GEC 11 - LIFE AND WORK OF JOSE RIZAL

Week 1- ADVENT OF A NATIONAL HERO

Learning Outcomes
A. Explain the role of Rizal’s family in the development of his though and character.
The Rizal Family
 The family belonged to the “principalia” an aristocratic town of distinguished
families.
 Rizal’s parent owns a large stone house which was suited near town church.
 Also, a carriage which was a status of symbol of the illustrados in the Philippines.
 Additionally, they also have a private library consisting of 1,000 volumes.
 Rizal sibling where able to study on colleges in Manila.
 They also participate in all social and religious affairs in the community.
 Rizal family believed on the maxim: “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”
 The Rizal family had a simple, contented and happy life and was intimately close.
Don Francisco and Doña Teodora loved their children, but they never spoiled them.
They were strict parents and they trained their children to love God, to behave well,
to be obedient and to respect people especially the old folks.

Rizal’s Parents
Rizal’s parents meet at Manila while they are studying.They got married on June 18,
1848, and settle on Calamba.
Don Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818-1898)
 Born in Biñan, Laguna on May 11, 1818
 Studied in Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila.
 A “pure Filipino” and describe by Rafael Palma as “a man of solid shoulders,
strong constitution, rather tall, of serious and reflective mien, with prominent
forehead and large, dark eyes”
 He was a hardly and independent minded man, who talked less and worked more,
and was strong in body and valiant in spirit.
 He become a tenant farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda after his parents died.
 He was describe as “model of fathers” by his own son, Rizal.
 He died in Manila on January 5, 1898 at the age of 80.
Doña Teodora Alonso Y Realonda
 Born in Meisik, Sta. Cruz, Manila on November 8, 1926.
 Studied at Colegio de Sta. Rosa in Manila
 She was a woman of refined culture and character, with exemplary literary
talents, the fortitude of Spartan women, and with business ability, she manage their
store.
 Rizal lovingly described her: “My mother is a women of more than ordinary culture;
she knows literature and speak Spanish better than I. She even corrected my
poems and gave me wise advise when I was Studying rhetoric. She is a
mathematician and has read many book.”
 Imprisoned twice due to fabricated reasons.
 The government offered to her a life pension because of her bravery and
patriotism. However, she declined the offer and said, “My family has never been
patriot for money. If the government has plenty of funds and does not know what to
do with them, it had been better reduce the taxes.”
 Died on August 16, 1911 in Manila at the age of 85.
The Rizal Children
1. Saturnina (1850-1913)- The eldest among the Rizal siblings. Her neckname was
“Neneng”, she married to Manuel T. Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas. In 1909, Saturnina
published Pascual Poblete’s Tagalog translation of the Noli Me Tangere.
2. Paciano (1851-1930)- He was the second child, closest, oldest and only brother of Jose
Rizal. He was Rizal’s confidant, and he was the one who convinced Rizal to study in Europe
without their parent’s permission. Additionally, he was in charge of sending money and
budget, constantly advised his brother through letters while in Europe. He is an ally of the
Katipunan and a general in the revolutionary army during the 1900’s.
3. Narcissa (1852-1939)- She was also called “Sisa” and was married to Antonio Lopez. She
was a musician and an educator from Pueblo de Morong. Narcissa could recite from memory
almost all poems of Jose Rizal.
4. Olimpia (1855-1887)- The fourth child with a nickname “Ypia”, who was married to
Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila. They had 3 children but unfortunately 2
of their children died at the young age. Additionally, Ypia died while giving birth in 1887.
5. Lucia (1857-1919)- She married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba, Laguna. One of their
children, Delfina, helped Marcela Agoncillo make the first Philippine flag in Hongkong. Lucias
husband died and was denied of Christian burial being the brother-in-law of Rizal.
6. Maria (1859-1945)- Her nickname was “Biang” and was married to Daniel Faustino Cruz
of Biñan, Laguna. The couple was blessed with five children.
7. Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (1861-1896)- His nickname was
“Pepe”, the greatest Filipino hero, and peerless genius. Rafael Palma described Rizal as “the
best qualities of our race. He elevated the concept of our country before the world because all
his life he demonstrate a sincere desire to work for the good of others: he had no ambition for
glory or fame nor did he expect reward and recompense from anybody.” He had written Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo which inspire the Filipinos to stand and fight its
oppressors. He was executed by the Spanish colonial government for the crime of rebellion
after the Philippine Revolution, inspired in part by his writings, broke out. Executed by a firing
squad at 7:03 in the morning at the Bagumbayan Field and was buried at the Paco Cemetry.
8. Conception (1862-1865)- the eight child in the family, died at an early age. Of her once
wrote: “I lost my little sister, Concha, and then for the first time I wept tears of love and grief”
9. Josefa (1865-1945)- Her nickname was “Panggoy”. She was epileptic and died spinster
at the age of 80. She become a member of Kapitunan.
10. Trinidad (1868-1951)- Her neckname was “Trining”. She was the last of Rizal children to
survive and died as spinster too and died at the age of 83. She also become a member of the
Katipunan and she was the caretaker of “Mi Ultimo Adios”.
11. Soledad (1870-1929)- The youngest whole nickname is “Choleng” married to Pantaleon
Quintero of Calamba and was blessed with five children. She become a teacher, is said to
have been “the best educated” among Rizal’s sister. Soledad passed away in 1929, at the
age of 59.

Rizal’s Ancestry
Rizal inherited the following traits from his ancestors:
1. Sense of frugality and industriousness- Chinese
2. Self-determination and courage- Malay
3. Open competition and decision-making- Japanese
4. Sensitivity and self-esteem- Spanish

The Story of the Moth

 Once upon a time, an old moth had warned her daughter against the flame, so
beautiful, so inviting, yet fatal and deceitful for it destroyed whoever came too close. She
herself said, she was once tempted by it; she had barely escaped with half-burnt wings. The
frightened young moth promised to obey, but was soon asking herself: “now why should my
mother try to give me such a scare? Why should I close my eyes to such a pretty sight?
These old people are such cowards! They think every fly is an elephant, any old dwarf a giant.
What harm could it do to me, whatever she says, if I come near the flame, as long as I am
careful? What I am, a little silly? What a story I shall have for all other girls if I, being very
careful of course, take a closer look. “No sooner said that done, and the silly little moth went
fluttering around the flame. At first she only left pleasantly warm; this encouraged her and she
flew closer and closer until at last dazzled by flame, fell and perished.

Rizal’s Mentor
 Doña Teodora, Rizal’s mother was his first teacher. Barely three (3) years old, Rizal
learned the alphabet from his mother. He was taught how to read and write in Spanish.
 As he grow older, his parents employed a private tutors to give him lessons at home.
 The first tutor was Mestro Colestino
 The second tutor was Maestro Lucas Padua
 Later, an old man named Leon Monroy, a former classmate of Rizal’s father, became
the boy’s tutor. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home and instructed Jose in Spanish
and Latin.
 Uncle Manuel Alberto, seeing Rizal in frail body, concerned himself with the physical
development of his young nephew and taught the latter love for the open air and
developed in him a great admiration for the beauty of nature.
 Uncle Gregorio, a scholar, instilled into the mind of Rizal love for education. He advised
Rizal: “Work hard and perform every task very carefully; learn to be swift as well as
thorough; be independent in thinking and make visual pictures of everything.”
 Rizal possessed a God-given talent for literature. His mother who was a lover of
literature noticed his poetic inclination, hence, she encouraged him to write poetry. Since
childhood, Rizal showed an unusual talent in art and literature. He scribbled verses on
loose sheets of paper and on the textbooks of his sisters. His mother, who was a lover of
literature, noticed his son’s inclination and gift for writing poetry. At the age of eight years
old, Rizal wrote his first poem in the native language entitled, “Sa Aking Mga Kabata-To
My Fellow Children”. This poem reveals Rizal’s earliest nationalist sentiment. In poetic
verses, he proudly proclaimed that a people who truly love their native language will
surely strive for liberty like “the bird which soars to freer space above” and that Tagalog
is the equal of Latin, English, Spanish, and any other language.
 Father Leoncio Lopez, the old and learned parish priest of Calamba fostered Rizal’s
love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

Prepared by:
Mariel Shen Ignacio
Joyce Vee Panis