module 3: rizal’s life
One slipper fell into the river
Rizal threw the other slipper so someone downstream
could find a pair
Often used to show his kindness and selflessness
FAMILY, CHILDHOOD, AND EARLY EDUCATION
Again, no historical basis
“Sa Aking Mga Kabata” and the Idea of Batang Rizal
These stories portray Rizal as a superhuman child—genius, kind,
and patriotic from birth. In reality, he was just a child, not a
When people hear the phrase “Batang Rizal,” they often think of superhero. Understanding this helps us see Rizal more realistically
the poem “Sa Aking Mga Kabata”, especially the famous line: and humanly.
“Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika, masahol pa sa
hayop at malansang isda.”
Rizal’s Birth
The poem is usually presented as proof that José Rizal was already
patriotic and nationalistic at a very young age. However, this
popular belief is now questioned by historians. Jose Protacio Rizal was born on June 19, 1861, in Calamba,
Laguna. His birth was difficult because his mother struggled during
labor due to the size of his head. Thankfully, both mother and
According to historian Ambeth Ocampo, there is no original child survived.
manuscript of the poem, and it was only published after Rizal’s
death. Although it appears in textbooks and is commonly taught in
schools, it is not considered an authentic work of Rizal. Three days later:
Rizal was baptized in a Catholic church
Baptized by Father Rufino Collantes
The (Many) Myths About Young Rizal
His Name at Baptism
Over the years, many stories about young Rizal have been
repeated so often that people rarely question them anymore. But Jose – after Saint Joseph (his mother’s devotion)
historians point out that many of these stories are myths, not Protacio – after Saint Gervacio Protacio, whose feast
historical facts. day is June 19
Why “Sa Aking Mga Kabata” is Doubtful During the baptism, Father Collantes noticed Rizal’s unusually
large head and believed it was a sign of intelligence, predicting
Rizal was allegedly only eight years old when the poem that Rizal would become a great man someday.
was written
At that age, children were usually just starting to read,
not write complex poetry
The poem has: Rizal’s Unusually Long Name
o Deep concepts
o Proper meter and rhyme Rizal’s full name—Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso
The letter “K” was not commonly used in spelling in Realonda—comes from a mix of family surnames and colonial
1869 naming policies.
Words like “kalayaan” were not widely used yet
Rizal only encountered the word kalayaan in 1882, Breakdown of His Name
when he was already 21 years old
Jose Protacio
This raises an important question: o Taken from Saints Joseph and Gervacio
Was Rizal really already aware of colonial oppression as a child, or Protacio
are we overestimating him?
Mercado
o From his Chinese ancestor Domingo Lam-co
o Changed due to anti-Chinese discrimination
o “Mercado” means market, reflecting merchant
Other Popular Myths roots
Rizal
The Champorado Story o Adopted during the Claveria Decree in the
1840s
o Governor-General Narciso Claveria required
Story says Rizal invented champorado by mixing rice and Filipinos to adopt surnames
chocolate o Families chose names from the Catálogo
There is no historical evidence to support this alfabético de apellidos
Rizal did mention eating tuyo for breakfast, but never o Original choice was Ricial (green fields), but it
inventing champorado was denied
o They chose Rizal instead but continued using
The Tsinelas Story Mercado due to business confusion
Alonso Rizal’s Tribute to His Father
o From his mother’s original family name
Realonda Clay bust in 1881
o Adopted surname of the Alonsos under the Life-size wooden sculpture six years later
Claveria Decree Named his premature son Francisco
o Like the Mercados, they continued using the
Wrote letters expressing love and gratitude
old surname
Don Kiko’s discipline and independence strongly shaped Rizal’s
This resulted in families having four surnames—old and new from
character.
both parents.
Doña Teodora: Rizal’s Mother
Why Rizal Was Called “Pepe”
Teodora Alonso Realonda y Quintos was born on November 8,
Rizal was also called “Pepe.”
1826, in Manila.
“P.P.” was often written after Saint Joseph’s name She came from the principalia, the educated ruling class during
In Latin: pater putativus (putative father) Spanish rule.
In Spanish, “P” is pronounced peh
“Pepe” became a nickname for Jose Her Background
Since Rizal’s given name was Jose, the nickname stuck. Family members were gobernadorcillos
Principalia had privileges:
o Tax exemption
o Access to land
Welcome to the Mercado Family Educated at Colegio de Santa Rosa
Skilled in literature and music
Rizal was the seventh child of a relatively well-off family living as
tenants on land owned by a Dominican friar in Calamba. As a Mother
Rizal’s Siblings (Oldest to Youngest) Taught her children:
o Reading, writing, prayer
1. Saturnina (Neneng) – married Manuel Hidalgo, had 5 o Discipline, justice, compassion
children o Equality, especially toward Indios
2. Paciano – Rizal’s only brother, confidant, later a Rizal’s first teacher and literary critic
revolutionary general Encouraged love for books and the arts
3. Narcisa (Sisa) – found Rizal’s unmarked grave
4. Olimpia (Ypia) – died in childbirth at 32
5. Lucia – husband denied Christian burial due to She rejected a government pension later in life, saying patriotism
connection to Rizal should never be for money.
6. Maria (Biang) – mother of Mauricio Cruz, Rizal’s student
in Dapitan
7. Jose – the national hero
8. Concepcion (Concha) – died at age 3, Rizal’s first sorrow The Three Uncles
9. Josefa (Panggo) – unmarried, suffered from epilepsy
10. Trinidad (Trining) – hid Mi Último Adiós in an alcohol
Rizal was also shaped by his uncles on his mother’s side:
lamp
11. Soledad (Choleng) – youngest, married Pantaleon
Quintero Uncle Jose
o An artist
o Taught painting, sketching, sculpture
o Developed Rizal’s love for nature
Uncle Gregorio
Don Kiko: Rizal’s Father
o A scholar
o Encouraged critical thinking and reading
Francisco Mercado Rizal was born on May 11, 1818, in Biñan, o Strengthened Rizal’s love for learning
Laguna. Uncle Manuel
o Focused on physical training
Studied Latin and philosophy at Colegio de San Jose o Taught swimming, fencing, wrestling, martial
Worked in a Dominican-owned hacienda in Calamba arts
Became cabeza de barangay
Respected, hardworking, and principled
Rizal called him “a model of fathers.” Early Education and School Life
Rizal began with private tutors. A loving but disciplined family
Education, both good and harsh
Leon Monroy Exposure to injustice at a young age
o Taught Spanish and Latin
o Died after five months Understanding his family, childhood, and early education helps
o Rumors existed, but Rizal had nothing to do explain why he became the Rizal we know today—not a myth,
with his death but a deeply human figure.
After Monroy’s death:
Rizal was sent to Biñan
Studied under Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz
Paciano acted as a father figure
Rizal in Biñan: Bullying and Discipline
On his first day:
Mocked for limited Spanish and Latin
Fought Pedro, the teacher’s son—and won
Later lost a fight with Andres Salandanan
He experienced:
Physical bullying
Verbal teasing
Harsh punishment from his teacher
Despite being a top student, Rizal was often beaten.
This experience shaped his belief that:
Education should nurture the mind
Schools should be safe spaces, not places of fear
Exposure to Injustice: His Mother’s Arrest
One of the most important turning points in Rizal’s life was the
arrest of his mother.
Teodora was falsely accused of poisoning her sister-in-
law
Forced to walk 50 km from Calamba to Santa Cruz
Treated brutally and unfairly
Imprisoned for 2½ years
Rizal later wrote about how this injustice destroyed his trust and
opened his eyes to the cruelty of colonial authorities.
This moment permanently shaped his worldview and planted the
seeds of nationalism.
Key Idea to Remember
Rizal was not born a hero.
He was shaped by: