Module 5:
The Life Of
Jose Rizal
Reporters:
Bucane,Princess Dian
Lumandas, Heryl Rose
Rojo, Alliah Joy
Introduction
José Rizal, in full José Protasio Rizal
Mercado y Alonso Realonda, (born June 19, 1861,
Calamba, Philippines—died December 30, 1896, Manila),
patriot, physician, and man of letters who was an
inspiration to the Philippine nationalist movement.
The son of a prosperous landowner, Rizal was
educated in Manila and at the University of Madrid. A
brilliant medical student, he soon committed himself to
the reform of Spanish rule in his home country, though
he never advocated Philippine independence. Most of his
writing was done in Europe, where he resided between
1882 and 1892.
Rizal’s Ancestry and childhood (1861-1896)
A. Overview of Life in Calamba
 Small agricultural town at the foot of Mt. Makiling sloping down to Laguna de Bay
 Sugar was the major product
 Calamba named after a big native jar
 Estates were owned by the Dominican friars
 The scenic beauty helped develop Rizal’s poetic and artistic creativity
 Their hardships as tenants developed his noble and heroic spirit
 Home: a 2 storey, rectangular house made of adobe stones and hardwood; roofed
with red tiles; had a cistern (reservoir), for water; had an orchard and poultry of
turkeys and chicken
B. Rizal’s Family Ancestry
He is a mixture of East and West races: Negrito, Indonesian,
predominantly Malayan, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish.
 Paternal - Domingo Lamco from Fukien City who arrived in Manila
in 1690, married a Chinese Christian: Ines de la Rosa. He assumed
the name MERCADO (he was a merchant), which meant “market”,
in English, in order to free the family from prejudice of Chinese
name.
RIZAL, a second surname given by the Spanish alcalde mayor
(provincial governor) of Laguna
RIZAL means a field where wheat, cut while still green sprouts
again.
B. Rizal’s Family Ancestry Cont..
 Maternal - Manuel de Quintos, a Chinese mestizo from Lingayen,
Pangasinan, married to Regina Ursua (of Japanese ancestry) was
a lawyer; Their daughter Brigida married Lorenzo Alberto Alonso,
an engineer. They had 5 children, including Teodora, Rizal’s
mother; The Alonso family produced lawyers, priests, engineers,
and government officials.
 The family belonged to the privileged class, the principalia; they
owned carriages and horses which were symbols of wealth and
respectability
C. Rizal’s Family
 Father: Francisco Mercado Rizal (born in Biñan);
“a model of fathers”
 Mother: Teodora Alonzo y Realonda
 Brother and sisters
a. Saturnina;
b. Paciano ( 10 years older than Jose; Pilosopo
Tasio in “Noli”; “most noble of Filipinos; was a
Maj. Gen. under Emilio Aguinaldo; tortured by
Spaniards); he later retired to his farm in Los
Baños and led a quiet life until his death in 1930;
C. Rizal’s Family
c. Narcisa, musician and became a teacher in
Morong;
d. Olimpia, became a telegraph operator in Manila;
e. Lucia, married to Mariano Herbosa who was
denied a Christian burial;
f. Maria, nicknamed “Biang”;
C. Rizal’s Family
g. Jose
 Was born June 19, 1861, on a Wed. between 11 PM-Midnight
 He Died on December 30, 1896
 He was the 7th of 11 children
 His Mother made a vow to the Virgin of Antipolo to take the baby to
the sanctuary by pilgrimage; mother named him “Jose”, who was a
devotee of St. Joseph
 he was Baptized after 3 days by Fr. Rufino Collantes (he commented
that he will be a great man with the big head of the baby)
 his Godfather was Fr. Pedro Casanas
 Rizal called his sisters Doña” or Señora ( if married) or Señorita ( if
single)
C. Rizal’s Family
h. Concepcion, died at 3 yrs.; Rizal’s first sorrow;
i. Josefa, an epileptic, died an old maid at 80 years
old;
j. Trinidad, the last of the family to die; died an old
maid at 83;
k. Soledad “Choleng”
Formal Search for Knowledge
Hometown
 His mother was his first teacher Mother
 Private tutors: Maestro Celestino, Maestro Lucas Padua, Leon Monroy
 At 9 years old, he was sent to Binñan to study under Maestro Justiniano Aquino
Cruz
 Formal lessons in Latin & Spanish
 Developed his painting skills
 Referred to himself as a “fashionable” painter
Formal Search for Knowledge
at Ateneo Municipal
• Rizal entered Ateneo Municipal
when he was barely 11 years old,
four months after the execution of
Gomburza.
• His father wanted to send Rizal to
Letran but later on decided to have
him enrolled at Ateneo Municipal,
formerly known as Escuela Pia.
Enrollment at Ateneo
 June 10, 1872 - Rizal took the entrance
examination at the Colegio de San Juan de
Letran.
 The exam covered: reading, arithmetic, and
Catholic doctrines.
• Although Rizal passed the examination, he
was refused entry into the institution for
two reasons: he was very frail and
undersized for his age
Enrollment at Ateneo
 Fr. Magin Fernando, the college
registrar, was at first very firm in
denying Rizal admission.
 Due to the intervention of Manuel
Burgos, the college register finally
admitted the young Jose.
 Jose did not use the username
Mercado when he enrolled at Ateneo
Formal Search for Knowledge Cont..
University of Santo Tomas (1877-1882)
 Managed by the Dominican priests (Dominicans and Jesuits were rival
educators)
 April 1877, enrolled in Philosophy and Letters for 2 reasons: His father
liked it and he was not certain as to the career he would pursue
 Mother opposed son’s pursuit for higher learning that if he gets to know more,
they will cut off his head
 1877-1878: finished surveying at Ateneo
 It was during this period that he experienced the Spanish brutality when he
failed to salute a Guardia Civil
 Spanish students on campus called the Filipino students “chongos”
(monkeys); in return the Filipinos called them “Bangus” (Milkfish)
 1880: Founded the secret society in UST called Compañerism (comradeship);
this led Filipino students into combats against Spanish students in street
fights; members were called Compañerismo of Jehu
Formal Search for Knowledge Cont..
Disadvantage at UST:
 Dominican professors were hostile
 There was racial discrimination
 The method of teaching was obsolete.
 He took up Medicine to help the failing eyesight of his mother.
 Paciano advised him to go to Europe
 To seek more knowledge on Western medicine
 Help the Filipino cause
 Observe the life and culture, language,
government, laws in Europe to liberate the people
commerce,
He left for Europe on May 3, 1882 (SS Salvador)
Formal Search for Knowledge Cont..
Education in Europe
 On November 3, 1882, he enrolled in the
Universidad Central de Madrid;
 On June 21, 1884, he was given the license in
medicine by the Universidad Central de Madrid;
 He studied and passed all subjects leading to the
degree of Doctor of Medicine
Reasons why he was not awarded his Doctor’s Diploma:
a) He did not present the thesis required for graduation
b) He did not pay the corresponding fees.
 M.D. was conferred to him posthumously – in 1961 – 100 years after his birth!
 June 19, 1885(Rizal’s 24th birthday).
 He was awarded the degree of licentiate in Philosophy & letters by the Universidad Central
de Madrid with the rating of “EXCELLENT” (Sobresaliente)
 He also became qualified to be a professor in humanities in any Spanish Universities
 He became a full-pledged physician & qualified to practice medicine
Questions:
1. It means a field where wheat, cut while still green sprouts again.
2. The family belonged to the privileged class called _________
3. The last family of Rizal died.
4. Spanish students on campus called the Filipino students ______
5. Reasons why Rizal was not awarded his Doctor’s Diploma.
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