CHAPTER II: 19th Trade.

popularly known as the

"Galleon Trade."
CENTURY PHILIPPINES AS
RIZAL’S CONTEXT The Galleon Trade (1565 to 1815) was
a ship ("galleon") trade going back and
MODULE OVERVIEW forth between Manila (which actually
Nineteenth century is commonly landed first in Cebu) and Acapulco,
depicted as the birth of modern life. as Mexico. It started when Andres de
well as the birth of modern nation- Urdaneta, in convoy under Miguel
states around the globe. The century Lopez de Legaspi. discovered a return
was also a period of massive changes route from Cebu to Mexico in 1565.
in Europe, Spain, and consequently in The trade served as the central income
the Philippines. It was during this era generating business for Spanish
that the power and glory of Spain, the colonists in the Philippines.
Philippines' colonizer, had waned both Through this trans-Pacific trade, the
in its colonies and in the world. mango de Manila, tamarind and rice,
Discussions on the 19th century the carabao (known in Mexico by
Philippines as Rizal's context are 1737), cockfighting, Chinese tea and
hereby divided into three (3) aspects: textiles, fireworks display, tuba
the economic, social, and political. (coconut Wine) making went to Mexico.
Under these main headings are major The return voyage. on the other hand,
historical events or issues, which brought numerous and valuable flora
characterized the country during that and fauna into the Philippines,
era. including guava, avocado, papaya,
pineapple, horses, and cattle ("Galleon
LEARNING CONTENTS Trade: n.d.). Other consequences of
this 250-year trade were the
The Economic Context
intercultural exchanges between Asia
At least four historical elements (especially Philippines), Spanish
basically compose the economic America, and onward to Europe and
context of the era in which Jose Rizal Africa.
was born: (a) the end of the Galleon
Because of the galleon trade, Manila
Trade, (b) the opening of the Suez
became a trading hub where China,
Canal, (c) the rise of the export of the
India, Japan, and Southeast Asian
crop economy. and (d) the established
countries sent their goods to be
monopolies in the Philippines.
consolidated for shipping. Those who
End of Galleon Trade ran the hub and did most of the work
were primarily Chinese. They arrived in
Our locals were already trading with the Philippines in junks yearly, bringing
China, Japan, Siam (now Thailand), goods and workforce. With the huge
India. Cambodia, Borneo, and the migration of Chinese because of the
Moluccas (Spice Islands) when the galleon trade. the Spaniards •feared
Spanish colonizers came to the them, taxed them, sent them out to the
Philippines. In 1565, the Spanish Parian and eventually. when tensions
government closed the ports of Manila rose, massacred some of them. "Such
to all countries except Mexico, thereby massacres were at their height in the
giving birth to the Manila—Acapulc6 17th century from suspicion, unease,
and fear, until the Spaniards and the
Chinese learned to live with each other commercial enterprises especially
in the next few centuries" (Ongpin. between Europe and East Asia. More
n.d.). importantly, it served as a significant
factor that enabled the growth of
The Manila Galleon trade allowed
nationalistic desires of Jose Rizal and
modern, liberal ideas to enter the
other Filipino ilustrados.
Philippines. eventually and gradually
inspiring the movement for The Suez Canal expedited the
independence from Spain. On importation not only of commercial
September 14, 1815, the Galleon products but also of books, magazines,
Trade ended with Mexico's war of and newspapers with liberal ideas from
independence. America and Europe, which ultimately
affected the minds of Rizal and other
Previously, the Philippines was
Filipino reformists. The political views
governed by Spain from Mexico. The
of Western liberal thinkers entered the
Spanish Crown took direct control of
Philippines. Furthermore. the reduced
the Philippines and administered it
route stimulated more and more
directly from Madrid. The opening of
Spaniards and Europeans with liberal
the Suez Canal and the invention of
ideas to come to the country and
steam ships, which lessened the travel
interact with local reformists.
time from Spain to the country to 40
days, made this more convenient. The availability of the Suez Canal has
also encouraged the ilustrados,
Opening of the Suez Canal
especially Rizal, to pursue education
An artificial sea-level waterway in abroad and learn scientific and liberal
Egypt, the Suez Canal connects the in European academic institutions, their
Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea social dealings with liberals in the West
through the Isthmus of Suez. have influenced their thoughts on
Constructed by the Suez Canal nationhood, politics, and government.
Company between 1859 and 1869
Rise of the Export of Crop Economy
under the leadership of French
diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps, it was During the Galleon Trade, most of the
officially opened on November 17, Spaniards in the Philippines were
1869. engrossed in maritime trading
undertakings between Manila and
With the opening of the Suez Canal,
Mexico. The exploitation of the
the distance of travel between Europe
Philippines' natural resources and the
and the Philippines was considerably
progress of an export crop economy
abbreviated and this virtually brought
were phenomena of the nineteenth
the country closer to Spain. Before the
century, not of the Spanish rule's early
opening of the canal, a steamer from
period.
Barcelona had to sail around the Cape
of Good Hope to reach Manila after a Some years after the end of the
menacing journey of more than three Galleon Trade, between 1820 and
months. With the Suez Canal, the 1870, the Philippines was well on its
voyage was lessened to only 32 to 40 way of developing an export crop
days. economy. Products, such as sugar,
Manila hemp, and coffee were
The opening of the Suez Canal
produced for foreign markets while
became a huge advantage in
imported goods of the European of opium importation. and sales was
factory industry found their way into created. The majority of contracts in
many parts Of the Philippines. The the monopoly were held by the
various economic activities in the new Chinese.
export-crop economy in the country
But even before 1850, monopolies on
provided many opportunities for the
some products had been established,
expanding Chinese population:
which were basically controlled by the
Formerly concentrated in Manila, many
colonial government. There were
Chinese moved to provinces that
monopolies of Special crops and items,
produced export crops: the hemp-
such as spirituous liquors (1712-1864),
producing areas of southeastern Luzon
betel nut (1764), tobacco (1782-1882),
and the eastern Visayas, the sugar
and explosives (1805-1864). Among
areas of the western Visayas, and the
these monopoly systems, the most
tobacco provinces of northeastern
controversial and oppressive to locals
Luzon.
wag perhaps the tobacco monopoly.
The development of the export crop
On March 1, 1782. Governor General
industry in the Philippines was
Jose Basco placed the Philippine
motivated by the commercial
tobacco industry under government
undertakings of North European and
control, thereby establishing the
North American merchants, who
tobacco monopoly It aimed to increase
provided capital, organization, and
government revenue since the annual
access to foreign markets and sources
subsidy coming from Mexico was no
of imports. But since they based their
longer sufficient to maintain the colony.
operations in port cities, especially
An order was thus issued for the
Manila, they needed agents who could
widespread cultivation of tobacco in the
distribute imports in the interior and
provinces of Cagayan Valley, Ilocos
buy up goods for export. This role was
Norte, Ilocos Sun La Union, Isabela,
assumed primarily by the Chinese.
Abra, Nueva Ecija, and Marinduque.
These provinces planted nothing but
Monopolies
tobacco and sold their produce only to
Another main source of wealth during the government at a pre-designated
the post-galleon era was monopoly price, leaving little or no profit for the
contracting. After 1850, government local farmers. The system set the
monopoly contracts for the collection of required number of tobacco plants that
different revenues were opened to must be sold to them by each family
foreigners for the first time. The Nobody was allowed to keep even a
Chinese instantly took advantage of few tobacco leaves for personal use,
this commercial opportunity and thus, thereby forcing the local farmers to buy
for the rest of the 19th century, enjoyed the tobacco they themselves planted
a pre-eminent position in monopoly from the government. Fines and/or
contracting in the Philippines. physical punishments were sanctioned
to anyone who would transgress any of
The opium monopoly was specifically a the decrees under the system.
profitable one. During the 1840's, the
Spanish government had legalized the The colonial government exported the
use of opium (provided it was limited to tobacco to other countries and to the
Chinese) and a government monopoly cigarette factories in Manila. The
tobacco monopoly positively raised schools, somewhat educated the
revenues for the government and natives, but did not seriously teach
made Philippine tobacco prominent all them the Spanish language, fearing
over Asia and some parts in Europe. that Indios would become so
Negatively though, the monopoly knowledgeable and turn out to be their
brought about food shortages since the co-equal. Less than one-fifth of those
planting of basic crops like rice was who went to school could read and
somewhat neglected and abandoned. write Spanish, and far fewer could
speak the language properly
The tobacco monopoly was finally
abolished in 1882. (Some references The first formal schools in the land
state that the tobacco monopoly in the were the parochial schools opened in
Philippines was from 1781 to 1881, not their parishes by the missionaries,
1782 to 1882, although most authors such as the Augustinians, Franciscans,
agree that it lasted for exactly 100 Jesuits, and Dominicans. Aside from
years.) A century of hardship and religion, the native children were taught
social injustice caused by the tobacco reading, writing, arithmetic, and some
monopoly prompted Filipinos in general vocational and practical arts subjects.
and Novo Ecijanos in particular, to Aside from the Christian Doctrines,
seek freedom from colonial bondage. Latin (the official language of the
Catholic Church) was also taught to the
The Social Background
students instead of Spanish. The
Concerning the social picture of the Spanish friars believed that the natives
19th century Philippines, at least three would not be able to match their skills,
topics are needed to be discussed: (a) and so one way for the locals to learn
education, (b) the rise of Chinese fast was to use strict discipline, such as
Mestizo, and (c) the rise of the applying corporal punishment.
inquilinos.
Later on, colleges (which were the
Education in the 19th Century equivalent of our high schools today)
were established for boys and girls.
With the coming of Spanish colonizers, There was no co-education during the
the European system of education was Spanish regime as boys and girls
somewhat introduced to the studied in separate schools. The
archipelago. Schools were established subjects taught to college students
and run by Catholic missionaries. included history, Latin, geography,
Aiming to convert the natives to the mathematics, and philosophy.
Catholic faith and make them obedient. University education was opened in the
the colonial government and the country during the early part of the
Catholic Church made religion a 17thcentury. Initially, the colleges and
compulsory subject at all levels. universities were open only to the
King Philip Il's Leyes de Indias (Laws Spaniards and those with Spanish
of the Indies) mandated Spanish blood (mestizos). It was only in the
authorities in the Philippine? to educate 19th century that these universities
the locals, to teach them how to read started accepting native Filipinos. Still
and write and to learn Spanish. The giving emphasis on religion,
Spanish missionaries thus established universities then did not earnestly
teach science and mathematics.
In 1863, a royal decree called for the At the beginning of the 19th century,
establishment of a public school economic and political changes in
system in the Philippines. Formerly run Europe were finally starting to affect
totally by religious authorities, the Spain and, consequently the
education in the colony was thus finally Philippines. Significant as an impetus
administered by the government during to broader trade was the gradual
the last half of the 19th century though abolition of the monopoly enjoyed by
even then the church controlled its the Manila-Acapulco Galleon. Upon the
curriculum. Previously exclusive for elimination of the galleon trade, Manila
Spaniards and Spanish mestizos, became open to foreign merchants
universities became open to natives almost without restriction by the mid-
though they limited their 1830s. The demand for Philippine
accommodations to the sons of sugar and abaca (hemp) grew swiftly,
wealthy Indio families. and the amount of exports to European
countries increased even more after
Nonetheless, as a result of the growing
the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
number of educated natives, a new
social class in the country emerged, The development of commercial
which came to be known as the agriculture in the archipelago resulted
Ilustrados. But despite their wealth and in the presence of a new class.
education, the ilustrados were still Alongside the landholdings of the
deemed by the Spaniards as inferior. church and the rice estates of the pre-
One of the aims of the ilustrados was Spanish nobility, there emerged
to be in the same level with the proud haciendas of sugar, coffee, and hemp,
Spaniards. typically owned by enterprising
Chinese-Filipino mestizos. In fact,
With the opening of the Suez Canal.
some of the families which attained
which made the travel to Europe faster,
reputation in the 19th century have
easier, and more affordable, many
continued to play a vital role in the
locals took advantage of the chance to
country's economics and politics.
pursue higher and better education in
that continent, typically in Madrid and In a larger perspective, the fast rhythm
Barcelona. There, nationalism and the of economic progress in the Philippines
thirst for reform bloomed in the liberal during the 19th century expedited by
atmosphere. The new enlightened some mentioned factors resulted in the
class in Philippine society would later rise of.a new breed of rich and
lead the Philippine independence influential Filipino middle class. Non-
movement, using the Spanish existent in earlier centuries, this class,
language as their key means of composed of Spanish and Chinese
communication. Out of this talented mestizos ascended to a position of
group of students from the Philippines power in the Philippine society and in
arose what came to be known as the due course became leaders in
Propaganda Movement The most education and finance. This middle
prominent of the Ilustrados was José class included:
Rizal, who inspired the craving for
“…the ilustrados who belonged to the
freedom and independence with his
landed gentry and who were highly
novels written in Spanish.
respected in their respective pueblos or
The Rise of Chinese Mestizo towns, though regarded as filibusteros
or rebels by the friars. The relative
prosperity of the period has enabled on. But with the expansion of land
them to send their sons to Spain and owned by missionary congregations
Europe for higher studies. Most of (friar estates), the proportions of
them later became members of farmlands leased to inquilinos also
freemasonry and active in the increased allowing many of them to
Propaganda Movement. Some of them sub-lease parcels of their land to
sensed the failure of reformism and sharecroppers or kasamas. This
turned to radicalism. and looked up to system eventually became very
Rizal as their leader.” (Vallano, n.d.)” profitable that some inquilinos acquired
lands of their own and entered in other
Rise of the Inquilinos
gainful commercial ventures. Some
At least in modern Spanish, the term inquilinos even ceased becoming
inquilino has the same meaning as the farmers and relegated the job
English “tenant” Contextually, the 19th completely to their sub-tenants.
Century inquilino system in the
As friar estates enlarged, outlining the
Philippines is better understood as a
boundaries that separated these
qualified system of tenancy, or the right
estates from communal lands became
to use land in exchange for rent.
a common cause of conflict:
As earlier explained, the elimination of
Disputes over communal woodcutting
the Galleon Trade and the opening of
and grazing areas occurred regularly
the Suez Canal gave way for more
between villages and estates, with the
intensive rice cultivation and production
latter denying to the former their
of crops. such as sugar cane and
traditional communal privileges. In
tobacco. Consequently, many estates
Bulacan, for instance, the villagers
turned progressively to the inquilino
once complained that the friars took
system of land tenure. But since the
illegal possession of their land and to
friars and secular Spanish were
compound this crime, they even denied
normally absentee landlords, estate
the use of rivers for fishing and the
management was granted to an
forests for collecting firewood and wild
administrator who was typically a lay
fruits. In Cavite and Laguna, the
Spanish mestizo or Filipino lay brother.
Dominicans and Tagalog frequently
During harvest time, the administrator
fought over border lands. In one
would collect the rent of the inquilinos,
incident, the former claimed that the
organize the delivery of the harvests to
pasture lands in a nearby mountain
the local market or to Manila, and remit
was included in their land grant, while
the income from sales and rents to the
the latter denied this and regularly
estate owners. In some estates though,
killed the estate cattle grazing there.
these farm duties were consigned to
Land border conflicts became so acute
trusted inquilinos. Acting as overlords,
in these provinces that they served as
some inquilinos would make
catalysts for agrarian uprisings.
innumerable and irrational demands
(Sobritchea, n.d.)
from farm workers.
There were also conflicts between
Inquilinos paid a fixed rent and the
estate owners and workers. These
amount was determined by the size
stemmed from collection of excessive
and quality of the land being worked
taxes and land rent, the decline of
sharing agreements, extreme demands
for labor services and capricious fixing political goal, and underscore individual
of crop prices: rights and equality of opportunity.
Liberals normally believe that
“the hacienda structure consisted of
government is necessary to protect
three strata: the estate owner, the
individuals from being abused by
leaseholder or inquilino and the tenant-
others though they are also aware that
sharecropper. Between the owner and
government itself can pose a threat to
the inquilino, however, was the
liberty.
administrator who often demanded a
share of the produce, over and. above The French revolution (1789-1799)
the stipulated land rent. Each year at started a political revolution in Europe
harvest time, the inquilino paid the land and consequently in some other parts
rent, separated the seed, and divided of the globe, "Having 'Liberty, Equality,
the remaining crop equally between the and Fraternity" as its battle cry, thig
sharecropper and himself. Since the revolution became a period of
sharecropper was at the bottom rung of fundamental change in the political
the hierarchy, he suffered most abuses history of France as the French
and demands of the two non-producing governmental structure changed from
sectors above him." (Sobritchea, n.d.)” absolute monarchy (with feudal
privileges for the rich and clergy) into a
Consequently, there were instances of
more liberal government system
peasants taking arms to protest the
founded on the principles of citizenship
alleged abuses and usurpation of their
and inalienable rights.
lands by the Jesuits, Dominicans,
Augustinians, and the Recollects. The As an eventual repercussion of the
relative freedom, which the inquilinos French Revolution, Spain later
acquired by sub-leasing their farms experienced a stormy century of
provided them a tactical advantage for political disturbances, which included
arranging and leading these peasant "numerous changed in parliaments and
protest movements. constitutions, the Peninsular War, the
loss Of Spanish America, and the
struggle between liberals and
The Political Landscape conservatives" (Vallano, n.d.). The
The so-called political influences liberals in Spain considered the
affecting the 19th century-Philippines Catholic Church as an enemy of
largely impacted the locals, particularly reforms. They thus pursued curbing its
Jose Rizal. Under these political influence in political life and education.
influences, worthy of mention are (a) In the 19th century, this movement
Liberalism, (b) the impact of the against the Catholic Church, called
Bourbon reforms, and (c) the Cadiz anti-clericalism, had gained some
constitution. strength.

Liberalism Radical modifications in government

form were also introduced by liberals in
Liberalism is a worldview founded on Spain. These political changes had
ideas of freedom and equality. It their repercussions in the Philippines,
includes a wide range of political "cracking the fabric of the old colonial
system and introducing through cracks
philosophies that consider individual
perilous possibilities of reform, of
liberty to be the most significant
equality and even emancipation" (De la liberal General Carlos Maria De la
Costa, as cited in Vallano, n.d.). Torre was appointed by the provisional
government as Governor-General of
When the Philippines was opened to
the Philippines. He held the position
world trade in the 19th century, liberal
from 1869 to 1871, and is widely
ideas from America carried by ships
considered to be the most beloved of
and people from foreign ports started
the Spanish Governor-General ever
to penetrate the country and sway the
assigned in the country.
ilustrados. These political thoughts
included the ideologies of the American General De la Torre's rule was
and French Revolutions. essential in the dawn of national
consciousness of the locals in the 19th
Furthermore, the opening of the Suez
century. His liberal and democratic
Canal eased the importation of books,
governance had provided Jose Rizal
magazines, and newspapers with
and the others a preview of a
liberal ideas from the West, which
democratic rule and way of life:
eventually impacted the thoughts of
local reformists, such as Jose Rizal. "De la Torre put into practice his liberal
The political views of liberal thinkers, and democratic ways by avoiding
such as Jean Jacques Rousseau luxury and living a simple life. During
(Social Contract), John Locke (Two his two-year term, Governor De la
Treatises of Government), Thomas Torre had many significant
Paine (Common Sense), Thomas achievements. He encouraged
Jefferson, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and freedom and abolished censorship. He
some others thus entered the recognized the freedom of speech and
Philippines. of the press, which were guaranteed by
the Spanish Constitution. Because of
The valuable canal also encouraged
his tolerant policy, Father Jose Burgos
more and more liberal Spaniards and
and other Filipino priests were
Europeans to come to the country and
encouraged to pursue their dream of
intermingle with the natives. The
replacing the friars with the Filipino
abbreviated route has also stimulated
clergy as parish priests in the country.
the ilustrados like Rizal to pursue
His greatest achievement was the
higher studies abroad and learn liberal
peaceful solution to the land problem in
ideas in European universities. For
Cavite. This province has been the
sure, their social interaction with
center of agrarian unrest in the country
liberals in foreign lands had affected
since the 18th century because the
their beliefs on politics and nationhood.
Filipino tenants who lost their land had
Philippines' actual experience of been oppressed by Spanish landlords.
liberalism came from the role modeling Agrarian uprisings led by the local
of the “first liberal governor-general in hero, Eduardo Camerino, erupted
the Philippines," Governor-General several times in Cavite. This agrarian
Carlos Maria De la Torre. After the problem was only solved without
liberals in Spain had deposed Queen bloodshed when Governor De la Torre
Isabela Il in the 1868 mutiny, a himself went .to Cavite and had a
provisional government was formed, conference with the rebel leader. He
and the new government extended to pardoned the latter and his followers,
Spain's colonies the reforms they provided them with decent livelihood
implemented in the motherland. The and appointed them as members of the
police force with Camerino as captain." distinctly different kinds of policies for
(Valldno, n.d.)” provinces in its diverse empire.
Furthermore, there were instances
when European conflicts forced
The Impact of the Bourbon Reforms Charles IV to go from one policy to
another by the mid1790s to meet the
When the Spanish Bourbon King Philip needs of financing Spain's wars.
V (b. 1700—1746) assented to the
throne, he and his successors, As a consequence, there were very
Ferdinand VI (n 1746—1759), Charles different impacts of reform in the
Ill (r. 1759—1788), and Charles IV (r. diverse Spanish empire, having deep
1788—1807), advocated a century- consequences of colonial policy
long effort to reform and modify the innovations in areas. such as Mexico,
Spanish empire. These policy changes, while in some other regions, such as
known jointly as the Bourbon Reforms, the Philippines, Chile, and New
endeavored to curtail contraband Granada, the reforms had a much
commerce, reclaim control over more limited impact. But while
transatlantic trade, restrict the church's historians are questioning the overall
power, reform state finances to fill timing, impact, and effectiveness of the
dwindling royal coffers, and found Bourbon Reforms, its impact at least is
tighter administrative and political that it gave people, especially the
control within the empire. natives in the Philippines, the idea that
colonization could be done without
Ideally, the Bourbon reform policies much intervention from the Catholic
were advantageous to the Philippines, Church.
which was under Spain from 1565 to
1898. They surely impacted the way The Cadiz Constitution
the colony was run by Spanish
During the Napoleonic occupation of
administrators but only to a limited
Spain, a liberal constitution was
extent. For one thing. the Philippines
promulgated in Cådiz in March 1812.
was practically far from Spain, and so it
Drafted by elected representatives, the
was hard for Bourbon advocates to
Cadiz Constitution was put in practice
check if reform policies were properly
in almost all the areas of the Hispanic
implemented in Spain's colony in the
Monarchy still under control of the
Far East.
Spanish crown.
Moreover, there were questionable
This milestone constitution had an
matters as regards the effectiveness of
impact on many other European
the Bourbon reform project. The
constitutions, as well as on the
policies lacked some ideological
American states after independence.
coherence, with the diverse and
The Cadiz Constitution was the first
frequently contradictory aims of Madrid
constitution in Europe to deal with
policy makers, who struggled haltingly
national sovereignty, recognizing
to balance the crown's several
sovereignty as coming from the people
commercial, administrative, fiscal, and
and not from the king. Unlike the
military aims. The reform process was
French constitution, which applied to all
also seen as so complex, much so that
French-speaking citizens of France,
Spanish reformers sometimes
Spanish Constitution of 1812 had a
promoted
universal character as it included that those in Manila knew about its
everyone from overseas, like the Italian decrees." (Pedrosa, n.d.)”
Kingdoms and even the Philippines.
The constitutional monarchy that the
During the occupation of almost all of Cadiz Constitution attempted to put in
the Iberian peninsula by the French place did not come to fruition because
army in that fateful yean a group of in May of 1814, King Fernando VIl
around 300 deputies from Spain, declared it invalid and restored
Spanish America, and the Philippines absolutism. However, Cådiz was a very
promulgated a liberal constitution in the significant period in the political history
Mediterranean port of Cådiz. This of the Spanish-speaking world at least.
became possible especially because On the part of the locals in the
the city wag protected by the British Philippines, one crucial creed
Navy. embodied in the constitution was the
exemption of the natives from paying
The first delegates from the Philippines
tributes and rendering public services
were Pedro Perez de Tagle and Jose
based on its equality clause. For the
Manuel Coretto who took their oath of
freedom-loving people of the
office in Madrid. The Cadiz
Philippines in the 19th century, the
Constitution, which was formally
constitution was very influential as it
implemented in Manila soon after,
was a liberal constitution, which vested
established the principles of universal
sovereignty in the people, recognized
male suffrage, national sovereignty,
the equality of all men and the
constitutional monarchy, and freedom
individual liberty of the citizen, and
of the press, and advocated land
granted the right of suffrage.
reform and free enterprise. Dealing
with policies on Spain's colonies Seeing Rizal's Life in His Society
including the Philippines, the
In various social sciences, it is a widely
constitution issued a decree "granting
accepted principle that we see the life
all its colonies representation as
of an individual in his/her society, and
provinces in the Spanish Cortes
society in the life of an individual. This
through deputies chosen by the various
is precisely the reason that 19th
capital cities" (Pedrosa, n.d.). Under
century Philippines, as Rizal's society,
the Cadiz Constitution:
is discussed here as a preliminary in
“Governor General Manuel Gonzales studying the hero's life and works.
Aguilar called for an election of Manila
One unique feature of Rizal,
officials which resulted in the selection
nonetheless, is that he did not only
of Don Ventura de los Reyes, a
know the valuable information about
wealthy merchant and member of the
his society but also had a quality of
Royal Corps of Artillery of Manila, as
mind that helped him use the
the deputy. The Vigan-born Don
information in a way that he could think
Ventura de Ios Reyes was a son of
about what was going on in the world
poor Ilocano parents. He took part in
and of what might be happening within
the Ilocos revolt led by Diego Silang in
himself. Sociologists call this quality of
1762, but later on engaged in the
mind the “sociological imagination”.
vegetable and indigo business. He was
one of the delegates who signed the
Constitution but it was only after a year
Having this sociological imagination,
people can view their inner life career
in terms of larger historical forces.
Those who possess this quality of mind
can understand their own experiences
by locating themselves in history; they
can recognize the responses available
to them by becoming aware of all of the
individuals who share the same
situation as themselves.
People who cannot locate their lives in
history are unlikely to know how to
respond effectively to a world in
which the lives of people around the
globe are interconnected and in which
one society's problems are part of
larger global problems. On the other
hand, those who have the sociological
imagination con grasp history in the
context of realities they face and the
connections between the two. As will
be discussed in this book, Rizal had
this quality—he knew his place in the
greater scheme of things, he
understood the societal forces shaping
his life, and thus able to respond in
ways that benefitted others.
CHAPTER III: RIZAL’S LIFE: RIZAL’S or maka-masa Chinese immigrant
FAMILY, CHILDHOOD, AND EARLY businessman who married a
EDUCATION sophisticated Chinese mestiza of
Manila named Ines de la Rosa. One of
MODULE OVERVIEW
their two children, Francisco (also),
José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso resided in Binan and married Bernarda
Realonda was born on June 19, 1861 Monicha. Francisco and Bernarda's
in Calamba. Laguna. The seventh of son, Juan Mercado, became the
eleven children born to a relatively gobernadorcillo (town mayor) of Bifian,
well-off family in a Dominican-owned Laguna. He married Cirila Alejandra,
tenant land in Calamba, Laguna, Jose and they had 12 children, the youngest
Rizal lived and died during the Spanish being Jose Rizal's father, Francisco.
colonial era in the Philippines.
Don Francisco was born on May 11,
In his early childhood, Jose had 1818, in Binan, Laguna. When he was
mastered the alphabet and learned to eight years old, he lost his father. He
write and read. His early readings was nonetheless educated as he took
included the Spanish version of the Latin and Philosophy at the College of
Vulgate Bible. At a young age, he San Jose in Manila, where he met and
already showed inclinations to the arts. fell in love with Teodora Alonso, a
He amazed his family by his pencil student in the College of Santa Rosa.
drawings, sketches, and moldings of Married on June 28, 1848, they settled
clay. Later in his childhood. he showed down in Calamba where they were
special talent in painting and sculpture, granted lease of a rice farm in the
wrote a Tagalog play, which was Dominican-owned haciendas.
presented at a town fiesta (and later
Dona Teodora Alonso
penned a short play in Spanish, which
was presented in school). Jose’s mother, Teodora Alonzo (also
spelled “Alonso”), was an educated
LEARNING CONTENTS
and highly cultured woman from Sta.
Don Francisco Mercado Cruz, Manila. Common biographies
state that Dona Teodora Alonso
Jose's father, Francisco Engracio Rizal Quintos Realonda, also known as
Mercado, was a productive farmer from “Lolay,” was born on November 8,
Binan, Laguna. He was an 1826 in Sta. Cruz, Manila and baptized
independent-minded, taciturn. but at the Santa Cruz Church. Strangely
dynamic gentleman from whom Jose however, the volume in the church
inherited his “free soul” Don Francisco books that supposedly contained
became tiniente gobernadorcillo Teodora’s baptismal records was the
(lieutenant governor) in Calamba and only one missing from the otherwise
was thus nicknamed Tiniente Kika complete records down to the
(Some students' comical conjecture eighteenth century (Ocampo, 2012, p.
that the fictional character Kikong 39). Asuncion Rizal-Lopez Bantug, the
Matsing of Batibot was named after granddaughter of Jose’s sister Narcisa,
Don Francisco is, of course, contrarily claims that Lola Lolay and all
unfounded.) her siblings were born in Calamba, but
Francisco's great grandfather was (just) lived in Manila (Bantug &
Domingo Lam-co, a learned pro-poor Ventura, 1997, p. 18).
Dona Lolay was educated at the Through the Claveria decree of 1849
College of Santa Rosa, an esteemed which changed the Filipino native
school for girls in Manila. She was surnames, the Alonsos adopted the
usually described as a diligent surname Realonda. Rizal's mother
business-minded woman, very graceful thus became Teodora Alonso Quintos
but courageous, well-mannered, Realonda.
religious, and well-read. Very dignified,
Jose's Siblings
she disliked gossip and vulgar
conversation. Possessing refined Saturnina Rizal (1850-1913) is the
culture and literary talents, she eldest child of Don Francisco and
influenced her children to love the arts, Teodora Alonso. She and her mother
literature, and music. Herself an provided the little Jose with good basic
educated woman, Lolay sent her education that by the age of three,
children to colleges in Manila. To help Pepe (Jose's nickname) already knew
in the economy of the family, she ran his alphabet.
sugar and flour mills and a small store
in their house, selling home-made Paciano Rizal, Jose's only brother, was
ham, sausages, jams, jellies, and many born on March 7, 1851 in Calamba,
others. (Looking back, her business, in Laguna. He was fondly addressed by
a way, predated the meat-processing his siblings as Nor Paciano, short for
commerce of the Pampanguenos today "Senor Paciano." The 10-year older
and the ube jam production of some brother of Jose studied at San Jose
nuns in Baguio.) College in Manila, became a farmer,
and later a general of the Philippine
It is believed that Dona Teodora's Revolution.
family descended from Lakandula, the
last native king of Tondo. (For young After Jose's execution in December
Filipino generations, Lakandula has to 1896, Paciano joined the Katipuneros
be distinguished from the unofficial in Cavite under General Emilio
Hari ng Tondo, Asiong Salonga, the Aguinaldo. As Katipunero, Paciano
Manila kingpin who was immortalized was commissioned as general of the
in the movie incidentally by Laguna's revolutionary forces and elected as
own governor E. R. Ejercito.) secretary of finance in the Department
Government of Central Luzon.
Lolay's great-grandfather was Eugenio
Ursua (of Japanese descent) who Narcisa Rizal (1852-1939) or simply
married a Filipina named Benigna. "Sisa” was the third child in the family.
Regina, their daughter, married a Later in history, Narcisa (like Sturnina)
Filipino-Chinese lawyer of Pangasinan, would help in financing Rizal's studies
Manuel de Quintos. Lorenzo Alberto in Europe, even pawning her jewelry
Alonso, a well-off Spanish-Filipino and peddling her clothes if needed. It
mestizo of Binan, took as his was said she could recite from memory
"significant other" Brigida Quintos, almost all of the poems of our national
daughter of Manuel and Regina hero.
Quintos. The Lorenzo-Brigida union Olympia Rizal (1855-1887) was the
produced five children, the second of fourth child in the Rizal family. Jose
them was Jose Rizal's mother, loved to tease her, sometimes good-
Teodora Alonso Quintos. humoredly describing her as his stout
sister. Jose's first love, Segunda
Katigbak, was Olympia's schoolmate at International title, also the first
the La Concordia College. Rizal Southeast Asian to win an international
confided to Olympia (also spelled beauty-pageant title.
"Olimpia”) about Segunda, and the
Also called "Concha" by her siblings,
sister willingly served as the mediator
Concepcion Rizal (1862-1865) was the
between the two teenage lovers.
eighth child of the Rizal family She died
Lucia Rizal (1857—1919) was the fifth at the age of three. Of his sisters, it
child in the family. She married was said that the young Pepe loved
Mariano Herbosa of Calamba, Laguna. most little Concha who was a year
Charged of inciting the Calamba younger than he. Jose played games
townsfolk not to pay land rent and and shared children stories with her,
causing unrest, the couple was once and from her he felt the beauty of
ordered to be deported along with sisterly love at a young age.
some Rizal family members. (Lucia's
Josefa Rizal's nickname is "Panggoy"
husband died during the cholera
(1865-1945) She was the ninth child in
epidemic in May 1889 and was refused
the family. Panggoy died a spinster.
a Catholic burial for not going to
Among Jose's letters to Josefa, the
confession since his marriage to Lucia.
one dated October 26, 1893, was
In Jose's article in La Solidaridad titled
perhaps the most fascinating. Written
Una profanacion (A Profanation), he
in English, the letter addressed Josefa
scornfully attacked the friars for
as "Miss Josephine Rizal." (After
declining to bury in “sacred ground" a
Jose's martyrdom, the epileptic Josefa
"good Christian" simply because he
joined the Katipunan and was even
was the "brother-in-law of Rizal.)
supposed to have been elected the
Maria Rizal (1859-1945) was the sixth president of its women section. She
child in the family. It was to her whom was one of the original 29 women
Jose talked about wanting to marry admitted to the Katipunan along with
Josephine Bracken when the majority Gregoria de Jesus, wife of Andres
of the Rizal family was apparently not Bonifacio. They safeguarded the secret
amenable to the idea. In his letter papers and documents of the society
dated December 12, 1891. Jose had and danced and sang during sessions
also brought up to Maria his plan of so that civil guards would think that the
establishing a Filipino colony in North meetings were just harmless social
British Borneo. In his letter dated gatherings.
December 28, 1891. Jose wrote to
Trinidad Rizal (1868-1951) or "Trining"
Maria, "I'm told that your children are
was the tenth child. Historically, she
very pretty." Today, we have a
became the custodian of Rizal’s last
historical proof that Maria's progenies
and greatest poem. Right before Jose's
were indeed nice-looking (lahing
execution, Trinidad and their mother
maganda). Maria and Daniel had five
visited him in the Fort Santiago prison
children: Mauricio, Petrona, Prudencio,
cell. As they were leaving, Jose
Paz, and Encarnacion. Their son
handed over to Trining an alcohol
Mauricio married Conception Arguelles
cooking stove, a gift from the Pardo de
and the couple had a son named
Taveras, whispering to her in a
Ismael Arguelles Cruz. Ismael was the
language, which the guards could not
father of Gemma Cruz Araneta, the
understand. "There is something in it."
first Filipina to win the Miss
That “something" was Rizal's elegy
now known as "Mi Ultimo Adios." Like means "market." But Jose’s father,
Josefa, Paciano, and two nieces, Francisco, who eventually became
Trinidad joined the Katipunan after primarily a farmer, adopted the
Jose's death. surname "Rizal” (originally "Ricial",
which means "the green of young
Also called "Choleng," Soledad Rizal
growth" or "green fields"). The name
(1870-1929) was the youngest child of
suggested by a provincial governor
the Rizal family. Being a teacher, she
who was a friend of the family. The
was arguably the best-educated
new name, however, caused confusion
among Rizal's sisters. In his long and
in the commercial affairs of the family.
meaty letter to Choleng dated June 6,
Don Francisco settled on the name
1890 ("Jose Rizal on Facebook
"Rizal Mercado" as a compromise, and
Courtship," 2013), Jose told her sister
often just used his more known
that he was proud of her for becoming
surname "Mercado."
a teacher. He thus counseled her to be
a model of virtues and good qualities When Paciano was a student at the
"for the one who should teach should College of San Jose, he used
be better than the persons who need "Mercado" as his last name. But
her learning." Rizal nonetheless used because he had gained notoriety with
the topic as leverage in somewhat his links to Father Burgos of the
rebuking her sister for getting married "Gomburza," he suggested that Jose
to Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba use the surname "Rizal" for Jose’s own
without their parents', consent. safety.
"Because of you," he wrote, "the peace
Commenting on using the name "Rizal"
of our family has been disturbed."
at Ateneo, Jose once wrote: "My family
Choleng's union with Pantaleon, never paid much attention [to our
nonetheless, resulted in the Rizal second surname Rizal], but now I had
family's becoming connected by affinity to use it, thus giving me the
to Miguel Malvar (the hero who could appearance of an illegitimate child!" (as
have been listed as the second cited in Arriza, 2012, para. 8).
Philippine President for taking over the
But this very name suggested by
revolutionary government after Emilio
Paciano to be used by his brother had
Aguinaldo's arrest in 1901). Soledad
become so well known by 1891, the
and Pantaleon had five children:
year Jose finished his El
Trinitario, Amelia, Luisa, Serafin, and
Filibusterismo. As Jose wrote to a
Felix. Their daughter Amelia married
friend, "All my family now carry the
Bernabe Malvar, son of Gen. Miguel
name Rizal instead of Mercado
Malvar.
because the name Rizal means
The Surname Rizal persecution! Good! I too want to join
them and be worthy of this family
Had their forefathers not adopted other
name..." (as cited in Arriza, 2012, para.
names, Jose and Paciano could have
8).
been known as "Lamco" (and not
Rizal) brothers. Rizal’s Birth
Their paternal great-great grandfather, Dona Teodora was said to have
Chinese merchant Domingo Lamco, suffered the greatest pain during the
adopted the name "Mercado," which delivery of her seventh child, Jose. Her
daughter Narcisa recalled: "I was nine The Childhood of a Phenom
years of age when my mother gave
A phenom is someone who is
birth to Jose. I recall it vividly because
exceptionally talented or admired,
my mother suffered great pain. She
especially an up-and-comer. Rizal,
labored for a long time. Her pain was
especially during his childhood, was
later attributed to the fact that Jose's
none less than a phenom.
head was bigger than normal" (as cited
in "Lola Lolay," 2013, para. 8). Jose Rizal's first memory, in his
infancy, was his happy days in their
Jose Rizal was born in Calamba. In
family garden when he was three years
1848, his parents decided to build a
old. Their courtyard contained- tropical
home in this town in Laguna, southern
fruit trees, poultry yard, a carriage
Luzon. The name Calamba was
house, and a stable for the ponies.
derived from kalanbanga, which means
Because the young Pepe was weak,
"clay stove" (kalan) and "water jar"
sickly, and undersized, he was given
(banga).
the fondest care by his parents, so his
Jose's adoration of its scenic beauty— father built a nipa cottage for Pepe to
punctuated by the sights of the Laguna play in the daytime.
de Bay, Mount Makiling, palm-covered
Memory of his infancy included the
mountains, curvy hills, and green fields
nocturnal walk in the town, especially
— was recorded in the poem he would
when there was a moon. Jose also
later write at Ateneo de Manila in 1876,
recalled the "aya" (nursemaid) relating
Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo (In Memory
to the Rizal children some fabulous
of My Town). (If Rizal's poem were
stories, like those about the fairies,
written today, he might mention the
tales of buried treasure, and trees
three-floor SM mall, shopping centers,
blooming with diamonds.
and the South Luzon Expressway
[SLEX] terminus in the place. A city Another childhood memory was the
since 2001, Calamba is said to have daily Angelus prayer in their home.
earned the nickname "Resort Capital of Rizal recorded in his memoir that by
the Philippines" for its more than 600 nightfall, his mother would gather all
resorts in the place today.) the children in their home to pray the
Angelus. At the early age of three, he
The first massive stone house (or
started to take a part in the family
bahay na bato) in Calamba was the
prayers.
very birthplace of our national hero. It
was a rectangular two-storey building, When Concha died of sickness in
built of adobe stones and solid wood, 1865, Jose mournfully wept at losing
with sliding capiz windows. Its ground her. He later wrote in his memoir,
floor was made of lime and stone, the "When I was four years old, I lost my
second floor of hard wood, except for little sister Concha, and then for the
the roof, which was of red tiles. There first time I shed tears caused by love
was an azotea and a water reservoir at and grief" ("Memoirs of a Student in
the back. Its architectural style and Manila," n.d.).
proximity to the church implied Rizal
family's wealth and political influence. At the age of five, the young Pepe
learned to read the Spanish family
Bible, which he would refer to later in
his writings. Rizal himself remarked
that perhaps the education he received The mother also induced Jose to love
since his earliest infancy was what had the arts, literature, and the classics.
shaped his habits ("Memoirs of a Before he was eight years old, he had
Student," n.d., para. 3). written a drama (some sources say "a
Tagalog comedy.”) which was
As a child, Rizal loved to go to the
performed at a local festival and for
chapel, pray, participate in novenas,
which the municipal captain rewarded
and join religious processions. In
him with two pesos. (Some references
Calamba, one of the men he esteemed
specify that it was staged in a Calamba
and respected was the scholarly
festival and that it was a
Catholic priest Leoncio Lopez, the town
gobernadorcillo from Paete who
priest. He used to visit him and listen to
purchased the manuscript for two
his inspiring opinions on current events
pesos.)
and thorough life views.
Contrary to the “former" common
Also, at the age of five, Pepe started to
knowledge however, Rizal did not write
make pencil sketches and mold in clay
the Filipino poem "Sa Aking Mga
and wax objects, which attracted his
Kababata/Kabata" (To My Fellow
fancy. When he was about six years
Children). The poem was previously
old, his sisters once laughed at him for
believed to be Rizal’s first written poem
spending much time making clay and
at the age of eight and was said to
wax images. Initially keeping silent, he
have been published posthumously
then prophetically told them "All right
many years after Rizal’s death.
laugh at me now! Someday when I die,
However, Jose had a preserved
people will make monuments and
correspondence (letters) with his
images of me."
brother Paciano admitting that he
When Jose was seven years old, his (Jose) had only encountered the word
father provided him the exciting "kalayaan" when he was already 21
experience of riding a “casco” (a flat- years old. The term ("kalayaan") was
bottomed boat with a roof) on their way used not just once in the poem "Sa
to a pilgrimage in Antipolo. The Aking Mga Kababata/Kabata."
pilgrimage was to fulfill the vow made
The young Rizal was also interested in
by Jose's mother to take him to the
magic. He read many books on magic.
Shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo should
He learned different tricks, such as
she and her child survive the ordeal of
making a coin disappear and making a
delivery, which nearly caused her life.
handkerchief vanish in thin air.
From Antipolo, Jose and his father
proceeded to Manila to visit his sister Some other influences of Rizal's
Saturnina who was at the time studying childhood involved his three uncles: his
at the La Concordia College in Sta. Tio Jose Alberto who inspired him to
Ana. cultivate his artistic ability; his Tio
Manuel who encouraged him to fortify
As a gift, the child Jose received a
his frail body through physical
pony named "Alipato” from his father
exercises; and his Tio Gregorio who
(Bantug & Ventura, 1997, p. 23). As a
intensified Rizal's avidness to read
child, he loved to ride this pony or take
good books.
long walks in the meadows and
lakeshore with his black dog named
"Usman”.
 The Story of The Moth has preserved the heart of a child. He
still thinks that light is the most
To impart essential life lessons, Lolay
beautiful thing in creation, and that it is
held regular storytelling sessions with
worthwhile for a man to sacrifice his
the young Rizal. Dona Teodora loved
life for it." (as cited in "My First
to read to Pepe stories from the book
Reminiscence," n.d. para. 9)
Amigo de los Ninos (The Children's
Friend). One day, she scolded his son Education in Calamba
for making drawings on the pages of
The familiar statement that Dona
the story book. To teach the value of
Teodora was Rizal's first teacher is not
obedience to one's parents, she
just a sort of "venerating" his mother
afterward read him a story in it.
who sacrificed a lot for our hero. It was
Lolay chose the story about a daughter actually a technical truth. In his
moth who was warned by her mother memoirs, Rizal wrote, "My mother
against going too near a lamp flame. taught me how to read and to say
Though the young moth promised to haltingly the humble prayers which I
comply, she later succumbed to the raised fervently to God."
pull of the light's mysterious charm.
In Rizal's time, seldom would one see
believing that nothing bad would
a highly educated woman of fine
happen if she approached it with
culture, like Dona Teodora who had the
caution.
capacity to teach Spanish, reading,
The moth then flew close to the flame. poetry, and values through rare story
Feeling comforting warmth at first, she books. Lolay, indeed, was the first
drew closer and closer, bit by bit, until teacher of the hero — teaching him
she flew too close enough to the flame Spanish, correcting his composed
and perished. poems, and coaching him in rhetoric.
On her lap, Jose learned the alphabet
Incidentally, Pepe was watching a
and Catholic prayers at the age of
similar incident while he was listening
three, and learned to read and write at
to the storytelling. Like a live
age of 5.
enactment, a moth was fluttering too
near to the flame of the oil lamp on Aside from his mother, Jose's sister
their table. Not merely acting out, it did Saturnina and three maternal uncles
fall dead as a consequence. Both mentored him. His uncle loge Alberto
moths in the two tales paid the price of taught him painting, sketching, and
getting near the fatal light. sculpture. Uncle Gregorio influenced
him to further love reading. Uncle
Many years later, Rizal himself felt that
Manuel, for his part, developed Rizal's
the moths' tale could serve as an
physical skills in martial arts, like
allegory of his own destiny. About
wrestling.
himself, he wrote:
To further enhance what Rizal had
“Years have passed since then. The
learned, private tutors were hired to
child has become a man… Steamships
give him lessons at home. Thus,
have taken him across seas and
Maestro Celestino tutored him, and
oceans. He has received from
Maestro Lucas Padua later succeeded
experience bitter lessons, much more
Celestino. Afterward, a former
bitter than the sweet lessons that his
classmate of Don Francisco, Leon
mother gave him. Nevertheless, he
Monroy, lived at the Rizal home to In the following days, Jose was said to
become the boy's tutor in Spanish and have some other fights with Binan
Latin. Sadly, Monroy died five months boys. (If his average was two fights per
later. (Of course, there is no truth to day, as what happened during his first
some naughty students' comical day in Binan school, then he might
insinuation that Rizal had something to have been more active than today's
do with his death.) MMA (mixed martial arts) fighters.) For
his scuffles, he nonetheless received
Education in Binan
many whippings and blows on the
Rizal was subsequently sent to a open palm from his disciplinarian
private school in Binan. In June 1869, teacher.
his brother Paciano brought him to the
Rizal might not have won all his brawls
school of Maestro Justiniano Aquino
but he, nevertheless, beat all Binan
Cruz. The school was in the teacher's
boys academically in Spanish, Latin,
house, a small nipa house near the
and many other subjects. After some
home of Jose's aunt where he stayed.
time, Jose told his father that he had
In Rizal's own words, his teacher
already learned all there was to be
"knew by the heart the grammars by
taught in Binan. Don Francisco firmly
Nebrija and Gainza.”
scolded Jose and hustled him back to
During Rizal's first day at the Bifian the school. Maestro Cruz, Jose's
school, the teacher asked him: teacher in Binan, later confirmed,
however, that Jose had indeed finished
"Do you know Spanish?" already all the needed curricular works.
"A little, sir," replied Rizal. So despite his wife's reluctance, Don
"Do you know Latin?" Francisco then decided to send Jose to
"A little, sir." a school in Manila.

Because of this, his classmates,

especially the teacher's son Pedro,
laughed at the newcomer. So later in
that day, Jose challenged the bully
Pedro to a fight. Having learned
wrestling from his Uncle Manuel, the
younger and smaller Jose defeated his
tormenter. (Compared to bullying
victims today, we can say that Rizal did
not wait for anyone to enact a law
against bullying, but rather took
matters into his own hands.)
After the class, he had an arm-
wrestling match with his classmate
Andres Salandanan. In that match,
however, Jose lost and even almost
cracked his head on the sidewalk.
(That only proves that merely being a
desperado won't make you win all your
fights.)
CHAPTER IV: HIGHER EDUCATION Ateneo Municipal in June 1872. Run by
AND LIFE ABROAD the Jesuit congregation (Society of
Jesus), Ateneo upheld religious
MODULE OVERVIEW
instruction, advanced education, rigid
Don Francisco sent his son Jose for discipline, physical culture, and
further education to Manila in June cultivation of the arts, like music,
1872. Paciano found Jose a boarding drawing, and painting. (Ironically, this
house in Intramuros though Jose later school, which is now the archrival of
transferred to a house on Calle De La Salle in being exclusively
Carballo in the Santa Cruz area. In the luxurious, among others, was formerly
following year, Jose transferred the Escuela Pia (Charity School)—a
residence to No. 6 Calle Magallanes. school for poor boys in Manila
Two years later, he became an intern established by the city government in
(boarding student) at Ateneo and 1817.)
stayed there until his graduation from
Paciano found Jose a boarding house
the institution.
in Intramuros but Jose later transferred
From 1877 to 1882, Rizal studied at to the house of a spinster situated on
the University of Santo Tomas, Calle Carballo in the Santa Cruz area.
enrolling in the course Philosophy and There he became acquainted with
Letters, but shifted to Medicine a year various mestizos who were said to be
after. During his first year at UST, he begotten by friars. (Jose perhaps had
simultaneously took at the Ateneo a not thought twice to befriend them,
vocational course leading to being an believing that they were probably nice
expert surveyor. He boarded in the people—for after all, they were "mga
house of a certain Concha Leyva in anak ng pari" [children of priests])
Intramuros, and later in Casa
To encourage healthy competitions,
Tomasina, at Calle 6, Santo Tomas,
classes at the Ateneo were divided into
Intramuros. In Casa Tomasina, his
two groups, which constantly competed
landlord and uncle Antonio Rivera had
against each other. One group, named
a daughter, Leonor, who became
the Roman Empire, comprised the
Jose's sweetheart.
interns (boarders) while the other one,
LEARNING CONTENTS the Carthaginian Empire, consisted of
the externs (non-boarders). Within an
Education at the Ateneo empire, members were also in
There is a claim that from the BiNan cdntinuous competition as they vied for
school, Rizal studied at Colegio de San the top ranks called dignitaries—
Juan de Letran. The supposed story Emperor, being the highest position,
stated that after attending his classes followed by Tribune, Decurion,
for almost three months in Letran, Jose Centurion, and Standard-Bearer,
was asked by the Dominican friars to respectively. Initially placed at the tail
look for another school because of his of the class as a newcomer, Jose was
radical and bold questions. soon continually promoted—that just
after a month, he had become an
However, standard biographies agree Emperor, receiving a religious picture
that Rizal just took the entrance as a prize.
examination in that institution, but Don
Francisco sent him to enroll instead in When the term ended, he attained the
mark of "excellent" in all the subjects
and in the examinations. The second 1881 when he reached the age of
year, Jose trans erred residence to No. majority.
6 Calle Magallanes. He obtained a
After a year at UST, Jose changed
medal at the end of that academic
course and enrolled in Medicine to be
term. In the third year, he won prizes in
able to cure the deteriorating eyesight
the quarterly examinations. The
of his mother. Being tired of the
following year, his parents placed him
discrimination by the Dominican
as intern (boarding student) in the
professors against, Filipino students,
school and stayed there until his
he nonetheless stopped attending
graduation. At the end of the school
classes at UST in 1882. It is worthwhile
year, he garnered five medals, with
to note that another reason for Rizal's
which he said he could somewhat
not completing medicine at UST was
repay his father for his sacrifices. On
that the method of instruction was
March 23, 1877, he received the
obsolete and repressive. (Rizal's
Bachelor of Arts degree, graduating as
observation perhaps had served as a
one of the nine students in his class
challenge for UST to improve its mode
declared "sobresaliente" or
of instruction.)
outstanding.
If records were accurate, Rizal had
Some of his priest-professors at the
taken A total of 19 subjects in UST and
Ateneo were Jose Bech a man with
finished them with varied grades,
mood swings and somewhat of a
ranging from excellent to fair. Notably,
lunatic and of an uneven humor:
he got 'excellent' in all his subjects in
Francisco de Paula Sanchez, an
the Philosophy course.
upright, earnest, and caring teacher
whom Rizal considered his best
professor; Jose Vilaclara; and a certain Education in Europe
Mineves. At the Ateneo, Rizal
On May 3, 1882, Rizal left for Spain
cultivated his talent in poetry, applied and enrolled in Medicine and
himself regularly to gymnastics, and Philosophy and Letters at the
devoted time to painting and sculpture. Universidad Central de Madrid on
Don Augustin Saez, another professor, November 3. On some days of
thoughtfully guided him in drawing and November 1884, Rizal was involved in
painting, and the Filipino Romualdo de the chaotic student demonstrations by
Jesus lovingly instructed him in the Central University students in
sculpture. which many were wounded, hit by
Education at the UST cane, arrested, and imprisoned. The
protest rallies started after Dr. Miguel
In 1877, Rizal enrolled in the University Morayta had been excommunicated by
of Santo Tomas, taking the course on bishops for delivering a liberal speech,
Philosophy and Letters. At the same proclaiming the freedom of science and
time, however, he took at the Ateneo a the teacher, at the opening ceremony
land surveyor and assessor's degree of the academic year. (Incidentally, the
(expert surveyor), a vocational course. street in Manila named after Morayta
He finished his surveyor's training in ["Nicanor Reyes Street" today] has
1877, passed the licensing always been affected by, if not itself the
examination in May 1878 though the venue of, student demonstrations).
license was granted to him only in
In June of 1884, Rizal received the he wrote the last few chapters of Noli
degree of Licentiate in Medicine at the Me Tangere. He stayed at the pastoral
age of 23. His rating though was just house of a kind Protestant pastor, Dr.
"fair" for it was affected by the "low" Karl Ullmer, the whole family of whom
grades he got from UST In the next became Rizal's good friends. In August
school year (1884-1885), he took and 1886, he attended lectures on history
completed three additional subjects and psychology at the University of
leading to the Doctor of Medicine Leipzig. In November 1886, he
degree. He was not awarded the reached Berlin, the famous city where
Doctor's diploma though for failing to he worked as an assistant in Dr.
pay the fee and the required thesis. Schweigger's clinic "and attended
lectures at the University of Berlin.
Exactly on his 24th birthday, the
Madrid university awarded him the In Berlin, he was inducted as a
degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and member of the Berlin's "Ethnological
Letters with the grade of -excellent" Society: "Anthropological Society,"
(sobresaliente). (One can thus make "Geographical Society." In April 1887,
the argument that Rizal was better as a he was invited to deliver an address in
"philosopher" than a physician.) German before the "Ethnographic
Society" of Berlin on the orthography
Wanting to cure his mother's
and structure of the Tagalog language.
advancing blindness, Rizal went to
Paris. He was said to have attended In Germany, Rizal met and befriended
medical lectures at the University of the famous academicians and scholars
Paris. From November 1885 to at the time. Among them were Prof.
February 1886, he worked as an Friedrich Ratzel, a German historian;
assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert. Dr. Hanz Meyer, a German
Through this leading French anthropologist; Dr. Feodor Jagor, the
ophthalmologist, Rizal thankfully author of Travels in the Philippines,
learned how to perform all the which Rizal had read as a student in
ophthalmological operations. Manila; DC. Rudolf Virchow, a German
anthropologist; and Rudolf's son, Dr.
On February 3, 1886, Rizal arrived in
Hans Virchow, Descriptive Anatomy
Heidelberg, Germany. He attended the
professor.
lectures of Dr. Otto Becker and
Professor Wilhelm Kuehne at the Especially after the hero's martyrdom,
University of Heidelberg. He also these people who were the renowned
worked at the University Eye Hospital personalities in the academe not only
under the guidance of Dn Becker. in Germany but also in Europe were so
Under the direction of this renowned proud that once in their lives they had
German ophthalmologist, Rizal had known the educated and great Filipino
learned to use the then newly invented named Jose Rizal.
ophthalmoscope (invented by Hermann
Life in Europe
von Helmholtz), which he later used to
operate on his mother's eye. In As mentioned, Rizal stopped attending
Heidelberg, the 25-year-old Rizal classes at UST in 1882, for he was sick
completed his eye specialization. and tired of the discriminatory and
oppressive Dominican professors. On
Afterward, Rizal spent three months in
May 3 of that year. he thus left for
the nearby village, Wilhemsfeld, where
Spain not only to complete his studies Tuesday of the Carnival we had a
but also to widen his political Filipino luncheon and dinner in the
knowledge through exposure to house of the Paternos, each one
European governments. It is funny that contributing one duro. We ate with our
his departure for Spain had gone down hands boiled rice, chicken adobo, fried
to history as a "secret departure", fish, and roast pig" ("Letters between
although at least ten people—including Rizal and Family: n.d.)
his three siblings and an uncle—
Ironically, a year after that sumptuous
collaborated in his going away,
feasting, Rizal became penniless as
exclusive of the unnamed and
his family encountered economic
unnumbered Jesuit priests and intimate
regression. One day, in June 1884,
friends who co-conspired in the plan.
Rizal who failed to eat breakfast still
In Europe went to school and even won a gold
medal in a contest. Later that day, he
On his way to Madrid, Rizal had many
attended the dinner party held in honor
stopovers. He first disembarked and
of two award-winning Filipino painters,
visited the town of Singapore. Onboard
Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion
the steamship "Djemnah," he passed
Hidalgo. In the occasion, he delivered
through Punta de Gales, Colombo, and
a very daring liberal speech (known
Aden. En route to Marseilles, he went
today as "Rizal's Brindis Speech"),
across the historic waterway of Suez
which became so controversial that it
Canal and visited the Italian city of
even caused sickness to his worrying
Naples. He left Marseilles, France for
mother (Indeed, being broke and
Barcelona in an express train.
hungry could really make one braver
After some months, Rizal left and more impulsive. As one colleague
Barcelona for Madrid. On September commented, "Hayop man, 'pag
16, 1882, Rizal met and befriended nagugutom, tumatapang!")
Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, the prettiest of
In 1885, Rizal who had finished his two
the daughters of Don Pablo Ortiga y
courses in Madrid went to Paris,
Rey, the Spanish liberal and former
France. From November 1885 to
mayor of Manila who became vice-
February 1886, he worked as an
president of the Council of the
assistant to the celebrated
Philippines in the Ministry of Colonies.
ophthalmologist Dr. Louis de Weckert.
Consuelo suggested in her diary entry
that on the first day she met Rizal, they In February 3, 1886, he left Paris for
talked the whole night and that the Heidelberg, Germany. He attended
young Filipino said many beautiful lectures and training at the University
things about her. (We can say thus that of Heidelberg where he was said to
as Rizal arrived in Madrid, "May have completed his eye specialization.
consuelo agad siya!" Afterward, Rizal settled for three
months in the nearby village,
Rizal enrolled in Medicine and
Wilhemsfeld, at the pastoral house of a
Philosophy and Letters at the
Protestant pastor, Dr Karl Ullmer.
Universidad Central de Madrid on
November 3, 1882. In Rizal's letter It was during this time that the
dated February 13, 1883, he informed correspondence and long-distance
Paciano of his meeting with some friendship between Jose and
Filipinos: "The Ferdinand Blumentritt began. Rizal
wrote a letter in German and sent it (Decin, Czechoslovakia). Professor
with a bilingual (Spanish and Tagalog) Blumentritt warmly received them at
book Aritmiteca to Blumentritt who was Leitmeritz railroad station. The
interested in studying Jose's native professor identified Jose through the
language. pencil sketch, which he (Rizal) had
previously made of himself and sent to
Jose traveled next to Leipzig and
Blumentritt. The professor acted as
attended some lectures at its
their tour guide, introducing them to his
university. Having reached Dresden
family and to famous European
afterward, he met and befriended Dr.
scientists, like Dr. Carlos Czepelak and
Adolph B. Meyer, the Director of the
Prof. Robert Klutschak.
Anthropological and Ethnological
Museum. Also a Filipinologist, Meyer On May 16, the two Filipinos left
showed Rizal some interesting things Leitmeritz for Prague where they saw
taken from tombs in the Philippines. the tomb of the famous astronomer
Copernicus (who formulated a
In November 1886, he went to Berlin
heliocentric model of the universe,
and further enhanced his skills and
which placed the Sun, rather than the
knowledge in ophthalmology. In that
Earth, at the center). They stopped at
famous city, not only did he learn other
Brunn on their way to Vienna. They
languages but also became member of
met the famed Austrian novelist
various scientific communities and
Norfenfals in Vienna, and Rizal was
befriended many famed intellectuals at
interviewed by Mr. Alder, a
the time. On February 21, 1887, he
correspondent of the newspaper Extra
finished his first novel, the Noli, and it
Blatt ("Rizal in Vienna: n.d.).
came off the press a month later.
To see the sights of the Danube River,
Grand Europe Tour
they left Vienna in a boat where they
With his friend Maximo Viola who saw passengers using paper napkins.
loaned him some amount to cover for From Lintz, they had a short stay in
the printing of the Noli, Rizal traveled to Salzburg. Reaching Munich, they
various places in Europe. Through tasted the local beer advertised as
Paciano's remittance, Jose had paid Germany's finest. In Nuremberg, they
Viola and decided to further explore saw the infamous torture machines
some places in Europe before used in the so-called Catholic
returning to the Philippines. They went Inquisition. Afterward, they went to Ulm
first to see Potsdam, a city southwest and climbed Germany's tallest
of Berlin (which later became the cathedral there. They also went to
historical. site of the Potsdam Stuttgart, Baden, and then Rheinfall
Conference in 1945 in which the where they saw Europe's most
leaders of powerful nations deliberated beautiful waterfall.
upon the postwar administration of
In Switzerland, they toured
Germany.)
Schaffhausen, Basel, Bern, and
On May 11, 1887, they left Berlin for Lausanne before staying in Geneva.
Dresden and witnessed the regional Rizal's 15-day stay in Geneva was
floral exposition there. Wanting to see generally enjoyable except when he
Blumentritt, they went to Leitmeritz, learned about the exhibition of some
Bohemia passing through Teschen Igorots in Madrid, side by side some
animals and plants. Not only did the
primitive Igorots in bahag become to protect the balikbayan from his
objects of ridicule and laughter, one of adversaries.
them, a woman, also died of
In December 1887, the Calamba folks
pneumonia.
asked Rizal's assistance information as
On June 19, 1887, Rizal treated Viola regards Dominican hacienda
for it was his (Rizal) 26th birthday. Four management. It was in compliance the
days after, they parted ways—Viola order of the government to investigate
went back to Barcelona while Rizal the way friar estates were run: had
proceeded to Italy. In Italy, Rizal went objectively reported. among others,
to see Turin, Milan, Venice, and that the Dominican Order increased the
Florence. In Rome, he paid a visit to land rent and charged the tenants for
historical places, like the Amphitheatre nonexistent services. Enraged by
and the Roman Forum. On June 29, he Rizal's. reports, the friars pressured the
had seen the famous edifices, like the governor-general "advise" the author of
St. Peter's Church, in the Vatican City. the Noli to leave the country. (In other
Literally and figuratively speaking, words, "Napuno na talaga sa kanya
Rizal did go places. (As millennials put ang mga pari.*)
it, “Nag-gala talaga ang lolo mo!”)
Rizal's (required) second travel abroad
First Homecoming may have been upsetting, but it
nonetheless provided him with another
Despite being warned by friends and
opportunity to have a new set of
loved ones, Jose was adamant in his
adventurous journeys.
decision to return to his native land.
From a French port in Marseilles, he Second Travel Abroad
boarded on July 3, 1887 the steamer
What Jose Rizal failed to accomplish in
"Djemnah." It sailed to the East through
his six-month stay in the country during
the Suez Canal and reached Saigon on
his first homecoming was to visit his
the 30th of the month. Rizal then took
girlfriend Leonor Rivera in Pangasinan.
the steamer -Haiphong and reached
His father strongly opposed the idea,
Manila near midnight of August 5.
sensing that the visit would put
After meeting some friends in Manila, Leonor's family in jeopardy.
he returned to Calamba on August 8.
In Hong Kong and Japan
Restoring his mother's eyesight, he
began to be dubbed as "German On February 3, 1888, Rizal sailed to
doctor” or “Doctor Uliman" (from the Hong Kong onboard "Zafiro" and just
word "Aleman" which means German) stayed inside the ship during its short
and made a lot of money because stop at Amoy. He stayed at Victoria
people from different places flocked to Hotel in Hong Kong (not in Sta. Mesa)
him for a better vision. and visited the nearby city Macao for
two days along with a friend, Jose
Because of his enemies' allegation that
Maria Basa. Among other things, Rizal
his "Noll" contained subversive ideas.
experienced in Hong Kong the noisy
Rizal was summoned by the Governor-
firecracker-laden Chinese New Year
General Emilio Terrero. Seeing in the
and the marathon lauriat party
book, Terrero nonetheless assigned to
characterized by numerous dishes
Rizal a bodyguard, Don Jose Andrade,
being served. (Yes, the "lauriat" combo
meal in "Chowking" originated from this meal in Sacramento and woke up in
Chinese party.) Reno, Nevada. He had visited also the
states of Utah, Colorado, Nebraska,
From Hong Kong, he reached
Illinois, and finally reached Nev York
Yokohama, Japan on February 28 and
on May 13. On Bedloe Island, he had
proceeded to Tokyo the next day. He
seen the Statue of Liberty symbolizing
lived in the Spanish legation in Tokyo
freedom and democracy. Ironically,
upon the invitation of its secretary,
Rizal observed that there was racial
Juan Perez Caballero. In March 1888,
inequality in the land and thus
he heard a Tokyo band nicely playing a
concluded that real freedom was only
European music and was astonished to
for the whites. (Although if Rizal were
find out after the gig that some of its
alive today, he would be surprised to,
members were Filipinos (G. Zaide & S.
know that the Americans had already
Zaide, 1984, p. 130). (From this
allowed a black guy to become their
information, we can surmise that even
president for two terms.)
during Rizal's time, there were Filipino
entertainers in Japan ["Japayuki" or In Great Britain, Paris, and Spain
"Japayuko"]).
Onboard the ship "City of Rome," Rizal
But if there was a person who was truly sailed for Liverpool on May 16, 1888
entertained at the time, it was Rizal and arrived there on May 24. A day
himself who was amused by the after, he reached London and stayed
Japanese girl who would pass by the briefly at Dn Antonio Ma. Regidor's
legation every day. The 23-year old house. He then boarded at theBeckett
Seiko Usui whom he fondly called 'O- residence where he was lovingly
Sei-San' became his tour guide and served by Gertrude, the daughter of his
sweetheart rolled into one. landlord.
Sail to the West In June 1888, Rizal made friends with
Dr. Reinhold Rost and his family.
But because he loved his mission more
Expert in Malayan language, Rost had
than O-Sei-San, Rizal boarded the
in his house a good Filipiniana library.
"Belgic" on April 13, 1888. In the
Our national hero was described by
vessel, he had befriended Tetcho
Rost as "a pearl of a man" ("una perla
Suehiro, a Japanese novelist and
de hombre").
human rights fighter. who was also
forced by his government to leave his In London, Rizal manually copied and
country. The ship arrived in San annotated Morga's Sucesos de las
Francisco on April 28. For a week, the Islas Filipinas, a rare book available in
ship's passengers were, however, the British Museum. He also became
quarantined, allegedly because of the the honorary president of the patriotic
cholera outbreak in the Far East. In society Asociacion Lg Solidaridad
reality, some politicians were just (Solidaridad Association) and wrote
questioning the arrival of the Chinese articles for the La Solidaridad. In his
coolies in the ship who would displace 10-month stay in London, he had short
white laborers in railroad-construction visits in Paris, Madrid, and Barcelona.
projects. In Spain, he met Marcelo H. del Pilar
for the first time.
On May 6, Rizal went to Oakland.
Onboard a train, he took his evening
Del Pilar was one of the renowned involves taking on the traits of the
members of the Propaganda dominant culture (e.g., colonizer) to
Movement, along with Graciano Lopez such a degree that the assimilating
Jaena (publisher of La Solidaridad), group (e.g., the colonized people)
Mariano Poncee and Rizal. becomes socially indistinguishable
from the other members of the society.
Propaganda was a patriotic socio-
Contextually the “assimilationist" stand
political organization founded in 1872
in Rizal's time refers mainly to the
by Filipinos who had settled in Europe.
advocacy to 'have the Philippines be
Its members were mainly the Filipino
treated as one of Spain's provinces.
liberals exiled in 1872 and the Filipino
students studying in Europe's Rizal and Del Pilar are said to have
universities at the time. Also later abandoned the "assimilationist*
considered a cultural and literary stand (although this is questioned by
organization, the Propaganda had many historians, especially those who
principal publication, the La claim that either Rizal or Del Pilar was
Solidaridad. even anti-revolutionary. In some sure
ways, nonetheless, both Rizal and Del
The Propaganda primarily aimed to
Pilar inspired the establishment and
bring to Spain's attention the real
mission of Andres Bonifacio's
needs of its colony. the Philippines.
revolutionary society, the Katipunan).
Among many other things, the
Propagandists specifically advocated In France
(a) the recognition of the Philippines as
Leaving London for good, he went to
a province of Spain and its
Paris in March 1889. He shortly lived in
(Philippines) representation in the
the house of a friend, Valentin Ventura,
Spanish parliament (Cortes
before transferring to a little room
Generales); (b) the secularization of
where he had as roommates two
the Philippine parishes and clergy; (c)
Filipinos, one of whom was Jose
the equality between the Spanish and
Albert, a student from Manila. In Paris,
the Filipino,especially in entering
Rizal frequented the Bibliotheque
government service; (d) the
Nationale, working on his annotation of
establishment of governmentfunded
the Sucesos. He spent his spare hours
schools not run by the friars; (e) the
in the houses of friends like Juan Luna
abolition of the "polo" (forced labor)
and his wife Paz Pardo de Tavera.
and "vandala” (forced sale of local
Rizal witnessed the Universal
products, to the government); and (f)
Exposition of Paris, having as its
the recognition of human rights and
greatest attraction the Eiffel Tower.
freedom, especially the freedoms of
speech and association. Rizal formed the Kidlat Club, a
temporary social club which brought
Seemingly advocating racial or cultural
together Filipinos witnessing the
integration, the Propaganda Movement
exposition. He also organized the
is thus branded as assimilationist. In
Indios Bravos, an association which
anthropology and sociology,
envisioned Filipinos being recognized
assimilation is the process whereby
for their admirable skills in many fields.
individuals or groups of differing ethnic
Rizal, likewise formed the mysterious
heritage are absorbed into the
Redencion de Ios Malayos
dominant culture of a society. The
process of assimilating
(Redemption of the Malays), which
aimed to propagate useful knowledge.
In Paris, Rizal also finished and
published his annotation of the
Sucesos.
In Belgium
After celebrating the Yuletide season in
Paris in 1889, Rizal shortly visited
London for the last time. With Jose
Albert, Rizal left Paris for Brussels on
January 28, 1890. The two stayed in a
boarding house administered by the
Jacoby sisters (Suzanne and Marie)
where Rizal met and had a transitory
affair with (another) Suzanne (also
called Petite), the niece of his
landladies.
In Belgium, Rizal busied himself with
writing the Fili and ontributing for La
Solidaridad using the pen names
Dimas Alang and Laong Laan. When
he heard the news that the Calamba
agrarian trouble was getting worse,
Rizal decided to go home. But Paciano
told him through a letter that they lost
the court case against the Dominicans
in the Philippines, and they intended to
bring the case to Madrid. This
prompted Jose to go to Madrid instead
to look for a lawyer and influential
people who would defend there the
Calamba tenants