CHAPTER 5

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MEDICAL STUDIES AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
(1877-1882)
HISTORY OF UST
• The oldest existing university in Asia and the
largest Catholic University in the world in
terms of population.
• 400 years old
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• Some compare UST as an institution older

than the Harvard University, America’s
oldest university.
• Its former name is the Colegio de Nuestra
Señora del Santisimo Rosario and then
renamed Colegio de Santo Tomas and now
University of Santo Tomas.
MOTHER’S OPPOSITION TO
HIGHER EDUCATION
1877-1879
• Dona Teodora, Jose Rizal’s mother, opposed
the idea of sending Rizal to University to
pursue higher education because of what
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happened to GomBurZa and feared of might

would happen to Rizal

• Rizal was surprise of His mother’s opposition

for she was a woman of education and
culture

• Despite her mother’s opposition, Don Francisco

told Paciano to accompany Rizal to Manila
RIZAL ENTERS THE UNIVERSITY
1877 1877-1878 1877-1879
1877-1879

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STUDIED
ENROLLED AT RIZAL TOOK
COSMOLOGY,
UST UP MEDICAL
METAPHYSICS,
COURSE
ETC.
RIZAL ENTERS THE UNIVERSITY
1877-1879
April 1877
 Rizal enrolled at UST, taking the course on
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Philosophy and Letters

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Reasons:
 His father liked it
 He was still uncertain as to what career to
pursue
RIZAL ENTERS THE UNIVERSITY
1877-1879
1877-1878
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• Rizal studied Cosmology, Metaphysics,

Theodicy and History of Philosophy
during his first year term.
RIZAL ENTERS THE UNIVERSITY
1877-1879
1877-1879
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Rizal took up medical course upon the

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advised of Ateneo’s rector to study

medicine
• The reason he took up medicine is
because of her mother’s growing
blindness
FINISHES SURVEYING COURSE
AT ATENEO
1877-1879
• WHILE Rizal was studying in UST, he also
studied in Ateneo. He took the vocational
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course leading to the title of “Perito

Agrimensor” (Expert Surveyor)

• He excelled in all subjects in the surveying

course obtaining Gold medals in Agriculture
and Topography
FINISHES SURVEYING COURSE
AT ATENEO
1877-1879
Vocational courses:
Agriculture
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Mechanics
Surveying

• At the age of 17, he passed the final exam in

the surveying course but could not be granted
the title as Surveyor because he was underage
FINISHES SURVEYING COURSE
AT ATENEO
1877-1879
November 25, 1881
• Title as surveyor to Rizal
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Extra Curricular Activities:

President, Academy of Spanish Literature

Secretary, Academy of Natural Sciences
Secretary, Marian Congregation
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ROMANCES OF JOSE RIZAL

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DURING HIS UST DAYS

SEGUNDA KATIGBAK

• Jose Rizal’s first love

• Love at first sight

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• described her as a short lady

with “eloquent eyes, rosy cheeks,
and smile that reveals very
beautiful teeth”.
MISS L.
• Jose Rizal called her simply Ms. L describing
her as fair with seductive and attractive eyes.
But after several times of wooing her, he
stopped and the romance died a natural death.
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• Reasons:
1. The sweet memories of Segunda was still fresh
in his heart
2. His family did not like the family of Miss L.
LEONOR “ORANG”
VALENZUELA
• Medical student from Calamba, Laguna
• The charming daughter of Capitan Juan and
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Capitana Sanday Valenzuela

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• Tall girl with legal bearing
• Rizal sent Leonor love notes written in invisible ink
• He visited her on the eye of his departure to
Spain and bade her a last goodbye.
LEONOR RIVERA
• Rizal’s Cousin from Camiling
• Born in Camiling, Tarlac on Aprill 11, 1867
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• A student of La Concordia College Where
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Rizal’s sister, Soledad was then studying
• They became engaged.

• Taimis – Leonor’s pseudonym in order to

camouflage their intimate relationship from their
parents
LEONOR RIVERA
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• In his letter to Rizal, she usually signed her name
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as TAIMIS in order to camouflage their intimate
relationship from their parents and friends.

• Antionio Rivera – Rizal’s Uncle landlord and the

Father of Leonora Rivera
VICTIM OF SPANISH BRUTALLITY

One dark summer vacation night of 1878 in Calamba when Rizal

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was a freshman Medical student at the University of Santo Tomas.

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He was walking in the street and dimly perceived the figure of a

man while passing him not knowing that the person was a
Lieutenant of the Guardia Civil, he did not salute not say a
greetings. With a snarl, he turned upon Rizal, whipped out his
sword and brutally slashed his back.
VICTIM OF SPANISH BRUTALLITY

Rizal reported the incident to General Primo de Rivera, the

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Spanish Governor General of the Philippines at that time but
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nothing came out because he was an Indio and the accused

was a Spaniard. Later in a letter to Blumentritt dated March
21, 1887, he related, “I went to the Captain-General but I
could not obtain justice; my wound lasted two weeks.”
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RIZAL’S WORKS ON UST

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“TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH”
Liceo Artisco-Literano (Artistic-Literary
Lyceum)

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• a society of literary men and artists.
• held a Literary Contest and offered a
prize (Silver Pen, feather-shaped
decorated with gold ribbon) for best
poem.
“TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH”
“A La Juventud Filipina” (To The Filipino
Youth)

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Rizal’s prize-winning and inspiring poem

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of flawless for.
• Rizal beseeched the Filipino youth to rise
from the lethargy; to let their genius mind
fly swiftly the wind and descend with art
and science to break the chains that have
long bound the spirit of the people.
“TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH”
Reasons why Rizal’s Poem was a Classic in
Philippine Literature:

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1. It was the first great poem in Spanish

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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 were the
“fair hope of the Fatherland.”
“THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS”
Artistic-Literary Lyceum
• opened another literary contest (to both Filipinos
and Spaniards) to commemorate the 4th

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centennial of the death of Cervantes.
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Cervantes
• was a Spain’s glorified man-of-letters and
famous author of Don Quixote.
Rizal submitted an allegorical drama entitled “El
Consejo de los Dioses” (The Council of the Gods).
“THE COUNCIL OF THE GODS”
The Council of the Gods (El Consejo de los
Dioses)

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• was based on the Greek classics.

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• aided by Fr. Rector of Ateneo.

Prize: Gold Ring engraved the bust of Cervantes

Winners:
1st Place: Jose Rizal (19yrs old)
2nd Place: D. N. Del Puzo (Spanish)
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OTHER WORKS

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“JUNTO AL PASIG”

• “Besides the Pasig”

• (Zarzuela)staged by the Ateneans

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on December 8, 1880 of the
Annual Celebration of the Feast
Day of Immaculate Concepcion
(Patroness of Ateneo).
“A FILIPINAS”

• (A sonnet, 1880) Rizal urged all

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Filipino artists to glorify the
Philippines.
“ABD-EL-AZIS y MAHOMA”

• (poem, 1879) was declaimed by

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an Atenean, Manuel Fernandez
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on the night of December 8,
1879 in honor of the Ateneo’s
Patroness.
“AL M. R. P. PABLO RAMON”

• (a poem, 1881) Rizal wrote a

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poem as an expression of
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affection to Father Pablo Ramon,
the Ateneo Rector, who had been
so kind and helpful to him.
AND PAGSANJAN
RIZAL’S VISIT TO PAKIL

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AL’S VISIT TO PAKIL AND PAGSANJAN
of May 1881
went to a pilgrimage to the town of Pakil, famous shrine
e Birhen Maria de los Dolores.

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as accompanied by his sisters—Saturnina , Maria, and
ad and their female friends.
took a casco (flat-bottom sailing vessel) from Calamba
kil, Laguna, and stayed at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
uel Regalado, whose son Nicolas was Rizal’s friend in
la.
AL’S VISIT TO PAKIL AND PAGSANJAN
d his companions were fascinated by he famous Turumba (people
in the streets during the procession in honor of the miraculous Birhen
e los Dolores)

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as infatuated by a pretty girl colegiala, Vicenta Ybardolaza, who
played the harp at the Regalado home.

why Rizal and his company made side trip to the neighbouring town
anjan:
he native town of Leonor Valenzuela
the world famed Pagsanjan Falls.
CHAMPION OF FILIPINO STUDENTS
as the champion of the Filipino students in their fights against the
t Spanish students.

, Rizal founded a secret society of Filipino students in the University of

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omas called “Compaňerismo”(Comradeship), whose members were

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Companions of Jehu,” after the valiant Hebrew general who fought the
ns.

o Apacible (Rizal’s cousin from Batangas) was the Secretary.

ncounter near the Escolta in Manila where Rizal was wounded on the
nd tenderly washed and dressed by Leonor Rivera in his boarding
Casa Tomasina”.
UNHAPPY DAYS IN UST

Dominican were hostile to him.

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lipino students were racially discriminated by the

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ethod of instruction was obsolete and repressive.

-Rizal, the most brilliant graduate of Ateneo failed to
scholastic grade
RECORDS IN UST
RIZAL’S SCHOLASTIC

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- 1878 (Philosophy & Letters)
ology & Metaphysics …
lent
dicy … Excellent
ry of Philosophy … Excellent

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- 1879 (Medicine) –1st Year
cs … Fair
istry … Excellent
ral History … Good
omy I … Good
ction I … Good
1880 (Medicine) –2nd Year
2 … Good
2 … Good
y … Good
ygiene … Good
giene … Good

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1881 (Medicine) –3rd Year
athology … Fair
ics … Excellent
… Good

1882 (Medicine) –4th Year

athology … Very Good
athology … Very Good
… Very Good
DECISION TO STUDY ABROAD

finishing the Fourth Year of his medical course,

decided to study in Spain. He could no longer

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e the rampant bigotry, discrimination, and
y in the University of Santo Tomas. He did not
is parent’s permission and blessings to go
d; and even his beloved Leonor.
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