Module Title: The Life and Works of Jose Rizal

Module 1:
Course Title: The Life and Works of Jose Rizal
Course Number: MS 422
Course Description: As mandated by Republic Act 1425, this course covers the life
and works of the country’s national hero, Jose Rizal. Among the
topics covered are Rizal’s biography and his writings, particularly
the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, some of his
essays and various correspondence.
Total Learning Time: 54 Hours
Prerequisite: None

Overview: The teaching of the Life, works and writings of Rizal has been one of the
many important areas in the curriculum not only in the secondary level but in the tertiary
level as well as it is mandated by law. The educational institutions had been compliant
of the law, however, the decline in the teaching of Rizal especially his novels began
especially that education nowadays purports the importance of other subjects like
Chemistry, English or Math than the life and works of Rizal especially his two novels
though it is considered as a potential tool to instil the spirit of nationalism and
patriotism, especially at a time of political disunity among younger generation.
The subject will serve as catalyst and recollection on how the national hero
devoted his life and education to serve his countrymen which is supposed to be part in
developing the younger generation’s life in serving their country’s best.
Learning Outcomes: Explain the history of Rizal Law and its important provisions;
Critically assess the effectiveness of the Rizal Course; Analyze Rizal’s family, childhood,
and early education; Evaluate the people and events and their influence on Rizal’s early life;
Explain the principle of assimilation advocated by the Propaganda Movement; Appraise Rizal’s
relationship with other propagandists; Analyze Rizal’s growth as a propagandists and
disavowal of assimilation; Analyze the factors that led to Rizal’s execution; Analyze the effects
of Rizal’s execution on Spanish colonial rule and the Philippine Revolution; Appraise
important characters in the novel and What they represent; Examine the present
Philippine situation through the examples mentioned in the Noli; Compare and contrast
the characteristic’s,plot, and theme of the Noli and the El Fili;.Value the role of the
youth in the development and future society; Interpret views and opinions about bayani
and kabayanihan in the context of Philippine history and society; Examine the values
highlighted by the various representations of Rizal as a national symbol; Advocate the
values Rizal’s life encapsulates
Indicative Content:
Week 1-6
1. Introduction to the course Republic Act 1425
2. 19th century Philippines as Rizal context
3. Rizal’ life: family, childhood and early education
4. Rizal’s life: Higher education and life abroad

Objectives: At the end of the lesson the students will be able to;

1. Explain the history of Rizal Law and its important provisions.

2. Critically assess the effectiveness of the Rizal Course.
3. Analyze Rizal’s family, childhood, and early education.
4. Evaluate the people and events and their influence on Rizal’s early life.
5. Explain the principle of assimilation advocated by the Propaganda Movement;

Discussion:
Class Activity:

 Why study the life and works of Rizal?

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Week 1-6
1. Historical background and context of RA 1425,

Rizal Law also known as R.A. 1425. It was signed by Pres. Ramon Magsaysay
on 12 June 1956. The original proponent of the bill was Sen. C. M. Recto, but Sen.
Laurel was the Senate Education Committee Chair, under which the deliberations of
the bill will be heard before it would pass the floor readings.

1) To include in the curriculum of students in all levels in the Philippines, the

study of the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal, who in 1901 was selected by the
Taft Commission to be the Philippines' National Hero

2) To present a nationalistic example done by Rizal so that all students from all
levels would possess a stronger sense of nationalism, which during that period, (1950's)
is experiencing unprecedented challenges preceeding the war from which the
Philippines, and its people have suffered both politico-economic and cultural
challenges.

 19th century Philippines as Rizal context:

Historical background of the 19th century: Spain and the Philippines19th

Century Spain
  Spain during the first three quarters of the 19th century was a country of
instability and chaos.

 Conquered by Napoleon Bonaparte, he made his brother Joseph as king.

 Guerilla warfare against the French ensued

 In 1812 a constitution was made by the Liberal Cortes

 Ferdinand VII was restored to power by 1814, he returned to absolute

government.

 Civil wars broke out between the Liberals and Carlists (supporters of Don
Carlos)
  Maria Cristina as regent of her infant daughter Isabella (successor to the
throne under the terms of Pragmatic Sanction)

• 1868 a revolution against Isabella took place and she was forced to abdicate.

• Alfonso XII of Spain became king, which finally brought Spain into a period
of stability and reform

Philippines in the 19th Century

Economic Development

 Manila Acapulco Galleon Trade

 Jose Basco y Vargas

 1830 – growth of export economy from the British and American merchants

 Philippines exported agricultural products resulting to the growth and profit of

Filipino hacienderos and inquilinos of the friar haciendas.

 Economic Development as a whole is a non-Spanish initiative

 Opening of the Suez Canal in 1869

The Philippine Society

PENINSULARES
PEINSSULINS INSULARES
NSULARESINSSINSULARESIINSULARESNSULARESIIIIIINSUIIIIIIIIIIIIII
SULA

CREOLE (Mestizo/Mestiza) INDIO

The Native Population;

PRINCIPALIA they are the rich landowners; local gov’t officials

ILLUSTRADO educated middle-class

COMMON PEOPLE they are the majority of the class; workers

or MASSES

Political Development

• Spain has no consistent policy for the overseas colonies

• Philippines was used as a dumping ground to reward Spanish officials
• Rampant corruption in the Government
• Governor-general was the chief executive with the widest of powers

Cultural Development

• 1860 spread of education –rise of Ilustrados

• 1859-Ateneo Municipal run by the Jesuits
• 1865- Escuela Normal de Maestros
• Humanistic Education in literature, science and philosophy
• Experience of Filipino students in Spain
1865-

PRINCIPALIA

SNISUPRIN Ateneo Municipal

PALIA

University o University of Santo Tomas

Religious Development

• Religious Orders played a dominant part in Philippine life

• Government relied heavily on the friars to maintain Spanish power.

To mas

• Secularization issue between the regular and secular clergy (Filipino parish priests vs.
Dominicans, Augustinians, Recollects and etc.)
• Cavite Mutiny that led to the execution of GOMBURZA (Jose Burgos, Mariano
Gomez and Jacinto Zamora) in Bagumbayan

Class Activity:
 Discuss Jose Rizal’s life within the context of 19th century Philippines.
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2. Rizal’s family, childhood and early education

The Birth of a Hero

Our national hero was born on the moonlit of Wednesday on June 19, 1861
between eleven and twelve midnight at the lakeshare town in Calamba, Laguna. He
was named Jose Protacio in honor of Saint Protacio, one who invoked for the discovery
of thieves and one of the patron saints of Milan and Saint Joseph, the patron saint of the
universal Church. Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Alonso y Realonda was the 7 th child of
Don Francisco Mercado and Doña Teodora Alonso. His family fondly called him as
Pepe. According to writer Felice Prudente Santa Maria’s book.

In Excelsis once explained why Jose was called “Pepe”, she said, “Saint Joseph
was the putative (commonly accepted) father of Jesus Christ. In Latin, San Jose’s name
is always followed by the letters “P.P” for pater putativus. In Spanish, the letter “P” is
pronounced “peh” giving rise to the nickname Pepe for Jose”.

In his biography entitled “Memoirs of a Student in Manila,” Rizal reminisced

that his mother almost caused her life because of his big head. It was believed that
because of his mother’s failure to make a pilgrimage to the Virgin of Antipolo caused
the difficulty of delivering Jose.

Rizal’s Parents

Francisco Engracio Rizal Mercado y Alejandro II, was born on May 11, 1818 at
Biñan, Laguna, the youngst of the 13 chlidren of Cirila Alejandro and Juan Mercado.
He was one of the fourth generations of a Chinese immigrant in the late 1600s named
Domingo Lamco. During his early education in his hometown, he studied latin and
afterwards studied at the Colegio de San Jose in Manila for philosophy and latin. The
people of Calmaba had a high regard on him as he become their Cabeza de Barangay
(head of the Barangay).

Brother and Sister of Francisco Mercado Rizal

 Gavino, Potenciana (who never married)

 Leoncio
 Fausto
 Barcelisa (who became the wife of Hermenegildo Austria)
 Gabriel
 Julian
 Gregorio Fernando
 Casimiro
 Petrona (who married Gregorio Neri)
 Tomasa (later Mrs. F. de Guzman)
 Cornelia
Doña Teodora Morales Alonzo Realonda y Quintos, was born in Meisik
(Chinatown), Manila on November 9, 1827 and native of [Link], Manila. She
martinet, devoted, well-mannered and a diligent mother. She studied and mastered
Spanish language at Colegio de Santa Rosa, a school for girls in Manila. She possessed
business ability, a refined culture, literary gaint, and the courage of a frugal woman.
Thus, Jose Rizal considered her a remarkable woman. She demostrate how to keep
families together despite the turmoil of Spanish regime.

Brother and Sister of Teodora Alonzo Realonda

 Jose Alberto de Quintos Alonzo, wife of Teodora Alberto

 Narcisa de Quintos Alonso, husband of Santiago Muger
 Gregorio de Quintos Alonso
 Manuel de Quintos Alonso
Siblings

The Eleven Children of Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso Relonda.

 Saturnina (1850-1913) – Neneng is her nickname, the oldest among the

Rizal’s children and married to Mannuel T. Hidalgo. And died at the
age of 63.

 Paciano (1851-1930) – The only brother of Jose, died as a bachelor, though he

had a common law-wife (SeverinaDecena). And he joined the revolution and
became general after the death of Rizal.
 Narcisa (1852-1939) – She married Antonio Lopez of Morong which is a
musician. Her nickname is Sisa and died at the age of 87.
 Olympia (1855-1887) – Yepa is her nickname. Married to Silvestre Ubaldo, a
telegraph operator from Manila. She died of placenta previa in September
1887.
  Lucia (1857-1919) – She married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba and died at
the age of 62 due to cholera.
 Maria (1858-1945) – Her nickname is Biang, and she married Daniel Faustino
Cruz of Binan, Laguna. She died at the age of 86.
 Jose (1861-1896) – The “lucky seven“ in the family. Pepe is his nickname and
he married Josephine Bracken, a pretty Irish from Hong-Kong. And Jose was
executed in December 30, 1896 and died at the age of 35.
 Concepcion (1862-1865) – Her nickname is Concha and she died at the age of
3.
 Josefa (1865-1945) – Panggoy is her nickname and died as an old maid at the
age of 80.
 Trinidad (1868-1951) – At the age of 83 she died as an old maid just like
Josefa. And her nickname is Trining.
 Soledad (1870-1929) – The youngest among the Rizal’s. She married
Pantaleon Quintero Calamba. And she died at the age of 59.

Rizal’s Family

Don Francisco and Doña Teodora family despite big was still able to find Joy
and happiness. They live in a harmonious relationship where affections are present
amongst the members of the family. Just like any ordinary family their parents showed
love and care to their children. Nonetheless, they don’t spoil their children. In fact,
every time their children made wrong deeds and involved in bad activities, they are
there to discipline them. They believed in the old adage “spare the rod and spoil the
child. If the children are not decisively disciplined and never punish when they deserve
it then they will end up spoiled or become bad-mannered.

As Catholic believers, they taught them to be courteous to people especially the

old persons. Their love of God become their foundation to value and respect one’s right.
Every day they heard mass especially during Sundays. Every 6am, 12nn, 6pm, they
prayed together the Angelus and do the Holy Rosary before going to bed. They were
accustomed to kiss their parents’ hands after the recital of prayers.

Rizal’s Ancestors

Rizal family was a mixture of different races. Jose’s father side had Chinese
descent and a Japanese lineage from his mother. A recent study revealed that his
mother’s origin was from Rajah Lakandula. In short, his ancestry can also be traced
from Malayan and Indonesian genes, truly a splendid blend of books. Jose Rizal’s great-
great grandfather on his patrilineal side was Domingo Lamco, a native Chinese of
Sionggue, City of Changchow, province of Fukien.

Lamco converted to Christianity because of his desire to be a Catholic. She

married a well off Chinese Christian lady named Ines de la Rosa of Manila. In 1731,he
decided to change his surname using “Mercado”. Their married was blessed with two
children, Francisco and Josefa, who died after her birth.
 Francisco Mercado was the great grandfather of Jose and was named after an
uncle and friar scholar in Manila. He married (Cirila Bernacha (other say Bernarda
Monicha), a chinese-Filipino mestiza in the hacienda San Pedro Tunasan. He elected as
Gobernadorcillo at Biñan. Before his death in 1801, they were blessed with two children
Juan and Clemente.

Juan Mercado, the grandfather of Jose was elected as Gobernadorcillo thrice

because of this he was known as “kapitan Juan”, also chosen as Hermano Mayor
several times. He married Cirila Alejandra, the daughter of Siongco, Lamco’s grandson.
They were blessed with 12 children; the youngest was Jose’s father, Francisco
Mercado.

Matrilineal side Doña Teodora’s great grandfather had a japanese ancestry

named Eugenio Ursua who married a Filipina named Benigna. Blessed with a daughter
named Regina who was married to a Chinese lawyer from Pangasinan named Manuel
de Quintos.

One of their daughter was Brigida who was married to Lorenzo Alberto Alonso,
a deputy for the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes was also a prominent Spanish-
Filipino mestizo of Biñan. They were gifted with five children: Narcisa, Teodora,
Gregorio, Manuel, and Jose.

There were reasons why the descendants of Jose’s parent not use their last
names Lamco and Mercado. According to Craig, the Lamco family was not used to of
taking the names of their godparents. He gave his boy a name Sangley with which a
transleted meaning from that Mercado are the same. He believed that his surname would
free him from the discrimination from those Chinese names because it will remind him
of his ancestry. Rusell and Rodriguez wrote that Governor-General Claveria ordered a
decree to change the last names of each family in order to survey as the number of
people in his encomendero and for the purpose of taxation.

Childhood

Jose Rizal had many beautiful memories of childhood in his native town. He
grew up in a happy home, ruled by good parents, bubbling with joy and sanctified by
God's blessings. His natal town of Calamba, so named after a big native jar, was a fitting
cradle for a hero. It's scenic beauties and it's industrious, hospitable and friendly folks
impressed him during his childhood years and profoundly affected his mind and
character. The happiest period of Rizal's life was spent in this lakeshore town.

Oftentimes, he enjoyed playing alone and watching the different birds singing
like the culiawan, maya, maria capra, martini and the pipit. His mother as teacher does
not just taught him to write poems, she also taught him to pray daily including the
recitation of the holy rosary. His mother’s brothers had influenced him also, his uncle
Jose took care of teaching him regular lessons.

Jose was four years old, he experienced his first grief because of the death of
his younger sister Concepcion (Concha). Her death caused so much sorrow to him and
his family as his sister was closer to him Jose revealed also a poetic mind and since his
mother was good in literature and rhetorics, he acquired also the interest of writing short
verses.

As a young boy, he was able to write a poem about his hometown entitled “ In
Memory of My Town” (Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo). A poem that symbolized his love
for his town and reminiscing his beautiful memories as a young boy as well as
treasuring the scenic beauty of his hometown. Father built him a small nipa hut which
became his sanctuary to play with his siblings and at the same time his resting place.

At the age of eight, Jose wrote a poem entitled “To My Fellow Children” (Sa
Aking Mga Kababata). This poem revealed Jose’s dedication to his one’s mother
tounge, he resonated that those who truly love their native language will surely
endeavor for freedom just like the birds freely flying in the space above.

One night, his mother shared a story to him about “The Story of the Moth”. The
tragic fate of the moth left an unforgettable idea to sacrifice for a dignified cause for
something that is valuable.

Early Education

Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. It was a typical schooling
that a son of an ilustrado family received during his time, characterized by the 4 R’s –
Reading, Writing, Arithmetric, and Religion. Instruction was rigid and strict.
Knowledge was forced into the minds of the pupils by means of the tedius memory
method aided by the teacher’s whip. Despite the defects of the Spanish system of
elementary education, Rizal was able to acquire the necessary instruction preparatory
for college work in Manila and abroad. It may be said that Rizal, who was born a
physical weakling, rose to become an intellectual giant not because of, but rather in
spite of, the outmoded and backward system of instruction obtaining in the Philippines
during the last decades of Spanish regime.

In his early education, Jose had mastered the alphabet and learned to write and
read. His early readings included the Spanish version of the Vulgate Bible. At a young
age, he already showed inclinations to the arts. He amazed his family by his pencil
drawings, sketches, and moldings of clay. Later in his childhood, he showed special
talent in painting and sculpture, wrote a Tagalog play which was presented at a Calamba
fiesta, and penned a short play in Spanish which was presented in school.

The Imprisonment of Doña Teodora

Jose’s father, Don Francisco, thought of sending him to college in Manila in

June. However trouble struck the family. Jose Alberto, the brother of Doña Teodora,
went on a business trip to Europe. Upon his return, he found out that his wife abandoned
their home and their children and lived with another man. This angered Jose Alberto
and decided to divorce his wife. Doña Teodora advised his brother, persuaded him to
just forgive his wife in order to avoid family scandal. And so the husband and wife
lived together again. However, the adulterous woman connived with a Spanish
Lieutenant of the Guardia Civil fabricating stories that her husband, Jose Alberto, tried
to prison her with Doña Teodora helping him to do so.
 Doña Teodora was arrested and was forced to walk fort about 50 kilometers
from Calamba to Santa Cruz. She was imprisoned there for two years and a half. Jos e
heard that his mother got sick while inside her prison cell, no proper medical treatment
was given her, and she was treated unkindly. This sadened the barely 11-year old Jose.

The case reached the Manila Royal Audiencia (Supreme Court) where she was
acquitted.

The Death of GOM-BUR-ZA

On the night of January 20, 1872, about 200 Filipino soldiers and workers of
the Cavite arsenal rose in violent revolt under the leadership of La Madrid, a Filipino
sergeant. The revolt was caused by the addition of the usual privileges of the soldiers
and workers; on addition to not being exempted from tribute and forced labor, called
Polo at that time. However, the mutiny was suppressed after two days when
reinforcement troops from Manila arrived.

Spanish authorities to give an order to liquidate Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose

Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora for advocating the secularization movement to Filipinize
the Philippines parishes, and their supporters Jose [Link], Attys. Joaquin Pardo de
Tevera and Antonio Ma. Regidor. On sunrise of Febraury 17, 1872, by order of
Governer General Rafael de Izquiredo, the three priests were executed through a
garrote, a method of execution by strangling with an iron collar. Father Burgos was
friend and a teacher of Paciano.

He quit his studies in Manila and returned to Calamba. Rousing indignation that
Jose felt for the injustices done to his family and vowed to fight against the evils of
Spanish tyranny. He swore to avenge the cruelties that his brother’s friend and the two
priests had suffered. Later, Rizal wrote his second novel, El Filibusterismo, that he
dedicated to the three priests.

Class Activity :
 Create a timeline of Rizal’s childhood and early education

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3. Rizal’s life: Higher education and life abroad

Education in Europe

 Traveled alone to Europe

 Madrid in May 1882
 Continued his studies in Medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid
 Degree of Licentiate in Medicine in 1884
 Degree of Philosophy and Letters in 1885
Spain as a realization
 It was a venue for realizing Rizal’s dreams.
 He finished his studies in Madrid and this to him was the realization of the
bigger part of his ambition.
 His vision broadened to the point of awakening in him an understanding of
human nature, sparking in him the realization that his people needed him.
 It must have been this sentiment that prompted him to pursue, during the re-
organizational meeting of the Circulo-Hispano-Filipino, to be one of its
activities, the publication of a book to which all the members would contribute
papers on the various aspects and conditions of Philippines life.
 The proposal for the book was unanimously approved.
 But afterwards, difficulties and objections were raised, and a number of
gentlemen stood up and refused to discuss the matter any further in 1884.
 Rizal decided not to press the issue any longer.
 Although the book was never written, the next year, Pedro Paterno published
his Ninay, a novel sub-titled Costumbres filipinas (Philippines Customs), thus
partly fulfilling the original purpose of Rizal’s plan.

Noli Me Tangere
  The idea of writing a novel grew on him, and later he decided to write and
worked hard for Noli Me Tangere
 He never told anyone about it until it was finished, though some of his
companions knew what he was doing
 He wrote half of the novel in Madrid, a quarter of it in Paris and the rest in
Germany.
 University of Paris (France)
 University of Heidelberg (Germany)
 Earned a second doctorate
 Inducted as a member of the Berlin Ethnological Society and the Berlin
Anthropological Society under the patronage of the famous pathologist Rudolf
Virchow.

University of Heidelberg

25-year-old Rizal completed in 1887 his eye

specialization under the renowned Prof. Otto Becker
in Heidelberg.
Left Heidelberg a poem, “A las flores del
Heidelberg”; both an evocation and a prayer for the
welfare of his native land and the unification of
common values between East and West.

JOSE RIZAL’S TRAVELS

Class Activity :
 Evaluate the people and events and their influence on Rizal’s early life

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 Explain the principle of adaptation advocated by the Propaganda Movement.

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References:

Zaide, Gregorio F. Dr. Rizal and Philippine History. Manila: Farjardo Press,
1933. Jose Rizal, Life , Works and writings. Manila: Villanueve Book Store, 1957.
Saidamin P. Bagolon, Victoria O. Ligan, Leah C. Apsay, Leah S. Baclaan, and
Ernie D. De la Salde (2014). Jose Rizal Life, Works and Writings.
[Link]

Additional Reading:

1. Text of the RA 1425 http:[Link]/1956/06/2/repub-act-no-1425/

2. Constatino,[Link] Making of a Filipino: A Story of Philippine Colonial
Politics QC; R. Constantino, 1982, PP. 244-242.
3. Historical Bulletin vol. 4 no.2 (1960): 180-139.

Prepared By:
MICHAEL B. ANGELIAS
Course Facilitator