Republic of the Philippines

Northwest Samar State University

Calbayog City

Submitted by:
IRNA MAE C. JAVINES
BSBA 4-A

Submitted to:
MRS. ESTELLA TADUYO

JOSE RIZAL: THE NATIONAL HERO

Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda, the national hero of

the Philippines and pride of the Malayan race, was born on June 19, 1861,
in the town of Calamba, Laguna. He was the seventh child in a family of 11
children (2 boys and 9 girls). Both his parents were educated and
belonged to distinguished families.

Rizal wrote Noli Me Tangere in Spanish; it was published in 1887 in

Berlin. The novel is a scathing indictment of the Catholic Church and
Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines. This book cemented Jose Rizal on
the Spanish colonial government's list of troublemakers. When Rizal
returned home for a visit, he received a summons from the Governor
General, and had to defend himself from charges of disseminating
subversive ideas.Although the Spanish governor accepted Rizal's
explanations, the Catholic Church was less willing to forgive. In 1891, Rizal
published a sequel, titled El Filibusterismo.

Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he mastered

22 languages. These include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, French,
German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Malayan, Portuguese,
Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other native dialects. A versatile
genius, he was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator,
economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist,
linguist, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic
surgeon, poet, propagandist, psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist,
and theologian.
When the Philippine Revolution started on August 26, 1896, his enemies
lost no time in pressing him down. They were able to enlist witnesses that
linked him with the revolt and these were never allowed to be confronted
by him. Thus, from November 3, 1986, to the date of his execution, he was
again committed to Fort Santiago. In his prison cell, he wrote an
untitled poem, now known as "Mi Ultimo Adios" (My Last
Goodbye) which is considered a masterpiece and a living document
expressing not only the heros great love of country but also that of all
Filipinos. After a mock trial, he was convicted of rebellion, sedition and of
forming illegal association. In the cold morning of December 30, 1896,
Rizal, a man whose 35 years of life had been packed with varied activities
which proved that the Filipino has capacity to equal if not excel even those
who treat him as a slave, was shot at Bagumbayan Field.

CONCEPCION RIZAL: The Hero's First Grief

Also called Concha by her siblings, Concepcion Rizal (1862-1865) was

the eight child of the Rizal family. She died at the age of three.
Of his sisters, it is said that Pepe loved most the little Concha who was a
year younger than him. Jose played games and shared children stories
with her, and from her he felt the beauty of sisterly love.

When Concha died of sickness in 1865, Jose mournfully wept at losing her.
He later wrote in his memoir, 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.

JOSEFA RIZAL: The Katipunera (1865-1945)

Also known as Panggoy.

Shes the ninth child in the family who died a spinster or unmarried
Among Joses letters to Josefa, the one dated October 26 1893 is perhaps
the most fascinating. Written in English, the letter addressed Josefa as
Miss Josephine Rizal, thereby making her the namesake of Rizals
girlfriend Josephine Bracken. In the letter, Jose praised her sister for nearly
mastering the English language, commenting that the only fault he found
in Josefas letter is her apparent confusion between the terms they are
and there. Jose also wrote about the 20 pesos he sent, the 10 pesos of
the amount was supposed for a lottery ticket. This indicates that Jose did
not stop investing in lottery tickets despite winning 6, 200 pesos in
September the previous year. Even when he was in Madrid, he used to
spend at least three pesetas monthly for his only vice (Zaide, p. 221).
After Joses martyrdom, the epileptic Josefa joined the Katipunan and
is even supposed to have been elected the president of its women
section. She was one of the original 29 women admitted to the
Katipunan along with Gregoria de Jesus, wife of Andres Bonifacio.
They safeguarded the secret papers and documents of the society and
danced and sang during sessions so that civil guards would think that the
meetings were just harmless social gatherings.

TRINIDAD RIZAL: The Custodian of the Hero's Greatest Poem

(1868-1951) or Trining was the tenth child and the custodian of Rizals
last and greatest poem.
In March 1886, Jose wrote to Trining describing how the German women
were serious in studying. He thus advised her: now that you are still
young and you have time to learn, it is necessary that you study by
reading and reading attentively. Perhaps sensing that studying is not
Trinidads thing, Jose continued, It is a pity that you allow yourself to
be dominated by laziness when it takes so little effort to shake it
off. It is enough to form only the habit of study and later
everything goes by itself. Four years later, Trining surprised Jose by

writing him, Dearest Brother: I left the College two years, one
month and a half ago.
Right before Joses execution, Trinidad and their mother visited him in the
Fort Santiago prison cell. As they were leaving, Jose handed over to Trining
an alcohol cooking stove, a gift from the Pardo de Taveras, whispering to
her in a language which the guards could not understand, There is
something in it. That something was Rizals elegy now known as Mi
Ultimo Adios.Like Josefa and two nieces, Trinidad joined the Katipunan
after Rizals death.
In 1883, Trining was in bed for five months, from April to August, being
sick with intermittent feverthat kind which rises and falls and then
returns, occurring in diseases such as malaria. Astonishingly however, she
was the last of the family to die.

SOLEDAD RIZAL: The Hero's Controversial Sister

Also called Choleng, Soledad Rizal (1870-1929) was the youngest child
of the Rizal family. Being a teacher, she was arguably the best educated
among Rizals sisters.
Rizal rebuked her sister for getting married to Pantaleon Quintero of
Calamba without their parents consent. Because of you, he wrote,
the peace of our family has been disturbed.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 a woman's worth in the eyes of a man You
should value more, esteem more your honor and you will be more
esteemed and valued. Concerning men who woo without the
knowledge of the womans parents, Rizal commented, Men
should be noble and worthy and behave like men and not like
thieves or adventurers who hide themselves. You should despise a
man who is afraid to come out in the open. Without directly
mentioning Soledads spouse, her kuya further said, I have despised
and considered unworthy of me any young man that I have seen
hiding and fleeing between shadows.
As regards obeying ones parents, Jose lectured Concha, Parents would
not wish to see their children unhappy. The continuation of
Joses homily reads, I enjoin you to consider the gray hair of our
parents; they were already very old and we should sow with glory
their old days. Think of your honor and of ours. You have many
nieces; give them a good example and be worthy of yourselves.
Without a doubt, Choleng had been scolded once by her older brother
(napagalitannikuya!). But recent controversial story insinuates that Jose
was not Conchas brother but her uncle (MgaLihim ng Pamilyani Rizal).

Austin Coates, Rizals known biographer, is said to have believed that

Soledad was allegedly the fruit of the affair between Saturnina
(Doa Teodoras eldest child) and Jose Alberto (Teodoras mestizo
brother). The narrative is said to be supported by the observation that
Choleng looked different from her other sisters, purportedly the most
beautiful. Accordingly, Teodora and Saturnina once went out on a vacation
and went back after sometime with a newborn baby whom Teodora
claimed her own. (If this were true, then there was really a reason for
TeodoraFormoso (Jose Albertos wife) to hate and consequently frame up
Teodora Alonso.)
Going back to Cholengs union with Pantaleon, one good thing it had
brought about was Rizal familys becoming connected by affinity to Miguel
Malvar, the hero who could have been listed as the second Philippine
President for takingover the revolutionary government after Aguinaldos
arrest in 1901. Soledad and Pantaleon had five children: Trinitario, Amelia,
Luisa, Serafin, and Felix. Their daughter Amelia married BernabeMalvar,
son of Gen. Miguel Malvar.

Republic of the Philippines

Northwest Samar State University
Calbayog City

Submitted by:
LERMA M. REMOROSA
BSBA 4-A

Submitted to:
MRS. ESTELLA TADUYO

FRANCISCO MERCADO

TEODORA ALONZO