The Influence of the Family of Rizal into
his Personality
FAMILY, CHILDHOOD, AND
EDUCATION OF DR. JOSE RIZAL
Rizal’s Family and Lineage
Came from a wealthy and largest family
in Calamba during that time because
they consist of 13 members.
The Rizal Family came from the
descendant of Domingo Lam-co which is
a full-blooded Chinese who lived in
Amoy, China
The Spanish are the rulers. Filipinos
ministered the needs the Spaniards, but
Sangleys population are greater.
Sangleys are Chinese. Spanish said that
without Sangleys the city could not
maintain. They are the reasons why the
economy continues to rise. One of the
reasons why Sanleys went to the
country was because they saw a lot of
opportunities given to them. Sangleys
are also good merchants and workers.
Domingo Lam-co came here is also in
their country there is famine and political
issue happenings.
Domingo Lam-co was baptized in 1967
at San Gabriel Church in Binondo at the
age of 35. Her wife is Ines De La Rosa
which is a half-chinese who is younger
or half the age of Domingo. Binondo
which known for Chinese Town.
Lam-co claims that he didn’t come from
unskilled labor and family. Through with
his relationship with two Spanish friars
named Francisco Marquez and Juan
Caballero who was invited in Binan
Laguna. It was believed that Domingo
Lam-co was involved in construction
works known as “Tubigan” in the
wealthiest part of the state. Along with
the Chinese immigrants, he and his
family in the same state. He decided to
adopt a Spanish surname to avoid
conflict and hostility against the Spanish
parties. So they chose Mercado which
means market. Lam-Co and Ines have a
child in 1731 and named it Francisco
Mercado which named after his Spanish
friar and salute to him.
The Ancestry of the Hero
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Alonzo
Y Realonda
Father Side
Domingo Lam-co & Inez De La Rosa
Children: Josefa & Francisco Mercado
Francisco Mercado & Bernarda Monicha
Children: Juan Mercado & Clemente
Mercado
Juan Mercado & Cirila Alejandro
Child: Francisco Rizal Mercado – Father
of the Hero
Mother Side
Eugenio Ursua & Benigna Ochoa
Child: Regina Ochoa
Regina Ochoa & Manuel De Quintos
Child: Brigida de Quintos
Brigida de Quintos & Lorenzo Alberto
Alonso
Children: Manuel Alonso, Juan Alonso,
Gregorio Alonso, Teodora Alonso –
Mother of Rizal
The Hero’s Father
Don Francisco Mercado Y Rizal
1818-1898
Was born in Binan, Laguna
Riza’s family belongs to principalia
which is aristocratic distinguished family.
They rented from Dominican order. They
harvested rice, corn & sugar cane. They
also have pig, chicken & turkeys. That is
why he became hardworking tenant
farmer of the Dominican-owned
hacienda.
Rizal described his father as a model of
all fathers because he gave all and
sustained all the needs of his children
like education with their small portion.
Through hard work, he managed to build
a stone house from living in a nipa
house. Don Francisco is independent-
minded and cares more to his children.
The Hero’s Mother
Dona Teodora Alonzo Y Realonda
1826 – 1911
Was born in Meisik, Sta. Cruz, Manila
She managed a grocery store and
operated a small lawn. Dona Teodora is
super strict when it comes to her
children. She never spoils them and
train their children to love God, to
behave well, respect people, and
obedient. Rizal described his mother in
his diary as a “Woman with more than
ordinary culture” because she knows
literature/ She knows speaks Spanish
better than him. She even corrected
Rizal’s poem and gave him wise
advices. And also, a mathematician.
Rizal’s Siblings
Saturnina Rizal Mercado de Hidalgo
She thought the main education to Rizal.
When Rizal, Nene became the 2nd
mother of him because she taught him
to study and read that is why Rizal
gained the ability to read when he was
in 3 years old. When Rizal wants to go
to Spain to study, Saturnina sold his
diamond ring to give to Rizal to spend
the money for his necessities.
Paciano Rizal Mercado y Alonso
Realonda
One of the sons of the family. He was
close to Emilio Aguinaldo and to
GomBurZa, especially to Father Burgos.
Narcisa Rizal Mercado de Lopez
She is a teacher and musician. She
gave a huge contribution to Rizal’s
education in Spain because she sold his
clothes and jewelries for money and
gave it to Rizal as his pocket money in
Spain.
Olympia Rizal Mercado de Ubaldo
She is a Mediator of Rizal’s first love to
Segunda Katigbak because Segunda is
one of the old classmates of Lucia Rizal
Mercado.
Lucia Rizal Mercado de Herbosa
She has 8 children, and the 5th child
was named just like Rizal’s name which
is Jose because Lucia was amazed in
Rizal’s intelligence and diligence.
Maria Rizal Mercado de Cruz
She was confidant to Rizal’s Josephine
Bracken because that time is like when
the family of Rizal does not want
Bracken to be part of the family thought
that she was a spy.
Jose Rizal
June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896
He was married to Josephine Bracken
Concepcion Alonso Mercado Rizal
Has a nickname of “Concha”. The first
grief of Rizal because she died at the
early age of 3 years old. Rizal wrote a
poem about her death. It is his first time
that he shed tears from the pain he
feels.
Josefa Rizal
Has a nickname of “Pangoy”. She is
epileptic. Josefa was a president of
woman section in Katipunan
accompanied with Bonifacio’s wife,
Gregoria De Jesus. She doesn’t have a
husband because she spent her life as a
president and also, she is disabled.
Trinidad Rizal
Has a nickname of “ Trining”. She also
joined along side with her sister, Josefa.
She is a co-founder of the Philippines
first feminist organization called The
Asociacion Feminista Filipina. She is
custodian of the greatest poems of
Rizal. She was responsible of taking
care the works of Rizal such Mi Ultimo
Adios or My Last Farewell was in a
hairpin when Rizal was jailed. She
doesn’t have a husband because she
spent her life in the organization.
Soledad Rizal Quintero
She was best educated among his
sisters. She is a teacher. Also, a
controversial child of the family because
there are allegations that she is a sibling
of Rizal and a child of Saturnina and
their uncle but it is not proven right.
How Jose Obtained the Rizal
Surname
Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso
Realonda. His parents, Francisco
Mercado and Teodora Alonso adopted
the additional surname of Rizal in 1849
after a Catholic saint, Jose dela Cruz
Rizal. This was done in order to comply
with a Spanish decree that required all
Filipinos to adopt Spanish surnames, as
part of their efforts to Hispanise the
native population. The additional
surname symbolizes the patriotism and
commitment to country and abide the
Spanish rule.
Childhood of Dr. Jose Rizal
Rizal’s childhood was known for his love
of learning and his passion for the arts.
He was given love and tenderness by
his parents. During his childhood, he
was known for how to pray angelus and
told that his family grouped together to
read it. He also likes other stories from
Aya that gave him interest in folklore,
especially fairies. Rizal was influenced
greatly by his mother in education and
development in poetry, music, and
European literature. Rizal is a sickly
child, that is why all the tenderness and
care was given to him. When he is 3
years old, he learns how to pray angelus
together with his family to make him
close to God due to the fact that he is
sickly child. Rizal also likes to go to
churches and join Novena and
Processions. All the activities by the
church, he was there and present. All
the experiences he went through
influenced his personality, behavior, and
mission. His love for education brought
to him by his family, the experiences,
and the hardships of his father by the
Spanish motivates him to become a
better person and citizen and an
influential hero of our country.
Education of Dr. Jose Rizal
Early Education in Calamba and Binan
was characterized by the Four R’s
“Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and
Religion” instructions that were rigid and
strict and were previously applied to
education. At that time the knowledge of
teachers was forced to mind of students,
but Rizal is different and faced the
obstacle to study in Manila. Even though
Rizal is small and often ill, they
characterized him as an intelligent man
with great mind and knowledge.
Jose Rizal’s First Teacher:
Teodora Alonso Realonda y Quintos.
She taught him to read, write, and write
letters that made him learn a lot at the
age of 3 years old. She has a long
patience to learn and understand her
son. Teodora is the first who discovered
Rizal’s ability to write poems and
encouraged him to write more. When
Rizal grew up, they hired a private tutor
to enhance what he learned from them.
When the last tutor of Rizal died, they
decided to enroll him in a private school
in Binan, Laguna.
Early Education in Calamba and Binan
Calamba to Binan
Rizal made a sacrifice by leaving his
home and hometown of Calamba to
pursue his education and dream. He
was accompanied by Paciano who was
like his 2nd father. Weeks after he arrived
at Binan, Rizal felt homesick and
depressed because he misses his
family, the beautiful places, and the
community he had in Calamba.
Best Student In Binan
In academic competition, Jose
outperformed all Binan. He
outperformed them all in topics like Latin
and Spanish. But before he gain many
accomplishment, Rizal experienced
bullying from his classmates, especially
Pedro because he is not yet
knowledgeable about those languages.
Rizal was so annoyed with Pedro that
he waited for him after class and
challenged him to a physical fight. Pedro
accepted it believing that Rizal would
not win because he is small and ill, and
his age is not fit for his appearance.
However, Rizal won the fight because
his Uncle Manuel taught him physical
fight such wrestling. His
accomplishments are to address to his
classmates that Filipinos like him can
keep up with their doings. Even though
Rizal always won in fights, his
classmates always tell it to their
students about the situations and
sometimes create their own stories just
to destroy the reputation of Rizal.
Rizal Enters the Ateneo
This is the time where GomBurZa was
executed and also, the time where Dona
Teodora was jailed by the issue from
Saturnina that she poisons her sister-in-
law.
Ateneo de Manila or also known before
as Charity School for Poor Boys in
Manila or Ateneo Municipal. His father
wants him to enroll in Letran, but later
on changed his decisions to enroll him
to Ateneo because his son Paciano,
brother of Rizal was a student of Colegio
de San Juan de Letran experienced
unhappy moments in the school. His
father’s first choice is Letran because it
is his first school that he passed the
exam. Rizal did pass the exam too and
he stated that the exam is all about
Christian doctrine, arithmetic, and
reading. After that, he passed the exam
in Ateneo too. However, in the
admission, Ateneo did not admit Rizal
because of two reasons: first is he is late
applicant for late registration and second
is his age is not match with his
appearance. But because of Manuel
Burgos, Jose Burgos’ nephew, make a
way for Rizal to enter Ateneo. When
Rizal is filling up his requirements, he
did not put in surname “Mercado” for the
reason that it was suspicious that
threatens the Spaniards. He is living in a
boarding house of Pipay who has 300
pesos debt from his family. To pay or
reduce Pipay’s debt, he let Rizal live in
his boarding house.
Jesuit System of Education
Jusuit is the ruling system in Ateneo and
Dominican in Letran. Jesuit and
Dominican are different to each other
and enemy of group of people.
Jesuit of Ateneo is more on discipline
and religion. Where in the class, they
start and ended in with a prayer.
Inside Ateneo, the students are divided
into two groups: Romans or interno and
Carthaginians. Romans are the students
inside the campus where they live and
board inside the school. Carthaginians
or externo are the students who are
living outside the campus.
1st best: EMPEROR
2ND best: TRIBUNE
3rd best: DECURION
4th best: CENTURION
5th best: STANDARD-BEARER
Rizal mentioned that if a student 3
mistake, he or she will lose a ranking or
become a no rank. He stated that to
excel in the class and rankings, he
follows a timetable or schedule to
improve the lessons or knowledge he
obtained which made the 1st best or
Emperor after a year.
SCHOLASTIC TRIUMPS AT ATENEO
DE MANILA
Rizal’s 1st year in Ateneo – considering
he is a newcomer; he was given the
lowest grade in the class. A professor of
Rizal called Father mentioned that he
was seated at the back which
stereotyped before as place where
students don’t have interest to learn or
listen. This is the time when Rizal is
living outside the campus.
Back when he was bullied for being not
knowledgeable about Spanish, after that
he enrolled in Spanish language class in
Santa Isabel for 3 pesos to improve the
language.
After the Academic year, summer which
Rizal did not enjoyed it because Dona
Teodora is in the prison. But his sister,
Saturnina let him visit her without
knowing it to his father.
2nd year in Ateneo – Despite losing his
position as leader, he later obtained
good ratings across the board. This was
the time when Rizal moved to another
boarding house but still considered as
Carthaginians or outside the campus.
This is time when he received a gold
medal.
3rd year in Ateneo – Given his inability to
speak Spanish sonorously and fluently,
he was denied the award. Even though
Rizal excelled in one subject, he only
received one medal. Then in summer
when he realized that he was not
satisfied because the grade he got is not
enough. He is grade conscious.
4th year in Ateneo – the time where he
was inspired to study hard and write
poetry inside the campus. This is the
time when he became Roman or lived
inside the campus. It was the time when
he met his inspiration, Father Francisco
de Paul Sanchez, to study hard. He
achieved Top 1 and received 5 medals.
Last year in Ateneo – he graduated in
Ateneo at the age of 16 years old and
became “The Pride of the Jesuits”. He
was the most brilliant Atenean at that
time and graduated with highest honor
with degree of Bachelor of Arts. When
students graduate in high school, they
will receive a degree and they let them
choose what major they are going to.
Rizal became successful because of
three reasons. He is the racial pride of
the campus which is he is competitive to
his classmates to prove that he can do
more than the bare-minimum. Second is
domestic discipline in which the class
and student are divided into two groups.
And the third one is seclusion boarding
life which helps Rizal stay outside the
campus which he doesn't always hang
out with his classmates and what he
experiences is not all fun but all
learning.
Rizal’s achievements and creations
 Graduate with highest honor
 Extra-curricular Activities
 Sculpture Works
 Poems
 Dramatic Work
 First Romance
University of Santo Tomas (1877 –
1882)
Mother’s Opposition to Higher Education
 Rizal is merely qualified to enter
College University because he
graduates The Bachelor of Arts.
 Dona Teodora opposed the idea
of sending Dr. Jose Rizal to
higher learning in the University.
A bachelor’s degree is equivalent to a
high school diploma. At that time UST
was the only college in Manila. Dona
Teodora, his mother, doesn’t want him to
go to higher education because she was
afraid that the same thing that happened
in GomBurZa would happen to him. She
insisted that Rizal’s knowledge was
enough and feared that he would
beheaded from too much information.
Rizal Enters the University
In April 1877, Rizal, who was nearly 16
years old matriculated in the University
of Santo Tomas, taking the course on
Philosophy and Letters. He enrolled in
this course because of his father’s
dream, and he doesn’t know what
course to take yet. Rizal wrote a letter to
his professor before, Father Ramon to
ask for advice but he didn’t receive the
letter early because the professor is in
Mindanao.
He transferred to a medical course.
Rizal immediately transferred in this
course after he received the letter from
Father Ramon, and also because he
wants to cure his mother’s gradual
dimming of the eyes.
Unhappy Days at the UST. He
experienced not so good days in the
campus than Ateneo because in UST is
more advanced in academic. There are
also many reasons: first the Dominican
professors are hostile to him, or they are
unfriendly to Rizal. Second is students
are racially discriminated against by the
Spaniards. Next is the method of
instruction is repressive which is the
education is not enough to learn
something.
In his novel, El Filibusterismo, Rizal
described how Filipino students are
humiliated and insulted by Dominican
professors.
Victim of Spanish Officer’s Brutality
One night of Calamba, he was walking
in the street. He saw dimply noticed a
man passing him. Rizal did not salute
nor courteous of “Good Evening”. The
man turned out to be lieutenant of
Guardia Civil. The man whipped out his
sword and brutally slashed his back. It
lasts for two weeks. When it healed, he
tried to complain but no one dared to
accept it because a lieutenant was
involved.
To the Filipino Youth (A La Juventud
Filipina)
It was written in Spanish language by
Dr. Jose Rizal which he expressed the
concept of nationalism that the Filipino
Youth are the hope of our country. Rizal
encouraged the youth to enhance their
skills and talent and express their own
will and freedom in our nation.
Champion of Filipino Students
4 Charges Imposed on Rizal
For Publishing Anti-Catholic and anti-
friar books and articles
- Halimbawa na rito ang Noli Me
Tangere. Si Rizal ay tumalikod sa
pagiging katoliko at umanib sa
mga Mason. Bagaman siya ay
hindi katoliko, hindi pa rin nawala
sa kaniya ang pagmamahal sa
Diyos.
For Having in possession, a bundle of
handbills, the Pobres Frailes, in which
advocacies were in violation of the
Spanish orders.
- Inaresto at nakulong si Rizal sa
Fort Santiago sapagkat siya ay
naframe-up sapagkat nakitaan
siya ng leaflets sa punda ng
kaniyang tatay.
- The Leaflets titled Pobres Friars
is about Dominican friars who
corrupts poor people and
windowed family. They
encourage them to invest in a
bank which leads to corruption.
For dedicating his novel, El
Filibusterismo to the three “traitors”
(Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora) and his
emphasizing on the novel’s title page
that “the only salvation for Philippines
was separation from the mother country
(referring to Spain)”.
- The novel El Filibusterismo was
inspired by the GomBurZa. This
group of friars are popular in
Cavite Mutiny. Spanish colonizers
frame-up them and sentenced
them to death.
For simply criticizing the religion and
aiming for its exclusion from the Filipino
culture.
- Rizal didn’t to convert to
Catholicism because he believes
that there’s a lot of illegal and
wrongdoings from the friars which
corrupts the members of the
religion and they use the name of
God in corrupting them.
Arrest and Trial
September 30, Isla de Panay (pangalan
ng barko), Rizal received a message,
ordering that Rizal be placed under
arrest. Bernardino Nozaleda ordered
Rizal to jail because he believed that
Rizal was the leader of the revolution.
October 30
When Rizal arrived in prison, he was
interviewed by Despujol and said he
would be shipped back to Manila. The
night in the same day, after the interview
he was transferred to The Colon going
to Manila.
November 3, 1896
The Colon arrived in Manila Bay and
Rizal was taken to Fort Santiago.
November 20, 1896
Rizal was brought before a Spanish
military tribunal headed by Colonel
Francisco Olive. The testimonies from
people involved were used to implicate
Rizal and his charges.
Rizal picked his defender, and he was
Lt. Luis Traviel de Andrade who is the
lawyer of Jose Rizal and brother of his
former bodyguard.
Rizal was charged with 3 crimes:
Rebellion, Sedition, and Formation of
Illegal Associations.
December 13
The case of Rizal forwarded to Governor
General Camilo de Polaveja
December 26
Rizal’s actual trial, held at the Hall of
Banners of the Cuartel de Espana in
Fort Santiago.
Rizal defended himself and presented
twelve arguments. When Rizal was in
prison, he showed a manifesto stating
that he was not part of Katipunan.
Despite all of the arguments, he was
cared by the Spanish. The court judged
Rizal guilty for the charges and voted for
the death penalty.
December 28, 1986
Governor General Polavieja signed
Rizal’s death warrant ordering him to be
shot at 7:00 clock in the morning at
Bagumbayan. Rizal signed it saying that
he was innocent.
Death of Rizal
Last 24 Hours of Rizal
After his trial, he was sent back to his
cell in Fort Santiago. This was the time
when he was preparing for this last hour
of his destiny. Rizal was busy meeting
his visitors which includes family,
friends, his partner Josephine, Jesuits
priest and secretly finishing his farewell
poem.
Fort Santiago at 6 AM
Visitor: Captain Rafael Dominguez
He was designated to take charge to all
of the arrangement for the execution of
Rizal. He was also the one who read the
death sentence of Rizal.
7 AM – 7:15 AM
He was moved to a prison chapel. He
was visited by Father Miguel Saderra
Mata with Father Luis Viza, both are
teachers of Rizal. 7:15 AM when Father
Mata left the prison and Father Viza
stayed there. They talk about the
Statuette of Sacred Heart of Jesus and
also it was returned to Rizal. 8 AM when
Father Antonio came, and Rizal invited
him to join in breakfast. After that, Lt.
Andrade came, and Rizal thanked him
for all the services he did. 9 AM, Father
Federico came. Father Federico was the
one who said to Rizal that one day he’ll
be in danger when he was writing his
novels. Rizal said that he was indeed a
prophet because it happened. 10 AM,
Father Jose and Father Vicente, came
to visit Rizal, as well as Santiago, who
interviewed Rizal for his newspaper. 12
AM – 3 PM, Rizal was left alone, and
this time he was eating lunch and also
busy writing lots of letters and farewell
poems to his loved ones. 4 PM, when
his mother came, and that time Rizal
bowed down and kissed his mother’s
hand this showed that Rizal was
begging for forgiveness for all the
tragedy he experienced. Both of them
cried. Along with Rizal’s mother was
Trinidad. When Trinidad went inside the
cell, Rizal gave her an alcohol stove.
After Rizal gave it to Trinidad, he
whispered saying that there is
something important inside of the
Alcohol Stove which is indeed a
precious gem of the literature titled Mi
Ultimo Adios. 6PM, he was visited by
Don Tunon. 8 PM, this was the last
supper of Rizal. 9:30 PM, he was visited
by Don Crestano. 10 PM, this was the
drop of retraction from the archbishop to
father Balanger. Rizal rejected to first
retraction because it was long, and he
don’t want it. Because he doesn’t want
to first draft, second retraction which is
shorter was given by Father Pio. After
making some changes, it became
Rizal’s retraction.
The retraction was controversial. Many
people believe that Rizal didn’t retract
because when his family wants an
original copy from the officials, officials
don’t have a thing to present. Others say
that retraction was real, and they
believed that it is a protection for further
execution. 3 AM, December 30, Rizal
went Mass and confessed his sin and
did holu communion. At 5:30 AM, he ate
breakfast and then wrote two letters for
the family and for Passiano. 6 AM is the
preparation for the death march and
Rizal’s letter to his parents. This was
the time when Rizal requested a
wedding to Josephine Bracken. Father
Balanger performed their wedding right,
and Rizal’s gift to Bracken was a
Religious book and their a note saying
it’s for my dear unhappy wife.
Rizal’s Death
December 30, 1896
At around 6:30, Rizal was taken from
the cell and the march to Bagumbayan
began. Rizal was dressed elegantly in a
black suit, black derby hat, black shoes,
white shirt, and black tie. His arms were
tied behind from elbow.
When Rizal arrived at his execution site
in Bagumbayan by a colonel. There are
many people who hold a drum to
prevent them hearing if Rizal rage in the
site. Rizal had requested the firing
squad to spare his head which as
granted. He also requested to be shot in
his front, but it was rejected. Rizal wants
to show that he never became a traitor
to his motherland, and he accepts the
death for the country.
After Rizal died, the Spanish spectators
shouted “Viva Espana”
Rizal’s body was secretly buried at Paco
Cemetery where later it was traced by
his sister Narcisa.
The remains of Rizal were cleaned in
Himno Mercado’s house in Binondo and
were given to Dona Teodora.
His remains were laid to rest inside the
Rizal monument in Luneta.
Impact of Rizal’s Death
The Katipunan had started a rebellion,
and Rizal was suspected, incorrectly, of
being allied to them. After a trial, Rizal
was convicted of rebellion, conspiracy,
and sedition and sentenced to death.
He died through public execution in
Bagumbayan on the morning of
December 30, 1896, at the age of 35.
Mi Ultimo Adios is one of the last notes
he wrote before his execution.

Facts: After his death, the Philippine Revolution

continued until 1898. And with the help
The Filipino soldiers were the ones who of the US, the Philippines declared its
fired at Rizal. independence from Spain on June 12,
1898.
Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo took Rizal’s
pulse and found that it was normal, or
he never felt nervous.
Conssummatum Est is Rizal’s last word
before he died. Meaning “It is finished”
The commanding officer ordered his
men to aim by means of his saber and
there was simultaneous crack of gunfire
and Jose Rizal made one last effort to
drop on his back with his face facing the
sun.