SAINT LOUIS COLLEGE

City of San Fernando, La Union

College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher-Educ. and Information

Technology

GE 6: Life, Works and Writings of Dr. Jose Rizal

Lesson 3
Rizal’s Life, Family, Childhood

Module Learning Objectives:

At the end of the module, the students are expected to:
1. Compare and contrast Jose Rizal’s family and the family of present
generation.
2. Identify the people and events and their influences in the early life of Rizal
3. Glean from Dr. Jose Rizal’s experiences the traits that would later define
his character

Topics
A. Birth of the hero
B. Mixed Ancestry
C. Childhood Memories
D. The Story of the Moth
E. Rizal’s Mentor
F. Life in Biñan

Birth of the hero

Jose P Rizal was born on the 19th day of June 1861 between 11:00-12:00 midnight. His
mother Teodora Alonzo almost lost her life giving birth to Jose because of his big head and
because of his difficulty, the family of Jose considered him as special and called him as my
bonito. He was born in Calamba, Laguna which was

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 considered a first class municipality and a place
where the rich families enjoyed the material Did You Know that Physically
progress brought by the opening of the Philippines Rizal had his own infirmities?
in the world trade. Majority of the land of the town Aside from being sickly his
were owned by Dominican Friars and his father shoulders are unproportioned.
Francisco Rizal was an Inquilino who rented a His left shoulder was lower than
huge land from the Dominicans. the right and had an oversize
The climate of Laguna was favorable. The head. Basing it from his hat it
scenic beauty (the town nestles at the foot of majestic measures 6 ½ “across and inside
Mt. Makiling) gave Jose a conducive atmosphere for the hat measures 8” from front to
his aesthetic sensibilities. The green meadows all rear. His big head was noticed by
around, the verdant plains covered with rice fields, Fr. Collantes during his baptism
the family orchard and the picturesque beauty of
Laguna de Bay also enhanced his sense of creativity
and his love of nature.
In one of his diaries, Rizal however, wrote of the unhappy environment brought about
by the abusive treatment of which his townspeople suffered in the hands of Spanish officials.
He wrote:
“I spent many, many hours of my childhood down on the shore of the lake, Laguna de bay.
I was thinking what was beyond. I was dreaming of what might be over the other side of
the wave. Almost every day in our town, we saw the Guardia civil lieutenant caning and
injuring some unarmed and inaggressive villagers. The villager’s only fault was, while at
a distance he had not taken off his hat and made his bow. The alcalde treated the poor
villagers in the same way whenever he visited us.”
Another unhappy instance that also helped shape his noble and heroic spirit was that
what happened to his mother. When Rizal was ten years old his mother was sent to jail on
malicious charge that she and her brother Jose Alberto, tried to poison the latter’s wife. She
was kept in prison for two and a half years, an innocent victim of a frame-up concocted by
her sister-in-law in connivance with the Spanish lieutenant of the Guardia Civil in Calambe.
(The Spanish lieutenant forced Dona Theodora to walk a distance of 50 kilometers from
Calamba to Santa Cruz where the provincial jail was located) She was however,
subsequently acquitted by the Manila Royal Audiencia (Supreme Court).
Recalling his mother incarceration, Rizal wrote this in his memoirs
“Our mother was unjustly snatched away from us and by whom? By some men who had
been our friends and whom we treated as honored guests. We learned later that our
mother got sick, far from us and at an advance age. . . . She finally succeeded to be
acquitted and vindictive in the eyes of her judges, accusers and even her enemies, but
after how long after two and a half years”.

Jose Rizal was baptized in the Catholic Church in Calamba on June 22,1861 (3 days
after his birth) by the parish priest, Father Rufino Collantes. His godfather was Father Pedro
Casañas, a close friend of the Rizal family. Father Collantes was impressed by the big head
of baby Jose. He told them
“Take good care of this child, for someday he will become a great man”
The name jose was chosen by his mother in honor of San Jose (St Joseph) whose feast was
March 19
His complete name was JOSE PROTACIO MERCADO RIZAL ALONZO Y
REALONDA. The name Protacio was taken from the Catholic calendar which was a practice
during the Spanish time, that when a child is born, he/she is named after the saint of the day.
The surname MERCADO which means market in English was adopted in 1731 by his
paternal great-grandfather, Domingo Lamco, a full blooded Chinese merchant.

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 Added surname RIZAL was given by Don Francisco which is closer to the Spanish
word RACIAL which means “luntiang bukirin” related to his work, as hacienda
owner/farmer. Alonzo was the surname of Rizal’s mother and Realonda was used by Doña
Teodora which is the surname of her godmother

Social Status of the Rizal family

The family of Rizal was considered as one of the richest families in Calamba, the
family belonged to the “principalia” By frugal living, hard and honest work Rizal’s parent
were able to live well which was evident because his parents were able to send their ten
children to prestigious schools and universities in the country. Dona Teodora managed a
grocery store and operated a small flour mill. They were able to build a large stone house
which was situated near the town church. They owned a carriage which was a status symbol
of the Illustrados in the Philippines and a private library consisting of 1,000 volumes

Rizal’s Mixed Ancestry

Father Side
Jose Rizal was a 9th generation patrilineal descendant of a Chinese immigrant
and a business tycoon Don Domingo Lamco(Chinese name: pinyin: Ke Yinan) of Laguna was
the great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal. Lamco was originally from Amoy, Chinawho came
to the Philippines in the mid-17th century. This is where he met his wife, Inez de la Rosa
daughter of Augustin Chinco an immigrant trader from Chuanchow
To prevent conflict and hostility with the Spanish authorities, he decided to drop the
name Lam-co and adapted a Spanish surname. As a merchant, they choose the name
“Mercado” because it means market. Lamco started the businesses of the Mercado’s clan.
He was a successful entrepreneur in spite of the discrimination experienced by Chinese
traders from the Spaniards.
In June 1697, Lamco was baptized in the Catholic church of Manila’s Parian Chinese
ghetto and moved to Biñan, Laguna. He was 35 years old at that time. His financial state
improved in Biñan and he became a Chinese community leader. Lamco’s son Francisco
Mercado and grandson Juan Mercado married Chinese mestizas and both served as
distinguished mayors of Biñan for five years.
Juan’s wife, Cirila Alejandra, was the daughter of an immigrant trader and Domingo
Lamco’s baptismal godson Siong-co. They are the parents of Jose Rizal’s father. When Rizal’s
father was born, the family transferred to Calamba. The house they built was the first stone
house in the whole town

Mother Side
Recent genealogical findings revealed that Rizal also had Spanish, Japanese and
Negrito ancestry. Teodora (Rizal’s mother) great grandfather Eugenio Ursua was a
descendant of Japanese settlers.
Ursua married a Filipina named Benigna and their union produced Regina Ursua.
Manuel de Quintos, a Sangley mestizo from Pangasinan married Regina and their daughter
is named Brigida. Brigida married a half-caste Spaniard named Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo.
They are the parents of Teodora

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 Jose Rizal’s Parents

Jose Rizal’s father, Don Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818-1898) was born in Biñan,
Laguna. He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila. After their
parent’s death, Francisco and two of his sister’s moved to Calamba. He became a tenant
farmer of the Dominican owned hacienda. He was hard-working and independent-minded
who talked less but worked more and valiant in spirit. Jose described his father in his diary:
“My father was a model of fathers had given us an education commensurate
with our small fortune; and through thrift he was able to build a stone house;
erect a little nipa house in the middle of our orchard under the shade of some
trees and others”

Doña Teodora Alonzo y Realonda (1826-1911) was born in Meisik, Sta Cruz Manila.
She studied at Colegio de Sta Rosa in Manila. She was a woman of refined culture and
character, with exemplary literary talents, the fortitude of a Spartan woman and with
business ability, she managed their store
Jose lovingly described his mother:
“My mother is a woman of more than ordinary culture; she knows literature and speaks
Spanish better than I. She even corrected my poems and gave me a wise advises when I
was studying rhetoric. She is a mathematician and has read many books”

Both parents greatly influenced Rizal as shown in his character. From his father he
inherited a profound sense of dignity and self-respect, seriousness and from his mother the
dreamer and bravery for sacrifices and her literary prowess.
Don Francisco and Doña Teodora were blessed with eleven (11) Children: Two boys and
nine Girls

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Rizal’s Siblings

Saturnina Rizal (1850-1913)

Saturnina was the eldest child of Francisco Mercado II and Teodora Alonso
Realonda. Her nickname was “Neneng”. She was married to Manuel Timoteo
Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas. It was Doña Saturnina who published Pascual
Poblete’s translation in Tagalog language of the Noli Me Tangere in 1909.

PACIANO MERCADO (1851-1930)

Only brother and confidant of José Rizal and the second child. He became as a
second father to Jose Rizal. Studied at San José College in Manila. Just like his father,
Paciano became a farmer. It was his idea to send Jose to continue his studies in

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Spain. After his younger brother´ excecution, he joined the Philippine revolution and
became a combat General. After the Revolution, he retired to his farm in Los Boños
where he lived as a gentleman farmer and died on April 13, 1930, an old bachelor
aged 79. he had two children by his mistress (Severina Decena).

Narcisa Rizal (1852-1939)

Narcisa is the third child and was married to Antonio Lopez, a teacher and musician
from Morong, Rizal. Like a doting sister, Narcisa was very close to Rizal and could
recite all of Rizal’s poems from memory. Her nickname was “Sisa”

Olympia Rizal (1855-1887)

Olympia was married to Silvestre Ubaldo, who was a telegraph operator from
Manila. Her nickname was “Ypia”. Olympia unfortunately died in 1887 from
childbirth.

Lucia Rizal (1857-1919)

Lucia was the fifth child and was married to Matriano Herbosa. One important fact to
know is that Lucia’s daughter, Delfina, was the first wife of Gen. Salvador Natividad
and Delfina helped Marcela Agoncillo to make the first Philippine flag in Hong Kong.

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 Maria Rizal (1859-1945)

Maria was the sixth child in the family.Her nickname was “Biang” She married
Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.

JOSE RIZAL (1861-1896)

The second son and the seventh child. The greatest Filipino hero and a tremendous
genius. His nickname was Pepe. During his exile in Dapitan he lived together with
Josephine Bracken, an Irish girl from Hong-Kong. They had a son with her but their
baby son died a few hours after birth. Rizal named him Francisco after his father and
buried him in Dapitan. José was executed by the Spaniards on December 30,1896.

Concepcion Rizal (1862-1865)

Concepcion (nicknamed “Concha”) did not live long to see Rizal’s martyrdom. She
died early at the age of three.

Josefa Rizal (1865-1945)

Josefa Rizal was nicknamed Panggoy in the family. Despite suffering from epilepsy,
she joined and was an active member of the Katipunan. She died a spinster

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 Trinidad Rizal (1868-1951)

Josefa and Trinidad were together living. Like Josefa, Trinidad also became a
member of the Katipunan and died a spinster, as well. Rizal’s elegy, Mi Ultimo Adios,
was in the safekeeping of Trinidad.

Soledad Rizal (1870-1929)

Soledad, the youngest child whose nickname was “Choleng”. She was married to
Pantaleon Quintero. She was a teacher and was considered as the best educated
among the sisters of Rizal.

Jose Rizal’s Childhood Years (Childhood Memories)

Jose Rizal, as a young boy had beautiful, fruitful and pleasant memories as well as
sorrow. He grew up in a happy home. He could remember the tenders care of his parents
because he was frail, sickly and undersized boy. His father built a nipa hut in the garden for
him to play in the daytime. At the age of three (3) he enjoyed watching in the garden the
insects, the maya, culiawan, maria capra, pipit, the martin and other birds. He listened with
excitement and wonder to their twilight songs and sounds

Rizal’s Ancestral House in Calamba

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Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus prayer. By nightfall, Rizal related, his
mother gathered all the children at the house to pray Angelus
His Aya, Ina Munda, played arole in developing the imaginative interest of Jose through his
wonderful stories. At the “Azotea” on a moonlight night, the aya (nursemaid) would tell
stories about fairies, legends, tales of buried treasures and other fabulous stories.
Sometimes if he did not like to eat his supper, the Aya would threaten him that asuwang,
tikbalang, nuno will come to take him away.

He is brought for a walk for the relief-giving breeze, to see the fruit bearing trees, flowers,
birds. The scenic beauty of his hometown Calamba, the legendary Mt Makiling and the
distant Antipolo with the shrine of the miraculous Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.

At the age of 3, he began to join religious processions, novena in the church and at the age
of 5 he was able to read the Spanish Bible with the help of his mother.
When Rizal was nearly 7 years old, his father took
him for a pilgrimage to Antipolo in order to fulfill
his mother’s vows which was made when Jose was
born. Doña Teodora could not accompany them
because she had given birth to Trinidad. It was
the first trip of Rizal across Laguna de Bay and his
first pilgrimage to Antipolo. After praying at the
Shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo, they went to
manila to visit his sister Saturnina at the La
Concordia College in Santa Ana.
The Rizal children were bound together by the ties of love and care. Jose loved most his little
sister Concha (Concepcion) who was next to him. Unfortunately, Concha died at the age of
three and for the first time he shed tears for love and grief, which is said to be his first
sorrow.

The Story of the Moth

Of all the stories told by Doña Teodora to Jose, the story of the moth made the profoundest
imprint on him which he recalled after some years.
“My mother was teaching me how to read in Spanish” The children’s Friends (El Amigos
de Los Niños). This was a rare book and old copy. This night my mother became impatient with

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hearing me read so poorly. I did not understand Spanish and so I could not read with
expressions. She took the book and read it to me but I was watching the flame with some little
moths circling around the flame. Soon as my mother noticed that I was not interested. She
stopped and said to me “I am going to read to you a very pretty store. I once open my eyes on
hearing the word story. She told me “The story of the Moth”

Once upon a time, an old moth had warned her daughter against the flame, so
beautiful, so inviting, yet fatal and deceitful for it destroyed whoever came too close.
She herself said, she was once tempted by it; she had barely escaped with half-burnt
wing. The frightened young moth promised to obey, but was soon asking herself: “now
why should my mother try to give me such a scare? Why should I close my eyes to such
a pretty sight? These old people are such cowards! They think every fly is an elephant,
any old dwarf a giant. What harm can it do to me, whatever they say, if I come near
the flame, as long as I am careful? What I am, a little silly? What a story I shall have for
all other girls if I, being very careful of course, take a closer look. “No sooner said that
done, and the silly little moth went fluttering around the flame. At first she only felt
pleasantly warm; this encouraged her and she flew closer and closer until at last,
dazzled by flame, fell and perished in it.

As she put me to bed, my mother said: “See to it that you do not behave like the
young moth. Don’t be disobedient, or you may get burned as it did. “I do not know
whether I answered or not. . . . . .
The story revealed to me the things until then unknown. Moths no longer were, for me,
insignificant insects. Moths talked, they knew how to warn. The advised just like my mother.
The light seemed to me more beautiful. It had grown more dazzling and more attractive. I
knew why the moths circled the flame.
Indeed, Rizal understood. He knew what his mother meant but he learned and discovered
something more. He was fascinated by the bright flame and the dancing little moths that
flirted around it. His young mind joined them in their dance. He knew why. He saw how
beautiful and over-powering light was. Is the search for light really worth dying for? The
answer, he learned years later. Man’s responsibility to himself and his fellowmen is guided
by “the lamp of reason”.
And much later he would affirm his faith on light when he told Father Pablo Pastells in
Dapitan:
“I have glimpsed a little light and I believe that it is my duty to teach it to my
countrymen”

The tragic fate of the young moth left a deep impact on Rizal’s mind, it gave him the moral
lesson that if one must have to succeed, he must take risks and prepare for the worst
consequences. Without courage, there will be no glory.

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Injustice Is the Eye-Opener
In his small and quiet Calamba Jose Rizal started seeing light. The atrocities which
were unnoticed by most for being common occurrences had somehow caused in him a
turbulent reaction.

The harsh treatment his townmates had to endure at the hands of Spanish officials,
their humiliation and suffering tortured him no end. He had seen old men struck by the
guardia civil for failure to bow at them properly, for passing by them without doffing of their
hats. Women and children were treated as rudely and as brutally. Why this suffering? What
have the people done to deserve such treatment? What was wrong? These were questions
he had asked himself through the years.
Dona Teodora had her own share of suffering from atrocities and injustice. She was
sent to jail on a false accusation in 1871 for seeming complicity in an attempted murder. She
was freed only two and a half years later. Her freedom was a reward given by Governor-
General Rafael de Izquierdo to the four-year old Soledad whose graceful dancing delighted
the guest. Such suffering, such affliction, such torture the family had to undergo, not to
mention the costly litigation that reached the Supreme Court. Dona Teodora’s youngest
daughter was to succeed where all other means had failed-by dancing her way to the
Governor-General’s heart!

These happenings in Calamba were to leave heavy impressions on his character.

These were eye-openers, isolated but significant events that had occurred in the span of
many years. Rizal’s keen observation and sensitive analysis would piece them together and
form a vivid picture of his country. That it needed a major change was something he saw
early in his life. Many of those who lived before him and those who lived during his time
were equally aware of this need. Many of them did actually try and had lighted a candle in
the wilderness. Rizal diagnosed the need in an entirely different manner. The goal he set
proved to be as different.

No other incident could have influenced Rizal in setting the direction and goal of his
life work than the Cavite Uprising of 1872. While previous to this he already had seen
various acts of brutality and tyranny it was the death of Father Jose Burgos, Mariano
Gomez and Jacinto Zamora that made him take a real serious look at the condition of the
time

The incident was nothing more than an uprising of protest among the laborers at the
Cavite Arsenal against the withdrawal of their privilege of exemption from the tribute and
personal services. This privilege was probably the only thing that made their task at the
arsenal a little bearable. That they mutinied for its restoration was not at all surprising. After
all, this was an exemption that was given the workers many years back and as far as they
remembered.
The authorities magnified the uprising into an attempt at overthrowing Spanish
administration. There is no proof, no declaration on record that it was separatist, not only in
aim but in scope. But it afforded the authorities the opportunity to meet head on and in full
blast the then raging controversy between the Filipino Secular Priests and the Spanish Friars

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(Regular Priests). It was utilized as an excuse at getting the Filipino Seculars who figured
prominently as leaders in their crusade for justice in parochial administration.
The young Rizal was to see this from afar but not from the perspective of an ordinary
eleven-year-old. Paciano, his only brother must have narrated the incident and its aftermath-
death to the three priests and imprisonment and exile to many, with grief heavily sketched
in his face. Father Burgos was to him a beloved teacher and friend who visited the family in
Calamba every now and then. Little did Paciano realize that this was to cut deep into young
Rizal’s heart and leave such pain that was to remain there and to channel his actions and
activities later in life toward a crusade. Rizal referred to the incident and himself made
known the tremendous influence it had on him when he wrote to Mariano Ponce:

“Without 1872 there would not be now either a Plaridel or Jaena, or Sanciano, or would
there exist brave and generous Filipino colonies in Europe; without 1872 Rizal would be a Jesuit
now instead of writing Noli Me Tangere, would have written the opposite. At the sight of those
injustices and cruelties, while still a child, my imagination was awakened and I swore to devote
myself to avenge one day, so many victims, and with this idea in my mind I have been studying
and this can be read in all my works and writings. God will someday give me an opportunity to
carry out my promise”

As a young student in Manila Rizal witnessed the existence of racial prejudice, not
only among his classmates but among his professors as well. This created an unfavorable
school atmosphere. The whole system was just as poor on this he wrote:

“I had a teacher, many of whom taught me all their knowledge. Their

knowledge was confined to some simple maxims like this: Spare the rod and spoil the
Child. Children are born bad.
By dint of spanking they compelled us to learn by heart books in a language we
did not understand; in this language they taught us prayers and they made us pray
whole hours.
Then college. Many times the professor, forgetting the lessons, would discourse
on our race and our country, and we, trembling before his omnipotence cowardly
swallowed our tears and kept silent”

Rizal has to endure such. All others did for they were Indios. An Indio must endure.
The master had so decided. But this outrage was to start a germ in the silent, protesting
reaction of this young man. Such was to lead him searching for respect for human dignity.
Rizal recalled the injustices in an essay he wrote:

” I do not miss my childhood nor my adolescence!

I loved my native country and I fled from her, binding me to the world are only
some beings and a home and I abandoned them without bidding them goodbye (His
departure for Spain in May 1882).
My country’s breeze keeps my sighs, in her springs are drops of my tears; on the
leaves of her canes, palms and trees I have written my complaints and my
remembrances. She offers me a sweet death and nevertheless far from all that I love, in

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a foreign land, among unknown and indifferent people. I do not weep for her and her
outstretched arm frighten me. My eyes are dry and I laugh!
I laugh when I think of her miseries, when I hear the complaints of my brothers,
when I see the dark fog that covers her horizon! I laugh when I see my people
brutalized and deceived with great theories and dazzling words, when I hear the
demand for freedom and reason for one shackles and routine for another, humane
laws, fraternity, right for others and exceptions for others.
I raise my eyes to heaven and pray.”

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