Topic 3

FAMILY, CHILDHOOD AND EARLY EDUCATION OF RIZAL

Introduction:
Jose Rizal just like ordinary Filipino boys had many beautiful memories
during childhood, but unlike other kids at his age, his childhood is
characterized by his desire to learn and do some religious routines. He lives
with a happy family, filled with parental affection, impregnated with family
joys and sanctified by prayers. The topics discuss here does not only provide
a comprehensive understanding of Rizal's early years but also set the stage
for discussing how these formative experiences influenced his later life,
writings, and role as a national hero.
Course Outcomes 2: Evaluate the differing sources of narratives and
interpretations of Jose Rizal’s Life and Works.

Specific Learning Objectives: At the end of the topic the learners are
expected to,
1. Evaluate the differing sources of narratives and interpretations of Jose
Rizal’s Life and Works.
2. Differentiate the varied historical narratives and interpretations of the
Life and Heroism of Jose Rizal.
3. Assess the different authorial narratives for their value, credibility, and
reliability.

 The Birth of the Hero

- Our hero was born on the moonlit Wednesday June 19, 1861 in
Calamba Laguna
- During the delivery his mother almost died because of her 7 th child
big head and also the superstition of some “omens” during the day
of the delivery.
- Three days after the delivery he was baptized in the same place by
Father Rufino Collantes with his Godfather Rev. father Pedro
Casanas
 The Rizal Family
- The Rizal Family is composed of 13 members, the father, the
mother nine girls and two boys
 Francisco Mercado (1818-1898) - Father of Jose Rizal who
was the youngest of 13 offspring of Juan and Cirila
Mercado. Born in Biñan, Laguna on April 18, 1818; studied
in San Jose College, Manila; and died in Manila. He was one
of the tenants of Dominican lands in Calamba.
 Teodora Alonzo Realonda (1827-1913) – The mother of
Rizal and served as his first teacher. Born in Santa Cruz
Manila and studied at the Colegio De Santa Rosa.
 Saturnina Rizal (1850-1913) the eldest child of the Rizal
family and married to Manuel Hidalgo.
 Paciano Rizal (1851-1930) Only brother of our hero and
second child. Studies at San Jose College in Manila.
 Narcisa Rizal (1852-1939) – The third child of the family
who became a teacher and musician. She married to
Antonio Lopez.
 Olympia Rizal (1855-1887) – The fourth child who married
Silvestre Ubaldo. She died when Jose Rizal was in Europe.
 Lucia Rizal (1857-1919) – The fifth child who married
Mariano Herbosa.
 Maria Rizal (1859-1945) – The sixth child who married to
Daniel Faustino
 Jose Rizal (1861-1896) – The second son and the seventh
child. He died as a martyr by Spanish firing squad on
December 30, 1896.
 Conception Rizal (1862-1865) - The eight-child died at the
age of 3.
 Josefa Rizal (1865-1945) – is the ninth child of the family
who died as spinster.
 Trinidad Rizal (1868-1951) – The tenth child who also died
a spinster in her hometown at the age of 83.
 Soledad Rizal (1870-1929)- the youngest in the Rizal
Family.
 Rizal Lineage
- The Jose Rizal’s family paternal ascendant was Domingo Lam-co, a
full -blooded Chinese who lived in Amoy, China and arrived in the
Philippines in the closing years of the 17 th century, Domingo Lam-co
was married to a Chinese Half- breed named Ines Dela Rosa.
- The mother of our hero had Spanish and Japanese ancestors. The
father of his mother Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo was a half Spanish
engineer.
- The Mercado-Rizal Family has also Japanese, Spanish, Malay and
Negrito Aside from their Chinese Blood.
 Influences to the young Jose Rizal
- Uncle Gregorio was a book lover, he instilled into the minds of his
nephew a great love for books. He taught him to work hard, to think
for himself and work hard keenly.
- Uncle Jose who had been educated at Calcutta; India was the
youngest brother of Dona Teodora. He encouraged his nephew to
sketch, paint and sculpture.
- Uncle Manuel was a big, strong and husky man. He looked after the
Physical training of his sickly and weak nephew. He encouraged
Rizal to learn swimming, fencing, wrestling and other sports, so that
in later years Rizal’s frail body acquired agility endurance and
strength.
 Rizal’s life and education during childhood
- Dr. Jose Rizal’s frail and sickly body during his young age got much
of the attention and pampering from his parents and siblings.
- Jose Rizal first teacher was his mother that when he barely 3 years
old he learned the alphabet from her and begun to take part in the
family prayers.
- When he was four years old, his sister Conception died at the age of
three. It was on this time that Rizal remembered having shed real
tears for the first time.
- From 1865-1867 his mother taught him how to read and write and
sometime of the day his father hired a classmate by the name of
Leon Monroy who, for five months until his (Monroy) death, taught
Rizal the rudiments of Latin.
- At the age of 5 Jose was also interested in magic. He read many
books on magic. He learned different tricks such as making a coin
disappear and making a handkerchief vanish in thin air.
- Jose Rizal, at age five started to make pencil sketches and mold in
clay and wax objects which attracted his fancy. When he was about
six years old, his sisters once laughed at him for spending much
time making clay and wax images.
- At the age of 7 he with his father made a pilgrimage to Antipolo to
fulfill the vow made by his mother to take the child to the Shrine of
the Virgin of Antipolo should she and her child survive the ordeal of
delivery which nearly caused his mother’s life. From there they
proceeded to Manila and visited his sister Saturnina who was at the
time studying in the La Concordia College in Sta. Ana
- Before reaching the age of eight years old he wrote a Tagalog
Drama, this drama was staged in Calamba in connection with the
town fiesta.
- At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem entitled “Sa Aking
Mga Kabata.” The poem was written in Tagalog and had for its
theme “Love of One’s Language.”
- After Rizal’s tutor Leon Monroy Died, his parents decided to transfer
Pepe to a private school in Binan. He was accompanied by his older
brother Paciano who acted as his second father during his school
days in Binan. The school was supervised by maestro Jutiniano
Aquino Cruz.
Scholarly views on the early childhood of José Rizal vary, reflecting different
interpretations of the influence his formative years had on his later life and
achievements. Here are some key perspectives from different scholars:
1. Austin Craig: The Nurtured Genius
 Perspective: Austin Craig, one of Rizal's early biographers, emphasizes

the nurturing environment provided by Rizal’s parents, particularly his
mother, Teodora Alonso. Craig portrays Rizal as child prodigy whose
intellectual and artistic talents were recognized and encouraged from a
very young age. He credits Rizal's early education at home and his
mother’s guidance as critical to his development as a thinker and
patriot.
 Significance: Craig’s view underscores the importance of a supportive
and intellectually stimulating environment in shaping Rizal’s future as
a national hero. He suggests that Rizal's early exposure to literature,
languages, and the arts laid the groundwork for his later
accomplishments.
2. León María Guerrero: The Influences of Injustice and Environment
 Perspective: León María Guerrero, another prominent biographer of

Rizal, focuses on how Rizal’s early experiences with social injustice and
the environment in which he grew up influenced his later activism.
Guerrero argues that witnessing the harsh realities of Spanish colonial
rule, even as a child, sowed the seeds of discontent and a desire for
reform in Rizal.
 Significance: This perspective highlights how Rizal’s childhood was not
only shaped by positive influences but also by the social and political
environment of the time. Guerrero’s interpretation suggests that
Rizal’s awareness of the injustices faced by Filipinos began in his youth
and was a driving force behind his later revolutionary ideas.
3. Ambeth Ocampo: The Myth vs. The Reality
 Perspective: Historian Ambeth Ocampo provides a more critical and

nuanced view, questioning the idealized accounts of Rizal’s childhood.
Ocampo examines the myths and legends that have grown around
Rizal’s early life, often propagated by later generations to create a
more heroic image. He emphasizes the importance of distinguishing
between the mythologized Rizal and the real, more human figure who
had a complex and multifaceted childhood.
 Significance: Ocampo’s approach encourages a more critical
examination of Rizal’s early years, suggesting that while he was
undoubtedly talented and precocious, the narratives around his
childhood may have been exaggerated or romanticized to serve
nationalistic purposes.
4. Benedicto Cabrera (Bencab): The Role of Family Dynamics
 Perspective: Bencab, a noted Filipino artist and cultural historian,

explores the role of family dynamics in shaping Rizal’s personality and
outlook. He emphasizes the influence of Rizal’s father, Francisco
Mercado, as a figure of authority and discipline, and how Rizal’s
relationship with his siblings, particularly Paciano, contributed to his
early understanding of solidarity and loyalty.
 Significance: This view provides insight into the familial relationships
that influenced Rizal’s development, suggesting that his strong sense
of family loyalty and his later commitment to his country were rooted
in the close-knit dynamics of his family.
5. Floro Quibuyen: The Political Awakening
 Perspective: Floro Quibuyen, a scholar of Philippine studies, argues

that Rizal’s early exposure to political ideas, particularly through his
brother Paciano, was a crucial aspect of his childhood. Quibuyen
suggests that Rizal’s early encounters with the ideas of freedom,
justice, and nationalism were pivotal in shaping his later revolutionary
consciousness.
 Significance: Quibuyen’s perspective places Rizal’s political awakening
at a much earlier stage than many other scholars do, emphasizing the
role of family and early exposure to political thought in his
development as a national leader.
6. Nick Joaquin: The Cultural and Social Influences
 Perspective: Nick Joaquin, a renowned Filipino writer and historian,

explores the cultural and social environment of Calamba and its impact
on Rizal’s childhood. Joaquin delves into how the local customs,
folklore, and the physical landscape of Laguna played a significant role
in shaping Rizal’s imagination and cultural identity.
 Significance: This view highlights the importance of cultural and
environmental factors in Rizal’s early development, suggesting that his
deep connection to his homeland was fostered from childhood and
later reflected in his literary and artistic works.
These different scholarly views provide a multifaceted understanding of

Rizal's early childhood, each contributing to a deeper appreciation of how his
formative years influenced his later life, works, and legacy as a national
hero.
Activity 1: From the scholarly perspective given, create a short statement of

either Jose Rizal genius and extra ordinary quality in his young age a result of
his natural talents (nature) or the influence of his environment and
upbringing (nurture)?
Nature Nurture
Activity 2: Write a brief essay or biography citing the similarity or difference

between your childhood experiences with that of Dr. Jose Rizal.
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References:
https://www.academia.edu/44088401/
Life_and_Works_of_MODULE_1_Lesson_1_5?email_work_card=view-paper
https://spcrizalc2011.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/rizals-childhood-days/
https://eyeofthetiger25.wordpress.com/birth-and-family-life/

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FAMILY, CHILDHOOD AND EARLY EDUCATION OF RIZAL

 The Birth of the Hero

1. Austin Craig: The Nurtured Genius

 Perspective: Austin Craig, one of Rizal's early biographers, emphasizes

2. León María Guerrero: The Influences of Injustice and Environment

 Perspective: León María Guerrero, another prominent biographer of

3. Ambeth Ocampo: The Myth vs. The Reality

 Perspective: Historian Ambeth Ocampo provides a more critical and

4. Benedicto Cabrera (Bencab): The Role of Family Dynamics

 Perspective: Bencab, a noted Filipino artist and cultural historian,

5. Floro Quibuyen: The Political Awakening

 Perspective: Floro Quibuyen, a scholar of Philippine studies, argues

6. Nick Joaquin: The Cultural and Social Influences

 Perspective: Nick Joaquin, a renowned Filipino writer and historian,

These different scholarly views provide a multifaceted understanding of

Activity 1: From the scholarly perspective given, create a short statement of

Activity 2: Write a brief essay or biography citing the similarity or difference

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