
leader outside.
 Secretary of the Marian Congregation.
 Member of Academy of Spanish Literature and the
Academy of Natural Sciences.
 Studied painting under the famous Spanish
painter Agustin Saez.
 Studied sculpture under Romualdo de Jesus,
noted Filipino sculptor.
 Engaged in gymnastics and fencing.
 Fr. Jose Villaclara advised him to stop communing
with the muses and pay more attention to
practical studies such as philosophy and natural
science.
36. Sculptural Works in Ateneo
Carved an image of The Virgin Mary on a piece of
batikuling (Philippine hardwood).
Father Lleonart requested him to carve an image of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus. Ateneo students placed the image
on the door of the dormitory and remained there for many
years.
37. Anecdotes on Rizal, The Atenean
Felix M. Ramos – one of Rizal’s contemporaries in Ateneo.
Manuel Xeres Burgos – whose house Rizal boarded shortly
before he became an inferno.
38. Poems Written in Ateneo
 Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration) – first
poem he wrote for his mother’s birthday.
 In 1875, inspired by Father Sanchez, he wrote more
poems such as: Filicitacion (Felicitation), El
Embarque: Himno a la Flota de Magallanes (The
Departure Hymn to Magellan’s fleet), Y Es Espanol:
Elcano, the first to circumnavigate the world), and
El Combate: Urbiztondo Terror de Jolo (The Battle:
Urbiztondo, Terror of Jolo).
 In 1876, Rizal wrote poems on various topics: Un
Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town),
Alianza Intima Entre la Region Y La Buena
Educacion (Intimate Alliance Between Religion and
Good Education), Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre La
Patria (Through Education the Country Receive
Light), E Cultivero Y El Triunfo (The Captivity and
the Triumph: Battle of Lucena and the
Imprisonment of Boabdil), and La Entrada Triuntal
de Los Reyes Catolices en Granada (The Triumphal
Entry of The Catholic Monarches into Granada).
 A year later, in 1877 he wrote more poems: El
Heroismo de Colon (The Heroism of Colombus),
Colon y Juan II (Colombus and John II ), Gran
Consuelo en la Mayor Desdicha (Great Solace in
Great Misfortune), and Un Diarogo Alusivo a la
Despedida de los Colegiales (A Farewell Dialogue of
the Students.
Rizal’s Religious Poems
 Al Niño Jesus (To the Child Jesus) – a brief ode;
written in 1875 when he was 14 years old.
 A La Virgen Maria (To the Virgin Mary).
 Dramatic Work in Ateneo
 Father Sanchez, his favorite teacher, ask him to
write a drama based on the prose story of St.
 Eustace the Martyr.
 Summer 1876 in Calamba - he wrote the religious
drama in poetic verses.
 June 02, 1876 - finished the manuscript.
 He submitted the finished manuscript entitled
―San Eustacio, Martir‖ (St. Eustace, the Martyr) to
Father Sanchez in his last academic year in Ateneo.
V. Medical Studies at the University of Santo
Tomas (1877-1882)
39. Mother’s Opposition to Higher Education
Doña Teodora opposed the idea of sending Rizal to UST to
pursue higher education because she knew what
happened to Gom-Bur-Za and the Spaniards might cut off
his head if he gets to know more. Rizal was surprised by his
mother’s opposition, who was a woman of education and
culture. Despite his mother’s tears, Don Francisco told
Paciano to accompany Rizal to Manila.
40. Rizal Enters the University
 April 1877 – Rizal matriculated in the University of
Santo Tomas.
 He enrolled in UST taking up Philosophy and Letter
for two reasons: (1) his father liked it and (2) he
was ―still uncertain as to what career to pursue‖
 He asked the advice of Father Pablo Ramon (Rector
of the Ateneo) on what career to choose but
Father Recto was in Mindanao so he was unable to
advice Rizal.
 First-year Term (1877-78) – Rizal studied
Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy, and History of
Philosophy.
 Ateneo Rector’s advice – study medicine; reason:
to be able to cure his mother’s growing blindness.
41. Finishes Surveying Course in Ateneo (1878)
 While Rizal was studying at UST, he also studied in
Ateneo. He took the vocational course leading to
the title of ―perito agrimensor‖ (expert surveyor).
  Colleges for boys in Manila offered vocational
courses in agriculture, commerce, mechanics, and
surveying.
 He excelled in all subjects in the surveying course
obtaining gold medals in agriculture and
topography.
 At the age of 17, he passed the final examination in
the surveying course.
 November 25, 1881 – he was granted the title as
surveyor.
 Because of his loyalty to Ateneo, he continued to
participate actively in the Ateneo’s extracurricular
activities.
 He was president of the Academy of Spanish
Literature and secretary of the Academy of Natural
Sciences.
42. Victim of Spanish Officer’s Brutality
 One dark night in Calamba, during the summer
vacation in 1878, when Rizal was walking in the
street and dimly perceived the figure of a man
while passing him. Not knowing the person was a
lieutenant of the Guardia Civil; he did not salute
nor say greetings. With a snarl, he turned upon
Rizal, whipped out his sword and brutally slashed
his back.
 Rizal reported the incident to General Primo de
Rivera, the Spanish Governor General of the
Philippines at that time, but nothing came out
because he was an Indio and the accused was a
Spaniard. Later in a letter to Blumentritt dated
March 21, 1887, he related, ―I went to the Captain
General but I could not obtain justice; my wound
lasted two weeks.‖
43. “To the Filipino Youth” (1879)
 Liceo Artisco-Literano (Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of
Manila – society of literary men and artists; held a
literary contest.
 At the age of 18, Rizal submitted his poem entitled
A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth).
 The Board of Judges – composed of Spaniards;
gave the first prize to Rizal which consisted of a
silver pen, feather-shaped and decorated with a
gold ribbon.
 Rizal beseeched the Filipino youth to rise from
lethargy, to let their genius fly swifter than the
wind and descend with art and science to break the
chains that have long bound the spirit of people.
 Reasons why Rizal’s poem was a classic in
Philippine Literature: (1) it was the first great poem
in Spanish written by a Filipino, whose merit was
recognized by Spanish literary authorities and (2) it
expressed for the first time the nationalistic
concept that the Filipinos were the ―fair hope of
the Fatherland‖.
43. “The Council of the Gods” (1880)
 Artistic-Literary Lyceum – opened another literary
contest for both Filipino and Spaniards
to commemorate the fourth centennial of the death of
Cervantes, Spain’s glorified man-
of-letters and famous author of Don Quixote.
P a g e | 11
 Rizal submitted an allegorical drama entitled El Consejo
de los Dioses (The Council of
the Gods) and he received the first prize, a gold ring on
which was engraved the bust of
Cervantes.
44. Other Literary Works
 Junto al Pasic (Beside the Pasig) (1880) – a zarzuela
which was staged by the Ateneans
on
 December 08, 1880, on the annual celebration of the
Feast Day of the Immaculate
Conception
 (Patrones of the Ateneo).
 A Filipinas (1880) – a sonnet he wrote for the album of
the Society of Sculptors.
 Abd-el-Azis (1879) – a poem declaimed by Manuel
Fernandez on the night of December
08, 1879
 in honor of the Ateneo’s Patroness.
 Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon (1881) – a poem he wrote as an
expression of affection to
Father Pablo Ramon.
45. Champion of Filipino Students
 Rizal was the champion of the Filipino students in their
fights against the arrogant
Spanish students, who insultingly called their brown
classmates ―Indio, chongo!‖ In
retaliation, the Filipino students called them ―Kastila,
bangus!‖.
 In 1880 - Rizal founded a secret society of Filipino
students in the University of Santo
Tomas called ―Compaňerismo‖ (Comradeship), whose
members were called
―Companions of Jehu,‖ after the valiant Hebrew general
who fought the Armaeans.
 Galicano Apacible - Rizal’s cousin from Batangas;
secretary of Compañerismo.
 Fierce encounter near the Escolta in Manila where Rizal
was wounded on the head, and
tenderly washed and dressed by Leonor Rivera in his
boarding house ―Casa Tomasina‖.
46. Unhappy Days at the UST
 He was unhappy at this Dominican institution of higher Dalaga‖
learning because (1) the  May 09 - the Salvadora docked at Singapore.
Dominican professors were hostile to him; (2) the Filipino  Hotel de la Paz – Rizal registered here and spent two
students were racially days on sightseeing on a soiree of
discriminated against by the Spaniards, and (3) the method the city.
of instruction was obsolete 50. From Singapore to Colombo
and repressive.  May 11 - Rizal transferred to another ship Djemnah, a
 Rizal, the most brilliant graduate of Ateneo, failed to win French streamer.
high scholastic honors. Decision  Among these passengers were British, French, Dutch,
to Study Abroad Spaniards, Malays, Siamese, and
 After finishing the fourth year of his medical course, Rizal Filipinos (Mr. & Mrs. Salazar, Mr. Vicente Pardo, and Jose
decided to study in Spain. He Rizal).
could no longer endure the rampant bigotry,  May 17- the Djemnah reached Point Galle, a seacoast
discrimination, and hostility in the University town in southern Ceylon (now Sri
of Santo Tomas. Lanka). Rizal was unimpressed by this town; he said it is
 He did not seek his parent’s permission and blessings to ―picturesque but lonely and
go abroad; and even his quiet and at the same time sad‖.
beloved Leonor  Colombo - the capital of Ceylon; Rizal wrote on his diary
VI. In Sunny Spain (1882-1885) ―Colombo is more beautiful,
47. Rizal’s Secret Mission smart and elegant than Singapore, Point Galle and
 To observe keenly the life and culture, languages and Manila‖.
customs, industries, commerce 51. First Trip Through Suez Canal
and government and laws of the Europian Nations in order  From Colombo, Djemnah continued the voyage crossing
to prepare himself in the the Indian Ocean to the Cape
mighty task of liberating of oppressed people from Spanish of Guardafui, Africa, and then a stopover on Aden. From
tyranny. Aden, Djemnah proceeded to
 Approval of his older brother Paciano the city of Suez, the Red Sea terminal of the Suez Canal. It
 Rizal has no permission and blessings to his parents. took five days to traverse the
48. Secret Departure for Spain Suez Canal. At Port Said, the Mediterranean terminal of
 The people who knows Rizal will go to Spain: the Suez Canal, Rizal landed
- Older brother (Paciano) and he was fascinated to hear the multi-racial inhabitants
- His uncle (Antonio Rivera, father of Leonor Rivera) speaking a babel of tongues –
- His sisters (Neneng and Lucia) Arabic, Egyptian, Greek, French, Italian, Spanish, etc.
- Valenzuela family (Capitan Juan and Capitana Sanday and  Rizal sighted the barren coast of Africa which he called
their daughter Orang) an ―inhospitable land but
- Pedro A. Paterno famous‖.
 Aden - hotter than manila; he was amused to see the
P a g e | 12 camels.
 Ferdinand de Lesseps (French diplomat-engineer) - built
- Mateo Evangelista – his compadre the Suez Canal, inaugurated
- Ateneo Jesuit fathers on Nov. 17, 1869.
- Some intimate friends, including Chengoy (Jose M. 52. Naples and Marseilles
Cecilio).  June 11 – Rizal reached Naples.
 Jose Mercado - the name he used; a cousin from Biñan.  June 12 – the steamer docked at the French harbor of
 May 3, 1882 - Rizal departed on board the Spanish Marseilles. He visited the famous
streamer Salvadora bound for Chateau d’lf, where Dantes, hero of The Count of Monte
Singapore. Cristo, was imprisoned.
 Stayed 2 1⁄2 days at Marseilles.
49. Singapore 53. Barcelona
 The only Filipino to board the steamer with 16  May 15 – Rizal left Marseilles.
passengers, the rest was Spaniards,  June 16, 1882 – Rizal reached Barcelona, the greatest
British, and Indian Negroes. city of Cataluña and Spain’s 2nd
 Captain Donato Lecha - ship captain from Asturias, Spain, largest city.
befriended him.  Rizal’s first impression on Barcelona: ugly, with dirty little
 May 08, 1882 - he saw a beautiful island; he inns and inhospitable
remembered ―Talim Island with the Susong residents.
 Second impression: a great city, with an atmosphere of  ―Me Piden Versos‖ (They Ask Me For Verses) –
freedom and liberalism, and its personally declaimed during New Year’s
people were open-hearted, hospitable, and courageous. Eve reception of the Madrid Filipinos held on December
 Las Ramdas - most Famous street in Barcelona 31, 1882.
 Rizal as Lover of Books
P a g e | 13  Señor Roces – owner of store where Rizal purchased 2nd
hand books.
54. “Amor Patrio”  Rizal was deeply affected by Beecher Stowe’s ―Uncle
 ―Amor Patrio‖ (Love of Country) – nationalistic essay; Tom’s Cabin‖ and Eugene Sue’s
his first article written on Spain’s ―The Wandering Jew‖.
soil. 58. Rizal’s First Visit to Paris
 Basilio Teodoro Moran – publisher of Diariong Tagalog,  June 17 to August 20, 1883 – sojourning in gay capital of
first Manila bilingual newspaper France.
(Spanish and Tagalog.  Hotel de Paris – where he first billeted on 37 Rue de
 It was under Rizal’s pen name: Laong Laan. Maubange.
 Printed in Diariong Tagalog on August 20, 1882.  Latin Quarter – where he moved; cheaper hotel on 124
 Published in two texts – Spanish (originally written by Rue de Rennes. Rizal as a
Rizal in Barcelona) and Tagalog Mason
(made by M.H. del Pilar).  March 1883 – joined the Masonic lodge called ―Acacia‖
 ―Los Viajes‖ (Travels) – second article for Diariong in Madrid.
Tagalog  Reason for becoming a mason: to secure Freemasonry’s
 ―Revista de Madrid‖ (Review of Madrid) – third article; aid in his fight against the friars
wrote in Madrid on November 29, in the Philippines.
1882; returned to him because the Diariong Tagalog had  Lodge Solidaridad (Madrid) – where he became a Master
ceased publication due to lack Mason on November 15,
of funds. 1890.
55. Manila Moves to Madrid  February 15, 1892 – he was awarded the diploma as
 September 15, 1882 - Rizal received a letter from Master Mason by Le Grand Orient
Paciano. According to the letter, de France in Paris.
cholera was ravaging Manila and the provinces.
 Sad news from Chengoy, Leonora Rivera was unhappy P a g e | 14
and getting thinner because of
the absence of a loved one.  ―Science, Virtue and Labor‖ – only Masonic writing.
 In one of his letters (dated May 26, 1882) Paciano  Very active in Masonic affairs: M.H. del Pilar, G. Lopez
advised Rizal to finish his medical Jaena, and Mariano Ponce.
course in Madrid, therefore, Rizal establish himself to 59. Financial Worries
Madrid. After Rizal’s departure for Spain, things turned from bad to
56. Life in Madrid worse in Calamba. Due to hard
 November 3, 1882 – Rizal enrolled in the Universidad times in Calamba, the monthly allowances of Rizal in
Central de Madrid (Central Madrid were late in arrival
University of and there were times they never arrived. On June 24,
 Madrid in 2 courses: Medicine and Philiosophy and 1884, a touching incident in
Letters. Rizal’s life occurred; with an empty stomach, he attended
 Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando – school where he his class at the
studied painting and university, participated in the contest in Greek language
sculpture. and won the gold medal.
 Hall of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell – place where practiced In the evening, he was able to eat dinner, for he was a
fencing and shooting. guest speaker in a banquet
 Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey – former city mayor of Manila; held in honor of Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo
promoted vice-president of the at Restaurant Ingles,
Council of Madrid.
 the Philippines in the Ministry of Colonies (Ultramar).
57. “They Ask Me For Verses.” 60. Rizal’s Salute to Luna and Hidalgo
 1882 – Rizal joined the Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-  June 25, 1884 – the banquet was sponsored by the
Philippine Circle), a society of Filipino community.
Spaniards and Filipinos.
 Luna’s Spolarium won first prize and Hidalgo’s Christian
Virgins Exposed to the
Populace, second prize in the National Exposition of Fine
Arts in Madrid.
61. Rizal Involved in Student Demonstrations
 November 20, 21, and 22, 1884 – Madrid exploded in
bloody riots by the students of the
Central University.
 Dr. Miguel Morayta – professor of history; these student
demonstrations were caused by
his address ―the freedom of science and the teacher‖.
 The appointment of the new Rector intensified the fury
of the student demonstrators.
62. Studies Completed in Spain
 June 21, 1884 - degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the
Universidad Central de Madrid.
 Did not present the thesis required for graduation nor
paid the corresponding fees, he
was not awarded his Doctor’s diploma.
 June 19, 1885 (his 24th birthday) – degree of Licentiate
in Philosophy and Letters by the
Universidad Central de Madrid.
VII. Paris to Berlin (1885-87)
After completing his studies in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris
and Germany in order to specialize in
ophthalmology. He particularly chose this branch of
medicine because he wanted
to cure his mother’s eye ailment. In Berlin, Jose met and
befriended several top
German scientists, Dr. Feodor Jagor, Dr. Adolph B. Meyer,
and Dr. Rudolf
Virchow.
63. In Gay Paris (1885-86)
 Maximo Viola – friend of Jose; a medical student and a
member of a rich family of San
Miguel, Bulacan.
 Señor Eusebio Corominas – editor of the newspaper La
Publicidad and who made a
crayon sketch of Don Miguel Morayta.
 Don Miguel Morayta – owner of la Publicidad and a
statesman.
 November 1885 – Rizal was living in Paris, where he
sojourned for about four months.
 Dr. Louis de Weckert (1852-1906) – leading French
ophthalmologist were Jose worked
as an assistant from Nov. 1885 to Feb. 1886.
 January 1, 1886 – Rizal wrote a letter for his mother to
reveal that he was rapidly
improved his knowledge in ophthalmology.
Rizal relaxed by visiting his friends, such as the family of
the Pardo de Taveras (Trinidad, Felix,
and Paz), Juan Luna and Felix Resureccion Hidalgo. "His co-
Filipino medical
student, Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera offered hospitality
and support for Rizal's
courageous ventures. Nellie Bousted (standing third from
right), who lived in
Biarritz and Paris, fenced with Rizal (second from left) and
might have become
P a g e | 15
Mrs. Rizal, had she not insisted on turning him Protestant.
Also in photo are artist
Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo (third from left) and Paz Pardo
de Tavera Luna (second
from right). Juan Luna's mother-in-law, Juliana Gorricho
Pardo de Tavera is seated
at the center holding Luna's son Andres."
 Paz Pardo de Taveras – a pretty girl who was engaged to
Juan Luna. In her album, Jose
sketches the story of ―The Monkey and the Turtle‖.
 ―The Death of Cleopatra‖ – where he posed as an
Egyptian Priest.
 ―The Blood Compact‖ – where he posed as Sikatuna,
with Trinidad Pardo de Taveras
taking the role of Legazpi. "Rizal (seated) shared a deep
friendship with painter Juan
Luna and often agreed to pose for Luna's paintings as in
'The Death of Cleopatra.'" -- In
Excelsis: The Mission of José Rizal, Humanist and Philippine
National Hero by Felice
Prudenta Sta. Maria. In the foreground is Rizal as Egyptian
scribe, recording the event
for posterity. Behind him are Trinidad Pardo de Tavera as
Octavius Caesar and Felix
Pardo de Tavera as Dolabella. Missing are Charmian and
Iras.
64. Rizal as a Musician
 November 27, 1878 – Rizal wrote a letter to Enrique Lete
saying that ―he learned the
solfeggio‖, the piano, and voice culture in one month and a
half.
 Flute – the instrument that Jose played in every reunion
of Filipinos in Paris.
 ―Alin Mang Lahi‖ (Any Race) – a patriotic song which
asserts that any race aspires for
freedom.
 La Deportacion (Deportation) – a sad danza, which he
composed in Dapitan during his
exile.
65. In Historic Heidelberg
 Feb. 1, 1886 – Jose left Gay, Paris for Germany.
 Feb. 3, 1886 – he arrived in Heidelberg, a historic city in
Germany famous for its old
university and romantic surroundings.
 Chess player – Jose was a good chess player so that his
German friend made him a
member of the Chess Player’s Club.
 University of Heidelberg – where Jose transferred to a
boarding house near the said
university.
66. To the Flowers of Heidelberg
 Spring of 1886 – Rizal was fascinated by the blooming
flowers along the cool banks of
the Neckar River.
 The light blue ―forget-me-not‖ – his favorite flower
 April 22, 1886 – wrote a fine poem ―To the Flower of
Heidelberg‖.
67. With Pastor Ullmer at Wilhemsfeld
 Wilhelmsfeld – where Rizal spent a three month summer
vacation.
 Protestant Pastor Dr. Karl Ullmer – where Rizal stay at
the vicarage of their house and
who become his good friend and admirer.
 June 25, 1886 – he ended his sojourn and felt the pays of
sadness.
 May 29, 1887 – Rizal wrote from Minich (Muchen) to
Friedrich (Fritz).
68. First Letter to Blumentritt
 July 31, 1886 – Rizal wrote his first letter in German to
Blumentritt.
 Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt – Director of the Ateneo
of Leitmeritz, Austria.
 Fifth Centenary of Heidelberg University
 August 6, 1886 – fifth centenary of Heidelberg University
69. In Leipzig and Dresden
 August 9, 1886 – Rizal left Heidelberg.
 August 14, 1886 – when he arrived in Leipzig.
P a g e | 16
 Rizal translated Schiller’s William Tell from German into
Tagalog. He also translated
Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Anderson. He stayed about
two and half month in Leipzig.
 October 29, 1886 – he left Leipzig for Dresden where he
met Dr. Meyer.
 Dr. Adolph B. Meyer – director of the Anthropological
and Ethnological Museum.
 Nov. 1 – he left Dresden by train, reaching Berlin in the
evening.
70. Rizal Welcomed in Berlin’s Circles
 Berlin – where Rizal met Dr. Feodor Jagor
 Dr. Feodor Jagor – author of Travels in the Philippines.
 Dr. Hans Virchow – professor of Descriptive Anatomy.
 Dr. Rudolf Virchow – German Anthropologist.
 Dr. W. Joest – noted German geographer.
 Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger – famous German
ophthalmologist where Jose worked in his
clinic.
 Rizal became a member of the Anthropological Society,
Ethnological Society, and
Geographical Society of Berlin.
71. Rizal’s Life in Berlin
─ Gain further knowledge of ophthalmology
─ Further his studies of sciences and languages
─ Observe the economic and political conditions of the
German nation
─ Associate with famous German scientists and scholars
─ Publish his novel, Noli me Tangere
– French professor; she became Jose’s professor in Berlin.
He took
private lessons in French in order to master the idiomatic
intricacies of the French
language.
72. Rizal on German Women
 March 11, 1886 – Rizal wrote a letter addressed to his
sister, Trinidad, expressing his
high regard
 and admiration for German womanhood.
 German woman – serious, diligent, educated and
friendly
 Spanish woman – gossipy, frivolous and quarrelsome
73. German Customs
 Christmas custom of the Germans
 Self-introduce to stranger in social gathering
74. Rizal’s Darkest Winter
 Winter of 1886 – Rizal’s darkest winter in Berlin.
 He lived in poverty because no money arrived from
Calamba. Rizal starved in Berlin and
shivered
 with wintry cold, his health down due to lack of proper
nourishment.
VIII. Noli me Tangere Published in Berlin (1887)
The bleak winter of 1886 in Berlin was Rizal’s darkest
winter because no money arrived from
Calamba and he was flat broke. The diamond ring which
his sister, Saturnina, gave
him was in the pawnshop. It was memorable in the life of
Rizal for two reasons (1)
it was a painful episode for he was hungry, sick and
despondent in a strange city
(2) it brought him great joy after enduring so much
sufferings, because his first
novel, Noli Me Tangere came off the press in March, 1887.
Like to the legendary
Santa Claus, Dr. Maximo Viola, his friend from BULACAN,
arrived in BERLIN at
the height if his despondency and loaned him the needed
funds to publish the
novel.
75. Idea of Writing a Novel on the Philippines
P a g e | 17
 His reading of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s
Cabin - inspired Dr. Rizal to
prepare a novel that would depict the miseries of his
people (Filipinos) under the lash of
Spanish tyrants.
 January 2, 1884- in a reunion of Filipinos in the Paterno
residence in Madrid, Rizal
proposed the writings of a novel about the Philippines by a
group of Filipinos. His
proposals were approved by PATERNOS (Pedro, Maximo
and Antonio), Graciano Lopez
JAENA, Evaristo AGUIRRE, Eduardo DE LETE, Julio
LLORENTE, Melecio FIGUEROA
and Valentin VENTURA.
76. The Writing of the Noli
 Toward the end of 1884, Rizal began writing the novel in
Madrid and finished about one-
half of it.
 When Rizal went to Paris, in 1885, after completing his
studies in the Central University
of Madrid, he continued writing the novel, finishing one
half of the second half.
 Rizal finished the last fourth of the novel in Germany. He
wrote the last few chapters of
the Noli in Wilhelmsfeld in April-June, 1886.
 In Berlin during the winter days of February, 1886, Rizal
made the final revisions on the
manuscript of the Noli
77. Viola, Savior of the Noli
 Dr. Maximo Viola- Rizal’s rich friend from Bulacan,
arrived in Berlin at the height of Rizal
despondency and loaned him the needed funds to publish
the novel; Viola was shocked
to find RIZAL in a dirty place, just not to waste money for
the printing of NOLI ME
TANGERE.
 After the Christmas season, Rizal put the finishing
touches on his novel. To save
 printing expenses, he deleted certain passages in his
manuscript, including a whole
chapter —―Elias and Salome‖.
 February 21, 1887- the Noli was finally finished and
ready for printing.
 Berliner Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesselschaft- a printing
shop which charged the lowest
rate, that is, 300 pesos for 2,00 copies of the novel
78. Rizal Suspected as French Spy.
During the printing of NOLI, the chief of police BERLIN visit
RIZAL’s boarding house and
requested to see his passport, unfortunately, that time to
travel with or without
passports is possible. The police chief then told him to
produce a passport after 4
days. Immediately VIOLA accompanied RIZAL in the
Spanish Ambassador, the
COURT of BENOMAR, who promised to attend to the
matter. But the ambassador
failed to keep his promise, but it turns out that he had no
power to issue the
required passport. The 4 day ultimatum expired. RIZAL
himself apologize to the
chief police, while asking why has he to be deported, the
police chief answered
that he was always seen visiting many villages, thereby
pronouncing him as a
French SPY. RIZAL in fluent GERMAN explained to the
police, that he was a
Filipino ethnologist, who visits rural areas to observe
customs and lifestyles of their
simple inhabitants. The chief impressed and fascinated on
RIZAL’s explanation,
allowed him to stay freely in GERMANY.
79. Printing of the Noli Finished
Every day, Rizal and Viola were always at the printing shop
proof reading the printed pages.
 March 21, 1887- the Noli Me Tangere came off the press,
RIZAL immediately sent the
first copies to BLUMENTRITT, DR. ANTONIO REGIDOR, G.
LOPEZ JAENA, MARIANO
PONCE, and FELIX R. HIDALGO. ―I am sending you a book,
my first book... bold book
on the life of tagalongs... Filipinos will find it the history of
the last ten years...‖
 March 29, 1887- Rizal, in token of his appreciation and
gratitude, gave Viola the galley
proofs of the Noli carefully rolled around the pen that he
used in writing it and a
complimentary copy, with the following inscription: ―To
my dear friend, Maximo Viola, the
first to read and appreciate my work—Jose Rizal‖
P a g e | 18
80. The Title of the Novel
The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase which means
―Touch Me Not‖. It is not originally
conceived by Rizal, for he admitted taking it from the
Bible.
Rizal, writing to Felix Hidalgo in French on March 5, 1887,
said: ―Noli Me Tangere, words taken
from the Gospel of St. Luke, signify ―do not touch me‖ but
Rizal made a mistake, it
should be the Gospel of St. John (Chapter 20 Verses 13 to
17). ―Touch me not; I
am not yet ascended to my father...‖
Rizal dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to the Philippines—
―To My Fatherland‖.
The cover of Noli Me Tangere was designed by Rizal. It is a
ketch of explicit symbols. A
woman’s head atop a Maria Clara bodice represents the
nation and the women,
victims of the social cancer. One of the causes of the
cancer is symbolized in the
friar’s feet, outsized in relation to the woman’s head. The
other aggravating causes
of oppression and discrimination are shown in the guard’s
helmet and the iron
chains, the teacher’s whip and the alferez’s scourge. A
slight cluster of bamboo
stands at the backdrop; these are the people, forever in
the background of their
own country’s history. There are a cross, a maze, flowers
and thorny plants, a
flame; these are indicative of the religious policy, the
misdirected ardor, the people
strangled as a result of these all.
The novel Noli Me Tangere contains 63 chapters and an
epilogue.
Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor- Filipino patriot and lawyer, who
had been exiled due to his complicity
in the Cavite Mutiny of 1872, read avidly the Noli and was
very much impressed by
its author.
81. Characters of Noli
 The Noli Me Tangere was a true story of the Philippine
conditions during the last
decades of Spanish rule.
 Maria Clara - was Leonor Rivera, although in real life she
became unfaithful and married
an Englishman.
 Ibarra and Elias - represented Rizal himself.
 Tasio - the philosopher was Rizal’s elder brother Paciano.
 Padre Salvi - was identified by Rizalists as Padre Antonio
Piernavieja, the hated
Augustinian friar in Cavite who was killed by the patriots
during the Revolution.
 Capitan Tiago - was Captain Hilario Sunico of San Nicolas.
 Doña Victorina - was Doña Agustina Medel.
 - were the Crisostomo brothers of Hagonoy.
 Padre Damaso - typical of a domineering friar during the
days of Rizal, who was
arrogant, immoral and anti-Filipino.
IX. Rizal’s Grand Tour of Europe with Viola (1887)
After the publication of Noli, Rizal planned to visit the
important places in Europe. Dr. Maximo
Viola agreed to be his traveling companion. Rizal received
Pacianos remittance of
P1000 which forward by Juan Luna from Paris and
immediately paid his debt to
Viola which he loaned so that the Noli could be printed.
First, he and Viola visited
Potsdam, a city near Berlin.
82. Tour Begins
At the dawn of May 11, 1887, Rizal and Viola, two
browned-skinned doctors on a roaming
spree, left Berlin by train. Spring was an ideal season for
travel. Their destination
was in Dresden, one of the best cities in Germany .́
83. Dresden
Rizal and Viola tarried for sometimes in Dresden. They
visited Dr. Adolph B. Meyer, who was
overjoyed to see them. In the Museum of Art, Rizal was
deeply impressed by
painting of Prometheus Bound. They also meet Dr. Jagor
and heard there plan
about Leitmeritz in order to see Blumentritt. He advice to
wire Blumentritt because
the old professor might be shock of their visit.
84. First Meeting with Blumentritt
P a g e | 19
At 1:30 pm of May 15, 1887 the train arrived at the
railroad station of Leitmeritz. Professor
Blumentritt was at the station carrying a pencil sketch of
Rizal which he sent to
identify his friend. Blumentritt get a room at Hotel Krebs,
after which he bought
them to his house and stayed Leitmeritz May 13 to 14
1887.
85. Beautiful Memories at Leitmeritz
They enjoyed hospitality of Blumentritt family. The
professor¶s wife, Rosa, was a goodcook.
She prepared Austrian dishes which Rizal¶s liked very
much. Blumentritt proved to
be agreat tourist as well as hospitable host. He showed the
scenic and historical
spots of Leitmeritz tohis visitors. The Burgomaster (town
mayor) was also amazed
by Rizals privileged talent.
86. Prague
Rizal and Viola visited the historic city of Prague. They
carried letters of recommendation from
Blumentritt to Dr. Wilkom, professor in University of
Prague. Rizal and Viola visited
the 3Tomb of Copernicus.
87. Vienna
May 20 they arrived at Vienna capital of Austria-Hungary.
They met Norfenfals, one of the
greatest novelist iun that time. They stayed at Hotel
Metropole. They also meet two
good friends of Blumentritt ± Masner and Nordman,
Austrian scholars.
88. Danubian Voyage to Lintz
May 24, Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river boat too se
beautiful sights of Danube River. As
they travelled along the famous river, Rizal observed
keenly river sights.

89. Form Lintz to Rheinfall

The river voyage ended in Lintz. They travelled overland to
Salzburg, and from there to Munich

where the sojourned for a short time to savor the famous

Munich Beer.

90. Crossing the Frontier to Switzerland

They stayed from June 2 to 3 1887 and continued tour to
Basel (Bale), Bern, and Laussane.
91. Geneva
Rizal and Viola left Laussane in a little boat crossing the
foggy Leman Lake to Geneva. On June
19, 1887, his 26th birthday; Rizal treated Viola to a blow-
out. Rizal and Viola spent
fifteen days in Geneva. On June 23, they parted ways. Viola
decided to return to
Barcelona while Rizal continued his tour to Italy.

92. Rizal Resents Exhibition of Igorots in 1887 Madrid

Exposition Rizal received sad news
from his friends in Madrid of the deplorable conditions of
the primitive Igorots who
were exhibited in this exposition. Some of these Igorots
died. Rizal was outraged
by the degradation of his fellow countrymen.

93. Rizal in Italy

He visited Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence. On June 27,
1887, he reached Rome. He was
thrilled by the sights and memories of the Eternal City
Rome. On June 29th, Rizal
visited or the first time the Vatican, the City of the Popes
and the capital of
Christendom. After a week of staying in Rome, he
prepared to return to the
Philippines. He had already written to his father that he
was coming home.