CHAPTER 1: LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL

Full Name: Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda

Republic Act No. 1425
 Rizal Law
 An act to include in the curricula of all public and private schools, colleges and universities
courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and
El Filibusterismo, authorizing the printing and distribution thereof and for other purposes.
 Author: Claro M. Recto
 Sponsored by: Jose P. Laurel
 Signed: June 12, 1956
 It is meet that in honoring them, particularly the national hero and patriot, Jose Rizal, we
remember with special fondness and devotion their lives and works that have shaped the
national character.
 The life, works and writing of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source of patriotism with which the minds of the
youth, especially during their formative and decisive years in school, should be suffused.
 All educational institutions are under the supervision of, and subject to regulation by the State,
and all schools are enjoined to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience and
to teach the duties of citizenship.
 SECTION 1: Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novel Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and
universities, public or private: Provided, That in the collegiate courses, the original or
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their English translation
shall be used as basic texts.
The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate rules and
regulations, including those of a disciplinary nature, to carry out and enforce the provisions of
this Act. The Board shall promulgate rules and regulations providing for the exemption of
students for reasons of religious belief stated in a sworn written statement. Said rules and
regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after their publication in the Official Gazette.
 SECTION 2: It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep in their
libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and unexpurgated editions of the Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as of Rizal’s other works and biography. The said
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their translations in
English as well as other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books for
required reading in all public or private schools, colleges and universities.
 SECTION 3: The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog and the
principal Philippine dialects; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause
them to be distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the Purok
organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country.
  SECTION 4: Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or repealing section nine
hundred twenty-seven (Sec. 927) of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of
religious doctrines by public school teachers and other person engaged in any public school.
 SECTION 5: The sum of three hundred thousand pesos (₱300,000) is hereby authorized to be
appropriated out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury to carry out
the purposes of this Act.
 SECTION 6: This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 The authors argued that the sole objective of the bill or the Rizal law to foster the better
appreciation of Rizal’s times and of the role he played in combating Spanish tyranny in this
country. Denying that novels had any religious motivation. Rizal himself asserted that it was not
the church itself but the abuses he was attacking as may be seen from his letter to a friend,
Resurrección Hidalgo.

CHAPTER 2: THE PHILIPPINES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AS RIZAL’S CONTEXT

• Nineteenth century was the era of challenges and responses. It is a period of major changes that
affect man and society. During this period, such concepts of liberalism, industrialism, democracy,
social realization, and nationalism gained control and sparked and radical changes in science,
technology, economics, socio-cultural, and political condition.
• Social scientists marked the 19th century as the birth of modern life as well as the birth of many
nationstates around the world. The birth of modernity was precipitated by three great
revolutions around the world: the Industrial revolution in England, the French Revolution in
France and the American Revolution.
• INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (Agricultural Revolution)
 A process of change from an agrarian and handicraft economy to one dominated by
industry and machine manufacturing.
 It is basically an economic revolution which started with the invention of steam engine
and resulted to the use of machinery in the manufacturing sector in the cities of Europe.
 Turning reformism into radicalism.
 The relative prosperity of the period has enabled them to send their sons to Spain and
Europe for higher studies. Most of them later became members of freemasonry and
active in the Propaganda Movement.
 The safer, faster and more comfortable means of transportation such as railways and
steamships were constructed.
 The construction of steel bridges and the opening of Suez Canal opened shorter routes
to commerce.
 Faster means of communications enable people to have better contacts for business
and trade.

• FRENCH REVOLUTION (Political Revolution)

  The period of political and social upheaval and radical change in the history of France
during which the French governmental structure was transformed from absolute
monarchy with feudal privileges for the rich and clergy to a more democratic
government form based on the principles of citizenship and inalienable rights.
 Rizal volunteered to discontinue his exile in Dapitan to work as volunteer doctor there in
order for him to observe the revolution.

• AMERICAN REVOLUTION
 Rizal’s time was deemed to be the height of the maladministration of Spain and its
decay that obscured the Philippine skies. The Filipino people suffered intensely beneath
the bondage of Spanish misrule for they were ill-fated victims of the evil, injustices,
prejudices and sudden collapse of colonial power.
 The abuses and injustices made by the Spanish officials were as follows…
✓ Instability of Colonial Administration
✓ Corrupt Spanish Officials
✓ No Philippine Representation to the Spanish Cortes
✓ Human Rights Denied to the Filipinos
✓ No Equality before the law
✓ Mal-administration of Justice
✓ Racial Discrimination
✓ Frailocracy and Secularization Filipino Priests
✓ Force Labor and Excessive taxes
✓ Haciendas owned by Friars and Spanish Officials
 Factors in the Rise of Filipino Nationalism:
✓ RACIAL PREJUDICE: The Spaniards commonly regarded the Filipino natives as
belonging to the “inferior race” and arrogantly called them “indios”.
✓ INFLUX OF LIBERAL IDEAS: In view of the fact that the opening of Philippines to
world trade, Philippines were exposed to international commerce, liberal ideas
filtered in.
✓ SECULARIZATION OF THE CHURCH: Secularization Movement
➢ Regular priests belonged to religious orders. Their main task was to
spread Christianity.
➢ Secular priests were trained to run the parishes and were under the
supervision of the bishops.
✓ THE POLO OR FORCE LABOR: Drafted laborers were either Filipino or Chinese
male mestizos who were obligated to give personal service to community
projects, like construction and repair of infrastructure, church construction, or
cutting logs in forests, for forty days. All able-body males, from 16 to 60 years of
old, except chieftains and their elder sons, were required to render labor for
these various projects in the colony. This was instituted in 1580 and reduced to
15 days per year in 1884. Thus, the promised wage was not given exactly as
promised that led to starvation or even death to some polistas and their families.
 ✓ CAVITE MUTINY: The mutiny was used by the Spanish officials to implicate the
liberal critics of the government. Rumours were gradually spread and led in to
the abduction of 3 Priests; they were Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and
Jacinto Zamora. They were sentenced to death by garrotte on February 17,
1872.

• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
 Opening of ports to world trade (Suez Canal)
 Rise of export economy
 Rise of the Filipino middle and upper class
 Education of their children

• POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT
 What was the political situation of Spain during 19th Century?
✓ There was a struggle between liberals and conservatives.
✓ Spain lost most, if not all, of its colonies in South America in 19th Century.
 How does this affect the Philippines? Did it have a positive or negative effect?
✓ Constant practice of replacing Governor Generals (41 in span of 45 years, from
1853 to 1898).
✓ Dumping ground of inept bureaucrats.
✓ Failure to make or achieve consistent policies.
✓ There was political instability
 By and large, there was a rampant graft and corruption typified by:
✓ Failure to provide for the basic needs like public works, schools, and peace and
order.
✓ Taxes were never fully utilized.
✓ Limited participation of Filipinos in government.

• CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
 The ILUSTRADO, otherwise known as the “enlightened ones,” were educated class in
Philippine society during the Spanish Occupation.
 They were the instrumental in paving the way for the creation of the Propaganda
Movement.
 The rapid spread of Higher Education among middle and lower class Filipinos
accelerated Filipino Nationalism.
 Role of Jesuit:
✓ Responsible for the creation of Escuela Normal de Maestro and Ateneo de
Municipal.
✓ They instilled among Filipino Students a sense of nationalism through their
humanistic form of education.
 ✓ They inculcated in the minds of students the principles of human dignity, justice,
and equality of all men.
 Education awakened the minds of the Filipinos
• RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENT
 Friars vs Ilustrados
 Frailocracy: “friar rules” friars used religion to maintain Spanish influence in the Colony.
 Governor Generals might come and go, but the friars remained permanently in the
colony.
 They were devoted to Spain and were highly influential among the natives (utilized by
the State).
 They were considered as the most evil of all men – Rizal considered them as his enemies.
 More importantly, the friars were used as political instruments to maintain Filipino
loyalty to Spain.
 Hence, they became the targets of the Ilustrados.
 Patronado Real: An agreement between the Pope and the Spanish monarch which gave
the Spanish monarch and its colonial authorities power over the church and clergy in the
colonies.

CHAPTER 3.1: RIZAL’S LIFE: FAMILY, CHILDHOOD AND EARLY EDUCATION (1861-
1877)
• JOSE PROTASIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONSO REALONDA
 Birthdate: June 19, 1861
 Place of Birth: Calamba, Laguna
 Nickname: Pepe or Jose
 Three days after his birth, Rizal was baptized in the Catholic church of Calamba on June
22, 1861 by Fr. Rufino Collantes, a Filipino priest from Batangas.
 His godfather was Pedro Casañas, a native of Calamba and friend of Rizal’ family.
 He was named Jose in honor of St. Joseph, the patron saint of laborers and soldiers. He
was given a second first name, Protasio, after a 4th century saint who was a bishop of
Milan.

• FRANCISCO MERCADO RIZAL (1818- 1898)

 An industrious farmer whom Rizal called “a model of fathers,” came from Biñan, Laguna.
 He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila.
 In early manhood, following his parent’s death, he moved to Calamba and became a
tenant farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda.
 He was a hardy and independent-minded man, who talked less and worked more, and
was strong in body and valiant in spirit.

• TEODORA ALONSO QUINTOS Y REALONDA (1826-1913)

 Born in Sta. Cruz, Manila
  She was educated at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known college for girls in the city.
She was a remarkable woman, possessing intelligence, refined culture, literary talent,
business ability and fortitude.
 Rizal loving said to her: “My mother is a woman of more than ordinary culture; she
knows literature and speaks Spanish better than I. She corrected my poems and gave
me good advice when I was studying rhetoric. She is a mathematician and has read
many books”.

• SATURNINA RIZAL, 63 (1850-1913)

 “The Second Mother”
 She was the eldest sister of Jose Rizal.
 She was married to Manuel T. Hidalgo, a native and one of the richest persons in
Tanauan, Batangas.
 She was known as Neneng.

• PACIANO RIZAL, 79 (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.
 As Nick Joaquin said, “Without Paciano to back him up, it’s doubtful that Rizal would
have gotten as far as he reached.”

• NARCISA RIZAL, 87 (1852-1939)

 “The Hospital Sister”
 The third child, her pet name was Sisa and she married Antonio Lopez (nephew of
Father Leoncio Lopez) at Morong, Rizal.
 A teacher and musician.
 Like Saturnina, Narcisa helped in financing Rizal’s studies in Europe, even pawning her
jewelry and peddling her clothes if needed.
 She could recite from memory almost all the poems of Rizal.

• OLIMPIA RIZAL, 32 (1855-1887)

 “The Go-Between”
 The fourth child.
 Married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila.
 Died in August 1887 due to childbirth.
 Jose loved to tease her, sometimes goodhumoredly describing her as his stout sister.
 Jose’s first love, Segunda Katigbak, was Olimpia’s schoolmate at the La Concordia
College.
 Rizal confided to Olimpia about Segunda and the sister willingly served as the mediator
between the two teenage lovers.
• LUCIA RIZAL, 62 (1857-1919)
 “A Fellow-Sufferer”
 The fifth child.
 Married Mariano Herbosa
 Charged of inciting the Calamba townsfolk not to pay land rent and causing unrest, the
couple was once ordered to be deported along with some Rizal family members.
 Mariano died during the cholera epidemic in May 1889. He was refused a Catholic burial
for not going to confession since his marriage to Lucia.
 In Jose’s article in La Solidaridad entitled Una profanacion (‘A Profanation’), he
scornfully attacked the friars for declining to bury in ‘sacred ground’ a ‘good Christian’
simply because he was the “brother-in-law of Rizal”.

• MARIA RIZAL, 86 (1859-1945)

 “The Confidant”
 The sixth child.
 Married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
 Jose confided to Maria about his plans of marrying Josephine Bracken when most of the
Rizal family was not open to the idea.
 He had also brought up to Maria his plans of establishing a Filipino colony in North
British Borneo.
 Jose and Maria often wrote to each other particularly when Jose was studying abroad.

• JOSE RIZAL, 35 (1861-1896)

 The second son and the seventh child.
 The greatest Filipino hero and peerless genius.
 He was born on June 19, 1861.
 His nickname was Pepe.
 During his exile in Dapitan he lived with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl from Hong Kong.
 He was executed by the Spaniards on December 30, 1896.

• CONCEPCION RIZAL, 3 (1862-1865)

 “A Dear Loss”
 The eighth child.
 She is fondly called ‘Concha’ by her siblings.
 Jose loved most ‘Concha’ who was a year younger than him.
 Jose played games and shared children stories with her.
 She was Jose’s first grief as he mournfully wept when she died of sickness in 1865.
 In Rizal’s memoir he wrote, “When I was four years old, I lost my little sister Concha, and
then for the first time I shed tears caused by love and grief.”
• JOSEFA RIZAL, 80 (1865-1945)
 “The Katipunera”
 The ninth child.
 An epileptic, died a spinster.
 She is nicknamed as “Panggoy”.
 After Jose was executed, Josefa joined the Katipunan. She was one of the original 29
women admitted to the Katipunan along with Gregoria de Jesus, wife of Andres
Bonifacio. They secured the secret papers and documents of the society. The danced
and sang during meetings to confuse civil guards that the meetings were just harmless
social gatherings.

• TRINIDAD RIZAL, 83 (1868-1951)

 “The Steward”
 The tenth child.
 Died a spinster and the last of the family to die.
 “Trining” along with their mother, joined Jose in Dapitan and resided with him in his
square house during his exile.
 A day before Jose’s execution, Trining and their mother visited him at Fort Santiago
prison cell.
 As they were leaving, Jose handed over to Trining an alcohol cooking stove, a gift from
Pardo de Taveras, whispering to her in a language which the guards could not
understand, “There is something in it.” That ‘something’ was Rizal’s elegy now known as
“Mi Ultimo Adios”.
 Like Josefa and two nieces, Trinidad joined the Katipunan after Rizal’s death.

• SOLEDAD RIZAL, 59 (1870-1929)

 “The Teacher”
 The youngest child; married Pantaleon Quintero.
 She was a teacher and was probably the best educated among Jose’s sisters, which
made Jose very proud of her.
 However, Jose reprimanded her for getting married to Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba
without their parent’s consent.
 Jose was very much against women who allow themselves to be courted outside their
homes. He said to Choleng, “If you have a sweetheart, behave towards him nobly and
with dignity, instead of resorting to secret meetings and conversations which do nothing
but lower woman’s worth in the eyes of man. You should value more, esteem more your
honor and you will be more esteemed and valued.”

• THE RIZAL HOME

 The house of the Rizal family, where he was born, was one of the distinguished stone
houses in Calamba during the Spanish times.
  It was a two-storey building, rectangular in shape, built of adobe stones and hardwoods
and roofed with red tiles.
 Behind the house were the poultry yard full of turkeys and chickens and a big garden of
tropical fruit trees- atis, balimbing,chico, macopa, papaya, santol,etc.

CHAPTER 3.2: CHILDHOOD YEARS IN CALAMBA

• CALAMBA, THE HERO’S TOWN
 Calamba was a hacienda town which belonged to the Dominican Order.
 It is a picturesque town nestling on a verdant plain covered with irrigated rice fields and
sugar-lands.
 A few kilometers to the south looms is the legendary Mount Makiling in somnolent
grandeur.
 Beyond the mountain is the province of Batangas.
 East of the town is the Laguna de Bay.
 In the middle lake towers is the storied island of Talim and beyond it towards north is
the distant Antipolo, famous mountain shrine of the miraculous Lady of Peace and Good
Voyage.

• CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
 The first memory of Rizal, was his happy days in the family garden when he was three
years old.
 He was given the most loving care by his parents.
 Nipa cottage
 Angelus prayer
 Night- time walk in the town
 Death of little Concha
 They affectionately called their father Tatay, and mother Nanay.
 Jose was jokingly called Ute by his brother and sisters. The people in Calamba knew him
as Pepe or Pepito.
 Of his sisters, Jose loved most little Concha (Concepcion).
 At the age of three, Rizal began to take part in the family prayers. When Rizal was five
years old, he was able to read haltingly the Spanish family bible. One of the memorable
anecdotes between the young Jose was when his mother was reading to him a Spanish
reader entitled El Amigo de los Niños (The Children’s Friend).
 THE STORY OF THE MOTH
✓ Of the story told by Dona Teodora to Jose, it was that of the young moth made
the profoundest impression on him.
✓ The tragic faith of the young moth, which died a martyr to its illusions, left a
deep impress on Rizal’s mind.
  At the age of five, Rizal began to make sketches with his pencil and to mould in clay
and wax objects which attracted his fancy. Sa Aking Mga Kabata (To My Fellow
Children) - Rizal’s first poem in native language at the age of eight. This poem reveals
Rizal’s earliest nationalist sentiment. At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first dramatic
work which was a Tagalog comedy.

• INFLUENCES ON RIZAL’S BOYHOOD

 In the case of Rizal, he had all the favorable influences, few other children in his time
enjoyed. Aside from his immediate family, Rizal’s three uncles added to Rizal’s
inspiration.
 3 UNCLES OF RIZAL (BROTHERS OF HIS MOTHER) WHO PLAYED A GREAT PART IN HIS
EARLY EDUCATION:
✓ UNCLE GREGORIO: A lover of books. He instilled into the mind of Rizal a great
love for books. Thus, he taught Rizal to work hard, to think for himself, and to
observe life keenly.
✓ UNCLE JOSE: He has been educated at Calcutta, India, and the youngest brother
of Dona Teodora. Thus, he encouraged Rizal to paint, sketch, and sculpture.
✓ UNCLE MANUEL: A big, strong, and husky man. He looked after the physical
training of his sickly and weak nephew. Thus, he encouraged Rizal to learn
swimming, fencing, wrestling, and other sports, so that in later years, Rizal’s frail
body acquired agility, endurance, and strength.
 Father Leoncio Lopez: The old and learned parish priest of Calamba, fostered Rizal’s
love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

CHAPTER 3.3: EARLY EDUCATION IN CALAMBA AND BIÑAN

• FIRST EDUCATION FROM MOTHER
 Jose’s first teacher was his mother.
 At the age of 3, Jose learned the alphabet and prayers from her.
 Seeing Rizal had a talent for poetry, she encouraged him to write poems. She gave him
all her love and all that she learned in college.
• PRIVATE TUTORS OF RIZAL:
 Maetro Celestino (1st private tutor)
 Maestro Lucas Padua (2nd private tutor)
 Maestro Leon Monroy: Tutor in Spanish and Latin. He was a classmate of Don Francisco.
• JOSE GOES TO BIÑAN
 Don Leon died 5 months later and Jose was sent to a private school in binan.
 June 1869: Jose goes to binan with Paciano.
 Carromata: The mode of transportation.
 Aunt’s House: When Jose lodged.
• FIRST DAY IN SCHOOL
 Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz (formal teacher): Rizal described him as tall, thin, long-
necked, and sharp-nosed, with body slightly bend forward. Thus, the school is in his
house.
• FIRST SCHOOL BRAWL
 Pedro (teacher’s son): Wrestling
 Andres Salandanan: Arm Wrestling
• PAINTING LESSON IN BIÑAN
 Old Juancho: Who freely gave Jose a painting lessons
 Jose Rizal and his classmate Jose Guevarra became apprentices of Old Juancho.
• DAILY LIFE IN BIÑAN
 JOSE’S DAILY ROUTINE:
✓ Hears mass at 4 a.m or studies lesson before going to mass.
✓ Goes to orchard to look for mabolo to eat.
✓ Breakfast
✓ Goes to class at 10 a.m
✓ Lunch break
✓ Goes back to school at 2 p.m
✓ Goes home at 5 p.m
✓ Prays with cousins
✓ Studies lessons, then draws a little
✓ Has supper
✓ Prays again
✓ Plays in the streets if moon is bright
✓ Sleeps
• BEST STUDENT IN SCHOOL
 Jose surpassed his classmates in Spanish, Latin, and other subjects.
 His older classmates were jealous and squealed to the teacher whenever he had fights.
 Jose usually received five or six blows while laid out on a bench.
• END OF BIÑAN SCHOOLING
 December 17, 1870: Jose left binan.
 Talim: The streamer that Jose rode.
 Arturo Camps: A Frenchman and a friend of Don Francisco, he took care of Jose during
the trip.
• MATRYDOM OF GOMBURZA
 January 20, 1872: Cavite mutiny.
 February 17, 1872: Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora were
implicated and executed.
 The GOMBURZA were leaders of the secularization movement.
 The martyrdom of the three priests inspired Rizal to fight the evils of Spanish tyranny.
 1891: Rizal dedicated his 2nd novel El Filibusterismo to Gomburza.
• INJUSTICE TO HERO’S MOTHER
 1872: Dona Teodora was arrested on a malicious charge that she aided his brother Jose
Alberto in trying to poison his wife.
 Jose Alberto planned to divorce his wife because of her infidelity.
 Jose Alberto’s wife connived with the Spanish lieutenant of the Guardia Civil, and filed a
case against Dona Teodora.
 Antonio Vivencio del Rosario (Gobernadorcillo of Calamba), help the lieutenant arrest
Dona Teodora.
 50 kilometers: Dona Teodora was made to walk from Calamba to provincial prison in
Santa Cruz.
 Don Francisco de Marcaida and Don Manuel Mazano: The most famous lawyers of
Manila who defended Dona Teodora in court.
 After 2 ½ years: The Royal Audiencia acquitted Dona Teodora.