CHAPTER 4

RIZALS ANCESTRY
AND BIRTH

THE RIZAL SHRINE IN

CALAMBA

The Jose Rizal Shrine in Calamba, Laguna,the

birthplace of the Philippines' national hero, is

one of the most frequented historical and
tourist sites in Laguna. An average of 270,000
tourists visit this shrine annually.
The house is designated as a National Shrine
(Level 1) by the National Historical Commission
of the Philippines and is located along Mercado
Street and Rizal Street in Calamba'sPoblacion
5. It is in close proximity toSt. John the Baptist
Churchand theCity College of Calamba.

The

present house/museum is
just a replica of the original
ancestral house of Rizal's family;
the old house was destroyed
during World War II. It was
President Quirino who ordered
the reconstruction of the national
hero's
home
through
the
supervision
of
National
Artist/architect Juan Nakpil and

RIZAL GENECOLOGY

FATHER:
Francisco

Mercado
Rizal(1818-1898) is the father of
Rizal. He was 43 years old when
Rizal was born. He was a man of
few
words,
dignified
and
hospitable. He studied in the
Colegio de san Jose in manila to
the
degree
of
Latin
and
Philosophy. He was born in May
11, 1818 at Binan, Laguna and

MOTHER:
Teodora Alonso Realonda(1826-1911)

is the mother of our national hero. Born in

November 8, 1826, and she studied in
College of Santa Potenciana. She had a
good knowledge of mathematics, she also
knew how to appreciate literature, and
corrected her sons verses and guided him
in his study of rhetoric. She died in August
16, 1911 at Manila with the age of 85. And
she had 11 children (2 boys and 9 girls)
together with Francisco Mercado Rizal.

The Children of Teodora and Francisco

1. Saturnina(1850-1913) Neneng is her

nickname, the oldest among the Rizals

children and married to Mannuel T. Hidalgo.
And died at the age of 63.
2. Paciano(1851-1930) The only brother of
Jose, died as a bachelor, though he had a
common law-wife (Severina Decena). And he
joined the revolution and became general
after the death of Rizal.
3. Narcisa(1852-1939) She married Antonio
Lopez of Morong which is a musician. Her
nickname is Sisa and died at the age of 87.

4. Olympia(1855-1887) Yepa is

her nickname. Married to Silvestre

Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from
Manila. She died of placenta previa in
September 1887.
5. Lucia(1857-1919) She married
Mariano Herbosa of Calamba and
died at the age of 62 due to cholera.
6.
Maria(1858-1945)

Her
nickname is Biang, and she married
Daniel Faustino Cruz of Binan,
Laguna. She died at the age of 86.

7.

Jose(1861-1896) The lucky

seven in the family. Pepe is his
nickname and he married Josephine
Bracken, a pretty Irish from Hong-Kong.
And Jose was executed in December 30,
1896 and died at the age of 35.
8.
Concepcion(1862-1865) Her
nickname is Concha and she died at the
age of 3.
9. Josefa(1865-1945) Panggoy is her
nickname and died as an old maid at
the age of 80.

10. Trinidad(1868-1951) At the

age of 83 she died as an old maid

just like Josefa. And her nickname is
Trining.
11. Soledad(1870-1929) The
youngest among the Rizals. She
married Pantaleon Quintero Calamba.
And she died at the age of 59.

PATERNAL SIDE:
DOMINGO LAM-COfrom the Fukien City of

Changchow around 1690 married Inez dela

Rosa (daughter of his friend, Agustin Chinco,
a Chinese merchant) blessed with 2 children
Francisco Mercado and Josefa Mercado ( lived
for only 5 days) a leader among the Chinese
because he had some degree of education
friend of Friar Francisco Marquez ( author of
Chinese grammar book) and Friar Juan
Caballero rich, highly intelligent, influential,
and protected by the Spaniards

FRANCISCO

MERCADOwas given the

surname Mercado (meaning market) to
free the child from prejudice to those with
Chinese names married BernardaMonicha
(a Chinese mestizo) blessed with 2 sons
Juan and Clemente well off and became an
alcalde a popular figure in his town for he
had been godfather to many baptisms and
marriages.
JUAN MERCADOmarried Cirila Alejandro
and were blessed with 14 children was
called
gobernadorcillo
Mercado
or
Capitan Juan generous, honest, and a
leader in church activities and hermano
mayor in charitable institutions listed his

FRANCISCO

MERCADO
RIZALmarried Teodora one of his
sisters,
Petrona
(dress
gods
merchant) settled in Calamba Used
Rizal ( from the word ricial meaning
green of young growth or the green
of renewal or green field or new
pasture)

MATERNAL SIDE:
CIPRIANO ALONZOa captain of Binan

and the paternal grandfather of Teodora

Alonso married Maria Florentina
LORENZO
ALBERTO
ALONSOan
engineer and married Brigida de Quintos
children were Narcisa, Teodora, Gregorio,
Manuel and Jose influences to Rizal:
TIO MANUELhas agreat love for
books; taught Rizal to work hard, think
for himself, and to observe keenly

TIO JOSEtaught him to develop his

artistic ability
TIO GREGORIO:instilled to Rizal
good health and sports adopted the
surname Realonda
TEODORA
ALONSO REALONDA
MERCADOY
QUINTOSmarried
Francisco Mercado

THE BIRTH OF A HERO

19 June 1861

JOSE RIZAL, the seventh child of Francisco Mercado

Rizal and Teodora Alonso y Quintos, was born in
Calamba, Laguna.
22 June 1861

He was baptized JOSE RIZAL MERCADO at the

Catholic of Calamba by the parish priest Rev. Rufino
Collantes with Rev. Pedro Casaas as the sponsor.

The Surname Rizal

The real surname of the Rizal family was Mercado, which was

adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco (the paternal great-greatgrandfather of Jose Rizal), who was a full-blooded Chinese. Rizals
family acquired a second surname Rizal which was given by a
Spanish alcalde mayor of Laguna, who was a family friend. Thus said
Dr. Rizal, in his letter to Blumentritt (without date or place):
I am the only Rizal because at home my parents, my sisters, my
brother, and my relatives have always preferred our old surname
Mercado. Our family name was in fact Mercado, but there were many
Mercados in the Philippines who are not related to us. It is said that
an alcalde mayor, who was a friend of our family added Rizal to our
name. My family did not pay much attention to this, but now I have to
use it. In this way, it seems that I am an illegitimate son

The affluence of the Rizal family is

clearly evident from the following:
Family predisposition to studies
Stone house of adobe and hardwood
Ownership of carriage and horses (jose had

apersonal horse)
Home library
Personal servants
Private tutor of children in the familys home
Business in rice sugar production
Ability to send the children for education in
Manila

Influence on the Heros

Boyhood
Hereditary Influence
Environmental Influence
Will of the Almighty God

Hereditary influence
Malayan Ancestors (Lakan Dula). Love of freedom, innate to

travel,courage
Chinese Ancestors. Frugality, patience, love for children serious
nature
Spanish Ancestors. Elegance of bearing, sensitivity to insult, and
gallantry to ladies
Japanese Ancestors. Highly nationalistic polite disciplined
industrious, dignified
(From his Father) Profound sense of respect, love for work, and the
habit of independent thinking.
(From his Mother) religious nature, the spirit of self sacrifice and
passion for arts and literature

Environmental Influence
The scenic beauties of Calamba and beautiful

garden of the Rizal family stimulated his artistic

and literary talents
Religious atmosphere at his home. Strengthen his
religious nature.
Paciano- love of freedom and justice
Sisters- He is courteous and kind to women
Aya- awakened his interest in folklore and legend
Three uncles:
Tiyo Jose Alberto. Developed his artistic ability
Tiyo Manuel. Developed his loved for sports
Tiyo Gregorio. Intensified his love for books

Father

Leoncio Lopez. Parish priest of

Calamba
fostered
Rizals
love
for
scholarship and intellectual honesty
Sorrows in his family. Strengthen his
Character to face death of Concha in 1865
and imprisonment of his Mother from
1870-1874
Spanish
abuses
and
cruelties.
He
witnessed in his boyhood, awakened his
spirit of patriotism and inspired him to
concentrate his life and talents to
redeemed his oppressed people.

Will of the Almighty God

Rizal was destined to become a

national hero and with the Aid of

the almighty God this was made
possible.

Jose Rizal's early demonstration of

Inborn Talents
1. At age of three he was able to master the

alphabet
2. FIRST POEM BY RIZAL
He
possessed a God-given giftfor
literature
At the age of 8, he wrote his firstpoem in
the native language entitled Sa aking
mga Kababata (to my fellow children)
Poem reveals Rizals earliest nationalist
sentiment

3. ARTISTICTALENTS
At age of 5, he began to make sketches

with his pencil, mold in clay and wax

objects which attracted his fancy
He painted in oil colors a new
bannerthat delighted the town folks
because it was better than the original
one
Had the soul of a genuine artist
Loved to ride on a spirited pony and
take longwalks in the meadow and
lakeshore with hisdog, Usman

4. DEVOTED SON OF THE CHURCH

Grew up a good Catholic
At the age of 3, he began to take part in the
family prayers
At the age of 5, he was able to read the bible
Called as Manong Jose by the Hermanos and
HermanasTerceras
Father Leoncio Lopez, one of the men he
esteemed and respected inCalamba
Used
to
visit
and
listen
to
his
stimulatingopinions on current events and
sound philosophy
June 6, 1868, Jose and his father left Calamba to
go on a pilgrimageto Antipolo
First tripof Jose across Laguna de bay
After praying in the shrine of the Virgin
ofAntipolo, they went to Manila

5. FIRST DRAMA
Tagalogcomedy
Staged in Calamba festival and was

delightfully applauded
A
gobernadorcillo
from
Paete
purchased the manuscript for two
pesos an brought it to his hometown
6. Boy Magician. With his hands he
showed different tricks such as making
a coin appear or disappear in his fingers
and making a handkerchief vanish in
thin air.

END