CHAPTER 1

The Birth of a Hero

• Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861
Between 11-12MN
in Calamba, Laguna
 • His mother almost died
during the delivery because
of his big head
• He was baptized on June 22, 1861
in the Catholic Church aged 3
days old by Father Rufino
Collantes ( Batangueño)
• Fr. Pedro Casanas - from Calamba
& a close friend of the family
• - his God father
• His name Jose was given
by his mother who was a
devotee of St. Joseph
• Fr. Collantes was impressed by
his big head & told the family
members to take good care of
Jose Rizal because he will
become a great man someday.
• Lt. General Jose Lemery- a
former senator of Spain was the
Governor general of the
Philippines when Rizal was born.
He governed the Philippines from
Feb. 2, 1861-July 7, 1862
 • Jose Lemery’s Achievements
Are as Follows:
1. Fostering the cultivation of cotton
in the provinces
2. Establishing the politico-military
governments in Visayas &
Mindanao
• Rizal was the the 7th among the
11 children of Francisco
Mercado Rizal & Teodora
Alonzo Realonda
• Francisco Mercado Rizal – was born in Biñan,
Laguna on May 11,1818.
• He studied Latin & Philosophy at the College
of San Jose in Manila
• He was a hardy & independent- minded man
who talked less & worked more & was strong in
body & valiant in spirit
• He died in Manila on Jan. 5, 1898 at the age of
80
• Rizal called him “ A Model of Fathers”
 • Doña Teodora- was born in Manila on
Nov. 8, 1826.
• She was educated at the College of Sta.
Rosa-well known college for girls in Manila
• -remarkable woman
• possessing refined culture
• Business ability
• Fortitude of Spartan women
• She died in Manila on August 16,
1911 at the age of 85
• Before her death, the government
offered her a life pension but she
rejected saying: “My family has never
been patriotic for money”
1. SATURNINA (1850-1913)
Eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo
marriage. Married Manuel Timoteo
Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas.

2. PACIANO (1851-1930)
Only brother of Jose Rizal and the
second child. Studied at San Jose
College in Manila; became a farmer and
later a general of the Philippine
Revolution.
3. NARCISA RIZAL (1852-1939)
The third child. married Antonio Lopez at
Morong, Rizal; a teacher and musician.
4. OLYMPIA RIZAL (1855-1887)
The fourth child. Married Silvestre Ubaldo;
died in 1887 from childbirth.
5. LUCIA RIZAL (1857-1919)
The fifth child. Married Mariano Herbosa.
6. MARIA RIZAL (1859-1945)
The sixth child. Married Daniel Faustino
Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
7. JOSE RIZAL (1861-1896)
The second son and the seventh child. He
was executed by the Spaniards on December
30,1896.
8. CONCEPCION RIZAL (1862-1865)
The eight child. Died at the age of three.
9. JOSEFA RIZAL (1865-1945)
The ninth child. An epileptic, died a spinster.
10. TRINIDAD RIZAL (1868-1951)
The tenth child. Died a spinster and the last
of the family to die.

11. SOLEDAD RIZAL (1870-1929)

The youngest child married Pantaleon
Quintero.
• Sibling Relationships among them are
cordial
– He plays w/ his siters
– He had boyish quarrels with them
– He respected them
– He always called them:
Doña or señora(if married)
Señorita (if single)
• His only brother Paciano was 10 years older
than him
• He respected him throughout his life
• He regarded Paciano as the “most noble of
Filipinos & “though an Indio” – meaning more
generous & noble than all the Spaniards put
together
• He is much finer & more serious, he is bigger &
more slim, he is not so dark, his nose is fine,
beautiful & sharp but he is bow-legged
Jose Rizal was a product of mixture of
Races:
1. Negrito
2. Indonesia
3. Malay
4. Chinese
5. Japanese
6. Spanish
• Domingo Lameo – Chinese immigrant
from Fukien City of Changchow & arrived
in Mla. In 1600
• 1731- he assumed the surname Mercado
he was a merchant
• Mercado (Spanish) means market
(English)
 Family Tree (father side)
• Domingo Lameo married Ines Dela Rosa
– Francisco Mercado married Cirila
Bernacha
Juan Mercado married Cirila
Alejandro
they have 13 children & the
youngest is Francisco
Mercado who is Rizal’s father
 Family Tree (mother side)
• Eugenio Ursua married Benigna
• Regina married Manuel de Quintos-
Filipino Chinese lawyer from Pangasinan
• Brigida married Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo-
prominent Spanish Filipino from Biñan
• 1. Narcisa 4. Manuel 5.
Jose
• 2. Teodora – Rizal’s mother
• 3. Gregorio
• Rizal’s parents got married on
June 28,1848 & settled down in
Calamba- where they are
engaged in farming & business
• The Rizal Home- one of the distinguished
stone houses in Calamba during Spanish
times
- 2 storey house
- Roofed with red tiles
- Rectangular in shape
- Built in adobe stones &
hard woods
• Behind the house- is a poultry
yard full of turkey & chickens & a
big garden full of tropical fruits-
atis, balimbing, chico, macopa,
papaya, santol, tampoy etc.
 • A happy home where parental affection
& children’s laughter reigned:
By day – noises of children at play &
the songs of birds in the garden
By night – echoed w/ the dulcet notes
of family prayer
* It is such a wholesome home, naturally
a wholesome family
• The Rizal family belongs to a Good &
Middle –class Family
• They belong to Principalia- a town
aristocracy in Spanish Philippines
• One of the distinguished families in
Calamba
• Rizal Family were able to live well
Farm- they harvest rice, corn &sugarcane
Backyard– they raised pigs, chickens &
turkeys
Doña Teodora managed a general goods
store & operated a small flour-mill & a home-
made ham press
They were able to build a large stone house
situated near the town church & buy another one
• Their house has a private library
w/c is biggest in Calamba. It is
consisted of more than 1,000
volumes
 THE END!!!
THANK YOU 