The Beginnings of Jose Rizals Social Life, Economic Status and Lineage

The Birth of a Hero

Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. His mother almost died during the delivery
because of his big head. He was baptized in the Catholic church of his town on June 22 by Father Rufino
Collantes. His godfather was Father Pedro Casanas. His name Jose was chosen by his mother who was a
devotee of the Christian saint San Jose (St. Joseph). Father Collantes was impressed by the babys big
head and told the faaccamily: Take good care of this child, for someday he will become a great man.
He was the seventh of the eleven children of Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso Realonda.

Rizals Parents

Francisco was born in Binan, Laguna on May 11, 1818. In early manhood, after his parents death, he
moved to Calamba and became a tenant farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda. He was a hardy and
independent-minded man, who talked less and worked more, and was strong in body and valiant in
spirit. Rizal affectionately called him a model of fathers. He studied Latin and Philosophy in the College
of San Jose in Manila. He died in Manila on January 5, 1898 at the age of 80.

Dona Teodora was born in Manila on November 8, 1826 and was educated at the College of Santa
Rosa. She was a remarkable woman possessing refined culture, literary talent, business ability, and the
fortitude of Spartan women. She died in Manila on August 16, 1911, at the age of 85. Shortly before her
death, the Philippine government offered her a life pension which she courteously rejected saying, My
family has never been patriotic for money. If the government has plenty of funds and does not know
what to do with them, better reduce the taxes.

The Rizal Children

1. Saturnina (1850-1913) oldest, nicknamed Neneng; married Manuel T. Hidalgo of Tanawan,

Batangas.
2. Paciano (1851-1930) older brother and confidant of Jose Rizal; after his younger brothers
execution, he joined the Philippine Revolution and became a combat general; after the
Revolution, he retired to his farm in Los Banos, where he lived as a gentleman farmer and died
on April 13, 1930, an old bachelor aged 79. He had two children by his mistress (Severina
Decena) a boy and a girl.
3. Narcisa (1852-1939) nicknamed Sisa; married to Antonio Lopez, a school teacher in Morong.
4. Olimpia (1855-1887) Ypia married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila.
5. Lucia (1857-1919) married Mariano Herbosa, who died of cholera in 1889 and was denied
Christian burial because he was a brother-in-law of Dr. Rizal.
6. Maria (1859-1945) Biang married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Binan, Laguna
7. JOSE (1861-1896) Pepe; during his exile in Dapitan he lived with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl
from Hong Kong; He had a son by her, but the baby died a few hours after birth; He named him
Francisco after his father and buried him in Dapitan.
8. Concepcion (1862-1865) Concha died of sickness at the age of 3; her death was Rizals first
sorrow in life.
9. Josefa (1865-1945) Panngoy died an old maid at the age of 80.
10. Trinidad (1868-1951) Trining died also an old maid at the age of 83.
11. Soledad (1870-1929) Choleng married Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba
Rizals Ancestry

Domingo Lamco is Rizals paternal great-great grandfather; a Chinese immigrant from Changchow
who arrived in Manila about 1690. He became a Christian, married a well-to-do Chinese Christian girl
named Ines de la Rosa, and assumed the surname Mercado in 1731. They had a son, Francisco Mercado,
who resided in Binan, married a Chinese-Filipino mestiza, Cirila Bernacha, and was elected
gobernadorcillo (municipal mayor) of the town.

One of their sons, Juan Mercado (Rizals grandfather), married Cirila Alejandro who is a Chinese-
Filipino mestiza. He was also elected gobernadorcillo of Binan. They had 13 children, the youngest being
Francisco Mercado, Rizals father. Francisco and Teodora Alonso Realonda and were married on June 28,
1848, after which they settled down in Calamba where they engaged in farming and business and reared
a big family. Meanwhile, it is said that Dona Teodoras family descended from Lakan Dula, the last native
king of Tondo.

Eugenio Ursua (Rizals maternal great-great-grandfather) of Japanese ancestry married a Filipina

named Benigna. Their daughter Regina married Manuel Quintos, a Filipino-Chinese lawyer from
Pangasinan. One of their daughters was Brigida, who married Lorenzo Alberto Alonso, a prominent
Spanish-Filipino mestizo of Binan. Their children were Narcisa, Teodora (Rizals mother), Gregorio,
Manuel, and Jose.

The Surname Rizal

Mercado, the real surname of the Rizal family was adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lameo. The
surname Mercado was appropriate for him because he was a merchant. The Spanish term mercado
means market in English. Rizals family acquired a second surname Rizal which was given by a
Spanish alcalde mayor (provincial governor) of Laguna, who was a family friend.

The reason to change names was following Governor-General Narciso Claveria y Zaldua`s Decree
that indios should be given or take surnames, to update the census and facilitate the efficient collection
of taxes. A list of surnames, the "Catalogo Alfabetico e Apelidos," was drawn from Spanish civil-lists and
dictionaries of Philippine languages and dialects compiled by the friars. Rizal`s father being a prosperous
farmer who tilled land leased from the Dominican estate, chose the surname "Risal", which is in correct
Spanish form is spelled with a "z" or "ricial", which means "soil in which wheat that is cut, green
reappears and sprouts again". It can also mean "land sown to grass for the feeding of cattle." Rizal is also
translated as "greenfields" or "new pasture".

A Good and Middle-Class Family

The Rizal family belonged to the principalia, a town aristocracy in Spanish Philippines. It was one of
the distinguished families in Calamba. From the farms, which were rented from the Dominican Order,
they harvested rice, corn, and sugarcane. They raised pigs, chicken, and turkeys in their backyard. In
addition, Dona Teodora managed a general goods store and operated a small flour-mill and a home-
made ham press. As evidence of their affluence, Rizals parents were able to build a large stone house
which was situated near the town church and to buy another one. They owned a carriage, which was a
status symbol of the ilustrados in Spanish Philippines and a private library (the largest in Calamba) which
was consisted of more than 1,000 volumes. They sent their children to the colleges in Manila. Beneath
their roof, all guests irrespective of their color, rank, social position, and economic status, were
welcome.

Childhood Years in Calamba

His father built a little nipa cottage in the garden for him to play in the daytime. An aya (nurse maid)
was employed to look after his comfort. At times, he was left alone to muse on the beauties of nature or
to play by himself. By nightfall, Rizal related, his mother gathered all the children at the house to pray
the Angelus. At the azotea after the nightly Rosary, the aya related to the Rizal children many imaginary
tales which aroused in him an enduring interest in legends and folklore.

Devoted Son of the Church

At the age of three, he began to take part in the family prayers. His mother, who was a devout
Catholic, taught him the Catholic prayers. When he was 5 years old, he was able to read haltingly the
Spanish family Bible. He loved to go to the church, to pray, to take part in novenas, and to join the
religious processions. He was laughingly called Manong Jose by the Hermanos and Hermanas Terceras.

Artistic Talents

At the age of five, he began to make sketches with his pencil and to mould in clay and wax objects
which attracted his fancy. At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem in the native language entitled
Sa Aking Mga Kababata. This poem reveals Rizals earliest nationalist sentiment. In poetic verses, he
proudly proclaimed that a people who truly love their native language will surely strive for liberty like
the bird which soars to freer space above and that Tagalog is the equal of Latin, English, Spanish, and
any other language.

First Drama by Rizal

After writing the poem Sa Aking Mga Kababata, Rizal, who was 8 years old, wrote his first dramatic
work which was a Tagalog comedy. It was staged in a Calamba festival and was delightfully applauded by
the audience that a gobernadorcillo from Paete purchased the manuscript for two pesos and was staged
in Paete during its town fiesta.

Rizal as Boy Magician

He learned various tricks such as making a coin appear or disappear in his fingers and making a
handkerchief vanish in thin air. He entertained his town folks with magic-lantern exhibitions. He also
gained skill in manipulating marionettes (puppet shows).

Reference

Zaide, Gregorio F., and Sonia M. Zaide. Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings of a Genius Writer, Scientist
and National Hero. 2nd ed. Quezon City: All-Nations Publishing Co., Inc., 2008

Jose Rizals Education and Travels to European and Asian Countries

(1861-1892)

Early education in Calamba and Binan

Ilustrado type of schooling focusing on four Rs (Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Religion)
June 1869
o Jose goes to Binan school
o Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz
o Painting Lessons from Juancho (father in law of school teacher)
o Best student in school
December 17, 1870 - Jose rode steamer Talim back to Calamba

Ateneo de Manila
June 1872
o Jose went to Manila with Paciano
o Father Magin Ferrando would not accept him Manuel Xerez Burgos interceded
o Jose used Rizal as surname since Spanish were already suspicious of Mercado

Background
Jesuit System of Education
o Morning masses
o Classes opened and closed with prayers
o Roman empire vs Carthagian Empire; hierarchy within empire

Ateneo de Manila
o 1st Year: Emerged as most intelligent in class
Santa Isabel College Spanish lessons
o 2nd Year: Prophecy of Mothers release
o 3rd Year: Mother released
Grade not as good as before
o 4 Year:
th
Became an interno in Ateneo
o 5th Year
March 23, 1877 - Commencement: Bachelor of Arts with highest honors

Extracurricular Activities
o Avid reader
o Marian Congregation, member (Religious society)
o Literary, Under Father Sanchez
o Poetry
o Fine Arts

University of Santo Tomas

1877-1878
o Philosophy and Letters
o Finished surveying course in Ateneo
1878-1879
o Entered medical course as advised by Father Pablo Roman
1879
o Joined Liceo Artistico-Literarios literary contest
 o wrote A La Juventud Filipina

Champion of Filipino students

Rizal was unhappy with his stay in UST
o Dominican professors were hostile to him
o Filipino students were racially discriminated against by the Spaniards
o Method of instruction was obsolete and repressive
1882 Rizal decides to study in Spain

Spain
Rizals Secret Mission
o To observe keenly the life and culture, languages and customs, industries and
commerce, and governments and laws of the European nations.
Trip to Spain
o Singapore
o Colombo
o Suez Canal
o Naples
o Marseilles
o Barcelona
o Madrid

Life in Madrid
Universidad Central de Madrid
o Enrolled on November 3, 1882
o Medicine
o Philosophy and Letters
Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando
o Painting and Sculpture
Private lessons on French, German and English
Hall of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell
o Fencing and Shooting
Life in Madrid
Masonry
o March 1883: Joined Acacia (branch)
o Influenced by Miguel Morayta, Francisco Pi y Margal, Manuel Becerra
o Wanted to secure Freemasonrys aid in his fight against the friars in the Philippines.
Poor finances
Student Demonstrations

June 21, 1884

o Granted degree of Licentiate in Medicine
o Proceeded to Doctor in Medicine
o Did not present thesis for graduation not awarded with Doctors diploma
June 19, 1885
o Degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters

Paris to Germany
 Gay, Paris
o 1885-1886
o Visited Maximo Viola
o Assisted Dr. Louis de Weckert to improve knowledge on opthalmology

Heidelberg
o February 3 1886
o Worked at the University of Heidelberg Eye Hospital under Dr. Otto Becker
Berlin
o Why Berlin?
To gain further knowledge on opthalmology
(Dr. Schweiggers clinic)
To further study science and languages (University of Berlin)
Observe economic and political conditions on German nations
To associate with scientists and scholars
To publish Noli Me Tangere

Grand European Tour with Maximo Viola

Destinations
o Left Berlin on May 11, 1887
o Dresden met with Adolph Meyer
o Leitmeritz met Professor Blumentritt
o Prague
o Vienna
o Lintz (through Danube river)
o Lintz Rheinfall
o Switzerland
o Geneva celebrated Rizals 26th bithday
o Parted with Viola on June 23
Italy
June 27, 1887 arrived at Rome
June 29 visited Vatican

Homecoming - August 1887

Asia
China
February 3, 1888 Hongkong
Chinese New Year
Chinese Theater
Marathon Lauriat Party
February 18, 1888 Macao
February 22, 1888 Left China for Japan

Jose Sainz de Varanda - shadowed Rizal

Japan
(February 28 - April 13, 1888)
 March 7
o Juan Perez Caballero invited Rizal to live in Spanish Legation
o Rizal agreed so he can economize living expenses
Rizals Impressions on Japan
o Beautiful
o Clean, polite and industrious
o Womens picturesque dresses
o Few thieves
o Beggars rarely seen
Rizal fell in love with Seiko Usuei, O Sei San

April 13, 1888 left Japan for the United States

Rizals Visit to the United States

San Francisco
o Rizal arrived on a Saturday morning, April 28, 1888 aboard the Belgic.
o All passengers were not allowed to land due to a cholera epidemic in the Far East at
the time.
o Rizal was allowed to go ashore on May 4, 1888 and registered at the Palace hotel.
o He left San Francisco for Oakland on May 6, 1888.
Oakland
o Rizal boarded the train going to New York.
New York
o Rizal arrived in New York on a Sunday, May 13.
o He viewed historic and scenic places in the area.
o On May 16, 1888, he left New York for Liverpool on board the City of Rome.

Rizal in London (1888-89)

Purpose of staying in London
o Improve knowledge of the English language
o To study and annotate Morgas Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Historical Events of the
Philippine Islands), which can be found at the British Museum
o To fight against Spanish tyranny
Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas
o Authored by Antonio de Morga
o Published in 1609
o Events described in this book cover the years 1493-1603
o It focuses on practical everyday affairs of the islands, policies of the government - its
ideals, and its strengths and weaknesses.
o It is one of the first books published about the Philippines
o Also talks about political, social, and economic phases of life, both among the natives
and their conquerors.
o It is a very valuable book that proved (with Rizals annotations) that the Filipinos were
already civilized before the advent of Spain.
o Rizal was able to disprove the historical heresies of the Spanish writers who claimed
that the early Filipinos were savages and were of low mentality.

On board the City of Rome

 Rizal won many friends in the ship because of his friendly nature and ability as a linguist.
He also entertained the passengers with his marvelous skill with the yo-yo.

Liverpool
He arrived at Liverpool, England, on May 24, 1888.
He went to London after one day.

London
Rizal became a boarder of the Beckett Family
He worked on his historical studies in London for 10 months.

Paris
Rizal decided to go to Paris for a week.
He searched for more historical materials in Bibliotheque Nationale.

Spain
Rizal arrived to Spain in December 11, 1888.
He visited Barcelona and Madrid to contact his compatriots and survey the political situation
with regards to the agitation for Philippine reforms.
For the first time, he met Mariano Ponce and Marcelo del Pilar who were willing to fight for the
reforms.

London
Rizal returned to London on December 24 and celebrated Christmas and New Year with the
Becketts.
Rizal left London on March 19, 1889.

Paris
Rizal stayed at Valentin Venturas place until he was able to find a little room, which he shared
with two other people.
He continued his historical studies at Bibliotheque Nationale.
He also joined an art competition, but he lost.
He founded 3 groups, Kidlat, Indios Bravos, and R.D.L.M. Society
He was able to publish his annotated version of Morgas Sucesos in 1890.
Rizal left Paris for Brussels, Belgium due to: high cost of living in Paris due to the Universal
Exposition and the hampering of his work on El Filibusterismo due to the gay social life of the
city.

In Belgian Brussels (1890)

Rizal went to and arrived to Brussels on January 28, 1890.
He lived with Jose Albert at a modest boarding house run by two Jaceby sisters.
He was busy writing the continuation of Noli in Brussels.
He also wrote articles for La Solidaridad and letters for his family and friends.
Rizal also spent time in a medical clinic.
For recreation, he did gymnastics, target shooting, and fencing.
He also worked on tagalog orthography, criticized of Filipinos in Madrid for gambling, and
became worried of the events back at home because his father refused to pay his rent for the
land.
 Rizal had a romantic relationship with Petite Susanne, his landlady.
He decided to leave for Madrid to manage a case that Paciano forwarded to the Supreme Court
in Spain.

Misfortunes in Madrid
Rizal sought the help of the Filipino Colony against the injustice in Calamba. M. H. del Pilar acted
as the lawyer.
His efforts for justice failed and his family received an ejectment order by the Dominicans.
He almost had a duel with Luna because the latter slandered Nellie Bousteads name (who
happened to be Rizals lover in the past)
Rizal challenged Retana to a duel after the latter wrote an article stating that the Rizals were
ejected because they failed to pay rents. Retana immediately apologized because Rizal was a
good duelist.
His heart broke when Leonor Rivera married an Englishman even though they (Rizal and Rivera)
were engaged for 11 years.
Rizal declined the honor of being the Responsable of the Filipino Community.

Biarritz Vacation and Romance with Nelly Boustead

Rizal arrived on February 1891.
He went to Biarritz to have a vacation to seek solace for his disappointments.
He was the guest of the rich Boustead family and resided in the latters winter home.
He was treated with hospitality because Mr. Boustead admired Rizal.
The vacation was effective and Rizal was able to forget his misfortunes.
Rizal had a romantic relationship with Nellie Boustead and actually wanted to marry her.
He was rejected because he refused to renounce his Catholic faith and Nellies mother did not
like him.
He also managed to finish writing El Filibusterismo in Biarritz.

Brussels
Rizal went back to Brussels and was happily received by his landladies (especially Petite, who
loved him).
He retired from the Propaganda Movement to earn his living.
He also stopped writing articles for La Solidaridad for the same reasons.

Ghent
On July 5, 1891, Rizal arrived to Ghent to have the El Filibusterismo printed.

Ophthalmic Surgeon in Hong Kong

Reasons for being in Hong Kong
o Life was unbearable in Europe because of political differences with del Pilar and the
other Filipinos in Spain.
o To be near the Philippines and his family.

On board the Melbourne

On October 18, 1891, Rizal boarded the Melbourne headed for Hong Kong.
As usual, he amazed his fellow passengers because of his knowledge of many languages and skill
in sketching.
Hong Kong
 Rizal arrived in Hongkong on November 20, 1891.
His family arrived (father, brother, brother-in-law, mother, and sisters) in Hong Kong and had a
wonderful yuletide celebration with Rizal.
Rizal practised medicine in Hong Kong as an ophthalmologist and became well-known in the
British colony.
Rizal successfully operated on his mothers left eye, enabling her to read and write again.
He also started the Borneo Colonization Project.
Rizal made his decision to return to Manila to confer with Governor Despujol regarding his
project, to establish the Liga Filipina in Manila, and to prove that he has not abandoned the
countrys cause.

Last Trip Abroad (1896)

On board the Isla de Panay
After his exile in Dapitan, Rizal went to Spain so that he may then be transferred to Cuba for a
humanitarian mission.
Rizal was instead arrested in Spain then brought back to Manila

Leadership and Participation of Rizal in the Reform Movement and Propaganda

Paciano and Jose
o Paciano was in complete agreement with Joses steadily forming political ideas
o The prerequisite to reform lay in the people acquiring knowledge and Paciano was one
with Jose in believing that to go abroad was the first essential step before anything
could be achieved.
o Without a word being said to anyone in the Rizal family, preparations began. Friends
took care of his papers, including his passport, and Paciano, provided the money for a
first class passage to Europe.
Early Activities in Barcelona
o Establishment of reputation
o Rizal was asked by the managing editor Basilio Teodoro to contribute articles to the
newspaper
o 1. El Amor Patrio (Love of Country) - August 20, 1882 - Here, he calls on his
countrymen to love their country, as men in every age has loved and fought and died for
theirs. Appeared in print under his pen name Laong-Laan
Activities in Madrid
o In 1882, shortly upon arrival in Madrid, Rizal joined the Circulo Hispano-Filipino, and
upon the members request, he wrote a poem entitled Mi Piden Versos (They ask me
for verses) Here, he poured his sad feelings for having left the Philippines.
o Together with Jaena, he also began to write for the radical republican daily, El Progreso.
o In his El Filibusterismo en Filipinas, Rizal commented that instead of examining the
cause of the unrest in the country, the friars automatically attributed it to the existence
of filibusteros
Start of Leadership
o The Toasting Speech for Luna and Hidalgo- he referred to the friars as myopic pygmies
who assured of the present fail to project their vision to the future
o After paying ample tribute to Spain, he reminded his listeners, with politeness but with
point, that a national flag and the power that goes with it have no meaning, if those
beneath the flag are not held together by love and affection, by the fusion of ideas.
Rizals Realization
 o In Spain, he enjoyed the freedom to have his anti-clerical letters or articles published.
o Coming to Spain clarified his political views in a matter of months. His experiences in
Spain taught him where the obstacle to Philippine reform lies: not in the Church, not in
Spain, but in the friars.
o Thus, his 2 aims: 1. To regenerate the Filipinos through their educated youth; 2. to
expose the misdeeds and the hypocrisy of the friars
Passing by Barcelona
o He wrote one or two articles for the Republican newspaper La Publicidad of Barcelona
while passing some time there on his way to Paris.
In Paris
o Rizal, after his last year as a student in Madrid, went to Paris to learn more about
Ophthalmic surgery. During this time, he was still writing the Noli Me Tangere. He
worked under the most famous Ophthalmologist in Europe, Louis de Wecker.
In Germany
o After 2 months, he set off for Heidelberg, Germany and worked as an assistant to
another famous oculist named Otto Becker. After 6 months, he left Heidelberg.
o Before leaving Gemany, he decided he wanted to meet the great writers there as their
ideas would be great for the Filipinos to learn and the first one he contacted was
Ferdinand Blumentritt, a scholar who would later be his good friend.
Germany (Berlin)
o He fell sick because of malnutrition, which he had mistaken for Tuberculosis. Maximo
Viola, who had just finished his medical studies, found Rizal in Berlin and took care of
him. He also assisted the latter in financing the publishing of the Noli.
o Rizal on Noli Me Tangere: I wanted to hit the friars, but since the friars use religion not
only as a shield, but also as a weapon, protection, citadel, fortress, armor, etc., I was
therefore forced to attack their false and superstitious religion The responsibility lies
on those who misuse its name.
Back to the Philippines
o After the grand tour with Viola, the two parted, with Viola going back to Spain and Rizal
going to Italy to visit Venice, Florence and Rome. He then travelled to Marseilles to sail
back to the East.
o In the Philippines, he was identified as a filibustero.
o He learned that Noli Me Tangere was in demand.
o He was later advised by the General Terrero, to leave the country while the General still
can ward off the demands from the friars to try and persecute Rizal.
Reasons for Leaving Philippines Again
o He left the country because:
1. He was jeopardizing the safety of his friends and family
2. He could write fight better with efficacy in another country
o Rizal felt the need to write a book which about the Filipinos past, since the Noli was
about the present Philippines.
o Rizals only hope of obtaining reliable historical information about pre-hispanic
Philippines lay in examining rare books and manuscripts written by Spaniards and others
in the very early days of Spanish rule.
To London
o He stopped by Hongkong, Japan and the United States on the way back to Europe.
 o Manifestation of 1888 - when the gobernadocillos of Manila presented the Civil
Governor with a petition demanding the expulsion of the friars from the Philippines. It
was the first known outcome of the Noli Me Tangere.
o Sucesos delas Islas Filipinas - the work of Antonio de Morga, a judge of the Real
Audiencia and one-time acting Governor General of the Philippines. Rizal decided to
make annotations on this and publish it
o Rizal wrote to Blumentritt of his bitterness over the debate at the Senate of Madrid
- about the Manifesto of 1888, filed by the gobernadorcillos against the friars in the
Philippines after his departure
- He said that much emphasis was given to the ones who filed the petition, not the
cause of the petition itself.
o He discovered that the copies of Noli Me Tangere he had sent over a year ago from
Berlin that were meant to be distributed in Madrid were not really distributed
o In one of his letters to Mariano Ponce he expressed his disappointment over the leading
Madrid Filipinos whom he thought were his friends. He said that he wrote the Noli Me
Tangere for the Filipino cause and to hinder its distribution was to hinder that cause.
o Through Ponce, Rizal came to know of Marcelo Hilario del Pilar, another well-known
name in the propaganda movement apart from Rizal. He had similar views about
wanting assimilation with Spain.
o In December, the Barcelona colony formed an association of Masonic character called
La Solidaridad, of which, Rizal accepted honorary presidency.
o It launched a fortnightly newspaper of the same name which made its first appearance
in 1889.
o As the leader of his countrymen in Europe, Rizal wrote a letter to its members. He
expressed his thanks and gave the following advice:
1. Tolerance over inessential things. No one should resent defeat. The individual
should give way for the welfare of the society.
2. A great deal of integrity and much goodwill. No one should expect rewards or
honors for what he does.
o Aims of the La Solidaridad
1. Demand secularization of the parishes and removal of the friars
2. Representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes
3. Participation in the affairs of the government
4. Equality before the law
5. Freedom of the assemblage, press and speech
6. Wider social and individual freedom
7. Assimilation
o 1. Los Agricultores Filipinos (The Filipino Farmers) - depicted the deplorable condition in
the Philippines which caused the backwardness of the country
o Despite La Solidaridads policy of assimilation, he expressed his, more radical views in
the periodical.
o If a colonizing nation cannot bring happiness to her colonies, she must either abandon
them or give them liberty.
o Apart from his articles, Rizal also helped the newspaper by securing financial
contribution from his friends in London, and from a number of townsmen back in
Calamba.
o Rizals other works:
o 1. La Politica Colonial on Filipinas (Colinial Policy in the Philippines)- No date
 o 2. Manila en el mes de Deciembre (Manila, in the month of December) no date
o 3. Historia de la Familia Rizal de Calamba (History of the Rizal Family of
Calamba) no date
o 4. Los Pueblos del Archipielago Indico (The people of the Indian Archipelago)
no date
o La Vision del Fray Rodriguez (The Vision of Fray Rodriguez)
o - published in Barcelona under his pen name Dimas Alang
o - a satire depicting a dialogue between St. Augustine and Fr. Rodriguez with
the former being commissioned by God to tell Fr. Rodriguez of his stupidity.
o Letter to the Women of Malolos
Paris
o Establishment of Indios Bravos
- Its aims are to keep the Filipino colony united and to encourage manly sports.
- suggested that instead of resenting the derogatory name indios applied them by the
Spaniards, they ought to take pride in their race, to make the Spaniards revise their idea of
Filipinos
o Redencion de los Malayos (Redemption of the Malays)
- Rd.L.M.
- pledged to the liberation of Malay peoples from colonial rule
- planned to be executed in the Philippines, then in Borneo, Indonesia and
Malaya
o The Sucesos was published - distribution in Manila was supervised by Basa
o With the past (Sucesos) and the present (Noli Me Tangere) finished, he could now work
on the future: a last choice being the revolution (El Filibusterismo)
o La Solidaridad articles written during Paris stay:
1. Filipinas dentro de Cien Anos (The Philippines, A century hence)
- published in 4 issues in La Solidaridad (1889)
- Rizal expressed his views on the Spanish colonization and accurately
predicted the end of Spains rule in Asia.
2. Sobre la Indolencia delos Filipinos (The Indolence of the Filipinos, 1890)
- Rizal made a critical study of the causes why his people did not work had
during the Spanish regime
- says that Filipinos, are by nature, not indolent.
o Establishment of Association Internationale des Philippinistes
- embracing scholars from all countries who might be interested in the Philippines
Purposes:
1.To convoke periodic international congresses
2. To hold public competitions on subjects concerned with the
Philippines
3. To work for a museum and library devoted to the Philippines
o Other nationalistic plans
He later wrote to Del Pilar encouraging one of the Barcelona Filipinos learn
Italian because he has Italian manuscripts of the first coming to the Philippines
of the Spaniards.
Suggested that part of the newspapers earnings be spent on books giving
information about the Philippines
that they should buy books written by Filipinos, mention the authors names
and quote from the writing of talented Filipinos
 Activities in Brussels
o Articles published in La Solidaridad:
1. A La Defensa (To La Defense), April 30, 1889 a reply to an anti-Filipino
writing of a Spanish author Patricio de la Escosura
2. La Vertad Para Todos (The Truth For All), May 31, 1889 Rizals defense
against the Spanish charges that the native local officials were ignorant and depraved.
3. Vicente Barrantes Teatro Tagalo, June 15, 1889 Rizal exposes Barrantes
ignorance to tagalong theatrical art
4. Una Profanacion (A Profanation), July 31, 1889 - A bitter attack to the friars
for denying Christian burial to Mariano Herbosa in Calamba because he was a brother in
law of Rizal.
5. Verdades Nuevas (New Truths), July 31, 1889 A reply to Vicente Belloc
Sanchez letter published in La Patria, a Madrid newspaper, that granting reforms in the
Philippines would ruin the peaceful and maternal rule of the friars.
6. Crueldad (Cruelty), August 15, 1889 A defense of Blumentritt from his
enemies
7. Differencias (Differences), September 15, 1889 A reply to a biased article
entitles Old Truths published in La Patria whch ridiculed the Filipinos asking for
reforms
8. Inconsequencias (Inconsequences), November 30, 1889 A defense of
Antonio Luna in defense of Antonio Mir Deas in the newspaper El Pueblo Soberano
9. Llanto y Risas (Tears and Laughter), November 30, 1889 A denunciation of
Spanish racial prejudice against the brown Filipinos
10. Ingratitudes (Ingratitude), January 15, 1890 A reply to Governor General
Weyler who, while visiting Calamba, told the people that they should not allow
themselves to be deceived by the promises of their ungrateful sons.
o In 1890, Rizal had the desire to go on a teaching career. He had envisioned putting up a
school and working hand in hand with Blumentritt as the director, educating minds of
the young Filipinos.
o He wanted to come back to the Philippines during the time the El Filibusterismo was
about to be finished.
o If anyone has to die, let him at least meet death in his country, from his country and for
his country.
Activities in Madrid
o The people of Calamba appealed to the Tribunal Supremo in Madrid and Jose had to be
there to be able to obtain legal assistance.
o Rizal and Del Pilar went to attempt to ask help from the Spanish government, but only
the liberals and radicals understood them but at that time were also powerless.
o Rizals presence in Madrid inevitably created between him and del Pilar a personal
situation of potential difficulty.
o He later deemed that the movement was not accomplishing enough and that its aims
needed more rethinking and be made more radical and more specific.
o Rizal was chosen as the new leader of the campaign, but he declined and left for Biarritz.
Hong Kong
o Rizal later established himself as the Spanish doctor
o Del Pilar with a few friends tried to ask him to write again for the La Solidaridad but he
politely declined and told the former that he will not write for it anymore, although he
will still work to achieve the same goals.
 o He wrote articles in English for the Hongkong Newspaper on the events in Calamba
o He drew up plans of starting a new society called La Liga Filipina
o He drafted the goals and principles of La Liga.
Unite the whole country
Protect and assist all members
Fight violence and injustice
Support education
Study and implement reforms
Philippines
o Rizal went back to the Philippines with his father and sister Lucia and was received
briefly by Governor General Despujol
o He travelled to nearby provinces and made contacts with men active in the reformist
movement.
o On July 3, 1892, he met with many of these men in the house of a Chinese mestizo
named Ong-junco in Manila where he formally established the La Liga Filipina.
o The organization was far from subversive, but the colonial government, succumbing to
pressure from the friars arrested his founder and exiled him to Dapitan in Zambaonga.
o La Liga Filipina's membership was active in the beginning; but later, they began to drift
apart.
o Reasons given for Rizals deportation:
1. He published books which showed disloyalty to Spain
2. After a few hours in his arrival in Manila, the officials found illegal documents
in their luggage
3. His novel El Filibusterismo is dedicated to Traitors (Burgos, Gomez, Zamora)
4. The goals of his writings were to separate the Filipinos from the Catholic faith
o Decline and Death of La Solidaridad
Reasons:
1. Dwindling financial support
2. Lack of personal support
3. Increased difficulty in gaining entrance to the Philippines
Stung by reports that he was being blamed for cutting off the funds from the La
Solidaridad, Rizal used his influence in Filipino Masonry to commit the lodges
there for a program of support for the Madrid campaign
In 1984, Mabini cabled del Pilar to suspend sending La Solidaridad or even
letters to the Philippines, because the packages of the papers in the previous
mail were intercepted
This temporary suspension at the end of May was followed by a letter on August
19, announcing that the time has come to cease publication completely, due to
the impossibility of raising further funds.
References
Coates, Austin. Rizal - Filipino Nationalist and Patriot. Manila: Solidaridad Publishing House,
1992.
Constantino, Renato. The Philipines: A Past Revisited. Quezon City: 1994, 1994.
Schumacher, John. The propaganda Movement: 1880 - 1895. Manila: Solidaridad Publishing
House, 1973.
Yabes, Leopoldo. Rizal on his Centenary. Quezon City: UP Press, 1963.
Zaide, Gregorio and Sonia Zaide. Jose Rizal: Life, works and Writings of a Genius, Writer,
Scientist and National Hero. Quezon City: All-Nations Publishing Company, 1999.