GE 11 (WORK OF RIZAL)
UNIT 1: UNDERSTANDING THE RIZAL LAW COURSE
The Legislative Process on How a Bill Becomes a Law
 BILL IS FILED IN THE SENATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
- It is given a number and calendared for first reading.
FIRST READING.
- The bill’s title, number, and author(s) are read on the floor. Afterwards, it is
referred to the appropriate committee.
COMMITTEE HEARING
- The bill is discussed within the committee and a period of consultations is held.
The committee can approve (approve without revision, approve with
amendments, or recommend substitution or consolidation with similar bills) of
reject. After the committee report, the bill is calendared for second reading.
SECOND READING
-The bill is read and discussed on the floor. The author delivers a sponsorship
speech. The other members of the Senate may engage in discussions regarding
the bill and a period of debates will pursue. Amendments may be suggested to
the bill.
VOTING ON SECOND READING
- The Senators vote on whether to approve or reject the bill. If approved, the bill is
calendared for third reading.
VOTING FOR THIRD READING.
-Copies of the final versions of the bill are distributed to the members of the
Senate who will vote for its, approval or rejection.
CONSOLIDATION OF VERSION FROM THE HOUSE
The steps above are followed by the House of Representatives in coming up with
the approved bill. If there are differences between the Senate and House
versions, a bicameral conference committee is called to reconcile the two. After
this, both chambers approve the consolidated version.
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TRANSMITTAL OF THE FINAL VERSION TO MALACAÑANG
-The bill is then submitted to the President for signing. The President can either
sign the bill into law or veto and return it to Congress.
1.2.2 From the Rizal Bill to the Rizal Law
 On April 3, 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 was filed by the Senate Committee on
Education.
 On April 17, 1956, then Senate Committee on Education Chair Jose P. Laurel
sponsored the bill and began delivering speeches for the proposed legislation.
 The bill became controversial as the powerful Catholic Church began to express
opposition against its passage. As the influence of the church was felt with
members of the Senate voicing their opposition to the bill.
 Main author, Claro M. Recto, and his allies in the Senate entered into a fierce
battle arguing for the passage of SB 438. Debates starred on April 23, 1956.
 House Bill No. 5561, an identical version of SB 438, was filed by Representative
Jacobo Z. Gonzales on April 19,1956.
 The House Committee on Education approved the bill without amendments on
May 2, 1956 and the debates was whether the compulsory reading of the texts
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo appropriated in the bill was
constitutional. To call to read the unexpurgated versions were also challenged.
 To move the procedure to the next step, Senator Jose P. Laurel proposed
amendments to the bill on May 9, 1956. In particular, he removed the
compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels and added that Rizal’s other works must
also be included in the subject.
 He remained adamant in his stand that the unexpurgated versions of the
novels be read.
 Senate President Pro – Tempore.
 On May 14, 1956, similar amendments were adopted to the House version.
 Recto’s career in the Philippine government was not confined to the legislature. In

became Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

 The passage, however, was almost hijacked by technicality since the House of
Representative was about to adjourn in a few days and President Ramon Magsaysay did  Recto was also instrumental in the drafting in the constitution of the Philippines in
not certify the bills as priority.
1934 -1935 as he was selected president of the assembly.
 The allies in the House skilfully avoided the insertion of any other amendment to
prevent the need to reprint new copies (which would take time).  After the Philippines transitioned to the Commonwealth Period and survived the Pacific
War, Recto again served as senator for several terms.
 On May 17, 1956, the Senate and House versions were approved.
 He penned beautiful poetry and prose. On October 2, 1960, he died of a heart attack in
 The approved versions were then transmitted to Malacañang and on June 12, 1956, Italy.
President Magsaysay signed the bill into law which became Republic Act No. 1425.

CLARO M. RECTO
(February 8, 1890 – October 2, 1960) 1.2.3 The Debate about the Rizal Bill
The following excerpts from the statements of the legislators who supported and opposed
 The main sponsor and defender of the Rizal Bill was Claro Mayo Recto.
the passage of the Rizal Law in 1956.
 He was born in Tiaong, Tayabas (Quezon) on February 8, 1890 to Claro Recto, Sr. and
Micaela Mayo.
FOR
 He completed his primary education in his hometown and his secondary education in
Batangas. “ Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo must be read by all Filipinos. They must be taken
to heart, for in their pages we see ourselves as in a mirror, our defects as well as our
 For his college education, he moved to Manila and completed his AB degree at the
strength, our values as well as our vices. Only then would be become conscious as a
Ateneo and was awarded maxima cum laude in 1909.
people and so learn to prepare ourselves for painful sacrifices that ultimately lead to self-
 In 1914, he finished his law degree from the University of Santo Tomas. He was reliance, self-respect and freedom.”
admitted to the bar that same year.
-Senator Jose P. Laurel
 His political career started in the House of Representatives in 1919 when he was
“Rizal did not pretend to teach religion when he wrote those books. He aimed at
elected as representative of the third district of Batangas. inculcating civic consciousness in the Filipinos, national dignity, personal pride, and
patriotism and if references were made by him in the course of his narration to certain
 He later became House Majority Floor Leader. religious practices in the Philippines in those days, and to the conduct and behavior of
erring ministers of the church, it was because he portrayed faithfully the general situation
 He moved to the Senate in 1931 when he was elected as a senator.
in the Philippines as it then existed.”
 He held key positions such as Minority Floor Leader, Majority Floor Leader, and
-Senator Claro M. Recto
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AGAINST
“A vast majority of our people are, at the same time, Catholic and Filipino citizens. As
such, they have two great loves: their country and their faith. These two loves one not
conflicting loves. They are harmonious affections, like the love for his father and for his
mother. This is the basis of my stand. Let us not create a conflict between nationalism and
religion, between the government and the church.”
-Senator Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo
1.2.4 Republic Act 1425
An act to include in the curricula of all public and private schools, colleges and universities
courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, authorizing the printing and distribution thereof, and for
other purposes.
Whereas, today, more than any other period of our history, there is a need for a re-
dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism for which our heroes lived and died;
Whereas, it is meet that in honouring them, particularly the national hero and patriot,
Jose Rizal, we remember with special fondness and devotion their lives and works that
have shaped the national character;
Whereas, the life, works and writing of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source of patriotism with which the
minds of the youth, especially during their formative and decisive years in school, should
be suffused;
Whereas, all educational institutions are under the supervision of, and subject to
regulation by the State, and all schools are enjoined to develop moral character, personal
discipline, civic conscience and to teach the duties of citizenship; Now, therefore;
Section 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his
novel Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in the curricula
of all schools, colleges and universities, public or private: Provided, that in the collegiate
courses, the original or unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo or their English translation shall be used as basic texts. The Board of
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National Education is hereby authorized and directed to adopt forthwith measures to
implement and carry out the provisions of this Section, including the writing and printing
of appropriate primers, readers and textbooks.
The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate rules
and regulations, including those of a disciplinary nature, to carry out and
enforce the provisions of this Act. The Board shall promulgate rules and regulations
providing for the exemption of students for reasons of religious belief stated in a sworn
written statement, from the requirement of the provision contained in the second part of
the first paragraph of this section; but not from taking the course provided for in the first
part of said paragraph. Said rules and regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after
their publication in the Official Gazette.
Section 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep in their
libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and unexpurgated editions of the
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as of Rizal’s other works and biography. The
said unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their
translations in English as well as other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of
approved books for required reading in all public or private schools, colleges and
universities.
The Board of National Education shall determine the adequacy of the number of books,
depending upon the enrolment of the school, college or university.
Section 3. The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog
and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular editions;
and cause them to be distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to read them,
through the Purok organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country.
Section 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or repealing section nine
hundred twenty-seven of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious
doctrines by public school teachers and other person engaged in any public school.
Section 5. The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be
appropriated out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury to carry
out the purposes of this Act.
Section 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: June 12, 1956 Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 2971 in June
1956.  By 1810, the Mexican War of Independence rattled the Spanish empire, as it
would eventually lead to the loss of the precious Latin American colonies.
1.2.1 The Changing Landscape of Philippine Economy, Society and
Political  Manila was opened to world trade by 1834. As a result, foreign merchants
A. Economic Condition and traders came and eventually resided in Manila and took over the role of
financing and facilitating the burgeoning agricultural cash crop, export- oriented,
 Many scholars consider the nineteenth century as an ear of profound change in the
economy.
Philippines.
 The rapid development of the economy began to flow in the Philippines though cash
 By the late eighteenth century, the monarchy in Spain experienced a dynastic shift from
crops. By the first half of the nineteenth century, majority of the exports of the Philippines
the Habsburgs to the Bourbons.
came from cash crops like tobacco, sugar, cotton, indigo, abaca, and coffee.
 Under the new leadership, Spain recalibrated colonial policies that would have an effect
 The importance of land became more evident as cash crops became the major source of
on the Philippines.
revenue in the colony.
 The first governor-general to the Philippines under the Bourbon mandate was Jose de
 As the provinces shifted to cultivating cash crops, land ownership and management
Basco y Vargas who arrived in the Philippines in 1778.
began to be a concern.
 The main economic institution existing in the Philippines, was already a
 The farmers felt the pressure of the economy while the hacenderos grabbed the
losing enterprise.
opportunity.
 As Spain sought ways to salvage the dwindling economy of the empire, the
 It became difficult to buy back land given the continuously increasing demand of the
global wave of industrialization became a silver lining.
economy and the renewals of the sale, which further buried the farmers to indebtedness.
 As many imperial powers in Europe and the West were undergoing industrialization, an
 Eventually, they would forfeit the land and would be forced to become tenant farmers,
increased demand for raw materials presented an opportunity to look into the agricultural
or kasama.
potential of the Philippines.
 As the growing economy required better management of lands, inquilinos emerged,
 Basco established the Royal Philippines Company in 1785 to finance agricultural projects
renting land to sublet it to smaller farmers. The Chinese and Chinese Mestizos
and manage the new trade being established between the Philippines and Spain (and
Europe) as well as other Asian markets.
 Since pre-colonial times, the natives of the Philippines had trade relations
with Chinese.
 Resistance also came from various sectors like the
Catholic Church that was not receptive of the labor realignments entailed by the planned
 During the height of the Galleon Trade, it was also Chinese products that
reforms, and traders that were still holding on to the Galleon Trade.
comprised most the goods being traded.
Basco pushed for the reforms, he lifted a ban on Chinese merchants that reinvigorated
 The influx of Chinese settlements in the Philippines made the Spaniards suspicious of
internal trade; initialized the development of cash crop farms; relaxed certain policies
the Chinese. These feelings let to stringent policies towards single ranging from higher
that allowed the gradual opening of Manila to foreign markets; and established the
Tobacco Monopoly to maximize the production of this export.
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taxes, the restriction of movement with the establishment of the Chinese enclave (the
Parian), to actual policies of expulsion.
 Although the Spaniards were wary of the Chinese, they realized the importance that the
latter played in sustaining the economy.
 From the goods loaded on the galleons to the development of retail trade,
the Chinese enlivened the economy.
 The Chinese mestizos assumed an important role in the economy all
throughout the Spanish colonial period.
 They influenced the changing economy in the nineteenth century by
purchasing land, accumulating wealth and influence. Impact on Life in the Colony
 The economic developments, as mentioned, precipitated social, political, and cultural
developments as well.
 The new economy demanded a more literate population to address the rising need for a
more professionalized workforce to man the trading activities in Manila and other
centers.
 This demand compelled the issuance of the colonial government order in 1836 that
required all towns to set up
primary schools to teach the population how to read and write.
 It eventually led to the passage of an education decree in 1863 that mandated free
primary education.
 Eventually, the nineteenth century also gave birth to many schools that addressed the
growing demand for more professionals.
 Schools like Ateneo Municipal were established during this time. Figure 7. Plaza de
Gobierno in Manila in 1960s
 The complex nature of the developing economy also allowed the government to
intensify bureaucratization and to streamline colonial governance.
5
 As Manila became a trading center, it became a viable destination for people seeking
better opportunities or those wanting to escape the worsening conditions in the
farmlands.
 The increased rate of internal migration raised several concerns.
 Overcrowding implied issues in living quarters, sanitation and public health, and
increase in criminality.
 The continuous movement of people made the tax collection extra difficult.
 In order to mitigate these concerns, one measure implemented was the 1849 decree of
Governor- General Narciso Claveria that urged the people in the colony to adopt
surnames.
 With the catalogo de apellidos drawn up, the colonial government assigned surnames to
people and forbade changing names at will.
 Together with more policies like the registration and possession of a cedula personal
bearing ones name and residence, the colonial government sought to have a better
surveillance mechanism.
 To help carry out policies better, the guardya civil was eventually established.
 As the new economy afforded the colonial state new opportunities, it also prompted the
state to be more regulatory and assert its authority.
B. Social Condition
The Philippine society felt the impact of the developing economy. As a result,
social relations underwent redefinitions and the changing dynamics brought
about renegotiations of social stratification. With the growing relevance of the
mestizo population, new lines were drawn with the following social strata:
 Peninsular Pure-blooded Spaniard born in the Iberian Peninsula (i.e., Spain)
 Insular Pure-blooded Spaniards born in the Philippines
Born of mixed parentage, a mestizo can be:
 Mestizo
  Spanish mestizo – one parent is Spanish, the other is native; or
 Chinese mestizo – one parent is Chinese, the other is a native
 Principalia Wealthy pure-blooded native supposedly descended from kadatoan
class
 Indio Pure-blooded native of the Philippines
 Chino infiel Non-Catholic pure-blooded Chinese
 As the Spaniards lost economic power in the nineteenth century, they asserted
dominance by virtue of their race.
 This issue brought complications with the rising principalia and mestizo populations who
realized their indispensable position in society as movers and facilitators of the economy.
 The renegotiations continued throughout the century as the mestizos and principalia
elite eventually demanded social recognition that the pure-blooded Spaniards had
consistently denied them.
 These wealthy mestizos and members of the principalia continued to amass economic
and cultural capital.
 They also availed themselves of the opportunity to obtain higher degrees of
education not only in the Philippines but also in Europe.
 These activities augmented their relevance in society as it was from these ranks
that articulations of nationalism would emerge.
C. Political Conditions
The Spaniards ruled the Filipinos in the 19th century. The Filipinos became the
Spaniard’s slave. The Spaniards claimed their taxes and they worked under the
power of the Spaniards.
1. GOBERNADOR Y CAPITAN-GENERAL was the representative of the King of Spain in
the Islands, also the commander-in-chief of the army and navy, president of the Real
Audiencia or the Supreme Court, and the vice- real patron who appoints someone over
ecclesiastical position. The Intramuros was the seat of government, religion, and
economy.
2. ALCALDE MAYORES headed the provinces.
3. GOBERNADORCILLO was the counterpart of today’s municipal mayor.
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4. CABEZA DE BARANGAY was then part of kadatuan and was a tax and contributions
collector for the gobernadorcillo.
 The Filipinos only held the gobernadorcillo and cabeza de barangay positions.
Sources of Abuses in the Administrative System:
1. There was an appointment of officials with inferior qualifications, without dedication of
duty and moral strength to resist corruption for material advancement. Through the
power and authority, the Spaniards possess, they collected and wasted the money of the
Filipinos.
2. There were too complicated functions to the unions of the church and the state.
3. Manner of obtaining the position. Through the power that the Spaniards possess,
they had the right to appoint the different positions. The appointment of positions
is obtained by the highest bidder which is the Governor-general of the country.
4. Term of office
Term of office or term in office is the length of time a person (usually a politician)
serves in a particular office is dependent on the desire of the King of the country.
5. Distance of the colony
The Spanish officials traveled to various places and the needs of the Philippines were
ignored. They did not put too much attention to the needs of the other people. There
were inadequate administrative supervisions, they were unable to face and solve the
problems regarding to the Philippines. There were also overlapping of powers and
privileges of officials which made them competitive.
6. Personal interest over the welfare of the State.
UNIT 3: Advent of a National Hero
3.1. Introduction
DR. JOSE RIZAL, the greatest hero of the Philippines, was a "many-splendored”
genius. He was richly dowered by God with superb intellectual, moral, and physical
qualities. Truly, he ranks with the world's geniuses. He was an anthropologist,
botanist, businessman, cartographer, dramatist, economist, educator, engineer,
essayist, entomologist, ethnologist, farmer, folklorist, geographer, grammarian,
historian, horticulturist, humorist, lexicographer, linguist, musician, novelist, painter,
physician, poet, philologist, philosopher, polemist, psychologist, satirist, sculptor,
sportsman, sociologist, surveyor, traveler, and zoologist. More than all these, he was a
patriot, hero, and martyr. Unlike many geniuses, he consecrated his God-given talents,
and even sacrificed his own life, for the redemption and welfare of his people. Verily,
a man of his heroism and versatility appears but once in the history of any nation.
3.2.2. THE BIRTH OF A HERO
• Near midnight of Wednesday, June 19, 1861, when the Philippines was in deep slumber,
a frail baby-boy was born to the Rizal family in Calamba, Laguna. It was a moonlit
night, being "a few days before the full of the moon. The delivery was exceedingly
difficult, and the mother almost died.
• The baby boy was baptized by Rev. Rufino Collantes in the Catholic church of Calamba
on June 22, 1861, three days after his birth. His godfather was Rev. Pedro Casañas. He was
named "Jose" by his piousmother, 'in honor of St. Joseph. It was customary for Catholic
parents to name their children after the saints.
• The full name of the baby boy, was:
➢ JOSE PROTASIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONSO REALONDA.
3.2.3. PARENTS
Father: Francisco Mercado Rizal - The hero's father, Francisco (1818-
1898), was born in Biñan, Laguna, on May 11, 1818 and died in
Manila on January 5, 1898, at the age of 80. He was an educated
farm. er having studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of
San Jose in Manila.
Mother: Teodora Alonzo Realonda - The hero's mother, Teodora (1826-
1911), was born in Manila on November 8, 1826 and died in
Manila on August 16, 1911, at the age of 85. A graduate of Santa
Rosa College, she was a talented woman with high culture,
business ability, and literary gift.
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3.2.4. THE RIZAL CHILDREN
1. Saturnina (1850-1913). She was the oldest of the Rizal children. She married Manuel
T. Hidalgo of Tank- wan, Batangas.
2. Paciano (1851-1930). He was the older brother of Dr. Rizal. After his younger
brother's execution, he joined the Revolution and became a general. After the Revolution
he retired to his farm in Los Baños and led the life of a gentleman farmer. He died an old
bachelor, though he had a common-law wife.
3. Narcisa (1852-1939). She married Antonino Lopez, & school teacher of Morong,
Rizal.
4. Olympia (1855-1887). She married silvestre Ubal- do, & telegraph operator from
Manila,
5. Lucia (1857-1919). She married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba.
6. Maria (1859-1945). She married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
7. JOSE (1861-1896). The "lucky seven” in a family of eleven children. He
married Josephine Bracken, a pretty Irish from Hongkong.
8. Concepcion (1862-1865). She died at the age of three.
9. Josefa (1865-1945). She did not marry; she died an old maid.
10. Trinidad (1868-1951). She died an old maid, like Josefa.
11. Soledad (1870-1929). She was the youngest of the Rizal children. She married
Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba.
3.2.5. ANCESTRY OF RIZAL
Jose Rizal, like a typical Filipino, was of mixed ancestry. In his veins flowed the bloods of
both East and West-Negrito, Indonesian, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish.
Rizal's paternal great-great-grandfather was a China- man named Domingo Lam-co, a
native of Chinchew, "Chi- na's City of Spring." His father, Francisco, was a great- grandson
of Lam-co. Both his father's father and grand- father had been Capitanes (town mayors) of
Biñan.
3.2.6. THE NAME "RIZAL"
• The original name of the Rizal family was "Mercado."
• It was a surname adopted in 1731 English, it means "market".
• In the year 1849, as mentioned above, Governor Claveria issued a decree directing all
Filipino families to choose new surnames from a list of Spanish family names.
• The purpose of this gubernatorial decree was to Hispanize the Filipino surnames which
were difficult for the Spanish authorities to pronounce, much less to remember.
• Jose's father, Francisco, scanned the list of Spanish surnames sent to Calamba, such as
"Cruz", "Santos," "Ramos", "Rivera", etc.
• He chose his own surname Rizal, which was not in the list recommended by the Spanish
authorities. He considered this new family name as more fitting for his farming clan than
Mercado which signifies "market".
• The term “Rizal" came from the Spanish word RICIAL which means
"green field" or "new pasture."
3.2.7. THE RIZAL FAMILY.
• The Rizal family was one of the richest families in Calamba during
the times prior to its persecution by the friars.
• They were the first to build a large stone house in Calamba, the first to
own a carruaje (horse-drawn carriage), the first to have a home library (estimated to
consist of more than 1,000 volumes), and the first to educate their children in the colleges
of Manila.
• The Rizal family raised rice, corn, and sugar on large tracts of land rented from the
Dominican estate of Calamba.
• Teodora, the hero's mother, owned a store in town which sold many
articles of trade needed by the people.
3.2.8. FIRST SORROW
• Jose was jokingly called Uté by his brother and sisters. The people in Calamba knew him
as Pepe or Pepito. Jose was closest to his older brother Paciano.
• Of his sisters, Jose loved most the little Concha (Concepcion). He was one year older
than Concha.
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• Unfortunately, Concha died of sickness in 1865 when she was only three years old. Jose,
who was very fond of her, cried bitterly to lose her. "When I was four years old," he said,
"I lost my little sister Concha, and then for the first time I wept tears of love and grief...'
The death of little Concha brought him his first sorrow.
3.2.9. DEVOTED SON OF CHURCH
• Young Rizal was a religious boy. A scion of Catholic clan, born and bred in a wholesome
atmosphere of Catholicism, and possessed of an inborn pious spirit, he grew up as a good
Catholic.
• At the age of three, he began to take part in the family, prayers. His mother, who was a
devout Catholic, taught him the Catholic prayer. When he was five years old, he was able
to read haltingly the Spanish family Bible.
• He loved to go to church, to pray, to take part in novenas, and to join the religious
processions. He was so seriously devout that he was laughingly called Manong Jose by
Hermanos and Hermanas Terceras.”
• Evidence of his fervent Catholic spirit is seen in the poems which he wrote during his
boyhood, such as Al Niño Jesus (1876), La Alianza Intima Entre La Religión y La Buena
Educación (1876), and A La Virgen Maria, (no date).
• When he was studying in Biñan, Laguna (1870-71), he often heard Mass in the parish
church at 4:00 A.M. He started his life as a student in the Ateneo in June, 1872 with a
prayer, continued it with daily prayers and ended it a prayer.
• One of the men he esteemed and respected in Calamba during his boyhood was the
scholarly Father Leoncio Lopez, the town priest. He used to visit this learned Filipino priest
and listened to his stimulating opinions on current events and sound philosophy of life.
3.2.10. PILGRIMAGE TO ANTIPOLO
• On June 6, 1868, Jose and his father left Calamba to go on pilgrimage to Antipolo, in
order to fulfill his mother's vow which was made when Jose was born.
• It was the first trip of Jose across Laguna de Bay and his first pilgrimage to Antipolo. He
and his father rode in a casco (barge). He was thrilled, as a typical boy should, by his first
lake voyage. He did not sleep the whole night as the casco sailed towards the Pasig River
because he was awed by "the magnificence of the watery expanse and the silence of the
night.”
• After praying at the shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo, Jose and his father went to Manila.
It was the first time Jose visited Manila. They went to Santa Ana and visited Saturnina,
who was then a student in La Concordia College.
3.2.11. FIRST EDUCATION FROM MOTHER
• Jose's first teacher was his mother. A woman of good character and fine education,
Doña Teodora was a splendid teacher. At the age of three, Jose learned the alphabet and
the prayers from her. She was patient and loving, but strict as a tutor. Seeing that her boy
had a talent for poetry, she encouraged him to write poems. At one time Jose, at the age
of five, refused to wear a sinamay camisa because it was coarse and was scratchy to the
skin. She spanked him for disobedience.
• At another time while the parents were having their regular siesta, Jose and Josefa
played in the garden. Jose ignited a fuse attached to a bottle of powder. Soon a loud
explosion rent the quiet afternoon, followed by a scream of pain. Doña Teodora who was
suddenly awakened by the commotion in the garden, saw the crying Josefa with a burnt
face. She gave Jose another spanking.
• Notwithstanding the whippings administered by Doña Teodora, Jose loved
his mother and was appreciative of many things he learned from her.
3.2.12. RIZAL'S THREE UNCLES
There were three uncles, brothers of his mother, who played a great part in the early
education of Rizal. They were Gregorio, Jose, and Manuel Alberto Alonso
• Uncle Gregorio was a lover of books. He instilled into the mind of his precocious nephew
(Jose) a great love for books.
• Uncle Jose, who had been educated at Calcutta, India, was the youngest brother of
Doña Teodora. He encouraged his nephew to paint, sketch, and sculpture.
• Uncle Manuel was a big, strong, and husky man. He looked after the physical training of
his sickly and weak nephew. He encouraged young Rizal to learn swimming, fencing,
wrestling, and other sports, so that in later years Rizal's frail body acquired agility,
endurance, and strength.
3.2.13. INFLUENCES ON HERO'S BOYHOOD
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• Hereditary Influence: According to biological science, there are inherent traits or
qualities which a person inherits from his ancestors and parents. From his Malayan
ancestors, Rizal, evidently, inherited his passionate love for freedom and his serenity of
life’s outlook. From his Chinese ancestors he derived his serious nature, frugality,
patience, and love for children.
From his Spanish ancestors, he got his elegance of bearing, sensitivity to
insults, and gallantry to ladies.
• Environmental Influence: According to psychologist, environment, as well as heredity, a
affects the nature of a person. Environmental influence includes places, associates, and
events. The scenic beauties of Calamba and the beautiful garden of the Rizal family
stimulated the inborn artistic and literary talents of Jose Rizal. The religious atmosphere
at his home fortified his religious nature. His brother, Paciano, instilled in his mind the
value of brotherly love. From his sisters, he learned to be courteous and kind to women.
The fairy tales told by his Aya during his early childhood awakened his interest in folklore
and legends.
3.2.14. JOSE GOES TO BIÑAN
• One Sunday afternoon in June, left Calamba for Binan. He was accompanied by Paciano,
who acted as his second father. The two brothers rode in a carromata, reaching their
destination after one and one-half hours' drive.
• That same night Jose, with his cousin named Leandro, went sightseeing in the town.
Instead of enjoying the sights, Jose became depressed because of homesickness.
3.2.15. FIRST DAY IN BIÑAN SCHOOL
• The next morning (Monday) Paciano brought his younger brother to the school of
Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
• Paciano knew the teacher quite well because he had been a pupil under him before. He
introduced Jose to the teacher, after which he departed to returm to Calamba.
Immediately, Jose was assigned his seat in the class.
• Jose described his teacher in Biñan as follows: was a tall, thin, long-necked man, with a
sharp nose and a He body bent slightly forward. He usually wore a sinamay a shirt woven
by the skillful hands of the Batangueñas, knew by heart the grammars of Nebrija and
Gainza.
3.2.16. FIRST SCHOOL BRAWL
• In the afternoon of his first day in school, when the teacher was having his siesta, Jose
me the bully, Pedro. He was angry at this bully for making fun of him during his
conversation with the teacher in the morning.
• Jose challenged Pedro to a fight. The latter readily accepted, thinking that he could
easily beat the Calamba accepted, boy who was smaller and younger.
• The two boys wrestled furiously in the classroom, much to the glee of their classmates.
Jose having learned the arts of wrestling from his athletic Uncle Manuel, defeated the
bigger boy.
• In succeeding days, he had other fights with the boys of Biñan. He was not quarrelsome
by nature, but he never run away from a fight. In these school fights, he won some and
lost others.
3.2.17. BEST STUDENT IN SCHOOL
• In school 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.
3.2.18. END OF BIÑAN SCHOOLING
• Time came when Jose learned all that Maestro Justiniano could teach him. Accordingly,
the teacher informed his parents that he should be sent to college in Manila.
• In December, 1871, Jose received a letter from his sister Saturnina, informing him of the
arrival of the steamer Talim which would take him from Biñan to Calamba.
• He left Biñan on Saturday afternoon, December 17, 1871. He was thrilled to take
passage on the steamer Talim, for it was the first time he ever rode on a steamer.
• Upon arrival in Calamba, Jose was welcomed home by his parents, brother, and sisters.
The Christmas of 1871 was a joyous and memorable one for him. He was home, and he
regaled his brother and sisters with numerous tales of his fights, escapades, and school
triumphs in Biñan.
3.2.19. INJUSTICE TO HERO'S MOTHER
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• After the happy Christmas holiday in 1871, Don Francisco thought of sending Jose to
Manila to study.
• Before June came, tragedy struck the Rizal family. Doña Teodora was arrested on
malicious charge that she aided her brother, Jose Alberto, in trying to poison Alberto's
wife. Jose Alberto, a rich Biñan landowner, had encouraged the artistic development of
his talented nephew, Jose Rizal. He had gone to Europe on a business trip. During his
absence his wife abandoned their home and children. When he returned to Biñan, he
found her living with another man. Enraged by her infidelity, he planned to divorce her.
Doña Teodora, to avert family scandal, persuaded him to forgive his erring wife. The
family trouble was amicably settled, and Jose Alberto lived again with his wife. However,
the unfaithful wife connived with the lieutenant of the Guardia Civil to fabricate evidence
that her husband attempted to poison her, with Doña Teodora as an accomplice.
• This lieutenant had an ax to grind against the Rizal family because at one time Rizal's
father refused to give him fodder for his horse. Taking the opportunity to avenge himself
against Dou Francisco, he arrested Doña Teodora. He was so brutal in placing her under
arrest, forgetting that many times he had been a guest in the Rizal home.
• The judge, who had been a guest many times at the Rizal home, was vengeful. Like the
lieutenant, he nursed a grudge against the Rizal family because he imagined that he was
not accorded greater respect than the Filipino guests in the Rizal home. He ordered that
Doña Teodora be sent to the provincial jail in Santa Cruz, capital of Laguna. The lieutenant
forced the hero's mother to walk on foot from Calamba to Santa Cruz, a distance of more
than 50 kilometers. She languished in jail, for her case dragged on until it reached the
Supreme Court (Royal Audiencia).
3.2.20. THE MARTYRDOM OF GOM-BUR-ZA
• The Rizal family had not yet recovered from the painful shock of the mother's
imprisonment when another calamity occurred. January 20, 1872, the Cavite Mutiny
flared up, followed by the execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora on February
17th.
• Jose's older brother, Paciano, then a student in the College of San Jose, was boarding
with Father Burgos, his beloved professor and friend. He was a trusted assistant of
Burgos in the fight for the Filipinization of the parishes.
• After the execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamora, Paciano quit college. He
returned to Calamba and related the story of Burgos' martyrdom to his younger brother,
Jose.
• Jose Rizal was nearly eleven years old when the tragic martyrdom of Gom- Bur-Za took
place. Despite his tender age, he was deeply affected. It was another Spanish injustice,
like that done to his own mother.

• On June 10, 1872, Jose, accompanied by Paciano, went to Manila. He took

the entrance examinations on Christian doctrine, arithmetic, and reading at the College of
San Juan de Letran, and passed them all. His father, who first wished him to study at
Letran, changed his mind and decided to send him to the Ateneo instead.

• Jose was the first of his family to adopt the surname “Rizal.” He registered under this
name at the Ateneo because their first family name "Mercado" had come under suspicion
of the Spanish authorities. Paciano had used "Mercado" as his surname at the College of
San Jose and he was known to the authorities as Father Burgos' favorite student and
helper.

• At the time Jose studied in the Ateneo, this college was located in Intramuros,
within the walls of Manila.

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