1.

TITLE OF THE MODULE- CHAPTER 3: Rizal’s life: Family, Childhood and Early
Education (1861-1877)

2. INTRODUCTION

In this chapter we will discuss about Rizal’s Family, his childhood and early Education.
According to Gregorio Zaide, a Filipino historian, “Jose Rizal had many beautiful memories of
childhood in his native town. He grew up in a happy home, ruled by good parents. His natal town
of Calamba, so named after a big native jar, was a fitting cradle for a hero. The happiest period of
Rizal’s life was spent in this lakeshore town, its scenic beauties and its industrious, hospitable and
friendly folks impressed him during his childhood years and profoundly affected his mind and
character. He had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. During his time it was characterized
by the four R’s- reading, writing, arithmetic and religion. It was rigid and strict, the manner of
teaching was memory method aided by the teacher’s whip. He continued his education at the
Ateneo de Manila where he earned scholastic triumphs. It was a college under the supervision of
the Spanish Jesuits an excellent college for boys. It may be said that Rizal who was born a
physical weakling, rose to become an intellectual giant and was able to acquire the necessary
instruction preparatory for college work in Manila and abroad in spite of the outmoded and
backward system of instruction of the Spanish regime in the Philippines. [ CITATION Zai081 \l 1033 ].

3. LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

 Analyze Rizal’s family, childhood and early education;
 Evaluate the People and events and their influence on Rizal’s early life.

4. LEARNING CONTENT
TOPIC 1 – BIRTH OF RIZAL
On the moonlit night of June 19, 1861, in the lakeshore town of Calamba, Laguna, Jose
Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso was born. In his autobiography, which he wrote when he was
17 years old, Rizal recounted that his mother almost died during the delivery because of his big
head.” It would have cost my mother her life had she not vowed to the virgin of Antipolo to take me
her sanctuary by way of pilgrimage.”
Three days after his birth, Rizal was baptized in the Catholic church of Calamba on June
22, 1861 by Fr. Rufino Collantes, a Filipino priest from Batangas. His godfather was Pedro
Casañas, a native of Calamba and friend of Rizal’ family. He was named Jose in honor of St.
Joseph, the patron saint of laborers and soldiers. He was given a second first name, Protasio,
after a 4th century saint who was a bishop of Milan.

THE RIZAL’S PARENTS

His father, Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818- 1898), an industrious

farmer whom Rizal called “a model of fathers,” came from Biñan,
Laguna. He studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San
Jose in Manila. In early manhood, following his parent’s 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.

Her mother, Teodora Alonzo Quintos y Realonda (1826-1911), was

born in Sta. Cruz, Manila. She was educated at the College of
Santa Rosa, a well-known college for girls in the city. She was a
remarkable woman, possessing intelligence, refined culture,
literary talent, business ability and fortitude. Rizal loving said to her:
“My mother is a woman of more than ordinary culture; she knows
literature and speaks Spanish better than I. She corrected my
poems and gave me good advice when I was studying rhetoric. She
is a mathematician and has read many books.
THE RIZAL CHILDREN
God blessed the marriage of Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso Realonda with
eleven children-two boys and nine girls. These children were as follows:

1. Saturnina Rizal, 63 (1850-1913) “The Second Mother”

Born as Saturnina Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda or simply Saturnina
Hidalgo. She was the eldest sister of Jose Rizal. She was married to Manuel T.
Hidalgo, a native and one of the richest persons in Tanauan, Batangas. She
was known as Neneng. She died in September 14, 1913.

2. Paciano Rizal, 79 (1851-1930) “The Big Brother”

Only brother of Jose Rizal and the second child. Studied at San
Jose College in Manila; became a farmer and later a general of the
Philippine Revolution. He devotedly took care of Jose Rizal. As Nick
Joaquin said, “Without Paciano to back him up, it’s doubtful that Rizal
would have gotten as far as he reached.”

3. Narcisa Rizal, 87 (1852-1939) “The Hospital Sister”

The third child, her pet name was Sisa and she married Antonia Lopez
(nephew of Father Leoncio Lopez) at Morong, Rizal; a teacher and musician.
Like Saturnina, Narcisa helped in financing Rizal’s studies in Europe, even
pawning her jewelry and peddling her clothes if needed. It is said that Doña
Narcissa could recite from memory almost all the poems of Rizal. Narcisa was
perhaps the most hospitable among the siblings.
4. Olimpia Rizal, 32 (1855-1887) “The Go-Between”
The fourth child. Married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator
from Manila. Olimpia died in August 1887 at age 32 due to childbirth. Jose
loved to tease her, sometimes good-humoredly describing her as his
stout sister. Jose’s first love, Segunda Katigbak, was Olimpia’s schoolmate
at the La Concordia College. Rizal confided to Olimpia about Segunda and the sister willingly
served as the mediator between the two teenage lovers.

5. Lucia Rizal, 62 (185-1919) “A Fellow-Sufferer”

The fifth child. Married Mariano Herbosa. Charged of inciting the
Calamba townsfolk not to pay land rent and causing unrest, the
couple was once ordered to be deported along with some Rizal
family members. Mariano died during the cholera epidemic in
May 1889. He was refused a Catholic burial for not going to
confession since his marriage to Lucia. In Jose’s article in La
Solidaridad entitled Una profanacion (‘A Profanation’), he
scornfully attacked the friars for declining to bury in ‘sacred ground’ a ‘good
Christian’ simply because he was the “brother-in-law of Rizal”.
6. Maria Rizal, 86 (1859-1945) “The Confidant”
The sixth child. Married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan Laguna. Jose confided to
Maria about his plans of marrying Josephine Bracken when most of the Rizal
family was not open to the idea. He had also brought up to Maria his plans of
establishing a Filipino colony in North British Borneo. Jose and Maria often wrote
to each other particularly when Jose was studying abroad.

7. Jose Rizal, 35 (1861-1896)

The second son and the seventh child. The greatest Filipino hero and
peerless genius. He was born on June 19, 1861. His nickname was
Pepe. During his exile in Dapitan he lived with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl
from Hong Kong. He was executed by the Spaniards on December 30,
1896.

8. Concepcion Rizal, 3 (1862-1865) “A Dear Loss”

The eighth child. Died at the age of three. She is fondly called ‘Concha’ by her
siblings. Jose loved most ‘Concha’ who was a year younger than him. Jose
played games and shared children stories with her. She was Jose’s first grief as
he mournfully wept when she died of sickness in 1865. In Rizal’s memoir he
wrote, “When I was four years old, I lost my little sister Concha, and then for the
first time I shed tears caused by love and grief.”
9. Josefa Rizal, 80 (1865-1945) “The Katipunera”
The ninth child. An epileptic, died a spinster. She is nicknamed as “Panggoy”.
After Jose was executed, Josefa joined the Katipunan. She was one of the
original 29 women admitted to the Katipunan along with Gregoria de Jesus, wife
of Andres Bonifacio. They secured the secret papers and documents of the
society. The danced and sang during meetings to confuse civil guards that the
meetings were just harmless social gatherings.
 10. Trinidad Rizal, 83 (1868-1951) “The Steward”
The tenth child. Died a spinster and the last of the family to die.
“Trining” along with their mother, joined Jose in Dapitan and resided with him
in his square house during his exile. A day before Jose’s execution, Trining
and their mother visited him at Fort Santiago prison cell. As they were leaving,
Jose handed over to Trining an alcohol cooking stove, a gift from Pardo de
Taveras, whispering to her in a language which the guards could not
understand, “There is something in it.” That ‘something’ was Rizal’s elegy now
known as “Mi Ultimo Adios.” Like Josefa and two nieces, Trinidad joined the
Katipunan after Rizal’s death.
11. Soledad Rizal, 59 (1870-1929) “The Teacher”
The youngest child; married Pantaleon Quintero. She was a teacher
and was probably the best educated among Jose’s sisters, which made Jose
very proud of her. However, Jose reprimanded her for getting married to
Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba without their parent’s consent. Jose was very
much against women who allow themselves to be courted outside their
homes. He said to Choleng, “If you have a sweetheart, behave towards him
nobly and with dignity, instead of resorting to secret meetings and
conversations which do nothing but lower woman’s worth in the eyes of man.
You should value more, esteem more your honor and you will be more
esteemed and valued.”

FAMILY TREE OF JOSE RIZAL

(Ancestry of José Rizal)
Note:
This does not include all of the ancestor's siblings, only the notable ones.
 THE RIZAL HOME
The house of the Rizal family,where he was born, was one of the distinguished stone
houses in Calamba during the Spanish times. It was a two-storey building,rectangular in shape,
built of adobe stones and hard-woods and roofed with red tiles. Behind the house were the poultry
yard full of turkeys and chickens and a big garden of tropical fruit trees- atis, balimbing,chico,
macopa, papaya, santol,etc.
It was a happy home where parental affection and children’s laughter reigned. By day it
hummed with the noises of children at play and the songs of the birds in the garden. By night, it
echoed with the soft notes of family prayers. Such a wholesome home, naturally, reared a
wholesome family, and such a family was the Rizal family.

TOPIC 2: CHILDHOOD YEARS IN CALAMBA

Calamba was named after a big native jar. A hacienda town which belonged to the
Dominican Order, which also owned all the lands around it. It is a beautiful town covered with
irrigated rice fields and sugar lands.
CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
The first memory of Rizal, was his happy days in the family garden when he was three
years old. Because he was a frail, sickly and undersized child, he was given the most loving care
by his parents. Another childhood memory was the daily Angelus prayer, by nightfall, his mother
gathered all the children at the house to pray the Angelus. Rizal also remembered the night- time
walk in the town, especially during moonlit nights. The Rizal children were bound together by ties
of love and companionship. They were well-bred, for their parents taught them to love and help
one another. Of his sisters, Rizal loved most Concepcion (the little Concha). He was a year older
than her, he played with her and from her he learned sisterly love. Unfortunately, Concha died of
sickness in 1865. The death of little Concha brought Rizal his first sorrow.
At the age of three, Rizal began to take part in the family prayers. When Rizal was five
years old, he was able to read haltingly the Spanish family bible. One of the memorable anecdotes
between the young Jose was when his mother was reading to him a Spanish reader entitled El
Amigo de los Niños (The Children’s Friend). She noticed him not paying attention to her as she
was reading the contents of the book in Spanish. Jose instead was attracted to a pair of moths
circling the flame of the oil lamp. The smaller moth got so attracted to the flame that if flew too
close, its wings got burned and fell into the oil and died. The Story of the Moth- made the
profoundest impression on Rizal“died a martyr to its illusions”
At the age of five, Rizal began to make sketches with his pencil and to mould in clay and
wax objects which attracted his fancy. Sa Aking Mga Kabata (To My Fellow Children) - Rizal’s first
poem in native language at the age of eight. This poem reveals Rizal’s earliest nationalist
sentiment. At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first dramatic work which was a Tagalog comedy.
INFLUENCES ON RIZAL’S BOYHOOD
In the lives of all men there are influences which cause some to be great and others not. In
the case of Rizal, he had all the favorable influences, few other children in his time enjoyed. Aside
from his immediate family, Rizal’s three uncles added to Rizal’s inspiration. Tio Jose Alberto-
studied for eleven years in British school in Calcutta, India and had traveled in Europe. He inspired
Rizal to develop his artistic ability. Tio Manuel- a husky and athletic man, encouraged Rizal to
develop his frail body by means of physical exercises. Tio Gregorio- a book lover, intensified
Rizal’s voracious reading of good book. Father Leoncio Lopez- the old and learned parish priest of
Calamba, fostered Rizal’s love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

TOPIC 3: EARLY EDUCATION IN CALAMBA AND BIÑAN

At the age of three, Rizal was first taught by his mother, who was remarkable woman of
good character and fine culture. He learned from her the alphabet and the prayers. At this stage
he demonstrated superior intelligence which induced his parents to hire tutors for him. Maestro
Celestino- Rizal’s first private tutor and Maestro Lucas Padua- Rizal’s second tutor. Later, Leon
Monroy- a former classmate of Rizal’s father became Rizal’s tutor that instructed Jose in Spanish
and Latin. Unfortunately, he died five months later.
On June, 1869- Rizal left Calamba for Binan accompanied by Paciano. Maestro Justiniano
Aquino Cruz was Rizal’s teacher in a private school in Binan. Jose was 9 years old at that time.
The school was also the house of his teacher. Rizal described him as a tall, thin, long-necked
man with a body slightly bent forward. As a teacher he was quick to discipline his students for any
infractions with a short thin stick, especially if the wrong answer is given. This was the old system
of education at that time. The infliction of pain was made to ensure that the student remembers the
lesson. Jose became an outstanding student surpassing his classmates in Spanish, Latin, and
other subjects. He was also very popular, that some of his classmates spread rumors to discredit
him. Many times he was punished for his alleged wrongdoings. The day was unusual when Rizal
was not laid out on a bench and given five or six blows because of fighting. Rizal’s daily life in
Biñan were as follows: Heard the four o’ clock mass then at ten o’ clock went home at once and
went at school at two and came out at five. At the end of his schooling, Maestro Justiniano
recommended that Jose should be sent to Manila. In December 17, 1870, Rizal left Binan after
one year and a half of schooling. He bade farewell to this school and his teacher. He also
collected pebbles from the river as souvenirs, knowing that he will never return to Biñan. After the
Christmas of that year Don Francisco decided to send Jose to Manila to continue his studies.

MARTYRDOM OF GOM-BUR-ZA
 Night of January 20, 1872- about 200 Filipino soldiers and workmen of the Cavite arsenal
under the leadership of Lamadrid, Filipino sergeant, rose in violent mutiny because of the abolition
of their usual privileges, including exemption from tribute and polo (forced labor) by the reactionary
Governor Rafael de Izquierdo. The Spanish authorities, in order to liquidate Fathers Mariano
Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora leaders of the secular movement to Filipinize the
Philippine parishes, and their supporters magnified the failed mutiny “into” a “revolt” for Philippine
independence. Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora were executed at
sunrise of February 17,1872, by order of Governor General Izquierdo. The martyrdom of Gom-Bur-
Za in 1872 truly inspired Rizal to fight the evils of Spanish tyranny and redeem his oppressed
people. Rizal dedicated his second novel, El Filibusterismo, to Gom-Bur-Za.

INJUSTICE TO RIZAL’S MOTHER

Before June of 1872, tragedy struck the Rizal family. Dona Teodora was suddenly arrested
on a malicious charge that she and her brother, Jose Alberto, tried to poison the latter’s deceitful
wife. She was forced to walk from Calamba to Santa Cruz (capital of Laguna province), a distance
of 50 kilometers. Dona Teodora was incarcerated at the provincial prison, where she languished
for two years and a half. Recounting this incidence of his mother’s imprisonment, Rizal said in his
student memoirs: “Our mother was unjustly snatched away from us and by whom? By some men
who had been our friends and whom we treated as honored guests.”

TOPIC 4: AT THE ATENEO MUNICIPAL (1872-1877)

The Ateneo Municipal is a college under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits. It was
formerly Escuela Pia (Charity School), a school for poor boys in Manila which was established by
the city government in 1817. On June 10, 1872, Rizal accompanied by Paciano went to Manila.
Father Magin Ferrando who 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. Through the
intercession of Manuel Xerez 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. At the time
Jose studied in the Ateneo, this college was located in Intramuros 25 minutes’ walk from the
college.

JESUIT SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

The system of education given by the Jesuits in the Ateneo was more advanced than that
of other colleges in that period. It trained the character of the student by rigid discipline and
religious instruction. It promoted physical culture, humanities, and scientific studies. Aside from
academic courses leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, it offered vocational courses in
agriculture, commerce, mechanics and surveying. The students heard Mass in the morning before
the beginning of the daily class. Classes in every subject were opened and closed with prayers.
Students were divided into two groups: Roman Empire- consisting of internos (boarders)
and the Carthaginian Empire- composed of the externos (non-boarders). The empires had ranks:
Emperor- the best student in each “empire, Tribune- the second best, Decurion- the third best,
Centurion-the fourth best and the Stand-bearer- the fifth best. Between empires they fought for
intellectual supremacy. Within in the “empire” the students fought for these positions by
challenging the ones holding the ranks to answer questions based on the day’s lesson.

FIRST YEAR IN ATENEO (1872-1873)

Father Jose Bech was Rizal’s first professor in Ateneo. To improve his Spanish, Rizal took
private lessons in Santa Isabel College during the noon recesses when other students were
playing or gossiping. He paid three pesos for those extra Spanish lessons. Being a newcomer and
knowing little Spanish, Rizal was placed at the bottom of the class. He was an externo, hence he
was assigned to the Carthaginians, occupying the end of the line. After the first week, the frail
Calamba boy progressed rapidly. At the end of the month, he became “emperor”. He was the
brightest pupil in the whole class, and he was awarded a prize, a religious picture. He was proud
of it because it was the first prize he ever won at the Ateneo.
In the second half of his year in the Ateneo, he did not try enough to retain his academic
supremacy which he held during the first half of the term because he resented some remarks of
his professor. He placed second at the end of the year, although all his grades were still marked
“Excellent”. At the end of the school year in March, 1873, Rizal returned to Calamba for summer
vacation. He did not enjoy his vacation because his mother was in prison. Without telling his
father, he went to Santa Cruz and visited his mother in prison. He told her of his brilliant grades at
the Ateneo. She gladly embraced her favorite son. When the summer vacation ended, Rizal
returned to Manila for his second year term in Ateneo.

SECOND YEAR IN ATENEO (1872-1873)

Nothing unusual happened to Rizal during his second term in the Ateneo, except that he
repented having neglected his studies the previous year. To regain his lost class leadership, he
studied harder. Once more he became “emperor”. At the end of the school year, Rizal received
excellent grades in all subjects and a gold medal. With such scholastic honors, he triumphantly
returned to Calamba in March, 1874 for the summer vacation.

PROPHECY OF MOTHER’S RELEASE

Rizal lost no time in going to Santa Cruz in order to visit his mother in the provincial jail. He
cheered up Doña Teodora’s lonely hearth with news of his scholastic triumphs in Ateneo and with
funny tales about his professors and fellow students. His mother was very happy to know that her
favorite child was making such splendid progress in college. In the course of their conversation,
Doña Teodora told her son of her dream the previous night. Rizal, interpreting the dream told her
that she would be released from prison in three months’ time. Barely three months passed, and
suddenly Doña Teodora was set free. By that time, Rizal was already in Manila attending his
classes at the Ateneo.

TEENAGE INTEREST IN READING

 It was during the summer vacation in 1874 in Calamba when Rizal began to take interest in
reading romantic novels. As a normal teenager, he became interested in love stories and romantic
tales. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas- the first favorite novel of Rizal which made
a deep impression on him. As a voracious reader, he read not only fiction, but also non-fiction. The
Universal History by Ce sar Cantu- Rizal persuaded his father to buy him this costly set of
historical work that was a great aid in his studies and enabled him to win more prizes in Ateneo.
Later Rizal read the book of Dr. Feodor Jagor- He 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)

When Rizal returned for his third year, his mother was released from prison. He was able to
concentrate more on his studies. However, at the end of the year, he remained dissatisfied even
as his grades remained excellent. He won only a single medal in Latin as his Spanish classmate
beat him in speaking Spanish. At the end of the school year (March 1875), Rizal returned to
Calamba for the summer vacation.

FOURTH YEAR IN ATENEO (1875-1876)

After a refreshing and happy summer vacation, Rizal went back to Manila for his fourth year
course. On June 16, 1875, he became an interno in the Ateneo. One of his professors this time
was Fr. 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 was highest in all subjects and won five
medals at the end of the school term. He was the most brilliant Atenean, he was truly “the pride of
the Jesuits”. On March 23, 1877- Commencement Day, Rizal, who was 16 years old, received the
degree of Bachelor of Arts, with highest honors.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Rizal, unsurpassed in academic triumphs, was not a mere bookworm. He was active in
extra-curricular activities. An “emperor” inside the classroom, he was a campus leader outside. He
was an active member later secretary, of a religious society, the Marian Congregation. He was
accepted as member of this solidarity not only because of his academic brilliance but also
because of his devotion to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the college patroness. Rizal
was also a member of the Academy of Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural Sciences.
These “academies” were exclusive societies in the Ateneo, to which only Ateneans who were
gifted in literature and sciences could qualify for membership.
POEMS
It was Dona Teodora who was first discovered the poetic genius of her son, and it was also
she who first encouraged him to write poems. However it was Father Sanchez who inspired Rizal
to make full use of his God-given gift in poetry.
Some examples of his writings when he was at Ateneo:
 1874- Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First Inspiration), the first poem Rizal probably wrote
during his days in Ateneo which was dedicated to his mother on her birthday; Rizal wrote it before
he was 14 years old.
1876, Rizal wrote poems on various topics-religion, education, childhood memories and
war. Below are some of his outstanding poems:
1. Un Recuerdo a Mi Pueblo (In Memory of My Town)- a tender poem in honor of Calamba,
the hero’s natal town, Rizal was 15 yrs old when he wrote this poem;
2. Alianza Intima Entre la Religion y la Buena Educacion (Intimate Alliance Between
Religion and Good Education)- Rizal showed the importance of religion in education;
3.San Eustacio, Martir (St. Eustace, the Martyr)- a drama based on the prose story of St.
Eustace which he wrote in poetic verses during the summer vacation of 1876 and finished it on
June 2, 1876.

PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURAL WORKS

Aside from writing poetry, he devoted his spare time to fine arts. He studied painting under
the famous Spanish painter Agustin Saez, and sculpture under Romualdo de Jesus, noted Filipino
sculptor. Both art masters honored him with their affection, for he was a talented pupil.

FIRST ROMANCE OF RIZAL

Rizal was linked to numerous women in his day,

but the first love he ever had, according to his diary
Memorias de un Estudiante de Manila, was Segunda
Katigbak. He details his feelings for her and documents
their correspondence, which is something many of us can
relate with. These were the three words Rizal used to
describe the 14-year-old Katigbak in his diary. “She is not
the most beautiful woman I had ever seen,” writes Rizal
somewhat harshly, “but I blushed every time she looked at
me,” he concedes. “I have not met anyone more alluring
and beguiling.”Coincidentally, Katigbak attended the same
school as Rizal’s sisters, Colegio de la Concordia. Many
times, Rizal visited Katigbak at La Concordia under the
pretense of visiting his sisters there.
 Despite the many times they rendezvoused, Rizal and Katigbak never became official,
writes Ocampo. Rizal suspected the latter was already engaged, which was a mistake. He decided
to stay away from Katigbak and made excuses for himself. In his youth, Rizal was also naïve
about the qualities of real love, equating it with physical attractiveness and wealth. “I shut my heart
out to love,” writes Rizal in his diary, “I am not rich and I am not handsome; I am neither
sophisticated nor attractive,” he continues. “Until I see more proof that she loves me, I will not
commit to her or tell her that I love her.” Their relationship ended when Katigbak was instructed by
her father to return to their family’s province in Laguna.
The last time they ever met was at a fiesta in Laguna, when Rizal, astride his horse, rode
up to Katigbak. She'd expected him to get down, talk, and have a good time. However, Rizal
became immobile and speechless.“I said nothing. All I did was take off my hat,” he confesses in
his diary. “The same thing happens to me at the most trying times of my life! I become too slick,
speechless, and overcome with emotions.” Rizal’s first romance was ruined by his own shyness
and reserve.