SSC 103 Prelim Notes MS Word. Ver. 1.2.docx

**The Life and Works of Jose Rizal** **(SSC 103)** **PRELIMS** **COURSE DESCRIPTION:** As mandated by Republic Act 1425, this course covers the life and works of our national hero, Jose Rizal. Among the topics covered are Rizal's biography and writings, particularly Noli Me Tangere and El Filibu...

**The Life and Works of Jose Rizal** **(SSC 103)** **PRELIMS** **COURSE DESCRIPTION:** As mandated by Republic Act 1425, this course covers the life and works of our national hero, Jose Rizal. Among the topics covered are Rizal's biography and writings, particularly Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, some of his essays and various correspondences. **Topics for the Prelims** - **Introduction to the Course: Republic Act 1425** - **19th Century Philippines as Rizal's Context** - **Rizal's Life: Family, Childhood and Early Education** - **Rizal's Life: Higher Education and Life Abroad** **Introduction** **Dr. José Rizal (1861-1896), a Filipino nationalist, poet, and author of several influential novels, including Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, an account of religious corruption among Spanish friars in the Philippines.** Dr. Rizal joined the **Filipino student community in Spain in his early twenties and became an outspoken member of the Propaganda Movement**. He **was deeply inspired by the life and untimely death of Father Jose Burgos, whose execution Rizal's brother had witnessed**. The publication of **Noli Me Tangere in 1887, which strongly condemned the Spanish Catholic friars, was swiftly banned in the colonies**. It was **followed four years later by the similarly incendiary sequel El Filibusterismo**. **The two novels contributed to the intellectual development of the Philippine nationalist movement**. Noli Me Tangere told the story of an affluent mestizo Filipino who returns from seven years in Europe intending to promote political and social reform, but is barred by the colonial administration and Catholic Church. The narrative closely reflects the experiences of Rizal and his contemporaries during the Propaganda Movement. **When Dr. José Rizal was executed by firing squad in 1896 during the period of Philippine insurrection against the Spanish colonial government, falsely accused of fomenting violence and of associations with the revolutionary Katipunan**. Upon his execution, Dr. Rizal's figure was reinterpreted through the lens of the passion of Christ; like Jesus, Rizal was rumored to have twelve nationalist "apostles," and he was considered a saintly figure in Philippine popular culture. He is remembered today as the most prominent Filipino nationalist and the father of the modern Philippines. **In 1956, the Philippine government passed the "Rizal Law," requiring that all universities provide mandatory courses on José Rizal and his works. Interestingly, this was opposed by the Catholic Church, which continued to resent its portrayal in Rizal's novels despite the Filipino clergy's early association with the nationalist movement. Church leaders accused the bill's proponent, Senator Claro M. Recto, of being a communist and anti-Catholic. The final bill included a provision allowing Catholic students to refrain from reading Rizal's works, citing conscientious objections.** Why study Rizal? What is the importance of studying Rizal? Why is Rizal included in a course outline? What relevance does Rizal have in college education? **The answer to such questions can be summed up in two points:** 1. **First and foremost, because it is mandated by law.** 2. **Secondly, because of the lesson contained within the course itself.** **Why Study Rizal?** **Because It Is Mandated by Law. The teaching of Jose Rizal's life, works and writings is mandated by Republic Act 1425 otherwise known as the Rizal law.** **Senator Jose P. Laurel, the person who sponsored the said law**, said that since Rizal was the founder of the Philippine nationalism and has contributed much to the current standing of his nation, it is only right that the youth as well as the people in the country know about and learn to imbibe the great ideals for which he died. **The Rizal Law enacted in 1956, to seek to accomplish the following goals.** 1. to rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals to freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes lived and died. 2. to pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping the Filipino character. 3. to gain inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal's life, works, and writings. **Aside from those mentioned above, there are other reasons for teaching the Rizal course.** 1. to recognize the importance of Rizal's ideals and teaching in relation to present conditions and situations in the society. 2. to encourage the application of such ideals in current social and personal problems and issues. 3\. to develop an appreciation and deeper understanding of all that Rizal fought and died 4\. to foster the development of the Filipino youth in all aspects of citizenship **REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425** **AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COURSES ON THE LIFE, WORKS** **AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL, PARTICULARLY HIS NOVELS NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES** **WHEREAS**, today, more than any other period of our history, there is a need for a re-dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism for which our heroes lived and died; **WHEREAS**, it is met that in honoring them, particularly the national hero and patriot, Jose Rizal, we remember with special fondness and devotion their lives and works that have shaped the national character; **WHEREAS,** the life, works, and writing of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source of patriotism with which the minds of the youth, especially during their formative and decisive years in school, should be suffused; **WHEREAS,** all educational institutions are under the supervision of and subject to regulation by the State, and all schools are enjoined to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience and to teach the duties of citizenship; Now, therefore, **SECTION 1**. Courses on the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novel *Noli Me Tangere* and *El Filibusterismo*, shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges, and universities, public or private: Provided, That in the collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated editions of the *Noli Me Tangere* and *El Filibusterismo* or their English translation shall be used as basic texts. The Board of National Education is hereby authorized and directed to adopt forthwith measures to implement and carry out the provisions of this Section, including the writing and printing of appropriate primers, readers, and textbooks. The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate rules and regulations, including those of a disciplinary nature, to carry out and enforce the provisions of this Act. **The Board shall promulgate rules and regulations providing for the exemption of students for reasons of religious belief stated in a sworn written statement, from the requirement of the provision contained in the second part of the first paragraph of this section; but not from taking the course provided for in the first part of said paragraph.** Said rules and regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication in the Official Gazette. **SECTION 2.** It shall be obligatory for all schools, colleges, and universities to keep in their libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and unexpurgated editions of the *Noli Me Tangere* and *El Filibusterismo*, as well as of Rizal's other works and biography. The said unexpurgated editions of the *Noli Me Tangere* and *El Filibusterismo* or their translations in English, as well as other writings of Rizal, shall be included in the list of approved books for required reading in all public or private schools, colleges, and universities. The Board of National Education shall determine the adequacy of the number of books, depending upon the enrollment of the school, college, or university. **SECTION 3.** The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the *Noli Me Tangere* and *El Filibusterismo*, as well as other writings of Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog, and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the Purok organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country. **SECTION 4.** Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or repealing section nine hundred twenty-seven of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers and other person engaged in any public school. **SECTION 5.** The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury to carry out the purposes of this Act. **SECTION 6.** This Act shall take effect upon its approval. Approved: June 12, 1956 Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 2971 in June 1956. **19th Century Philippines as Rizal's Context** **19th Century Philippines** The essence of the life of Jose Rizal is marked by the conditions that existed during his lifetime in the Philippines and around the world, particularly in Europe. Rizal is a product of his era, and his message sets forth a human declaration that all human beings without any distinction of any kind are born free and equal in dignity and rights. **The 19th century stands out as an extremely dynamic and creative age, especially in Europe and the United States. During this period, such concepts as industrialism, democracy, and nationalism gained ascendancy and triggered revolutionary changes in science, technology, economics, and politics. These changes enabled man to achieve the heights of prosperity and dignity unattained before it.** However, **19th century Philippines was largely medieval, although signs of progress or change were noted in certain sectors. Its social and economic structure was based on the old feudalistic patterns of abuse and exploitation of the Indio. Its censorship and racially discriminatory practices were oppressive. Intellectual decadence prevailed, and government processes had no respect for the needs of the people. The earlier clamor for reforms had remained unheeded; social discontent confused the people. Educated members of the middle class who went abroad stepped right into the currents of modern liberalism and the dynamism and creativity of the new era of the western European continent.** These foreign contacts and the feudal Philippine conditions profoundly influenced the development of a sense of nationhood among the Filipinos. **Education in the 19th Century Philippines** There are lots of criticisms received in the educational system of the Philippines in the late 19th century. Below are the following: **Overemphasis on religious matters** The power of religious orders remained one of the great constants, over the centuries, of Spanish colonial rule. The friars of the Augustinian, Dominican, and Franciscan orders conducted many of the executive and control functions of government on the local level. They were responsible for education and health measures. These missionaries emphasized the teachings of the Catholic religion starting from the primary level to the tertiary level of education. **Obsolete teaching methods** Their methods are outdated. **Limited curriculum** The students in the primary level were taught the Christian Doctrines, the reading of Spanish books and a little of the natives' language. Science and Mathematics were not very much taught to the students even in the universities. Aside from the Christian Doctrines taught, Latin was also taught to the students instead of Spanish. **Poor classroom facilities** **Absence of teaching materials** **Primary education was neglected** **Absence of academic freedom** The absence of academic freedom in Spain's educational system was extended to the schools that Spaniards established in the Philippines. Learning in every level was largely by rote. Students memorized and repeated the contents of book which they did not understand. In most cases knowledge was measured in the ability of the students to memorize, largely hampering intellectual progress. **Prejudice against Filipinos in the schools of higher learning** In entirety, education during the Spanish regime was privileged only to Spanish students. The supposed Philippine education was only a means to remain in the Philippines as colonizers. For this reason, the Filipinos became followers to the Spaniards in their own country. Even auspicious Filipinos became cronies, to the extent that even their life styles were patterned from the Spaniards. **Friar control over the system** The friars controlled the educational system during the Spanish times. They owned different schools, ranging from the primary level to the tertiary levels of education. The missionaries took charge in teaching, controlling and maintaining the rules and regulations imposed to the students. - The Educational Decree of 1863 marked a milestone in the history of education in the Philippines under Spain. For the first time, provisions were made for establishing teacher training schools and government supervision of the public school system. - The government in Spain issued Moret Decree of 1870, which intended to secularize higher education in the colony. The friars strongly opposed the idea of government control over higher education in the Philippines. This bitter opposition, coupled with the political developments in Spain, made implementing the Moret Decree impossible. **Economic Situation of the 19th Century Philippines** The country was opened to foreign trade at the end of the 18th century which resulted in the rapid rise of foreign firms in Manila. This stimulated agricultural production and export of sugar, rice hemp and tobacco. The number of families which prospered from foreign commerce and trade were able to send their sons for an education in Europe. Filipinos who were educated abroad were able to absorb the intellectual development in Europe. **Galleon Trade** **The Galleon Trade was the longest-running shipping line of its time which existed for roughly 150 years. It carried silver, gold, spices, silk, and fashionable objects between 1565- 1815. Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade Route.** **Opening of the Philippines to International Trade and the Rise of the Middle Class** Manila was opened to foreign trade which brought prosperity to the Filipinos and Chinese mestizo resulting to the existence of middle class. **Influx of European Liberalism** Ideas of the enlightened philosophers like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rosseau, masonry and the French Revolution reached the Philippines. Liberty, religious freedom, democracy, human rights such as suffrage, freedom of speech, press and form associations and assemblies. **Opening of the Suez Canal on November 17, 1869** Connects Mediterranean and Red Sea; shortened distance between Europe and Orient **Suez Canal decreases the road between Europe and South Asia from 16000 km (travel from the Cape of Good Hope) to 10000 km.** It refers to reduced fuel payments for companies, transportation of products in fewer days, and growing economies worldwide. If we think that around 80% of world trade is via waterways, it would be easier for us to imagine the effect of the Suez Canal on the economy. The canal, with saving distance, reduces the operational and fixed costs of companies and decreases the number of days that products are transported. **Results:** \(a) Philippines became closer to Europe and Spain \(b) encouraged European travelers to come to our country \(c) exodus of literal ideas from Europe to the Philippines \(d) more educated and young Filipinos were able to study abroad **Social Structure During the 19th Century** **Social Structure** Philippine society was predominantly feudalistic the results of the Spanish land-holding system imposed upon the country with the arrival of the conquistadores. An elite class exploited the masses, fostered by the "master-slave" relationship between the Spaniards and the Filipinos. The Spaniards exacted all forms of taxes and tributes and drafted the natives for manual labor. Consequently, the poor became poorer and the rich wealthier. **Apex:** **Spanish Peninsulares** -- The Peninsulares exclusively controlled top-level administrative, civil and ecclesiastical positions in the colony, and they were close to the Insulares on Spanish Peninsulares. The Peninsulares are Spaniards who were born in Spain. **Spanish Insulares**-- those Spaniards born in the Philippines to full-blooded Spanish parents. During the colonial period, the term "Filipino" was reserved for this group. They are slightly inferior to the peninsulares because of the distinction of having been born on Philippine Island; thus, their Spanish blood was tainted by their place of birth. **Middle:** **Spanish Mestizos**-- offspring of Spanish father and Indio mother **Mestizo de Sangleyes** -- offspring of Spanish-Chinese parents **Mestizos Indios** -- offspring of Chinese-Indio mixtures **Base:** **Indios are native of the country** **Indio Natural**-- refers to the natives of the island, originated from the Malay race and are considered as today's Filipino. **Plain Indios** -- those natives who had converted to Roman Catholicism and settled in a town under Spanish jurisdiction (reduccion system) or town under the bajo las campanas (under the sound of the bell). The highest position available to plain Indios is Gobernadorcillo. **Infieles** -- refers to the pagans who resisted the indoctrination and lived outside the Spanish control maintaining their culture, religion, and lifeways. Spanish authorities called them into different names like salvajes, remontados, ladrones, tulisanes, and barbaros. **Indio Sangleye** -- the pure-blooded Chinese or Japanese who arrived in the Philippines to trade and escaped the hegemony of dynasties and shoguns. It is the lowest within the social structure. **Political System in 19^th^ Century Philippines** The 19th century was a chaotic period for Spain. Troubles began after the ascendancy into power in France of Napoleon Bonaparte, who planned to make France an empire and, in 1808, occupied Spain. Spontaneous demonstration of nationalism, the reactionary Spanish guerillas aided by the British Army defeated the French in serious bloody engagements. In 1814 driven the French from the Peninsula, and Ferdinand VII got back the theme of Spain. His rule was marked by chaos and the failure of reforms. Some Spaniards, the intelligencia as their guidelines, had accepted the celebrated motto of the French revolution, "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity." **The Spaniards ruled the Filipinos in the 19th century. The Filipinos became the Spaniard's slave. The Spaniards claimed their taxes and they worked under the power of the Spaniards.** **Sources of Abuses in the Administrative System:** **There was an appointment of officials with inferior qualifications, without dedication of duty and moral strength to resist corruption for material advancement.** Through the power and authority the Spaniards possess, they collected and wasted the money of the Filipinos. **There were too complicated functions to the unions of the church and the state.** **Manner of obtaining the position.** Through the power that the Spaniards possess, they had the right to appoint the different positions. The appointment of positions is obtained by the highest bidder which is the Governor-general of the country. **Term of office** Term of office or term in office is the length of time a person (usually a politician) serves in a particular office is dependent on the desire of the King of the country. **Distance of the colony** The Spanish officials traveled to various places and the needs of the Philippines were ignored. They did not put too much attention to the needs of the other people. There were inadequate administrative supervisions, they were unable to face and solve the problems regarding to the Philippines. There were also overlapping of powers and privileges of officials which made them competitive. **Personal interest over the welfare of the State** They were corrupt during the 19th century and the Alcaldias/Alcalde is considered as the most corrupt over the other corrupts. The Alcaldias/Alcalde includes the administrators, judges and military commandants. They usually have P25/mo liberal allowances and privileges to take a certain percentage of money from the total amount of taxes. There were also monopoly trades or business practices known as indulto para comerciar. **The Bigotry of Spanish Institutions** **The Tribute or Tributo** In theory, the tribute or tax was collected from the natives to defray colonization costs and to recognize their vassalage to the king of Spain (Ibid). From the point of view of the Catholic Church, tribute could be extracted from the natives only if used primarily for the work of Christianization like the building of churches in the colony, support for missionaries, and so on. But from the point of view of the natives, the payment of the tribute was, however, seen as a symbol of acceptance of their vassalage to Spain. **The Encomienda** In the strict sense, it is not a land grant but a grant to exercise control over a specific place, including its inhabitants. It includes the right for the encomendero (owner of encomienda) to impose tribute or taxes according to the limit and kind set by higher authorities (Agoncillo, 1990). In exchange for this right, the encomendero is duty-bound by law to: - Defend his encomienda from external incursions. - To keep peace and order. - To assist the missionaries in evangelizing the natives within his territory. **The Polo or Forced Labor** The word "polo" is a corruption of the Tagalog pulong, originally meaning "meeting of persons and things" or "community labor." Drafted laborers were Filipino or Chinese male mestizos who were obligated to give personal service to community projects, like construction and repair of infrastructure, church construction, or cutting logs in forests, for forty days. All able-body males, from 16 to 60 years of old, except chieftains and their elder sons, were required to render labor for these various projects in the colony. It was instituted in 1580 and reduced to 15 days per year in 1884 (Constantino, 1975). **Bourbon Reforms** **The Bourbon Reforms, also called Reformas Borbónicas in Castilian, was a set of economic and political changes made by the Spanish Crown under the House of Bourbon in the 18th century.** Under the Hapsburg monarchs, the Spanish Empire had grown large and complicated, with many different organs acting confusingly. **One of the main ideas behind the Bourdon reforms was that the monarchy and the state were more important than the Catholic Church.** This led to an attempt to get rid of ecclesiastical privilege, which led to the Society of Jesus being banned in 1767. **The Bourbon Reforms were not very effective in the long run and ended up ostracizing many of the Creole elites.** While the political reforms simplified the empire, it was a little too late as the writing was already on the wall for the collapse of the Spanish Empire. **Rizal's Life: Family, Childhood and Early Education** **Rizal's Ancestry** Like most Filipinos, Rizal was of mixed racial origin. The Rizal family was known to be well-off family in Calamba, Laguna and they were considered as one of the biggest families in those times. They lived a life of comfort and prosperity, then considered that his family belonged to the principalia class or the ruling elite of their town. Jose Rizal came from a 13-member family, consisted of his father Don Francisco Mercado II and his mother Teodora Alonso Realonda. Jose Rizal had nine sisters and one brother. Saturnina Rizal was the eldest child among the siblings, followed by Paciano, Narcisa, Olympia, Lucia, Maria, Jose, Concepcion, Josefa and the youngest was Soledad. **Rizal's Family** **Jose Protačio Mercado Rizal y Realonda** **Birthday: June 19, 1861** **Birthplace: Calamba, Laguna** **Father: Don Francisco Mercado Rizal y Alejandro** **Mother: Teodora Alonzo Realonda Quintos** **Sisters: Saturnina, Narcisa, Olimpia, Lucia, Maria, Concepcion, Josefa, Trinidad, Soledad** **Brother: Paciano was a full ten years older than Rizal. Like his father, he pursued a college education in Manila.** **Don Francisco Rizal Mercado (Francisco Mercado Rizal y Alejandro) (1818-1898)** Rizal's father was born on May 11, 1818 and was the youngest of his 13 siblings. **Mercado was a well-respected man in their home town of Calamba in which citizens made him the their \"cabeza de barangay\" (head of town.)** He was of part Chinese descent, having been related to a Chinese entrepreneur by the name of Domingo Lamco. Mercado die shortly after Rizal in the home of his daughter, Narcisa Rizal in Binondo, Manila on January 5, 1898. An honest, dynamic, and thrifty man. **Rizal described him as a "model of fathers." He dedicated his life to agriculture in Biñan, Laguna, and later, he became a tenant of the Dominican estate in Calamba.** He received a college degree from Colegio de San Jose in Manila. **Doña Teodora Alonso (Teodora Alonzo Realonda Quintos)(1827-1913)** **She was known to be a hardworking, intelligent, business minded woman.** She died in 1913 in Manila. **A cultured and religious woman. She was a mother who provided an atmosphere of learning, culture, virtue, and warmth. She was a sacrificing, hardworking, disciplinarian woman, and she was a learned woman. She was Rizal's first teacher.** **Rizal Siblings** **Saturnina Rizal (1850-1913)** She was the eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo marriage. Doña Saturnina published Pascual Poblete's Tagalog translation of the Noli Me Tangere. **Paciano Rizal (1851-1930)** Perhaps the closest sibling of Jose, Paciano, is known to have made a pact with Jose for him to go to Spain to voice to Spain what is truly happening in the Philippines under the rule of the Spaniards. Paciano also updated his brother Jose about what was happening in the country while Jose was in Europe. He was also the man in charge of sending Jose his money and budget when he was in Europe. Paciano was also quite the man who ignited Rizal's fire and eagerness and awakened Rizal's sense of nationhood when he exposed him to the trial of GomBurZa. Paciano also became an ally of the Katipunan, and he also became a general in the revolutionary army during the 1900s. Paciano studied Latin under Maestro Justiniano Cruz before attending the Colegio de San Jose in Manila. While in the city, he lived and worked with Fr. Jose A. Burgos, who earned the ire of the Spanish friars by campaigning for the secularization movement. Jose began to use the name Rizal instead of Mercado, which the rest of his family used, to avoid the surveillance the Spanish authorities were already giving Paciano because of his connections with Burgos. **Narcisa (1852-1939)** It is said that Doña Narcisa could recite from memory almost all the poems of Rizal. **Olimpia (1855-1887)** **Lucia (1857-1919)** **Maria (1859-1945)** **Concepcion (1862-1865)** Sibling after Jose, died at the age of three when Rizal was four. **Josefa (1865-1945) and Trinidad (1868-1951)** Lived together until their deaths. Both became members of the Katipunan. Trinidad was the custodian of Rizal's elegy, "Mi Ultimo Adios." **Soledad (1870-1929)** Soledad, who became a teacher, is said to have been "the best educated" among Rizal's sisters. **Rizal's Childhood** - Happy and beautiful memories about his childhood - Spent his early childhood in the lake shore town Calamba with its scenic beauties anf=d the Majestic Mt. Makiling a few kilometres away from home; inspired him to write a poem entitled "Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo" (In My Memory of My Town) - Grow up with his loving parents,thoughtful and caring brothers and sisters - Enjoyed watching from his garden cottage with different kinds of birds - Pray the daily prayers and joined religious activities - His Happiest Moment was his First trip in Manila, it is a journey with his father to Antipolo in order to fulfil his mother's vow made on his birth after which they visited his sister Saturnina who was studying at the La Concordia College in Santa Ana. - Endowed his artistic talent; spent much time looking at the beauty of his surroundings - Lover of literature like his mother;poetric mind then started to write short verses on sheets of paper and on the pages of textbooks of his sisters. - Enjoyed listening to her mothers story which is "The Story of the Moth" - At the age of eight he wrote his first poem in native language entitled "Sa Aking mga Kababata" (To My Fellow Children) - When he is 3 years old he was frail,sick,and small of his age; he was given the tenderest care by his fathers and mother. - First sorrow when his sister Concha died when he is four years old - "all right laugh at me now, Someday when I die, people will make monuments and images of me" **Early Education** **Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan.** It was a typical schooling that a son of an ilustrado family received during his time -- one that is characterized by the **four R's -- reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion.** Instructions were rigid and strict, and knowledge was forced into the pupils' minds by the tedious memory method aided by the teacher's whip. Despite the defects of the Spanish system of elementary education, Rizal was able to acquire the necessary instructions preparatory for college work in Manila. It may say that Rizal, born a physical weakling, rose to become an intellectual giant not because of, but rather despite, the outmoded and backward system of instruction obtained in the Philippines during the last decades of the Spanish regime. **Jose Rizal's first teacher was his mother, who taught him how to read and pray and who had encouraged him to write poetry.** **Later, private tutors taught the young Rizal Spanish and Latin before he was sent to a private school in Biñan.** **As Jose grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him lessons at home. The first was Maestro Celestino** and **the second, Maestro Lucas Padua. Later, an older man named Leon Monroy, a former classmate of Rizal's father, became the boy's tutor**. **In academic studies, Jose beat all Biñan boys. He surpassed them all in Spanish, Latin, and other subjects. Some of his older classmates were jealous of his intellectual superiority.** They wickedly squealed to the teacher whenever Jose fought the school and even told lies to discredit him before the teacher's eyes. Consequently, the teacher had to punish Jose. **Higher Education** **Education at Ateneo Municipal de Manila** Although the Jesuits' ability to administer parishes was limited outside of the more distant districts of Mindanao, they were granted the privilege of creating colleges and therefore had to apply to the City of Manila for subsidies when they were allowed to return to the Philippines. Thus, the college opened its doors to students in 1865 and took on the name Ateneo Municipal. **Jose took the surname Rizal after the first, Mercado, had gotten him in trouble with the law because that was the name Paciano used when he lived and studied with Father Burgos.** **Jesuit education was ahead of its time compared to other academic models of the time. Discipline was strict, and its tactics were less mechanical. It also included the development of artistic skills like drawing, painting, and music in its curriculum. As a religious institute, its primary goal was to shape the boys' personalities and wills to better align with the church's teachings; nonetheless, it also established vocational courses in agriculture, commerce, and mechanics. Classes were opened and closed with prayers, and students attended mass before each session.** **Fr. Jose Bech was Jose's first teacher, and he remembers him as a "tall, slim guy with a forward bend and a rapid pace; ascetic physiognomy, severe and inspired; small, sunken eyes; a sharp Grecian nose; thin lips forming an arch with its sides oriented toward his chin."** **From the very beginning, Jose was able to systematize his job; he established a schedule for himself, detailing exactly how he would spend each of the day's twenty-four hours. In this way, he learned to control his impulses and submit his will to his intellect.** **Jose, a new student, started at the very bottom of the class, but he quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Emperor by the end of the month. He finished with an overall outstanding grade point average and perfect scores on all tests and assignments.** In Jose's second year, he had the same professor as in his first, but he lived at No. 6 Calle Magallanes in the city's heart. After completing his sentence, he returned home with a medal and paid another solo visit to his mother in prison, and it would be another three months before she would be free. In his third year of school, he began to do well enough academically to earn prizes in the quarterly exams, thanks largely to the uplifted mood brought on by her release. **Fr. Francisco Sanchez was his professor in the final year of his program. He studied mathematics, rhetoric, and Greek, and he must have made significant progress since, at the end of the year, he-obtained five medals, which thrilled him enormously because with them**, I could return my father partly for his sacrifices. **A natural talent for poetry quickly emerged in him, and he never stopped honing it. An event occurred at this time that exemplifies Jose's strong sense of autonomy.** **Fathers Vilaclara and Mineves were two of Jose's fifth-year teachers.** **He also dabbled in physics, chemistry, and natural history, but his true passion was poetry. When his philosophy professor suggested he give it up, he broke down in tears.** **The University of Sto. Tomas** **Fortunately, Rizal's terrible first passion and bitter disillusionment had no negative impact on his academic performance at the University of Santo Tomas. His passion for higher study proved stronger than his affection for a beautiful woman.** **In April of 1877, at nearly sixteen years old, Rizal enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas to study Philosophy and Letters**. These factors influenced his decision to take this class: For one, it was approved by his dad, and two, he was "Uncertain as to what job to follow." He decided to reach out to Father Pablo Ramon, the Rector of Ateneo, who had helped him a lot during his time as a student there, for guidance on his future professional endeavors. Unfortunately, Father Rector was in Mindanao, and back then, it took a letter many months to get from Manila to Mindanao. So, **he took classes in Philosophy, Cosmology, Metaphysics, and Theodicy during his first year (1877--1879) at UST.** **During the following academic year (1878-179), Rizal decided to pursue a career in medicine, enrolling in both the pre-medical course and the normal first-year medical program. Two factors influenced his decision to become a doctor: (1) he wished to help his mother's declining eyesight, and (2) Father Pablo Ramon, the Rector of Ateneo, whom he had written to for advice on a career path, recommended medicine.** **All the Girls Jose Rizal Loved Before** The things that the Filipino hero Jose Rizal did and won in his 35-year life could only have been done with true passion. He would do anything to show how much he loved not only his country but also his women. His trips around the Philippines and the rest of the world led to many different relationships that shaped almost half his life. On record, there are nine women. It doesn't mean that all those relationships were serious, but at least he pursued when he wanted to, cared, and showed his care and charm without apologizing. **Segunda Katigbak** It's said that true love lasts forever; however, that saying doesn't apply if your **"first love"** is already married, and you must then quickly release it. Like the time 16-year-old, Jose Rizal encountered Segunda Katigbak, a Batanguena, and fell in love with her. When the young hero and his friend Mariano Katigbak, Segunda's brother, went to visit the hero's grandmother, that's when they first met. Rizal's grandmother was close to the Katigbaks, and Segunda happened to be visiting her when Rizal and Mariano showed up there. It was instant chemistry. Segunda also had a close relationship with Rizal's sister Olympia, whom he would frequently visit at La Concordia University. They started hanging out all the time and eventually became best friends. Unfortunately for Rizal, Segunda had already committed to marrying a guy from her hometown, so he had to abandon his pursuit of her. **Rizal recorded his recollection of the event years later: "Ended, at an early house, my first love! My naive, young heart will always regret taking that first, terrifying step off the edge of the flower-covered cliff. My delusions will come back, but this time they will be numb, hesitant, and open to the possibility of the first betrayal along the road to love.** **Leonor Valenzuela** **Leonor "Orang" Valenzuela is the girl-next-door, and she is Rizal's second love interest.** At Doa Concha Leyva's boarding house in Intramuros, Manila, they first met while Rizal was a sophomore medical student at the University of Santo Tomas. The 14-year-old Orang who lived next to him at the time was his neighbor. **Rizal was also a skilled chemist; thus, he may have written his love letters to Leonor in invisible ink made from water and salt during their courtship. Orang had to heat the letters over a candle or lamp to read them. How did we go from this elaborate and time-consuming method of courtship to clicking the "love" button on Instagram? (I'm curious.) The Valenzuelas' house was a popular gathering spot for local college students, and Rizal often spent time there.** Documents exist, however, which may be used to demonstrate that Rizal's efforts were fruitless. Some stories have it that he was secretly trying to woo both Leonor Valenzuela and his second cousin Leonor Rivera simultaneously, hence the need for the invisible letters. (However, we must acknowledge the labor involved.) According to reports, Rivera was aware of this and allowed himself to be swayed by Rizal's charms. It is believed that before Rizal went to Spain in 1882, he bid farewell to his close friend and colleague, Jose "Chenggoy" Cecilio, and their mutual acquaintance, Orang. Chenggoy, the ultimate teaser (and maybe wingman? ), found the "rivalry" between the namesakes to be hilarious. One of Chenggoy's letters to Rizal reads, "...nagpipilit ang munting kasera (Leonor Rivera) na makita si Orang, pero dahil natatakpan ng isang kin puti, hindi naming nakilala nang dumaan ang prusisyon sa tapat ng bahay. Someone told me to tell you guys in no uncertain terms that they are not on board with your plans to improve your lives, and I have it on good authority that this is exactly what they said. What a surprise, Tukayo! What a treasure we have found in these pages! A review of the literature (Manebog, 2013) In case you forgot, Rizal was in Europe studying medicine at Universidad Central de Madrid and art at Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Calle Alcala while simultaneously chasing after the two Leonors. Perhaps he had some spare time on his hands. **Leonor Rivera** **Leonor was 13 when she first encountered Rizal, 18 at the time, in his uncle's boarding house in Intramuros, Manila.** Specifically, Rizal's second cousin twice removed was named Leonor. **She was a lovely student with an outstanding piano player and singing voice, and he was a brilliant charmer. They started dating and soon realized they were in love with each other. However, as with many sad love stories, they were hampered by several factors. Leonor's parents were extremely against the couple getting together because they feared Rizal was a "filibuster." Rizal referred to Leonor as "Taimis" to protect her privacy in his letters.** Rizal declared that he had found the woman he would marry just before he left for Europe in 1882. Paciano Rizal, the author's brother, said it wouldn't be fair to Leonor if he abandoned her after they were married. But as all youthful loves do, theirs fought against the odds. Although they did not tie the knot, they did try to keep the romance alive by writing each other letters; unfortunately, Leonor's mother would often intercept and hide their letters. In a letter to Rizal from 1890, Leonor announced her engagement to British engineer Henry Kipping. The wedding did take place that year. It was stated that Leonor saved the ashes of the letters she had burned after her mother forced her to destroy them. Legend has it that she tucked some of the ashes into the lining of her bridal dress. They continued their shady romance, nonetheless. Sadly, **Leonor lost her life giving birth to her second child in 1893**. From what we can gather, Rizal went silent for a few days after hearing the news from his sister Narcisa. **People think Rizal used Leonor as inspiration for Maria Clara in Noli Me Tangere. It's gloomy in a Shakespearean sense, and there's no greater intensity to a love tale than one that loses out to fate.** **Consuelo Ortega Y Rey** Don Pablo Ortiga Y Rey, Mayor of Manila under Maria dela Torre, had a daughter named Consuelo Ortega Y Rey. Don Pablo's house became a gathering point for Filipino students in Madrid while Rizal was there. One of these events is where Rizal and Consuelo first met. **Though he expressed feelings for Consuelo, he was still engaged to Leonor Rivera at the time, so their relationship was never more than platonic. Although he enjoyed the company of ladies, he experienced loneliness and a need to fill the vacuum that Leonor had left in his life during that little time.** Although the relationship never developed into anything more than a casual fling**, Rizal dedicated a sonnet to her called "A La Seorita C.O.y.P.**" Of course, writing a sonnet for someone is the modern equivalent of popping the question. Rizal's buddy Eduardo de Lete proposed to Consuelo, and the two are now engaged. According to legend, Rizal abandoned the mestiza idea because of Eduardo's undying devotion to Consuelo. Alternatively, their relationship may have been a classic example of a rebound fling in today's terminology. **Seiko Usui** In numerous entries, Rizal gushed about Japan's pristine aesthetic, tranquil culture, and orderly society. But if there was one thing that almost kept him in the land of the most beautiful cherry blossoms, it was a woman named Seiko Usui, who he fondly referred to as O-Sei-San. Period: 1888. **With an offer of employment at the Spanish Legation in Tokyo, Rizal had recently traveled to Japan from Hong Kong. He was captivated by O-Sei-beauty San's the first time he laid eyes on her when he saw her pass through the legation's gate. A Japanese gardener was able to help him meet the woman he had been admiring when he asked to be introduced to her. It was the gardener's job to translate for Rizal because he spoke so little Japanese at the time. Within minutes of talking, however, they realized that O-Sei-San spoke English and French, which was a huge relief given that Rizal was fluent in both languages. Once they were able to communicate with one another, a romance blossomed.** **Time passed, and O-Sei-San instructed Rizal in the ways of Japan. They went on a sightseeing tour, checking out landmarks like universities and art galleries. They discussed literature, music, and theater in a fluid exchange of French, English, and whatever else struck their fancy. Their affection was innocent and free-spirited. In many accounts, Rizal was prepared to uproot his life, migrate to Japan, and settle down with his beloved O-Sei-San.** Sadly for their potential future together, he had to depart Japan for San Francisco to fulfill his patriotic obligations. He lost track of O-Sei-San and never saw him again. The couple had an affair that lasted for around two months. It's less than the length of a typical season of a Netflix show, but you know Rizal, so you know it's intense. **Gertrude Beckett** **Rizal, then 27 years old, met Gertrude Beckett, the eldest daughter of his landlord, in London the same year he began and ended his relationship with O-Sei-San. Gertrude doted on Rizal as a star-crossed lover might. She even helped Rizal complete some of his well-known sculptures, including "Prometheus Bound," "The Triumph of Death over Life," and "The Triumph of Science over Death."** The two had pet names for each other; he was Pettie, and she was Gettie. Despite this, it is clear from the evidence presented that both parties did not share the sentiments. **When Rizal departed London in 1889, he gave Gettie a sculpture that he had made of the skulls of the Beckett sisters. According to Rizal's friend Marcelo del Pilar, Rizal left London to escape Gertrude. The romanticized of the latter view of their connection with Rizal was the most torturous kind: an unrequited love.** **Suzanne Jacoby** **Perhaps the thought of having nothing better to do with his time turned Rizal off. Even with the stress of his country and his family, he was able to use his downtime to educate himself on topics like flirting with ladies. After landing in Belgium in 1890, he slept at a boarding house owned by two sisters with the surname Jacoby. It so happened that the sisters' niece's name was Suzanne. What happens next with Rizal and his caretaker's family is certainly something you can guess. If not a neighbor, then a relative of the one caring for the pet. Is there a pattern developing? The guy has no time to travel more than a kilometer away.** In addition, Rizal's silence on the subject of Suzanne in his letters to friends suggests that the relationship was brief. In August that year, Rizal fled the country, and the loss devastated Suzanne. Meanwhile, Rizal continued working on El Filibusterismo, contributing to La Solidaridad and worried about his loved ones at home. Suzanne's purported letter was written to Rizal. The great Rizal may have answered once. However, in 1891, Rizal returned to Belgium not to be with Suzanne but to complete El Filibusterismo. After a few months there, he upped and departed town, never to be seen again. Perhaps after that, the point finally sank in for her. **Lillian "Nellie" Bousted** **Do you recall the legendary incident when Antonio Luna and Jose Rizal almost had a duel over a woman? Nellie Boustead was the young woman caught in all that chaos. When Rizal visited the French Riviera, he stayed with Nellie's rich family in Biarritz, where he first met Nellie. Rizal had been friends with the Boustead family for a few years before Biarritz, and he and Nellie had even played fencing together.** Rizal learned of Leonor Rivera's engagement at the stunning Biarritz holiday home and entertained the idea of having a love relationship with Nellie, who he viewed as sophisticated, well-educated, upbeat, and athletic. After their romance blossomed further, Rizal wrote to his pals to announce his engagement to Maria. Every single one of them, even Antonio Luna, was encouraging. They seemed made for each other, but Rizal's life did not include marriage. From the start, Nellie's mom had doubts about Rizal's ability to provide for her daughter. Also, Nellie pushed for Rizal to become a Protestant, and Rizal said no. Their friendship, however, was strong enough to survive the drama, and the two remain friends to this day. **Nellie wrote these farewell words to Rizal before he left Paris in 1891: "Now that you are departing, I wish you a joyful voyage and may you triumph in your undertakings, and above all may the Lord look down on you with favor and direct your way bringing you many benefits, and may your learn to appreciate!" My thoughts and prayers will always be with you.** **This, my friends, is how you make amends with your exes and move on with your lives.** **Josephine Bracken. Rizal's wife.** **Josephine Bracken remained at Rizal's side till the day he was executed in 1896. According to legend, she was also Rizal's wife, and there has indeed been heated dispute throughout the years over the details of their marriage.** **Josephine was the adopted daughter of one George Taufer, and the two lived together in Hong Kong until George's blindness necessitated a visit to an ophthalmologist.** Next, they turned to Jose Rizal for assistance, but he was already living in exile in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. **Rizal and Josephine fell in love and announced their engagement after only a month. Even more so than Rizal's other complicated great loves, this one was difficult to understand. Inexplicably, no priest agreed to perform the ceremony, perhaps because of Rizal's high political standing. Rizal and Josephine had a son together, but he only lived a few hours after delivery because they didn't have any official documentation of their relationship. Rizal honored his late father by giving his firstborn son the surname Francisco.** **There is no official record of a marriage between Josephine and Rizal.** **Considering his nomadic lifestyle and dedication to freedom, perhaps Rizal was not destined for a lifelong commitment like marriage. Maybe the best way for heroes to think is in peace. We can only presume that if given the opportunity, they will begin to overthink the implications of their actions for the entire nation. Perhaps Rizal had an innate yearning for company.** However, h**is fumblings and desires remind us that even heroes are subject to the same human frailties as the rest of us. Humans have requirements, and he did sacrifice himself for our nation. When he was a professional ghost, he still got a pass.** **Rizal's Life Abroad** Singapore ,Sri Lanka, Egypt, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Vietnam **Barcelona** **Rizal did not continue his studies in the Philippines, instead, he went to Europe to widen his learning and to acquire knowledge about a cure for his mother's worsening eye condition.** **Madrid** **On September 1882, Rizal moved to the capital city of Spain to continue his studies. Rizal enrolled at the Universidad Central de Madrid on November 3, 1882 he took up Philosophy and Letters in Medicine.** While studying in the university, he also enrolled at the Academy of San Carlos taking up painting and sculpture, and languages in French, German and English. He also took up shooting and fencing at the Hall of Sanz and Carbonell. **Paris** **Rizal arrived in Paris on November 1885. At that time, he was 24 years old and a full-pledged surgeon. He decided to migrate to Paris to specialize in Ophthalmology, but prior to doing so, he went to visit Maximo Viola, a friend from San Miguel, Bulacan. Rizal also worked as an assistant to Dr. Louis de Weckert's eye clinic for four months**. During his stay, Rizal knew how to conduct the operation of the eye, its ailments, and the different techniques of eye operation. **Germany** **Due to high cost of living, Rizal left Paris for Germany on February 1886. He arrived at an old university town in Heidelberg. He worked as an assistant of Dr. Otto Becker at the University Eye Hospital. It is where Rizal mastered the techniques of diagnosing eye ailments, which he learned from Dr. Louis de Wecker.** **Czech Republic** In Prague, Viola and Rizal visited several historical places. They were accompanied by Dr. Welkomm, a history professor at University of Prague through the recommendation of Blumentritt. They visited the tomb of Nicolaus Copernicus, a famous Polish astronomer; the museum of natural history, the bacteriological laboratories; and the cave where San Juan Nepomuceno was jailed. **Austria-Hungary** Rizal and Voila arrived at Vienna, the capital city of Austria-Hungary, on May 20, 1887. They visited art galleries, museums, public parks and recreation centers. The two doctors spent four days in the city and stayed at Hotel Metropole. They decided to take a small boat that brought them to the famous Danube River, where they saw the archaic villages on the riversides. **Jose Rizal Returned to his hometown** **Rizal lived five years of his life abroad and away from his loved ones.** He left Rome and rode the train going to Marseilles, France on July 3,1887. He then boarded the Djemnah, the vessel that ferried him to Saigon, and from Saigon, he transferred to the steamer Haiphong in Vietnam and reached Manila on August 5,1887. He stayed in Manila for three days and tried to visit and call Isabelo de los Reyes twice but unfortunately, he was unable to reach him. Later on, he visited Ateneo wherein the Jesuits attempted to get Rizal back to his old faith. Rizal was able to talked to Padre Faura, the priest who showed him the Sacred Heart of Jesus that he carved during his student days. Then, Padre Faura told Rizal all the wrong points that he said in his novel, Noili Me Tangere. But for Rizal, everything he wrote was the truth. Upon Rizal's arrival in Calamba on August 8, 1887, there were rumors spreading that Rizal was a German spy, a mason and many more. Because of these, Rizal received death threats each day and his family was worried about the possible consequences of such. So Paciano accompanied him whenever he goes out--- even his father, Don Francisco, had hesitations on allowing Rizal to go out of their house. **Trip to Hongkong** **Rizal arrived in Hong Kong on February 8,1888.** His fellow Filipinos namely Jose Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio and Manuel Yriarte, who were all exiled in 1872, met Rizal. In Hong Kong, he was able to study the Chinese language, Chinese drama and theater, Chinese cultures and Chinese values. Rizal even became friends with some Spaniards that were based in Hong Kong. **Trip to Japan** **Rizal arrived in Yokohama, Japan and stayed at Tokyo Hotel on February 28, 1888** for a few days. **Rizal then met O-Sei-San and their romance began when he lived at the Spanish legation. They became friends and later on developed to become lovers. O-Sei-San or Seiko Usui and Rizal fell in love for each other. Because of this, Rizal thought of staying in Japan for good. Nonetheless, Rizal had duties to fulfill for his country. So he decided to leave Japan and said his goodbyes to O-Sei-San.** **Trip to United States of America** **Aboard a steamer on April 28,1888, the entire boat was quarantined when it stopped in San Francisco because accordingly, the ship came from a country where cholera was epidemic. Rizal knew that this was not the fact --- he found out that the ship was halted for the Chinese and Japanese laborers who accepted cheap labor, replacing the American laborers.** **Rizal went to different cities in America like Reno, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Chicago, Albany, and New York City.** **London** **After Rizal's trip to the United States of America, he left New York City on May 16, 1888 and arrived in Liverpool, England on May 24 of the same year. He stayed for a day at Adelphi Hotel and left for London the following day. He was welcomed by Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor on May 25, 1888 and stayed as a guest in their home. Dr. Regidor was an exile of 1872 and a practicing lawyer in London.** Rizal had reasons why he chose to live in London. First, he wanted to enhance his knowledge on the English language; **he sought to have further study on Antonio Morga's Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas; to do research on the Philippine history; and to continue to write for La Solidaridad in defense of his people against the Spanish tyranny.** **Belgium** **On January 28,1890, Rizal left Paris for Brussels, Belgium. He was accompanied by Jose Alberto when he moved to Brussels. When Jose Alberto left the country, an engineering student, Jose Alejandro stayed with Rizal at the boarding house owned by Suzanne and Marie Jacoby.** Aside from the cost of living in Paris, which was too much, **Rizal cannot focus on writing his second novel El Filibusterismo because of the social life in Paris that interfered with his writings.** **Life in Hongkong** **Rizal left Madrid and went to Hong Kong after he published the El Fili in Europe. He did not like the political situation between him and del Pilar, and the other Filipinos in Spain. It was during this time that Rizal heard that his friend, Jose Ma. Panganiban (his pen name was Jomapa), bid his farewell to the world.** As saddened as he was, he recognized Jomapa's talent, intelligence, and industry through a eulogy, considering him as a lost for the country. **Due to his unpleasant experiences in Madrid, Rizal planned on leaving the political life in Europe to focus on his mission instead. On November 20,1891, he arrived in Hong Kong. He then decided to practice medicine, through his association with Dr. Lorenzo P. Marquez, so he applied for a license and the license and was eventually granted. His family went to Hong Kong and he supported them in the city.**