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JOSE RIZAL INTHE UNIVERSITY OFSTO. TOMASEDHEL
MAE P. LAGUISMA –BSAR 5A –SOC. SCI. 1, TF 7:30 –9:00
AM RIZAL AT THE DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY OF THE
PHILIPPINES
OVERVIEW•One of the highlights of Rizal’s life is his
impressive educational background. He was raised in a
household that valued education, particularly by his dear
mother, Doña Teodora. University of Sto. Tomas was one
of the institutions that shaped today’s National Hero –
albeit not entirely on a positive note. His time in the
university marked a huge turning point in his life –from
his struggles to the choices that led him to the path of
heroism, one that valued enlightenment and courage
through the power of words.
OBJECTIVES•By the end of this report, we should be able
to determine the following:1.His reasons for studying in
the University;2.His achievements during his time while
being in the University;3.And the troubles he faced as a
student of the University;All of which are factors to the
next phase of his life in Madrid, Spain.
UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
OF THE PHILIPPINES
UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS•Established in April 28,
1611, Colegio de Nuestra Señoradel
SantisimoRosario•Founded by Miguel de Benavides, the
third Archbishop of Manila. •It was administered by the
Dominican Order and initially located in Intramuros,
Manila.It was originally meant to prepare young men for
priesthood.
UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS•Overtime, it was renamed
Colegio de Santo Tomas in memory of the Dominican
theologian, Saint Thomas Aquinas.
•It has received various honors and recognitions from
Spanish royalty and the Vatican. Thus, its official name is
-La Pontificia y Real Universidad de Santo Tomas de
Aquino Universidad Catolicade Filipinasor -the Pontifical
and Royal University of Sto. Tomas, The Catholic
University of the Philippines.
UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS
•To this day, it is one of the most prestigious universities
in the Philippines.
1877
THE START OF RIZAL’S UNIVERSITY DAYS
1877
•16 year-old Rizal earned his Bachilleren Artes from
Ateneo Municipal de Manila at the top of his class. At
that time, it was the equivalent of today's high school
degree and is a requirement for entering university.
1877
•Don Francisco, his father and Don Paciano, his oldest
brother encouraged him to pursue higher education
•But his mother, Doña Teodora, despite being a person
who highly values education, opposed the idea as she
worries for her son's safety.
1877
•This is because, not long ago the martyr friars, Gomez,
Burgos and Zamora were all executed for crusading
reform of the Spanish colonial government under the
guise of treason and sedition.
•At that time, knowledge and enlightenment earns you a
death sentence and this is what Doña Teodora feared.
Unfortunately, it was a foreboding of young Rizal's fate.
FRESHMEN YEAR
UNDECIDED YOUNG RIZAL
Freshman Year
•In April 1877, Rizal took up the Pre-Law course on
Philosophy and Letters for 2 reasons:
1. Don Francisco liked it;
2. He was still uncertain of his career path
•He seeked for an advice from the Rector of Ateneo, Fr.
Pablo Ramon, who was good to him while being in
Ateneo but was not able to receive a reply right away.
Freshman Year
•He excelled in his courses in Cosmology & Metaphysics,
Theodicy, and History of Philosophy.
Freshman Year
•He was also taking a vocational course for expert
surveyor or peritoagrimensorat Ateneo, where his loyalty
was truly at. He also excelled in his courses in agriculture
and topography and ultimately passed his final
examination and earned his title as surveyor in
November 25, 1881.
•The delay in granting him the title was due to the fact
that he was still underaged (17) when he passed.
Freshman Year
•While considered as a Thomasian, Rizal continued to
become an active Atenean and took roles in different
school organizations below:
1. President, Academy of Spanish Literature
2. Secretary, Academy of Natural Sciences
3. Secretary, Marian Congregation
POLICE BRUTALITY
INJUSTICE IN THE SUMMER OF 1878
Police Brutality
•During his summer break in 1878, Rizal experienced
first-hand brutality from a Spanish officer
•He failed to recognize a guardiacivil while walking
towards home in Calamba one evening
•Rizal was brutally punished by being slash at the back
with a sword, others said with a paging buntot
Police Brutalit.
•Rizal took his complaint to Captain-General Primo de
Rivera about the incident
•But he was reprimanded instead by saying he was lucky
enough to be still alive
•March 21, 1887 –His Letter to Blumentritt, “I went to
the Captain-General but I could not obtain any justice,
my wound lasted for two weeks.”
SHIFTING TO MEDICINE
SHIFTER RIZAL AND HIS SCHOLASTIC RECORDS
Shifting to Medicine
•Fr. Pablo Ramon, finally advised him to take Medicine
after he asked for consultation regarding his career path.
Doña Teodora also had a failing eyesight and so Rizal
thought that he needed to be a physician, to cure his
mother's condition.
•Unfortunately, while he did not fail his courses, his
performance was comparatively inferior than when he
took arts.
WHY THE POOR PERFORMANCE?
THE YOUTH OF RIZAL AND HIS TROUBLES
Why the poor performance?
•There were a lot of factors that contributed to Rizal's
underperformance in Medicine. It varied from personal
to something bigger.
Why the poor performance?
•There were three main factors that contributed to
Rizal’s unhappy days at UST (Zaide& Zaide, 1999):
1. The Dominican professors were hostile to him
2. Racial discrimination against Filipino Students
3. The methods of instruction was obsolete and
repressive
Why the poor performance?
•There are also three notable reasons that affected
Rizal’s academic performance (Guerrero, 1998)
1. Rizal was not satisfied with the system of education at
the university
2. There were distractions in the peak of his youth
First Love and Two Leonors
•Rizal had ample time for love despite his academic
studies in the University of Sto. Tomas while also
finishing his extra courses in Ateneo
•There are 3 women of which made Rizal a romantic
dreamer in his youth where he experienced his first love
and other romances that made him wiser in its ways.
First Love and Two Leonors
•Segunda Katigbak–Rizal became infatuated with her and
often visited her in the boarding house she resides. She
was to be married unfortunately.
•Leonor Valenzuela –the daughter of the next-door
neighbor of his boarding house in his sophomore year.
Her pet name was “Orang” in his letters with invisible ink.
•Leonor Rivera –his cousin from Camilingwhom he met
in his third year while boarding in Casa Tomasina. She
signed her named as “Taimis” in their letters.
Champion of the Filipino Students
•In 1880, Rizal was the leader of a secret society in UST
composed of Filipino students called “Compañerismo”
(Comradeship)
•Members were called “Companions of Jehu” after the
valiant Hebrew general who fought the
Amaeans•Spaniards called them “Indio, Chongo” in
return Filipinos called them “Kastila, Bangus”
•Rizal and his companions encounter them once in a
fierce fight which wounded him in the head (Garcia et. al.,
2011)
Notable Literary Works as a Thomasian
•Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig) (1880)-A one act play,
written by Rizal at the request of the Jesuits and was
staged at Ateneo-It was done in celebration of the Feast
Day of the Immaculate Concepcion, Patroness of Ateneo,
in December 8, 1880
Notable Literary Works as a Thomasian
•Abd-el Azisy Mohammed (1879)-A poem which was
declaimed by an Atenean, Manuel Fernandez on
December 8, 1879 to honor the Ateneo’s Patroness-It is a
piece recalling the conflict between the Spaniards and
the Moors in Spain
Notable Literary Works as a Thomasian
•Al M.R.P.: Pablo Ramon, Rector del Ateneo ensus Dias
(1881)-A poem of admiration to the Atenean rector, Fr.
Pablo Ramon, S.J.-It was Rizal’s birthday greeting to the
priest on January 25, 1881 for honoring him as a kind
priest who raised his spirits and intelligence
“Most Loving Hand of God,
A father and example thou,
Whose sincere love,
Despite the bitter path of life,
Still guides us tenderly.”
DECISION TO STUDY ABROAD
THE JOURNEY TO THE WEST
Decision to Study Abroad
•Rizal decided after finishing his fourth year of medical
course in University of Sto. Tomas that he will study in
Spain
•His reasons were his unhappy days at the University
which ultimately discourage him to continue there
•With the help of his siblings Paciano, Saturnina, and
Lucia he took off without the knowledge of his parents,
especially his mother as she would disapprove it.
THOMASIAN RIZAL
•Rizal’s educational experience in the Dominican
University of the Philippines as a teenager made him
bloom towards adulthood which shaped a lot of
foreshadowing beliefs that he practice and preach in the
days ahead before he made a name in history
•The troubles he experienced in his youth was the door
for him to not only feel the oppression Filipinos were in,
but also to scrutinize the unfairness that surrounds him
by using his innate passion for writing•Rizal’s days in UST
was the first chapters in his life where he have seen the
truth which eventually encourage him to act. It was
because of these experiences that enlightened the young
Rizal.
Champion of the Filipino Students
•In 1880, Rizal was the leader of a secret society in UST
composed of Filipino students called “Compañerismo”
(Comradeship)
•Members were called “Companions of Jehu” after the
valiant Hebrew general who fought the
Amaeans•Spaniards called them “Indio, Chongo” in
return Filipinos called them “Kastila, Bangus”
•Rizal and his companions encounter them once in a
fierce fight which wounded him in the head (Garcia et. al.,
2011)
TRUE CALLINGTHE PATH OF RIZAL’S WRITING CAREER
Notable Literary Works as a Thomasian
•A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth) (1879)
“Hold high the brow serene,
O youth, where now you stand;
Let the bright sheen,
Of your grace be seen,
Fair hope of my Motherland!”
Notable Literary Works as a Thomasian
•El Consejode los Dioses (The Council of the Gods)
(1880)-Another literary contest of the Artistic-Literary
Lyceum was conducted in honor of the 4th centennial
death of the renowned Spanish author of Don
Quixote,Manuel De Cervantes-Rizal submitted this
allegorical drama based on the Greek classics which he
consulted with Fr. Pablo Ramon, Rector of AteneoDespite the Spanish community’s scrutiny for an
Indiowinning the grand prize, it was still deemed as the
winner due to its superior quality-A gold ring with
Cervantes’ bust engraved was awarded to Rizal
Notable Literary Works as a Thomasian•Junto al Pasig
(Beside the Pasig) (1880)-A one act play, written by Rizal
at the request of the Jesuits and was staged at Ateneo-It
was done in celebration of the Feast Day of the
Immaculate Concepcion, Patroness of Ateneo, in
December 8, 1880
Notable Literary Works as a Thomasian•Abd-el Azisy
Mohammed (1879)-A poem which was declaimed by an
Atenean, Manuel Fernandez on December 8, 1879 to
honor the Ateneo’s Patroness-It is a piece recalling the
conflict between the Spaniards and the Moors in Spain