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 great-
great 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 great-
great-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 arm-
wrestling 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