WHO MADE RIZAL OUR FOREMOST NATIONAL HERO, AND WHY?

By: Esteban A. De Ocampo

SUMMARY
Dr. Jose Rizal Mercado y Alonso, or simply Jose Rizal (1861-1896), is a well-
known personality that has been mentioned in the annals of Philippine history.
Dr. José Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, is not only admired for
possessing intellectual brilliance, but also for taking a stand and resisting the
Spanish colonial government. His birth and death is remembered and
recognized by the Filipino people. His name can be found in almost all
corners of the Philippines. Roads, schools and even province are named after
him. His image can be found in peso bills and coins. Monuments are erected
in his name (foremost of this can be found in Rizal Park in Manila). These are
manifestations of the country'sreverence accorded to Jose Rizal as a national
hero. Who is the Filipino writer whose teachings have been frequently invoked
& quoted by authors on almost all occasions? None but Rizal. And why is this
so? Because as biographer Rafael Palma said, "The doctrines of Rizal are for
all epochs. They are as valid today as they were yesterday…” and for the
future.
Rizal was a unique man of outstanding talents. A patriot and a poet, a novelist
and an educator. Above all, he was a man of conviction. His love for his
country, and his observations of Spanish rule impassioned him to speak out
about injustice. He was a peaceful man and used the power of the pen to
express himself. However, there are Filipinos believing that Rizal's becoming
the national hero was the result of American sponsorship wherein fact, the
American government, especially Gov. W. H. Taft only "guided" the Filipino
people to choose Rizal. The American rationale was based on Rizal's
peaceful propaganda and diplomatic approaches in attaining Philippine
freedom and independence. This is shown by his pacifism where he fought
the Spanish tyranny through a propaganda battles by means of using his pen
in critiquing and exposing the defects of Spanish governance. Alarmed over
the threat posed by the two novels of Rizal, angry Spanish officials pushed for
Rizal's arrest and exile in Dapitan. Despite that, Rizal promised the Spanish
governor that he would not attempt an escape, which, in that remote part of
the country, would have been relatively easy.
He was spontaneously acknowledged not only by his own people, but also the
elite of other lands who intimately knew his patriotic labors. Also, immediately
after his execution, his own people had justly acclaimed him as their foremost
hero & martyr. Dr. Frank C. Laubach, an American biographer of Rizal, spoke
of the hero’s courage and I quote, His consuming life purpose was the secret
of his moral courage. Physical courage, it is true, was one of his inherited
traits. But that high courage to die loving his murderers, w/c he
At last achieved - that cannot be inherited. It must be forged out in the fires of
suffering & temptation. The question why Dr. Jose Rizal is our foremost
National Hero was answered three times in the article of Esteban.
First, why is Rizal a hero, nay, our foremost national hero? He was a
prominent figure in the propaganda campaign and took admirable part in the
movement and also, his writing "Noli Me Tangere" that no other writings or
author that aroused up to this day acrimonious debates.
As exemplified by his two great novels which no other literary works could
surpass, he proved that the pen is mightier than the sword. Choosing a single
work of a Filipino Author that contributed tremendously to the formation of
Filipino nationality, we shall have no hesitation in choosing Rizal’s Noli Me
Tangere because none of the other books had evoked such favorable &
unfavorable comments from friends & foes alike as did Rizal’s Noli.
Blumentritt, after reading Rizal’s Noli, wrote & congratulated its author, saying
among other things: "Your work, as we Germans say, has been written w/ the
blood of the heart...Your work has exceeded my hopes & I consider myself
happy to have been honored by your friendship.”
If Rizal’s friends & admirers praised w/ justifiable pride the Noli & its author,
his enemies were equally loud in condemning the same. Rizal’s novel was
condemned by a faculty committee of a Manila university (UST). The
committee said that it found the book "heretical, & scandalous to the religious
order, & unpatriotic to the public order, libelous to the govt. of Spain." During
the congressional hearings on the Rizal (Noli-Fili) in 1956, the proponents and
opponents of the bill engaged themselves in a bitter drawn-out debate that
finally resulted in the enactment of a compromise measure, now known as RA
1425.
It is comforting to learn however, that about 13 years later, Cong. Henry Allen
Cooper of Wisconsin delivered an eulogy of Rizal & even recited the martyr’s
Ultimo Pensamiento on the floor of the U. S. House of Representatives in
order to prove the capacity of the Filipinos for self- government. The result of
this appeal was the approval of what is popularly known as the Philippine Bill
of 1902.
Again, we ask the question: why did Rizal, become the greatest Filipino hero?
As stated by Esteban in his article, no other Filipino that has yet been born
who could or surpass Dr. Jose Rizal as "a person of distinguished valor or
enterprise in danger, or fortitude of suffering.
We can all agree about the fact that not one citizen of the country had yet to
show the same characteristics, or had done the bravest of acts for his country
as Dr. Jose Rizal. His ideas exposed the social malady affecting the country
and redeemed his people from their miserable conditions. He instilled native
pride and dignity to Filipinos and the willingness to sacrifice for motherland
through his economic and political ideas which are vividly inscribed in his
novels. He preferred dying for the country than to live his life with his
principles ruined.
His influence to the Filipino race through his intellect is as well not a sufficient
basis to say that he deserves the title but his complete self-denial. Although
gifted with immeasurable talents, he completely abandoned his personal
interests in order to think only of those of his country. He chose to live far from
his family, forego his personal affections and profession for an ideal that he
ought for. He could have settled stable being endowed with riches, valor and
intellect, but he wished to fight for his country utilizing these natural
endowments.
He then died in front of the Spanish and Filipino crowds by a firing squad on
December 30, 1896 due to a false accusation of instigating Philippine
revolution and because he was the most dangerous enemy of the
reactionaries & the tyrants. Thus, his charisma for the elite and intellectuals
are proven strong. And for the 3rd & the last time, we repeat the question:

Why is Rizal the greatest Filipino hero that ever lived? Rizal is the greatest
Filipino hero that ever lived because he is a man honored after death by
public worship, because of his exceptional service to mankind especially to
his countrymen. Due to Rizal’s ability and love for our homeland, he stood
bold to battle for our opportunity despite the fact that his life was on the line so
as to spare his nation for enduring the Spaniards. That is the motivation
behind why Dr. Jose Rizal turned into our national legend.

Even before the outbreak of the revolution against Spain in 1896, many
instances can be cited to prove that his country & abroad recognized Rizal’s
leadership.

(1) He was elected by the Filipinos in Barcelona & Madrid as honorary pres. of
la Solidaridad.
(2) He became chief of the Indios Bravos.
(3) Rizal was again unanimously chosen Responsable (chief) of the
Spanish-Filipino Association.
(4) He was also the founder of la Liga Filipina in Manila on July 3, 1892.
(5) He became honorary President of Katipunan.

A year after Rizal’s execution, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo & the other revolutionary
chiefs exiled to Hong Kong held a commemorative program there on 29 Dec
1897 on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the hero’s execution &
martyrdom. Pres. Aguinaldo issued the 1st official proclamation making 30
Dec 1898 as "Rizal Day". The same proclamation ordered the hoisting
the Filipino flags at half-mast "from 12:00 noon on 30 Dec 1898" and the
closing of "all offices of the government" during the whole day of 30 Dec.
Many paid tribute for Rizal’s greatness as to honor his death. However, his
death did not finish his mission. It has just begun. For his death inspired many
others and became the rallying force of the revolutionary leaders who were
also willing to sacrifice and die for the country, if necessary.
The Taft Commission, which functioned as the US colonial administration in
the Philippines from 1900 to 1904, passed Act No. 37, creating the Province
of Rizal out of the military district of Morong in honor of Dr. Rizal. The act did
not formally declare Rizal a national hero, nor proclaim a national holiday in
his honor. However, while Taft commission chose Rizal out of several great
Filipinos as the No. 1 hero of his people, still we can say that what the
commission did was merely to confirm a sort
of what has already been decided, and that was Jose Rizal had already been
acclaimed by his countrymen and the scientific world as the foremost hero
and martyr of the land of his birth. Nay, we can go even farther and concur w/
Prof. Blumentritt, who said in 1897

Not only is Rizal THE MOST PROMINENT MAN OF HIS OWN PEOPLE but
THE GREATEST MAN THE MALAYAN RACE HAS PRODUCED.
Rizal wrote the historically famous novels “Noli Me Tangere” and “El
Filibusterismo” that spoke against the tyranny of the Spanish regime in our
country. After his death, a lot of books from different parts of the world have
been written about him. But there have been constant debates from
generation to generation that Andres Bonifacio is more deserving to be called
our national hero than Rizal. Many would claim that unlike Rizal, Andres
Bonifacio is a true revolutionary. While Rizal wanted change through
peaceful means, Bonifacio believed change is only possible through violence
and it was through war that the Spanish gave up. Thus, leading to a
conclusion that Bonifacio should be the national hero, and Rizal should only
be credited for helping. Most of the world Heroes was elevated as such
because of their war exploits. Rizal never did it. Rafael Palma has very well
stated the case of Rizal versus Bonifacio in these words:
It should be a source of pride & satisfaction to the Filipinos to have among
their national heroes one of such excellent qualities & merits w/c may be
equaled but not surpassed by any other man. It is true that in our case the
sword of Bonifacio was after all needed to shake off the yoke of a foreign
power; but the revolution prepared by Bonifacio was only the effect, the
consequence of the spiritual redemption wrought by the pen of Rizal.
Napoleon himself, who was a great conqueror & ruler, said: "There are only
two powers in the world; the sword & the pen; and in the end the former is
always conquered by the latter".

Going back to our main question, Who made Rizal the foremost hero of the
Philippines?
His struggles, sacrifices and notable contributions to today’s independence
were held accountable for making Dr. Jose Rizal our national hero. Of course,
Rizal himself, his own people, and the few influential foreigners all together
contributed to make him the greatest hero and martyr of his people. Jose
Rizal, considered as the greatest among the Filipino heroes,
was not explicitly proclaimed as a national hero. His exceptional dedication
and conviction to his life’s purpose are beyond the realm of imagination
knowing that he sacrificed his own life, not having the assurance that his
sacrifices will be worth it. If he hadn’t, and among other note-worthy heroes of
our history fought for our well-deserved freedom, maybe we’ll still be in the
hands of our unjust captors. His “excellent qualities and merits” (Rafael Palma)
made him Our Foremost National Hero.

Jose did many good deeds and tried to accomplish his goals; he wanted to
free his country. He was well-known enough to even have his own special
holiday which celebrates the anniversary of his death. Few people have had a
leader who so entirely gave of himself as he did, and who
asked so little for himself in return. He is a hero.
 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 meet 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 their
publication in the Official Gazette.

SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on 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.
 BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Malvar, Batangas, Philippines

LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL (GED 103)

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ACTIVITY 2
Rizal Law vs. RH Law

In 1956, the Roman Catholic Church opposed the passage of Rizal Law that
will make the study and reading of Rizal’s novel mandatory. Today, the
Roman Catholic Church opposed the legalization of divorce, restoration of
death penalty, and the controversial RH Bill which was passed into law in
2012.

Write a one-page refection by comparing and contrasting the Catholic

Church’s objection to the Rizal law and the RH law by recalling the events that
took place during the legislative debates.

Format:

Font Style: Arial

Font Size: 12
8.5x11 (Short Bond Paper)

Submission: is until 11th of February, 2022, 11:59PM

Submitted to: Class Presidents
Submission Instruction:

Use this activity naming format: Surname_RZLRHL

Class President, collect and compile this activity in a folder.

Use this activity naming format: RZLRHL_MM2209

Instructions:
You may do this during your asynchronous schedule in my subject.
Please refrain from submitting plagiarized output.
Late submissions is highly discourage.
 BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Malvar, Batangas, Philippines

LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL (GED 103)

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Reading Material 2

Early Education in Calamba and Biñan

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, characterized by the four R’s- reading, writing, arithmetic,
and religion. Instruction was rigid and strict. Knowledge was forced
into the minds of the pupils by means of 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 instruction preparatory for college work in
Manila. It may be said that Rizal, who was born a physical
weakling, rose to become an intellectual giant not because of, but
rather in spite of, the outmoded and backward system of
instruction obtaining in the Philippines during the last decades of
Spanish regime.

The Hero’s First Teacher

The first teacher of Rizal was his mother, who was a remarkable
woman of good character and fine culture. On her lap, he learned
at the age of three the alphabet and the prayers. "My mother,"
wrote Rizal in his student memoirs, "taught me how to read and to
say haltingly the humble prayers which I raised fervently to God."

As tutor, Doña Teodora was patient, conscientious, and

understanding. It was she who first discovered that her son had a
talent for poetry. Accordingly, she encouraged him to write poems.
To lighten the monotony of memorizing the ABC’s and to stimulate
her son’s imagination, she related many stories.

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 old man named Leon
Monroy, a former classmate of Rizal’s father, became the boy’s
tutor. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home and instructed Jose
in Spanish and Latin. Unfortunately, he did not lived long. He died
five months later.

After a Monroy’s death, the hero’s parents decided to send their

gifted son to a private school in Biñan.

Jose Goes to Biñan

One Sunday afternoon in June , 1869, Jose, after kissing the

hands of his parents and a tearful parting from his sister, left
Calamba for Biñan. He was accompanied by Paciano , who acted
as his second father. The two brothers rode in a carromata,
reaching their destination after one and one-half hours’ drive. They
proceeded to their aunt’s house, where Jose was to lodge. It was
almost night when they arrived, and the moon was about to rise.

That same night, Jose, with his cousin named Leandro, went
sightseeing in the town. Instead of enjoying the sights, Jose
became depressed because of homesickness. "In the moonlight,"
he recounted, "I remembered my home town, my idolized mother,
and my solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet to me was Calamba, my
own town, in spite of the fact that was not as wealthy as Biñan."

First Day in Biñan School

The next morning (Monday) Paciano brought his younger brother

to the school of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.

The school was in the house of the teacher, which was a small
nipa hut about 30 meters from the home of Jose’s aunt.

Paciano knew the teacher quite well because he had been a pupil
under him before. He introduced Jose to the teacher, after which
he departed to return to Calamba.

Immediately, Jose was assigned his seat in the class. The teacher
asked him:

"Do you know Spanish?"

"A little, sir," replied the Calamba lad.
"Do you know Latin?"
"A little, sir."
The boys in the class, especially Pedro, the teacher’s son laughed
at Jose’s answers.

The teacher sharply stopped all noises and begun the lessons of
the day.

Jose described his teacher in Biñan as follows: "He was tall, thin,
long-necked, with sharp nose and a body slightly bent forward, and
he used to wear a sinamay shirt, woven by the skilled hands of the
women of Batangas. He knew by the heart the grammars by
Nebrija and Gainza. Add to this severity that in my judgement was
exaggerated and you have a picture, perhaps vague, that I have
made of him, but I remember only this."

First School BrawlIn the afternoon of his first day in school, when
the teacher was having his siesta, Jose met the bully, Pedro. He
was angry at this bully for making fun of him during his
conversation with the teacher in the morning.

Jose challenged Pedro to a fight. The latter readily accepted,

thinking that he could easily beat the Calamba boy who was
smaller and younger.

The two boys wrestled furiously in the classroom, much to the glee
of their classmates. Jose, having learned the art of wrestling from
his athletic Tio Manuel, defeated the bigger boy. For this feat, he
became popular among his classmates.

After the class in the afternoon, a classmate named Andres

Salandanan challenged him to an arm-wrestling match. They went
to a sidewalk of a house and wrestled with their arms. Jose, having
the weaker arm, lost and nearly cracked his head on the sidewalk.

In succeeding days he had other fights with the boys of Biñan. He

was not quarrelsome by nature, but he never ran away from a fight.

Best Student in School

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
had a fight outside the school, and even told lies to discredit him
before the teacher’s eyes. Consequently the teacher had to punish
Jose.

Early Schooling in Biñan

Jose had a very vivid imagination and a very keen sense of

observation. At the age of seven he traveled with his father for the
first time to Manila and thence to Antipolo to fulfill the promise of a
pilgrimage made by his mother at the time of his birth. They
embarked in a casco, a very ponderous vessel commonly used in
the Philippines. It was the first trip on the lake that Jose could
recollect. As darkness fell he spent the hours by the katig,
admiring the grandeur of the water and the stillness of the night,
although he was seized with a superstitious fear when he saw a
water snake entwine itself around the bamboo beams of the katig.
With what joy did he see the sun at the daybreak as its luminous
rays shone upon the glistening surface of the wide lake, producing
a brilliant effect! With what joy did he talk to his father, for he had
not uttered a word during the night!

When they proceeded to Antipolo, he experienced the sweetest

emotions upon seeing the gay banks of the Pasig and the towns of
Cainta and Taytay. In Antipolo he prayed, kneeling before the
image of the Virgin of Peace and Good Voyage, of whom he would
later sing in elegant verses. Then he saw Manila, the great
metropolis , with its Chinese sores and European bazaars. And
visited his elder sister, Saturnina, in Santa Ana, who was a
boarding student in the Concordia College.

When he was nine years old, his father sent him to Biñan to
continue studying Latin, because his first teacher had died. His
brother Paciano took him to Biñan one Sunday, and Jose bade his
parents and sisters good-bye with tears in his eyes. Oh, how it
saddened him to leave for the first time and live far from his home
and his family! But he felt ashamed to cry and had to conceal his
tears and sentiments. "O Shame," he explained, "how many
beautiful and pathetic scenes the world would witness without
thee!"

They arrived at Biñan in the evening. His brother took him to the
house of his aunt where he was to stay, and left him after
introducing him to the teacher. At night, in company with his aunt’s
grandson named Leandro, Jose took a walk around the town in the
light of the moon. To him the town looked extensive and rich but
sad and ugly.

His teacher in Biñan was a severe disciplinarian. His name was

Justiniano Aquino Cruz. "He was a tall man, lean and long-necked,
with a sharp nose and a body slightly bent forward. He used to
wear a sinamay shirt woven by the deft hands of Batangas women.
He knew by memory the grammars of Nebrija and Gainza. To this
add a severity which, in my judgement I have made of him, which
is all I remember."

The boy Jose distinguished himself in class, and succeeded in

surpassing many of his older classmates. Some of these were so
wicked that, even without reason, they accused him before the
teacher, for which, in spite of his progress, he received many
whippings and strokes from the ferule. Rare was the day when he
was not stretched on the bench for a whipping or punished with
five or six blows on the open palm. Jose’s reaction to all these
punishments was one of intense resentment in order to learn and
thus carry out his father’s will.

Jose spent his leisure hours with Justiniano’s father-in-law, a

master painter. From him he took his first two sons, two nephews,
and a grandson. His way life was methodical and well regulated.
He heard mass at four if there was one that early, or studied his
lesson at that hour and went to mass afterwards. Returning home,
he might look in the orchard for a mambolo fruit to eat, then he
took his breakfast, consisting generally of a plate of rice and two
dried sardines.

After that he would go to class, from which he was dismissed at

ten, then home again. He ate with his aunt and then began at ten,
then home again. He ate with his aunt and then began to study. At
half past two he returned to class and left at five. He might play for
a short time with some cousins before returning home. He studied
his lessons, drew for a while, and then prayed and if there was a
moon, his friends would invite him to play in the street in company
with other boys.

Whenever he remembered his town, he thought with tears in his

eyes of his beloved father, his idolized mother, and his solicitous
sisters. Ah, how sweet was his town even though not so opulent as
Biñan! He grew sad and thoughtful.

While he was studying in Biñan, he returned to his hometown now

and then. How long the road seemed to him in going and how
short in coming! When from afar he descried the roof of his house,
secret joy filled his breast. How he looked for pretexts to remain
longer at home! A day more seemed to him a day spent in heaven,
and how he wept, though silently and secretly, when he saw the
calesa that was flower that him Biñan! Then everything looked sad;
a flower that he touched, a stone that attracted his attention he
gathered, fearful that he might not see it again upon his return. It
was a sad but delicate and quite pain that possessed him.

Source: Zaide, Gregorio F. and Zaide, Sonia M., Jose Rizal, Life,
Works and Writings of Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero,
Second Edition, All Nations Publishing, Quezon City, 1994.

Reading Material 2
 BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Malvar, Batangas, Philippines

LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL (GED 103)

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Reading Material 3

How Wealthy Was the Rizal Family?

Our history textbooks reveal the Rizal family was counted among
the wealthier families in the Philippines in the 19th century.

Historian Ambeth Ocampo describes the clan as “upper class,

educated, well-read, and had a view of the world outside Calamba.”

Jose Rizal and his siblings studied at exclusive schools in the

country, and the family was among the most respected south of
Manila.Their house employed a number of household helpers, not
counting those who helped them in the field. They certainly
had influence, and held some amount of political power.

The Rizal family’s wealth has always a point of curiosity: Why were
they wealthy? Where did their wealth come from? How affluent
was the Rizal family? We need to retrace hundreds of years of
history to answer these questions.
The Principalia

One of the key reasons the Rizal family was wealthy was because
its lineage, both maternal and paternal, can be traced
to principalian roots.

The principalia was a class of Filipinos who were considered

nobility during the Spanish occupation. The
original principalias were the ex-datus, who cooperated with the
Spanish in subjugating their former subjects. They were rewarded
with government positions as gobernadorcillos (mayor)
and cabezas de barangay (town chief). Not everyone could be a
member of the principalia, because the status was hereditary –
including the government positions they held. They were tasked
with collecting tributes and taxes, which they used to enrich their
families.

The heads of the family and their eldest sons were exempted from
taxes, conscription, and forced labor. When the concept of land
ownership was introduced by the Spanish, the principalia took
advantage of it by claiming that agricultural land was their private
property (when in fact it was their subjects’ lands or public lands),
which they then sold to the state. They also reinforced their
political power by selling and donating lands to the friars, which
became the infamous friar estates.

Despite Spanish reforms removing the dynastic nature of the

offices of the gobernadorcillo and cabeza de barangay and
introducing elections, the principalia maintained their influence and
power because they were the only ones who were allowed to
vote.

This allowed them to pass down their wealth, influence, and

positions in government to their kin, resulting in generations of
wealthy Filipinos, including the family of the national hero.

Rizal’s Wealthy Grandparents

If Rizal was, in contemporary terms, a “rich kid,” his parents were

even richer kids. According to the National Historical Commission
of the Philippines and records from the Biñan government, Rizal’s
paternal grandfather, Juan Mercado, was
Biñan’s gobernadorcillo in 1808, 1813, and 1823. His paternal
great-grandfather, Francisco Mercado, also held the position in
1783, and also incidentally owned the largest herd of carabaos in
all of Biñan.

Rizal’s mother also came from an affluent family. Her father,

Lorenzo Alberto Alonso, served as Biñan’s gobernadorcillo in 1844.
Her grandfather, Cipriano Alonso, held the position in 1790 and
1802.

Both families belonged to the principalia and were among the most
respected in Laguna.

The Rizal Family was Favored by the Friars

Another reason that explains the Rizal family’s affluence was their
closeness to a certain friar order in Biñan. Letters between
brothers Paciano and Jose Rizal reveal their family’s links to the
friar orders.

In one of Ambeth Ocampo’s columns in Inquirer.net, he reveals

how Paciano was beseeching Jose to behave and act graciously
towards the friars:

“The land in Pansol is improving and much can be expected from it

in the future, provided I enjoy good health. The land is good and
extensive. This land, which did not cost us anything and was
ceded by the Corporation to us in preference to anybody else,
deserves to be appreciated a little. We ought to be a little grateful
to the Corporation that, without owing us anything, desires the
welfare of our family. Undoubtedly you will tell me that I overlook
the work involved and the rent paid. I agree with you, but you will
also agree with me that these priests have no obligation to give us
the Pansol land exclusively, ignoring others who were eagerly
soliciting it. It does seem that they are trying to grant our family all
the favor within their power to give. Knowing this, it behooves us to
refrain from displeasing them in the least with our behavior, in view
of the needlessness of our services. If sometime you get to talk to
Father Martínez, assure him that these are the sentiments that
animate us.”

The lands Paciano was referring to were the plots of land they
leased from the Dominicans, which were granted to them for free
despite many other principalias aggressively bidding to lease them.
It was from these lands where the Rizal family’s main income was
generated. Paciano managed the farmlands, which he planted with
rice and sugarcane.

How Wealthy were the Rizals?

The Rizal family lived in a spacious house with a large basement

where animals and produce were kept. They lived comfortably and
had no debts. However, despite being branded as affluent, the
Rizals were, in reality, an upper-class family who had just enough
to send all eleven children to good schools. When Jose Rizal was
in Europe, he received allowance only sporadically from Paciano.
There were times when Rizal's friends would cover costs for him,
including the publishing of his two novels.

By contrast, Pedro Paterno, Rizal’s contemporary, never needed

an allowance when he was in Europe. He travelled around Madrid
in a personal coach that bore a silver coat of arms he had
designed. His personal belongings, such as his bedsheets,
stationery, and other items, also bore this silver symbol. Paterno
was a truly rich ilustrado who used his power and influence to
sway the Spanish and the Americans for his own benefit.

Still, it is clear the Rizals came from a lineage of influential and

wealthy principalia, and that their money mainly came from
inherited wealth and influence cultivated by their ancestors. They
were neither spoiled nor excessively pampered, but lived decently.
Hard work and thriftiness were values that were instilled among all
Rizal children.

Had they been a little wealthier, perhaps Paciano would not have
bothered tilling the land and taking up the cudgels for more
oppressed indios, and the national hero would not have bothered
writing novels about injustices he had never felt.

Source: https://www.esquiremag.ph/the-good-life/pursuits/rizal-
family-net-worth-a1957-20181020-lfrm

Reading Material 3
 BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Malvar, Batangas, Philippines

LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL (GED 103)

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Reading Material 4

SCHOLASTIC TRIUMPS AT ATENEO DE MANILA AND

MEDICAL STUDIES AT UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS

Ateneo Municipal- a college under the supervision of the Spanish

Jesuits.

Escuela Pia (Charity School)- formerly name of Ateneo, a school for

poor boys in Manila which was established by the city government in
1817.

Escuela Pia----> Ateneo Municipal---> Ateneo de Manila University

June 10, 1872- Rizal accompanied by Paciano went to Manila.

Father Magin Ferrando- was the college registrar, refused to admit Rizal
in Ateneo for two reasons:
(1) he was late for registration
(2) he was sickly and undersized for his age

Manuel Xerez Burgos-because of his intercession, nephew of Father

Burgos, Rizal was reluctantly admitted at the Ateneo.

Jose was the first of his family to adopt the surname “Rizal”. He
registered under this name at Ateneo because their family name
“Mercado” had come under the suspicion of the Spanish authorities.

Rizal was first boarded in a house outside Intramuros, on Caraballo

Street. This was owned by a spinster named Titay who owed the Rizal
family the amount of 300 pesos.

JESUIT SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

It trained the character of the student by rigid discipline and religious
instructions.

Students were divided into two groups:

Roman Empire- consisting of internos (boarders); red banner
Carthaginian Empire- composed of the externos (non-boarders); blue
banner
Emperor- the best student in each “empire”
Tribune- the second best.
Decurion- the third best
Centurion-the fourth best
Stand-bearer- the fifth best
The Ateneo students in Rizal’s time wore a uniform which consisted of
“hemp-fabric trousers” and “striped cotton coat”
The coat material was called rayadillo.

FIRST YEAR IN ATENEO (1872-1873)

Father Jose Bech- Rizal’s first professor in Ateneo whom he described
as a “tall thin man, with a body slightly bent forward, a harried walk, an
ascetic face, severe and inspired, small deep-sunken eyes, a sharp
nose that was almost Greek, and thin lips forming an arc whose ends
fell toward the chin.

A Religious picture- Rizal’s first prize for being the brightest pupil in the
whole class.

To improve his Spanish, Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel

College during the noon recesses. He paid three pesos for those extra
Spanish lessons.

At the end of the school year in March, 1873, Rizal returned to Calamba
for summer vacation.

When the summer vacation ended, Rizal returned to Manila for his
second year term in Ateneo. This time he boarded inside Intramuros at
No. 6 Magallanes Street. His landlady was an old widow named
Doña Pepay.

SECOND YEAR IN ATENEO (1873-1874)

At the end of the school year, Rizal received excellent grades in all
subjects and a gold medal.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas- the first favorite novel
of Rizal which made a deep impression on him.

Universal History by Cesar Cantu- Rizal persuaded his father to buy him
this set of historical work that was a great aid in his studies.

Dr. Feodor Jagor- a German scientist-traveler who visited the

Philippines in 1859-1860 who wrote Travels in the Philippines.

Rizal was impressed in this book because of

(1) Jagor’s keen observations of the defects of Spanish colonization
(2) his prophecy that someday Spain would lose the Philippines and
that America would come to succeed her as colonizer
THIRD YEAR IN ATENEO (1874-1875)
Rizal grades remained excellent in all subjects but he won only one
medal—in Latin
At the end of the school year (March 1875), Rizal returned to Calamba
for the summer vacation. He himself was not impressed by his
scholastic work.

FOURTH YEAR IN ATENEO

June 16, 1875- Rizal became an interno in the Ateneo
Padre Francisco de Paula Sanchez- a great educator and scholar, one
of Rizal’s professors who inspired him to study harder and to write
poetry
Rizal described this Jesuiot professor as “model of uprightness,
earnestness, and love for the advancement of his pupils”
Rizal topped all his classmates in all subjects and won five medals at
the end of the school term.

LAST YEAR IN ATENEO (1876-1877)

Rizal’s studies continued to fare well. As a matter-of-fact, he excelled in
all subjects. The most brilliant Atenean of his time, he was truly “the
pride of the Jesuits”

March 23, 1877- Commencement Day, Rizal, who was 16 years old,
received from his Alma Mater, Ateneo Municipal, the degree of Bachelor
of Arts, with highest honors

Marian Congregation- a religious society wherein Rizal was an active

member and later became the secretary
Rizal cultivated his literary talent under the guidance of Father Sanchez

Father Jose Vilaclara- advised Rizal to stop communing with the Muse
and pay more attention to more practical studies.

Rizal studied painting under the famous Spanish painter, Agustin Saez,
and sculpture under Romualdo de Jesus, noted Filipino sculptor

Rizal carved an image of the Virgin Mary on a piece of batikuling

(Philippine hardwood) with his pocket knife

Father Lleonart- impressed by Rizal’s sculptural talent, requested him to

carve for him an image of Sacred Heart of Jesus.

After finishing the first year of a course in Philosophy and Letters (1877-
1878), Rizal transferred to the medical course.
“Don’t send him to Manila again; he knows enough. If he gets to know
more, the Spaniards will cut off his head.”- Doña Teodora, vigorously
opposed the idea that Rizal pursue higher learning in the university.

April 1877- Rizal who was then nearly 16 years old, matriculated in the
University of Santo Tomas, taking the course on Philosophy and Letters
because
(1) his father like it
(2) he was “still uncertain as to what career to pursue”

Father Pablo Ramon-Rector of Ateneo, who had been good to him

during his student days in that college, asking for advice on the choice
of a career but unfortunately he was in Mindanao

It was during the following term (1878-1879) that Rizal, having received
the Ateneo Rector’s advice to study medicine

During Rizal’s first school term in the University of Santo Tomas (1877-
1878), Rizal also studied in Ateneo. He took the vocational course
leading to the title of perito agrimensor (expert surveyor)

Rizal excelled in all subjects in the surveying course in Ateneo,

obtaining gold medals in agriculture and topography

November 25, 1881- the title was issued to Rizal for passing the final
examination in the surveying course

Liceo Artistico-Literario (Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of Manila- a society of

literary men and artists, held a literary contest in the year 1879

A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth)- Rizal, who was then 18
years old, submitted this poem

-is an inspiring poem of flawless form. Rizal beseeched the Filipino

youth to rise from lethargy, to let genius fly swifter than the wind and
descend with art and science to break the chains that have long bound
the spirit of the people
-this winning poem of Rizal is a classic in Philippine literature for two
reasons: (1) it was the great poem in Spanish written by a Filipino,
whose merit was recognized by Spanish literary authorities (2) it
expressed for the first time the nationalistic concept that the Filipinos,
and not the foreigners, were the “fair hope of the Fatherland”

The Board of Judges, composed of Spaniards, was impressed by

Rizal’s poem and gave it the first prize which consisted of a silver pen,
feather-shaped and decorated with a gold ribbon.

El Consejo de los Dioses (The Councils of the Gods)- an allegorical

drama written by Rizal which he entered in the literary contest of
Artistic-Literary Lyceum in 1880 to commemorate the fourth centennial
of the death of Cervantes was a literary masterpiece based on the
Greek classics

The prize was awarded to Rizal, a gold ring on which was engraved the
bust of Cervantes
D.N. del Puzo- a Spanish writer, who won the second prize
Junto al Pasig (Beside the Pasig)- a zarzuela which was staged by the
Ateneans on December 8, 1880, on the occasion of the annual
celebration of the Feats Day of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness
of the Ateneo

Rizal wrote it as President of the Academy of Spanish Literature in

Ateneo
A Filipinas- a sonnet written by Rizal for the album of the Society of
Sculptors; in this sonnet, he urged all Filipino artists to glorify the
Philippines

Abd-el-Azis y Mahoma- Rizal composed a poem in 1879 which was

declaimed by an Atenean, Manuel Fernandez, on the night of
December 8, 1879, in honor of the Ateneo’s Patroness

Al M.R.P. Pablo Ramon- Rizal composed a poem in 1881, as an

expression of affection to Father Pablo Ramon, the Ateneo rector, who
had been so kind and helpful to him
Vicenta Ybardolaza- a pretty girl colegiala who skillfully played the harp
at the Regalado home, whom Rizal was infatuated in Pakil
·
Rizal mentioned Turumba (wherein the people dancing in the streets
during the procession in honor of the miraculous Birhen Maria de los
Dolores) in Chapter VI of Noli Me Tangere and Pagsanjan Falls in
his travel diary (united States—Saturday, May 12, 1888), where he said
that Niagara Falls was the “greatest cascades I ever saw” but “not so
beautiful nor fine as the falls at Los Baños, Pagsanjan”

Compañerismo (Comradeship)- Rizal founded a secret society of

Filipino students in University of Santo Tomas in 1880

Companions of Jehu- members of the society whose after the valiant

Hebrew general
Galicano Apacible-Rizal’s cousin from Batangas who is the secretary of
the society

UNHAPPY DAYS AT THE UST

Rizal found the atmosphere at the University of Santo Tomas

suffocating to his sensitive spirit. He was unhappy at this Dominican
institution of higher learning because
(1) the Dominican professors were hostile to him
(2) the Filipino students were racially discriminated against by the
Spaniards (3) the method of instruction was obsolete and repressive

In Rizal’s novel, El Filibusterismo, he described how the Filipino

students were humiliated and insulted by their Dominican professors
and how backward the method of instruction was, especially in the
teaching of the natural sciences. He related in Chapter XIII, “The Class
in Physics”

Reading Material 4
 BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Malvar, Batangas, Philippines

LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL (GED 103)

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Reading Material No. 5

“Nasan na ang pangako mo, Noong sinusuyo ako

Anong tamis anong lambing, Binibigkas ng labi mo
Ngunit kahit nagbago pa, Sa akin ang damdamin mo
Mananatili kang mahal sa puso ko”

All the girls Rizal loved before

In which the stories behind his dalliances reveal a high-level bolero, master in
mabulaklak na mga pangungusap, how you can make friends with an ex, and
why he was not the type to put a ring on it.
Credits to: Bam Abellon | December 30, 2018

It can only be with true passion that one can conquer and accomplish what
Filipino hero Jose Rizal had in his thirty-five-year life. He stopped at nothing
when it came to expressing his love not just for his country but also his
women. His travels across the Philippines and the world swayed him into
multifarious relationships that colored almost half his life. There are nine
women on record. It’s not to say that all those relationships were serious, but
he did pursue when he wanted to pursue, cared, at least, and displayed his
attentiveness and charm unapologetically.

He documented his affairs, too, using his much-praised grandiloquence. And

based on those documents, let’s just say the man is a high-high-
level bolero. And he wrote them letters (a dying art, so forgive us waxing
poetic about it). And let’s not forget he almost fought in a duel with the Filipino
army general Antonio Luna, when a drunk Luna made nasty comments about
a girl named Nellie Boustead. He was grand when he needed to be, and
smooth without trying; an expert playboy—or lover—if you will. Could he be
the original GOAT?

But amidst the flirting, he was a big believer that women should be
empowered. This was evident in his essay, “To the Young Women of Malolos,”
which he wrote for the 20 women of Bulacan who fought to have a night
school so they could study Spanish.

He wrote, in part, “No longer does the Filipina stand with her head bowed nor
does she spend her time on her knees, because she is quickened by hope in
the future; no longer will the mother contribute to keeping her daughter in
darkness and bring her up in contempt and moral annihilation. And no longer
will the science of all sciences consist in blind submission to any unjust order,
or in extreme complacency, nor will a courteous smile be deemed the only
weapon against insult or humble tears the ineffable panacea for all
tribulations.”

A supporter of women empowerment—who has that swagger? It’s not so hard

to imagine anyone flirting back after he inks his first sentence.

As proof of his “ways,” here are the recorded stories of the nine women of Dr.
Jose Rizal.

1 Segunda Katigbak
First love never dies they say—unless your first love is already engaged to be
married when you meet. Then you have to let it go really fast. Such was the
case of Jose Rizal and Segunda Katigbak, a Batangueña from Lipa City,
whom Rizal met when he was only a 16-year-old boy.

They met when the young hero visited his grandmother with his friend,
Mariano Katigbak, Segunda’s brother. The Katigbaks were close to Rizal’s
grandmother, and coincidentally, Segunda was at the grandma’s house when
Rizal and Mariano arrived. It was attraction at first sight. Segunda was also a
close friend of Rizal’s sister, Olympia, whom he visited every week at the La
Concordia College. The two became very close. However, Segunda was
already engaged to be married to a man who lived in her town, and Rizal had
to stop pursuing her.

Rizal wrote about the incident years later, “Ended, at an early house, my first
love! My virgin heart will always mourn the reckless step it took on the flower-
decked abyss. My illusions will return, yes, but indifferent, uncertain, ready for
the first betrayal on the path of love.”
Our heartache-filled, hugot-induced breakup films would be put to shame.

2 Leonor Valenzuela
Leonor “Orang” Valenzuela, Rizal’s second object of affection, is literally the
girl-next-door. They met when Rizal was a sophomore medical student at the
University of Santo Tomas, during which time he also lived at Doña Concha
Leyva’s boarding house in Intramuros, Manila. Orang, who was then 14 years
old, was his neighbor.

During the courtship, Rizal was said to have sent Leonor private and secret
love letters, which he wrote using invisible ink made with water and salt—he
was adept in chemistry, too. To read the letters, Orang had to heat the letter
over a candle or a lamp. (How did we get from this intricate, labored way of
courting someone to pressing that heart icon on Instagram? Just wondering.)
Rizal also frequented the Valenzuelas’ home, which was a hang out place of
the students in the area.

There are, however, documents that may serve as proof that Rizal’s efforts
were not effective. Some accounts say he was courting Leonor Valenzuela
and and his second cousin Leonor Rivera at the same time—thus the need for
invisible letters. (Still, we need to appreciate the effort that went with it.)
Rivera apparently knew of this and gave way to Rivera’s attraction for Rizal.
When Rizal left for Spain in 1882, it was said that he did say goodbye to
Orang, but kept in touch with the help of Rizal’s close friend, Jose “Chenggoy”
Cecilio.

Chenggoy was the ultimate teaser—and maybe wingman?—who was

amused with the “rivalry” of the namesakes. On one of Chenggoy’s letters to
Rizal, he wrote, “…nagpipilit ang munting kasera (Leonor Rivera) na makita si
Orang, pero dahil natatakpan ng isang belong puti, hindi naming nakilala nang
dumaan ang prusisyon sa tapat ng bahay. Sinabi sa akin ni O(rang) na
sabihin ko raw sa munting kasera na hindi siya kumakaribal sa pag-iibigan
ninyo. Que gulay, tukayo, anong gulo itong idinudulot natin sa mga dalagang
ito!” (Manebog 2013)

Lest it be forgotten, while he was pursuing the two Leonors, Rizal was in
Europe taking courses in medicine at Universidad Central de Madrid and
painting at Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Calle Alcala.
Maybe he still had time on his hands?

3 Leonor Rivera
Leanor Rivera and Jose Rizal lived the tragedies of Shakespeare’s poems.

They met when Rizal was 18 and Leonor was 13, at the boarding house of
Rizal’s uncle in Intramuros, Manila. Leonor was Rizal’s second cousin.

It was a perfect love story in the beginning: he, the intelligent charmer, and
she, the beautiful student who had a beautiful singing voice and was a
talented piano player. Soon, they fell in love. But as tragic love stories go,
they were besieged by obstacles. Leonor’s parents highly disapproved of their
relationship as they were wary of Rizal being a “filibuster.” In his letters, Rizal
called Leonor “Taimis” to hide her identity.
Before leaving for Europe in 1882, Rizal said that he had found the woman he
wanted to marry. But even his brother, Paciano Rizal, disagreed with the idea,
saying that it would be unfair to Leonor if he were to leave her behind after
getting married.

But their love—as young loves are—wanted to go against all that stood in the
way. Although they did not get married, they tried to continue sending each
other love letters, a lot of which were intercepted and kept hidden by Leonor’s
mother. In 1890, Leonor wrote a letter to Rizal saying that she was engaged
to be married to a British engineer named Henry Kipping. That same year, the
wedding pushed through.

Upon the coercion of her mother, Leonor burned Rizal’s letters to her—but it
was said she kept the ashes of those letters. A story goes that she hid some
of these ashes in the hem of her wedding gown.

But their dark romance didn’t end there.

In 1893, Leonor died during second childbirth. Documents show that when
Rizal heard of the news through his sister, Narcisa, he didn’t speak for a few
days. It is believed that Rizal immortalized Leonor through the character Maria
Clara in Noli Me Tangere. Like we said, it’s a Shakespearean kind of dark—
and no love story is more intense than the one that lost the battle with
circumstances.

4 Consuelo Ortega Y Rey

Consuelo Ortega Y Rey was the daughter of Don Pablo Ortiga Y Rey, who
was Mayor of Manila when Maria dela Torre was the governor. While Rizal
was in Madrid, he would hang out at Don Pablo’s house, which became a
place where Filipino students would often get together. Through one of these
gatherings, Rizal met Consuelo.

He showed affection towards Consuelo but was not serious in his pursuit as
he was still engaged to Leonor Rivera at the time. Yes, he loved the company
of women, but during that brief period, he too was lonely and yearning for the
physical void left by Leonor.

Although most accounts say the dalliance didn’t turn serious, Rizal wrote a
poem for her, entitled, “A La Señorita C.O.y.P.” Of course, these days, when
you write a poem for someone, that’s like a marriage proposal. In the end,
Consuelo got engaged to Rizal’s friend, Eduardo de Lete. It is said that
Eduardo’s love for Consuelo was also the reason Rizal didn’t pursue the
mestiza. Or maybe, in modern parlance, theirs was a classic case of a
rebound fling.
5 Seiko Usui
In many of his diary entries, Rizal wrote about how he was charmed by
Japan’s beauty, cleanliness, and peace and order. But if there was one thing
that almost kept him in the country where cherry blossoms bloom most
beautiful, it was a woman named Seiko Usui, affectionately called O-Sei-San.

It was in 1888. Rizal had just arrived in Japan from Hongkong upon an
invitation to take a job offer at the Spanish Legation. One day, while he was in
the office grounds, he saw O-Sei-San walk past the legation’s gate and was
immediately enthralled by her beauty. With the help of a Japanese gardener,
he asked to be introduced to the woman who captured his eyes—and the
gardener acquiesced. Rizal spoke little Japanese at the time, so the gardener
had to serve as a translator. However, a few minutes into the conversation,
they both found O-Sei-San spoke English and French, which was a relief as
Rizal spoke both languages. When the language barrier broke, they started to
build a relationship.

Seiko Usui, also known as O Sei San, was a Japanese samurai's daughter.
She was 23 years old when she first met Jose Rizal. He had moved to a
Spanish Legation in the Azabu district of Tokyo where she regularly worked.
She served as his interpreter during his stay in Japan. She also helped him to
be accustomed to the Japanese culture, taught him how to read and write
Nihonggo, and taught him the Japanese art of painting also known as su-mie.
Together, they visited The Imperial Art Gallery, The Imperial Library, various
universities, the Shokubutsu-en (Botanical Garden), the Hibiya Park, and
various shrines.
Rizal was almost tempted by her beauty and affection to stay in Japan. When
Rizal left for the United States, he told her in a note that he had spent a happy
golden month with her and that he do not know if he can have another.

As days went by, O-Sei-San taught Rizal the ways of the Japanese. They
went gallivanting, visiting museums, galleries, and universities. They talked
about the arts and culture, switching their language from French to English
and back as they pleased. Their love was childlike and spirited. According to
many accounts, Rizal was ready to move to Japan, stay with O-Sei-San, and
live a peaceful life with his love.

Unfortunately for this relationship, country-saving duties would call and he had
to leave Japan for San Francisco. He never saw O-Sei-San again. Their affair
lasted for around two months. It’s shorter than an average season of a Netflix
series, but you know Rizal and his intensity.

6 Gertrude Beckett
In the same year he began and ended his relations with O-Sei-San, our JR,
then 27, went to London and met a woman named Gertrude Beckett, the
eldest daughter of his landlord. Gertrude showered Rizal with all the love and
attention of a girl who is hopelessly in love. She even assisted Rizal as he
finished some of his popular sculptures, “Prometheus Bound,” “The Triumph
of Death over Life,” and “The Triumph of Science over Death.” He called her
Gettie, she called him Pettie. But all documents lead to say one thing: the
feelings weren’t mutually shared.
In 1889, Rizal left London, and left Gettie a composite carving of the heads of
the Beckett sisters. Marcelo del Pilar, Rizal’s friend, said Rizal left London to
move away from Gertrude, whose idea of their relationship was more than
what it really was—the most tormenting kind: an unrequited love.

7 Suzanne Jacoby
Maybe Rizal was repulsed with the idea of having an idle mind. With all the
loneliness and anxiety from the turmoil of his country and family, he was even
able to fill his resting moments learning new things—like flirting with women.
When he arrived in Belgium in 1890, he lived at a boarding house that was
run by two sisters whose last name was Jacoby. The sisters had a niece
named Suzanne. You probably can guess now what happens with Rizal and
his caretaker’s kin. If it’s not a neighbor, it’s a caretaker’s kin. Are we seeing a
trend here? Obviously the guy is too busy to explore beyond a one-kilometer
radius.
The relationship was probably a fling, too, as Rizal made no mention of
Suzanne when he wrote letters to his friends about his stay in Belgium. Rizal
left the country in August that year. Suzanne was heartbroken. Rizal
continued writing El Filibusterismo, writing for La Solidaridad, and worrying
about his family back home. It was said that Suzanne wrote Rizal letters. Rizal
may have replied once. In 1891, Rizal went back to Belgium—not for
Suzanne—but to finish writing El Filibusterismo. He stayed for a few months,
left, and never returned. Maybe she got the point after that.

8 Nellie Boustead
Remember that famous time when Antonio Luna and Jose Rizal almost got
into a duel because of a girl? The girl in the middle of that madness was Nellie
Boustead. Rizal and Nellie met in Biarritz, where Nellie’s wealthy family
hosted Rizal’s stay at their residence on the French Riviera. Before Biarritz,
Rizal already made friends with the Boustead family a few years back, and
even played fencing with Nellie and her sister.

During his stay at the beautiful Biarritz vacation home, Rizal learned of Leonor
Rivera’s engagement and thought of pursuing a romantic relationship with
Nellie, who was classy, educated, cheerful, and athletic. After strengthening
their relationship, Rizal wrote letters to his friends, telling them about his
intention to marry her. They were all supportive, including Antonio Luna.
Although they seemed like the ideal couple, marriage for Rizal was still not
meant to be. First, Nellie’s mother did not think Rizal had the resources to be
a good provider for her daughter. Second, Nellie wanted Rizal to convert to
Protestantism. Rizal refused. But their friendship must have been strong
enough because they ended up being friends after all the drama.

Before Rizal left Paris in 1891, Nellie wrote him a letter: “Now that you are
leaving I wish you a happy trip and may you triumph in your undertakings, and
above all, may the Lord look down on you with favor and guide your way
giving you much blessings, and may your learn to enjoy! My remembrance will
accompany you as also my prayers.”

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you become friends with your ex.

9 Josephine Bracken
Josephine Bracken was the woman who stayed with Rizal until his execution
in 1896. She was also, allegedly, the woman whom Rizal married. However,
accounts of their marriage have been much-debated over the years.

Josephine was the adopted daughter of one George Taufer, whom she lived
with in Hongkong for years before she needed to seek help from an
ophthalmologist due to George’s blindness. They then sought the help of Jose
Rizal, who was already exiled in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte at the time.
Rizal and Josephine fell in love and in a month made the announcement that
they wanted to get married. But just like the other Rizal great loves, this one
was once again complicated. No priest would marry the two, for reasons that
are still unclear—but perhaps it was because of Rizal’s status in politics.
Without a legal paper, Rizal and Josephine lived together, and had a son, who
died a few hours after birth. Rizal named his son after his father, Francisco.

Up to this day, there is no legal proof that Josephine and Rizal ever got
married.

In retrospect, maybe Rizal was not meant for a long commitment, like
marriage—with all his travels and freedom-fighting obligations. Maybe heroes
can only be alone with their thoughts. Left alone, they will naturally think too
much, and thinking for an entire country, we assume, can be exhausting.
Maybe Rizal just always needed a companion.

But if there’s one thing his dalliances and longings and pursuits remind us, it
is that heroes are humans, too. Humans have needs. And he did die for our
country. He gets a pass—even when he was a master in ghosting.

Reading Material No. 5

Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/12/30/18/all-the-girls-rizal-
loved-before
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/171800856/seiko-usui,