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Jose Rizal: National Hero and His Qualities

• Rizal was a writer, author, poet, physician, painter, patriot, nationalist, educator, and reformer.

Rizal Bill and its Controversy

• The Rizal Bill was controversial because of Rizal himself
• The topic was mandated as a Rizal subject
• It became a law in 1956
• Required educational institutions to offer a course on Rizal's life, works, and writings
• "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo" were especially important
• The proposal of the bill was met with intense opposition, particularly from the Catholic Church.

Key Figures and Opposition

• Claro M. Recto was the main proponent of the Rizal Bill
• He was dubbed as a communist and anti-Catholic
• Three Senators opposed the Rizal Bill:
• Senator Francisco Rodrigo
• Senator Mariano Cuenco
• Senator Decoroso Rosales

Passage and Exemptions of Rizal Bill

• Catholic schools threatened to stop operations if the bill passed
• Recto countered by threatening nationalization of schools
• Recto was threatened to be punished in future elections but remained undeterred
• Suggestion to use the expurgated (edited) version of Rizal's novels as mandatory readings was also raised
• The bill was eventually passed
• It included a clause allowing exemptions for students who believed reading Noli Me Tangere and El Fili would ruin their faith
• Students could apply to the Department of Education for exemption, but not from taking the Rizal subject
• Enacted on June 12, 1956
• Signed into law by President Ramon Magsaysay on the same day

Goals of the Rizal Law

• To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for which heroes lived and died
• To pay tribute to the national hero for devoting his life and works to shaping the Filipino character
• To gain an aspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal's life, works, and writings

Republic Act No. 229

• This act prohibits cockfighting, horse racing, and jai-alai on December 30th of each year
• It also takes charge of the proper celebration of Rizal Day

The Importance of Studying Rizal

• The academic subject exists because the life, works, and writings were mandated by law
• The academic subject provides insights into how to deal with current problems
• The Jose Rizal course, acts as a history subject
• Full of historical information to base decisions in life
• Helps understand Filipinos
• Teaches nationalism and patriotism
• Provides essential life lessons through Rizal's experiences

Understanding Nationalism and Patriotism

• Nationalism involves the desire to attain freedom and political independence, especially from a country under foreign power
• Patriotism denotes proud devotion and loyalty to one's nation

Rizal's Rich Source of Entertaining Narratives

• Rizal's life has fascinating non-fictional accounts.
• Rizal was involved in a love triangle with Antonio Luna
• Acted as a model in some Juan Luna's paintings
• Rizal's common-law wife Josephine Bracken was "remarried" and had tutored former Pres. Sergio Osmena
• Leonor Rivera Rizal's "true love," had a son who married the sister of the former President of the United Nations General Assembly Carlos P. Romulo
• The original manuscripts of Rizal's novels (Noli and El Fili) were once stolen, but Alejandro Roces retrieved them without paying even a single centavo

Rizal's Family History

• Doña Teodora's family descended from Lakandula, the last native king of Tondo
• Lolay's great-grandfather was Eugenio Ursua (of Japanese descent)
• he married a Filipina narned Benigna
• Regina, their daughter, married a Filipino-Chinese lawyer of Pangasinan Manuel de Quintos

Notable Family Members

• Lorenzo Alberto Alonso married Brigida Quintos and was Jose Rizal's mother and Teodora Alonso Quintos the second child
• The Claveria decree of 1849 changed Filipino native surnames
• Alonsos adopted Realonda, thus Rizal's mother became Teodora Alonso Quintos Realonda.

Rizal's Siblings

• Saturnina Rizal (1850-1913) was the eldest child of Don Francisco and Teodora Alonso.
• She and her mother provided basic education to Jose
• Paciano Rizal was Jose's only brother
• He was born on March 7, 1851, in Calamba, Laguna
• He joined the Katipuneros in Cavite under General Emilio Aguinaldo after Jose's execution in December 1896

Rizal's Sisters

• Narcisa Rizal helped finance Rizal's studies in Europe, even pawning jewelry
• Olympia Rizal (1855-1887) the fourth child trusted Rizal's first confidences
• Lucia Rizal (1857-1919) was the fifth child in the family who married Mariano Herbosa
• He scornfully attacked the friars for declining to bury a "good Christian" in "sacred ground" simply because he was the "brother-in-law of Rizal."
• Maria Rizal (1859-1945) was the sixth child in the family
• Concepcion Rizal (1862-1865) Concha who died at age three.
• Kasela Rizal, nickname "Panggoy" was born in 1865 was the ninth child in the family
• Died a spinster
• Trinidad Rizal (1868-1951) or "Trining" was the tenth child
• She was the custodian of Rizal's last and greatest poem, "Mi Ultimo Adios."
• Soledad Rizal (1870-1929) dubbed Choleng being a teacher, and "arguably the best-educated among Rizal's sisters."

Background on the Surname Rizal

• The paternal great-great-grandfather, Chinese merchant Domingo Lamco, adopted the name "Mercado."
• Father Francisco, eventually primarily the surname "Rizal"
• Originally "Ricial", which means "the green of young growth" or "green fields.“
• New name, suggested by a provincial caused confusion
• Don Francisce thous settled on the name "Rizal Mercado" as a compromise