RIZAL’s life, works & writings

Lesson 3: SILSILAH AND CHILDHOOD OF JOSE RIZAL

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the topic session the students are
expected to;
1. Understand the early days of Dr. Jose Rizal
2. Analyze the prevailing mindset of the people
in this particular time.
3. Create and recreate the quest for family
values system live by the Rizal family

Jose Rizal: Manga Look 

Photo credit: https://nolisoli.ph/44005
TOPIC PRESENTATION

The word Silsilah can be a barrowed word from a Malay salasilah which means
ancestry or genealogy line. Its origin is Arabic meaning chain, link, connection which often used
for lineage. Here we are going to discover the blood that runs in the veins of Dr. Jose Rizal. The
blood whose undying love for the people and country is unparalleled.

In his childhood, Jose Rizal showed his ardent love for knowledge. He grew up with
loving parents and caring siblings. He participated in the family prayers and church activities. He
spent some moments along the shoreline of the vibrant lake Laguna de Bay with the majestic
beauty of Mt. Makiling. He was a pet lover too.

SILSILAH OF JOSE RIZAL

Full name: JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO y ALONZO REALONDA  

Born: June 19, 1861, Calamba, Philippines
Died: December 30, 1896, Manila, Philippines (35 yrs. old)
JOSE’S PARENTS: Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonzo Realonda
He got educated in Manila, Licentiate in Medicine at the Universidad Central de
Madrid. A man of letters whose life and literary works became inspiration to the generations of
Filipinos after him.

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THE RIZAL CHILDREN: (2 boys and 9 girls)

1. SATURNINA (1850 – 1913) – eldest/ nickname: Neneng
2. PACIANO (1851-1930) – older brother. He was considered the second father to
Jose. He was immortalized in the novel, Noli Me Tangere as Pilosopong Tasyo.
3. NARCISA (1852-1939) – nickname: Sisa/ School Teacher
4. OLIMPIA (1855-1887) – nickname: Ypia
5. LUCIA (1857-1919) –her husband was denied of Christian burial because of
Jose Rizal
6. MARIA (1859-1945) – nickname: Biang
7. JOSE (1861-1896)– nickname: Pepe
8. CONCEPCION (1862-1865) – nickname: Concha/ died of sickness at the age of
3
9. JOSEFA (1865-1945) – nickname: Panggoy/ died an old maid at the age of 80
10. TRINIDAD (1868-1951) – nickname: Trining/ died an old maid at the age of 83
11. SOLEDAD (1870-1929) – nickname: Choleng

The sisters of Jose were mostly married to a middle-class family. Marrying a person with
the same social status of the family matter most and this was an accepted culture during this
time. A suitor who belongs to a lower class will not be accepted. The parents will keep their
daughter and stop her from unwanted relationship.
To properly address a married woman is to call her, Doña or Señora and Señorita if she
is single. For man, Don for the married and Señorito for the young and single. This is how
people addressed the upper and middle-class family during the Spanish colonization in our
country.

RIZAL’S ANCESTRY

Father side: Don Domingo Lameo or Lamco is originally from Amoy China who came
to the Philippines in the mid-17th century. Jose Rizal’s great-great grandfather on his father
side. Domingo was married a Chinese Christian Girl named Ines de la Rosa.
When Narciso José Anastasio Clavería y Zaldúa, became Governor-General of the
Philippines, he issued a decree sending long lists of Spanish and local surnames to the chiefs of
the provinces to be adopted especially those who had no surnames. Don Domingo Lameo or
Lamco assumed the surname “Mercado” because he was a merchant.
Don Domingo Mercado had a son named, Francisco and was married to a Chinese-
Filipino, Cirila Bernacha. Don Juan and Doña Cirila had a son named Juan. Don Juan was
married a Chinese-Filipino named Cirila Alejandro. Don Juan and Doña Cirila had 13 children
and one of them was Francisco, the father of Jose Rizal.

Mother side: Doña Teodora Alonzo y Realonda was a child of Lorenzo Alberto Alonso,
a municipal captain in Biñan, Laguna, and Brigida de Quintos. Alonso came from the clan of
Lakan Dula, known as the last Malay king of Tondo. Brigida de Quintos whose parents were
Manuel de Quintos, of a well-known family in Pangasinan and Regina Ursua who was the
daughter of Benigna and Eugenio Ursua whose ancestors came from Japan.
Regina Ochoa (Ursua) was Doña Teodora’s grandmother, a mixed Spanish, Chinese,
Japanese, and Tagalog. The grandfather of Doña Teodora was Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo, half
Spanish and engineer by profession.

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Jose Rizal was born with Malay, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish lineages in his blood.

THE SURNAME RIZAL

The real surname of Jose Rizal was Mercado. Mercado was red tagged by the Spanish
civil authorities because of Paciano’s involvement in the revolution and this compromised the
liberty and security of the family. Some authors would say during those times, Mercado was a
hot name targeted by the Spaniards.
Rizal was given by a Spanish alcalde mayor (provincial governor) of Laguna who was a
family friend. Rizal in Spanish means “a field where wheat, cut while still green, and sprouts
again.”

THE RIZAL HOME

It took two (2) years to build the original Rizal ancestral house (today, it is now called,
Rizal shrine). It is a typical rectangular Bahay-na-Bato, a reminiscent of upper-class Filipino
homes built during the Spanish Colonial era. Rizal’s house was one of the distinguished stone
houses in Calamba during Spanish times
The lower portion is made of adobe stone and brick, while the upper portion consists of
hardwood.
The original interior flooring of the house was discovered during reconstruction and
utilized. It has sliding windows made of capiz shells.
The ground floor of the house historically served as a stable for horses and carriages.
The upper floor served as the family's living quarters and consisted of the living room, dining
area, bathroom and library. The library has a collection of more than 1000 books.
At daytime, it hummed with the noises of children at play and the songs of the birds in
the garden. By night, it echoed with the dulcet notes of family prayers.

A GOOD AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILY

The Rizal family belonged to the principalia, a town aristocracy in Spanish Philippines.
They were also called Ilustrado or Filipino elite. From the farms, which were rented from the
Dominicans, they harvested rice, corn, and sugarcane. They raised pigs, chickens, and turkeys
in their backyard.
In addition to farming and stockraising, they managed a general good store and
operated a small flourmill and a home-made ham press. They owned a carriage, which was a
status symbol of the ilustrados (“learned”/ “enlightened”). They also have a private library. They
sent their children to the Colleges in Manila.

HOME LIFE OF THE RIZAL

Whenever the children, including Jose, got into mischief, they were given a sound
spanking. They believed in the maxim: “Spare the rod and spoil the child.”
Every day, the Rizal’s family heard Mass every Sunday and the days of obligation. They
pray the Angelus, Rosary before sleeping. After the family prayers, all children kissed the hands
of their parents.

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2. CHILDHOOD OF RIZAL

CALAMBA, THE HERO’S TOWN. The town Calamba was an Encomienda of the
Dominican Order, a religious missionary who came to the Philippines during the Spanish
colonization. They owned the schools, San Juan de Letran and Santo Tomas both in Manila.
The territorial boundaries of Calamba, from the South – Mt. Makiling; East -Laguna de
Bay; North – Cabuyao; West – Cavite.
Jose Rizal was frail and undersized child. He was given the tenderest care by his
parents. He was cordially called by his family as Pepe, and sometimes Mang Jose by some
elders of the church organizations. A kind old woman was employed as an Aya (nurse maid) to
look after his comfort. He was left alone to muse on the beauties of nature or to play in the kubo
together with his dog – Usman. The family spent few moments at the azotea after saying their
nightly Rosary. Pepe said the Angelus Prayer daily. Sometimes, he spent a walk in the patio of
the town. His mother, Doña Teodora, told him the story of the moth which brighten up his mind
on virtues.
Jose Rizal wrote the poem: “In memory of my Town” and ‘Sa Aking mga Kababata.”

THE HERO’S FIRST SORROW

Jose was closely attached to Concha (Concepcion). Jose was a year older than Concha.
He learned the sweetness of sisterly love from her.
Unfortunately, Concha died of sickness when he was only 3 years old. He cried for the
first time: caused by love and grief. This was Jose’s first sorrow.

DEVOTED SON OF THE CHURCH

When Jose was 5 years old, he was able to read the Spanish Bible. He joined and
participated in the church’s activities. He loved to listen to Fr. Leoncio Lopez, a Filipino priest,
for his stimulating opinions on current events and sound philosophy of life.

PILGRAMAGE TO ANTIPOLO: 
To fulfill his mother’s vow when Jose was born, at the age of 7, Jose together with his
Father, Francisco crossed Laguna de Bay to visit and pray at the Shrine of our Lady of Peace
and Good Voyage in Antipolo. It was the first lake voyage of Pepe.
Excited, perhaps, he was not able to sleep the whole night. He was fascinated by the
beauty of the lake and Pasig River.
After Antipolo, Jose and his father proceeded to Manila to visit Saturnina, his eldest
sister, who was studying La Concordia College.

INFLUENCES ON THE HERO’S BOYHOOD

1. Hereditary: Malayan Ancestors: love for freedom, desire to travel, and courage.
Chinese Ancestors: serious nature, frugality, patience, and love for children.
Spanish Ancestors: elegance of bearing, sensitivity to insult, and gallantry

2. Father: profound sense of self-respect, love for work, habit of independent thinking.

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3. Mother: religious nature, spirit of self-sacrifice, and passion for arts and literature.
4. Environmental: Scenic beauties of Calamba and the beautiful garden of the Rizal family
stimulated the inborn artistic and literary talents of Jose.

5. 3 Uncles of Pepe: (1) Tio Jose Alberto: educated in a British School in Calcutta,
India, and had travelled in Europe inspired him to develop
his artistic ability.
(2) Tio Manuel: a husky and athletic man, encouraged him to
develop his frail body by means of physical exercise,
including horse riding, walking, and wrestling.
(3) Tio Gregorio: a book lover, intensified his voracious reading
of good books.

6. Fr. Leoncio Lopez, fostered Rizal’s love for scholarship and intellectual honesty.

FURTHER READINGS:

Rizal's Early Childhood. (2016, Oct 12). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/rizals-early-

childhood-essay

REFERENCES:

Zaide, Gregorio F., & Zaide, Sonia M., Jose Rizal, Life, Works and Writings of a Genius, Writer,
Scientist and National Hero, (2008- Centennial Edition) All-Nations Publishing Co. Inc, Quezon
City

https://hestories.info/prologue-rizal-and-his-times.html

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https://tagacalamba.wixsite.com/calamba/single-post/2015/12/13/the-rizal-familys-origin

A. EVALUATION

Name: ________________________________________ Section: ______________

Instruction: Discuss in100-150 words only

Do you believe that family has a great role in the child character, values and attitudes? How?

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B. EVALUATION

Name: ________________________________________ Section: ______________

Do you believe that good educational foundation in the early days matters most in your life’s
successes as reflected in the life of Jose Rizal?

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C. EVALUATION

Name: ________________________________________ Section: ______________

Give 10 characteristic/family values system & practices that your family and the family of Jose Rizal have
in common. Among your common characteristics, would you like to have it in your own family in the
future?

# Family Values system Rizal’s family Your family

1
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