Life and Works of Rizal
GEC 105
Melinda N. Casauay, MPA
Faculty-in-Charge
First Semester, AY 2020-2021
LEARNING
MODULE
GEC 105- Life and Works of Rizal
Prepared by:
MELINDA NARISMA-CASAUAY,MPA
LESSON
1
RIZAL: A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
a. Recognize the law provided for in the study of the life of our National Hero
b. Being able to have a glimpse of the past in the context by Dr. Jose P. Rizal.
c. Convey ideas through oral, audio-visual, and/or web-based presentations for the target
audiences in local and global settings;
d. Recreate in their young minds how a National Hero was born.
Republic Act 1425 or Rizal Law
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Senator Claro M. Recto was the main proponent of the Rizal Bill.
Catholic Church claimed that it would violate freedom of conscience and religion.
Catholic Bishops conference of the Philippines (CBCP) “Such bill is a violation of 1939
Canon Law which prohibits books that attacks the Catholic Doctrine and practices.
Among the 333 pages of Noli Me Tangere, 25 of the passages are nationalistic while 120 are
anti-Catholic.
•AGAINST: Catholic Action of the Philippines, the Congregation of the Mission, the Knights of
Columbus, and the Catholic Teachers Guild.
•PRO: Veteranos de la Revolucion (Spirit of 1896), Alagad in Rizal, the Freemasons, and the
Knights of Rizal
•Senate Committee on Education sponsored a bill co-written by both José P. Laurel and Recto,
with the only opposition coming from Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Mariano Jesús Cuenco, and
Decoroso Rosales.
Catholic schools threatened to close down if the bill was passed; Recto countered that if that
happened, the schools would be nationalized.
May 12, 1956, a compromise inserted by Committee on Education chairman Laurel that
accommodated the objections of the Catholic Church was approved unanimously.
Importance of Studying RA 1425
1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism
2. To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping the Filipino
character.
3. To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s life, works and
writings.
Rizal as an American Sponsored Hero
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It was in 1901 when William Howard Taft proposed Rizal as our National Hero because:
Rizal was already dead by the time the Americans colonized the Philippines.
He did not make any negative or embarrassing remarks of anti-American quotations.
Martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal was a symbol of Spanish oppression.
He urged reform from within by publicity.
Rizal as Pioneer Asian Nationalist Leader
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The worth and dignity of the individual;
The inviolability of human rights;
The innate equality of all men and races;
The necessity for constitutional government;
Due process of law;
Popular sovereignty as the basis of all political authority,
Faith in human reason and enlightenment;
The rights of the masses to public education; and
Belief in social progress through freedom.
The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal
Jose Rizal was born on Wednesday, June 19, 1861 between eleven to twelve midnight in
Calamba Laguna. His birth would have caused his mother’s life had she has not vowed to the
Virgin of Antipolo that would take him on a pilgrimage of the shrine.
He was baptized at a Catholic Church of Calamba when he was 3 days old by Rev. Rufino
Collantes who is a closed family friend and at the same time stood as his godfather. I was noted
by Rev. Collantes that the new baby has a big head and advised the family to take care of this
child as he was destined to become a great person. Which proved to be prophetic and later
explicitly confirmed by subsequent events.
Rizal and His Time
Jose Rizal is a unique example of a many-splendored genius who became the greatest hero
of his nation. Endowed by God with versatile gifts, he truly ranks with the world’s geniuses. He
as was physician (ophthalmic surgeon), poet, dramatist, essayist, novelist, historian, Architect,
painter, sculptor, educator, linguist, musician, naturalist, ethnologist, surveyor, engineer, farmer,
businessman, economist, geographer, cartographer, bibliophile, philologist, grammarian,
folklorist, philosopher, translator, inventor, magician, humorist, satirist, polemicist, sportsman,
traveler and prophet. Above all these, he was a hero and political martyr who consecrated his life
for the redemption of his oppressed people.
Conditions in the Philippines
In this chapter, you will read about what were the conditions in the Philippines and in the
world of Rizal’s time. You may be surprised to find that some of them were similar to the present
times. Major changes were happening in the world. People felt uncertain and unhappy about many
things in life. It was “the best of times, the worst of times,” as someone wrote of a revolutionary
era.
Who were the most powerful people? Who were the least happy? During Rizal’s time,
the most powerful people were the foreigners who ruled over the Filipinos. The Philippines then
was a colony of Spain, and the white colonizers-the Spanish royal officials- were in charge. This
was unhappy condition of the 19th century, when only nine absolute monarchs ruled almost half of
the people in the world.in colonial Philippines, the native people were the most numerous, but they
were the least happy. They had no say they were governed or who should be in the government at
all. Somebody had to speak the truth about the evils in the colonial society.
The evils of colonial rule. Among the evils in colonial society during Rizal’s time were
as follow:
1. The Instability of the government because the government frequently changed from
monarch to republic then back again. From 1834-1862, Spain adopted four constitutions,
elected 28 parliaments, a and installed no less than 529 ministers with portfolios; followed
in later years by party strife, revolutions, and other political upheavals. The Filipinos and
the Rizal family, were affected badly by the frequent changes of government.
2. Corrupt Officials. The colonial government was then composed of Spanish civilians
officials or military officers and Catholic Church friars because the colony had a political
Union of Church and State. Many of them were corrupt, incompetent, cruel, and venal
(sinful). Some officials were dishonest and forced the people to follow them in cheating,
stealing, lying and covering up their crimes.
3. Lack of Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes. A parliament limited the
absolute power of kings and heard the problems of the people. Spain invited direct
representatives from the colonies to join the Spanish Cortes (Parliament) and help make
laws in Madrid. When Philippine participation in the Cortes was abolished in 1837, the
Filipino people no longer had a voice to complain about the abuses of colonial officials.
Since then Philippine conditions worsened because they had no more means to expose the
abuses of colonial officials.
4. Human rights were denied to Filipinos. In fact, in 1812 and succeeding years, Spain
passed democratic constitutions which recognized human rights for the people. The
Filipinos who went to Spain were surprised to enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of the
press, freedom of association, and other rights (except freedom of religion). However, these
important rights were denied to its overseas colonies. Thus, the Filipinos could only yearn
for these basic human rights.
5. No equality before the law. Equality before the law is one of the most important of all
rights of people. Legal equality simply means that no one will be favored or disfavored by
the government because of religion, race, sex, age, origin, so class and the like.
6. Maladministration of justice. The court of justice in the Philippines during the Rizal’s
time were really courts of “injustice”, as far as the common people were concerned. Court
cases were costly, unfair and slow.
7. Racial prejudice and preference for Spaniards. The white Spaniards were given
preference in all things and everybody else- the indio ( native) or mestizo (half-breed)- was
considered inferior.
8. Forced labor. During the Spanish colony, the mandatory labor was called polo and the
workers were called polistas. The polistas were obliged to work for 40 to 60 days a year,
which was reduced to 15 dasy in 1884.
9. Union of Church and State. Today the Philippine Constitution guarantees freedom of
religion. However, during the Rizal’s time, the church and the state were one and the same,
and Spanish priests (friars) mixed both religion and government.
10. The best haciendas were owned by the bad friars. During the Rizal’s time, the bad
Spanish friars gradually came to own the best haciendas (agricultural lands), which were
the main economic source of wealth.
11. Abusive police (Guardia Civil). The Guardia Civil was the local police. They were
organized in the 19th century to protect the colony from bandits and perform other police
functions. The rank-and-file were composed of natives, and the officers were Spaniards.
The priest and the police were the face of government closest to the people. The police
committed abuses in the performance of their duty for example police brutalities were
extrajudicial killings and beating up innocent people.
Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood, Early Education
The Mercado - Rizal Family
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The Rizals are considered as one of the biggest families during their time. Domingo Lamco, the family's paternal ascendant was a full-blooded Chinese who came to the
Philippines from Amoy, China in the closing years of the 17th century and married a
Chinese half-breed by the name of Ines de la Rosa.
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Researchers revealed that the Mercado-Rizal family had also traces of Japanese, Spanish,
Malay and Even Negrito blood aside from Chinese.
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Jose Rizal came from a 13-member family consisting of his parents, Francisco Mercado
II and Teodora Alonso Realonda, and nine sisters and one brother.
👪 Rizal Family
Teodora Alonso
Francisco Mercado
1. Saturnina
2. Paciano
1850-1913
3. Narcisa
1851-1930
4. Olympia
5. Lucia
7. Jose
6. Maria
8. Concepcion
10. Trinidad
9. Josefa
11. Soledad
SATURNINA RIZAL (1850-1913)
Eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo marriage.
Married Manuel Timoteo Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas.
PACIANO RIZAL (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.
He was a second father to his younger brother Jose and gave him wise counsel. People who knew
him opined that he was the filosopo Tayo in Noli Me Tangere. Immediately after the hero’s
execution, He joined the General Aguinaldo’s revolutionary army where he rose to the rank of
Major General. He returned to Los Baños after the restoration of peace and order and led the life
of a simple farmer and exemplary citizen. In 1930 he died almost unwept, unhonored and unsung
and was buried in Manila.
NARCISA RIZAL (1852-1939)
The third child. Married Antonio Lopez at
Morong, Rizal; a teacher and musician
OLYMPIA RIZAL (1855-1887)
The fourth child.
Married Silvestre Ubaldo; died in 1887 from childbirth.
LUCIA RIZAL (1857-1919)
The fifth child. Married Matriano Herbosa.
MARIA RIZAL (1859-1945)
The sixth child.
Married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
JOSE RIZAL (1861-1896)
The second son and the seventh child.
He was executed by the Spaniards on December 30,1896.
CONCEPCION RIZAL (1862-1865)
The eight child. Died at the age of three.
JOSEFA RIZAL (1865-1945)
The ninth child. An epileptic, died a spinster.
TRINIDAD RIZAL (1868-1951)
The tenth child. Died a spinster and the last of the family to die.
SOLEDAD RIZAL (1870-1929)
The youngest child married Pantaleon Quintero.
The life of Rizal like other young Filipino boys had a lot of pleasant and beautiful memories to
reckon during his childhood days in Calamba. He grew up in a home environment characterized
by joy and contentment. His birthplace was an ideal place for artists, poets and budding writers.
This is Calamba, a perfect place to nurture a growing child that holds promise that eventually
became the “cradle of a genius”.
Mercado family was living a simple and happy life. Mang Kikoy and Aling Lolay loved their
children wherein they taught their children to give respect and show obedience to their elders and
also taught to address elder sister politely with “Senora” and their brothers with “Senor” (Zaide
& Zaide, 2008).
Jose grew up in a two-story house in which the first floor was built of stone.
On the ground floor was his mother’s little store and also have a Camarin, where rice and sugar
were kept. The family resided on the second floor made out of concrete and wood. Here were the
living room, bedrooms, and kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities.
The favorite dish of Jose was Carne Asada or beef steak accompanied by a delicious sauce. He
also loved champorado and the children were well fed of a mixture of ordinary and exquisite
dishes at the time. (Sta. Maria, 2012).
The house had a private library which consisted books of more than 1000 volumes. It had a
grand veranda called azotea, from their children used to watch the people passing by the streets
below, and in that very place many stories had been told by either their mother or their aya. They
told of many enchanting tales, fascinating legends and fantastic stories. (Zaide & Zaide, 2008).
The Town that Inspires a Hero
Calamba was located in the midst of a rich agricultural region in Laguna, the Lake province of
Luzon.It enclosed between the vast Laguna de Bay and the enchanted Mt. Makiling. The
Dominican friars virtually owned the town of Calamba and haciendas at the time, where nonSpanish families were only renting the lands and they were subject to pay taxes, mostly
excessive, in money or kind (Constantino, 2005).
This sytem is known by encomienda. Jose captured by the striking impression of their town, and
from there he developed his powerful senses dedicated to poetry and visual arts. He revealed his
heart in the poem entitled “Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo” (In Memory Of my Town).
Jose was designed by nature to be an artist. It was revealed before he was five years of age,
where his parents including his uncles recognized this exceptional talent and give him all the
encouragement. (Zaide & Zaide, 2008).
Uncle Jose Alberto, a fine artist himself, helps him to developed innate gift of arts.
Uncle Gregorio, a tireless reader, often lectured the eager child on the foundations of success and
learns 20 languages in his later life.
Uncle Manuel, a sports and fitness enthusiast, encourage him to frail his body by way of athletic
drills, martial arts and physical exercises.
Rizal’s Early Education
Rizal’s mother was his first teacher. He learned the alphabet and the prayers at the age of 3.
Rizal wrote in his student memoirs, “My mother, taught me how to read and say haltingly the
humble prayers which I raised fervently to God. His mother told him about the Parable of the
Moth and encouraged him to write poems. At the age of eight he wrote his first poem which
symbolizes his love for the national language and encourages his countrymen to do the same.
SA AKING MGA KABATA
Kapagka ang baya’y sadyang umiibig
Sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit,
sanlang Kalayaan nasa ring masapit
katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.
Pagkat ang salita’y isang kahatulan
Sa bayan, sa nayo’t mga kaharian
At ang isang tao’y katulad kabagay
Ng alin mang likha noong Kalayaan
Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita
Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda ,
Kaya ang marapat pagyaamanin kusa
Tulad ng inang tunay na nagpala.
Ang wikang tagalog tulad din sa latin,
Sa ingles, kastila at salitang anghel
Sa pagkat ang Poong maalam tumingin
Ang syang nag-gawad, nag- bigay sa atin.
Ang salita natin tulad din sa iba
Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Na akaya nawala’y dinatnan ng sigwa
Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.
His parents employed private, tutors to give him lessons at home. Maestro Celestino and Maestro
Lucas Padua, Leon Monroy. He was sent to a school for boys in the town of Biñan, where his
uncle Jose Alberto was residing. Señor Justiniano Aquino Cruz- strict practitioner of pounding
knowledge not only into the eye and ear, but also the palm.
“I used to win in the competitions, for nobody happened to be better than I. Of these
succeses I made the most. Despite the reputation I had of being a good boy, rare were the
days when the teacher did not call me up to receive five or six blows on the hand… how it
hurt!”
Jose went home after a few months. He left Biñan for the Christmas vacation in 1871. His
education was determined to continue in Manila when injustice occurred in his young, happy
life.
His mother was thrown to prison. The charge was that she had conspired with her brother,
Alberto, to kill his wife, who had separated from him
Precedents Event to the Ignatian Life
1. Paciano, Rizal’s brother was studying at Colegio de San Jose under tutelage of Fr. Jose
Burgos
2. Cavite mutiny took place on January 20,1872 led by Sergeant La Madrid.
3. GOMBURZA Execution February 17, 1872
4. The arrest of is mother
5. Rizal took and passed the entrance test in Letran
6. Rizal matriculated in Ateneo on June 10, 1872.
Studies in Biñan📖
Paciano brought Rizal to Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz. Jose met the bully, Pedro, and
challenged him to a fight. Classmate named Andes Saladanan challenged him to an arm-wrestling
match. Jose spent many hours at Juancho’s studio. He transcended every Biñan boy in Spanish,
Latin and other subjects. His stay in Binan was a remarkable one. He excelled in all his subjects
especially in Latin and Spanish languages and because of this it was not surprising that some of
his older classmates became jealous of him. He stayed in Binan for one and a half year and his
teacher wrote a letter to his parents telling that, Jose has learned everything and he needs to go to
college in Manila.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
A. Instructions: Please answer the questions provided for in each box. 20 points
Enumerate the children of
Francisco Mercado Rizal and
Teodora Alonzo and their timeline
What is the importance of
studying RA 1425
Described Rizal as An Asian
Nationalist Leader
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B. Instructions: Memorize the poem of Rizal when he was only 8 years old entitled “Sa
Aking Mga Kabata”, and recite in class (virtual class). 100%
Criteria for judging:
Clarity of the Voice and Diction
Audience Impact
75%
25%