RIZAL IN THE EYES OF FILIPINOS vices.

Only then we would become

conscious as people, and so learn to prepare
He was a martyr who died for Filipinos. ourselves for painful sacrifices that
ultimately lead to self-reliance, self-respect,
He wrote "Tagalische Verskunst“, an essay and freedom”- Jose P. Laurel, Jr
which studies the principles of Tagalog
poetry. Debates for the bill in aid of legislation
ensued next, albeit not smooth sailing.
Rizal also had his share of detractors. Opponents, mostly rabid Catholic senators,
contended that the proposed bill was too
REPUBLIC ACT 1425 (RIZAL LAW) controversial.
Policymakers made sure that the words of
Rizal will be materialized through 1. The bill was an attempt to discredit the
state-sponsored education of his life, works, Catholic religion.
and writings. 2. Inimical to the tenets of the faith to which
170 lines in Noli Me Tangere and 50 lines in
The Birth of the Rizal Law El Filibusterismo were offensive to the
Amidst the destruction of building Church doctrine.
infrastructures, roads, and bridges brought 3. The bill might divide the nation.
by World War II, the people saw the need to 4. Compulsion to read something against
rebuild the Filipino identity to which was one’s faith impaired freedom of speech and
equally affected by wars. Nationalist religious freedom.
policy-makers the redirected the nation to 5. Compulsion to read something against
the essence of history as a foundation of one’s faith impaired freedom of speech and
national hope and pride religion.

On April 3, 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 (AN It was in this context that Senator Laurel
ACT TO MAKE NOLI ME TANGERE proposed a substitute bill.
AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO 1. The bill included all works and writings
COMPULSORY READING MATTER IN of Jose Rizal, not just two novels.
ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES 2. He removed the term “compulsion” to
AND UNIVERSITY AND FOR OTHER appease the opposition.
PURPOSES) was submitted to the Senate 3. He asserted the importance of reading the
Committee on Education. original and unexpurgated edition of Rizal’s
novels because the true purpose of studying
“Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo these will be defeated if not followed.
must be read by all Filipinos They must be 4. He added the provisions regarding the
taken to heart, for in their pages we see exemption of students from reading the two
ourselves as in a mirror, our defects as well novels on certain conditions. With this, on
as our strengths, our virtues as well as our
May 12, 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 was Bayani: a person who fears no one (walang
unanimously approved on second reading. takot) courageous (matapang), firm
(matibay), bold (mapangahas), but quiet
On June 12, 1956, President Ramon (tahimik) and calm (mahinahon).
Magsaysay signed the bill to make it a law.
The concept of a Filipino Hero in early
The trial of the Rizal Law in Congress Filipino societies is not a posthumous award
(Senate and House of Representatives) is given to dead people, but rather an honorific
clearly a TRIUMPH of DEMOCRACY. role and title in the society.

Concept of a HERO SPANISH COLONIZATION The Spaniards

N introduced the image of obedience of
Hero - Known as Bayani, Bagani, Magani, saints and disciples whom the Filipinos have
or Warrior of community (Wari ) to imitate in order to become good colonials.

PANGANGAYAW AMERICAN REGIME The Americans

propagated a secular view on heroes.
1.To secure resources (use goods or bounty
to human slaves) HERO is a social construct.
2. To avenge a personal affront or family
honor CRITERIA FOR RECOGNIZING
3. To fulfill mourning requirements to which HEROES
life of enemies must be sacrificed
4. For personal prominence or a mercenary The extent of a person’s sacrifice for the
reward welfare of the country

BAYANI - It is important to point out that a The motive and methods employed in the
Bayani does not work alone; he or she attainment of the ideal
always exerts efforts together with his/ her
comrades in the community. The moral character of the person concerned
The influence of the person concerned on
A Bayani is more often than not a true his/her age or succeeding generation
kawani or lingkod bayan (community
servant) who renders his or her help to those Those who have a concept of nation and
in need in the community without counting thereafter aspire and struggle for nation’s
the cost. freedom

The concept of bayanihan (cooperation) and Those who define and contribute to a system
the word ipabayani (free labor) proves the of life of freedom and order for a nation
semantic essence of bayani.
Those who contribute to the quality of life
and destiny of a nation

Those who have a concept of nation and

thereafter aspire and struggle for nation’s
freedom

Those who define and contribute to a system

of life of freedom and order for a nation

Those who contribute to the quality of life

and destiny of a nation
THE LIFE OF JOSE RIZAL He married Ines de la Rosa of a known
entrepreneurial family in Binondo. Domingo
June 19, 1861 - date where Jose Rizal was and Ines later settled in the estate of San
born. Isidro, Labrador owned by the Dominican.

Calamba, Laguna - birthplace of Jose Rizal In 1731, they had a son whom they named
- a town located 54 kilometers south Francisco Mercado.
of Manila with around 3000-400
inhabitants. It is found in the heart of “Mercado” - which means “market”, was a
a region known for its agricultural common surname adopted by many Chinese
prosperity and is among the major merchants at that time.
producers of sugar and rice, with an
abundant variety of tropical fruits. Francisco Mercado became one of the
On the southern part of the town lies richest in Biñan and owned the largest herd
the majestic Mount Makiling, and on of carabaos.
the other side is the lake called
Laguna de Bay. 1783 - Francisco Mercado was elected as the
capitán del pueblo.
- The wonders of creation that
surrounded Rizal made him love He had a son named Juan Mercado who was
nature from an early age. His student also elected as capital del pueblo in 1808,
memoirs show his love of nature 1813, and 1823.
influenced his appreciation of the
arts and sciences (Coates, 1992). Juan Mercado
- married Cirila Alejandra, a native of
Fransisco Mercado - Rizal’s great Biñan.
grandfather, a wealthy farmer who leased - They had 13 children including
lands for Dominican Friars. Francisco Engracio, the father of
Jose Rizal.
Francisco’s earliest ancestors were Siang-co
and Zun-nio, who later gave birth to Governor Narciso Claveria’s decree in 1849
Lam-co. - ordered the Filipinos to adopt Spanish
surnames,
Lam-co migrated in the Philippines in the
late 1600s Francisco Engracio Mercado added the
surname “Rizal” from the word “ricial”
In 1697 Lam-co was baptized in Binondo. meaning “green field” as he later settled in
He adopted the name Domingo. Calamba as a farmer growing sugar cane,
rice, and indigo.
Francisco Engracio (1818-1898) Rizal was affectionate to all his siblings.
- had a good education that started in a
Latin school in Biñan. Paciano
- He attended the College of San Jose - became Rizal’s second father
in Manila. - Rizal highly respected him and
- In 1848, Francisco married Teodora valued all his advice.
Alonso - accompanied Rizal when he first
went to school in Biñan.
Teodora Alonso (1826-1911) - convinced Rizal to pursue his studies
- belonged to one of the wealthiest in Europe
families in Manila. Paciano had his college education in Manila
- father was a member of the Spanish but later decided to join the Katipunan and
Cortes fight for independence. After the revolution,
- educated at the College of Sta. Rosa Paciano retired to his home in Los Baños
- Rizal described her as “a woman of and led a quiet life until his death in 1930.
more than ordinary culture” and that
she is a “mathematician and has read CHILDHOOD AND EARLY
many books” EDUCATION

Because of Francisco and Teodora’s industry Rizal had good memories of childhood in
and hard work, their family became a Calamba.
prominent member of the principalia class
in the town of Calamba. Their house was Angelus - time where Rizal’s family pray.
among the first concrete houses to be built in
the town. There were times when they would stay in
the garden exchanging stories. It was in this
The Eleven children of Francisco Mercado garden where he learned to appreciate
and Teodora Alonso: nature. Rizal’s childhood was full of love
and care shown to him by his parents and
Saturnina (1850-1913) siblings.
Paciano (1851-1930)
Narcisa (1852-1939) Due to his poor health, Rizal had a personal
Olimpia (1855-1887) servant who, after the daily Angelus, would
Lucia (1857-1919) tell him legends and fairy tales. These
Maria (1859-1945) stories made him become interested in
Jose Rizal (1861-1896) myths and folklore.
Concepcion (1862-1865)
Josefa (1865-1945) Doña Teodora - Rizal’s first teacher who
Trinidad (1868-1951) taught him how to pray.
Soledad (1870-1929)
Eventually, Doña Teodora would notice with his cousins at six and then study for a
Rizal’s skills in poetry. while before going to sleep.

Just like the other children from the In Biñan, he excelled in Latin and Spanish.
principalia class, Rizal experienced
education under private tutors. Juancho
- Father-in-law of Maestro Cruz
Rizal’s Private Tutors - An old painter who taught Rizal
1. Maestro Celestino drawing and painting
2. Maestro Lucas Padua
3. Leon Monroy - taught him basic latin, December 17, 1870 - Rizal returned to
reading, and writing Calamba after one-and-a-half-year of
schooling in Biñan and after receiving a
At the age of nine, Rizal left Calamba with letter from Saturnina.
his brother to study in Biñan.
Talim - steamship where Rizal went on
After a one-and-a-half hour of travel, they board.
reached the town on board a carromata.
Arturo Camps - accompanied Rizal, a
They went to the house of their aunt where Frenchman and a friend of his father.
Rizal stayed for more than a year.
RIZAL AS STUDENT OF MANILA
Justiniano Aquino Cruz - Paciano’s former
teacher whom he introduced to Rizal Ateneo Municipal - formerly known as
Escuela Pia is the school where Rizal’s
The class, as described by Rizal, was in a father sent him.
nipa house, about thirty meters away from
his aunt’s house. Bachiller en Artes - six-year program which
Rizal took.
Every day, Rizal would wake up early and
either hear mass at four o’clock in the June 10, 1872 - Rizal took the entrance
morning or study his lesson first and go to exam four months after the execution of
mass after. Gomburza.

After returning home, he would take He followed the advice of his brother,
breakfast and go to class from which he Paciano, to use the name Jose Rizal instead
would come out at ten o’ clock. of Jose Mercado. He feared that Rizal might
run into trouble if it was known openly that
He would then again go to school at two they were brothers since Paciano was known
o’clock and come out at five. He would pray to have links to Jose Burgos, one of the
leaders of the secularization movement and Also in the same year, he took up a
one of three priests executed. vocational course in Ateneo that gave him
the title perito agrimensor (expert surveyor)
Jesuit Fathers - priests who ran the Ateneo issued on November 25, 1881.
Municipal during Rizal’s time.
In his second year at UST, Rizal shifted his
Ateneo was also known for its rigid course to medicine. He felt the need to take
discipline and religious instruction that up this course after learning about his
trained students’ character. mother’s failing eyesight.

Romans - boarding students (Roman Rizal’s academic performance in UST was

Empire) not as impressive as that in Ateneo. He was
a good student in Medicine but not as gifted
Carthaginians - non-boarding students as he was in Arts and Letters. Despite this,
(Carthaginian Empire) he was still one of the seven students who
remained in the course in his last year at
At the start, Rizal lagged behind his UST out of the original batch of 24.
classmates but because of his perseverance
and seriousness in studies, he became the 1882 - Rizal and Paciano made a secret
“emperor”, a title given to the most pact—Rizal would go to Europe to complete
outstanding student in class, in just a his medical studies there and prepare
month’s time. himself for the great task of liberating the
country from Spanish tyranny.
1872-1875 - years Rizal stayed in Ateneo.
RIZAL IN EUROPE
March 14, 1877
- He passed the oral examination May 3, 1882 - Rizal left the Philippines for
- and graduated with a degree Spain
Bachiller en Artes, with the highest
honors. In his first trip abroad, Rizal was very
excited to learn new things. He was only
After finishing this degree, Rizal was sent twenty years old and as a young man, he
by Don Francisco to the University of Santo was very observant and eager to interact
Tomas. Initially, Doña Teodora opposed the with foreign nationals. He made sketches of
idea for fear of what happened to the his fellow passengers and of the things that
GOMBURZA. he saw during his travels.

(1877-1878) - Rizal attended the course June 16, 1882 - Rizal reached Barcelona
Philosophy and Letters.
Coffee House in Plaza de Cataluña - place He continued enrolling in courses that would
where Rizal’s classmates organized a have led to a Doctorate in Medicine but the
welcome party for him. degree was not given to him because he
failed to pay the fee required to defend his
“El Amor Patrio” (Love of Country) - an thesis.
essay Rizal wrote in Barcelona
Rizal also took examinations in Greek,
August 20, 1882 - El Amor Patrio was Latin, and world history. He won the first
published in Diariong Tagalog. prize in Greek and a grade of “excellent” in
history.
Laong Laan - pen name that Rizal used.
Licenciado en Filosofía y Letras - degree
November 3, 1882 - Rizal decided to move obtained by Rizal on June 19, 1885 from
to Madrid where he enrolled in Medicine the Universidad Central de Madrid with a
and Philosophy and Letters at the rating of sobresaliente.
Universidad Central de Madrid
Ilustrados - (enlightened ones)
Academia de San Fernando - school where
Rizal took lessons in painting and sculpture Circulo Hispano-Filipino - which held
informal programs with activities like
Madrid Ateneo - French, English, and poetry-reading and debates.
German,
As a prolific writer and poet, Rizal was
Not content with these activities, he still asked to write a poem. As a result, he wrote
managed to enroll in fencing class at the Mi Piden Versos (They Ask Me for Verses).
schools of Sanz and Carbonell.
January 2, 1884 - In one of the Filipino
January of 1883 - Rizal wrote to his family reunions at the house of Pedro Paterno in
and informed them that: “I am now studying Madrid, Rizal proposed the writing of a
Italian and have made a bet that I shall be novel about the Philippine society.
able to speak it in two months.”
Madrid - place where Rizal wrote half of the
June 1884 - Rizal was awarded with the Noli Me Tangere.
degree and title of Licentiate in Medicine
for passing the medical examinations. With November 15, 1890 - He joined the Masonry
this title, Rizal was able to practice and became a Master Mason at the Lodge
medicine. Solidaridad.
Filipinos in Madrid occasionally visited Don Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art) -
Pablo Ortiga y Rey, the former city mayor of a paper written by Rizal after mastering the
Manila under Governor-General Carlos German language.
Maria de la Tore.
He also translated Schiller’s William Tell
Rizal joined his fellow Filiinos at Don into Tagalog in 1886.
Pablo’s house where he met and became
attracted to Consuelo, Don Pablo’s daughter. Berlin - place where Rizal finished the Noli
However, Rizal did not pursue her because Me Tangere.
of his commitment to Leonor Rivera. His
friend, Eduardo de Lete, was also in love March 21, 1887 - Noli Me Tangere which
with Consuelo but did not want to ruin their was published
friendship.
Maximo Viola - helped Rizal financially in
A Senorita C. O. y. R. - a poem Rizal wrote the publication.
for Consuelo in 1883
August 8, 1887 -After five years in Europe,
Ophthalmology - medical specialization of Rizal went home to Calamba.
Rizal
He came to be known as Doctor Uliman as
Dr. Louis de Weckert of Paris he was mistaken for a German. His vacation,
- the leading ophthalmologists in however, was cut short because he was
Europe targeted by the friars who were portrayed
- He worked as an assistant from negatively in his novel Noli Me Tangere.
October 1885 to March 1886.
February 16, 1888 - He left the country for
In Germany, he also worked with expert the second time
ophthalmologists Dr. Javier Galezowsky and
Dr. Otto Becker in Heidelberg in 1886 and RIZAL’S SECOND TRIP TO EUROPE
Dr. R. Schulter and Dr. Schwiegger in 1887.
Rizal became more active in the Propaganda
Fredrich Ratzel - a German historian whom Movement.
Rizal befriended.
Fellow Ilustrados of Rizal:
Feodor Jagor and Hans Virchow - Marcelo H. del Pilar
anthropologists who were doing studies on Graciano Lopez Jaena
Philippine culture. (Rizal met them through Antonio Luna
Ferdinand Blumentritt) Mariano Ponce
Trinidad Pardo de Tavera
The Propaganda Movement campaigned for Valentine Ventura - helped Rizal in the
reforms such as: publication of El Filibusterismo.

(1) for the Philippines to be made a province Compared with his Noli, Rizal’s El Fili was
of Spain so that native Filipinos would have more radical with its narrative portrayed of a
equal rights accorded to Spaniards society on the verge of a revolution.
(2) representation of the Philippines in the
Spanish Cortes 1892 - Rizal decided to return to the
(3) secularization of parishes Philippines thinking that the struggle was in
his homeland
La Solidaridad - Propaganda Movement’s
newspaper. June 26, 1892 - In spite of warnings and his
family’s disapproval, Rizal arrived in the
Among his intellectual works in Europe is Philippines.
his annotation of Antonio de Morga’s
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (1890) in La Liga Filipina - a socio-civic organization
which Rizal showed that even before the that Rizal established on July 3, 1892
coming of the Spaniards, the Filipinos
already had developed culture. July 6, 1892 - Rizal was arrested and
brought to For Santiago just a few days after
“Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos” (On the Liga’s formation
the Indolence of the Filipinos) - essay
published in 1890 in which he attributed the He was charged with bringing with him
Filipinos’ “indolence” to different factors from Hong Kong leaflets entitled Pobres
such as climate and social disorders. Frailes (Poor Friars), a satire against the
rich Dominican friars and their
Another essay he wrote strongly called for accumulation of wealth against their vow of
reforms; it was called “Filipinas Dentro de poverty. In spite of his protests and denial of
Cien Años” (The Philippines a Century having those materials, Rizal was exiled to
Hence) published in parts from 1889 to Dapitan in Maguindanao.
1890.
EXILE IN DAPITAN
July 1891 - Rizal completed the El
Filibusterismo. July 17, 1892 - Rizal arrived in Dapitan

Brussels - place where Rizal wrote the El Cebu - steamship Rizal boarded on
Filibusterismo.
Dapitan - remote town in Mindanao which
September 11, 1891 - El Filibusterismo was served as a politico- military outpost of the
published. Spaniards in the Philippines.
Capt. Ricardo Carnicero I get up early—at 5:00. I visit my fields, I
- Head of Dapitan feed the chickens. I wake up my folks, and
- became a friend of Rizal during his start them moving. At 7:30 we take
exile. breakfast—tea, pastry, cheese, sweets, etc.
- He gave Rizal the permission to
explore the place and required him to Afterwards I treat my poor patients who
report once a week in his office. come to my land. I dress and go to the town
in my baroto, I treat the people there and I
Rizal stayed in Dapitan from 1892-1896. return at 12:00 and take lunch. Afterwards, I
teach the boys until 4:00 and I spend the
Here, he practiced medicine, pursued afternoon farming. I spend the evening
scientific studies, and continued his artistic reading and studying.
pursuits in sculpture, painting, sketching,
and writing poetry. Relative to Rizal’s project to improve and
beautify Dapitan, he made a big relief map
He established a school for boys and of Mindanao in the plaza and used it to
promoted community development projects. teach geography.

Malayan language - language Rizal studied George Taufer - Having heard of Rizal’s
during his stay in Dapitan. fame as an ophthalmologist he was suffering
from an eye ailment and traveled from
He engaged himself in farming and Hongkong to Dapitan.
commerce and even invented a wooden
machine for making bricks. He was accompanied by his adopted
daughter, Josephine Bracken, who
September 21, 1892 - Rizal won the second eventually fell in love with Rizal.
prize in a lottery together with Ricardo
Carnicero and another Spaniard. Father Obach - denied the sacrament of
marriage
6200 - Rizal’s share
- the parish priest of Dapitan, due to
A portion of Rizal’s winnings was used in Rizal’s refusal to retract his
purchasing land approximately one statements against the Church and to
kilometer away from Dapitan in a place accept other conditions.
known as Talisay. He built his house on the
seashore of Talisay as well as a school and a Dr. Pio Valenzuela - visited Rizal in Dapitan
hospital within the area. and informed him about the founding of
Katipunan and the planned revolution on the
eve of of June 21, 1896
Meanwhile, Rizal had been sending letters Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrande - Rizal’s
to then Governor-General Ramon Blanco. lawyer.
Twice he sent letters, one in 1894 and
another in 1895. He asked for a review of December 26, 1896 - the trial ended and the
his case. He said that if his request would sentence was read. Jose Rizal was found
not be granted, he would volunteer to serve guilty and sentenced to death by firing squad
as a surgeon under the Spanish army
fighting in the Cuban revolution. December 28, 1896 - Governor- General
Camilo de Polavieja signed the court
July 30, 1896 - Rizal’s request to go to Cuba decision. He later decreed that Rizal be
was approved. executed by firing squad at 7:00 am on
December 30.
The next day, he left for Manila on board the
steamer España. Mi Ultimo Adios
- Rizal’s longest poem
September 3, 1896 - he boarded the steamer - about his farewell to the Filipino
Isla de Panay which would bring him to people
Barcelona.
December 29, 1896 - When his mother and
November 3, 1896 - Rizal arrived in Manila sisters visited him. Rizal gave away his
and was immediately brought to Fort remaining possessions. He handed his gas
Santiago. lamp to his sister Trinidad and murmured
softly in English, “There is something
TRIAL AND EXECUTION inside.” Eventually, Trining and her sister
Maria would extract from the lamp the copy
November 20, 1896 - The preliminary of Rizal’s last poem.
investigation of Rizal’s case began.
At 6:30 in the morning of December 30,
He was accused of being the main organizer 1896 - Rizal, in black suit with his arms tied
of the revolution by having proliferated the behind his back, walked to Bagumbayan.
ideas of rebellion and of founding illegal
organizations. Consummatum est! - (“It is finished!”)

Rizal pleaded not guilty and even wrote a

manifesto appealing to the revolutionaries to
discontinue the uprising.