Unit II – Jose Rizal’s Family Tree and History

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the unit, the students must have:

 discussed Rizal’s family, childhood, and early education

 evaluated people events and their influence in Rizal’s early life

 Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonzo (Rizal’s parents) that produced Jose Rizal
 Dr. Austin Craig – was the first to trace Rizal’s family roots and discover his Chinese ancestry
 Rizal’s Chinese ancestors, a Chinese immigrant and business tycoon Don Domingo Lamco
(Chinese name: Cue Yi-Lam) of Laguna was the great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal
 Lamco – is originally from Amoy, China who came to the Philippines in the mid-17th century
 Inez dela Rosa – wife of Lamco, daughter of Agustin Chinco, an immigrant trader from
Chuanchow
 To prevent conflict and hostility with the Spanish authorities, he decided to drop the name Lam-
co and adapted a Spanish surname.
 As merchants, they chose the name “Mercado” because it means market.
 Lamco started the businesses of the Mercado clan and became a successful entrepreneur in spite
of the discrimination experienced by Chinese traders from the Spaniards.
 In June 1697, Lamco was baptized in the Catholic church of Manila’s Parian Chinese ghetto and
moved to Binan, Laguna. He was 35 years old at the time. His financial state improved in Binan
and he became a Chinese community leader. Lamco’s son Francisco Mercado and grandson Juan
Mercado married Chinese mestizas and both served as distinguished mayors of Binan for five
terms.
 Juan’s wife Cirila Alejandra was the daughter of an immigrant trader and Domingo Lamco’s
baptismal grandson Siong-co. They are the parents of Rizal’s father. When Rizal’s father was
born, the family transferred to Calamba. The house they built was the first stone house in the
whole town.
 Jose Rizal’s brother, Paciano was identified with one of the martyred priest, Jose Burgos so the
family changed their surname from Mercado to Rizal.
 Recent genealogical findings revealed that Rizal also had Spanish, Japanese and Negrito
ancestry. Teodora’s (Rizal’s mother) great grandfather, Eugenio Ursua was a descendant of
Japanese settlers. Ursua married a Filipina named Benigna and their union produced Regina
Ursua. Atty. Manuel de Quintos, a Sangley mestizo from Pangasinan married Regina and theiur
daughter is named Brigida. Brigida married a half-caste Spaniard named Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo.
They are the parents of Teodora and Rizal’s grandparents.

Jose Rizal’s Family

The Rizal family belonged to the “principalia” an aristocratic town of distinguished families. By
frugal living, hard and honest work, Rizal’s parents were able to live well. From the farms, which were
rented from the Dominican Order, they harvested rice, corn and sugarcane. They raised pigs, chickens
and turkeys in their backyard. In addition, Dona Teodora managed a grocery store and operated a small
flour mill.

Rizal’s parents were able to build a large stone house which was situated near the town church.
They owned a carriage which was a status symbolof the ilustrados in the Philippines and a private library
consisting of 1,000 volumes.

Their children were studying in colleges in Manila. They participated in all social and religious
affairs in the community. They were gracious and hospitable to all visitors and guests during the town
fiesta and other holidays.

The Rizal family had a simple, contented and happy life and was intimately close. Don Francisco
and Dona Teodora loved their children but they never spoiled them. They were strict parents and they
trained their children to love God, to behave well, to be obedient and to respect people especially the old
folks.

When the children got into mischief, they were given a good spanking because they believed in
the saying “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”

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The Hero’s Father

Jose Rizal’s Father, Don Francisco Mercado Rizal (1818-1898) was born in Binan, Laguna. He
studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila. After their parent’s death, Francisco
and two of his sisters moved to Calamba. He became a tenant farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda.
He was hardworking, and independent-minded who talked less but worked more and valiant in spirit.

Jose Rizal described his father in his diary:

“My father was a model of fathers had given us an education commensurate with our small
fortune; and through thrift he was able to build a stone house; erect a little nipa house in the middle of
our orchard under the shade of some trees and others.”

The Hero’s Mother

Dona Teodora Alonzo Y Realonda (1826-1911) was born in Meisik, Sta Cruz Manila. She studied
at Colegio de Sta. Rosa in Manila. She was a woman of refined culture and character, with exemplary
literary talents, the fortitude of a Spartan woman and with business ability, she managed their store.

Rizal lovingly described his mother:

‘My mother is a woman of more than ordinary culture; she knows literature and speaks Spanish
better than I. She even corrected my poems and gave me wise advises when I was studying rhetoric.
She is a mathematician and has read many books.”

Both parents greatly influenced Rizal as shown in his character. “from his father he inherited a
profound sense of dignity and self-respect, seriousness and from his mother the dreamer and bravery for
sacrifices and her literary prowess.”

Don Francisco Mercado Rizal and Dona Teodora Alonzo Y Realonda were blessed with eleven
(11) children: two(2) boys and nine (9) girls. They were as follows in the order of their birth.

1. Saturnina (1859-1913)

The eldest child of the Rizal children, nicknamed “Neneng” who was married to Manuel T.
Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas. Hidalgo and Rizal sent frequent correspondence while the latter
was in Europe.

2. Paciano (1851-1930)

He was the second child and oldest brother of Rizal. He was Rizal’s confidant, and he was the
one who convinced Rizal to study in Europe without their parent’s permission. Paciano constantly
advised his brother Jose Rizal through letters while in Europe. After Rizal’s execution in December
1896 at Bagumbayan, he joined the Philippine Revolution and became a combat general. He
returned to his farm in Los Banos, where he lived as a gentleman farmer and died at the age of
79.

3. Narcisa (1852-1939)

The third child and whose nickname is “Sisa” and was married to Antonio Lopez (nephew of
Father Leoncio Lopez) a school teacher in Morong, Bataan.

4. Olympia (1855-1887)

The fourth child and whose nickname “Ypia”, who was married to Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph
operator from Manila and was blessed with five children. She died while giving birth in 1887.

5. Lucia (1857-1919)

Who married Mariano Herbosa (nephew of Father Casanas). Herbosa died of cholera and was
denied of Christian burial being the brother-in-law of Jose Rizal.

6. Maria (1859-1945)

Her nickname was “Biang” and was married to Daniel Faustino Cruz of Binan, Laguna. The couple
was blessed with five (5) children.

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 7. Jose (1861-1896)

His nickname was “Pepe” the greatest Filipino hero, and peerless genius. He became the national
Hero of the Philippines. He had a common law relationship with Josephine Bracken, an Irish girl
from Hong Kong. He had a son but died a few hours after birth. Rizal named him Francisco after
his father.

8. Concepcion (1862-1865)

Her nickname was “Concha” who died at the age of three. Her death was Rizal’s first sorrow in
life.

9. Josefa (1865-1945)

Her nickname was “Panggoy.” She was epileptic and died spinster at the age of 80.

10. Trinidad (1868-1951)

Her nickname was “Trining.” She was the last of the Rizal children to survive and died as spinster
too and died at the age of 83.

11. Soledad (1870-1929)

The youngest whose nickname is “Choleng” married to Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba and was
blessed with five children.

Jose Rizal loved his sisters that he usually wrote letters to them while in the Philippines and
foreign countries. He emphasized his ideals about women and their righteous place in the society. He
also compared the Filipina to European women as to their dignity.

One of his letters before he left the Philippines for Cuba in 1896 stated thus;

“I urge you take care, serve and love your parents as you would like your children later to take care of
you, serve and love you in your old age. May you live united, forgive one another’s faults, and avoid
misunderstanding, the natural thorns of life because it is displeasure for parents to see that their children
are not living in harmony.”

The Birth of Rizal

Jose Rizal, the 7th child of the Rizal family, was born on June 19, 1861 Wednesday between
11:00 and 12:00 night in the town of Calamba, province of Laguna, Philippines. His mother almost died
during her delivery because Jose’s head was big. As he recounted in his student memoirs:

“My coming out in this vale of tears would have cost my mother her life, had she not vowed to
the Virgin of Antipolo to take me to her sanctuary by way of pilgrimage.”

He was baptized in the Catholic Church in Calamba on June 22, 1861 by the parish priest, Father Rufino
Collantes. Hus godfather was Father Pedro Casanas, a close friend of the Rizal family. Father Collantes
was impressed by the big head of baby Jose. He told them “Take good care of this child, for someday he
will become a great man.” The name “Jose” was chosen by his mother in honor of San Jose (St. Joseph)
whose feast was March 19.

His complete name was JOSE PROTACIO MERCADO RIZAL ALONZO Y REALONDA. The name
Protacio was taken from the Catholic calendar which was a practice during the Spanish time, that when a
child is born, he/she is named after the saint of the day. The surname Mercado which means market in
English was adopted in 1731 by his paternal great-grandfather, Domingo Lamco a full-blooded Chinese
merchant.

Added surname Rizal was given by Don Francisco which is closer to the Spanish word Racial
which means “luntiang bukirin’ related to his work as hacienda owner/farmer. Alonzo was the surname of
Rizal’s mother and Realonda was used by Dona Teodora which is the surname of her godmother.

Jose Rizal’s Childhood Years

Jose Rizal, as a young boy had beautiful, fruitful and pleasant memories as well as sorrow. He
grew up in a happy home. He could remember the tenderest care of his parents because he was frail,
sickly and undersized boy. His father built a nipa hut in the garden for him to play in the daytime. At the

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age of three (3), he enjoyed watching in the garden the insects, the maya, culiawan, maria capra, pipit,
the martin and other birds. He listened “with excitement and wonder” to their twilight songs and sounds.

Another childhood memory was the daily praying of Angelus every 6:00 pm in their altar as all of
them gathered for prayers.

At the “azotea’ on a moonlight night, the aya (nursemaid) would tell stories about fairies,
legends, tales of buried treasures, and other fabulous stories. Sometimes if he did not like to eat his
supper, the Aya would threaten him that asuwang, tikbalang, nuno or the turbaned Bombay will come to
take him away.

He is brought for a walk for the relief-giving breeze, to see the fruit bearing trees, flowers, birds.
The scenic beauty of his hometown Calamba, the legendary Mt. Makiling and the distant Antipolo with
the shrine of the miraculous Lady of Peace and Good Voyage.

At the age of three (3) he began to join religious processions, novena in the church and at the
age of five (5) he was able to read the Spanish bible with the help of his mother.

When Rizal was nearly 7 years old (June 6, 1868), his father took him for a pilgrimage to
Antipolo in order to fulfill his mother’s vows which was made when Jose was born. Dona Teodora could
not accompany them because she had given birth to Trinidad. It was the first trip of Rizal across Laguna
de Bay and his first pilgrimage to Antipolo.

After praying at the shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo, they went to Manila, to visit his sister,
Saturnina, at the La Concordia College in Santa Ana.

The Hero’s First Sorrow

The Rizal children were bound together by the ties of love and care. Jose loved most of his little
sister Concha (Concepcion) who was next to him. Unfortunately, Concha died at the age of three and for
the first time he shed tears for love and grief, which is said to be his first sorrow.

The Story of the Moth

Of all the stories told by Dona Teodora to Jose, the story of the moth made the profoundest
imprint on him which he recalled after some years.

“My Mother was teaching me how to read in Spanish “The Children’s Friends (El Amigo de los
Ninos). This was a rare book and old copy. This night my mother became impatient with hearing me read
so poorly. I did not understand Spanish and so I could not read with expression. She took the book and
read it to me but I was watching the flame with some little moths circling around the flame. Soon as my
mother noticed that I was not interested. She stopped and said to me, “I am going to read to you a very
pretty story. I once opened my eyes on hearing the word story. She told me “The story of the moth.”

Once upon a time, an old moth had warned her daughter against the flame, so beautiful, so
inviting, yet fatal and deceitful for it destroyed whoever came too close. She herself said, she was once
been tempted by it; she had barely escaped with half-burnt wings. The frightened young moth promised
to obey, but was soon asking herself: “now why should my mother try to give me such a scare? Why
should I close my eyes to such a pretty sight? These old people are such cowards! They think every fly is
an elephant, any old dwarf a giant. What harm can it do to me, whatever she says, if I come near the
flame, so long as I am careful? What I am, a little silly? What a story I shall have for all other girls if I,
being very careful of course, take a closer look. “No sooner said that done, and the silly little moth went
fluttering around the flame. At first she only felt pleasantly warm; this encouraged her and she flew
closer and closer until at last, dazzled by flame, fell and perished in it.

As she put me to bed, my mother said: “See to it that you do not behave like the young moth.
Don’t be disobedient, or you may get burned as it did. “I do not know whether I answered or not.

The story revealed to me the things until then unknown. Moths no longer were, for me,
insignificant insects. Moths talked, they knew how to warn. They advised just like my mother. The light
seemed to me more beautiful. It had grown more dazzling and more attractive. I know why the moths
circled the flame.

The tragic fate of the young moth left a deep impact on Rizal’s mind, and like that young moth
he was fated to die as a martyr for a noble ideal.

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Rizal’s Mentors

Dona Teodora Rizal, Rizal’s mother was his first teacher. Barely three (3) years old, Rizal learned
the alphabet from his mother. He was taught how to read and write in Spanish.

As he grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him lessons at home. The first was
Maestro Celetino and the second, Maestro Lucas Padua. Later, an old man named Leon Monroy, a
former classmate of Rizal’s father, became the boys tutor. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home and
instructed Jose in Spanish and Latin. Unfortunately, he did not live long. He died five months later.

After Monroy’s death, the hero’s parents decided to send their gifted son to a private school in
Binan.

At about this time, two of his mother’s cousin frequented Calamba. Uncle Manuel Alberto, seeing
Rizal frail in body, concerned himself with the physical development of his young nephew and taught the
latter love for the open air and developed in him a great admiration for the beauty of nature, while Uncle
Gregorio, a scholar, instilled into the mind of the boy love for education. He advised Rizal: “Work hard
and perform every task very carefully; learns to be swift as well as thorough; be independent in thinking
and make a visual pictures of everything.”

Rizal possessed a God-given talent for literature. His mother who was a lover of literature.
noticed his poetic inclination, hence she encouraged him to write poetry.

Since childhood, Rizal showed an unusual talent in art and literature. He scribbled verses on
loose sheets of paper and on the textbooks of his sisters. His mother, who was a lover of literature,
noticed his sons inclination and gift for writing poetry. At the age of eight years old, Rizal wrote his first
poem in native language entitled “Sa Aking mga Kababata – To my fellow Children.

To My Fellow Children (Sa Aking mga Kababata)

Whenever people of a country truly love

The language which by heav’n they were taught to use
That country also surely liberty pursue
As does the bird which soars to freer space above

For Language is the final judge and referee

Upon the people in the land where it holds sway;
In truth our human race resembles in this way
The other living beings born in liberty.

Whoever knows not how to love his native tongue

Is worse than any beast or evil smelling fish.
To make our language richer ought to be our wish
The same as any mother loves to feed her young.

Tagalog and the Latin language are the same

And English and Castillian and the angels’ tongue;
And God, whose watchful care o’er all is flung,
Has given us His blessing in speech we claim,

Our mother tongue, like all the highest that we know

Had alphabet and letters of its very own;
But these were lost – by furious waves were overthrown
Like bancas in the stormy sea, long years ago.

“Sa Aking mga Kababata”

(To My Fellow Children)

Kapagka ang baya’y sadyang umiibig

Sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit,
Sanglang kalayaan nasa ring masapit
Katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.

Pagka’t ang salita’y isang kahatulan

Sa bayan, sa nayo’t mga kaharian,
At ang isang tao’y katulad, kabagay

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 Ng alin mang likha noong kalayaan.

Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita

Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda,
Kaya ang marapat pagyamaning kusa
Na tulad sa inang tunay na nagpala.

Ang wikang Tagalog tulad din sa Latin

Sa Ingles, Kastila at saluting anghel,
Sapagka’t ang Poong maalam tumingin
Ang siyang naggawad, nagbigay sa atin.

Ang salita nati’y huwad din sa iba

Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Na kaya nawala’y dinatnan ng sigwa
Ang lunday sa lkawa noong dakong una.

This poem reveals Rizal’s 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.

Father Leoncio Lopez, the old and learned parish priest of Calamba fostered Rizal’s love for
scholarship and intellectual honesty.

At an early age, Rizal was already exposed to the injustices and brutalities of Spanish authority in
the Philippines particularly the Guardia Civil who were supposed to protect the people from harm. Rizal
wondered why these abuses were happening especially to the poor. Years later, he related:

I spent many hours of my childhood down on the shore of the lake, Laguna de Bay. I was
dreaming of what might be over on the other side of the waves. Almost every day, in our town, we saw
the Guardia Civil lieutenant injuring some unarmed and inoffensive villagers. The villagers fault was that
while at a distance he had not taken off his hat and made his bow. The alcalde treated the poor villagers
in the same way whenever he visited us.

We saw no restraint put upon brutality. Act of violence and other excess were committed daily…
I asked myself if, in the lands which lay across the lake, the people lived in this same way. I wondered if
there, they tortured any countryman with hard and cruel whips merely on suspicion. Or ever yonder also,
in order to live in peace, would one have to bribe tyrants?

Rizal, young as he was, grieved deeply over the unhappy situations of his beloved fatherland.
The Spanish misdeeds awakened in his boyish heart a great determination to fight tyranny.

Reference:

Pangilinan, M. C. (2016). Dr. Jose P. Rizal Life, Works and Writings. Mindshapers Company Inc.

Recoletos Street, Intramuros, Manila.