UNIT 1.

Rizal Law (Republic Act 1425)

The Jose Rizal Law, also known as Republic Act 1425, was approved on June 12, 1956, and
published in the Official Gazette of the Philippines in the same month.

Dr. Jose P. Rizal is the national hero of the Philippines,

and his legacy is vital in the history of the Philippines.

 What is Rizal Law and its purpose?

Rizal Law is 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.
 What is the importance of Rizal law?
The Rizal law is very important in our lives as Filipinos because Dr. Jose P. Rizal plays a
significant role in the heritage and history of the Philippines. Rizal’s literary novels
immortalize life in the Philippines during the Spanish era and the strong desire for freedom
and independence.

JOSE RIZAL LAW – REPUBLIC ACT 1425

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 met 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 publication in the Official Gazette.
SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory for 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.
UNIT 2. WHY IS JOSE RIZAL OUR NATIONAL HERO?

A hero symbolizes goodness. Rizal gave us freedom by using goodness. Jose Rizal became
the Philippine national hero because he fought for freedom in a silent but powerful way.
He expressed his love for the Philippines through his novels, essays and articles rather than
through the use of force or aggression. He was a very amazing person at his time. He was
humble, fighting for reforms through his writings instead of through a revolution. He used
his intelligence, talents and skills in a more peaceful way rather than the aggressive way.

Rizal is an American-sponsored hero: he opted for a non-violence reform in the government.

Instead he used his writings to open the eyes of the Filipinos. He dedicated his life for his
countrymen without hesitation.

He was known for his meekness and coolness, but he never fought on a war. Most of the
world Heroes was elevated as such because of their war exploits. Rizal never did it. He was
using his pen for criticism about the handling of the Spanish government in the Philippines.
He fought to have the Philippines a permanent representation in the Spanish Cortes. That's
why when the US accepted the Philippines as a vassal country, Gen. Taft who was the
Governor general here, appointed Jose Rizal as the National Hero for the Philippines, to
douse the fighting fervor of the Filipinos who are fighting for freedom at that time.

The Americans decided for him being a national hero at their time in the country. It is said
that the Americans, Civil Governor William Howard Taft, chose Jose Rizal to be the national
hero as a strategy. Rizal didn't want bloody revolution in his time. So they wanted him to be
a "good example" to the Filipinos so that the people will not revolt against the Americans.
Rizal became a National Hero because he passed the criteria by being a National Hero
during the American period.

Adding that, Rizal passed Criteria for National Heroes

1. Heroes are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle for the
nation’s freedom. In reality, however, a revolution has no end. Revolutions are only the
beginning. One cannot aspire to be free only to sink back into bondage.

2. Heroes are those who define and contribute to a system or life of freedom and order for a
nation. Freedom without order will only lead to anarchy. Therefore, heroes are those who
make the nation’s constitution and laws. To the latter, constitutions are only the beginning,
for it is the people living under the constitution that truly constitute a nation.

3. Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation.

Additional Criteria for Heroes

1. A hero is part of the people’s expression. But the process of a people’s internalization of a
hero’s life and works takes time, with the youth forming a part of the internalization.

2. A hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations.

3. The choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an episode or events in history,
but of the entire process that made this particular person a hero.
 UNIT 3. JOSE RIZAL’S FAMILY TREE AND HISTORY

JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONZO REALONDA

 RIZAL’S FAMILY
The Birth of a Hero - June 19, 1861 – birth date of Jose Rizal.
Born in Calamba, Laguna Province
June 22, 1862 – he was baptized in the Catholic church of his town at the age of 3.
Father Rufino Collantes – baptized Rizal.
Father Pedro Casañas – Rizal’s godfather.
Mariano Herbosa – nephew of Casañas who will marry Lucia (Rizal’s sister).
Lieutenant-General Jose Lemary – governor general of the Philippines when Rizal
was born

MEANINGS OF RIZAL’S NAMES

Jose – chosen by his mother who was a devotee of the Christian saint San Jose
(St. Joseph).
Protacio – from Gervacio P. which came from a Christian calendar.
Mercado – adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco (the paternal great-great
grandfather of JoseRizal).
The Spanish term “Mercado” means “market” in English.
Rizal – in Spanish means a field where wheat, cut while still green, sprouts again.
Y – and
Alonzo – old surname of his mother.
Realonda – used by Doña Teodora from the surname of her godmother
 The Rizal Family belonged to the “principalia” an aristocratic town of
distinguished families. The family was able to live well by the dint of honest and hard work
and frugal living. They get their living 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. Doña Teodora, Rizal’s mother managed a general
goods store and operated a small flour-mill and a home-made ham press. They owned a
carriage, which was a status symbol of the ilustrados in Spanish Philippines and a private
library (the largest in Calamba) which consisted of more than 1,000 volumes. Rizal
family had a simple, contented, and happy life. Don Francisco and Doña Teodora loved
their children, but they never spoiled them. They were strict parents and trained their
children to love God, to behave well, to be obedient, and to respect people, especially the
old folks. They give their children a sound spanking whenever they (children) got into
mischief. They believed in the maxim: “Spare the rod and spoil the child.” During the
christening ceremony, Father Collantes advised the Rizalfamily, “Take good care of
this child, for someday he will become a great man.”

 NOBLE ANCESTRY OF JOSE RIZAL

Jose came from a mixture of Chinese, Spanish, Japanese and Filipino blood.
His great-great grandfather in the father side was Domingo Lamco, a Chinese
immigrant from China who married Ines de la Rosa, a Chinese Christian girl from Manila.
Lamco was baptized in the Catholic Church of Manila’s Parian and Chinese ghetto and
moved to Binan, Laguna. His son Francisco Mercado and grandson Juan Mercado
married Chinese meztizas and both served as distinguished mayors of Binan for five
terms. Juan’s wife Cirila Alejandra, was the daughter of an immigrant trader and Don
Domingo Lamco’s baptismal godson Siong-co. They are now 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.

Recent genealogical findings revealed that Rizal also had Japanese and Negrito
ancestry. Teodora (Rizal’s mother) great grandfather, Eugenio Ursuawas 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 their daughter named Brigida married half-caste Spaniard named Lorenzo
Alberto Alonzo. They are the parents of Teodora and Rizal’s grandparents.

 CHILDHOOD - THE TOWN THAT INSPIRES A HERO

Calamba was located in the midst of a rich agricultural region in Laguna, the lake
province of Luzon, famed for coconut in the hillsides and sugar cane in the valleys. It is
enclosed between the vast Laguna de Bay and the enchanted Mt. Makiling. It endowed the
area with breathtaking landscape and comforting nature that tenderly fondles the
 townsfolk from dawn to twilight. The Dominican friars virtually owned the town of
Calamba and its haciendas at the time, hence, non-Spanish families were only renting
the lands they tilled and were subject to pay taxes, mostly excessive in money or kind. The
system was known asthe encomienda that left people very vulnerable to cruelty and
discrimination from the Dominican friars. Despite those cruelties, Calamba still offered
opportunities.
Rizal himself wrote a poem reminiscing his happy moment in the town
of Calamba, entitled “Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo” (In Memory of My Town). The house of
the Rizal family was one of the distinguished in Calamba during Spanish times. It was a
two- storey building, rectangular in shape, built of adobe stones and hard woods, and
roofed with red tiles.

 MANY SPLENDID TALENTS

o At 5 years old – he began to draw with his pencil without any assistance
o Uncle Jose Alberto – fine artist, helped him develop his innate gift in arts
o – tireless reader, lectured him foundation of success and profound logic
o Uncle Manuel – sport and fitness enthusiast, helped him develop his frail body by
way of athletic drills, martial arts and physical exercises.

o THE HERO’S FATHER - DON FRANCISCO MERCADO RIZAL

o Born in Biñan, Laguna, on May 11, 1818.
o Studied Latin and Philosophy College of San Jose inManila
o After the death of their parents, he moved to Calamba and became a tenant-
farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda.
o On January 5, 1898 he died in Manila at the age of 80.
o Jose describe him as “A model of fathers.”
o “My father was a model of fathers had given us an education commensurate with
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 – DOÑA TEODORA ALONSO Y REALONDA

o Born in Meisik, Sta. Cruz, Manila on November 8, 1826.
o Studied at Colegio de Sta. Rosa in Manila.
o Died in Manila on August 19, 1911 at the age of 85.
o A woman of refined culture and character, with exemplary literary
talents, a fortitude of a Spartan Woman, and wit business ability.
o “My mother is a woman 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. ”
 THE RIZAL SIBLINGS

SATURNINA – 1st - Eldest child of the Rizal children born in 1850.

“Neneng” – nickname
Married to Manuel T. Hidalgo
She published Pascula Poblete’s Tagalog translation of Noli Me Tangere

PACIANO – 2ND - Closest brother of Jose born in 1851.

Confidant of Jose Rizal and he convinced the young hero to study in Europe
without their parents’ permission.
Joined the Philippine Revolution and became a combat general in 1900’s.
Died on April 13, 1930, an old bachelor aged 79.
Had two children by his mistress (Severina Decena)

NARCISA 3rd - Born in 1852 and nicknamed as “Sisa.”

Married to Antonio Lopez (nephew of Father Leoncio Lopez).
Musician and educator of Pueblo de Morong (former name of Rizal
Province).
Can recite from memory most of Jose’s poems.

OLIMPIA – 4th - Born in 1855. Her nickname was “Ypia”

Married to Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila.
She died while giving birth in 1887.

LUCIA – 5th - Born in 1857.

Married to Mariano Herbosa of Calamba.
Their children were Delfina, first wife of General Salvador Natividad and helped
Marcela Agoncillo make the first Philippine flag in Hongkong; Concepcion;
Patrocinio, who married Jose Battalones; Teodisio, who married Lucina Vitingco;
Estanislao and Paz, Victoria and Jose. Herbosa died of cholera and was denied of
Christian burial being the brother-in-law of Jose Rizal.

MARIA – 6th - Born in 1859, given a nickname “Biang.”

She married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna and blessed with 5
children.

JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONSO REALONDA – 7th

Born on June 19, 1861
Pepe – nickname
During his exile in Dapitan he lived with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl from
Hong Kong; had a son by her,but this baby boy died a few hours after birth;
Jose named him “Fransico” after his father and buried him in Dapitan
 Reformist who advocated political reforms during the Spanish colony.
CONCEPTION – 8th - Born in 1862
Concha – nickname
At the age of three, she died of sickness and her death was Rizal’s first sorrow in
life.
JOSEFA – 9th - Born in 1865
Panggoy – nickname
Remained single until her death in 1951 at the aged of 83.
TRINIDAD – 10th - Born in 1868
Her nickname was “Trining” she was the last of the Rizal children to
survive and died as spinster too at the age of 83.
She also became a member of the Katipunan and she was the caretaker of “Mi
Ultimo Adios”
SOLEDAD – 11th - Born in 1870
The youngest, “Choleng” married to Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba and
was blessed with five children.
She became a teacher, is said to have been “the best educated” among Rizal’s
sisters.
Died at the age of 59.

 THE STORY OF THE MOTH

A mother and son, Moth, were flying

around the candlelight. The mother's
mother advised her son not to come near
the sun, because it was a fire that could
easily destroy him. The young moth,
disobeying the advice of her mother, flew
too close to the flame and was killed.
UNIT 4. JOSE RIZAL’S EDUCATION AND LIFE ABROAD

 EDUCATION AT BINAN, LAGUNA, ATENEO DE MANILA AND UNIVERSITY OF SANTO

TOMAS

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. 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.

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 Brawl In 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.

 RIZAL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS 1877-1882

Jose Rizal, having completed his Bachiller en Artes at the Ateneo Municipal, was
now eligible for higher education at a university. His mother, Doña Teodora, had
second thoughts about sending her son to school because of the previous incident
involving the execution of friars Gomez, Burgos and Zamora. However, it was Don
Francisco who decided his son should to the University of Santo Tomas, a
prestigious institution run by the Dominican order.

Rizal, upon entering the university, was not certain which course of study he wanted
to pursue. The Jesuit priests who had been his former mentors had advised him to
take up farming, or to join the order and be a man of the cloth. However, his tastes
went towards law, literature, or medicine. In the end, he decided to sign up for
Philosophy and Letters during his freshman year because of the following reasons:
o It was what his father would have wanted for him.
o He had failed to seek the advice of the rector of the Ateneo, Father Ramon Pablo.

As part of the course, he had to complete units in the following subjects:

o Cosmology and Metaphysics
o Theodicy
o History of Philosophy

After completing his first year, Rizal decided to take up medicine as his university
course. This change of heart was due to two factors:
o Father Ramon Pablo, rector of the Ateneo, had advised him to pursue the
course.
 o Rizal's mother had failing eyesight and he thought he owed it to her to
become a doctor and cure her condition.

Why the poor performance?

Unfortunately, Rizal was not happy at UST and this reflected on his grades

There were three main factors that contributed to his unhappiness at the
university, namely:
o The Dominican professors were hostile to him.
o Filipino students suffered discrimination.
o The method of instruction at UST was obsolete and repressive.

Likewise, there were three main reasons for his struggling academic performance:
o Rizal was not satisfied with the system of education at the university.
o There were plenty of things to distract a young man in the peak of his
youth.
o Medicine was not Rizal's true vocation.
o He would later find out that his real calling was in the arts, not in
medicine.

RIZAL IN ATENEO
In 1872, Rizal was sent by his parents to study in Manila. And so he did.

He entered Ateneo Municipal. As what usually happens, Rizal was

discriminated by his classmates and professors, mainly because he had only a little
knowledge about Spain, and also the fact that he was form Calamba, Laguna. He
was also a late enrollee.

But inspite of the negative things that happened to him during this time, he also
experienced good things. The Jesuits thought them about the educational system
like discipline, character building and religious instruction. Because of that, he
learned about the real value of education in a person’s life, and of course, to be
strong despite of all the people who were trying to pull him down. He also
experienced and went through hispanization, which made him a kind of better in
Spanish than using his own language – Filipino.

He wrote, “To the Filipino Youth”. In his poem, he enlightened the readers about the
truth – which Filipinos must be standing and being proud of what they are, and not
just be slaves of somebody else. He also mentioned the famous quote that the youth
is the hope of our nation. Lastly, he ended with a thanksgiving to God, and praise to
our country’s youth by saying that wherever he may be going, he would always be
proud of the Filipino youth.
 RIZAL’S ARTISTIC WORKS
Jose Rizal was a great painter. He once demonstrated his talent for painting while in
Dapitan.
Here is a list of known paintings by Jose Rizal:
 Saturnina Rizal in oil now being displayed in Rizal Shrine in Fort Santiago
 Dapitan church curtains in oil made in Dapitan in 1984.
 An oil painting on a pair of mother-of-pearl shells painted in Dapitan and given
as a token to Doña Leonor Valenzuela and later passed on to Doña Margarita
Valenzuela
 Water color painting of the Spanish coat of arms done during San Rafael fiesta
in Calamba in 1867
 Allegory on a pair of porcelain bases of the new year celebration in oil painted
in Berlin in 1886
 Crayon painting of Christ crucified done in 1875
 Crayon painting of Immaculate Conception made in Manila, 1974
 Crayon painting of Portrait of Morayta made in Barcelona, 1885

 OTHER LITERARY WORKS OF RIZAL

Although José Rizal died for his country at a young age, his list of literary
works surpasses many writers who lived a full lifetime. These works are notable for
both their place in Filipino independence and for their beautiful language.

JOSÉ RIZAL NOVELS

Rizal's most famous novel, Noli Me Tangere, drew attention to the unjust
Spanish rule in the Philippines after its 1887 publication. It is still widely read all over
the world today, as is the novel's sequel, El Filibusterismo (1891).
 The Social Cancer (original title: Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not))
 El Filibusterismo (The Reign of Greed)
 Unfinished: Makamisa (After Mass

THE PLAYS OF JOSÉ RIZAL

Satire was an effective rhetorical device for Rizal's political message. His plays
often portray absurd situations that directly echoed Rizal's criticism of the political
state of the Philippines.
 El Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of the Gods)
 Junta Al Pasig (Along the Pasig)
 San Euistaquio, Mártyr (Saint Eustache, the martyr)
 Por Telefono (By Phone)
POEMS BY JOSÉ RIZAL
"To the Child Jesus," written by Rizal at age 14, notes the writer's early
interest in Christianity and social inequity. His poems often reflected the dual beauty
and cruelty of his country, leading to Rizal's final poem written just before his
execution, "Mi último adiós" ("My Last Farewell"). The poem was named
posthumously by fellow activist Mariano Ponce after the writing was found in Rizal's
cell.
 "Farewell to 1883"
 "Por la Educación Recibe Lustre la Patria" (Through Education Is the Nation
Glorified)
 "Sa Aking mga Kabata" (To My Fellow Youth)
 "Mi último adiós" (My Last Farewell)
 "Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo"
 "Felicitation"
 "Flower Among Flowers"
 "Goodbye to Leonor"
 "Himno Al Trabajo" (Dalit sa Paggawa; Hymn to Labor)
 "Himno Al Talisay" (Hymn to Talisay)
 "Kundiman"
 "Mi Retiro"
 "El Canto del Viajero" (The Song of the Wanderer)
 "To the Child Jesus"
 "To the Virgin Mary"
 "Agua y Fiego" (Water and Fire)
 "Me Piden Versos" (They Asked Me for Verses)

MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS
When José Rizal wasn't practicing medicine or leading a political revolution,
he was composing music. He often transformed his poems into musical lyrics. Some
of Rizal's compositions have been adapted into longer pieces by later generations.
 Kundiman ni Rizal
 Alin Mang Lahi
 Leonor

SPEECHES AND PETITIONS

In 1880s and 1890s Philippines, art and politics went hand in hand. Rizal
belonged to a group of activist artists that spoke up against tyrannical rule with their
writing, music, and art. His speeches honor his friends and compatriots who fought
alongside Rizal for Filipino freedom.
 In honor of two Filipino painters, Rizal's toast to Luna and Hidalgo
 Rizal's speech delivered at Cafe Habanero
 Petition of the town of Calamba
 Order of the Marquis of Malinta

HISTORICAL COMMENTARIES
Rizal was an adept historian and could read in Spanish, Italian, English,
German, French, and Tagalog. His numerous commentaries on historical works
provide a fascinating look at the Philippines just before the 20th century.
 Ma-Yi
 Tawalisi of Ibn Batuta
 Filipinas Dentro de Cien Años (The Philippines A Century Hence)
 Sobre La Indolencia De Los Filipinas (The Indolence of the Filipino)
 Manila en el mes Diciembre, 1872 (Manila in the Month of December, 1872)
 Historia de la Familia Rizal de la Calamba (The History of the Rizal Family of
Calamba)
 Los Pueblos del Archipelago Indico (The People of the Indian Archipelago)
 La Politica Colonial on Filipinas (Colonial Policy in the Philippines)
 Rizal's Annotations to Morga's 1609 Philippine History

LETTERS AND PETITIONS

Rizal's correspondence was no less prolific than his literary or political
writing. Many scholars believe that the best way to understand Rizal as a political
figure and personality is by reading his extensive letters and petitions. He wrote back
and forth with fellow activists, family members, friends Ferdinand Blumentritt and
Leanor Rivera, and his love, Josephine Bracken.
 Tribute to Blumentritt (written on the day of Rizal's execution)
 Sa Mga Kababaihang Taga Malolos (To the Young Women of Malolos)
 A los Filipinos (To the Filipinos)
 Rizal's Letters (composed of correspondence to Blumentritt, Father Pablo
Pastells, Marcelo del Pilar, and other activists)

ARTICLES AND ESSAYS

Most of José Rizal's body of writing can be found in his articles and essays.
Published in reform newspaper La Solidaridad and as political circulars, Rizal's essays
did not shirk from expressing his admiration for the Filipino people and his scorn for
their Spanish oppressors. It was these works that caught the attention of the Spanish
government, who ultimately imprisoned Rizal for writing rebellious works.
 "El Amor Patrio" (The Love of Country)
 "Come se gobiernan las Filipinas" (Governing the Philippine islands)
 "Revista De Madrid" (Review of Madrid)
 "Los Viajes" (Travels)
 "La Verdad Para Todos" (The Truth for All)
 "Unfortunate Philippines"
 "Pensamientos De Un Filipino" (Reflections of a Filipino)
 "Note on the Maremagnum"
 "Los Agricultores Filipinos" (Filipino Farmers)
 "Sa Mga Kababayan" (To My Countrymen)
 "Una Visita A La Victoria Gaol" (A Visit to Victoria Gaol)
 "A La Defensa" (To La Defensa)
 "How to Deceive the Native Land"
 "To Barrantes on the Tagalog Theater"
 "Una Profanacion" (A Desecration/A Profanation)
 "Verdades Nuevas" (New Facts/New Truths)
 "Crueldad" (Cruelty)
 "Diferencias" (Differences)
 "Inconsequencias" (Inconsequences)
 "Llanto Y Risas" (Tears and Laughter)
 "Ingratitudes" (Ingratitude)
 "Cosas de Filipinas" (Things About the Philippines)
 "Sobre La Nueva Ortografia De La Lengua Tagala" (On The New Orthography
of The Tagalog Language)
 "A La Nacion Espanola" (To the Spanish Nation)
 "Defensa Del Noli" (Reply to Barrantes' Criticism of the Noli Me Tangere)
 "Nameless"
 "Let Us be Just"
 "Philippine Affairs"
 "More on the Negros Affair"
 "Cowardly Revenge"
 "A Reply to Mr. Isabelo de los Reyes' Las Luchas de Nuestros Dias"
 "How the Philippines is Governed"
 "On the Calamba Incidents"
 "Ang Mga Karapatan Ng Tao" (The Rights Of Man)
 "Executives of the town of Calamba"
 "Colonisation Du British North Borneo, Par De Familles De Iles Philippines"
(Colonization Of British North Borneo By Families From The Philippine Islands)
 "Proyecto De Colonization Del British North Borneo Por Los Filipinos" (Project
Of The Colonization Of British North Borneo By The Filipinos)
 "La Instruccion" (The Town Schools in the Philippines)
 "La Mano Roja" (The Red Hand)
 "Pobres Frailes" (Poor Friars)
 "By-laws of the Association of Dapitan Farmers"
  "Date for My Defense"
 "Additions to My Defense"
 "Manifesto to some Filipinos"
 "The Philippines as a Spanish Colony"
 "Notes on Melanesia, Malaysia, and Polynesia"
 "Constitution of La Liga Filipina"
 "La Vision Del Fray Rodriguez" (The Vision of Fr. Rodriguez)
 "Estado de religiosidad de los pueblos en Filipinas" (The Religiosity of the
Filipino People)

 LETTER TO BLUMENTRITT

 RIZAL IN SPAIN
After Jose Rizal’s fourth year in medical studies in Santo Tomas, the University
of Higher Learning in the Philippines whom Rizal was disgusted of its primitive method of
instruction and the racial prejudice of Dominican Professors against Filipino students, he
was brought to realization that pursuing further studies abroad will be much better.
Such atmosphere of freedom lured Jose Rizal to travel to Spain not only to
study but also to carry out his secret mission that he long been conceived with the
approval of his brother Paciano.

 SECRET MISSION
 to observe keenly the life and culture, languages and customs, industries and commerce,
and governments and laws of the European nations in order to prepare himself in the
mighty task of liberating his oppressed people from Spanish tyranny.

 HIS JOURNEY FOR SPAIN

The departure of Jose Rizal for Spain was kept secret from Spanish authorities,
friars and even to his parents especially to his mother because she would not allow him
to go. Only handful of family members and trusted family friends were informed. In order
to avoid detection, he used the name Jose Mercado, name of his cousin in Calamba.
Before his departure, he scribbled farewell letters to his parents and his sweetheart
Leonor Rivera.
On May 3, 1882 he boarded on Salvador bound for Singapore. He was the only
Filipino passenger. The captain of the ship, Donato Lecha from Asturias Spain, befriended
him although some Spaniards who spoke ill of the Philippines peeved him. To while away
his boredom he played chess and always came out victorious for he was truly a good
chess player. They landed on Singapore on May 9 and registered to Hotel de la Paz and
spent a couple of days sightseeing.
He was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad
Central de Madrid on June 21, 1884. The next academic year, he studied and passed all
subjects leading to the degree of Doctor of Medicine. However, he did not submit the
thesis required for graduation nor paid the corresponding fees. He was not awarded his
Doctor’s Diploma.
Jose Rizal also finished his studies in Philosophy and Letters with higher
grades. He was awarded the Degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by the
Universidad Central de Madrid on June 19, 1885 (his 24th birthday) with the rating of
excellent.
Rizal later soon after received the degree of Licentiate in Medicine and
continued working for the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He then traveled to Berlin
where his first novel, Noli Me Tangere, was printed with the help of a rich friend, Dr.
Maximo Viola.
After five years in Europe, Jose Rizal finally left for his hometown, Calamba. He
wanted to live a peaceful life as a doctor, but because of his novel, friars were enraged.
He came home disregarding Paciano’s warnings and that of his friend, Blumentritt.
RIZAL CAME BACK HOME TO:

 Operate on his mother’s eyes

 Find out first hand how his novel affected the country
  Determine the cause of Leonor Rivera’s silence

SINGAPORE - May 9, 1882 - The Salvadora docked at Singapore

The first stop over of Rizal on his way to Spain is Singapore, which he spent for
sightseeing the city including its famed Botanical Garden, Buddhist temples, the
monument of Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles, the founder of Singapore.
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA
It was Rizal’s journey to Colombo, Sri Lanka that was important for him to
improve his knowledge of the French language while on board a French ship,
Djemnah.
EGYPT
In route through the Suez Canal, Rizal got off at Red Sea terminal and was
amazed by the impressive moonlight scenery in Suez and was engrossed with the
multicultural people and language of the place.
NAPLES, ITALY - June 11, 1882 - Rizal went around the city of Naples. This was the first
European ground he set foot on.
MERSEILLES, FRANCE - June 13, 1882 - Rizal arrived early in the morning and boarded at the
Noalles Hotel.
June 15, 1882 - He left for Barcelona in an express train.
BARCELONA, SPAIN
He wrote his first article (“Amor Patrio”) abroad. It was published in Diaryong
Tagalog.
MADRID, SPAIN
Rizal studied in University Central de Madrid. He then had a love affair with
Consuelo Ortiga y Perez, the daughter of Don Pablo.
PARIS
He stayed at the Hotel de Paris, but them moved to a cheaper hotel. He was
amazed by the attractive scenery and he often visited museums. After departure for Spain,
things turned from bad to worse in Calamba.
GERMANY
• He visited Paris and Germany to specialize in ophthalmology.
• He stopped over at Barcelona, on his way to Paris, to visit his friend Maximo
Viola.
• He met Dr. Feodor Jagor author of Travels in the Philippines, a book that Rizal
admired because of its keen observances in the Philippines setting.
• With the help of Maximo Viola, who gave him the necessary funds to publish
the novel, Noli Me Tangere was published.
SWITZERLAND
o Accompanied by his friend Maximo Viola.
o They visited Ferdinand Blumentritt.
o Rizal and Viola arted ways in Geneva.

ITALY
o After a week of staying in Rome, he prepared to return to the Philippines.
o He had already written to his father that he was coming home.

UNITED STATES
He left New York for Liverpool on board the City of Rome. He was onboard in a
steamer which was “the second largest ship in the world” – The Great Eastern.

LONDON
• London was a safe place from the attacks of Spanish tyranny.
• He was a boarder of the Beckett family.
• Fell in love with Gertrude Beckett.
• Rizal also wrote his first article in La Solidaridad, a patriotic newspaper
founded by Graciano Lopez Jaena.
• Society founded by Rizal in Paris was the R.D.L.M. Society. The aim of the
secret society is the propagation of all useful knowledge in the Philippines.
Another aims is the redemption of the Malay race.
BELGIUM
o In Brussels Rizal was busy writing his second novel “El Filibusterismo”.
o The Calamba agrarian trouble was getting worse. The management of the
Dominican hacienda continually raised the land rents.
MADRID
 o Rizal sought the help of the Filipino colony to protest the injustices of the
Dominicans.
o His life was full of misfortunes.

• He further learned from Saturnina’s letter that their parents had been forcibly
ejected from their home.
BIARRITZ
• Rizal took a vacation in the resort city of Biarritz on the fabulous French
Riviera. He was the guest of the Boustead family.
• He had finished the last chapter of his second novel, El Filibusterismo.
• Rizal was in-love with Nellie Boustead, a daughter of the Boustead family.
GHENT
• July 5, 1891 - Rizal left Brussels for Ghent a famous university city in Belguim.
• He stayed at Ghent because the cost of printing is cheaper.
• After the publication of El Filibusterismo, Rizal left Europe for Hong Kong.