Life

and

Works
Rizal
of

Reading material

RAYMOND J. SILVESTRE
COURSE FACILITATOR
VISION
Center of Academic Excellence Delivering Quality Service to all

MISSION
Capiz State University is committed to provide advanced knowledge and innovation; develop
skills, talents and values; undertake relevant research, development and extension services;
promote entrepreneurship and environmental consciousness; and enhance industry
collaboration and linkages with partner agencies.

GOALS
Globally competitive graduates
Institutionalized research culture
Responsive and sustainable extension services
Maximized profit of viable agro-industrial business ventures
Effective and efficient administration

CORE VALUES
God- Centered
Excellence
Integrity
Transparency and Accountability
Dedication to quality Service

CAPSU QUALITY POLICY

CapSU is committed to be the center of academic excellence delivering

quality service to all by:

C ontinuing innovations and quality improvements cultivating an efficient and

effective environment for maximum clientele satisfaction;

Adhering to laws and regulations global standards and environmental change

requirements;

Participating in sustainable development projects for inclusive economic growth;

Showing quality outputs; and
Upholding values and integrity and nurturing talents and skills for global
competitiveness.

INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING OUTCOMES

A CapSU Graduate is a knowledgeable, innovator, researcher,

master of change, leader entrepreneur, environmentalist,
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 and effective collaborator in their respective fields of discipline.

THE SETTING
I. Content
RA 1425 or the Rizal Law
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 purposes.

It was written by Sen. Jose P. Laurel with a comprised version of House Bill no. 5561
which came out on April 19, 1956 in the House of Representatives and Senate Bill no. 428 on
April 3, 1956 by then Committee on Education, led by Cong. Jacobo Gonzales and Sen.
Claro Recto known as Noli-Fili Bill. It was signed by Ramon Magsaysay on June 12, 1956
and only become effective on August 16, 1956.

Three Main Goals of Rizal’s Law:

1) To rededicate the lives of the youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for
which our heroes lived and died.
2) To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping the
Filipino character.
3) To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s life, works,
and writings.

CONTENTS of the RIZAL LAW:

Section 1: This section mandates the students to read the two greatest novels of Rizal. These
two shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public or
private.

Section 2: This section mandates the schools to have “an adequate number” of copies in their
libraries.

Section 3: This section orders the Board of National Education to publish the works in
English, Tagalog, and other major Philippine languages.

Section 4: It prohibits the discussion of religious doctrines by persons engaged in any public
school.

Section 5: A sum of 300 thousand pesos is appropriated to carry out the purposes of the law.

Section 6: It shall take effect upon its approval.

SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN THE 19TH CENTURY WORLD OF RIZAL

1. Struggle for Nationalism

Nationalism is a sense of loyalty or psychological attachment that members of a nation
share, based on a common language, history, culture, and desire for independence. It is a feeling
that drives a people together as a nation. It is love of country expressed in devotion to and
advocacy of national interest and independence.

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 Negative side of Nationalism; - The ideas of national superiority and national mission
can lead to aggressive crusades and counter- crusades. - Nationalism can also stress differences
among peoples.

• The French Revolution

Rather than affect the economic landscape of the Philippines, the French
Revolution affected the political tone of the 19th century. The revolution was a period
of social and political upheaval and in France the governmental structure was
transformed from monarchy to a democratic government based on the principles of
citizenship. Spain was particularly affected by this revolution and suffered a century of
turbulent political disturbances.

• The American Revolution

Unlike the economic effects of the Industrial Revolution and the political
effects of the French Revolution, the American Revolution played a role on the
democratic aspirations of the Filipino reformist that was led by Rizal in the 19th
century. The political upheaval of the American Revolution led to North America
overthrowing the British Empire and rejecting their monarchy.

These three major events of the 18th and 19th centuries had an effect on Rizal and his
work. The turbulent environments encourage Rizal to become a strong political figure,
something that would eventually lead to his execution.

2. Spread of Liberalism and democracy

The principal ideas of liberalism- liberty and equality- were first realized successfully
in the American Revolution and then achieved in part in the French Revolution. This political
and social philosophy challenged conservatism in the European continent. -Liberalism
demanded representative government as opposed to autocratic monarchy, equality before the
law as opposed to legally separate classes. The idea of liberty also meant to specific individual
freedoms: freedom of the press; freedom of speech; freedom of assembly; and freedom from
arbitrary arrest.

Rise and Gradual Spread of Liberalism and Democracy

-Democracy became a way of life in many European countries, like Britain,
Belgium, and Switzerland.
-Democracy was gradually established thru the following means:
*promulgation of laws that advance democracy;
*undertaking of reforms thru legislation; abolition of slavery;
*adoption of a liberal constitution; providing the citizens the
*opportunity to propose laws;
*adoption of manhood suffrage; and
*granting of political, economic and social rights to the people.
3. Industrial Revolution
One of the most crucial developments in the 19th century was the Industrial
Revolution. The Industrial Revolution refers to the transformation of manufacturing brought
about by the invention and use of the machines. This development started in England and later
on spread into Belgium, France, Germany, and even in the United States.
Positive effects of industrial revolution;

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 The rise of the factory system; Mass production of essential and non-essential goods;
Improvement of people’s standard of living; Greater urbanization of society;
Beginnings of specialization or division of labor; Invention of labor-saving devices;
The beginnings of industrial capitalism; Fostering of liberalism and nationalism; and
Encouragement of people’s mobililty.

Negative effects of Industrial Revolution; -Widening of gap between the rich

and the poor; -Unending economic warfare between labor and capital and other
environmental problems -Beginning of child and women labor; and -Intensification of
imperialistic rivalry between and among industrialized countries. In the Philippines, it
caused the displacement of the farmers from their lands.

4. Advent of Science

The triumph of science and technology had at least three significant consequences. -
First, everyday experience and innumerable scientists impressed the importance of science on
the mind of ordinary citizens. -Second, as a science became more prominent in popular thinking,
the philosophical implication of science spread to broad sections of the population. Technical
advances led the people to develop optimistic faith in man’s capability to achieved progress. -
Third, the methods of science acquired unrivaled prestige after 1850. For many, the union of
careful experiment and abstract theory was the only route to truth and objective reality.

5. Optimism and Confidence in Progress

Optimism or faith in society and man’s ability to progress was brought about by the
advancement of science, the coming of steam-powered industry, and the spread of liberalism and
socialism. The optimism of the century was summed by Marquis de Condorcet in his work,
Sketch for the Historical Picture of the Progress of the Human Mind. He saw that “the strongest
reason for believing that nature has set no limit to the realization of our hopes” and foresaw “the
abolition of inequality between nations, the progress of equality within nations, and the true
perfection of humanity. Progress was now independent of any power that might wish to halt it
and will never be reversed.”

Optimism and confidence in progress can be gleaned from the achievements of men in
the 19th century. Notable among these were the following; -Extensions of human rights to many
people; -Promotion of higher education for men and women; -Education for nationalism in
schools; -Investment in science to serve mankind; -Improvement of public health thru the
establishment of numerous, hospitals; and -Emergence of realistic literature, depicting the life of
the time.

6. Historic Changes Made by Modern Imperialism

Imperialism, as it is defined by the Dictionary of Human Geography, is an unequal

human and territorial relationship, usually in the form of an empire, based on ideas of superiority
and practices of dominance, and involving the extension of authority and control of one state or
people over another

SPAIN IN THE 19TH CENTURY

1. POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN SPAIN

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 • Frequent rise and fall of ministries and constitution.
• Flow of political leaders showing the rise and fall of the conservatives and the liberals
Francisco Serrano (1868-1871)
• Acted as the regent (somebody who rules on behalf of a monarch who is unable to
rule because of youth, illness, or absence) Amadeo (1871-1873)
• Duke of Aosta, became King of Spain but his leadership was plagued by uprisings,
functional rivalries such that he abdicted from his position after 2 years. Liberals
(1873-1874)
• Established a republic (Estanislao Gigueras, Francisco Pi Y Margal, Nicolas
Salmeron, and Emilio Castelar) General Manuel Pavia
• Established dictatorship Alfonso XII (1875-1885)
• Son of Queen Isabela II became King of Campos.
• Bourbon dynasty was restored, leadership was generally peaceful; constitution of
1876 was proclaimed
• Queen Maria Cristina (1885-1886) acted as regent and lead Spain in behalf of Alfonso
XIII.

Philippines was affected by Political Instability in Spain:

1. There were 41 governor-generals in the Philippines with an average tenure of office
of only 1 year and 3 months (1853-1898)
2. Formulation and execution of a sound policy administration prevented
3. Leaders who were chosen to govern the country are not qualified
4. Maladministration, graft and corruption and bribery were created Union of the
church and state. The head of the state was governor-general while the head of the Church was
the Archbishop of Manila. Church officials complains about the interference of the church in
the running of the government.

2. ABANDONMENT OF MERCANTILISM

• Mercantilism is an economic doctrine based on the idea that a country’s wealth and
power can be measured in terms of its stock of gold and silver
• In place of mercantilism, Spain adopted the Laissez-faire policy or government non-
interference in the conduct of trade and business.
• Spain’s adoption to the Laissez-faire policy ended the Galleon trade in the Philippines
and resulted to the opening of the Philippines to world trade.

PHILIPPINES IN THE 19TH CENTURY

1. SOCIAL STRUCTURE
• Feudalistic or master slave relationship between Spaniards and the Filipinos
a.) Spanish officials, peninsulares and friars
b.) Small middle class (favored natives, mestizos, criollos)
c.) Indios

2. POLITICAL SYSTEM
Sources of abuses in the administrative system:
1. Appointment of officials with inferior qualification, without dedication to duty and more
strength to resist corruption for material advancement.

2. Too complicated function (union of the church and state)

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 3. Manner of obtaining the position >royal appointment >appointed by governor-general
>highest bidder

4. Term of office >dependent on the desire of the king

5. Distance of the colony >ignorance of the needs of the Philippines >inadequate

administrative supervision >overlapping of powers and privileges of officials

6. Personal interest over the welfare of the state ALCALDIAS OR ALCALDE >most
corrupt >administrator, judge, military commandant >P25/month with liberal allowances and
privilages >Indulto para comerciar: monopoly on trade/business practices >provincial judge.

Other “evils” during the Spanish Regime in the Philippines:

 Instability of colonial administration
 Corrupt Officialdom
 No Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes
 Human Rights Denied to Filipinos
 No Equality Before the Law
 Maladministration of Justice
 Racial Discrimination
 Frailocracy
 Forced Labor or “Polo Y Servicios”
 Haciendas Owned by the Friars
 Abuses of the Guardia Civil

3. EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
Criticisms:
a.) Overemphasis on religious matters
b.) Obsolete teaching methods
c.) Limited curriculum
d.) Poor classroom facilities
e.) Absence of teaching materials
f.) Primary education was neglected
g.) Absence of academic freedom
h.) Prejudice against Filipinos
i.) Friar control over the system

● Educational decree of 1863: the establishment of teacher training schools and for government
supervision of public school system.

4. ECONOMIC SITUATION
• The country was opened to the foreign trend at the end of 18th century which resulted
in the rapid rise of foreign firms in manila. This stimulated agricultural production and export of
sugar, rise, hemp, and tobacco.
• A number of families which prospered from foreign commerce and trade were able to
send their sons for an education in Europe.
• Filipinos who were educated abroad were able to absorb the intellectual development
in Europe.

Factors that contributed to the development of Filipino Nationalism

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1. Opening of the Philippines to international Trade and the Rise of the Middle Class
This brought prosperity to the Filipinos and Chinese mestizo resulting to the existence
of a middle class.
2. Influx of European liberalism Ideas of the enlightened philosophers like John Locke and Jean
Jacques Rosseau, mansonry and the French revolution reached the Philippines. Liberty, religious
freedom, democracy, human rights such as suffrage, freedom of speech, press and form
associations and assemblies.

3. Opening of the Suez Canal on November 17, 1869 Connects Mediterranean and red sea;
shortened distance between Europe and orient
Results: a.) Philippines became closer to Europe and Spain
b.) Encouraged European travellers to come to our country.
c.) Exodus of liberal ideas from Europe to the Philippines
d.) More educated and young Filipinos were able to study abroad.

4. Spanish revolution of 1868 and the liberal regime of Carlos Maria dela Torre (1869-1871)
Glorious September revolution of 1868: Queen Isabela II was overthrown resulting to the rise of
liberalism in Spain. Generals Juan Prim and Francisco Serrano appointed dela Torre as the
governor-general in the Philippines (true democrat) Most liberal governor-general Walked on
the streets in civilian clothes and dismissed his albaderos (halbeldiers) (the governor security
guards) and went unescorted.

Accomplishments:
1. Abolished censorship of the press and allowed unlimited discussions of political
problems and proclaimed freedom of speech
2. Abolished flogging as a punishment
3. Curtailed abuses, particularly the tribute and the polo
4. Allowed seculiar priests to be assigned to vacant parishes or seminaries and created
an office which would prevent abuses by members of the regular religious orders.
5. Reformed the Royal Audiencia to bring about speedier administration of justice.
6. Decreed educational reforms, ordered the setting up of medical, pharmacy, and
vocational schools.
7. Created the council of the Philippines on December 4, 1870 which was consultative
body to study philippine problems and propose solutions to them.

5. RAFAEL DE IZQUIERDO
(1871-1873) The Cavite Mutiny of 1872 and the Execution of GomBurZa (February
17, 1872)
Monarchy was restored in Spain, Prince Amadeo of savoy, son of Victor Emmanuel I
ascended the throne in 1870 April 4, 1871:
Izquierdo became the governor-general; “with crucifix in one hand as a sword in the
other”
(a) restored press censorship
(b) prohibited all talk on political matters and secularization of the parishes
(c) disapproved the establishment of arts and trades in manila
(d) dismissed natives and mestizos in the civil and military service

The Cavite Mutiny (January 20, 1872):

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 About 2 Filipino soldiers and workers in Fort San Felipe mutinied, under the leadership
of Sgt. La Madrid.
Caused by Izquierdo’s abolition of the exemption of Filipino workers from polo and
paying tributes: mutineers were able to kill fort commander and some soldiers.
Mutiny leaders and participants were arrested and shot to death Gomburza, fought for
the Filipinization of parishes and champions of liberalism and humanitarianism, and were
charged of sedition and rebellion due to the false testimony of Francisco Zaldua (former
Bicolano soldier and was bribed by the Spanish prosecutors to implicate them as the
masterminds of mutiny. The military court found the three priests guilty and sentenced them to
die by Garrote.

References:

Agoncillo, Teodoro A. Mangahas, Fe B. (2010). Philippine history expanded and updated

edition. Quezon City. C & E publishing, Inc.

Mojares, Resil (2013). Jose Rizal and the invention of a national literature. In Isabelo’s
archive,213-21.Mandaluyong City:Anvil.

Zaide, G. (2015), Jose Rizal: Life, works and Writings, National Book Store

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-1425

https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1956/ra_1425_1956.html
https://www.slideshare.net/cathgellecanao/rizal-ra-1425
https://www.slideshare.net/lelolewashawa/the-world-during-rizals-time
https://www.slideshare.net/marahbagunu/rizal-and-his-time

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RIZAL’S CHILDHOOD
Family Background
THE HERO’S BIRTH
• June 19, 1861- On a moonlit Wednesday between eleven and midnight JOSE
PROTACIO MERCADO RIZAL ALONZO Y REALONDA was born in the
lakeshore town of Calamba, Laguna.

MEANINGS OF NAME:
• Jose- was chosen by his mother who was a devotee of the Christian
saint San Jose (St. Joseph)
• Protacio- from Gervacio P. which come from a Christian calendar
• Mercado- adopted in 1731 by Domigo Lamco (the paternal great-great-
grandfather of Jose Rizal) which the Spanish term mercado means ‘market’ in
English
• Rizal- from the word ‘Ricial’ in Spanish means a field where wheat, cut while
still green, sprouts again
• Alonzo- old surname of his mother
• Y- and
• Realonda- it was used by Doña Teodora from the surname of her godmother
based on the culture by that time.
• His family fondly called him Pepe. • He was christened at the church on
June 22, 1861 when he was only 3 days old by Rev. Fr. Rufino Collantes, and
his godfather was Rev. Fr. Pedro Casanas, a native of Calamba and a close
friend of the Rizal family • His baptism was attested by the parish priest of the
town, Rev. Fr. Leoncio Lopez.
• Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he mastered
22 languages. These include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, French,
German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Malayan, Portuguese,
Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other native dialects. A versatile
genius, he was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator,
economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist,

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musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic surgeon, poet,
propagandist, psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, and theologian.
• Lieutenant-General Jose Lemery was the governor general of the Philippines
when Rizal was born
RIZAL’S PARENTS
Don Francisco Mercado (1818-1898) –was born in Biñan, Laguna on May 11,
1818. He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila;
became a tenant-farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda; a hardy and
independent-minded man, who talked less and worked more, and was strong in
body and valiant in spirit. Rizal affectionately called him “a model of fathers”.
He died on January 5, 1898 at the age of 80 at the house of his daughter Narcisa
shortly after the execution of his son Jose.
Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda (1826-1911) was born in Manila on November
8, 1826. She waseducated at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known college
for girls in the city -a remarkable woman, possessing refined culture, literary
talent, business ability, and the fortitude of Spartan women -is a woman of more
than ordinary culture: she knows literature and speaks Spanish. Pepe
considered her a remarkable woman. She demonstrated on how to keep families
together despite the turmoil of the Spanish Regime. She possessed business
ability, a refined culture, literary giant, and the courage of a frugal woman. She
died in Manila on August 16, 1911 at the age of 85.

THE RIZAL CHILDREN -Eleven children—two boys and nine girls

Saturnina (1850-1913) -oldest of the Rizal children -nicknamed Neneng -
married Manuel T. Hidalgo of Tanawan, Batangas. She studied at La Concordia
College; published Pascual Poblete’s tagalog translation of Noli Me Tangere.
She died in 1913 at the age of 63.
Paciano (1851-1930) -older brother and confidant of Jose Rizal -was a second
father to Rizal -immortalized him in Rizal’s first novel Noli Me Tangere as the
wise Pilosopo Tasio -Rizal regarded him as the “most noble of Filipinos” -
became a combat general in the Philippine Revolution -died on April 13, 1930
because of tuberculosis, an old bachelor aged 79 -had two children by his
mistress (Severina Decena)—a boy and a girl.
Narcisa (1852-1939) -her pet name was Sisa -married to Antonio Lopez
(nephew of Father Leoncio Lopez), a school teacher and musician of Morong.
Believed to be the only sibling that could narrate the poems of Pepe
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Olimpia (1855-1887) -Ypia was her pet name -married Silvestre Ubaldo, a
telegraph operator from Manila.Lucia (1857-1919) -married to Mariano
Herbosa of Calamba, who was a nephew of Father Casanas –Herbosa. Died of
cholera in 1889 and was denied Christian burial because he was a brother-in-
law of Dr. Rizal.
Maria (1859-1945) -Biang was her nickname -married Daniel Faustino Cruz of
Biñan, Laguna
Jose (1861-1896) -the greatest Filipino hero and peerless genius -nickname was
Pepe -lived with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl from Hong Kong -had a son but
this baby-boy died a few hours after birth; Rizal named him “Francisco” after
his father and buried him in Dapitan
Concepcion (1862-1865) -her pet name was Concha -died of sickness at the age
of 3 -her death was Rizal’s first sorrow in life.
Josefa (1865-1945) -her pet name was Panggoy -died an old maid at the age of
80.
Trinidad (1868-1951) -Trining was her pet name -she died also an old maid in
1951 aged 83.
Soledad (1870-1929) -youngest of the Rizal children -her pet name was
Choleng -married to Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba. She became a teacher.

THE RIZAL HOME

-was one of the distinguished stone houses in Calamba during the Spanish times
-it was a two-storey building, rectangular in shape, built of adobe stones and
hard-woods and roofed with red tiles -by day, it hummed with the noises of
children at play and the songs of the birds in the garden; by night, it echoed with
the dulcet notes of family prayers.

THE RIZAL FAMILY

• Lived harmoniously. They had a simple, contented and happy life
• Showed love, care and comfort to their children.
• Discipline their children.
• Religious family.

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• Love for God was their foundation to value and respect one’s right.
• Allowed their children to play in the backyard.
• They belonged to the social group of Principalias.
• They are capable of sending their children to state colleges
• Rizal always called her sisters Doña or Señora (if married) and Señorita (if
single)
• Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso Realonda married on June 28, 1848,
after which they settled down in Calamba
• The real surname of the Rizal family was Mercado, which was adopted in
1731 by Domingo Lamco (the paternal great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal),
who was a full blooded Chinese)
• Rizal’s family acquired a second surname—Rizal—which was given by a
Spanish alcalde mayor (provincial governor) of Laguna, who was a family
friend

RIZAL’S CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

• Jose’s childhood was full of joy and meaningful memories.
• He was amiable, thoughtful, and loving person.
• His mother was his first teacher who taught him how to pray, read, and write.
• He wrote a poem regarding his hometown Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo.
• His father built him a small nipa hut.
• He was also served an Aya to attend him.
• He and his Aya shared a lot of stories about folklores, myths, legends.
• He also experience playing alone and just watch the birds singing on the trees.
• Jose also enjoyed doing some drawings about animals.
• He had a pony that he used in visiting some sceneries in his place.
• He is used to mold clays and made little animals-like.
• He liked to have a night walk together with his dog Usman (Berganza).
• He considered his trip to Antipolo to be one of the happiest moments he had.

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• His first trip to Manila was to visit her sister Saturnina.
• His first grief in life was because of the death of his sister, Concha.
• At 8, Jose wrote a poem about his fellow children entitled Sa Aking mga
Kababata.
• Jose also witnessed the brutal actions of the Guardia Civil to some innocent
people. This made and gave him the idea to offer his life in the service of his
countrymen.
As typical Filipino, Rizal was a product of the mixture of races. In his veins
flowed the blood of both East and West. Predominantly, he was a Malayan and
was a magnificent specimen of Asian manhood. Rizal's great-great grandfather
on his father side was Domingo Lamco, a Chinese immigrant from the Fukien
city of Changchow, who arrived in Manila in about 1690. He became a
Christian, married a well-to-do Chinese Christian Girl of Manila named Ines de
la Rosa, and assumed in 1731 the surname Mercado, which was appropriate for
him because he was a merchant. From Parian, the family migrated to Biñan and
became tenants in the Dominican estate. Lamco’s on son, Francisco, who was to
be Rizal’s great grandfather was taken, witty and liberal young man. He became
quite well-to-do and popular enough to be appointed municipal captain of Biñan
in 1783. The family adopted the surname “Mercado” to free the younger
generation from the prejudices that followed those with a Chinese name.

At the age of eight, Francisco Mercado lost his father and grew up to manhood
under the care of his mother. He studied Latin and Philosophy in the College of
San Jose in Manila. While studying in Manila, He met and fell in love with
Teodora Alonso Realonda, a Student in the College of Santa Rosa. They were
married on June 28, 1848. After which they settle down in Calamba, where they
engaged in farming and business and reared a big family.

Francisco Mercado’s wife, Bernanda Monicha, was a Chinese mestiza. They

were blessed with two children: Juan and Clemente. Juan married Cirila
Alejandra, also a Chinese mestiza. The couple had fourteen children, including
Francisco who was to be Rizal’s father. Francisco and two of his sisters moved
to Dominican estate in Calamba and became pioneer farmers.

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It is said that Doña Teodora's family descended from Lakandula, the last native
king Tondo. Her great-grandfather, Rizal's maternal great-great-grandfather,
Eugenio Ursua (of Japanese ancestry), who married a Filipina named Benigna
(surname unknown). Their daughter, Regina, married Manuel de Quintos,
Filipino-Chinese lawyer from Pangasinan. One of the daughters of Atty.
Quintos and Regina was Brigida, who married Lorenzo Alberto Alonso, a
prominent Spanish-Filipino mestizo of Biñan. Their children were Narcisa,
Teodora (Rizal's mother), Gregorio, Manuel, and Jose.

Materially, socially, and professionally, the family of Teodora Alonso

was better off than the family of her husband. In those days when professionals
were few, the Alonso clan could boast of a number of lawyers, priests,
engineers and government officials. Teodora, Rizal’s mother whose parents
were Lorenzo Alberto Alonso and Brigida Ochoa belonged to professionally
famous family form Baliuag, Bulacan.

Calamba, the Hero’s Town

Calamba was named after a big native jar -Calamba was a hacienda town which
belonged to the Dominican Order, which also owned all the lands around it. It
is a small town nestling at the foot of Mt. Makiling as it slopes down to Laguna
de Bay. Its scenic environment gave the young Rizal the right impetus for his
poetic and artistic creativity. Its share of unhappiness also shaped noble and
heroic spirit. The surroundings of his home opened to him the many wonders of
nature.

Earliest Childhood Memories

 The first memory of Rizal, in his infancy, was his happy days in the family
garden when he was three years old. Because he was a sick child, he was given
the tenderest care by his parents. His father built a little nipa cottage in the
garden for him to play in the day time.
 Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus prayer. By nightfall, his
mother gathered all the children at the house to pray the Angelus.
 Another memory of his infancy was the nocturnal walk in the town. The maid
took him for a walk in the moonlight by the river.

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In the midst of the orchard that surrounded the house in Calamba, the father of
Rizal constructed a modest nipa hut. Nature provided him with rich imagery for
his future poems.
At the age of four he could recognize the martin, the maya, multi-
colored kuliawan, and many others. In the afternoon, protected from the tropical
sun by the shadow of Mount Makiling, the young Rizal contemplated at these
birds with joy. How happy he was in that communion with nature!
His mother provided him with a mind equipped with a great capacity for
assimilation and with exceptional intelligence, she taught him how to read and
write, she inculcated in him a sense of duty. She corrected his faults, especially
his obstinacy. To accomplish this, she used parables, which Jose, like other
children loved to listen to. At the end of each parable, the mother explaining the
symbolism brought out a moral lesson.
In his hours of leisure he would return to the orchard where the study of
insects held his interest. Since childhood hobbies are usually those that last, Jose
retained his inclination to botany and zoology up to the end.

The Hero’s First Sorrow

 Jose loved most the little Concha (Concepcion). He was a year older than
Concha. He played with her and from her he learned the sweetness of a sisterly
love.
 Unfortunately, Concha died of sickness in 1865 when she was three years
old. Jose, who was very fond of her, cried bitterly at losing her. “When I was
four years old, I lost my little sister Concha, and then for the first time I shed
tears caused by love and grief…”
Devoted Son of the Church
 At the age of three, he began to take part in the family prayers. His mother
was a devout Catholic, taught him the Catholic prayers, when he was five years
old, he was able to read haltingly the Spanish family Bible.
 Father Leoncio Lopez- he is the town priest. Jose Rizal used to visit him and
listen to his stimulating opinions on current events and sound philosophy of life.
Pilgrimage to Antipolo

15
 On June 6, 1868, Jose and his father left Calamba to go on a pilgrimage to
Antipolo, in order to fulfill his mother’s vow which was made when Jose was
born.
 It was the first trip of Jose across Laguna de Bay. After praying at the shrine
of the Virgin of Antipolo, Jose and his father went to Manila. It was the first
time Jose saw Manila. They visited Saturnina, who was then a boarding student
at La Concordia College in Sta. Ana.
Artistic Talents
 Since early childhood Rizal revealed his God-given talent for art. At the age
of five, he began to make sketches with his pencil and to mold in clay and wax
objects.
 At the age of five, Rizal began to make sketches with his pencil and to mold
in clay and wax objects which attracted his fancy
 Sa Aking Mga Kabata (To My Fellow Children) - Rizal’s first poem in native
language at the age of eight -reveals Rizal’s earliest nationalist sentiment
 At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first dramatic work which was a Tagalog
comedy
 The Story of the Moth- made the profoundest impression on Rizal -“died a
martyr to its illusions”
MARTYRDOM OF GOM-BUR-ZA
• Night of January 20, 1872- about 200 Filipino soldiers and workmen of the
Cavite arsenal under the leadership of Lamadrid, Filipino sergeant, rose in
violent mutiny because of the abolition of their usual privileges
• Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora- were executed at
sunrise of February 17, 1872, by order of Governor General Izquierdo
• The martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za in 1872 truly inspired Rizal to fight the evils
of Spanish tyranny and redeem his oppressed people • Rizal dedicated his
second novel, El Filibusterismo, to Gom-Bur-Za

INJUSTICE TO THE HERO’S MOTHER

• Before June, 1872- Doña Teodora was suddenly arrested on a malicious
charge that she and her brother, Jose Alberto, tried to poison the latter’s
perfidious wife • Antonio Vivencio del Rosario- Calamba’s gobernadorcillo,

16
helped arrest Doña Teodora . • After arresting Doña Teodora, the sadistic
Spanish lieutenant forced her to walk from Calamba to Santa Cruz (capital of
Laguna province), a distance of 50 kilometers
• Doña Teodora was incarcerated at the provincial prison, where she languished
for two years and a half. • Messrs. Francisco de Marcaida and Manuel Marzan-
the most famous lawyers of Manila, defended Doña Teodora.
Influences on the Hero’s Boyhood
Hereditary influence
From his Malayan ancestors, Rizal inherited his love for freedom, his innate
desire to travel, and his indomitable courage.
 From his Chinese ancestors, he derived his serious nature, frugality, patience,
and love for children.  From his Spanish ancestors, he got his elegance of
bearing, sensitivity to insult, and gallantry to ladies.
 From his father, he inherited a profound sense of self-respect, the love for
work, and the habit of independent thinking.
 And from his mother, he inherited his religious nature, the spirit of self-
sacrifice, and the passion for arts and literature.
Environmental influence
The scenic beauties of Calamba and the beautiful garden of the Rizal family
stimulated the inborn artistic and literary talents of Jose Rizal.
 The religious atmosphere at his home fortified his religious nature.
 His brother, Paciano, instilled in his mind the love for freedom and justice.
From his sisters, he learned to be courteous and kind to women.
 His three uncles, inspired him:
• Tio Jose Alberto- studied for eleven years in British school in Calcutta, India
and had traveled in Europe inspired Rizal to develop his artistic ability
• Tio Manuel- a husky and athletic man, encouraged Rizal to develop his frail
body by means of physical exercises
• Tio Gregorio- a book lover, intensified Rizal’s voracious reading of good
books
 Father Leoncio Lopez, the old and learned parish priest of Calamba, fostered
Rizal’s love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

17
 The death of his sister Concha and the imprisonment of his mother,
contributed to strengthen his character, enabling him to resist blows of adversity
in later years.
 The Spanish cruelties and abuses awakened his spirit of patriotrism and
inspired him to consecrate his life and talents to redeem his oppressed people.
Aid of Divine Providence
Rizal was providentially destined to be the pride and glory of his nation. God
had endowed him with the versatile gifts of a genius, the vibrant spirit of a
nationalist, and the valiant heart to sacrifice for a noble cause.
Education in Calamba and Biñan
The Hero’s First Teacher
The first teacher of Rizal was his mother.
He learned the alphabet and prayers at the age of three.
As a tutor, Doña Teodora was patient, conscientious and understanding.
She first discovered that her son had a talent for poetry. \
 She encouraged him to write poems.
She related many stories to lighten the monotony of memorizing the ABC’s
and to stimulate her son’s imagination (e.g. El Amigo De Los Ninos o Ang
kaibigan ng mga Bata, and The Moth story).

Rizal’s private tutors at home:

 Maestro Celestino – First tutor
 Maestro Lucas Padua – Second tutor (Arithmetic)
 Leon Monroy A former classmate of Rizal’s father. This old teacher lived at
the Rizal home and
instructed Jose in Spanish and Latin. He did not lived long and died five
months later.
• After Monroy’s death, the parents of Rizal decided to send him to a private
school in Biñan.

Rizal Moves to Biñan

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• Sunday afternoon of June 1869, Rizal left Calamba to move in Biñan.
• Paciano accompanied Rizal in his trip on board a carromata.
• Their travel lasted for one and a half hour. Then proceed to their Aunt’s house,
where Rizal was to lodge.
• That Sunday night, his cousin Leandro invited him for a walk around the town
to familiarize Rizal with the place but at that time, he felt homesick as he
remembered his mother and sisters.

First Day at the Village School

• He was accompanied again by Paciano to the village school under the charge
of Maestro Justiniano Cruz, Paciano’s teacher during his elementary school
days.
• Pedro – son of Maestro Cruz, laughed at Rizal because of his response to the
Maestro’s question.
• In the afternoon of Rizal’s first day in school, he challenged Pedro to a fight.
• After the class in the afternoon, his classmate named Andres Salandanan
challenged him to an arm-wrestling match.
• In succeeding days he had other fights with the boys of Binan. He was not
quarrelsome by nature, but he never ran away from fight.

Academic Studies at the Village School

• Even at this level of education, Rizal was able to demonstrate his intellectual
superiority– the best in his class in Latin, Spanish, and the rest of the subjects. •
Because of this, he was the object of jealousy by his classmates; and thus was
made to look bad in front of the maestro and was punished.
Academic Instruction at the Village School
• He did not enjoy his schooling at the village school, under Maestro Justiniano
Cruz. He did not even like his teacher, who he described as a tall man with a
long neck and a sharp nose and a body bent slightly forward. But though he did
not like him, he considered him an expert in Latin and Spanish grammars. One
thing he hated from him was his use of corporal punishment in making the
pupils learn the lesson for the day (he considered it barbarous). He highlight his

19
hatred for that type of instruction in his Noli Me Tangere. For him (Ibarra), a
school has to be a playground of the mind and not a torture chamber.
Life at Biñan
He had a very systematic and disciplined life
Woke up 4:00 in the morning, attended the mass, went home and studied
lessons, took his breakfast, and attended class until 10:00. He would go home
for lunch; after resting for an hour, he would return to school for afternoon
classes from 2:00- 5:00; by 6:00, he had to pray with his cousins and study for a
while.
After suppertime, when there was a moon, he played with his nieces in the
street.
He also took painting and drawing lessons under Maestro Cruz’s father-in-
law, the old Juancho, and eventually became his apprentice.

References:
Bagolong, et.al., (2014) Jose Rizal’s life, works and writings
Mojares, Resil (2013). Jose Rizal and the invention of a national
literature. In Isabelo’s archive,213-21.Mandaluyong City:Anvil.
Zaide, G. (2015), Jose Rizal: Life, works and Writings, National Book
Store.
https://www.slideshare.net/Gian_romano/the-life-of-rizal
https://www.slideshare.net/krixfrancisco/chapter-2-rizal
https://www.joserizal.com/childhood-jose-rizal
https://www.slideshare.net/kazekage15/rizal-chapter-3-early-education-in-
calamba-and-binan
https://www.slideshare.net/kellyviduya/jose-rizal-ppt-nung-bata-pa.
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/dr-jos-protasio-rizal.

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HIGHER EDUCATION OF RIZAL
1.1. Ateneo De Municipal
Scholastic Triumphs at Ateneo de manila (1872-1877)
•Ateneo Municipal- a college under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits
• Escuela Pia (Charity School)- formerly name of Ateneo, a school for poor
boys in Manila which was established by the city government in 1817.
• The Jesuits returned to Manila in 1859 and they were given the management
of the Escuela Pia or what we now know as Ateneo de Manila

Rizal Enters the Ateneo

• June 10, 1872, accompanied by Paciano went to Manila
• His father, change his mind and decided to send him to Ateneo instead.
• He again returned to Manila, again accompanied by Paciano, matriculated at
the Ateneo Municipal.
• Father Magin Ferrando, who was the college registrar, refused to admit him
for two reasons:
(1) he was late for registration
(2) he was sickly and undersized for his age
• Manuel Xerez Burgos-because of his intercession, nephew of Father Burgos,
Rizal was reluctantly admitted at the Ateneo

21
• Jose was the first of his family to adopt the surname “Rizal”. He registered
under this name at Ateneo because their family name “Mercado” had come
under the suspicion of the Spanish authorities
• Rizal was first boarded in a house outside Intramuros, on Caraballo Street.
This was owned by a spinster named Titay who owed the Rizal family the
amount of 300 pesos
Jesuit System of Education
• The Jesuit system of education is more advanced than that of other colleges in
that period. It trained the character of the student by rigid discipline and
religious instructions. The students heard Mass in the morning before
beginning of the daily class.
• Students were divided into two groups: The Roman Empire- consisting of
internos (boarders); red banner
• The Carthaginian Empire- composed of the externos (non-boarders); blue
banner.
The two groups have an emperor which is the best student in each “empire”
• Tribune- the second best
• Decurion- the third best
• Centurion-the fourth best
• Stand-bearer- the fifth best
• The Ateneo students in Rizal’s time wore a uniform which consisted of
“hemp-fabric trousers” and “striped cotton coat”. The coat material was called
rayadillo.

Rizal’s First Year in Ateneo (1872-73)

• Father Jose Bech- Rizal’s first professor in Ateneo whom he described as a
“tall thin man, with a body slightly bent forward, a harried walk, an ascetic face,
severe and inspired, small deep-sunken eyes, a sharp nose that was almost
Greek, and thin lips forming an arc whose ends fell toward the chin.
• Rizal was placed at the bottom of the class. • He progressed rapidly and at the
end of the month he became “emperor”.

22
• A Religious picture- Rizal’s first prize for being the brightest pupil in the
whole class
• To improve his Spanish, Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College
during the noon recesses. He paid three pesos for those extra Spanish lessons
• At the end of the school year in March, 1873, Rizal returned to Calamba for
summer vacation.

Summer Vacation (1873)

• He placed second at the end of the year
• End of the school year in March, 1873 and the start of his summer vacation
• He went to Santa Cruz to visit his mother in prison.

Second Year in Ateneo (1873-74)

• When the summer vacation ended, Rizal returned to Manila for his second
year term in Ateneo. This time he boarded inside Intramuros at No. 6
Magallanes Street. His landlady was an old widow named Doña Pepay
• At the end of the school year, Rizal received excellent grades in all subjects
and a gold medal
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas- the first favorite novel of
Rizal which made a deep impression on him
• Universal History by Cesar Cantu- Rizal persuaded his father to buy him this
set of historical work that was a great aid in his studies
• Dr. Feodor Jagor- a German scientist-traveler who visited the Philippines in
1859-1860 who wrote Travels in the Philippines -Rizal was impressed in this
book because of (1) Jagor’s keen observations of the defects of Spanish
colonization (2) his prophecy that someday Spain would lose the Philippines
and that America would come to succeed her as colonizer.

Third Year in Ateneo (1875-76)

Rizal grades remained excellent in all subjects but he won only one medal
—in Latin -At the end of the school year (March 1875), Rizal returned to

23
Calamba for the summer vacation. He himself was not impressed by his
scholastic work.

Fourth Year in Ateneo (1875-1876)

June 16, 1875- Rizal became an interno in the Ateneo
• Padre Francisco de Paula Sanchez- a great educator and scholar, one of
Rizal’s professors who inspired him to study harder and to write poetry -Rizal
described this Jesuit professor as “model of uprightness, earnestness, and love
for the advancement of his pupils”
• Rizal topped all his classmates in all subjects and won five medals at the
end of the school term.
Last Year in Ateneo (1876-77)
Rizal’s studies continued to fare well. As a matter-of-fact, he excelled in
all subjects. The most brilliant Atenean of his time, he was truly “the pride of
the Jesuits” • March 23, 1877- Commencement Day, Rizal, who was 16 years
old, received from his Alma Mater, Ateneo Municipal, the degree of Bachelor
of Arts, with highest honors
• Marian Congregation- a religious society wherein Rizal was an active
member and later became the secretary.
• Rizal cultivated his literary talent under the guidance of Father Sanchez
• Father Jose Vilaclara- advised Rizal to stop communing with the Muse and
pay more attention to more practical studies
• Rizal studied painting under the famous Spanish painter, Agustin Saez,
and sculpture under Romualdo de Jesus, noted Filipino sculptor
• Rizal carved an image of the Virgin Mary on a piece of batikuling
(Philippine hardwood) with his pocket- knife
• Father Lleonart- impressed by Rizal’s sculptural talent, requested him to
carve for him an image of Sacred Heart of Jesus

Graduation with Highest Honors

• March 23, 1877 – Commencement Day

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Extra-Curricular Activities in Ateneo:
• Marian Congregation – secretary
• Devotion to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception
• Spanish Literature
• Academy of Natural Sciences
• Father Sanchez - literature
• Father Jose Villaclara – practical studies
• Agustin Saez – painting
• Romualdo de Jesus – sculpting
• Tio Manuel – gymnastics and fencing
Sculptural Works in Ateneo
• Image of the Virgin Mary – batikuling (Philippine hardwood using a pocket
knife)
• Father Lleonart – requested him to carve the image of Sacred Heart of Jesus

Anecdotes on Rizal, the Atenean

• Felix M. Roxas – resignation to pain and forgiveness
• Mansano and Lesaca – quarreled and violently hurled books at each other
• Manuel Xeres Burgos – boarded shortly
• Julio Meliza from Iloilo – crying because of the kite

Poems and Artistic Works

It was Doña Teodora who was first discovered the poetic genius of her son, and
it was also she who first encouraged him to write poems. However, it was
Father Sanchez who inspired Rizal to make full use of his God-given gift in
poetry
• Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration), 1874- the first poem Rizal
probably wrote during his days in Ateneo which was dedicated to his mother on
her birthday; Rizal wrote it before he was 14 years old.

25
In 1875, inspired by Father Sanchez, Rizal wrote more poems, as such:
1. Felicitacion (Felicitationi)
2. El Embarque: Himno a la Flota de Magallanes (The Departure: Hymn to
Magellan’s Fleet)
3. Y Es Espanol; Elcano, el Primero en dar la Vuelta al Mundo (And He is
Spanish: Elcano, the First to Circumnavigate the World)
4. El Combate: Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo (The Battle: Urbiztondo, Terror of
Jolo)-

In 1876, Rizal wrote poems on various topics-religion, education, childhood

memories and war. They were as follows:
1. Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town) - a tender poem in
honor of Calamba, the hero’s natal town
2. Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion (Intimate Alliance
Between Religion and Good Education) - Rizal showed the importance of
religion in education
3. Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through Education the Country
Receives Light) - Rizal believed in the significant role which education plays in
the progress and welfare of a nation.
4. El Cautiverio y el Triunfo: Batalla de Lucena y Prision de Boabdil (The
Captivity and the Triumph: Battle of Lucena and the Imprisonment of Boabdil)
- this martial poem describes the defeat and capture of Boabdil, last Moorish
sultan of Granada
5. La Entrada Triunfal de los Reyes Catolices en Granada (The Triumphal Entry
of the Catholic Monarchs into Granada) - this poem relates the victorious entry
of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel into Granada, last Moorish stronghold in
Spain.
A year later, in 1877, Rizal wrote more poems. It was his last years in Ateneo.
Among the poems written that year were:
1. El Heroismo de Colon (The Heroism of Columbus) - this poem praises
Columbus, the discoverer of America

26
2. Colon y Juan II (Columbus and John II) - this poem relates how King Kohn II
of Portugal missed fame and riches by his failure to finance the projected
expedition of Columbus to the New World
3. Gran Consuelo en la Mayor Desdicha (Great Solace in Great Misfortune) -
this is a legend in verse of the tragic life of Columbus
4. Un Dialogo Aluviso a la Despedida de los Colegiales (A Farewell Dialogue
of the Students)- this was the last poem written by Rizal in Ateneo; it is a
poignant poem of farewell to his classmate
• Al Niño Jesus (To the Child Jesus)- this poem was written in 1875 when
Rizal was 14 years old; it was a brief ode.
• A La Virgen Maria (To the Virgin Mary) - another religious poem
which doesn’t have exact date when it was written
• San Eustacio, Martir (St. Eustace, the Martyr) - a drama based on the
prose story of St. Eustace which he wrote in poetic verses during the summer
vacation of 1876 and finished it on June 2, 1876

First Romance of Rizal

• Segunda Katigbak – 14-yr. old Batanguena from Lipa
• Visited his maternal grandmother in Trozo, Manila with his friend Mariano
Katigbak
• He came to know Segunda more intimately during his weekly visits to La
Concordia College
• It was “a love at first sight”
• Hopeless – Segunda engaged to Manuel Luz
• Thursday – December 1877;Visited her at La Concordia College to say
goodbye
• First Romance: “ruined by his own shyness and reserve,”

Rizal at the University of Santo Tomas (1877-1882

• After finishing the first year of a course in Philosophy and Letters (1877-
1878), Rizal transferred to the medical course-“Don’t send him to Manila again;
he knows enough. If he gets to know more, the Spaniards will cut off his head.”-

27
Doña Teodora, vigorously opposed the idea that Rizal pursue higher learning in
the university. However, Paciano and Don Francisco wanted Rizal to pursue
College Education.
• April 1877- Rizal who was then nearly 16 years old, matriculated in the
University of Santo Tomas, taking the course on Philosophy and Letters
because (1) his father like it (2) he was “still uncertain as to what career to
pursue”. (The Bachelor of Arts degree during Spanish times was equivalent to
a high school diploma today); and (3) Failure to solicit the advice of Father
Pablo Ramon-Rector of Ateneo, who had been good to him during his student
days in that college, was then in Mindanao.
• It was during the following term (1878-1879) that Rizal, shifted from PHL &
Letters to Medicine because:
1.) Don Pablo Ramon, Ateneo Rector, advised him to choose medicine; and
2.) Rizal wanted to cure his mother’s growing blindness.
• During Rizal’s first school term in the University of Santo Tomas
(1877-1878), Rizal also studied in Ateneo. He took the vocational course
leading to the title of perito agrimensor (expert surveyor)
• Rizal excelled in all subjects in the surveying course in Ateneo, obtaining gold
medals in agriculture and topography
• November 25, 1881- the title was issued to Rizal for passing the final
examination in the surveying course.
Extra-curricular activities in Ateneo while studying at UST:
 President of the Academy of Spanish Literature
 Secretary of the Academy of Natural Sciences
 Secretary of the Marian Congregation

28
Literary Works of Rizal
• A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth) - Rizal, who was then 18 years
old, submitted this poem -is an inspiring poem of flawless form. Rizal
beseeched the Filipino youth to rise from lethargy, to let genius fly swifter than
the wind and descend with art and science to break the chains that have long
bound the spirit of the people -this winning poem of Rizal is a classic in
Philippine literature for two reasons: (1) it was the great poem in Spanish
written by a Filipino, whose merit was recognized by Spanish literary
authorities (2) it expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the
Filipinos, and not the foreigners, were the “fair hope of the Fatherland.
• The Board of Judges, composed of Spaniards, was impressed by Rizal’s poem
and gave it the first prize which consisted of a silver pen, feather-shaped and
decorated with a gold ribbon.
• El Consejo de los Dioses (The Councils of the Gods) - an allegorical drama
written by Rizal which he entered in the literary contest of Artistic-Literary
Lyceum in 1880 to commemorate the fourth centennial of the death of
Cervantes -was a literary masterpiece based on the Greek classics
• The prize was awarded to Rizal, a gold ring on which was engraved the bust of
Cervantes
29
• D.N. del Puzo- a Spanish writer, won the second prize.
• Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig) - a zarzuela which was staged by the
Ateneans on December 8, 1880, on the occasion of the annual celebration of the
Feats Day of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the Ateneo - Rizal wrote
it as President of the Academy of Spanish Literature in Ateneo
• A Filipinas- a sonnet written by Rizal for the album of the Society of
Sculptors; in this sonnet, he urged all Filipino artists to glorify the Philippines.
• Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma- Rizal composed a poem in 1879 which was
declaimed by an Atenean, Manuel Fernandez, on the night of December 8,
1879, in honor of the Ateneo’s Patroness.
• Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon- Rizal composed a poem in 1881, as an expression of
affection to Father Pablo Ramon, the Ateneo rector, who had been so kind and
helpful to him.
• Vicenta Ybardolaza- a pretty girl colegiala who skillfully played the harp at
the Regalado home, whom Rizal was infatuated in Pakil
• Rizal mentioned Turumba (wherein the people dancing in the streets during
the procession in honor of the miraculous Birhen Maria de los Dolores) in
Chapter VI of Noli Me Tangere and Pagsanjan Falls in his travel diary (United
States—Saturday, May 12, 1888), where he said that Niagara Falls was the
“greatest cascades I ever saw” but “not so beautiful nor fine as the falls at Los
Baños, Pagsanjan”
• Compañerismo (Comradeship)- Rizal founded a secret society of Filipino
students in University of Santo Tomas in 1880
• Companions of Jehu- members of the society whose after the valiant Hebrew
general
• Galicano Apacible-Rizal’s cousin from Batangas who is the secretary of the
society

UNHAPPY DAYS AT THE UST

Rizal found the atmosphere at the University of Santo Tomas suffocating to his
sensitive spirit. He was unhappy at this Dominican institution of higher learning
because (1) the Dominican professors were hostile to him (2) the Filipino
students were racially discriminated against by the Spaniards (3) the method of
instruction was obsolete and repressive. -In Rizal’s novel, El Filibusterismo, he

30
described how the Filipino students were humiliated and insulted by their
Dominican professors and how backward the method of instruction was,
especially in the teaching of the natural sciences.
Reasons why Rizal performed poorly at UST:
1.) Medicine is not his vocation.
2.) Discontentment with the system of education.
3.) Distractions of youth.

Romances
• Segunda Katigbak - Rizal’s puppy love Batangas
• Miss L – fair with seductive and attractive eyes Calamba
• Leonor Valenzuela – Orang Pagsanjan, Laguna Rizal sent love notes
written in invisible ink
• Leonor Rivera – a frail, beautiful girl, tender as a budding flower with kindly
wistful eyes Camiling,
Tarlac April 11, 1867 Father: Antonio Rivera University: La
Concordia College Taimis
• Vicenta Ybardaloza Pagsanjan Can play Harp

Student Activism at UST

• Rizal displayed his leadership in student activism.
• Indio/chongo vs kastila/bangus
• Bitter hostility exists
• Racial animosity

Decision to Go to Europe;
 To complete his medical course in Barcelona, Spain.
 To make a name for himself in the field of Journalism.
 To observe and study European Society.

31
 To prepare himself for the task of liberating the Filipinos from Spanish
Tyranny.
Medical Studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid
RIZAL IN PENINSULAR SPAIN
Rizal decided to leave the country not just to complete his medical studies in
Europe. Hidden purposes for his voyage:
 to make a name for himself in the realm of journalism;
 to observe and study European society; and
 to prepare himself for the task of liberating the Filipinos from Spanish
tyranny.
SECRET DEPARTURE
ᴥ May 1 1882-Rizal left Calamba and was able to reach Manila after ten hours
of journey via a carromata.
ᴥ No one among the family members of Rizal knew his departure for Spain,
except Paciano, Saturnina, his Tio Antonio and a few friends.
ᴥ His brother Paciano did everything to ensure that Rizal can leave the country
secretly. He secured Rizal a passport with the name Jose Mercado.
ᴥ Rizal stayed in Manila for 2 days before his trip to Spain.
ᴥ Before leaving, he heard the mass at Santo Domingo Church in the Walled
City and then proceeded to Pasig to board the cruiser Salvadora, bound for
Singapore.
ITINERARY TO SPAIN
ᴥ He felt very sad leaving his country and family.
ᴥ To entertain himself, Rizal made sketches of his fellow passengers and things
he saw along the way. 
ᴥ Arrived at Singapore after 1week and stayed for 2days.
ᴥ Took time to visit its botanical garden, art galleries, parks, and some historical
spots. He recorded in his diary every detail of what he was able to observe.
ᴥ Rizal boarded the ship Djemnah, which shall ferry him to France. The ship
stop over at Point Galle in Ceylon, Aden and Port Said at Suez Canal.

32
ᴥ June 11,1882 the steamer reached Naples. Rizal was impressed with Naples,
an Italian city, for its panoramic beauty, and lively people.
ᴥ June 12,1882-from Naples, the steamer sailed to France.
ᴥ It docked at the Harbor of Marseilles. Rizal was impressed by the courtesy of
the customs police. He was likewise, enchanted by its graceful and impressive
buildings and the courtesy and refined manners of the French men.
ᴥ Rizal took the train going to Barcelona.
ᴥ At first Rizal has a negative impression of the city and its people. Later, he
came to like Barcelona due to the prevalence of freedom and liberalism in the
city and the good qualities demonstrated by its residents open heartedness;
hospitality; and courage.
RIZAL IN BARCELONA
ᴥ Rizal was welcome by the Filipinos in Barcelona, most of who were his
former classmates at Ateneo Municipal. They had a welcome party at favorite
coffee house at Plaza De Cataluña.
ᴥ Rizal had a walk around city to see the famous historical spots of Barcelona.
ᴥ While in Barcelona, Rizal took time writing to his family, relatives and
friends in the Philippines.
ᴥ He did not forget one of his missions that of making a name for himself in the
field of writing.
ᴥ Paciano believed that Rizal would be able to express his nationalistic and
patriotic sentiment which in effect can arouse the hostility and suspicion of the
Spanish Regime. Rizal will be transformed into a patriot, a novelist and a
nationalist.
EL AMOR PATRIO
ᴥ A nationalistic essay entitled meaning “Love of Country”, his first article
written in Spain.
ᴥ Rizal wrote this essay when he was still 21yearsold, under the pseudonym
Laonglaan.
ᴥ It came out on Aug. 20,1882 in the Diariong Tagalog in Manila, for the first
time he used the term Tierra Extranjera (foreign Land) in referring to Spain.
ᴥ After El Amor Patrio, Rizal stopped producing nationalistic articles due to the
following reasons:

33
 The opposition of his mother
 Difficulty of recognition in a foreign country
 Desire to finish his studies
RIZAL MOVES TO MADRID
ᴥ September 1882 - Rizal decided to move to the capital city of Spain to
continue his studies.
ᴥ He enrolled in philosophy and letters and licentiate in medicine at the
Universidad Central de Madrid. ᴥ He took lessons in painting and sculpture at
the Academia de San Fernando.
ᴥ Lessons in fencing, at the schools of Sanzan Carbonell; and lessons in
English, French and German in Madrid Ateneo.
ᴥ He also contemplated taking the examination in Roman law for possible
enrollment in law
ᴥ Rizal was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad
Central de Madrid on June 21, 1884. The next academic year, he studied and
passed all subjects leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine. However, he
did not submit the thesis required for graduation nor paid the corresponding
fees. He was not awarded his Doctor’s Diploma.
ᴥ Jose Rizal also finished his studies in Philosophy and Letters with higher
grades. He was awarded the Degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by
the Universidad Central de Madrid on June 19, 1885 (his 24th birthday) with the
rating of excellent.
RIZAL AND THE FILIPINO EXPATRIATES IN MADRID
• ‡Despite of Rizal’s hectic schedule, he found time to associate with Pedro
Paterno, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Gregorio Sanciano, Juan Luna, Felix Hidalgo,
Marcelo del Pilar and others.
• ‡Rizal, Jaena and Del Pilar were closely associated and the trio were called the
Triumvirate of the Propaganda Movement.
RIZAL’S AFFAIR WITH CONSUELO
ᴥ Don Pablo Ortega y Rey - the former city mayor of Manila during the time of
Governor Carlos de la Torre. He is the father of Pilar and Consuelo.
ᴥ Rizal was attracted to Consuelo due to her refined manners and enchanting
smile. He gave flowers occasionally, which Consuelo appreciated. Consuelo fell

34
in love with him. However, Rizal suppressed his emotions since he was still
engaged with Leonor Rivera. Besides, he did not want to destroy his friendship
with Eduardo de late, who was madly in love with Consuelo. Before leaving
Madrid, he composed a poem for Consuelo, which was entitled A la Seniorita
C.O. y R.

References
Bagolong, et.al., (2014) Jose Rizal’s life, works and writings
Delos Santos, Andres R. (2013). A Review on the life and works of the first
Filipino : Jose Rizal. Jimczyville Publications, Malabon City
Zaide, G. (2015), Jose Rizal: Life, works and Writings, National Book Store.
https://www.joserizalproject.weebly.com/jose-rizalrsquos-educational..
https://www.slideshare.net/JinkyIsla/jose-rizals-educational..
https://www.slideshare.net/NorielCaisip/rizal-chapter-4-scholastic-triumphs-at-
ateneo-de-manila-1872-1877

RIZAL’S IDEAS AND IDEALS

Rizal as a Propagandist
Between 1872 and 1892, a national consciousness was growing among the
Filipino émigrés who had settled in Europe. In the freer atmosphere of Europe,
these émigrés--liberals exiled in 1872 and students attending European
universities--formed the Propaganda Movement. Organized for literary and
cultural purposes more than for political ends, the Propagandists, who included
upper-class Filipinos from all the lowland Christian areas, strove to "awaken the
sleeping intellect of the Spaniard to the needs of our country" and to create a
closer, more equal association of the islands and the motherland. Among their
specific goals were representation of the Philippines in the Cortes, or Spanish
parliament; secularization of the clergy; legalization of Spanish and Filipino
equality; creation of a public school system independent of the friars; abolition
of the polo (labor service) and vandala (forced sale of local products to the
government); guarantee of basic freedoms of speech and association; and equal
opportunity for Filipinos and Spanish to enter government service.

35
The most outstanding Propagandist was José Rizal, a physician, scholar,
scientist, and writer. Born in 1861 into a prosperous Chinese mestizo family in
Laguna Province, he displayed great intelligence at an early age. After several
years of medical study at the University of Santo Tomás, he went to Spain in
1882 to finish his studies at the University of Madrid. During the decade that
followed, Rizal's career spanned two worlds: Among small communities of
Filipino students in Madrid and other European cities, he became a leader and
eloquent spokesman, and in the wider world of European science and
scholarship--particularly in Germany--he formed close relationships with
prominent natural and social scientists. The new discipline of anthropology was
of special interest to him; he was committed to refuting the friars' stereotypes of
Filipino racial inferiority with scientific arguments. His greatest impact on the
development of a Filipino national consciousness, however, was his publication
of two novels--Noli Me Tangere (Touch me not) in 1886 and El Filibusterismo
(The reign of greed) in 1891. Rizal drew on his personal experiences and
depicted the conditions of Spanish rule in the islands, particularly the abuses of
the friars. Although the friars had Rizal's books banned, they were smuggled
into the Philippines and rapidly gained a wide readership.

Other important Propagandists included Graciano Lopez Jaena, a noted orator

and pamphleteer who had left the islands for Spain in 1880 after the publication
of his satirical short novel, Fray Botod (Brother Fatso), an unflattering portrait
of a provincial friar. In 1889 he established a biweekly newspaper in Barcelona,
La Solidaridad (Solidarity), which became the principal organ of the
Propaganda Movement, having audiences both in Spain and in the islands. Its
contributors included Rizal; Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt, an Austrian geographer
and ethnologist whom Rizal had met in Germany; and Marcelo del Pilar, a
reformminded lawyer. Del Pilar was active in the antifriar movement in the
islands until obliged to flee to Spain in 1888, where he became editor of La
Solidaridad and assumed leadership of the Filipino community in Spain.

In 1887 Rizal returned briefly to the islands, but because of the furor
surrounding the appearance of Noli Me Tangere the previous year, he was
advised by the governor to leave. He returned to Europe by way of Japan and
North America to complete his second novel and an edition of Antonio de
Morga's seventeenth-century work, Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (History of the
Philippine Islands). The latter project stemmed from an ethnological interest in
the cultural connections between the peoples of the pre-Spanish Philippines and

36
those of the larger Malay region (including modern Malaysia and Indonesia)
and the closely related political objective of encouraging national pride. De
Morga provided positive information about the islands' early inhabitants, and
reliable accounts of pre-Christian religion and social customs.

After a stay in Europe and Hong Kong, Rizal returned to the Philippines in June
1892, partly because the Dominicans had evicted his father and sisters from the
land they leased from the friars' estate at Calamba, in Laguna Province. He also
was convinced that the struggle for reform could no longer be conducted
effectively from overseas. In July he established the Liga Filipina (Philippine
League), designed to be a truly national, nonviolent organization. It was
dissolved, however, following his arrest and exile to the remote town of Dapitan
in northwestern Mindanao.
The Propaganda Movement languished after Rizal's arrest and the collapse of
the Liga Filipina. La Solidaridad went out of business in November 1895, and
in 1896 both del Pilar and Lopez Jaena died in Barcelona, worn down by
poverty and disappointment. An attempt was made to reestablish the Liga
Filipina, but the national movement had become split between ilustrado
advocates of reform and peaceful evolution (the compromisarios, or
compromisers) and a plebeian constituency that wanted revolution and national
independence. Because the Spanish refused to allow genuine reform, the
initiative quickly passed from the former group to the latter.
5.2. To the Young Women of Malolos
Originally written in Tagalog, this famous essay directly addressed to the
women of Malolos, Bulacan was written by Rizal as a response to Marcelo H.
Del Pilar’s request.
Rizal was greatly impressed by the bravery of the 20 young women of Malolos
who planned to establish a school where they could learn Spanish despite the
opposition of Felipe Garcia, Spanish parish priest of Malolos. The letter
expressed Rizal’s yearning that women be granted the same chances given to
men in terms of education. In the olden days, young women were not educated
because of the principle that they will soon be wives and their primary career
would be to take care of the home and children. Rizal however advocated
women’s right to education.
Below are some of the points mentioned by Rizal in his letter to the
young women of Malolos:

37
1) The priests in the country that time did not embody the true spirit of
Christianity;
2) Private judgment should be used;
3) Mothers should be an epitome of an ideal woman who teaches her children to
love God, country, and fellowmen;
4) Mothers should rear children in the service of the state and set standards of
behavior for men around her;
5) Filipino women must be noble, decent, and dignified and they should be
submissive, tender, and loving to their respective husband; and
6) Young women must edify themselves, live the real Christian way with good
morals and manners, and should be intelligent in their choice of a lifetime
partner.
5.3. The Philippines: A Century Hence
This was serialized in La Solidaridad on September 30, October 31, December
15, 1889 and February 15, 1890. In the articles, Rizal estimated the future of the
Philippines in the span of a hundred years and foretold the catastrophic end of
Spanish rule in Asia. He ‘prophesied’ Filipinos’ revolution against Spain,
winning their independence, but later the Americans would come as the new
colonizer
The essay also talked about the glorious past of the Philippines, recounted the
deterioration of the economy, and exposed the causes of natives’ sufferings
under the cruel Spanish rule. In the essay, he cautioned the Spain as regards the
imminent downfall of its domination. He awakened the minds and the hearts of
the Filipinos concerning the oppression of the Spaniards and encouraged them
to fight for their right.
Part of the essays reads, “History does not record in its annals any lasting
domination by one people over another, of different races, of diverse usages and
customs, of opposite and divergent ideas. One of the two had to yield and
succumb.” The Philippines had regained its long-awaited democracy and liberty
some years after Rizal’s death. This was the realization of what the hero
envisioned in this essay.
5.4. The Borneo Colonization Project
In the face of the bleak outlook of the Calamba folks under Governor Valeriano
Weyler’s terroristic regime, Rizal conceived the establishment of a Filipino
colony in North Borneo (Sabah). On March 7, 1892, he went to Sandakan on
38
board the ship to negotiate with the British authorities for the establishment of a
Filipino colony. Marciano Lopez Jaena wrote to Rizal regarding the Borneo
colonization project but Hidalgo, brother-in-law of Rizal, objected to the
colonization project.
5.5. La Liga Filipina
A progressive organization founded and created by Dr. Jose Rizal in the
Philippines in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco at Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila on
July 3, 1892. Rizal thought of organizing the league when he was at Hong
Kong. With the help of Jose Ma. Basa, he wrote the constitution of the league,
some of the known members were Andres Bonifacio, Deodato Arellano, and
Apolinario Mabini.
Some Facts about the league
 It was derived from the La Solidaridad and the Propaganda movement.
The purpose of this league is to build a new group sought to involve the people
directly in the reform movement. It had no intention of rising up in arms against
the government The league was to be a sort of mutual aid and self-help society
dispensing scholarship funds and legal aid, loaning capital and setting up
cooperatives And the Spanish authorities realized that the league was becoming
a threat to their occupation, so they arrested Rizal on July 6, 1892 that resulted
to his deportation to Dapitan
 At first the Liga was quite active. Bonifacio in particular exerted great efforts
to organize chapters in various districts of Manila. A few months later,
however, the Supreme Council of the Liga dissolved the society. The reformist
leaders found out that most of the popular councils which Bonifacio had
organized were no longer willing to send funds to the Madrid propagandists
because, like Bonifacio, they had become convinced that peaceful agitation for
reforms was futile. Afraid that the more radical rank and file members might
capture the organization and unwilling to involve themselves in an enterprise
which would surely invite reprisals from the authorities, the leaders of the Liga
opted for dissolution. The Liga membership split into two groups: the
conservatives formed the Cuerpo de Compromisarios which pledged to continue
supporting the La Solidaridad while the radicals led by Bonifacio devoted
themselves to a new and secret society, theKatipunan
Why was it organized?
 solution to stop the oppression of the Filipinos against the Spaniards.

39
 to protect the Filipino people, to avoid the abuse of the Spaniards and most
especially to unite the Filipinos
 Rizal hopes that in creating the La Liga Filipina, it would put a stop to the
abusive Spanish rule.
The Aims of the League
 To unite the whole archipelago into one vigorous and homogenous
organization;
 Mutual protection in every want and necessity;
 Defence against all violence and injustice;  Encouragement of instruction,
agriculture, and commerce; and
 Study and application of reforms
Why the Propaganda Movement Failed
 The colonial government did not agree to any of its demands.
 Spain itself was undergoing a lot of internal problems all that time, which
could explain

Why it failed to heed the Filipino’s petitions:

 The friars, on the other hand, were at the height of their power and displayed
even more arrogance in flaunting their influence. They had neither the time nor
the desire to listen to the voice of the people.
 Many of the reformists showed a deep love for their country, although they
still failed to maintain a united front.
 Because most of them belonged to the upper middle class, they had to
exercise caution in order to safeguard their wealth and other private interests.
 Personal differences and petty quarrels, apart from the lack of funds, were
also a hindrance to the movement’s success.
 Lastly, no other strong and charismatic leader emerged from the group aside
from Jose Rizal.
5.6. Por Telepono
This was a witty satire authored by “Dimas Alang” (one of the hero’s pen
names) ridiculing the Catholic monk Font, one of the priests who masterminded

40
the banning of the “Noli”. Published in booklet form in Barcelona, Spain, it
narrated in a funny way the telephone conversation between Font and the
provincial friar of the San Agustin Convent in Manila.
This pamphlet showed not only Rizal’s cleverness but also his futuristic vision.
Amazingly, Rizal had envisaged that overseas telephonic conversations could
be carried on—something which was not yet done during that time (Fall of
1889). It was only in 1901, twelve years after Rizal wrote the “Por Telefono,”
when the first radio-telegraph signals were received by Marconi across the
Atlantic.
5.7. Rizal’s Teachings as expressed in his 1884 speech
Homage to Luna and Hidalgo (brindis)
WHAT: toast / few words of congratulations
WHERE: Restaurant Inglés, Madrid
WHEN: June 25, 1884 ; evening
WHY: To honor Juan Luna and Félix Resurección Hidalgo
“El Expolarium” painted by Juan Luna won gold medal
“Virgenes Cristianas Expuestas al Populacho” painted by Félix Resurección
Hidalgo won a silver medal
According to Rizal:
• Luna and Hidalgo’s achievement illuminated the two ends of the world--- the
Orient and the West.
• “Creative geniuses”
• The patriarchal era of the Philippines is passing.
What’s in the speech?
• “to you are owed the beauty of the diamonds that the Philippines wears in her
crown; she produced the precious stones, Europe polished them.”
• “illustrious achievements of Philippines’ children are no longer consummated
within the home”
• Praised the youth that fires much enthusiasm
• FILIPINO YOUTH- “sacred hope of my homeland”

41
• “Spain, as mother, teaches also her language to the Philippines in spite of the
opposition of those myopic me and pygmies…”
• Luna and Hidalgo are the generous hopes, precious examples.
• Mutual embrace of the two races
• Exhibit’s oppression
• “is not mute”
• Dark • “melancholy, beauty, frailty, victims of brutal force”
• Light • “Expresses social, moral and political life”
• injustices
BEHIND THE SPEECH
• Political appeal disguised as a toast
• Appeal for EQUALITY and BROTHERHOOD between Spaniards and Indios
Filipinos
• Opened the eyes of his countrymen to the abuses of Spain
• Acknowledged Spain

References:
Bagolong, et.al., (2014) Jose Rizal’s life, works and writings
Zaide, G. (2015), Jose Rizal: Life, works and Writings, National Book Store.
https://www.slideshare.net/kylynjoyalbay/rizal-ideals-and-philosophies
https://www.philstar.com/.../02/1881538/jose-rizals-ideals-and-ideas
https://www.ph.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?
qid=20140727183636AAie14g

42
RIZAL’S TRAVELS
After finishing the 4th year of the medical course in the University of Santo
Tomas, Rizal decided to complete his studies in Spain-Aside from completing
his studies in Spain, Rizal has his “secret mission”—was to observe keenly the
life and culture, languages and customs, industries and commerce, and
government and laws of the European nations in order to prepare himself in the
mighty task of liberating his oppressed people from Spanish tyranny-This
Rizalian secret mission was likewise disclosed by Paciano in his letter to his
younger brother dated Manila, May 20,1892-Rizal’s departure for Spain was
kept secret to avoid detection by the Spanish authorities and the friars • Jose
Mercado- Rizal used this name; a cousin from Biñan • May 3, 1882- Rizal
departed on board the Spanish streamer Salvadora bound for Singapore.

43
SINGAPORE
• Donato Lecha- the ship captain from Asturias, Spain befriended Rizal -Rizal
described him as an affable man, “much more refined than his other countrymen
and colleagues that Ihave met.”
• Rizal played chess with his fellow passengers who were much older than he
• May 8, 1882- while the steamer was approaching Singapore, Rizal saw a
beautiful island, fascinated by its scenic beauty, he remembered “Talim Island
with the Susong Dalaga”
• May 9, 1882- the Salvadora docked at Singapore
• Hotel de la Paz- Rizal registered here and spent two days on a sightseeing
soiree of the city, which was a colony of England
FROM SINGAPORE TO COLOMBO
• In Singapore, Rizal transferred to another ship Djemnah, a French steamer,
which left Singapore for Europe on May 11, 1882
• May 17, 1882- Djemnah reached Point Galle, a seacoast town in southern
Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
• Rizal wrote on his travel diary: “The general appearance of Point Galle is
picturesque but lonely and quiet and at the same time sad”
• Colombo- capital of Ceylon -Rizal was enamoured by Colombo because of its
scenic beauty and elegant buildings -“Colombo is more beautiful, smart and
elegant than Singapore, Point Galle and Manila”
• For the first time, Rizal sighted the barren coast of Africa, which he called an
“inhospitable land but famous”
• Aden- city hotter than Manila -Rizal was amused to see the camels, for the
first time
• City of Suez- the Red Sea terminal of the Suez Canal -Rizal was impressed in
the beautiful moonlight which reminded him of Calamba and his family
• Suez Canal- canal which built by Ferdinand de Lesseps (French diplomat-
engineer) which was inaugurated on November 17, 1869
• Port Said- the Mediterranean terminal of the Suez Canal
NAPLES AND MARSEILLES

44
• June 11, 1882- Rizal reached Naples -Rizal was pleased on this Italian city
because of its business activity, its lively people, and its panoramic beauty
• Night of June 12, 1882- the steamer docked at the French harbor of Marseilles
• Rizal visited the famous Chateau d’If, where Dantes, hero of the Count of
Monte Cristo, was imprisoned • Rizal stayed two and a half days in Marseilles
BARCELONA
• Afternoon of May 15, 1882- Rizal left Marseilles by train for the last lap of his
trip to Spain
• Rizal crossed the Pyrenees and stopped for a day at the frontier town of Port
Bou • June 16, 1882- Rizal finally reached his destination—Barcelona
• Rizal’s first impression of Barcelona, the greatest city of Cataluña and Spain’s
second largest city, was unfavorable • Las Ramblas- the most famous street in
Barcelona
• Amor Patrio (Love of Country)- nationalistic essay, Rizal’s first article written
on Spain’s soil -under his pen-name Laong Laan, appeared in print in Diariong
Tagalog on August 20, 1882 -it was published in two texts—Spanish and
Tagalog—the Spanish text was the one originally written by Rizal inBarcelona,
the tagalog text was a Tagalog translation made by M.H. del Pilar
• Basilio Teodoro Moran- a friend of Rizal in Manila and the publisher of
Diariong Tagalog where Rizal sent this article
• Diariong Tagalog- the first Manila bilingual newspaper (Spanish and Tagalog)
• Los Viajes (Travels)- Rizal’s second article for Diariong Tagalog
• Revista de Madrid (Review of Madrid)- Rizal’s third article written in Madrid
on November 29, 1882 but returned to him because the Diariong Tagalog had
ceased publication for lack of funds
• Rizal received sad news about the cholera that was ravaging Manila and the
provinces according to Paciano’s letter, dated September 15, 1882
• Another sad news from the Philippines was the chatty letter of Chengoy
recounting the unhappiness of Leonor Rivera
• In one of his letters (dated May 26, 1882), Paciano advised his younger
brother to finish the medical course in Madrid • Rizal left Barcelona in the fall
of 1882 and established himself in Madrid, the capital of Spain
LIFE IN MADRID

45
• November 3, 1882- Rizal enrolled in the Universidad Central de Madrid
(Central University of Madrid) in two courses—Medicine and Philosophy and
Letters • Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando- Rizal studied painting and
sculpture
• Rizal’s only extravagance was investing a few pesetas for a lottery ticket in
every draw of the Madrid Lottery
• Rizal spent his leisure time reading and writing at his boarding house,
attending the reunions of Filipino students at the house of the Paterno brothers
(Antonio, Maximo and Pedro) and practicing fencing and shooting at the
gymnasium
• Antigua Café de Levante-during the summer twilights, this is where Rizal
sipped coffee and fraternized with the students from Cuba, Mexico, Argentina,
etc
• On Saturday evenings, Rizal visited the home of Don Pablo Ortiga y Rey who
lived with his son (Rafael) and daughter (Consuelo)
• Circulo Hispano-Filipino (Hispano-Philippine Circle) - a society of Spaniards
and Filipinos which Rizal joined shortly after his arrival in Madrid in 1882
• Me Piden Versos (They Ask Me For Verses)- upon the request of the members
of this society, Rizal’s wrote this poem which he personally declaimed during
the New Year’s Eve reception of the Madrid Filipinos held in the evening of
December 31, 1882 -in this sad poem, Rizal poured out the cry of his agonizing
heart
• Rizal economized on his living expenses, and with the money he saved, he
purchased books from a second-hand book store owned by a certain Señor
Roses
• Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Eugene Sue’s The Wandering Jew-
these two books aroused Rizal’s sympathy for the oppressed and unfortunate
people
FIRST VISIT TO PARIS (1883)
-During his first summer vacation in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris, gay capital of
France -The prices of food, drinks, theatre, tickets, laundry, hotel
accommodations, and transportation were too high for Rizal’s slender purse so
that he commented in a letter to his family: “Paris is the costliest capital in
Europe.”
• June 17 to August 20, 1883- Rizal sojourn in Paris
46
• Hotel de Paris- located on 37 Rue de Maubange wherein Rizal billeted but
later, he moved to a cheaper hotel on 124 Rue de Rennes in the Latin Quarter
• Laennec Hospital- where Rizal observed Dr. Nicaise treating his patients
• Lariboisiere Hospital- where Rizal observed the examination of different
diseases of women
• Rizal was impressed by the way the Spanish Mason openly and freely c
riticized the government policies and lambasted the friars, which could not be
done in Philippines
• March 1883- Rizal joined the Masonic lodge called Acacia in Madrid
• Rizal’s reason for becoming a mason was to secure Freemansory’s aid in his
fight against the friars in the Philippines
• Lodge Solidaridad (Madrid) – Rizal transferred where he became a Master
Mason on November 15, 1890
• February 15, 1892- Rizal was awarded the diploma as Master Mason by Le
Grand Orient de France in Paris • Science, Virtue and Labor- Rizal’s only
Masonic writing; a lecture which he delivered in 1889 at Lodge Solidaridad,
Madrid
• After Rizal’s departure for Spain, things turned from bad to worse in Calamba:
(1) harvests of rice and sugarcane failed on account of drought and locusts (2)
the manager of the Dominican-owned hacienda increased the rentals of the
lands (3) a dreadful pest killed most of the turkeys. Due to hard times in
Calamba, the monthly allowances of Rizal in Madrid were late in arrival and
there were times when they never arrived
• June 24, 1884- a touching incident in Rizal’s life in Madrid wherein he was
broke and was unable to take breakfast -Rizal attended his class at the
university, participated in the contest in Greek language and won the gold
medal
• Evening of June 25, 1884- a banquet was sponsored by the Filipino
community to celebrate the double victory of the Filipino artist in the National
Exposition of Fine Arts in Madrid—Luna’s Spoliarium winning the first prize
and Hidalgo’s Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace (Virgenes Cristianas
Expuestas al Populacho), second prize
• November 20, 21, and 22, 1884- the serene city of Madrid exploded in bloody
riots by the students of the Central University

47
• These student demonstrations were caused by the address of Dr. Miguel
Morayta, professor of history, at the opening ceremonies of the academic year
on November 20, in which he proclaimed “the freedom of science and the
teacher”
• The Rector, who also took the side of the students, was forced to resign and
was replaced by Doctor Creus, “a very unpopular man, disliked by everybody”
• November 26, 1884- Rizal wrote the recounting tumultuous riots to his family
• June 21, 1884- Rizal completed his medical course in Spain; he was conferred
the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad Central de Madrid
• The next academic year (1884-1885), Rizal studied and passed all subjects
leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine but he did not present the thesis
required for graduation nor paid the corresponding fees, he was not awarded his
Doctor’s diploma
• June 19, 1885- on his 24th birthday, Rizal was awarded the degree of
Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by the Universidad Central de Madrid with
the rating of “Excellent”: (Sobresaliente)
• November 26, 1884- a letter to Rizal’s family written in Madrid wherein he
said “My doctorate is not of very much value to me… because although it is
useful to a university professor, yet, I believe they (Dominican friars—Z) will
never appoint me as such in the College of Santo Tomas. I say the same thing of
philosophy and letters which may serve also for a professorship, but I doubt if
the Dominican fathers will grant it to me.”
PARIS TO BERLIN (1885-1887)
-Rizal went to Paris and Germany in order to specialize in ophthalmology—
Rizal chose this branch of medicine because he wanted to cure his mother’s eye
ailment
IN GAY PARIS (1885-1886)
• Maximo Viola- a medical student and a member of a rich family of San
Miguel, Bulacan, Rizal’s friend
• Señor Eusebio Corominas- editor of the newspaper La Publicidad and made a
crayon sketch of Don Miguel Morayta, owner of La Publicidad and a stasman •
Rizal gave Editor Corominas an article on the Carolines Question, then a
controversial issue, for publication

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• November 1885, Rizal was living in Paris where he sojourned for about four
months
• Dr. Louis de Weckert (1852-1906) - leading French ophthalmologist wherein
Rizal worked as an assistant from November 1885 to February 1886
• Paz Pardo de Tavera- was a pretty girl, who was engaged to Juan Luna
• At the studio of Luna, Rizal spent many happy hours. Rizal helped Luna by
posing as model in several paintings
• In Luna’s canvas “The Death of Cleopatra,“ Rizal posed as an Egyptian priest.
In another of Luna’s great paintings, “The Blood Compact,” he posed as
Sikatuna, with Trinidad Pardo de Tavera taking the role of Legazpi
• November 27, 1878- Rizal told Enrique Lete that he “learned the solfeggio,
the piano, the voice culture in one month and a half”
• By sheer determination and constant practice, Rizal came to play the flute
fairly well. He was a flutist in various impromptu reunions of Filipinos in Paris
• Alin Mang Lahi (Any Race)-a patriotic song written by Rizal which asserts
that any race aspires for freedom
• La Deportacion (Deportation)- a sad danza which Rizal composed in Dapitan
during his exile
IN HISTORIC HEIDELBERG
• February 1, 1886- Rizal reluctantly left gay Paris from Germany
• February 3, 1886- Rizal arrived in Heidelberg, a historic city in Germany
famous for its old university and romantic surroundings
• Chess Player’s Club- a club wherein the students made Rizal as a member
because of being a good chess player
• Dr. Otto Becker- distinguished German ophthalmologist where Rizal worked
—University Eye Hospital
• April 22, 1886- Rizal wrote a fine poem “A Las Flores de Heidelberg” (To the
Flowers of Heidelberg)
• In the spring of 1886, Rizal was fascinated by the blooming flowers along the
cool banks of the Neckar River. Among them was his favorite flower—the light
blue “forget-me-not”

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• Wilhelmsfeld- a mountainous village near Heidelberg where Rizal spent a
three-month summer vacation • Dr. Karl Ullmer- a kind Protestant pastor where
Rizal stayed, who became his good friend and admirer • June 25, 1886- Rizal
ended his sojourn at Pastor Ullmer’s home
• May 29, 1887- Rizal wrote from Munich (Muchen) to Friedrich (Fritz), son of
Pastor Ullmer
• July 31, 1886- Rizal wrote his first letter in German (which he had improved
after his stay with the Ullmers) to Professor Blumentritt, Director of the Ateneo
of Leitmeritz, Austria
• Aritmetica (Arithmetic)-Rizal sent this book he mentioned and was published
in two languages— Spanish and Tagalog—by the University of Santo Tomas
Press in 1868. the author was Rufino Baltazar Hernandez, a native of Santa
Cruz, Laguna
• August 6, 1886- the famous University of Heidelberg held its fifth centenary
celebration.
IN LEIPZIG AND DRESDEN
• August 9, 1886- Rizal left Heidelberg
• August 14, 1886- boarded by a train. Rizal arrived in Leipzig
• Professor Friedrich Ratzel- a famous German historian, Rizal befriend with
him
• Dr. Hans Meyer- German anthropologist, a friend of Rizal
• In Leipzig, Rizal translated Schiller’s William Tell from German into Tagalog
so that Filipino might know the story of that champion of Swiss independence
• Rizal also translated into Tagalog for his nephews and niece Hans Andersen’s
Fairy Tales
• Rizal found out that the cost of living in Leipzig was cheapest in Europe so
that he stayed two months and a half
• Because of his knowledge of German, Spanish, and other European languages,
Rizal worked as proof- reader in a publisher’s firm
• October 29, 1886- Rizal left Leipzig for Dresden where he met Dr. Adolph B.
Meyer, Director of the Anthropological and Ethnological Museum

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• Rizal heard Mass in a Catholic church; evidently, this Mass impressed him
very much, for he wrote on his diary: “Truly I have never in my life heard a
Mass whose music had greater sublimity and intonation.”
• Morning of November 1, 1886- Rizal left Dresden by train reaching Berlin in
the evening
BERLIN
• Rizal was enchanted by Berlin because of its scientific atmosphere and the
absence of race prejudice
• Rizal met for the first time Dr. Feodor Jagor, celebrated German scientist-
traveler and author of Travels in the Philippines, a book which Rizal read and
admired during his student days in Manila
• Dr. Rudolf Virchow- introduced to Rizal by Dr. Jagor; famous German
anthropologist
• Dr. Hans Virchow- son of Dr. Rudolf Virchow, professor of Descriptive
Anatomy
• Dr. W. Joest- noted German geographer
• Dr. Ernest Schweigger (1830-1905)- famous German ophthalmologist where
Rizal worked
• Rizal became a member of the Anthropological Society, the Ethnological
Society, and the Geographical Society of Berlin, upon the recommendation of
Dr. Jagor and Dr. Meyer
• Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art)- Rizal wrote this scholarly paper
in German which he read before the society in April 1887 -this paper was
published by the society in the same year, and elicited favorable comments from
all scientificquarters
• Rizal lived in Berlin, the famous capital of unified Germany for five reasons:
(1) to gain further knowledge of ophthalmology
(2) to further his studies of sciences and languages
(3) to observe the economic and political conditions of the German nation
(4) to associate with famous German scientists and scholars
(5) to publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere

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• Madame Lucie Cerdole-Rizal’s professor of French in order to master the
idiomatic intricacies of the French language
• Unter den Linden- the most popular boulevard of Berlin wherein Rizal
enjoyed promenading, sipping beer in the city’s inns and talking with the
friendly Berliners
• March 11, 1886- one of Rizal’s important letters written while he was in
Germany that addressed to his sister, Trinidad -in this letter, Rizal expressed his
high regard and admiration for German womanhood -The German woman, said
Rizal to his sister, is serious, diligent, educated, and friendly. She is not
gossipy,frivolous and quarrelsome
• Aside from the German women, Rizal admired the German customs which he
observed well
NOLI ME TANGERE PUBLISHED IN BERLIN (1887)
-The bleak winter of 1886 in Berlin was Rizal’s darkest winter because no
money arrived from Calamba and he was flatbroke. The diamond ring which his
sister, Saturnina, gave him was in the pawnshop. It was memorable in the life of
Rizalfor two reasons (1) it was a painful episode for he was hungry, sick and
despondent in a strange city (2) it brought himgreat joy after enduring so much
sufferings, because his first novel, Noli Me Tangere came off the press in
March, 1887
• Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin- inspired Dr. Rizal to prepare a
novel that would depict the miseries of his people under the lash of Spanish
tyrants
• January 2, 1884- in a reunion of Filipinos in the Paterno residence in Madrid,
Rizal proposed the writings of a novel about the Philippines by a group of
Filipinos
• Toward the end of 1884, Rizal began writing the novel in Madrid and finished
about one-half of it
• When Rizal went to Paris, in 1885, after completing his studies in the Central
University of Madrid, he continued writing the novel, finishing one half of the
second half
• Rizal finished the last fourth of the novel in Germany. He wrote the last few
chapters of the Noli in Wilhelmsfeld in April-June, 1886
• In Berlin during the winter days of February, 1886, Rizal made the final
revisions on the manuscript of the Noli
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• Maximo Viola- Rizal’s friend from Bulacan, arrived in Berlin at the height of
Rizal despondency and loaned him the needed funds to publish the novel; savior
of Noli
• After the Christmas season, Rizal put the finishing touches on his novel. To
save printing expenses, he deleted certain passages in his manuscript, including
a whole chapter—“Elias and Salome” • February 21, 1887- the Noli was finally
finished and ready for printing
• Berliner Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesselschaft- a printing shop which charged the
lowest rate, that is, 300 pesos for 2,00 copies of the novel
• March 21, 1887- the Noli Me Tangere came off the press
• March 29, 1887- Rizal, in token of his appreciation and gratitude, gave Viola
the galley proofs of the Noli carefully rolled around the pen that he used in
writing it and a complimentary copy, with the following inscription: “To my
dear friend, Maximo Viola, the first to read and appreciate my work—Jose
Rizal”
• The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase which means “Touch Me Not”. It
is not originally conceived by Rizal, for he admitted taking it from the Bible •
Rizal, writing to Felix Hidalgo in French on March 5, 1887, said: “Noli Me
Tangere, words taken from the Gospel of St. Luke, signify “do not touch me”
but Rizal made a mistake, it should be the Gospel of St. John (Chapter 20
Verses 13 to 17)
• Rizal dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to the Philippines—“To My Fatherland”
• The cover of Noli Me Tangere was designed by Rizal. It is a ketch of explicit
symbols. A woman’s head atop a Maria Clara bodice represents the nation and
the women, victims of the social cancer. One of the causes of the cancer is
symbolized in the friar’s feet, outsized in relation to the woman’s head. The
other aggravating causes of oppression and discrimination are shown in the
guard’s helmet and the iron chains, the teacher’s whip and the alferez’s scourge.
A slight cluster of bamboo stands at the backdrop; these are the people, forever
in the background of their own country’s history. There are a cross, a maze,
flowers and thorny plants, a flame; these are indicative of the religious policy,
the misdirected ardor, the people strangled as a result of these all
• The novel Noli Me Tangere contains 63 chapters and an epilogue
• Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor- Filipino patriot and lawyer who had been exiled due
to his complicity in the Cavite Mutiny of 1872, read avidly the Noli and was
very much impressed by its author
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RIZAL’S GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE WITH VIOLA (1887)
• May 11, 1887- Rizal and Viola left Berlin by train
• Dresden- one of the best cities in Germany
• Prometheus Bound-painting wherein Rizal was deeply impressed
• Teschen (now Decin, Czechoslovakia) - next stopover after leaving Dreseden
LEITMERITZ
• At 1:30pm of May 13, 1887- the train, with Rizal and Viola on board, arrived
at the railroad station of Leitmeritz, Bohemia -for the first time, the two great
scholars—Rizal and Blumentritt—met in person
• Professor Blumentritt- a kind-hearted, old Austrian professor
• May 13 to May 16, 1887- Rizal and Viola stayed in Leitmeritz
• Burgomaster- town mayor
• Tourist’s Club of Leitmeritz-which Blumentritt was the secretary; Rizal spoke
extemporaneously in fluent Germany to the officers and members
• Dr. Carlos Czepelak- renowned scientist of Europe
• Professor Robert Klutschak- an eminent naturalist
• May 16, 1887 at 9:45 AM- Rizal and Viola left Leitmeritz by train
PRAGUE
• Dr. Willkomm- professor of natural history in the University of Prague
• According to Viola, “nothing of importance happened” in this city
VIENNA
• May 20, 1887- Rizal and Viola arrived in the beautiful city of Vienna, capital
of Austria-Hungary
• Vienna was truly the “Queen of Danube” because of its beautiful buildings,
religious images, haunting waltzes and majestic charm
• Norfentals- one of the greatest Austrian novelists was favorably impressed by
Rizal, and years later he spoke highly of Rizal, “whose genius he so much
admired.”
• Hotel Metropole- where Rizal and Viola stayed
• In Vienna, Rizal received his lost diamond stickpin
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DANUBIAN VOYAGE TO LINTZ
• May 24, 1887- Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river boat to see the beautiful
sights of the Danube River • Rizal particularly noticed that the passengers on
the river boat were using paper napkins during the meals, which was a novelty
to him. Viola, commented that the paper napkins were “more hygienic and
economical than cloth napkins”
FROM LINTZ TO RHEINFALL
• Munich- where Rizal and Viola sojourned for a short time to savor the famous
Munich beer, reputed to be the best in Germany
• Nuremberg- one of the oldest cities of Germany
• The Cathedral of Ulm- the largest and tallest cathedral in all Germany
• From Ulm, they went to Stuttgart, Baden and then Rheinfall (Cascade of the
Rhine). At Rheinfall, they saw the waterfall, “the most beautiful waterfall of
Europe”
CROSSING THE FRONTIER TO SWITZERLAND
GENEVA
• This Swiss city is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, visited by world
tourists every year
• June 19, 1887- Rizal treated Viola to a blow-out. It was his 26th birthday
• Rizal and Viola spent fifteen delightful days in Geneva
• June 23, 1887- Viola and Rizal parted ways—Viola returned to Barcelona
while Rizal continued the tour to Italy
• Exposition of the Philippines in Madrid, Spain- Rizal was outraged by this
degradation of his fellow countrymen the Igorots of Northern Luzon
RIZAL IN ITALY
• June 27, 1887- Rizal reached Rome, the “Eternal City” and also called the
“City of the Caesars”
• Rizal was thrilled by the sights and memories of the Eternal City. Describing
to Blumentritt, the “grandeur that was Rome”, he wrote on June 27, 1887
• June 29, 1887- the Feast Day of St. Peter and St. Paul, Rizal visited for the
first time the Vatican, the “City of the Popes” and the capital of Christendom

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• Every night, after sightseeing the whole day, Rizal returned to his hotel, very
tired. “I am tired as a dog,” he wrote to Blumentritt, “but I will sleep as a God”
• After a week of wonderful sojourn in Rome, Rizal prepared to return to the
Philippines. He had already written to his father that he was coming home
FIRST HOMECOMING (1887-1888)
-Because of the publication of the Noli Me Tangere and the uproar it caused
among the friars, Rizal was warned by Paciano (his brother), Silvestre Ubaldo
(his brother-in-law), Chengoy (Jose M. Cecilio) and other friends not to return
home.
-Rizal was determined to return to the Philippines for the following reasons:
(1) to operate on his mother’s eyes
(2) to serve his people who had long been oppressed by Spanish tyrants
(3) to find out for himself how Noli and his other writings were affecting
Filipinos and Spaniards in the Philippines and
(4) to inquire why Leonor Rivera remained silent
• July 29, 1887- Rizal wrote to his father, announcing his homecoming, “on the
15th of July, I shall embark for our country, so that from the 15th to the 30th of
August, we shall see each other”
DELIGHTFUL TRIP TO MANILA
-Rizal left Rome by train for Marseilles, a French port, which he reached
without mishap.
• July 3, 1887-Rizal boarded the steamer Djemnah, the same streamer which
brought him to Europe 5 years ago
• July 30, 1887-at Saigon, Rizal transferred to another steamer, Haiphong,
which was Manila-bounded
• August 2, 1887- the steamer left Saigon for Manila
ARRIVAL IN MANILA
• August 3, 1887- the moon was full and Rizal slept soundly the whole night.
The calm sea, illuminated by the silvery moonlight, was a magnificent sight to
him
• Near midnight of August 5, 1887, the Haiphong arrived in Manila

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HAPPY HOMECOMING
• August 8, 1887- Rizal returned to Calamba
• In Calamba, Rizal established a medical clinic. His first patient was his
mother, who was almost blind.
• Rizal, who came to be called “Doctor Uliman” because he came from
Germany, treated their ailments and soon he acquired a lucrative medical
practice
• Rizal opened a gymnasium for young folks, where he introduced European
sports
• Rizal suffered one failure during his six months of sojourn in Calamba—his
failure to see Leonor Rivera
STORM OVER THE NOLI
• Governor General Emilio Terrero (1885-1888)-requesting Rizal to come to
Malacańang Palace
• Don Jose Taviel de Andrade-a young Spanish lieutenant assigned by Governor
General Terrero to posed as bodyguard of Rizal
• Msgr. Pedro Payo (a Dominican)- sent a copy of Noli to Father Rector
Gregorio Echavarria of the University of Sto. Tomas for examination by a
committee of the faculty
• The report of the faculty members of University of Santo Tomas stated that the
Noli was “heretical, impious, and scandalous in the religious order and anti-
patriotic, subversive of public order, injurious to the government of Spain and
its function in the Philippine Islands in the political order”
• Permanent Commission of Censorship-a committee composed of priest and
laymen
• Fr. Salvador Font- Augustinian cura of Tondo, head of the committee -found
the novel to contain subversive ideas against the Church and Spain, and
recommended “that theimportation, reproduction, and circulation of this
pernicious book in the islands be absolutely prohibited.”
• Fr. Jose Rodriguez- Augustinian priest, published a series of eight pamphlets
under the general heading Cuestiones de Sumo Interes (Questions of Supreme
Interest) to blast the Noli and other anti-Spanish writings

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• Vicente Barrantes- Spanish academician of Madrid, who formerly criticized
the Noli in an article published in La Espańa Moderna (a newspaper of Madrid)
in January, 1890
• What marred Rizal’s happy days in Calamba with Lt. Andrade were (1) the
death of his older sister, Olimpia, and (2) the groundless tales circulated by his
enemies that he was “a German spy, an agent of Bismarck, a Protestant, a
Mason, a witch, a soul beyond salvation, etc.”
• Rev. Vicente Garcia-a Filipino Catholic priest-scholar, a theologian of the
Manila Cathedral and a Tagalog translator of the famous Imitation of Christ by
Thomas A. Kempis -writing under the penname Justo Desiderio Magalang,
wrote a defense of the Noli which was published inSingapore as an appendix to
a pamphlet dated July 18, 1888, he blasted the arguments of Fr. Rodriguez
• Rizal, himself defended his novel against Barrantes’ attack, in a letter written
in Brussels, Belgium in February 1880.

FAREWELL TO CALAMBA
• The friars asked Governor General Terrero to deport him, but latter refused
because there was no valid charge against Rizal in court.
• Rizal was compelled to leave Calamba for two reasons:
(1) his presence in Calamba was jeopardizing the safety and happiness of his
family and friends
(2) he could fight better his enemies and serve his country’s cause with greater
efficacy by writing in foreign countries
• Shortly before Rizal left Calamba in 1888, his friend from Lipa requested him
to write a poem in commemoration of the town’s elevation to a villa (city) by
virtue of the Becerra Law of 1888
• Himno Al Trabajo (Hymn to Labor)- a poem written by Rizal dedicated to the
industrious folks of Lipa
IN HONGKONG AND MACAO (1888)
-Hounded by powerful enemies, Rizal was forced to leave his country for a
second time in February 1888. He was then a full-grown man of 27 years of
age, a practicing physician, and a recognized man-of-letters
THE TRIP TO HONGKONG

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• February 3, 1888-Rizal left Manila for Hong Kong on board the Zafiro
• February 7, 1888- Zafiro made a brief stopover at Amoy
• Rizal did not get off his ship at Amoy for three reasons:
(1) he was not feeling well (2) it was raining hard (3) he heard that the city was
dirty
• February 8, 1888- Rizal arrived in Hong Kong
• Victoria Hotel- Rizal stayed while in Hong Kong. He was welcomed by
Filipino residents, including Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio, and Manuel
Yriarte (son of Francisco Yriarte (son of Francisco Yriarte, alcalde mayor of
Laguna)
• Jose Sainz de Varanda- a Spaniard, who was a former secretary of Governor
General Terrero, shadowed Rizal’s movement in Hong Kong -it is believed that
he was commissioned by the Spanish authorities to spy on Rizal
• “Hong Kong”, wrote Rizal to Blumentritt on February 16, 1888, “is a small,
but very clean city.”
VISIT TO MACAO
-Macao is a Portuguese colony near Hong Kong.-According to Rizal, the city of
Macao is small, low, and gloomy. There are many junks, sampans, but few
steamers. Itlooks sad and is almost dead.
• February 18, 1888- Rizal, accompanied by Basa, boarded the ferry steamer,
Kiu-Kiang for Macao
• Don Juan Francisco Lecaros- A filipino gentleman married to a Portuguese
lady -Rizal and Basa stayed at his home while in Macao
• February 18, 1888- Rizal witnessed a Catholic possession, in which the
devotees were dressed in blue and purple dresses and were carrying unlighted
candles
• February 20, 1888- Rizal and Basa returned to Hong Kong, again on board the
ferry steamer Kiu Kiang
DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG
• February 22, 1888- Rizal left Hong Kong on board the Oceanic, an American
steamer, his destination was Japan

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• Rizal’s cabin mate was a British Protestant missionary who called Rizal “a
good man”
ROMANTIC INTERLUDE IN JAPAN (1888)
-One of the happiest interludes in the life of Rizal was his sojourn in the Land of
the Cherry Blossoms for one month and ahalf (February 28-April 13, 1888)
• February 28, 1888- early in the morning of Tuesday, Rizal arrived in
Yokohama. He registered at the Grand Hotel
• Tokyo Hotel- Rizal stayed here from March 2 to March 7
• Rizal wrote to Professor Blumentritt: “Tokyo is more expensive then Paris.
The walls are built in cyclopean manner. The streets are large and wide.”
• Juan Perez Caballero-secretary of the Spanish Legation, who visited Rizal at
his hotel who latter invited him to live at the Spanish Legation
• Rizal accepted the invitation for two reasons:
(1) he could economize his living expenses by staying at the legation
(2) he had nothing to hide from the prying eyes of the Spanish authorities
• March 7, 1888- Rizal checked out of Tokyo Hotel and lived at the Spanish
Legation
• Rizal was favorably impressed by Japan.
• The things which favorably impressed Rizal in Japan were:
(1) the beauty of the country—its flowers, mountains, streams and scenic
panoramas,
(2) the cleanliness, politeness, and industry of the Japanese people
(3) the picturesque dress and simple charm of the Japanese women
(4) there were very few thieves in Japan so that the houses remained open day
and night, and in hotel room one could safely leave money on the table
(5) beggars were rarely seen in the city, streets, unlike in Manila and other cities
• Rickshaws-popular mode of transportation drawn by men that Rizal did not
like in Japan
• April 13, 1888-Rizal left Japan and boarded the Belgic, an English steamer, at
Yokohama, bound for the United States

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• Tetcho Suehiro- a fighting Japanese journalist, novelist and champion of
human rights, who was forced by the Japanese government to leave the country
-passenger which Rizal befriended on board the Belgic
• April 13 to December 1, 1888- eight months of intimate acquaintanceship of
Rizal and Tetcho
• December 1, 1888- after a last warm handshake and bidding each other
“goodbye”, Rizal and Tetcho parted ways—never to meet again

RIZAL’S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES (1888)

• April 28, 1888- the steamer Belgic, with Rizal on board, docked at San
Francisco on Saturday morning
• May 4, 1888- Friday afternoon, the day Rizal was permitted to go ashore
• Palace Hotel- Rizal registered here which was then considered a first-class
hotel in the city
• Rizal stayed in San Francisco for two days—May 4 to 6, 1888
• May 6, 1888-Sunday, 4:30PM, Rizal left San Francisco for Oakland
• May 13, 1888-Sunday morning, Rizal reached New York, thus ending his trip
across the American continent
• Rizal stayed three days in this city, which he called the “big town.”
• May 16, 1888- Rizal left New York for Liverpool on board the City of Rome.
According to Rizal, this steamer was “the second largest ship in the world, the
largest being the Great Eastern”
• Rizal had good and bad impressions of the United States. The good
impressions were:
(1) the material progress of the country as shown in the great cities, huge farms,
flourishing industries and busy factories
(2) the drive and energy of the American people
(3) the natural beauty of the land
(4) the high standard of living
(5) the opportunities for better life offered to poor immigrants

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• One bad impression Rizal had of America was the lack of racial equality:
“America is the land par excellence of freedom but only for the whites”
RIZAL IN LONDON (1888-1889)
-After visiting the United States, Rizal lived in London from May, 1888 to
March, 1889 for three reasons:
(1) to improve his knowledge of the English language
(2) to study and annotate Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, a rare copy of
which he heard to be available in the British Museum
(3) London was a safe place for him to carry on his fight against Spanish
tyranny
TRIP ACROSS THE ATLANTIC
• The trans-Atlantic voyage of Rizal from New York to Liverpool was a
pleasant one.
• Rizal entertained the American and European passengers with his marvelous
skills with the yo-yo as an offensive weapon.
• Yoyo-is a small wooden disc attached to a string from the finger.
• May 24, 1888-Rizal arrived at Liverpool, England
• Adelphi Hotel-Rizal spend the night here while staying for one day in this port
city
• According to Rizal, “Liverpool is a big and beautiful city and its celebrated
port is worthy of its great fame. The entrance is magnificent and the
customhouse is quite good.”
LIFE IN LONDON
• May 25, 1888- a day after docking at Liverpool, Rizal went to London
• Rizal stayed as guest at the home of Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor, an exile of
1872 and a practicing lawyer in London. By the end of May, Rizal found a
modest boarding place at No. 37 Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill
• Dr. Reinhold Rozt- librarian of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an
authority on Malayan languages and customs, was impressed by Rizal’s
learning and character and he gladly recommended him to the authorities of the
British Museum. He called Rizal “a pearl of a man” (una perla de hombre)

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• Both good and bad news from home reached Rizal in London. Of the bad
news, were the injustices committed by the Spanish authorities on the Filipino
people and the Rizal Family.
• The greatest achievement of Rizal in London was the annotating of Morga’s
book, Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Historical Events of the Philippine Islands),
which was published in Mexico, 1609.
• September 1888- Rizal visited Paris for a week in order to search for more
historical materials in the Bibliotheque Nationale
• Rizal was entertained in this gay French metropolis by Juan Luna and his wife
(Pas Pardo de Tavera), who proudly showed him their little son Andres
(nickname Luling)
• December 11, 1888-Rizal went to Spain, visiting Madrid and Barcelona
• Rizal met, for the first time, Marcelo H. del Pilar and Mariano Ponce, two
titans of the Propaganda Movement

References:
Bagolong, et.al., (2014) Jose Rizal’s life, works and writings
Zaide, G. (2015), Jose Rizal: Life, works and Writings, National Book Store.

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RIZAL’S LOVE LIFE
Segunda Katigbak
She was a short woman who hailed from Lipa, Batangas was considered the
puppy love of Jose Rizal. However, this puppy love of Rizal was already
engaged to be married to her town mate, Manuel Luz. Rizal also, due to his
shyness, failed to propose to her but he kept a record of his feelings and the end
of his dream. It was during one of his visits to his maternal grandmother, who
lived in Trozo, Manila, hat he saw her. She was a sister of his friend, Mariano,
who incidentally was his companion in the visit. According to Rizal, who was
only then 16 years old, Segunda ‘was rather short, with eyes that were eloquent
and ardent at times and languid at others, rosy-cheeked, with an enchanting and
provocative smile that revealed very beautiful teeth, and the air of a sylph; her
entire self-diffused a mysterious charm."

Leonor Valenzuela
Leonor Valenzuela, a tall girl from Pagsanjan, Laguna. Rizal send her love
notes written in invisible ink, that could be read only through over the heat
emitted by a lamp or candle. He visited her on the eve of his departure to Spain
and bade her a last goodbye. Rizal was 17 years old when he met Leonor, his
neighbor, when he was boarding at the house of Doňa Concha Leyva in
Intramuros.
Leonor Rivera
Leonor Rivera, his sweetheart for 11 years played the greatest influence in
keeping him from falling in love with other women during his travel.
Unfortunately, Leonor’s mother disapproved of her daughter’s relationship with
Rizal, who was then a known filibustero. She hid from Leonor all letters sent to
her sweetheart. Leonor believing that Rizal had already forgotten her, sadly
consented her to marry the Englishman Henry Kipping, her mother’s choice.
Rizal described Leonor as "tender as a budding flower with kindly, wistful
eyes."
She was Rizal’s inspiration for the character of Maria Clara in his novels “Noli
Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo”.
Consuelo Ortiga
Consuelo Ortiga y Rey, the prettier of Don Pablo Ortiga’s daughters, fell in love
with him. He dedicated to her A la Senorita C.O. y R., which became one of his

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best poems. The Ortiga's residence in Madrid, Spain was frequented by Rizal
and his compatriots. He probably fell in love with her and Consuelo apparently
asked him for romantic verses. He suddenly backed out before the relationship
turned into a serious romance, because he wanted to remain loyal to Leonor
Rivera and he did not want to destroy his friendship with Eduardo de Lete who
was madly in love with Consuelo.
O Sei San
O Sei San, a Japanese samurai’s daughter taught Rizal the Japanese art of
painting known as su-mie. She also helped Rizal improve his knowledge of the
Japanese language. If Rizal was a man without a patriotic mission, he would
have married this lovely and intelligent woman and lived a stable and happy life
with her in Japan because the Spanish legation there offered him a lucrative job.
However, he decided to leave Japan and forget his romance which pained him
gravely because he truly loved O-Sei-San. Rizal was 27 years old when he met
her. He described her as “having the color of Camelia, its freshness, its
elegance”.
Gertrude Beckett
While Rizal was in London annotating the Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, he
boarded in the house of the Beckett family, within walking distance of the
British Museum. Gertrude, a blue-eyed and buxom girl was the oldest of the
three Beckett daughters. She fell in love with Rizal. Tottie helped him in his
painting and sculpture. But Rizal suddenly left London for Paris to avoid
Gertrude, who was seriously in love with him. He withdrew his feelings before
having a serious relationship with her, realizing that he had a greater mission to
fulfill. Before leaving London, he was able to finish the group carving of the
Beckett sisters. He gave the group carving to Gertrude as a sign of their brief
relationship.
Nellie Boustead
Rizal having lost Leonor Rivera, entertained the thought of courting other
ladies. While a guest of the Boustead family at their residence in the resort city
of Biarritz, France, he had befriended the two pretty daughters of his host,
Eduardo Boustead. Rizal used to fence with the sisters at the studio of Juan
Luna. Antonio Luna, Juan’s brother and also a frequent visitor of the Bousteads,
courted Nellie but she was deeply infatuated with Rizal. In a party held by
Filipinos in Madrid, a drunken Antonio Luna uttered unsavory remarks against
Nellie Boustead. This prompted Rizal to challenge Luna into a duel.
Fortunately, Luna apologized to Rizal, thus averting tragedy for the

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compatriots. Their love affair unfortunately did not end in marriage. It failed
because Rizal refused to be converted to the Protestant faith, as Nellie
demanded and Nellie’s mother did not like a physician without enough paying
clientele to be a son-in-law. The lovers, however, parted as good friends when
Rizal left Europe.
Suzanne Jacoby
In 1890, Rizal moved to Brussels, Belgium because of the high cost of living in
Paris. In Brussels, he lived in the boarding house of the two Jacoby sisters. In
time, they fell deeply in love with each other. Suzanne fell in love with Rizal
and cried when he left Brussels and wrote him when he was in Madrid.

Josephine Bracken
In the last days of February 1895, while still in Dapitan, Rizal met an 18-year
old petite Irish girl, with bold blue eyes, brown hair and a happy disposition.
She was Josephine Bracken, the adopted daughter of George Taufer from Hong
Kong, who came to Dapitan to seek Rizal for eye treatment. Rizal was
physically attracted to her. His loneliness and boredom must have taken the
measure of him and what could be a better diversion that to fall in love again.
But the Rizal sisters suspected Josephine as an agent of the friars and they
considered her as a threat to Rizal’s security. Rizal regarded Josephine as her
wife until his last breath.

References:
Bagolong, et.al., (2014) Jose Rizal’s life, works and writings
Zaide, G. (2015), Jose Rizal: Life, works and Writings, National Book Store.

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RIZAL’S ARREST, TRIAL AND
EXECUTION
8.1. Exile in Dapitan
Rizal's Exile in Dapitan (1892-1896)
Rizal lived in exile in far-away Dapitan, a remote town in the northern part of
Mindanao which was under the missionary jurisdiction of the Jesuits, from 1892 to 1896.
This four-year inter regnum in his life was tediously unexciting, but was abundantly fruitful
with varied achievements. He practiced medicine, pursued scientific studies, continued his
artistic and literary works, widened his knowledge of languages, established a school for
boys, promoted community development projects, invented a wooden machine for making
bricks, and engaged in farming and commerce. Despite his multifurious activities, he kept
an extensive correspondence with his family, relatives, fellow reformists, and eminent
scientists and scholars of Europe, including Blumentritt, Reinhold Rost, A. B. Meyer,
W. Joest of Berlin, S. Knuttle of Stuttgart, and N.M. Keihl of Prague.
Beginning of Exile in Dapitan

The streamer Cebu which brought Rizal to Dapitan carried a letter from Father Pablo
Pastells, Superior of the Jesuits parish priest of Dapitan. In this letter, Father Superior
Pastells informed Father Obach that Rizal could live at the parish convent on the following
conditions:

1.”That Rizal publicly retract his errors concerning religion, and make statements
that were clearly pro-Spanish and against revolution”.
2.”That he perform the church rites and make a general confession of his past life”.
3.That henceforth he conduct himself in an exemplary manner as a Spanish subject
and a man of religion.”

 In Dapitan, two tasks were simultaneously undertaken by Carcinero, with whom Rizal
stayed and Father Obach. The former’s task was to soften Rizal; the latter is to convert him.
Both of them, however, underestimated the dimensions of Rizal’s character. With his good
nature, his natural charisma, his propriety, his neat and stylish looks. He gradually won the
confidence of the captain. But Carcinero took advantage of this to get to know the thinking of
Rizal, his projects, which later transmitted to Despujol in his report.
 Captain Carninero continued with the report in the manner of a conversation: What were the
reforms desired by Rizal? He replied: representation in the Cortes, secularization of the friars;
the provision of curates from among both peninsulares and the insular clergy; the

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implementation of primary instruction; the filling up of positions or assignments in equal
proportions between Filipinos and peninsulares; and finally, the setting up of a clean and
honest administration.
 In September also, an unexpected fortune came along to provide the funds needed for the
projected improvements and planting of corps. Rizal won second prize in a lottery. The price
was shared equally, one third each for Carnicero, and another Spaniard (residing in Dipolog)
and Rizal himself. Each won a little or more than P6,000.00. A good son and a grateful soul,
he notified his mother in Hong Kong that he had sent P2,000.00 to his father after paying a
few small debts in Manila. With the rest he planned to build a small house in Dapitan. He told
them also that he had sent P200.00.
 Early in 1893, Rizal left his quarters with the Captain, having been granted some lands a
kilometer away from Dapitan. He now had his own hacienda, with lanzones, mangoes, cacao,
santol, and mangosteen. Then site of his new home was called Talisay.
 On March 8, Rizal’s own house was completed. It was simply constructed with nipa roof,
post and rafters of unhewn wood, as he himself describes it in his poem “Mi Retiro”. Since
there was no regular supply of fish for the town’s consumption, he went into partnership with
Spaniard Miranda in a fishing project.
 In the first few months of 1893, many changes took place. Father Pastells was replaced by
Father Ricart. In February, Father Sanchez term in Dapitan came to end. On May 4 Carnicero
left for Manila, a result of pressure exerted by the new Jesuits superior who blamed the
failure of the attempts to convert Rizal on Carnicero’s liberal thinking as well as his overly
generous treatment of the rebel.
 The Minister of the Colony, Maura, asked Despujol to resign, and when the latter refused,
Maura dismissed him.
 A Don Ricardo Carnicero- the poem which Rizal wrote for Catain Carnicero on the
occasion of Catain’s birthday on August 26,1892.

Lottery ticket no. 9736

• P20,000 - lottery prize
• P6,200 was given to Rizal
• P2,000 of his share he gave to his father
• P200 to Basa in Hongkong
• the rest he invested through purchasing agricultural lands from the coast of Talisay about
kilometer away from Dapitan.
• Three pesetas – amount Rizal allotted for lottery tickets every month
• “This was his first Vice” –commented Wenceslao E. Retana, his first Spanish biographer
and former enemy.

Rizal – Pastells Debate on Religion

• The debate started when Pastells sent Rizal a book by Sarda along with an advice
that Rizal should desist from his majaderas (foolishness) in viewing religion from the
perspective of individual judgment and self- esteem.
• The debate can be read in four (4) letters.
• Rizal was bitter against the friars because they commit abuses under the cloak of
religion.

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 • Father Pastells tried to bring back to Catholicism Rizal by telling him that human
intelligence is limited, thus he needs the guidance of God.
• Behind the debate, Pastells and Rizal were friends as evidently pictured when:
1. Pastells gave Rizal a copy of Imitacion de Cristo by Fr. Thomas a Kempis
2. Rizal gave Pastells a bust of St. Paul which he had made Rizal continued to
hear mass and celebrate religious events

Rizal Challenges a Frenchman to a Duel

o Mr. Juan Lardet – a French businessman whom Rizal had a conflict

Rizal and Father Sanchez

 In his aspiration to reconcile Rizal with the Church, Father Pastells sent to Dapitan:
 1.Father Obach, Cura of Dapitan
 2.Fr. Jose Vilaclara, Cura of Dipolog
 3.Fr. Francisco Paula de Sanchez, Rizal’s favorite teacher at Ateneo de Manila

Estudios sobre la lengua tagala (study of the tagalog language)

– the manuscript which Rizal gave to Sanchez on his birthday

Idyllic Life in Dapitan

* Among his family members who visited Rizal were:
 1.His mother
 2.His sisters Trinidad, Maria and Narcisa
 3.Nephews Teodosio, Estanislao, Mauricio and Prudencio

 Rizal built a house by the seashore of Talisay surrounded by fruit trees, a school for boys, and
a hospital for his patients.

 Rizal’s Encounter with the Friar’s Spy

• Pablo Mercado – assumed name of the spy who visited Rizal at his house and
pretended to be a relative by showing a photo of Rizal and a pair of buttons with the initials
P.M. as evidence of kinship.

• The spy offered to be Rizal’s courier of letters for the patriots in Manila. Rizal
became suspicious and wanted to throw the spy outside but considering his values and late
hour of the night, he offered the spy to spend the night at his house. The next day, he sent the
spy away
• The spy stayed in Dapitan and spread talks among the people that he was a
relative to Rizal.
• Rizal went to the comandancia and reported thei mpostor to Captain Juan Sitges
(successor of Carnicero)
• Sitges ordered Pablo Mercado’s arrest and told Anastacio Adriatico to investigate
him immediately.
• Florencio Namanan a.k.a Pablo Mercado, single and about 30 years old was hired
by the Recollect friars to spy on Rizal’s activities
• The secret mission of Pablo Mercado was not an assassination attempt but
espionage only.

As Physician in Dapitan

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 • Dona Teodora and Maria lived with Rizal for a year and a half. It is here when
Rizal operated his mother’s right eye. Though the operation was successful, his mother had a
wound infection after ignoring Rizal’s instruction of not removing the bandages. However,
the infection was immediately treated
• Don Ignacio Tumarong- Rizal’s patient who was able to see again after his
operation paid Rizal P3,000
• Don Florencio Azcarraga- rich hacendero of Aklan who was cured of eye ailment,
in turn gave Rizal a cargo of sugar.
• Rizal prescribed medicinal plants to his poor patients.
Water System for Dapitan
• As a perito agrimensor (expert surveyor), Rizal applied his engineering
knowledge by constructing a system of waterworks to furnish clean water tothe townspeople
• Mr. H.F. Cameron –American engineer who praised Rizal for his engineering
ingenuity.

Community Projects for Dapitan:

 1.Drained the marshes to get rid of malaria that was infesting Dapitan
 2.Equipped the town with lighting system using P500 one of his patients paid him.
The lighting system consisted of: Coconut oil lamps
 3.Beautified the town of Dapitan by remodeling the town plaza and making a huge
relief map of Mindanao out of earth, stones and grass

Rizal as Teacher
• Rizal established in Dapitan a school. It began with 3 pupils who increased to 16
and eventually 21.
• 16 of his pupils did not pay tuition. Instead of charging them fees, Rizal made
them work in his gardens and construction projects.
• Formal classes were between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. He also applied the
“emperor” system like that of Ateneo.
• During recess, pupils built fires to drive away insects, pruned fruit trees and
manured the soil.
• Outside class hours, students had gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, stone-throwing,
swimming, arnis and boating
• Hymn to Talisay -a poem Rizal wrote in honor of Talisay which he made his
pupils sing

Contributions to Science
Rizal sent specimens he found to the museum of Europe especially the Dresden
Museum. In turn, he received scientific books and surgical instruments

 1.Built up a rich collection of concology (consisting of 346 shells of 203 species)

 2.Discovered rare specimens like:
 a.Draco rizali(a flying dragon)
 b. Apogonia rizali(a small beetle)
 c.Rhacophorus rizali(a rare frog)
 3.Conducted anthropological, ethnographical, archaeological, geological and
geographical studies.

Linguistic Studies
 Continuing his study of languages, Rizal learned in Dapitan:

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 1.Bisayan
 2.Subanum
 3.Malay languages

 He knew by that time 22 languages as follows

Tagalog, Malay, Ilokano, Hebrew, Bisayan, Sanskrit, Subanum, Dutch, Spanish, Catalan
Latin, Italian Greek, Chinese, English, Japanese, French, Portuguese, German, Swedish,
Arabic, Russian

Artistic Works in Dapitan

To pursue his artistic activities, Rizal:

 1.Contributed paintings to the Sisters of Charity who were preparing the sanctuary of the
Holy Virgin
 2.Made sketches of persons and things that attracted him in Dapitan
 3.Modeled a statuette called “The Mother’s Revenge” to stress the moral of the incident
where a puppy of his dog, Syria, was eaten by a crocodile
 4.Constructed a statue of a girl called “The Dapitan Girl”, a woodcarving of Josephine
Bracken (Rizal’s wife)
 5.Made a bust of St. Paul for Father Pastells

Rizal as Farmer
• Rizal acquired total land holdings of 70 hectares where 6,000 hemp plants, 1,000 coconut
trees and numerous fruit trees, sugarcane, corn, coffee and cacao were planted.
• He planned to establish an agricultural colony in Sitio Ponot because it was ideal for
raising cacao, coffee, coconuts and cattle. However, this did not materialize due to lack of
support from the government

Rizal as Businessman
• Ramon Carreon – Rizal’s business partner in Dapitan Rizal made profitable business
ventures in fishing,copra and hemp industries.
• Hemp industry – Rizal’s most profitable business
• Once he shipped 150 bales of hemp to Manila. He purchased hemp in Dapitan at P7 and
4 reales per picul and he sold it to Manila at P10 and 4 reales.
• Rizal also engaged in lime manufacturing. Their lime burner had a monthly capacity of
more than400 bags of lime
• He organized the Cooperative Association of Dapitan Farmers to break Chinese
monopoly

Rizal’s Inventive Ability

Among Rizal’s inventions were:
1.Cigarette lighter which he sent as a gift to Blumentritt called “sulpukan”
2.A wooden machine for making bricks

“My Retreat”
• Upon restoring her eyesight, Dona Teodora returned to Manila. Seeing how busy Rizal is,
she regretted neglecting her muses. She requested Rizal to write poetry. As a response, Rizal
wrote “Mi Retiro” relating his serene life as an exile in Dapitan

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Rizal and Josephine Bracken
• The death of Leonor Rivera left a poignant void in
Rizal’s heart. In his loneliness, he met Josephine.
• Josephine Bracken – Irish girl of sweet eighteen who
was born on Hong Kong.
•James Bracken and Elizabeth Jane
MacBride – Josephine’s parents who are both Irish in
citizenship
• Mr. George Taufer – man who adopted Josephine
after her mother died of childbirth
• Mr. Taufer became blind so he sought for an
ophthalmic specialist. This is how Josephine and Rizal
met.
 •Manuela Orlac – Filipina companion who
accompanied Josephine Bracken to Dapitan.
 •Rizal and Josephine Bracken decided to get married
but Father Obach refused to marry them without the
permission of Bishop of Cebu.
 •Hearing of the planned marriage and unable to endure
the thought of losing Josephine, Mr. Taufer tried to commit suicide by cutting off his throat
with a razor but Rizal was able to prevent this.
 •To avoid a tragedy, Josephine accompanied Mr. Taufer back to Manila. Mr. Taufer
returned to Hong Kong alone while Josephine stayed with the Rizals in Manila.
• Having no priests to marry them, Rizal and Josephine married themselves before the eyes
of God
• The two were happy for they were expecting for a baby. However, Rizal played a prank
on Josephine making her give birth to an eight-month baby boy. The baby lived for only three
hours. He was named “Francisco” in honor of Rizal’s father.

Rizal and the Katipunan

• Pio Valenzuela – emissary to Dapitan in order to inform Rizal of the plan of Katipunan
during the meeting at a little river called Bitukang Manok.
• Venus – steamer Valenzuela boarded to reach Dapitan
• Raymundo Mata – blind man who came withValenzuela to camouflage his mission

Rizal objected Bonifacio’s project because:

 1.The people are not ready for a revolution
 2.Arms and funds must first be collected before raising the cry of revolution.

Rizal volunteers as Military Doctor in Cuba

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• When Cuba was under revolution and raging yellow fever epidemic, Rizal wrote to
Governor General Ramon Blanco offering his services as military doctor.
• Governor Blanco later notified Rizal of the acceptance of the offer. The notification came
along with an instruction of acquiring first a pass for Manila from the politico-military
commander of Dapitan.
“The Song of the Traveler”
• Upo receiving the acceptance of his offer to go to Europe then to Cuba to help in the
curing of patients suffering yellow fever, he wrote a poem “El Canto del Viajero”

Adios, Dapitan
• España – steamer which brought Rizal to Manila from Dapitan
• Rizal was accompanied by Josephine, Narcisa, Angelica (Narcisa’s daughter), his three
nephews and six pupils.
• As farewell, the town brass of Dapitan played the dolorous Funeral March of Chopin.
• He stayed in Dapitan for four years, thirteen days and a few hours.

8.2. Arrival and Arrest in Manila

 Rizal arrived in Manila, accompanied by his sister Lucia on the 26th of June, 1892. Like
the heroes of old, he was awaited by a crowd, watching or spying on him, before he was
consecrated to history. The carabineers, headed by their commandant, a captain and
lieutenant of the Guardia Civil Veterana, and a sergeant in civilian clothes were there.
 In afternoon at 4:00 Rizal proceed to Malacanang Palace, residence of Governor- General
Eulogio Despujol. When he arrived in Manila, he announced a series of reforms, which
created a certain waved of popularity in his favor.
 On Wednesday, the 29th, he went to Malacanang for his appointment with Governor-
General. The interview lasted for two hours. He did not succeed in obtaining the freedom of
his brother; he left with the prospect of succeeding in the near future.
 On Thursday he had another meeting with Despujol. This time, the matter of the Borneo
settlement was taken up. Despujol expressed strong opposition to the idea.  The Governor-
General offered lands, a league and a half from Calamba. In this particular session, Despujol
annulled the deportation of Rizal’s brother and on Sunday, July 3, Rizal went personally to
thank the Governor, and inform him that his father and brothers were arriving by the first
boat available
 On the night of July 3, Sunday, Rizal went to the house of Doroteo Ongjunco where the
organization La Liga Filipina was founded On July 5, Tuesday all the houses Rizal had
previously visited were searched by the police. On the 6th of July, the most dramatic
conference between Rizal and the Governor took place.
 Despujol then informed Rizal that he was under arrest as of that moment, and that his
nephew and assistant, Ramon Despujol, would escort him in the palace coast to Fort
Santiago.
 From July 6 to 14 he was in a state of incommunicado. The same night that Rizal was held
incommunicado at Fort Santiago, a group of resolute men secretly met in the house of

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Deodato Arellano. Arellano, Andres Bonifacio, Valentin Diaz, Teodoro Plata, Jose Dizon and
Ladislao Diwa It has been said that it was at this meeting that Katipunan was founded.
Rizal’s Arrest
Rizal was imprisoned in Fort Santiago from July 6, 1892 to July 15, 1892 on a charge
that anti-friar pamphlets were found in the luggage of his sister Lucia who arrives with him
from Hong Kong. While a political exile in Dapitan, he engaged in agriculture, fishing and
business; he maintained and operated a hospital; he conducted classes- taught his pupils the
English and Spanish languages, the arts.
The sciences, vocational courses including agriculture, surveying, sculpturing, and
painting, as well as the art of self-defense; he did some researches and collected specimens;
he entered into correspondence with renowned men of letters and sciences abroad; and with
the help of his pupils, he constructed water dam and a relief map of Mindanao - both
considered remarkable engineering feats. His sincerity and friendliness won for him the trust
and confidence of even those assigned to guard him; his good manners and warm personality
were found irresistible by women of all races with whom he had personal contacts; his
intelligence and humility gained for him the respect and admiration of prominent men of
other nations; while his undaunted courage and determination to uplift the welfare of his
people were feared by his enemies.
8.3. Preliminary Investigation and Trial

 November 20, 1896. The preliminary investigation on Rizal began. During the five – day
investigation, Rizal was informed of the charges against him before Judge Advocate Colonel
Francisco Olive.
2 Kinds of Evidences Endorsed by Colonel Olive to Governor Ramon Blanco:
1. Documentary
- 15 exhibits
2. Testimonial
- by Martin Constantino, Aguedo del Rosario, Jose Reyes, Moises Salvador,
Jose Dizon, Domingo Franco, Deodato Arellano, Pio Valenzeula, Antonio Salazar, Francisco
Quison, and Timoteo Paez.
Rafael Dominguez as the Judge Advocate assigned with the task of deciding what
corresponding action should be done. After a brief review, the records was transmitted to
Don Nicolas de la Peña, Judge Advocate General, for an opinion.
Peña’s recommendations were as follows:
 Rizal must be immediately sent to trial.
 He must be held in prison under necessary security.
 His properties must be issued with order of attachment, and as indemnity, Rizal
had to pay 1 million pesos.

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  Instead of civilian lawyer, only army officer is allowed to defend Rizal.
 Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade - Lawyer of Rizal; he is the brother of Lt. Jose Taviel de
Andrade who worked as Rizal’s personal body guard in Calamba 1887.
 December 11, 1896: Charges against Rizal were read in the presence of his Spanish
counsel.
 December 13, 1896: Rizal’s case was endorsed to Blanco’s successor, Governor Camilo
de Polavieja.
 December 15, 1896: Inside his cell at fort Santiago, Rizal wrote the controversial
Manifesto addressed to his countrymen.
 December 26, 1896: ( about 8 o’clock in the morning)
- The court-martial of Rizal commenced. The Military Court was indifferent to the
pleads of Rizal
- Hearing was actually moro-moro – a planned trial wherein Rizal, before hearing his
verdict, had already been prejudged.
 December 28, 1896: The decision of the court martial and ordered the execution of Rizal
at 7 o’clock in the morning of December 30th at Bagumbayan Field (Luneta) by Governor
General Camillo de Polavieja
8.4. The Last Hours and Execution of Rizal
December 29, 1896. Captain Domiguez read the death sentence to Rizal. He refused to sign
the notification sentence as required by law, saying he was innocent he could not do so.
 While he was inside Fort Santiago, he was visited by Jesuits Father, Fr. Saderra and Father
Viza, he gave Rizal the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which himself carved during his
days in Ateneo.
 Fr. Satiago Mataix was able to interview Rizal, he noticed Rizal’s calmness throughout
the interview.
 In the afternoon, Rizal read the bible and Imitation of Christ by Kemphis aferwhich he
meditated.
 The women in his family visited him in prison cell.
 Later that night he finished writing “Mi Ultimo Adios”, which is considered a
masterpiece and a living document expressing not only the hero’s great love of country but
also that of all Filipinos.
December 30, 1896. He awakened early and wrote the dedication he had promised to
Josephine. He also wrote his last letters to his parents asking for forgiveness for all the
sorrows he had caused them. No one was allowed to enter his prison cell.
6:15 A.M: Luis Taviel de Andrade, his lawyer arrived. He noticed that Rizal was calm.
6:30 A.M: The drum and bugle with the squad army came to an assembly. He came out of his
cell, bound to elbow with the Jesuits.

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 The Captain in charge of the execution instructed Rizal where to position himself, to turn
his back against the squad and face the sea. However Rizal requested to face the firing squad.
 He was asked to be shot at the back instead of the head so that may, at the very end, turn
his head and body sidewise and fall with his face upward.
 The military physician, Ruiz y Castillo approached him and asked for Rizal’s wrist and
felt his pulse. Surprisingly he found it normal.
7:30 A.M: Rizal shouted “Consummatum Est!” before the shot ran out. The hero’s life had
ended. In the background could be heard, “Viva Espana! Death to traitors”
 Rizal’s family was not able to take hold of his body. The military secretly buried the body
of Rizal at the Paco cementery.
 Narcisa passed by the unused Paco cemetery and saw through the opend gates and some
civil guards. She saw a freshly turned earth and knew at once that this was her brother’s
body.
 With a little amount of money, she asked the gravedigger to place a plaque on with her
brother’s initial reverse. That is, R. P. J for Rizal, Protacio Jose
1911: Rizal’s family had possession of the body. It was instituted at the base of the Rizal
monument which was at the center of Luneta.

References:
Delos Santos, Andres R. (2013). A Review on the life and works of the first Filipino: Jose
Rizal. Jimczyville Publications, Malabon City

Mojares, Resil.2013. Jose Rizal and the invention of a national literature. In Isabelo’s
archive,213-21. Mandaluyong City:Anvil

Zaide, G. (2015), Jose Rizal: Life, works and Writings, National Book Store.

www.joserizal.ph

http://senyorjoserizal.blogspot.com

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