Jose Rizal's Early Life and Family (Ancestry to Ateneo)

 TRACING THE ALONZO(S) AND MERCADO(S)  DONYA TEODORA’S FAMILY (ALONZO) WERE VERY DISTINGUISHED. ACCORDING TO RIZAL “MY MOTHER IS A WOMAN OF AVERAGE EDUCATION”.  DONYA TEODORA’S FATHER LORENZO ALBERTO ALONZO WAS A DEPUTY FOR THE PHILIPPINES IN THE CORT...

 TRACING THE ALONZO(S) AND MERCADO(S)  DONYA TEODORA’S FAMILY (ALONZO) WERE VERY DISTINGUISHED. ACCORDING TO RIZAL “MY MOTHER IS A WOMAN OF AVERAGE EDUCATION”.  DONYA TEODORA’S FATHER LORENZO ALBERTO ALONZO WAS A DEPUTY FOR THE PHILIPPINES IN THE CORTES, WAS EDUCATED IN EUROPE AND SPOKE GERMAN, ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND FRENCH. HE WAS ALSO A KNIGHT OF ISABEL THE CATHOLIC.  HER GREATGRANDFATHER, MANUEL DE QUINTOS HAD BEEN A WELL-KNOWN LAWYER IN MANILA.  DON LORENZO AND DON CIPIRIANO ALONZO(TEODORA’S GRANDFATHER) HAD BEEN MAYORS OF BIŇAN.  SIR JOHN BOWRING, GOVERNOR OF HONGKONG TOURED LUZON AND WAS LODGED IN JOSE ALALBERTO’S HOUSE. ACCORDING TO HIM THE ALONZOS WERE CIVILIZED AND HAD GOOD TASTE IN FURNITURES, TABLES, AND BEDS.  TRACING THE ALONZO(S) AND MERCADO(S)  THE MERCADOS HAD BEEN ORIGINALLY A FAMILY OF MERCHANTS AS THEIR SPANISH SURNAME MEANS MARKET (MERCADO). ORIGINALLY THEY WERE OF CHINESE DESCENT WITH SURNAME LAMCO BUT LATER CHANGED THEIR SURNAME TO MERCADO TO AVOID DISCRIMINATION.  THERE WERE MANY MERCADOS IN THE PHILIPPINES BUT RIZAL CONTENDS THAT THEY WERE NOT RELATED TO THEM.  THE MERCADOS GRADUALLY CHANGED THEIR MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD SHIFTING FROM PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL POLITICS TO AGRICULTURE.  JUAN MERCADO, DON FRANCISCO’S FATHER; HAD BEEN A MAYOR OF BINAN THRICE. HE LATER ON MOVED TO KALAMBA (CALAMBA) TO CULTIVATE THE LANDS LEASED FROM THE DOMINICANS. THE MERCADO’S BECAME ONE OF THE TOWN’S WEALTHIEST, THE FIRST TO BUILD A STONE HOUSE AND BUY ANOTHER.  THEY ALSO OWNED A CARRIAGE, A LIBRARY, AND SENT ALL HIS CHILDREN IN MANILA.  TRACING THE ALONZO(S) AND MERCADO(S)  THE ALONZO’S AND MERCADOS WERE CONSIDERED ILLUSTRADOS WHICH MEANT THAT THEY COULD READ, WRITE, AND FIGURE.  THEY WERE ALSO THE PRINCIPALIA WHICH MEANT THAT THEY COULD VOTE FOR THE TOWN MAYOR, COLLECTED TAXES, THEY HAD PREFERENCE AFTER THE SPANIARDS IN CHURCHES, TOWN HALLS, CIVIC AND RELIGIOUS PROCESSIONS, WORE EUROPEAN CLOTHES AND WERE USED TO THE MORE REFINED CULTURE OF THE WEST. “I WAS NOT BROUGHT AMONG THE PEOPLE, AND PERHAPS I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY NEED” -JOSE RIZAL, NOLI ME TANGERE  MEET THE PARENTS ☺ FATHER  FRANCISCO MERCADO Y ALEJANDRO  BORN ON MAY 11, 1818  EDUCATED IN COLLEGIO DE SAN JOSE IN MANILA TAKING LATIN AND PHILOSOPHY.  DIED ON JANUARY 5, 1898  HE WAS DESCRIBED BY RIZAL AS QUIET BUT RESPONSIBLE.  HE TALKED LESS AND WORKED MORE. HE WAS SAID TO BE STRONG IN BODY AND POSSESSED A VALIANT SPIRIT.  JOSE RIZAL ALSO CONSIDERS HIS FATHER AS THE “MODEL OF FATHERS” FOR HIS PASSION FOR EDUCATION, DEDICATION TO WORK AND FAMILY, AND HIS STRONG PRINCIPLES.  MEET THE PARENTS ☺ MOTHER  TEODORA ALONZO- REALONDA Y DE QUINTOS  BORN ON NOVEMBER 28, 1826.  DIED ON AUGUST 16, 1911 IN MANILA.  SHE STUDIED IN COLEGIO DE SANTA ROSA  SHE WAS A MATHEMATICIAN BUT ALSO TAUGHT RIZAL TO PRAY, WRITE, AND SPEAK IN SPANISH AND LATIN  DESCRIBED AS A REMARKABLE WOMAN, POSSESSING REFINED CULTURE, AND WAS A WOMAN OF LITERATURE AND SPOKE BETTER THAN RIZAL IN SPANISH.  SHE MADE USE OF BOOK TITLES SUCH AS THE CHILDREN’S FRIEND TO TEACH JOSE SPANISH. HE RECALLS THE BOOK AS AN OLD COPY THAT HAD GONE QUITE RARE AND HE DREW FUNNY IMAGES INTO IT WHICH CAUSED DONYA TEOODORA TO SCOLD HIM.  JOSE’S BIRTH  JOSE WAS BORN ON JUNE 19, 1861 BETWEEN 11 IN THE EVENING AND 12 O’CLOCK MIDNIGHT ON WAS A WEDNESDAY IN CALAMBA LAGUNA.  LAGUNA WAS DESCRIBED BY JOHN FOREMAN AS A DREARY TOWN WITH A MARKET PLACE BEING DIRTY AND DISORDERLY.  HIS MOTHER HAD A DIFFICULT LABOR BECAUSE RIZAL HAS A BIG HEAD.  THE MOTHER HAD PRAYED TO THE “VIRGIN OF ANTIPOLO/OUR LADY OF GOOD VOYAGE” FOR A SAFE DELIVERY.  SHE VOWED THAT IF SHE WERE TO SURVIVE THE LABOR, SHE WOULD BRING JOSE TO A PILGRIMAGE TO HER SHRINE. JOSE’S BAPTISM  JOSE WAS NAMED AFTER ST. JOSEPH THE CARPENTER  HE WAS BAPTIZED ON JUNE 22, 1861 BY FATHER RUFINO COLLANTES.  IT WAS COMMON PRACTICE THAT THE GODFATHER WAS A PRIEST. UNLIKE TODAY.  FR. PEDRO CASAŇAS SERVED AS HIS GODFATHER  JOSE RIZAL’S RECOLLECTIONS OF FAMILY AND HIS CHILDHOOD  DON FRANCISCO AND DONYA TEODORA HAD 11 CHILDREN. DESPITE BEING MANY THE FAMILY DID NOT FALL SHORT OUT OF LOVE.  PACIANO WAS 10 YEARS OLDER THAN PEPE/MOY (JOSE RIZAL) AND BECAME MORE OF A SECOND FATHER.  JOSE FONDLY REMEMBERS HIS CHILDHOOD DESCRIBING IT AS BEING HAPPY.  HE WOULD LISTEN TO THE BIRDS AT HIS FATHER’S ORCHARD AND REMEMBERED THE NAMES OF EVERY TREE.  IN THE EVENINGS HE WOULD TAKE WALKS ALONG THE RIVER.  HE SPENT TIME ENTRANCED BY THE STORIES OF FAIRIES FROM HIS AYA AS THIS SAT ON THE AZOTEA. AT TIMES HIS MOTHER TOLD THESE STORIES.  JOSE RIZAL’S FAMILY AND CHILDHOOD RECOLLECTIONS  THE CHILDRED OF THE MERCADOS ARE AS FOLLOWS:  SATURNINA-1850  PACIANO-1851  NARCISSA-1852  OLYMPIA-1855  LUCIA-1857  MARIA-1859  JOSE-1861  CONCEPCION-1862  JOSEFA-1865  TRINIDAD-1868  SOLEDAD-1870  GROWING UP AS JOSE RIZAL  AT THE AGE OF 3 HE BEGAN TO PARTICIPATE IN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES OF THE FAMILY.  THE DEATH OF CONCEPCION BECAME HIS FIRST SORROW. JOSE/PEPE WAS 4 YEARS OLD WHEN CONCHA DIED.  AT THE AGE OF 5, HE BEGAN TO READ THE SPANISH BIBLE (HALTINGLY). JOINED PROCESSIONS, BEGAN TO MAKE SKETCHES AND MOULDED CLAY TO MAKE SCULPTURES.  WROTE “SA AKING MGA KABABATA” AT THE AGE OF 8 YEARS OLD”  HE WROTE A POEM “ A MOTHER’S BIRTHDAY” AT THE AGE OF 9 YEARS OLD.  HE WAS KNOWN IN THE FAMILY FOR HIS INQUISITIVE NATURE. WHICH WASN’T COMPLETELY APPRECIATED BY DONYA TEODORA.  HE WAS FONDLY CALLED AS PEPE BY MOST OF HIS FAMILY BUT WAS CALLED AS MOY BY HIS BROTHER PACIANO. THE STORY THAT IGNITED JOSE’S CURIOSITY AND HEROISM ONCE UPON A TIME, NOT TOO LONG AGO, THERE WAS A BABY MOTH…  AT THE AGE OF 9, HE LEFT HOME SCHOOLING TO BIŇAN TO STUDY IN A FORMAL BOARDING SCHOOL.  ACCORDING TO RIZAL, HE CRIED THE DAY HE HAD TO LEAVE CALAMBA FOR BINYANG/BINAN.  HIS SCHOOL MASTER, MAESTRO JUSTINIANO AQUINO-CRUZ LIKED AND DISLIKED HIM.  HE WAS BULLIED BY ANDRES SALANDANAN AND PEDRO, THE SON OF THEIR SCHOOL MASTER.  PEDRO TAUNTED PEPE FOR BEING SMALL, DIFFIDENT, AND REPETITIVE.  HE ALSO WENT AS FAR AS TO CALL PEPE’S PARENTS AS “UNANO” DUE TO HIS HEIGHT. THAT ENCOUNTER DID NOT END WELL FOR PEDRO.  PEPE WON AGAINST PEDRO IN A WRESTLING LIKE FIGHT.  HE ALMOST CRACKED HIS HEAD IN AN ARM WRESTLING MATCH AGAINST ANDRES SALANDANAN.  IN INSTANCES WHEN THERE WERE NO CLASSES, PEPE HAD A CHANCE TO STAY IN HIS AUNT’S HOUSE.  HE MANIFESTED HIS “DON PEPE” ATTITUDE WHEN HE WAS REQUESTED TO GIVE FOOD TO HIS COUSIN BUT IN HIS MIND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT EVEN BE MADE TO DO IT IN CALAMBA.  PEPE ALSO DID NOT LIKE HIS DISTANT COUSIN LEANDRO, FROM HIS AUNT MARGARITA IN BINYANG BECAUSE HE WAS A AN ABSOUTE NUISANCE AND A SCALAWAG.  HE WAS FOND OF ANOTHER COUSIN, ARCADIA WHO HE DESCRIBES AS A TOMBOY BUT IS EASILY ANGERED.  HE WROTE A STAGE PLAY WHICH THE GOBERNADORCILLO FROM PAETE LIKED.  IT WAS LATER PRESENTED DURING THE TOWNN FIESTA IN CALAMBA. HE WAS 8 YEARS OLD.  HE ALSO HAD GREAT INTEREST IN MAGIC TRICKS SUCH AS MAKING COINS AND HANDKERCHIEFS DISAPPEAR FROM HIS HANDS.  FEB. 17, 1872 JOSE WAS TOLD THE DEATH OF THE GOMBURZA BY HIS BROTHER PACIANO. OR IN OTHER VERSIONS, SAW THE DEATH OF THE MARTYRED PRIESTS.  JOSE IN ATENEO 1872-1877  RIZAL ENTERED IN ATENEO MUNICIPAL (FORMERLY ESCUELA PIA NOW ATENEO DE MANILA) ON JUNE 10, 1872.  ATENEO MUNICIPAL WAS ESTABLISHED AND RAN BY THE JESUITS.  IT WAS DURING HIS ATENEO YEARS THAT HIS MOTHER WAS INCARCERATED/ IMPRISONED FOR 2 ½ YEARS. ALLEGEDLY FOR POISONING HER SISTER IN LAW.  HE WAS ORIGINALLY DENIED REGISTRATION AT FIRST BY FR. MAGIN FERRANDO FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:  HE REGISTERED LATE  HE WAS FRAIL, WEAK AND SICKLY WHICH CAUSED HIM TO NOT PASS THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION.  HE WAS UNDERSIZED AND UNDERAGED (11 YEARS OLD).  HE WAS ADMITTED BECAUSE OF THE FR. MANUEL HELP OF XERES-BURGOS.  JOSE FOUND THE ATENEO CLASSROOM AS A GOOD PLACE TO LEARN AS IT FOSTERED HIS POTENTIALS.  THERE WAS NO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN ATENEO WAS NOT THE BASIS FOR ANY MERIT. CREDITS AND MERITS WERE GIVEN BASED ON SKILL NOT ON SKIN COLOR AND RACE  EVERYTHING RESTS ON ONES BRILLIANCE.  THE ATENEO CURRICULUM DID NOT ONLY FOSTER INTELLECTUAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT BUT ALSO PLACED EMPHASIS ON ARTS, MUSIC, AND THE HUMANITIES.  EDUCATION SYSTEM WAS HIGHLY INDEPENDENDENT AND LIBERAL. A BRAND OF EDUCATION WHICH THE JESUITS PROMOTED.  THE CLASS WAS DIVIDED INTO 2 EMPIRES. THE ROMAN EMPIRE (INTERNO) AND THE CARTHAGINIAN EMPIRE (EXTERNO).  IN ORDER TO FOSTER STUDENTS, A MERIT SYSTEM WAS CREATED TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ENTER THE CLASSROOM PREPARED. THE PROPESOR (WHO ARE ALSO JESUIT FRIARS) ACTED AS FACILITATORS OF LEARNING AND NOT JUST TEACHERS WHO ARE THE SOLE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE. EACH OF THESE EMPIRES HAD OFFICIALS WHO WERE THE TOP 5 MOST INTELLIGENT STUDENTS:  EMPEROR  TRIBUNE  DECURION  CENTURION  STANDARD BEARER  THE STUDENTS SEAT DEFINED HIS STANDING IN THE CLASS.  THE LAST ROW WAS INTENDED FOR THE IMAGE OF THE DONKEY, THE TITLE GIVEN TO THE LEAST PERFORMING STUDENT.  EACH STUDENT MUST ASK 5 QUESTIONS TO ANY OF HIS CLASSMATES WITH A HIGHER RANK, THE CLASSMATE FAILS TO ANSWER 3 OUT 5 QUESTIONS THEN THE STUDENT MAY TAKE HIS RANK IN THE CLASS.  THE EMPIRES ALSO HAD TO COMPETE WITH ONE ANOTHER  THE WINNING EMPIRE HAS THEIR FLAG FULLY RAISED WHILE THE LOSING EMPIRE WILL HAVE ITS FLAG LOWERED AND REPLACED BY THE FLAG WITH THE SYMBOL OF THE DONKEY.  THE DONKEY IS THE TITLE GIVEN TO LEAST PERFORMING EMPIRE AND THE LEAST PERFORMING STUDENT IN THE CLASS.  RIZAL BECAME THE EMPEROR OF THE CARTHAGINIAN EMPIRE AND NONE OF HIS CLASSMATES TOOK THE RANK FROM HIM.  HE WOULD LATER EARN SECOND PLACE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.  HIS FIRST PROFESSOR WAS FR. JOSE BECH  HE EVENTUALLY BECAME EMPEROR OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AS HE MOVED TO HIS HIGHER YEARS. THIS WAS ON JUNE 16, 1875.  RIZAL WAS THE FAVORITE STUDENT OF ONE OF HIS TEACHERS; FR. FRANCISCO DE PAULA SANCHEZ, HIS 4TH YEAR PROFESSOR.  DESPITE HIS ACADEMIC SUCCESS, HE WAS VERY TOUGH ON HIMSELF.  ACCORDING TO HIM HE WOULD BREAK INTO TEARS WHEN HE WOULD COMMIT MINOR MISTAKES IN HIS SCHOOL WORKS.  IT MADE HIM FEEL THAT HE FAILED HIS MOTHER WHO WAS IMPRISONED IN STA. ROSA  HE FINISHED HIS STUDIES ON 1877 WITH SOBRESALIENTE (EXCELLENT) MARKS.