Childhood

Memories in
Calamba
 01
Best Pupil in School
in Biñan.
 Best Pupil in School in Biñan
Rizal’s school day in Biñan was remarkable. He excelled
in all subjects especially Latin and Spanish languages.
Because of this, it was not surprising that some of his older
classmates were secretly jealous of his intellectual
endowments. His schooling in Biñan came when he learned
almost all that his teacher, Justiniano could teach him; so his
teacher wrote a letter to his parents that it was time to sent
Rizal to College in Manila.
 Best Pupil in School in Biñan

He left Biñan after staying there for one and half years
homeward to Calamba where he was warmly welcomed by
his parents, brothers and sisters. At home, he shared his
memorable experiences with fascinating tales of his brawls
with some quarrelsome classmates and school triumphs with
amusement and delight of brothers and sisters.
Rizal’s Mother: 02
A Victim of
Injustice.
 Rizal’s Mother: A Victim of Injustice
While Rizal’s Childhood memories were generally pleasant,
notwithstanding his petty quarrels normal for a young growing
boy his age in school, the tragic incident happened in the Rizal
family when his mother, Doña Teodora was arbitrarily arrested
on a malicious charge that she allegedly aided her brother, Jose
Alberto, in trying to poison Alberto’s wife. Jose Alberto was a
prominent man in Biñan who owned big tract of land. In one
occasion, he went to Europe on a business trip. During his
absence his wife, abandoned their conjugal home and lived with
another man.
 Rizal’s Mother: A Victim of Injustice
When he returned to Biñan, he was mad and enraged by her
infidelity, so he planned to file an annulment of their marriage.
He believed that his wife’s sexual infidelity scandal, and to
protect the honor of the family, Doña Teodora, persuaded his
brother Jose Alberto to forgive his erring wife. While the family
problem was amicably settled, and Jose Alberto lived again with
his unfaithful wife, she connived with the lieutenant of the
Guardia Civil to fabricate unfounded pieces of evidence that her
husband attempted to poison her, with Doña Teodora’s
participation as an accomplice.
 Rizal’s Mother: A Victim of Injustice

This lieutenant who was a bully and overbearing person who

habitually badgered and intimated weaker people had an ax to
grind against the Rizal family because in one occasion Don
Francisco refused to give him fodder- his horse. He was so
unreasonable and haughty and virtually a kind of feed for took
the opportunity to avenge himself and got even against Don
Francisco and arrested Doña Teodora.
 Rizal’s Mother: A Victim of Injustice

Inspite of the injustice Doña Teodora experienced in the

judicial system at the time, she remained calm, resolute and
courageous and accepted her fate with Christian resignation. She
believed that with God’s help, the court would finally recognized
her innocence and the truth would prevail.
 GAM-BUR-ZA’s
03 Martyrdom.
 GAM-BUR-ZA’s Martyrdom.
The painful experience of the arbitrary imprisonment of Rizal’s
mother was still fresh and the wounds inflected had not yet totally
healed. Another misfortune happened in the Rizal family. The unjust
execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, accused of
conspiracy of the Cavite Mutiny and publicly garroted on February 17,
1872, opened the deep wounds. Paciano, Jose’s older brother and a
student in the College of San Jose, in Manila was boarding with Father
Burgos, his most esteemed professor and friend. Because of fortitude
and strength of character, he became a trusted assistant of Father
Burgos in the fight for the Filipinization of all parishes.
 GAM-BUR-ZA’s Martyrdom.
The painful experience of the arbitrary imprisonment of Rizal’s
mother was still fresh and the wounds inflected had not yet totally
healed. Another misfortune happened in the Rizal family. The unjust
execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, accused of
conspiracy of the Cavite Mutiny and publicly garroted on February 17,
1872, opened the deep wounds. Paciano, Jose’s older brother and a
student in the College of San Jose, in Manila was boarding with Father
Burgos, his most esteemed professor and friend. Because of fortitude
and strength of character, he became a trusted assistant of Father
Burgos in the fight for the Filipinization of all parishes.
 GAM-BUR-ZA’s Martyrdom.
The execution of Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora was
one of the reasons why Paciano quit College education. He
returned to Calamba and related to his younger brother Jose,
the story of Burgos’ martyrdom. A few years later, Jose Rizal
wrote the memory of Burgos: “He awakened my intellect and
made me understand goodness and justice. His farewell words
I shall remember – “I have tried to pass on to you what I
received from my teachers. Do the same for those who come
after you.” So eloquent and precise and full of meanings to
emulate.
 GAM-BUR-ZA’s Martyrdom.
Jose Rizal was almost eleven years old when the
unfortunate and extremely mournful execution of Gom-Bur-
Za happened. Inspite of Rizal’s tender age, he was deeply
affected with the pathetic incident. This injustice, like that one
done to his beloved mother, was another Spanish misrule
happening in our land. From these two incidents that were
clearly and flagrantly a violation of human rights and dignity,
Rizal at an early age was awakened and to consecrate his life
to combat evil forces of his times at any cost even at the
expense of his life.
Thanks!
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