Jose Rizal

at the
UNIVERSITY OF
SANTO TOMAS

(1877-1882)
 Mother’s Opposition to Higher
Education
 Her Reason: If Rizal gets to learn more,
the Spaniards will cut off his head.
 In contrary, Paciano and Don Francisco
wanted Rizal to pursue College Education.
 Take note:
The Bachelor of Arts degree during
Spanish times was equivalent to a high
school diploma today.
Rizal’s Grades (1877-1878)
Conversion
Sobresaliente = 1.00 Excellent
Notable, Aprovechade = 1.50 Very Good
Bueno = 2.00 Good
Mediano = 2.50 Fair
Aprovado = 3.00 Passed
Suspenso = 4.00 Conditioned
Reprobado = 5.00 Failed
Philosophy and Letters

Cosmology & Metaphysics Sobresaliente

Theodicy Sobresaliente
History of Philosophy Sobresaliente
 Enrollment at UST
Philosophy and Letters during his
freshman year. (1877-1878)
 Why Philosophy & Letters?
1.) Don Francisco liked it.
2.) Uncertainty on what course to take up.
3.) Failure to solicit the advice of Father
Ramon Pablo, Ateneo’s Rector, who was
then at Mindanao.
 Rizal’s enters the University
April 1877
 Rizal enrolled at UST, taking the course on
Philosophy and Letters.
Reasons:
1. His father liked it.
2. He was still uncertain as to what career to
pursue.

Fr. Pablo Ramon

 rector of the Ateneo.
1877 – 1878
 Rizal studied Cosmology, Metaphysics,
Theodicy, and History of Philosophy during
his first year term.

1877 – 1879
 Rizal took up medical course upon the
advised of Ateneo’s Rector to study medicine.

Reason:
-- To be able to cure his mother’s growing
blindness.
 Extra-curricular activities in
Ateneo
while studying at UST:

President of the Academy of Spanish

Literature
Secretary of the Academy of Natural
Sciences
Secretary of the Marian Congregation
 Other Extra-curricular Activities
• Literary contests:
Liceo Artistico Literario de Manila
A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino
Youth)
El Consej de los Dioses (The Council of
the Gods)
• Wrote one-act play:
Junto al Pasig
• Poems:
Abd el-Aziz y Mohama
 Medical Studies at UST

Shifting from PHL & Letters to Medicine.

Why did Rizal Shift to Medical course?
1.) Don Pablo Ramon, Ateneo Rector,
advised him to choose medicine.
2.) Rizal wanted to cure his mother’s
growing blindness.
Scholastic Records from 1878-
1882
1st year – Medicine (1878-1879)
Physics Fair
Chemistry Excellent
Natural History Fair
Anatomy 1 Good
Dissection 1 Good

2nd year – Medicine (1879-1880)

Anatomy 2 Good
Dissection 2 Good
Physiology Good
Private Hygiene Good
Public Hygiene Good
 3rd year – Medicine (1880-1881)
General Pathology Fair
Therapeutics Excellent
Surgery Good

4th year – Medicine (1881-1882)

Medical Pathology Very Good
Surgical Pathology Very Good
Obstetrics Very Good
Reasons Why Rizal didn’t enjoy
his stay at UST:
1.) Hostility of Dominican Professors to him.
2.) Racial discrimination against Filipino students.
3.) Dissatisfaction with the method of instruction.

Reasons why Rizal performed poorly at UST:

1.) Medicine is not his vocation.
2.) Discontentment with the system of education.
3.) Distractions of youth.
 Romances
• Segunda Katigbak - Rizal’s puppy love
Batangas

• Miss L – fair with seductive and

attractive eyes
Calamba
 • Leonor Valenzuela – Orang
Pagsanjan, Laguna
Parents: Capitan Juan and Capitana
Sanday Valenzuela
Rizal sent love notes written in invisible ink

• Leonor Rivera – a frail, beautiful girl,

tender as a budding flower
with kindly wistful eyes
 Camiling, Tarlac
 April 11, 1867
 Father: Antonio Rivera
 University: La Concordia College
 Taimis
 • Vicenta Ybardaloza
Pagsanjan
Can play Harp

Student Activism at UST

• Rizal displayed his leadership in student activism.
• Indio/chongo vs kastila/bangus
• Bitter hostility exist
• Racial animosity
 Compañerismo
(The Comradeship)
-Inspired by Alexander Dumas, Three Musketeers
– Secret Society of Filipino Students
 Companions of Jehu
Inspired by Les Compagnons de Jehu
Rizal (president)
Galiciano Apacible (secretary)
• Humiliating treatment of brown Filipino students
• Archaic method of instruction at UST
• Favoritism & skin color – criteria for academic
performance
 Spanish Brutality

happened during his 1st summer vacation

at Calamba after his freshman year.
 Failure to perceive a lieutenant during
that night.
 Gen. Primo de Rivera – Gov. General of
the Philippines at that time.
 Finishing Medicine at UST

• Notable in all of his subjects.

• He was the 2nd best student in a class of
seven who passed the medicine course.
 Decision to Go to Europe

To complete his medical course in Barcelona,

Spain.
 To make a name for himself in the field of
Journalism.
 To observe and study European Society.
 To prepare himself for the task of liberating
the Filipinos from Spanish Tyranny.
Thank you for
Listening!!!