Advent of A

National Hero

Chapter 1
The Birth of a Hero
 Jose Rizal
 Jose Protacio Rizal
Mercado y Alonzo
Realonda
 June 19, 1861
 Calamba, Laguna
 His mother almost died
during the delivery because
of his big head
Baptized in the Catholic church
On June 22, aged 3 days old
Father Rufino Collantes (parish priest) – a Batangueño
Father Pedro Casanas (ninong) – Rizal’ godfather – close friend
of Rizal’s family
“Jose” his name was chosen by his mother who was a devotee of
the Christian saint San Jose (St. Joseph)
Father Collates was impressed by the baby’s big head and told:
“Take good care of this child, for someday he will become a great
man.”
Age 11 Age 16
Rizal at 18 years old while a student
Rizal in Madrid at the age of 25
of medicine at the U.S.T
The Rizal’s Family
The Parents
Francisco Mercado Rizal
Francisco, the father, was a
serious looking man of
sturdy build. He was born in
Biñan, Laguna on May 11,
1818.
He studied Latin and
Philosophy at the College of
San Jose in Manila.
A tenant-farmer of the
Dominican-owned hacienda.
Died in Manila on Jan. 5,
1898 at the age of 80.
Doña Teodora
A vigorious and
persevering woman with a
benevolent heart and a
likable personality.
Born in Manila on Nov. 8,
1826.
Educated at College of
Santa Rose, well known
college for girls.
Died in Manila on Aug. 16,
1911 at the age of 85.
The Rizal Children
1. Saturnina (1850-1913)

Eldest of the Rizal

children.
Became the wife of
Manuel T. Hidalgo of
Tanawan, Batangas.
Neneng
2. Paciano (1851-1930)
The second child in the
family and Rizal's only
brother.
Died an old bachelor
aged 79.
He had two children (a
boy and a girl) by his
mistress (Severina
Decena).
3. Narcisa (1852-1939)

Her pet name was Sisa

Was married to Antonio
Lopez of Morong, Rizal.
4. Olimpia (1855-1887)

Ypia was her pet name.

Married to Silvestre
Ubaldo.
She died of childbirth in
1887.
5. Lucia (1857-1919)
Was the wife of Mariano
Herbosa, who was a
nephew of father
Casanas.
Herbosa died of cholera
and was denied
Christian burial because
he was a brother-in-law
of Dr. Rizal.
6. Maria (1859-1945)

Biang was her nickname

Became the wife of
Daniel Faustino Cruz of
Biñan, Laguna.
7. Jose (1861-1896)
Thenational hero of the
Philippines.
His nickname was Pepe
In Dapitan, he lived with
Josephine Bracken , Irish
girl form Hong Kong.
Had a son with her but
died few hours after birth.
Named the son as
Francisco.
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
Panggoy
She died an old maid at
the age of 80.
10. Trinidad (1868-1951)

Trining was her pet

name.
She died also as an old
maid in 1951 aged 83.
11. Soledad (1870-1929)
The youngest Rizal child
Pet name Choleng
Became the wife of
Pantaleon Quintero.
Sibling relationship among the Rizal children was
affectionately cordial.
As a little boy, Rizal play games with his sisters.
When he grew to manhood, he called them Doña
or Señora (if married) and Señorita (if single).
Paciano was a second father to him (10 years senior)
He immortalized him in his first novel as the wise
Pilosopo Tasio
Rizal’s Ancestry
Rizal was a product of mixture of races both east and west.
Negrito, Indonesian, Malay, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish
His great-great grandfather (father side) was a Chinese
Immigrant named Domingo Lamco
He was from Fukien city who arrived in Manila about 1690
Doña Teodora’s family descended from Lakan Dula (King
of Tondo)
His great-great maternal grandfather was of Japanese
ancestry
The Surname Rizal
The real surname of Rizal family was Mercado
which was adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco
(paternal great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal) who
was a full blooded Chinese.

The second surname – RIZAL – was given by a

Spanish alcalde mayor of Laguna, who was a family
friend.
The Rizal Home
Two storey building,
rectangular in shape
Built in adobe stones and hard
wood and roofed with red tiles
Describe by Rafael Palma
(biographer)
Behind the house was a poultry
yard full of turkeys and
chickens and a big garden of
tropical fruits
It was a happy home.
A Good Middle-Class Family
The Rizal family belonged to the Principalia
 A town aristocracy in Spanish Philippines
One of the distinguished families in Calamba
From the farms, which were rented from Dominican
Order, they harvested rice, corn and sugarcane.
TheY owned a carriage, which was a status symbol of
the illustrados in Spanish Philippines
A private library (the largest in Calamba which
consisted of more then 1,000 volumes.
Home Life of Rizals
The Rizal family had a simple, contented, and happy life.
Both parents never spoiled their children.
They were strict parents and they trained their children to
love God, behave well, to be obedient, and to respect people
especially old folks.
The believed in the maxim: “Spare the rod and spoil the
child”
They heard Mass in the town church particularly Sundays
They prayed together daily at home then after the prayer all
the children kiss the hands of their parents.