THE LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
CHAPTER 1
Advent of A National Hero
Learning Outcome:
Explain the role of Rizal’s family in the development of his thought and
character.
(Dr. Jose Rizal is a unique example of a many-splendored genius who became
the greatest hero of a nation. Endowed by God with versatile gifts, he truly
ranked with the world’s geniuses.)
He was a Phyician (ophthamic surgeon), Poet, Dramatist, Essayist,
Novelist, Historian, Architect, Painter, Sculptor, Educator, Linguist, Musician,
Naturalist, Ethnologist, Surveyor, Engineer, Farmer businessman, Economist,
Geographer, Cartographer, Bibliophile, Philologist, Grammarian, Folklorist,
Philosopher, Translator, Inventor, Magician, Humorist, Satirist, Polemicist,
Sportsman, Traveler, and Prophet.
(Above and beyond all these, he was a hero and a political martyr
who consecrated his life for the redemption of his oppressed
people. That’s why he is now acclaimed as a national hero of the
Philippines.)
THE BIRTH OF A HERO
Jose Rizal was born on the moonlit night of Wednesday, June 19,
1861. In the lakeshore town of Calamba, Laguna Province
Philippines.
His mother almost died during the delivery because of his big
head.
He was baptized in the Catholic church of his town on June 22,
(aged three days old) by the parist priest, Father Rufino Collantes.
(During the christening ceremony, Father Collantes was impressed by
the baby's head and told the members of the family who was present
"Take good care of this child, for someday he will become a
great man”.)
Father Pedro Casanas he was Rizal’s godfather(ninong).
His name “Jose” was chosen by his mother who was a devotee
of the Christian saint San Jose. (St. Joseph)
RIZAL’S PARENTS
(Jose Rizal was the 7th of the eleven children of Francisco Mercado
Rizal and Teodora Alonso Realonda)
Francisco Mercado Rizal, the hero’s father.
Francisco Mercado Rizal was born in Biñan, Laguna on May
11,1818. He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in
Manila. In early manhood, following his parent" death,
(Francisco moved to Calamba and became a tenant-farmer of the
Dominican-owned hacienda. He was a hardy and independent-minded
man, who talked less and worked more, and was a strong in body and
valiant in spirit.)
He died in Manila on January 5,1898 at the age of 80. In his
memoirs, Rizal affectionately called him "a model of fathers"
Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda, the hero’s mother.
Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda was born in Manila on November 8,
1826. She studied at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known college
for girls in the city.
(She is being describe as a remarkable woman, possessing
refined culture, literary talent, business ability, and the fortitude of a
Spartan Woman)
She died on August 10, 1911 at the age of 85. Shortly before her
death, the Philippine government offered her for a life pension
but then rejected it saying "My family has never been patriotic for
money. (If the government has plenty of funds and does not know
what to do with them, better reduce the taxes")
THE RIZALS CHILDREN
(Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso Realonda were blessed with 11
children- 2 boys and 9 girls. These children are the following:)
1. Saturnina (1850-1913) oldest of the Rizal children, nicknamed of
Neneng. She married Manuel T. Hidalgo of Tanawan, Batangas.
2. Paciano (1851-1930) older brother and confidant of Jose Rizal.
After his younger brother's execution, he joined Philippine Revolution
and become a combat general and after the revolution, he retired to
his farm in Los Baños where he lived as a gentleman farmer and died
on April 13, 1930, an old bachelor aged 79. He had two children by
his mistress Severina Decena- a boy and a girl. Panciano was
immortalized by Jose Rizal in his first novel Noli Me Tangere as
the wise Pilosopo Tasio.
3. Narcisa (1852-1939) - her pet’s name was Sisa and she married
Antonio Lopez a school teacher of Morong and was the nephew of
Father Leoncio Lopez.
4. Olimpia (1855-1887) - Ypia was her pet’s name. She was
married to Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila.
5. Lucia (1857-1919) She married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba,
who was nephew of Father Casanas who died because of Cholera in
1889 and was denied Christian burial because he was a brother-in-law
of Dr. Jose Rizal.
6. Maria (1859-1945) Biang was her nickname. She married Daniel
Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.
7. Jose (1861-1896)- the greatest Filipino hero and peerless genius,
his nickname was Pepe, during his exile in Dapitan he lived with
Josephine Bracken, an Irish girl from Hong Kong, he had a son by her
but this baby boy died a few hours after birth, Rizal name him
"Francisco" after his father and buried him in Dapitan.
8. Concepcion (1862-1865) - her pet’s name was Concha. She died
in sickness at the age of 3, her death was first sorrow in Rizal's
life.
9. Josefa (1865-1945) her pet name was Panggoy, died an old maid
at the age of 80.
10. Trinidad (1868-1951) - Trining was her pet’s name. She died
also an old maid in 1951 aged 83.
11. Soledad (1870-1929) - youngest of the Rizal children, has a pet
named Choleng. She married Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba. Rizal's
relationship among his sibling was affectionately.
RIZAL’S ANCESTRY
(As a typical Filipino. Rizal was a product of the mixture of races. In his
veins flowed the blood of East and West Negrito, Indonesian, Malay, Chinese,
Japanese, and Spanish. Predominantly. He was Malayan and a magnificent
Specimen of Asian Manhood.)
Domingo Lamco was the great-great grandfather of Rizal on his
father side. Lamco a Chines immigrant from the Fukien city of
Changchow and assumed the surname of Mercado in 1731 which was
appropriate for him because he is a merchant.
“Mercado” means Market in English.
Ines de la Rosa was the wife of Domingo Lamco. Rosa is a
Christian girl of Manila.
Domingo Mercado and Ines de la Rosa had a son, Francisco
Mercado.
Francisco Mercado who resided in Biñan who married a Chinese-
Filipino mestiza, Cirila Bernacha.
Cirila Bernacha was elected gobernadorcillo (a municipal mayor) of
the town. One of Capitan Francisco and Capitana Cirila's son is
named Juan Mercado (Rizal's Grandfather) who married Cirila
Alejandro, a Chinese-Filipino mestiza. Juan was also elected as
gobernadorcillo of Biñan like his father.
Juan and Cirila had 13 children and the youngest was Rizal’s
father, Francisco Mercado. At the age of 8, Francisco Mercado lost his
father and grew to manhood with the care of his mother. He studied
Latin and Philosophy in the College of San Jose in Manila where he met
and fell in love with Teodora Alonso Realonda, a college student of Sta.
Rosa. They were married on June 28,1848 and settled down in Calamba
where they engaged in farming and business, and reared a big family.
RIZAL ANCESTRY ON HIS MOTHER'S SIDE
(It is said that Doña Teodora's family descended from Lakandula,
the last native king of Tondo Eugenio Ursua - the great grandfather of
Teodora. The great-great grandfather of Rizal.)
Tondo Eugenio Ursua he was from Japanese ancestry who married
a Filipina named Benigna.
Eugenio and Benigna's daughter Regina married Manuel de
Quintos, a Filipino-Chinese lawyer from Pangasinan. One of the
daughters of Regina and Manuel was Brigada who married
Lorenzo Alberto Alonso
Lorenzo Alberto Alonso a prominent Spanish-Filipino mestizo. Their
children were Narcisa, Teodora (Rizal's mother), Gregorio,
Manuel, and Jose.
THE SURNAME OF RIZAL
Mercado was supposed to be the real surname of Rizal which
was adopted by his great-great grandfather Domingo Lameo in 1731.
(Rizal's family acquired a second surname --Rizal- which was given by
the Spanish alcalde mayor of laguna who was a family friend.) According
to Leon Ma. Guerero, a distinguished Rizalist and diplomat. The Spanish
Alcalde Mayor's choice was prophetic for Rizal in Spanish means a field
where wheat, cut while still green, sprouts again.
THE RIZAL'S HOME
(The house of the Rizal family, where the hero was born was one of
the distinguished stone houses in Calamba during Spanish times.) It was
two-storey building, rectangular in shape, built of adobe stones and hard-
woods. It has a solid and massive earthquake-proof structure with sliding
shell windows. Thick walls of lime and stone bounded the first floor, the 2nd
floor was made entirely of wood except for the roof which made of red tile as
described by Dr. Rafael Palma, one of Rizal's prestigious biographers. Behind
the house were poultry yard full of turkeys and chicken and a big garden of
tropical fruit trees-atis, balimbing, chico, macopa, papaya, santol, tampoy
and etc.
A GOOD AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILY
The Rizal's Family belong to principalia, a town aristocracy in Spanish
Philippines. By dint of honest and hard work and frugal living, Rizal's parents
were able to live well. From farm, which were rented from the Dominican
order, they harvested rice, corn, and sugarcane. They raised pigs, chickens,
and turkeys in their backyard. In addition to farming and stock raising, Doña
Teodora managed general goods store and operated small flour-mill and a
home-made ham press.
(As evidence to their affluence (An abundant flow/supply), Rizal's
parents were able to build a large stone house was situated near the town
church and to buy another one. They own carriage which was a status
symbol of the ilustrados in Spanish Philippines and a private library (the
largest in Calamba) which consisted of more than 1,000 volumes. They were
able to send their children to the colleges in Manila. Combining affluence and
culture, hospitality and courtesy, they participated prominently in all social
and religious affairs in community.)
HOME LIFE OF THE RIZAL
The Rizal family had a simple, contended, and happy life. In
consonance with Filipino custom, family ties among the Rizals were
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 folks.
Whenever the children, including Jose Rizal got into mischief
(playful misbehavior or troublemaking) they were given a sound
spanking. Evidently, They believed in the maxim: “Spare the rod
and spoil the children” (Children should be taught discipline using
strictness and firmness).
