WEEK 5: RIZAL’S LIFE:
FAMILY, CHILDHOOD,
AND EARLY
EDUCATION
LIFE AND WORKS OF
HIRIT NG KASAYSAN
LIFE AND WORKS OF
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE SUPPOSED LAST NAME OF RIZAL
WAS NOT REALLY “RIZAL” NOR “MERCADO”?
Originally, his Chinese great-great-grandfather was Domingo Lam-
co from Fujian, China. If he had kept his real surname, our national
hero would have been known today as José Lam-co!
But because of Spanish discrimination against the Chinese, the
family changed their name to Mercado (meaning “market”), and
later, Rizal’s father adopted “Rizal” from the Spanish word ricial
(“green fields”). Rizal himself used Rizal instead of Mercado to
avoid Spanish suspicion, since the Mercado family was linked to
rebels.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
José Rizal ❌ José Lam-co ✅
LIFE AND WORKS OF
THE CLAVERÍA
SURNAME DECREE
OF 1849:
CATÁLOGO
ALFABÉTICO DE
APELLIDOS
• Issued by: Governor-General Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa on November
21, 1849.
• Purpose: To bring order to the colony’s messy system of names.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
TOPICS TO COVER:
• Family
• Childhood
• Early
Education
• Higher
Education
LIFE AND WORKS OF
• Life Abroad
FAMILY
LIFE AND WORKS OF
FATHER SIDE:
MERCADO FAMILY
DOMINGO L AM-CO (CHINESE
ANCESTOR)
CUA YI LAM
• A Chinese immigrant from Fujian,
China, who settled in the Philippines
in the late 1600s.
• Converted to Catholicism and
adopted the name Domingo Lam-co.
• Married a Chinese mestiza, Inés de la
Rosa.
• From him came the Mercado family
of Biñan, Laguna.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
AFTER L AM-CO, WHO WAS THE
NEXT IN LINE?
Domingo Francisco Juan Francisco
Lam-co Mercado I Mercado Mercado II
LIFE AND WORKS OF
FATHER SIDE:
MERCADO FAMILY
FRANCISCO MERCADO II
• Born in Biñan, Laguna (1818).
• A prosperous farmer who managed
their family lands in Calamba,
Laguna.
• Of Chinese mestizo descent (great-
great-grandson of Domingo Lam-co).
• Married Teodora Alonso Realonda,
Rizal’s mother, in 1848.
• Known for being industrious,
disciplined, and well-respected in
their community.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
IN OUR LESSONS ABOUT RIZAL,
HIS FATHER FRANCISCO
MERCADO DOES NOT SEEM TO
RECEIVE MUCH ATTENTION
COMPARE TO HIS MOTHER. WHY
IS HIS ROLE IN RIZAL’S LIFE
OFTEN LESS EMPHASIZED?
LIFE AND WORKS OF
MOTHER’S SIDE:
ALONZO FAMILY
EUGENIO URSUA (FILIPINO -
JAPANESE ANCESTOR)
• One of Rizal’s maternal ancestors.
Said to have Japanese roots.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
AFTER EUGENIO URSUA, WHO WAS THE
NEXT IN LINE?
Eugenio Ursua Benigna Ochoa Lorenzo Teodora
Alberto Alonso
Alonso Realonda
LIFE AND WORKS OF
MOTHER’S SIDE:
ALONZO FAMILY
TEODORA ALONSO REALONDA.
• She studied at the Colegio de Santa Rosa, where
she learned reading, writing, arithmetic,
Spanish, and values formation (rare for Filipino
women at that time).
• Came from a distinguished family with Spanish,
Tagalog, and Japanese ancestry.
• Taught young Rizal his first lessons in reading,
writing, and praying; she was his first teacher.
• Imprisoned for nearly two and a half years due
to a false accusation of attempting to poison her
sister-in-law—showing how Filipinos, even from
respected families, could suffer injustice under
LIFE AND WORKS OF
Spanish rule.
Since we already track the ancestors of Rizal and
learned about the Catálogo alfabético de apellidos.
Let us examine his long name.
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso
Realonda
LIFE AND WORKS OF
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso
Realonda
1. José
• His given name.
• Chosen because he was baptized after St. Joseph (San José), the
husband of the Virgin Mary.
2. Protacio
• His second given name.
• Comes from St. Protacius, a Catholic saint.
• It was common for Filipino children then to have more than one saint’s
name.
3. Rizal
• A second surname adopted by his father, Francisco Mercado.
• From the Spanish word “ricial,” meaning green fields or new pasture.
• Added to distinguish their family from other Mercados, since the
Mercado name was already watched by Spanish authorities for
suspected rebellion.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso
4. Mercado
Realonda
• The original surname of Rizal’s paternal line, inherited from his great-great-
grandfather Domingo Lam-co (a Chinese immigrant who changed his name to
avoid anti-Chinese discrimination).
• Means “market” in Spanish.
5. y
• A Spanish word meaning “and.”
• Used to connect the paternal surname (Rizal Mercado) with the maternal
surname (Alonso Realonda).
6. Alonso
• His mother’s paternal surname, from his maternal grandfather Lorenzo
Alberto Alonso of Biñan, Laguna.
7. Realonda
• An additional surname adopted by his mother’s family in 1849 due to the
Clavería
LIFE decreeOF
AND WORKS
PACIANO AND THE
SISTERETSSS
LIFE AND WORKS OF
[Link] (1850–1913)
• Eldest sibling, nicknamed “Neneng.”
• Helped manage the household and supported
Rizal’s education.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
2. PACIANO (1851–1930)
• Only brother of Rizal.
• Close mentor and father figure to Rizal.
• Later became a general in the Philippine
Revolution.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
3. NARCISA (1852–1939)
• Wealthy and resourceful; helped finance Rizal’s
studies in Europe.
• Allegedly discovered the site of Rizal’s secret
burial after his execution.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
4. OLYMPIA (1855–1887)
• Married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator.
• Died young after childbirth.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
5. LUCIA (1857–1919)
• Married Mariano Herbosa.
• Her husband was denied a Christian burial due
to ties with Rizal’s family.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
6. MARIA (1859–1945)
• Married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan.
• Known to have been close to Rizal during his
youth.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
7. JOSÉ PROTACIO (1861–1896)
• The national hero.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
8. CONCEPCIÓN (1862–1865)
• Died at age 3; her death deeply affected young
Rizal.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
9. JOSEFA (1865–1945)
• Remained single; active in the Katipunan as
a member of its women’s chapter.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
11. SOLEDAD (1870–1929)
• Youngest sibling, nicknamed “Choleng.”
• Married Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
•Narcisa
•Olympia
•Narcisa
•Olympia
•Lucia
•Olympia
•Lucia
•Maria
•Lucia
•Maria
•Maria
1. SATURNINA 7. JOSE
2. PACIANO 8. CONCEPCION
3. NARCISA 9. JOSEFA
4. OLYMPIA 10. TRINIDAD
5. LUCIA 11. SOLEDAD
6. MARIA
LIFE AND WORKS OF
CHILDHOOD
LIFE AND WORKS OF
BIRTHPLACE OF THE NATIONAL
HERO
• José Rizal was born on June 19, 1861, in
Calamba, Laguna, Philippines.
• His birthplace was their family home — a large
Spanish-style ancestral house made of stone,
wood, and nipa. Today it’s known as the Rizal
Shrine in Calamba, a museum dedicated to his
memory.
• His baptism followed three days later (June 22) at
the Calamba parish church, with Father Rufino
Collantes officiating and Father Pedro
Casanas as his godfather.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
BIRTHPLACE OF THE NATIONAL
HERO
MT. MAKILING
LIFE AND WORKS OF
CHILHOOD MEMORIES
• He was given the most tender care by his
parents, sisters, and his brother due to his being
frail, sickly and small for his age at three.
• His father built a nipa cottage where he loved to
stay watching the fowls, birds and the plants in
the garden
• From his azotea, he watched the moon in the sky
after their nightly rosary.
• He used to walk during moonlight night in the
town plaza by the river and lakes accompanied
by his Aya (maid).
LIFE AND WORKS OF
CHILHOOD MEMORIES
• Often times, he goes with his mother to the
church to take part in novena and join religious
procession.
• Doña Teodora Alonzo, his mother and first
teacher, taught him the Catholic prayers, read
the alphabets that induce him to participate in
the family prayers and oftentimes
• He was called Manong Jose at the age of three
due to his fun of going to church and joining
religious processions.
• The town priest, Father Leoncio Lopez was the
man whom Rizal esteemed and respected so
much in Calamba for his stimulating opinions and
sound philosophy of life.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
RIZAL'S SORROWS AND
TRAGEDIES
1. The untimely death of his younger sister
Conception (Concha) at the age of three
“Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo” (In Memory of My Town)
2. The malicious charge against his mother that
caused a tremendous impact on the life of Rizal.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
EARLY EDUCATION
LIFE AND WORKS OF
EDUCATION IN BIÑAN, LAGUNA
• June 1869 – At age 9, Rizal left Calamba with
his brother Paciano, traveling by carromata
to Biñan.
• Lodged at his aunt’s house while studying
there.
• Enrolled in the school of Maestro Justiniano
Aquino Cruz, Paciano’s former teacher.
• Maestro Cruz: tall, thin, long-necked, sharp-
nosed, wore a sinamay shirt, strict
disciplinarian.
• Fought and defeated Pedro (Maestro Cruz’s
son) in a wrestling match, using skills taught
by his athletic uncle Manuel.
• Lost an arm-wrestling match to Andres
Salandanan, nearly injuring himself.
• LIFE
Often bullied
AND WORKSbecause
OF he was small for his
EDUCATION IN BIÑAN, LAGUNA
• Hobbies/skills: Learned painting and drawing
from Maestro Cruz’s father-in-law.
• Academic excellence: Outperformed all
Biñan boys in school, proving his intellectual
superiority.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
RIZAL AT ATENEO
• 1872 – Rizal was sent to Manila for further schooling.
• First took and passed entrance exams at San Juan de
Letran (Christian Doctrine, Arithmetic, Reading) but did
not continue there.
• Paciano interceded with Father Manuel Xerez Burgos so
Rizal could be admitted to Ateneo Municipal de Manila
despite being late, small, and sickly.
• At first placed at the back row of the class as an externo
(Carthaginian), boarding at Titay’s house in Caraballo St.
• Ateneo’s Jesuit education emphasized religious training,
physical culture, humanities, and sciences.
• Father Jose Bech was Rizal’s first professor.
LIFE AND WORKS OF
RIZAL AT ATENEO
• Students were grouped into Romans (internos) with red
banners and Carthaginians (externos) with blue banners,
competing for supremacy.
• Uniform: hemp-fabric trousers, striped cotton coat.
• Rizal soon rose to the top: from Carthaginian at the back
row to emperor of his class, earning his first prize (a
religious picture).
• Despite resenting some professors’ remarks, his grades
remained excellent (2nd in class during second term).
• Summer 1873: He visited his imprisoned mother in Santa
Cruz, told her about his good grades, and interpreted her
dream as a sign of freedom — she was released three
months later.
• Developed interest in reading romantic tales and novels,
especially The Count of Monte Cristo and Travels in the
Philippines
LIFE by Dr. OF
AND WORKS Feodor Jagor.
RIZAL AT ATENEO
• Struggled with Spanish accent, excelled in Latin, and
later won five medals under the guidance of Father
Francisco de Paula Sanchez (his favorite teacher, inspired
him in poetry).
• Advised by Father Jose Villaclara to major in Science and
Philosophy, but Rizal preferred Literature under Father
Sanchez.
• Graduated on March 23, 1877 with the degree of
Bachelor of Arts, age 16, earning highest honors and
becoming the “pride of the Jesuits.”
LIFE AND WORKS OF
THE END
LIFE AND WORKS OF
