The Life, Works, and Writings of Rizal Overview

Basic Information
 Full Name: José Protasio
Rizal Mercado y Alonso
Realonda
 Nickname: Pepe
 Birth Date: June 19, 1861
 Baptism Date: June 22, 1861
(signed by Leoncio Lopez;
baptized by Father Rufino
Collantes)
 Death Date: December 30,
1896 (aged 35)
 Burial: Paco Cemetery (body found by sister
Narcisa)
 Languages Spoken: More or less 22 languages
Family and Early Life
 Father: Francisco Rizal Mercado
 Mother: Teodora Alonso Realonda
 Siblings:
o 7/11 siblings: Saturnina, Paciano, Narcisa,
Olympia, Lucia, Maria, Jose Rizal,
Concepcion, Josefa, Trinidad, Soledad
o Concepcion/Concha: Died at age 3,
causing one of his greatest heartbreaks
o Narcisa: Patiently searched to find his
body; the only sister who can recite from
memory all his poems
 Grandfather: Juan Mercado (father’s side)
 Paternal Ancestor: Domingo Lamco (Chinese,
Chinchew district)
 Notable Influences:
o Chinese Ancestry: Serious nature,
frugality, love for children
 o Mother (Religious nature): Scientific
ability, religious nature, spirit of self-
sacrifice, passion for arts and literature
o Father (Profound sense of self-
respect): Independent thinking, love for
work
o Malayan (Filipino) Ancestry: Innate
desire to travel, love for freedom,
indomitable courage
o Spanish Ancestry: Elegance of bearing,
sensitivity to insult, gallantry to ladies
Education
 Early Schooling:
o Calamba: Early education
o Biñan: Formal schooling
o Homeschooling: Latin lessons from
Maestro Celestini, Lucas Padua, and Leon
Monroy
 Higher Education:
o Colegio de San Juan de Letran: Passed
the entrance exam prior to Ateneo
o Ateneo: Admission helped by Manuel
Burgos (pamangkin of Fr. Burgos)
o UST: Simultaneously took Philosophy and
Medicine courses
o November 25, 1881: Issued licensure in
surveying
o Universidad Central de Madrid: Studied
Medicine
o Academy de San Carlos: Studied
painting and sculpture while at UCdM
o Academia de Bella Artes de San
Fernando: Drawing classes (Mr. Haes as
professor)
Early Achievements
 5 years old: Age he could read and write
 8 years old: Wrote Sa Aking Mga Kababata
  9 years old: Wrote the poem A Mother's
Birthday (at his mother’s request)
Literary Works
 Noli Me Tangere: Published in Berlin, Germany
(1887); means "Touch Me Not"; English Title: The
Social Cancer
o Maximo Viola: Savior of Noli Me Tangere;
loaned Rizal ₱300 for 2,000 copies
 El Filibusterismo: Published in Ghent, Belgium
(1891); means "Subversive"; English Title: The
Reign of Greed
o Valentin Ventura: Savior of El
Filibusterismo
 A La Juventud Filipina: "To the Filipino Youth";
dedicated to UST students; won a silver pen
 Mi Ultimo Adios: Farewell poem translated as
Pahimakas by Bonifacio
 The Philippines A Century Hence: Essay on
the future condition of the Philippines
 They Ask Me For Verses: A product of all the
melancholy of his aching soul
 Through Education Our Motherland
Received Light: Poem emphasizing education's
role in national character
 A la Virgen Maria: His first sad poem
 La Indolencia de Los Filipinos: Written as a
defense against the Spaniards who labeled
Filipinos as lazy
Personal Life
 Uzman: His black dog
 Alipato: His pony
 Notable Books:
o Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander
Dumas: First foreign book he read
o Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher
Stowe: Inspiration for Noli Me Tangere
Travel and International Influence
 May 3, 1882: First voyage using SS Salvadora
  Paris: Studied under ophthalmologist Louis de
Wecker
 Germany: Ophthalmology mentor was Otto
Becker
 Pastor Ullmer at Wilhemsfield: German
Protestant pastor who befriended him, where Noli
Me Tangere was finished
 July 5, 1887: Started his journey to return to the
Philippines after Noli was published
 Hong Kong: Conceived the idea of establishing
La Liga Filipina
 Ferdinand Blumentritt: Austrian best friend
with whom he frequently corresponded
Political and Legal
 Crimes Charged: Rebellion and organizing
illegal societies
 Exile in Dapitan: Ordered by Governor-General
Eulogio Despujol on July 14, 1892
 Execution: Ordered by Governor-General Camilo
de Polavieja
 Lawyer: Luis Taviel de Andrade defended him
during his trial
 Governor-General Ramon Blanco: Permitted
Rizal to go to Cuba as a doctor
 Philippine Commission (Taft Commission):
Proclaimed Rizal as the national hero
 Rizal Law (RA 1425): Authored by Claro M.
Recto; signed by President Magsaysay on June
12, 1956
Romantic Relationships
 Leonor Rivera: The greatest love, inspiration for
Maria Clara
 Segunda Katigbak: First love, childhood
sweetheart
 Suzanne Jacoby: Belgian who inspired him to
continue writing El Filibusterismo
  Josephine Bracken: Called her his "wife" and
"dulce extranjera"; they met in Dapitan (child:
Francisco)
 Consuelo Ortia y Perez: Casual relationship;
daughter of a liberal-minded Spanish official
Legacy
 Monuments and Memorials: Rizal monument
by Swiss sculptor Richard Kissling
 Species Named After Rizal:
o Draco rizali (flying dragon)
o Rachophorus rizali (tree frog)
o Spathomeles rizali (beetle)
Notable Quotes & Final Moments
 Last Words: "Consumatum Est" - "It Is Finished"
 Final Poem: Mi Ultimo Adios
Other Significant Events and Figures
 Laong Laan: Pen name used in La Solidaridad;
means "ever ready"
 Dimasalang: Another pen name, meaning
"untouchable"
 Pilosopo Tasyo: Paciano Rizal’s inspiration in
Noli Me Tangere
 Fray Jose Rodriguez: First Spanish friar to
attack his novels
 Dr. Felipe Ruiz Castillo: Took Rizal's vital signs
before the execution
 La Liga Filipina: Secret society founded by Rizal
on July 3, 1892
 José Maria Basa: Helped Rizal prepare the
constitution of La Liga Filipina; smuggled his
novels
 La Solidaridad:
o Founding date: February 15, 1889
o Last issue: November 15, 1895
 Capitan Tiago: Father of Maria Clara; became a
drug addict frequently visiting Calle Fumadero in
Tondo
 Doña Consolacion: Laundry woman before
marriage to the officer of the Guardia Civil;
known as the Muse of the Guardia Civil
 Don Tiburcio: Spanish husband of Doña
Victorina; limp and submissive; pretended to be a
doctor
 Crisostomo Ibarra: Real surname is
Eibarramendia
 Simoun: Reincarnated as a wealthy jeweler, bent
on starting a revolution
 Governor-General Rafael Izquierdo: Led the
Cavite Mutiny/execution of GOMBURZA
 Claro M. Recto: Authored Rizal law (RA 1425)
 Magsaysay: Signed RA 1425 on June 12, 1956
 Penafrancia: Don Kiko brought Rizal to this
pilgrimage in 1868
 Fort Santiago: Prison cell of Rizal
 R.C 1849: Royal decree giving Spanish
surnames to Filipinos (by Narcisco Claveria)
 Catalogo Alfabetico de Apellidos: List of
produced and published names
 Ricial: Means rice field
 REPUBLIC ACT No. 1425

AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND

PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COURSES
ON THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL,
PARTICULARLY HIS NOVELS NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL
FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING AND
DISTRIBUTION THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of

Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

WHEREAS, today, more than any other period of our

history, there is a need for a re-dedication to the ideals
of freedom and nationalism for which our heroes lived
and died;

WHEREAS, it is meet that in honoring them, particularly

the national hero and patriot, Jose Rizal, we remember
with special fondness and devotion their lives and
works that have shaped the national character;

WHEREAS, the life, works and writing of Jose Rizal,

particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source of
patriotism with which the minds of the youth, especially
during their formative and decisive years in school,
should be suffused;

WHEREAS, all educational institutions are under the

supervision of, and subject to regulation by the State,
and all schools are enjoined to develop moral character,
personal discipline, civic conscience and to teach the
duties of citizenship; Now, therefore:

Section 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of

Jose Rizal, particularly his novel Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, shall be included in the curricula of all
schools, colleges and universities, public or private:
Provided, that in the collegiate courses, the original or
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo of their English translation shall be used
as basic texts.

The Board of National Education is hereby authorized

and directed to adopt forthwith measures to implement
and carry out the provisions of this Section, including
the writing and printing of appropriate primers, readers
and textbooks. The Board shall, within sixty (60) days
from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate rules and
regulations, including those of disciplinary nature, to
carry out and enforce the provisions of this Act. The
Board shall promulgate rules and regulations providing
for the exemption of students for reasons of religious
belief stated in a sworn written statement, from the
requirement of the provision contained in the second
part of the first paragraph of this section; but not from
taking the course provided for in the first part of said
paragraph. Said rules and regulations shall take effect
thirty (30) days after their publication in the Official
Key Points:
Gazette.
 Mandatory Inclusion: Courses on Rizal's life and works
must be included in all educational institutions'
curricula.
 Use of Original Texts: College courses must use the
original or unedited versions of "Noli Me Tangere" and
"El Filibusterismo," or their English translations.
 Implementation: The Board of National Education is
responsible for implementing this law, creating
supporting materials, and enforcing rules.
 Exemptions: Students can be exempted from reading
the unexpurgated novels for religious reasons, with a
sworn statement, but must still take the course.
 Effectivity of Regulations: The rules will take effect 30
days after being published in the Official Gazette.
Section 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges
and universities to keep in their libraries an adequate
number of copies of the original and unexpurgated
editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as
well as of Rizal’s other works and biography. The said
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo or their translations in English as well as
other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of
approved books for required reading in all public or
private schools, colleges and universities.

The Board of National Education shall determine the

adequacy of the number of books, depending upon the
enrollment of the school, college or university.

Section 3. The Board of National Education shall cause

the translation of the Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose Rizal
into English, Tagalog and the principal Philippine
dialects; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular
editions; and cause them to be distributed, free of
charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the
Purok organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the
country.

Section 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as

amendment or repealing section nine hundred twenty-
seven of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the
discussion of religious doctrines by public school
teachers and other person engaged in any public
Key Point:
 The
school. Rizal Law mandates teaching about José Rizal's
life and works but does not allow or encourage the
discussion of religious beliefs or doctrines in public
schools.

Section 5. The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is

hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any fund
not otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury to
carry out the purposes of this Act.
Section 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 12, 1956.

Proposed by: Claro M. Recto and Jose P. Laurel
 Legislative Process of Passing a Law in the
Philippines

1. Proposal of a Bill – A bill can be proposed by a

member of Congress, either in the House of
Representatives or the Senate. It can also be
introduced by the President, through the Legislative
Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC).
2. First Reading – The proposed bill is read in its
entirety for the first time. No debate on the bill's
merits occurs at this stage. It is then referred to the
appropriate committee for study and
recommendation.
3. Committee Review – The committee reviews the
bill, holds public hearings, and solicits feedback from
experts, stakeholders, and the public. They may
amend, approve, or disapprove the bill. If approved,
a committee report is prepared, and the bill is
forwarded for the second reading.
4. Second Reading – The bill is read again, and
detailed debates occur. Members discuss the bill’s
merits, propose amendments, and vote on each
provision. If the bill passes the second reading, it
moves to the third reading.
5. Third Reading – The final version of the bill,
including all amendments, is read. Members of the
chamber vote on the entire bill. No further
amendments are allowed at this stage. If it passes,
the bill moves to the other chamber (from House to
Senate or vice versa).
6. Transmission to the Other Chamber – The
process is repeated in the other chamber (either the
Senate or House of Representatives), where the bill
goes through the same three readings and
committee review.
7. Bicameral Conference Committee – If there are
differences between the versions passed by the
 House and the Senate, a Bicameral Conference
Committee is formed to reconcile the differences.
The resulting "consolidated bill" is sent back to
both chambers for approval.
8. Approval by Both Chambers – Both the House of
Representatives and the Senate must approve the
final consolidated version of the bill.
9. Presidential Action – The approved bill is sent to
the President of the Philippines for approval. The
President can:
a. Sign the bill into law: The bill becomes a law.
b. Veto the bill: The bill is sent back to Congress
with the President's objections. Congress can
override the veto with a two-thirds vote in both
chambers.
c. Do nothing: If the President does not act on the
bill within 30 days, it automatically becomes a
law.
[Link] and Effectivity – Once signed into law
(or if the veto is overridden or no action is taken),
the law is published in the Official Gazette or a
newspaper of general circulation. The law takes
effect 15 days after its publication unless otherwise
specified in the law.