Life and Works of Rizal
Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood and Early Education
A. BIRTH
Name: Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Y Alonzo Realonda
Nickname: Pepe (Pater Putativus)
Birthdate: June 19, 1861 (11:00pm)
Birthplace: Calamba, Laguna
Baptized by: Father Rufino Collantes (rizal will be a great man someday)
God Father: Pedro Casañas
The birthing process was not easy, as Rizal's mother struggled due to the size of his head.
Fortunately, both the baby and his mother survived the difficult birth
Market
Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado Y Alonzo Realonda
Old Family Name
In honor to two saints Means Green field
Jose- St. Joseph
Protacio- St. Gervacio Protacio
Claveria Decree
B. FAMILY/ANCESTRY
MERCADO
DOMINGO LAMCO INES DE LA ROSA
(Chinese Immigrant) (Chinese Christian Girl)
Adopted “mercado”
as a surname
FRANCISCO MERCADO CIRILA BERNACHA
From Biñan elected as (Chinese- Filipino Mestiza)
Gobernadorcillo
(Municipal Mayor)
JUAN MERCADO CIRILA ALEJANDRO
Rizal Grandfather (Chinese- Filipino Mestiza)
Gobernadorcillo
Had 13 children
FRANCISCO MERCADO is the youngest
Jose Rizals Father
ALONZO
Said to be descendant EUGENIO URSUA BENIGNA
Of LAKANDULA the Japanese Ancestry
Last native king of tondo
MANUEL DE QUINTOS REGINA
Filipino Chinese Lawyer
LORENZO ALBERTO ALONZO BRIGIDA DE QUINTOS
Spanish-Filipino Mestizo One of the daughters
Had 5 children
TEODORA
Parents
1. Don Francisco Rizal Mercado (1818-1898)
Chinese descent through Chinese immigrant Domingo Lamco (arrived 1690) and married Ines de la
Rosa a Chinese Christian girl. Assume the surname Mercado in 1731.
Born: May 11, 1818 in Biñan,Laguna
Died: January 5,1898 at the age of 80 in Manila
About: Studied Latin and Philosophy at College of San Jose in Manila and moved in Calamba after his
parents death and became a tenant-farmer in a Dominican-owned hacienda
In Rizal’s memoir entitled Memorias de Un Estudiante de Manila, he called him “a model of fathers
2. Donya Teodora Alonzo Realonda
Born: November 8, 1826 in Manila.
Died: August 16, 1911 in Manila at the age of 85.
Parents: Lorenzo Alonso (a municipal captain) and Brijida de Quintos,
Education: College of Santa Rosa a well known college for girls in the city.
In Rizal’s memoir
He lovingly said of her, “My mother is a woman of more than ordinary culture; she knows literature
and speaks Spanish better than I.
Was married to Francisco Mercado at 20 years old, a native from Binan, Laguna. Together they
prospered in Calamba after involving themselves in business and agriculture, she is known for being
hardworking, intelligent, business minded woman.
Her love for literature and the arts would be instilled on to her children.
Siblings:
1. Saturnina Rizal (1850-1913) - Neneng
Saturnina Mercado Rizal Hidalgo was born in 1850 and was the eldest sister of Jose Rizal. Wife of
Manuel T. Hidalgo and died in the year 1913.
2. Paciano Rizal (1851-1930)
General Paciano Mercado Rizal aka "Lolo Ciano". He is Rizal’s confidante, he attended Colegio de
San Jose in Manila. After Rizal’s execution, he joined in the Philippine Revolution became a
combat General.
He had two children by his mistress Severina Decena –a boy and a girl. After the revolution, he retired
to his farm in Los Baños where he lived as a gentleman farmer.
Died: April 13, 1930 as a bachelor aged 79
3. Narcisa Rizal (1852-1939) ( Sisa)
She married Antonio Lopez who was a teacher from Morong, Rizal. After two days she found the
unmarked grave of her brother in Paco General Cemetery with a marker of R.P.J.
4. Olympia Rizal (1855-1887) (ypia)
She married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila. She died in 1887 from childbirth.
Reason why rizal met his first love Segunda Katigbak
5. Lucia Rizal (1857-1919)
She married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba, who was a nephew of Father Casanas. Herbosa died of
cholera in 1889 and denied Christian burial because he is Rizal’s brother-in-law.
6. Maria Rizal 1859-1945)( Biang)
She married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna. Mauricio Cruz, one of Maria's children became a
student of Jose Rizal in Dapitan and was known to be one of his uncle's favorites. She is a known
recipient of Jose's many letters during his lifetime
7. Jose Rizal (1861-1896)
An intellectual, patriot, propagandist, novelist, polymath, polyglot, teacher, physician, expert
surveyor/engineer, ophthalmologist, scientist,inventor, farmer, artist, and a hero.
During his exile in Dapitan he lived with Josephine Bracken an Irish girl from Hong Kong had a son
with her which he named Francisco (died)
8. Conception Rizal (1862-1865) - Concha
Concepcion Rizal was born in 1862. Concepcion did not live very long as she died at the age of 3 in
1865.
9. Josefa Rizal (1865-1945) Panggoy
Josefa Rizal was born in 1865. She was unmarried lived together with sister Trinidad until death.
Josefa was said to have suffered from epilepsy.
10. Trinidad Rizal
was born in 1868. Remained unmarried and lived together with her sister Josefa. She was the one who
received an alcohol lamp from brother Jose, in which he secretly hid the "Last Farewell" better known
as "Mi Ultimo Adios," a poem Rizal wrote on the eve of his death in 1896. Trinidad died in 1951,
outliving all her siblings.
11. Soledad Rizal
Soledad Rizal Quintero was born in 1870 making her the youngest of the Rizal siblings.
She married Pantaleon Quintero.
Family Background
Prominent Family
Rizal was born into a wealthy and influential family in Calamba, Laguna. His parents were Francisco
Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso Realonda.
Intellectual Upbringing
Rizal's family valued education and encouraged him to pursue knowledge from a young age.
Strong Catholic Faith
The Rizal family was deeply religious and instilled Catholic values in their children.
Rizal’s Ancestry
Composition of Rizal’s blood: Negrito, Indonesian, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish
The Rizal family
Belonged to the Principalia. It is one of the distinguished families in Calamba. Rizal’s parents were
able to live well from farm by renting from Dominican Order.
They harvested corn, rice, sugarcane, and raised pigs, chicken, and turkey in their backyard.
Donya Lolay manage a general goods store and operated a small flour-mill and home-made ham press.
C. HOMETOWN/CHILDHOOD
Calamba Laguna
On the southern part of Calamba lies Mt. Makiling where there are several hot springs and
breath-taking sceneries. Laguna de Bay is located on the eastern part of the town Calamba’s name
was based on a town legend when a Spanish Guardia Civil asked a woman(carrying a water jar in
a nearby river) about the name of the place; because the woman was confused on what to say, she
uttered “Kalan-banga” (pertaining to the water container); since then, the town has been called
“Calamba”
Barely three years old, Rizal learned the alphabet from his mother, Because of Doña Teodora’s
influence, Jose grew up as a devout Catholic; participated in daily prayers such as the Angelus;
he was able to read the Bible (in Spanish) at an early age of five.
He enjoyed walking in the town especially at night; he was usually accompanied by his aya(nurse
maid) who occasionally narrated him some stories about the supernatural entities: tikbalang,
aswang, nuno,etc.
He loved in the field with his pony; he was fond of having lengthy walks in the fields and by the
side of the lake tagging along his black dog name Usman
Rizal Influences
Hereditary influence – refers to inherent qualities that a person inherits from his ancestors and parents.
Malayan ancestors – love for freedom, innate desire to travel and indomitable courage
Chinese ancestors – somber personality, prudence, fortitude, and affection for children
Spanish ancestors – sophistication of bearing, compassion to rudeness, and valor for ladies
Father – profound send of self-respect, love for work and the habit of independent thinking
Mother – religious nature, spirit of self-sacrifice and passion for arts and literature
Paciano – moral values and passion for education
Tiyo Jose Alberto – artistic influence; Jose Rizal carved an image of The Virgin Mary on a piece of
batikuling with his pocket knife
Tiyo Manuel – helped develop his frail body through physical workout, including horseback riding
and wrestling
Tiyo Gregorio – reading books; Jose’s favorite books: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre
Dumas, Universal History by Cesar Cantu, and Travels in the Phlippines by Dr. Feodor Jagor
Father Leoncio Lopez – research and rational sincerity
Sorrowful events in the early life of Rizal
Death of Concha in 1865
Imprisonment of his mother
Spanish abuses and cruelties which he witnessed
Execution of fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora in 1872
