Republic of the Philippines

Philippine Normal University- Visayas

The National Center for Teacher Education
The Environment and Green Technology Education Hub

2GED - SS02: RIZAL’S LIFE AND WORKS

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SUMMARY WRITING AND REFLECTION

TOPIC 1: RIZAL’S FAMILY

Key Points:

 Rizal’s mother is Teodora Alonso Realonda. She was known as an educated and
academically excellent woman. Rizal’s father is Francisco Mercado II, who supported
him in his studies.
 Jose Rizal was the second son and the seventh child born into the Rizal family. Jose was
the only sibling to be able to study overseas and receive an exceptional education while
having the support of his parents and siblings. Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso
Realonda was his full name. Though he used a pen rather than a sword in battle, he was
nevertheless hailed as a Filipino hero.
 Doña Teodora was Rizal’s first non-formal teacher, who taught him prayers and the
alphabet at the age of 3. She inspired Rizal to take medicine.
 Rizal had 10 siblings, including Saturnina, Paciano, Narcisa, Olympia, Lucia, Maria,
Concepcion, Josefa, Trinidad, and Soledad.
 On June 4, 1850, Saturnina Rizal, Jose's second mother, was born. By the time Jose was
three years old, she had given him the fundamentals and a basic education.
 Narcisa Rizal also helped his brother, Jose, in his studies, wherein she used to pawn her
jewelry, specifically her ring, so that Rizal could pay his tuition and take his exam.
 Rizal’s sibling, Concha, who was her favorite and most loved sister, died at the age of 3
due to an illness. The death of Concha was the first heartbreak for Rizal.
  Josefa Mercado, the ninth child, was once the president of the Katipunera Women’s
Chapter.
 Trinidad, Rizal’s sister, the tenth child, received an alcohol lamp from him, where he
secretly hid the “Last Farewell," also known as “Mi Ultimo Adios," a poem he wrote
before he died.
 When Rizal was still in Spain, he was still able to have information about the abuses of
the friars in the Philippines through his brother, Paciano.

Reflection:

The family of Rizal had a big role and influence in his growth as the person he was. His family
was able to see the potential in him, and they were one of those people who were behind his
success.

After the report about Rizal’s family, I realized that the foundation and support system that we
need are mainly from our family. Our family helps us to build ourselves and helps us to grow as
the people we intend to be. I’ve come to realize that first-born children are always the ones who
attend to our needs when our parents aren’t around. I was able to give more importance to the
sacrifices of not just my parents but also my elder brother, for he served as my guide and my
human diary when nobody else was there for me. How hard it is on his end to deal with so much
pressure and expectations. One thing's for sure: I know that my family will not turn their backs
on me, and they will support us no matter what. We are who we are today because of them.
TOPIC 2: EDUCATION OF RIZAL

Key points:

 Jose Rizal studied at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila and graduated on March 14, 1877,
with honors (sobresaliente). He passed the licensure exam for land surveying and
an assessor degree in 1878 but was not given a license until 1881, when he turned 21.
 Rizal studied medicine at the University of Santo Tomas.
 I took a specialization (ophthalmology) under the distinguished eye specialist, Professor
Otto Becker, at the University of Heidelberg.
 He graduated from the Universidad Central de Madrid with a degree in medicine and a
degree in philosophy.
 Jose Rizal became an emperor in their class.
 During his stay in Heidelberg, Rizal wrote the poem “A Las Flores de Heidelberg,” or
“To the Flowers of Heidelberg.”.
 Rizal’s first education was in Biñan, Laguna, where he was accompanied by his only
brother, Paciano.
 During his 4th year at Ateneo, he was awarded 5 medals and graduated as a sobresaliente.
 He was taught by Agustin Saez in painting and supervised by Romualdo de Jesus in
improving his talents in sculpture.
 Rizal used to train at the Hospital de Dan Juan de Dios in Intramuros for his four-year
practical training in medicine.
Reflection:

Jose Rizal’s education served as proof of how excellent he is in terms of academic capabilities. If
I can still vividly remember, during our first meeting in this course, Sir Java asked us what traits
of Rizal we wanted to embody, and I realized that they were still the same. I want to be as good
as he is in terms of expressing his thoughts through literary works. I wanted to be as smart as
him, which is impossible, of which, I am sure.

His eagerness and thirst for knowledge made him more motivated. As a student who is still
dreaming and continues to strive to achieve her goal, Rizal’s education has inspired me. Through
his knowledge, he was able to fight for the oppressed and the injustices. Thus, it serves as a
realization that education has the power to change the lives of many and can have a great impact
on society.
TOPIC 3: TRAVELS OF RIZAL

Key Points:

 Jose Rizal was considered as a Filipino hero who had the most travel experiences in
history. Academic purpose, leisure, and nationalistic purpose was the three dominant
themes of his activities in his travels.
 In May 1882, before Rizal reached Spain, he boarded the Salvadora ship that was on its
way from the Philippines to Singapore. In addition to pursuing a medical degree, Rizal
traveled to Spain to closely study the economies, laws, industries, cultures, and
governments of the European countries. This helped him get ready for the difficult task of
freeing his people, who were enslaved by Spanish rule.
 Rizal travelled in Barcelona, Spain, on June 16, 1882. On November 3, 1882, he departed
from Barcelona and entered in the Universidad Central de Madrid to pursue a Licentiate
degree in philosophy and letters as well as medicine.
 June 21, 1884 was the date when Rizal completed his medical course in Spain wherein,
he was given the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the Unibersidad Central de Madrid.
And it was on June 19, 1885, during his 24 th birthday, he was awarded the degree of
Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by the same Univeristy with the rating of
sobresaliente or “excellent”.
 Rizal landed in Marseille, France, on May 11, 1883. Rizal sent his essay "On the
Indolence of the Filipinos" to the Filipino scholars in Madrid while he was living in
France. The essay was later published in La Solidaridad. Rizal left France on September
2, 1883, to pursue his studies in Spain.
 Rizal’s first homecoming was on 1887-1888 wherein, he was determined to operate on
his mother’s eyes, to serve the people who had long been oppressed by the Spanish
tyrants, the know how Noli and his other writings affect the people of the Philippines and
the Spaniards, and to find out why Leonor Rivera remained silent.
  On February of 1886, Rizal arrived at Heidelberg, Germany. From Heidelberg, he
journeyed throughout Germany, stopping in Wilhemsfeld, Leipzig, Dresden, and Berlin.
Noli Me Tangere was completed and made ready for printing in Berlin.
 Rizal boarded the steamer Melbourne in Marseillas on October 18, 1891 and arrived in
Hong Kong on November 20, 1891. He also founded “La Liga Filipina” that time.
 La Liga Filipina has four main objectives including the protection for everyone against
all violence and injustices, and the study and applications of reforms.
 On 1889 was when Rizal’s second Sojourn in Paris and the Universal Exposition
happened. During this time, he founded the three Filipino societies, including the Kidlat
club, the Indios Bravos, and the RDLM. He also wrote “Por Telefono”.

Reflection:

Rizal’s travels had presented him with a lot of opportunities and played a vital role in shaping his
beliefs and standing in life. He was able to make crucial impacts on the lives of many. Rizal’s
travels made me realize that traveling is not all about enjoying yourself; maybe traveling to
places that aren’t familiar to you will help you realize your true potential and your purpose.

I remembered Sir Java’s question last time: “If you’re in Rizal’s shoes, would you rather be with
O-Sei-San and grab those opportunities presented to you, or will you continue your travel?”. I’ve
come to realize that, for me, I would rather continue my travel. Maybe there’s a certain point in
our lives where we need to make sacrifices, and on my end, I would rather sacrifice my love life
than the lives of oppressed people. I think Rizal made the right decision.