RIZAL`S LIFE:

RIZAL`S FAMILY,
CHILDHOOD,
AND EARLY
EDUCATION
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado
y Alonso Realonda

• June 19, 1861

• Calamba, Laguna
• Seventh of eleven children of Don
Francisco Mercado and Donya
Teodora Alonso
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado
y Alonso Realonda
• Spanish version of the Vulgate Bible
• At a young age, he already showed
inclinations to the arts.
• Later in his childhood, he showed talent in
painting and sculpture
• “Sa Aking Kabata” - Rizal’s first poem
• He wrote his first play which was a tagalog
comedy and was performed in a Calamba
Festival
Don Francisco Mercado

• Francisco Engracio Rizal Mercado

• Farmer from Binan, Laguna
• Became a tiniente gobernadorcillo in
Calamba
• “Tiniente Kiko”
• Domingo Lam-co- Don Francisco’s great
grandfather
– Maka-masa Chinese immigrant
Don Francisco Mercado
• Ines de la Rosa - Domingo Lam-co’s wife
– Chinese mestiza
• Francisco- one of their 2 children
– Married Bernarda Monicha
• Juan Mercado - Francisco and
Bernarda’s son
– Became a gobernadorcillo of Binan, Laguna
– He married Cirila Alejandra
– They had 12 children, the youngest was
Francisco, Jose Rizal’s father
Don Francisco Mercado

• May 11, 1818 in Binan, Laguna

• Was only 8 years old when Juan Mercado
died
• He took Latin and Philosophy at the
College of San Jose
• Married Teodora Alonso on June 28, 1848
• They settled down in Calamba and were
granted lease of rice farm in the
Dominican owned haciendas.
• Jose adored Don Francisco
– In 1881, he created a clay bust of his father
– 6 years after, he carved a life-size wood
sculpture of Don Francisco
– In his honor for his father, Jose named his
premature son (with Josephine Bracken)
“Francisco” who unfortunately died 3 hours
after his birth.
Doña Teodora Alonso

• Birthdate: November 08, 1826

• Birthplace: Santa Cruz, Manila, Metro Manila,
Philippines
• Baptized: Santa Cruz Church
• Educated: College of Santa Rosa, an esteemed
school for girls in Manila.
• Death: August 16, 1911 (83)
• Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
• Daughter of Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo and Brigida O.
Quintos
Doña Teodora Alonso
Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo

• Born 1790, died 1854

• Spanish-Filipino mestizo of Biñan
• Lorenzo Alberto was municipal
captain of Binan in 1824
• He had a brother who was a priest,
and a sister, Isabel, who was quite
wealthy; he himself was also well to
do.
Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo

• Their mother is Maria Florentina (born

1771, died 1817),
• Famous Florentina family of Chinese
mestizos originating in Baliwag,
Bulacan,
• Their father was Captain Mariano
Alejandro of Binan.
• died 18O5
Brigida O. Quintos

• Was born in 1788

• Manuel Facundo de Quintos and
Regina de Quintos.
• Brigida married Lorenzo Alberto
Alonso in 1824, at age 36 at marriage
place.
• Brigida passed away in 1856, at age
68 at death place.
Brigida O. Quintos

• The Lorenzo-Brigada union produced five

children, the second of them was Jose Rizal’s
mother; Teodora Alonso Quintos
• Teodora was an educated and highly cultured
woman from Sta. Cruz Manila
• She was also known as “Lolay”
• Asuncion Rizal-Lopez Bantug, the
granddaughter of Jose’s sister Narcisa,
contrarily claims that Lola Lolay and all her
siblings were born in Calamba, but (just) lived in
Manila.
Brigida O. Quintos

• She was usually describing as a diligent

business-minded woman, very graceful
but courageous, well-mannered, religious,
and well-read.
• Very dignified, she disliked gossip and
vulgar conversation.
• Possessing refined culture and literary
talents.
Brigida O. Quintos

• She influenced her children to love arts,

literature, and music.
• Lolay sent her children to colleges in
Manila.
• She ran sugar and flour mills and a small
story in their house, selling homemade
ham, sausages, jams, jellies, and many
others.
Rizal`s Ancestors

• Doña Teodora’s family was descended

from Lakandula
• Lolay’s great grandfather was Eugenio
Ursua (Japanese descent)
• Eugenio married a Filipina named Benigna
Rizal`s Ancestors

• Regina, their daughter married a Filipino-

Chinese lawyer of Pangasinan Manuel de
Quintos
• Through the Claveria decree of 1849
which changed the Filipino native
surnames, the Alonsos adopted the
surname Realonda.
• Rizal’s mother thus became Teodora
Alonso Quintos Realonda.
SATURNINA RIZAL

BIRTHDATE: JUNE 4, 1850

DATE OF DEATH: SEPTEMBER 14, 1913
SATURNINA RIZAL

• She is the eldest child of Don Francisco

and Teodora Alonso.
• She and her mother provided Jose with
good basic education.
•  Saturnina married Manuel Timoteo
Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas. 
• In 1909, Doña Saturnina published
Pascual Poblete’s Tagalog translation of
the Noli Me Tangere. 
PACIANO RIZAL

• BORN: MARCH 7, 1851
• DIED: APRIL 13, 1930
PACIANO RIZAL

• He was the second of the eleven children

of Don Francisco and Teodora Alonso.
• He was fondly addressed by his siblings
as “ñor Paciano”, short for ‘Señor
Paciano”.
• After the execution of Jose Rizal in
December 1896, Paciano joined the
Katipuneros in Caviter under General
Emilio Aguinaldo.
Narcisa (1852-1939)

• She married Antonino Lopez, a school

teacher of Morong, Rizal.
• The Hospitable Sister of the Hero
• ‘Sisa’ was the third child in the family.
• Like Saturnina, Narcisa helped in financing
Rizal’s studies in Europe
Narcisa (1852-1939)
Olympia (1855-1887)

• She married Silvestre Ubalde, a telegraph

operator from Manila.
• Schoolmate of the first love of our hero,
Segunda Katigbak at La Concorgia
College
Olympia (1855-1887)
Lucia (1857-1919)
• She married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba.
• Lucia Rizal was married to Mariano Herbosa
of Calamba.
• When her husband died in the cholera
epidemic in 1889, he was denied a Christian
burial because he was the brother-in-law of
Dr. Jose Rizal.
• She sent her two sons, Estanislao and
Teodisio to be educated in the school Jose
Rizal established in Dapital during his exile.
Lucia (1857-1919)
Maria (1859-1945)

• the sixth child in the family.

• It was to her whom Jose talked about
wanting to marry Josephine Bracken when
the majority of the Rizal family was
apparently not amenable to the idea.
• In his letter dated December 12, 1891,
Jose had also brought up to Maria his plan
of establishing a Filipino colony in North
British Borneo.
Maria (1859-1945)
Concepcion (1862-1865)
• Also called ‘Concha’ by her siblings.
• was the eight child of the Rizal family. She died
at the age of three.
• Of his sisters, it is said that Pepe loved most
the little Concha who was a year younger than
him.
• When Concha died of sickness in 1865, Jose
mournfully wept at losing her. He later wrote in
his memoir, “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.”
Josefa
• also known as "Panggoy" was the ninth child in the
family. She died without the thought of being
fascinated by marriage during those times.
• Since she was one closest to Rizal, she played a
vital role during the Katipunan regardless of her
illness, epilepsy. It was mentioned that the letter
sent by Jose to Josefa dated October 26, 1893,
was the most captivating for it was written through
the English language and addressed as "Miss
Josephine Rizal.“
• Josefa had been an active member of the
Katipunan and was supposed to be elected as
president of the woman section.
Josefa
• Panggoy was one of 29 women who has been
admitted to Katipunan, together with Gregoria de
Jesus, who was also one of the women who bravely
fought for our freedom towards colonization. And in
addition to that, Josefa with the other members of
the Katipunan preserved and defended those
papers and made sure that these are far-off the
colonizers who wanted nothing but to get every
single detail from us, due to that, they even
disguised into such group of woman just mere
dancing and singing during such sessions to hide
their meetings and let the civil guards think that they
were having a harmless social gathering.
Josefa
Josefa

• After Josefa was Trining or known as

Trinidad Mercado Rizal, the tenth child in
the family. Trining has been the curator of
Rizal's collection of poems. She was there
before the moment of Rizal's execution
together with their mother. Trinidad was
also one closest to Rizal's heart.
Trinidad

• After Josefa was Trining or known as Trinidad

Mercado Rizal, the tenth child in the family.
Trining has been the curator of Rizal's collection
of poems. She was there before the moment of
Rizal's execution together with their mother.
Trinidad was also one closest to Rizal's heart.
• Upon Trinidad's visitation to Rizal's prison cell,
he was handed by a an alcohol cooking stove,
knowing that there was something hidden inside;
it was Rizal's elegy or to
Trinidad
Soledad
• She was arguably the best educated
among the rizal family.
• In his long and meaty letter to choleng
dated june 6 1890 jose told her sister that
he was proud of her for becoming teacher.
• She married pantaleon quintero of
calamba without concent of their parents.
• “Because of you” he wrote “the peace of
our family has been disturbed
Soledad
• Choleng’s union with Panteleon,
noneheless resulted in the Rizal family’s
becoming connected by affinity to Miguel
Malvar
• Soledad and pantaleon have five children
- Trinitario
- Amelia
- Luisa
- Serafin and
- Felix
Soledad
The Surname Rizal

• The paternal great-great grandfather, Chinese merchant

Domingo Lam-co, adopted the name “Mercado”, which
means “market”.

• Domingo Lam-co was born in Siong-que (pronounced ”

Zhang Guo”) in Losan district, Jinjiang, Fujian province,
China.
• Real name: Cue Yi Lam was baptized as Domingo Lam-co at
the age of 35 in San Gabriel Church in Binondo, Manila in
1697. His parents were Siang-Co Cua and Zun-nio.

• However, Jose’s father, Francisco, adopted the surname

Rizal (originally Ricial) –the green of young growth or green
fields.
• The name Rizal was suggested by a provincial governor who
was a friend of the family.

• Thus, Don Francisco settled on the name “Rizal Mercado”

and often used his more known surname Mercado.

• Paciano suggested that Jose use the surname “Rizal” for

Jose’s own safety.
• Commenting on using the name ‘Rizal’ in Ateneo, Jose once
wrote: “My family never paid much attention [to our second
surname Rizal], but now I had to use it, thus giving me the
appearance of an illegitimate child!”

• But this very name suggested by Paciano to be used by his

brother had become so well known by 1891, the year Jose
finished his El Filibusterismo. As Jose wrote to a friend, “All my
family now carry the name Rizal instead of Mercado because
the name Rizal means persecution! Good! I too want to join
them and be worthy of this family name...”
Rizal’s Birth
• Born on June 19, 1861 in

Calamba, Laguna.

• His birth was Wednesday between

eleven o’clock and midnight.

• Named Jose in honor of St. Joseph

and Protacio as his second name,

after a 4th century saint who was a bishop of Milan.
• Narcisa recalled: “ I was nine years
of age when my mother gave birth
to Jose. I recall it vividly because
my mother suffered great pain.
She labored for a long time. Her
pain was later attributed to the fact
that Jose’s head was bigger than
normal.”
• His hats were 6 1/2″ across and

the interior measures 8″

from front to back.

• In 1848, his parents decided to build a home in this town
in Laguna, southern Luzon. The name Calamba was
derived from kalan-banga, which means “stove” (kalan)
and “ water jar” (banga).

• The first massive house stone house ( or bahay na bato)

in Calamba was very birthplace of our national hero. It
was a rectangular two-storey building, built of adobe
stones and solid wood, with sliding capiz windows.
Childhood Phenom

A Phenom is someone who is exceptionally talented

or admired. Rizal, especially his childhood, was none
less than a phenom.
Childhood Phenom

• The childhood of Jose Rizal can

be characterized by his desire to
learn, even frequenting the
church nearby his home to watch
and observe people but not to
be religiously inclined.
Childhood Phenom

• Jose Rizal was not a physically blessed

or strong. However, he had a strong will
guided and taught by his mother, his first
teacher. He learned almost without the
use of books. His mother was the one
who laid the foundation of his great
knowledge achieved in such a short time.
His brilliance was also the character of
 the young Jose Rizal.
19 June 1861

• He was baptized JOSE RIZAL

MERCADO at the Catholic of
Calamba by the parish priest Rev.
Rufino Collantes with Rev. Pedro
Casañas as the sponsor.
22 June 1861

• JOSE RIZAL, the seventh

child of Francisco Mercado
Rizal and Teodora Alonso y
Quintos, was born in
Calamba, Laguna.
28 September 1862

• The parochial church of

Calamba and the canonical
books, including the book in
which Rizal’s baptismal
records were entered, were
burned.
1864

• Jose Rizal learned his letters at the age of

three, after insisting that he be taught to read
and share the lessons learned by his elder
sister. Rizal even tried to spell out the words of
his sister’s story book with the use of a
syllabary in such a way that one  does when
using a dictionary in a foreign language. He
also spent much of this time in a church nearby
his house just watching or observing the
people coming in and out.
1865
• When he was four years old, his sister
Conception, the eight child in the Rizal
family, died at the age of three. It was on
this occasion that Rizal remembered
having shed real tears for the first time.
• He later wrote in his memoir, “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”.
1865 – 1867

• During this time his mother taught

him how to read and write. 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.
1865 – 1867
• At about this time two of his mother’s
cousin frequented Calamba. Uncle
Manuel Alberto, seeing Rizal frail in body,
concerned himself with the physical
development of his young nephew and
taught the latter love for the open air and
developed in him a great admiration for
the beauty of nature, while Uncle
Gregorio, a scholar, instilled into the mind
of the boy love for education.
1865 – 1867

• He advised Rizal: "Work hard

and perform every task very
carefully; learn to be swift as well
as thorough; be independent in
thinking and make visual
pictures of everything."
6 June 1868
• With his father, Rizal 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.
1869

• 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."
Childhood of a Phenom
• The young Rizal was interested in
magic. He read my books on magic.
• His Tio Jose Alberto inspired him to
cultivate his artistic ability.
• Tio Manuel who encouraged him to
fortify his trail body.
• and his Tio Gregorio intensified
Rizal`s avidness to read books.
The Story of The Moth
• The story of the Moth is a tale of a
mother and his younger child whom she
teaches about the rules of life. She tells
him that for achieving success in life,
one must have to take risks and prepare
for the worst consequences.
• Dona Teodora loved to read to Pepe
stories from the book Amigo de los Niños
(The Children’s Friend)
The Story of The Moth

• Lolay chose the story about a

daughter moth who was warned
by her mother against going too
near a lamp flame and
incidentally, Pepe was watching
a similar incident while he was
listening to the story telling.
The Story of The Moth

• Many years later, Rizal himself felt

that the moths’ tale could serve as
an allegory of his own destiny and
he wrote: “Years have passed since
then. The child has become a man.
Steamships have taken him across
seas and oceans.
The Story of The Moth
• He has received from experience
bitter lessons, much more bitter
than the sweet lessons that his
mother gave him. Nevertheless, he
has preserved the heart of a child.
He still thinks that light is the most
beautiful thing in creation, and that
it is worthwhile for a man to
sacrifice his life for it.
Education in Calamba

• It was noticeable and undeniably that Doña Teodora or

Lolay is not just the beloved mother of the national hero but
also a teacher .

• In Rizal’s memoirs, he wrote “My mother taught me how to

read and to say haltingly the humble prayers which I raised
fervently to God.”
• During Rizal’s time, seldom would one see a highly
educated woman of fine culture, like Doña Teodora who had
the capacity to teach Spanish, reading, poetry, and values
through rare story books.

• Rizal because of the initiative of his mother, learned the

alphabet and Catholic prayers at the age of 3 and
learned to read and write at age of 5.
• Aside from his mother, Saturnina and 3 maternal uncles of
Rizal mentored him.

• Uncle Jose Alberto taught him painting, sketching, and

sculpture

• Uncle Gregorio influenced him to further love reading

• Uncle Manuel developed Rizal’s physical skills in martial arts

• To further enhance the skills and knowledge of Rizal, private
tutors were hired to give him lessons at home.

• Maestro Celestino tutored him while Maestro Lucas Padua

succeeded him.

• Afterward, Leon Monroy, a former classmate of

Don Francisco, lived at the house to tutor Rizal in Spanish
and Latin. However, Monroy died five months later.
Education in Biñan
• During the time of Rizal, education was characterized by the
4Rs: reading writing, arithmetic, and religion.
• Rizal, although he was born a physical weakling, became an
intellectual giant.
• His first teacher was his mother.
• At the age of 3, Rizal learned to recite the alphabet and
prayers.
• Jose had private tutors to teach him lessons at home: Maestro
Celestino, then Maestro Lucas Padua.
Education in Biñan
• Leon Monroy, who as a former classmate of Jose's father,
taught the young boy Spanish and Latin.
• When Leon Monroy died, Jose's parents decided to send him
to a private school in Binan.
• When Jose left for Binan, he was accompanied by his brother
Paciano.
• Jose lodged at his aunt's house in Binan.

• Rizal's school in Binan was in the house of his teacher,

Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
Education in Biñan

• Pedro, the teacher's son, was not very fond of Jose. He bullied
Rizal, and this led to Jose's first school brawl.
• Jose also took painting lessons in Binan, and was taught by an
old painter named Juancho, his schoolteacher's father-in-law.
• He was the best student in school, beating all the Binan boys.
• His schooling in Binan lasted for a year and a half.