Topic 3:

Rizal’s Family, Childhood

Days, and Early Education

• To give you substance understanding of the topic, we will explore the topic more. Read the
content of the lesson on the Rizal’s Family, Childhood Days, and Early Education.

ADVENT OF A NATIONAL HERO

DR. JOSE P. RIZAL

• Is a unique example of a many-splendored genius who became the greatest hero of a

nation.

• Endowed by God with versatile gifts, he truly ranked with the world’s geniuses.

He was a:

• Physician (ophthalmic surgeon), poet, dramatist, essayist, novelist, historian,

architect, painter, sculptor, educator, linguist, musician, naturalist, ethnologist,
surveyor, engineer, farmer businessman, economist, geographer, cartographer,
bibliophile, philologist, grammarian, folklorist, philosopher, translator, inventor,
magician, humorist, satirist, polemicist, sportsman, traveler, and prophet.

• Above and beyond all these, he was a hero and political martyr who consecrated his
life for the redemption of his oppressed people.

THE BIRTH OF OUR HERO

• June 19, 1861- birthdate of Jose Rizal.

• Born in Calamba, Laguna Province, Philippines. His mother almost died during the
delivery because of his big head.
• June 22, 1861- He was baptized in the Catholic church of his town, aged 3 days old.
• Father Rufino Collantes- baptized Rizal.
• Father Pedro Casanas- Rizal’s godfather.

• Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda-

Full name of Jose Rizal.

 • Lietenant-General Jose Lemery- governor general of the Philippines when Rizal was
born.

MEANINGS OF RIZAL’S NAMES

• Jose- chosen by his mother who was devotee of the Christian saint San Jose (St.
Joseph).

• Protacio- from Gervacio P. Which came from a Christian calendar.

• Mercado – adopted in 1731 by Dominggo Lamco (the paternal greatgreat 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 Dona Teodora from the surname of her godmother.

RIZAL’S PARENTS

• FRANCISCO MERCADO RIZAL (1818-1898) Born on May 11, 1818. Born

in Binan, 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.

 He died in Manila on January 5, 1898, at the age of 80.

Teodora Alonzo Realonda (1826-1911)

 Born on November 08, 1826.

 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.

THE RIZAL CHILDREN

1. Saturnina (1850-1913)

2. Paciano (1851-1930)
 3. Narcisa (1852-1939)

4. Olimpia (1855-1887)

5. Lucia (1857-1919)

6. Maria (1859-1945)

7. Jose (1861-1896)

8. Concepcion (1862-1865)

9. Josefa (1865-1945)

10. Trinidad (1868-1951)

11. Soledad (1870-1929)

1. Saturnina (1850-1913) – oldest of the Rizal children, nicknamed Neneng; she married
Manuel T. Hidalgo of Tanawan, Batangas.

2. Paciano (1851-1930) – older brother and confidant of Jose

Rizal; after his younger brother’s execution, he joined the Philippine Revolution and became
a combat general; after the Revolution, he retired to his farm in Los Baños, 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) – a boy and a girl.

3. Narcisa (1852-1939) – her pet name was Sisa and she married Antonio Lopez
(nephew of Father Leoncio Lopez), a school teacher of Moring.
4. Olimpia (1855-1887) – Ypia was her pet name; she married Silvestre Ubaldo, a
telegraph operator from Manila.
5. Lucia (1857-1919) – She married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba, who was a nephew
of Father Casanas. Herbosa died of cholera in 1889 and was denied Christian burial
because he was a brother-in-law of Dr. Rizal.

6. Maria (1859-1945) – Biang was her nickname; she married Daniel Faustino Cruz of
Biñan, Laguna.

7. Jose (1861-1896) – the greatest Filipino hero and peerless genius; his nickname was
Pepe; during his exile in Dapitan he lived with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl from
Hong Kong; he had a son by her, but this baby-boy died a few hours after birth; Rizal
named him “Francisco” after his father and buried him in Dapitan.

8. Concepcion (1862-1865) – her pet name was Concha; she died of sickness at the age
of 3; her death was Rizal’s first sorrow in life.
 9. Josefa (1865-1945) – her pet name was Panggo; she died also an old maid at the age
of 80.

10. Trinidad (1868-1951) – Trining was he pet name; she died also an old maid in 1951
aged 83.

11. Soledad (1870-1929) – youngest of the Rizal children; her pet name was Choleng; she
married Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba.

RIZAL’S ANCESTRY

Paternal side

 Domingo Laméo – Rizal’s great-great grand-father on his father’s side, a Chinese

immigrant from the Fukien City of Changchow married to Ines de la Rosa, a Chinese
Christian girl of Manila.

 1731- He adopted the name Mercado meaning market.

 Francisco Mercado – Domingo Lamco’s son married to a Chinese-Filipino mestiza,

Cirila Bernacha,

 Juan Mercado (Rizal’s grandfather) – Francisco’s son married to Cirila Alejandro, a

Chinese-filipino mestiza.

 Francisco Mercado- youngest son of Juan Mercado, Rizal’s Father.

Maternal side

• Lakan-Dula- descendant; the last native king of Tondo.

• Eugenio Ursua- great-grandfather (Rizal’s maternal greatgreat-grandfather) was (of

Japanese ancestry), - who married a Filipina named Benigna (surname unknown).

• Regina- daughter of Eugenio, married Manuel de Quintos, a Filipino-Chinese lawyer

from Pangasinan.

• Brigida- daughter of Regina who married Lorenzo Alberto

Alonso (Spanish-Filipino Mestizo) their children were Narcisa, Teodora (Rizal’s mother),
Gregorio, Manuel, and Jose.
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.).

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 illustrados in Spanish Philippines.

• Private Library- the largest in Calamba; consisted of more than 1,000 volumes.

CHILDHOOD YEARS IN CALAMBA

CALAMBA THE HERO’S TOWN

• Calamba was a hacienda town which belonged to the Dominican Order, which also
owned all the lands around it. It is a 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
mountains is the province of Batangas.

• East of the town is the Laguna 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.

EARLIEST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

• The first memory of Rizal was his happy days in the family garden when he was 3
years old. He was given the tenderest care by his parent because he was frail, sickly,
and undersized.

• An aya (nurse maid), a kind old woman, was employed to look after him.

• Second childhood memory of Rizal was the daily Angelus Prayer.

 • Third memory of his infancy was 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 beared and
turbaned Bombay would come to take him away if he would not eat his supper.

• Forth childhood memory was the nocturnal walk in the town, when there was a moon.

THE HERO’S FIRST SORROW

• Death of Little Concha (conception)

- In 1865, Concha (Concepcion) died of sickness at the age of three.

- Rizal said, “When I was four years old, I lost my little sister Concha, and then
for the first time I shed tears caused by love and grief…”

DEVOTED SON OF THE CHURCH

• At the age of three, he began to take part in the family prayers.

• When he was five years old, he was able to read haltingly the Spanish family Bible.

• He was so seriously devout that he was laughingly called Manong Jose by the
Hermanos and Hermanas Terceras.

• The scholarly Father Leoncio Lopez, the town priest that he used to visit and listen to
his stimulating opinions on current events and sound philosophy of life.

PILGRIMAGE TO ANTIPOLO

• June 6, 1868- Jose and his father left Calamba to go on a pilgrimage to Antipolo, in
order to fulfill his mother’s vow which was made when Jose was born.

• First trip of Jose across Laguna de Bay and his first pilgrimage to Antipolo.
 • After praying at the shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo, Jose and his father went to
Manila. They visited Saturnina, who was then a boarding student at La Concordia
College in Santa Ana.

THE STORY OF MOTH

• The tragic fate of the young mouth, which “died a martyr to its illusions,” let a deep impress
on Rizal’s mind. He justified such noble death, asserting that “ to sacrifice one’s life for it,”
meaning for an ideal, is worthwhile.” And, like that young moth, he was fated to die as a
martyr for a noble ideal.

ARTISTIC TALENTS

• Since early childhood Rizal revealed his God-given talent for art.

• At the age of five, he began to make sketches with his pencil and to mold in clay and
wax objects which attracted his fancy.

• 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 image of me!”

FIRST POEM BY RIZAL

• Since early boyhood he had scribbled verses on loose sheets of paper and on the
textbooks of his sisters.

• At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem in the native language entitled Sa
Aking Mga Kababata (To My Fellow Children)

FIRST DRAMA BY RIZAL

• Age of 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

• Since early manhood Rizal had been interested in magic. He learned various tricks
such as making a coin appear or disappear in his fingers and making a handkerchief
vanish in thin air.

• He entertained his town folks with magic-lantern exhibitions.

• He also gained skill in manipulating marionettes (puppet show).

• In later years when he attained manhood, he continued his keen predilection for
magic. He read many books on magic and attended the performances of the famous
magicians of the world.

• In chapter XVII and XVIII of his second novel, El Filibusterismo (Treason), he

revealed his wide knowledge of magic.

INFLUENCES IN HERO’S BOYHOOD

1. Heredity Influence: inherent qualities which a person inherits from his ancestors and
parents.

– Malayan ancestors- love for freedom, innate 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- Profound sense of respect, the love for work and the habit of
independent thinking.

– Mother- religious nature, the spirit of self-sacrifice and the passion for arts and
literature.

2. Environmental Influences: environment, as well as heredity, affects the nature of a

person; includes places, associates, & events.
 – The scenic beauties of Calamba and the beautiful garden of the Rizal family-
inborn artistic and literary talents of Jose Rizal.

– The religious atmosphere at his home religious nature.

– Brother, Paciano- love for freedom and justice.

– Sisters- courteous and kind to women.

– Aya (Nurse Maid)- interest in folklore and legends.

– 3 uncles-Tito Jose Alberto- artistic ability, Tito Manuel- frail walking and
wrestling, Tito Gregorio- voracious reading of good books.

– Father Leoncio Lopez- love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

– Sorrows in his family- character, enabling him to resist blows of adversity in

late years.

EARLY EDUCATION IN CALAMBA BINAN

THE HERO’S FIRST TEACHER

• Dona 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.

FIRST DAY IN BINAN 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
body slightly bent forward.”
JOSE GOES TO BINAN

• After Monroy’s death, Rizal’s parents decided to send him to a private school in
Binan.

• June 1869- Jose left Calamba for Binan with Paciano.

• Carromata- their mode of transportation.

• Aunt’s house- where Jose lodge.

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 armwrestling match. Jose, having the

weaker arm, lost and nearly cracked his head on sidewalk.

PAINTING LESSON IN BINAN

• Old Juanco, father in law of the school teacher, freely gave Jose painting lessons.

• Jose Rizal and his classmates Jose Guevarra became apprentices of the old painter.

DAILY LIFE IN BINAN

• Hears mass at 4 a.m. or studies lesson before going to mass

• Goes to orchard to look for a mabolo to eat

• Breakfast

• Goes to class until 10:00 AM and goes home for lunch

 • Goes back to school at 2 PM and comes out at 5:00

• Prays with cousin and returns home

• Studies lessons, then draws a little

• Has super

• Prays again and plays in the street if moon is bright

• Sleeps

BEST STUDENT IN SCHOOL

• In academic studies, Jose beat all Biñan boys. He surpassed them all in Spanish,
Latin, and other subjects.

• Some of his older classmates were jealous of his intellectual superiority.

• They wickedly squealed to the teacher whenever Jose had a fight outside the school,
and even told lies to discredit him before the teacher’s eyes.

• Consequently the teacher had to punish Jose.

END OF BINAN SCHOOLING

• December 17, 1870- Jose left Binan using the steamer Talim for Calamba.

• Arturo Camps –a Frenchman and a friend of Don Francisco, he took care of Jose
during the trip

MARTYRDOM OF GOMBURZA

• 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 priest 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 Felibusterismo to GOMBURZA.

INJUSTICE TO HEROES MOTHER

• Before June of 1872, tragedy struck the Rizal family. Dona Teodora was suddenly
arrested on a malicious charge that she and her brother, Jose Alberto tried to poison
the latter’s perfidious wife.

• Jose Alberto, a rich Binan ilustrado, had just returned from a business trip in Europe.

• After arresting Dona Teodora, the sadistic Spanish Lieutenant forced her to walk from
Calamba to Santa Cruz a distance of 50 kilometers.

• Antonio Vivencio del Rosario