Rizal's family Background and Childhood Memories

Name : Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y

Alonso Realonda
Born: June 19,1861
Calamba Laguna, between
eleven and twelve midnight.
Nickname: ‘PEPE’
Famous works: Noli Me tangere and El

Filibusterismo ( Novels)
Organization: La Solidaridad, La Liga

Filipina
Died: December 30, 1896
On June 22, 1861 3 days after birth he was baptized
in Calamba Catholic church by the Parish Priest Rev.
Rufino Collantes a Batangueño priest with Fr. Pedro
Casañas as Sponsor.

He was named ‘Jose’ in honor of San Jose (St.

Joseph) because her mother was a devotee to the
saint.
• One’s childhood memories and experiences he had
with his family is a big factor that could contribute to
the person that he is. In this lesson, Jose Rizal’s
memories and experiences are recalled, and people
would learn to appreciate and value what they had in
their younger days. One’s family background plays a
vital role. According to St. Augustine, “Peace on
society depends upon peace in the family”. Thus, a
child brought up in a peaceful family could be a
contributor to a peaceful society.
 JOSE RIZAL’S ANCESTORS
• “He had Chinese blood from his father’s side
and Spanish and Japanese from his mother’s
side. Recent genealogical research even traces
him to Lacan Dula (one of the chiefs met by the
first Spaniards in Manila).”
• Lacan Dula (Fr. Victor Badillo S.J.) / Lakan
Dula (Zaide and Zaide, 2008) was said to be the last
native king of Tondo.
RIZAL'S FAMILY
 PATERNAL SIDE

• “Rizal’s great-great paternal

grandfather was a Chinese
merchant named Domingo
Lamco. He married a Chinese
mestiza named Ines de la Rosa
and they migrated from Parian to
Biñan and settled in the
Dominican-owned estate as
Tenants.” (Emiliano C. de
 MATERNAL SIDE
• “Rizal’s maternal great grandfather was a
Chinese lawyer from Pangasinan. His name
was Manuel de Quintos and he married a
Japanese descent woman, Regina Ursua. They
had a daughter named Brigida de Quintos, a
well-educated woman and a good
mathematician. She married a wealthy
engineer, Lorenzo Alonso and they had five
children. One was named Teodora Alonso,
who was the mother of Jose Rizal.Jose Rizal
was a product of a blend of races. The blood
which flowed into his veins were
 MERCADO - RIZAL

• MERCADO - it means Market - Jose’s Family Name

• RIZAL - From the word RICIAL which means
Greenfield or green pasture
• He used the second surname RIZALwhen he started
schooling at the Ateneo.
 THE RIZAL HOME

• The Rizal’s house was

one of the distinguish
stone houses in calamba
during the Spanish
times the house was two
storey earth quake proof
structure, rectangular in
shape built of adobe
stone and hard woods
THE RIZAL HOME
• The Rizal family owned one of the known stone houses in
the town during Spanish Era. The hero was born in the
two-storey building. Dr. Rafael Palma, one of the
prestigious biographers of Jose Rizal, described the house
as a high and even sumptuous, solid and massive
earthquake-proof structure with sliding shell windows.
Thick wall of lime and stone bounded the first floor; the
second floor was made entirely of wood except for the roof,
which was of red tile. At the back there was an azotea and a
wide, deep cistern to hold rain water for home use.
 THE PRINCIPALIA
• The “principalia” or the noble class was the educated upper
class in the towns during the Spanish colonial era. Rizal
family was one of those who belonged to principalia and
was of the dignified families in Calamba. They raised
livestock. The versatile matriarch of the Rizal family
operated a home-made ham press and a flour-mill, and at
the same time managed a commodity store. They owned a
carriage which was a status symbol. They also had a private
library which consisted of more than a thousand volumes.
They were able send their children to the colleges in Manila.
They were hospitable hosts to all guests of their home.
 THE RIZAL’S HOME LIFE

• The Rizal children were loved by their parents, but

they were not spoiled. They were trained to behave
well, be obedient and respectful, and above all, to love
God. Any mischief of a Rizal child was a tantamount to
a sound spanking. Prayers were said daily in Rizal
home.
 MERCADO'S Children
• Saturina (1851-1913) - she was the eldest of
the Rizal children her husband was Manuel T.
Hidalgo of Tanaunan, Batangas her nickname
was “Neneng”
• Paciano (1851-1930) - he was the older brother
of Dr. Jose Rizal. After the execution of
Dr.Jose Rizal he joined the Spanish Philippine
Revolution. He died an old bachelor though
he has a common law wife Severina Decena
they had two (2) children a boy and a girl
• Narcisa (1852-1939) - she was married to Antonio
Lopez ( nephew of father Leoncio Lopez) a school
teacher of moron Rizal. Her pet name was “sisa”
• Olympia (1855-1887) - she was married to
Silvestre Ubaldo a telegraph operator from
manila ,her nickname was “ypia”
• Lucia (1857-1919) - she was married to Mariano
Herbosa of calamba. Herbosa died of cholera in
1889 and was denied Christian burial because he
was a brother in law of Dr. Jose Rizal.
• Maria ( 1859-1945) she was married to Daniel
Faustino Cruz of Binañ, Laguna her nickname was
“bing”
• Jose (1861-1896) he was considerd as a “lucky
seven” in the family. He lived with Josephine
Bracken a pretty Irish girl from Hong Kong Rizal
had a” son” by her by the name “ Francisco”
named after his father but the son died after few
hours after birth and was buried in Dapitan. Rizal’s
nickname was “PePe”
• Conception (1862-1865) -  died at the age of
three(3) because of the illness. Her death was
Rizal’s first sorrow. Her pet name was “concha”
• Josefa ( 1865-1845) - she was remained single. Her
pet name was “ panggoy” she died  at the age of 80.
• Trinidad ( 1868-1951) -  like Josefa, she died an old
maid at the age of 83. her pet name was”trining”
• Solidad ( 1870-1929)  - she was the youngest of the
Rizal’s children. She was married to Pantaleon
Quintero of Calamba. Her pet name was “chelong”
CHILDHOOD YEARS IN CALAMBA
 THE HERO’S TOWN
• Calamba was named after a big native jar (banga). The
Dominican Order owned the hacienda town (Calamba),
and all the lands around it. Jose Rizal was born in this
town. It was a small agricultural town which yielded
bountiful harvest. Located near the famous Mount
Makiling and the fertile plains of Laguna de Bay’s
southern shores. Rizal’s love for Calamba was deep, that
when he was 15 years old and a student of Ateneo de
Manila, he wrote a poem, “Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo (In
Memory of My Town).
 CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
• Jose Rizal’s joyful days in the family garden when he
was three years old was his first childhood memory.
He was a sickly and an undersized child. They
employed an old woman (aya) to look after him and his
comfort. Another memory of his childhood was the
daily prayer of the Angelus.
 Happiest days of Rizal in Calamba Laguna

 He loved to climb the fruit trees in their

backyard where he spent his leisure
time.
 From his nipa cottage built by his father,
he loved to watch the fowls,birds and
plants in the garden.
 From his azotea he watched the moon in
the sky after the night rosary.
• at night fall he joined his parents and sisters to pray the
daily angelus.
• He used to take a walk during moonlight in the town plaza
by the river and the lakes accompanied by his aya Ina
Munda.
• He loved to listen his aya telling about fairies. imaginary
tales, legend and folklores.
• At the age of three, he goes with his mother to the church
to take novena and jointhe religious procession.
 JOSE RIZAL’S FIRST GRIEF

• The hero’s first grief was caused by the

death of Concepcion (Concha), his younger
sister. The eighth child of the family died at
the age of three because of sickness.
Concepcion was a year younger than Jose
Rizal. Rizal was closer to Concha.
 DEVOTION TO THE CHURCH

• Jose Rizal was brought up a good Catholic. He

began to join in the family prayers when he was
three years old. He was able to read haltingly
the Spanish Bible, was taught the Catholic
prayers by his mother, Doña Toedora. At a
young age, he was already a devoted son of the
Catholic Church. The town priest, Father
Leoncio Lopez, was one of the men in Calamba
esteemed by him.
 THE ANTIPOLO PILGRIMAGE
• In order to fulfill Doña Teodora’s promise, Don Francisco
and Jose Rizal left Calamba for a pilgrimage to Antipolo, on
June 6, 1868. Rizal’s mother was not able to go with them
because she had given birth to her tenth child, Trinidad. It
was Rizal’s first pilgrimage to Antipolo, and his first time to
traverse Laguna de Bay. The father and son went to Manila
after they prayed at the shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo.
They visited Saturnina who was a student of La Concordia
College in Santa Ana and it was Rizal’s first visit to Manila.