JOSE RIZAL

Rizal
is considered as the national hero of the
Philippines. He used a peaceful way to help his
own Filipino citizens. Using his novels he marked
the start of the Philippine Independence. One of
the most important historical events in the
history of the Philippines is the life of a national
hero who greatly influenced many Filipinos and
had significant contributions in the development
of Filipino nation. He is none other than, Jose
Protacio Rizal Mercado. The pride of the
Malayan race was born on June 19, 1861, in the
town of Calamba, Laguna. They used to call him
“Pepe” as his nickname and he belonged to a big
family of thirteen members including his
parents. Rizal’s father, Francisco Mercado Rizal
was a diligent and hard-working farmer whom
Rizal called “a model of fathers.” His father’s
hometown was in Biñan, Laguna. While his
mother, Teodora Alonzo y Quintos was a very successful woman whom Rizal called “loving and
prudent mother.” His mother’s hometown was in Meisic, Sta. Cruz, Manila. Rizal’s parents were
both carreer-oriented persons, wealthy land owners, and they belonged to a recognized family.
Rizal was the seventh child among his nine siblings, namely: Saturnina Rizal, eldest child of the
Rizal-Alonzo marriage, Paciano Rizal, only brother of Jose Rizal and the second child,Narcisa
Rizal, the third child, Olympia Rizal, the fourth child, Lucia Rizal, the fifth child, Maria Rizal, the
sixth child, Concepcion Rizal, the eight child who died at the age of three, Josefa Rizal, the ninth
child whose an epileptic, Trinidad Rizal, the tenth child who was the last of the family to dieand
Soledad Rizal, the youngest child.

During his early childhood, Rizal showed dominant disposition in different areas as intellectual,
creative, artistic and excelled in his academic fields. At an early age of three, he started to learn
alphabet and prayers. When he reached the age of five, he learned how to read and write. At the
age of eight, he wrote his first poem which was written in Tagalog. It was entitled, “Sa
AkingMgaKababata.” The poem has a meaningful message which has a theme, “Love of One’s
Language.” The first teacher of Rizal was his beloved mother. She played an important role in
teaching him valuable lessons and she discovered that her son has a great potential. Her mother
gave so much encouragement on Rizal’s passion in writing.Jose Rizal spent his early education
in Calamba and Biñan, Laguna. The Spanish educational system was very complex but despite
all the odds that he had to experience, Jose Rizal managed to accomplished all necessary
requirements for college in Manila. His parents hired private tutors for Rizal and they were
Maestro Celestino, Maestro Lucas and Leon Monroy.But the idea of employing private tutors
didn’t satisfy his young mind’s eagerness for knowledge and the family started to complete their
son’s admission to Ateneo Municipal de Manila. While he was studying in Manila, Jose Rizal
took a degree in Land surveying and Assessment where he graduated with honors on March 14,
1877. He successfully passed the Licensure exam on the said course in 1878 and he was given a
license when he reached the age of 21. It was the year 1878 when he completed his degree from
Ateneo Municipal de Manila and he followed his passion in Arts. He had his admission at the
Faculty of Arts and Letters which has a degree in Philosophy at the University of Santo Tomas.
Unfortunately, Jose Rizal had to set aside his degree in Philosophy when he heard his mother’s
impending blindness so he needed to prioritize his mother’s situation. It made him decide to
study Medicine and in it was year 1878 when he had his admission in the Faculty of Medical
Sciences at University of Santo Tomas to specialize Ophthalmology.

Jose Rizal didn’t stop his burning passion and willingness to learn and it made him took the risk
to leave the Philippines. On this scenario, Jose Rizal was known as a great Filipino traveller in
the history. His first trip was on year 1882 which was bound to Spain. Having gone through
many places, he learned nearly 22 languages like Latin, Spanish, Greek, English, French,
German, Arabic, Malay, Sanskrit, Hebrew, Dutch, Catalan, Japanese, Italian, Chinese,
Portuguese, Swedish, and Russian including his native languages and dialects. Rizal had
travelled different countries and he’s been to Singapore, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Italy,
France, Spain, Gemany, Czech Republic, Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland, Italy, Hong Kong,
Macau, Japan, U.S.A. and United Kingdom.These adventures of a hero serve as an important
aspect of his education where he learned other nation’s culture and politics. These travels of
Rizal have something to do with his desire to bring changes on his beloved native land and the
struggles he had to conquer. Meanwhile, when Rizal was in Spain, he continued his degree in
Medicine and Philosophy at the Universidad Central de Madrid. It was on year 1884 and 1885
that he finished his degrees, respectively, that were once denied to him by his Dominican
professors while he was still studying in the Philippines. But even after the completion of these
higher degrees, he was still not contented with his achievements. He eventually travelled to
France and studied at the University of Paris.

He pursued his desire to further develop his knowledge in his chosen field of specialization
which is Ophthalmology. He studied at the University of Heidelberg under the well-known eye
specialist, Professor Otto Becker. During his stay in Spain, Rizal had significant recognitions on
his different fields of study like land assessment, medicine, literature, sculpting, painting and
architecture. As a painter, Rizal used oil, water color and crayons. He also made sketches using
ink and pencil. On his sculpture, he used clay, wood, terra cotta, ivory, bas relief, wax and
plaster. He even had created maps and plans in addition to his works. Aside from that he was
also active in physical activities such as martial arts, fencing and pistol shooting. Rizal’s life was
very remarkable and it is not surprising to think that he had a very interesting personality.

As a poet, Rizal wrote many meaningful poems dedicated to his personal relationship to others,
love to his country and other aspects of his life. These poems include, Mi Ultimo Adios, To The
Philippines, Our Mother Tongue, Memories Of My Town, Hymn to Labor, Kundiman, A Poem
That Has No Title, Song Of Maria Clara, To The Philippines Youth, To Josephine, Education
Gives Luster To The Motherland, To The Virgin Mary and Sa akingMgaKababata.

Apart from these achievements of Rizal, there were also romantic side of Rizal’s story that gave
spice and colour on his life. Jose Rizal gained so many friends on his journey and lovers as well.
He had romantic relationships with at least nine significant women in his life,
namely,SegundaKatigbak, Leonor Valenzuela, Leonor Rivera, Consuelo Ortiga, O-Sei San,
Gertrude Beckette, Nelly Boustead, Suzanne Jacoby and Josephine Bracken. These women
might have been impressed by his witty personality and charisma. SegundaKatigbak was Rizal’s
first puppy love and she was unfortunately engaged to his town-mate. Eventually, Rizal met
Leonor Valenzuela, a tall girl from Pagsanjan whom he visited on the night of his departure to
Spain and bid her a last goodbye. On the other hand, Leonor Rivera, Rizal’s lover for 11 years
played the greatest influenced to Rizal in keeping him from having romantic relationships with
other women during his travel. Sad to say, Leonor’s mother didn’t have an approval on their
relationship and she even hid Rizal’s love letters for Leonor Rivera. Believing that Rizal had
already forgotten their long-term relationship, her mother consented her to marry an Englishman.
Among these women of Jose Rizal, he ended up marrying Josephine Bracken, an 18-year-old
petite Irish girl. Rizal met this girl with a happy disposition in the last days of February 1895
while he was still in Dapitan. Josephine Bracken was an adopted daughter of George Taufer who
came from Hong Kong to aid his eye problem and seek for an eye treatment. Jose Rizal fell in
love with Josephine and he had a physical attraction to her. But the sisters of Rizal had doubt the
sincerity and loyalty of Josephine because they were worried the she was a secret agent of the
friars and they considered her as a threat to Rizal’s security. Their mutual feelings for each other
were good and enough reason to continue their relationship. Josephine Bracken took
consideration about her responsibility to his blind father although Rizal asked her to marry him.
Since Taufer’s blindness was not curable, he went back to Hong Kong on March 1895. Josephine
decided to stay with Rizal’s family in Manila. Rizal returned in Dapitan and arranged their
marriage through Father Antonio Obach. However, the priest demanded Rizal to cover up
something as a precondition in order to marry them. Upon the advice of Rizal’s family and with
Josephine’s consent, Rizal took Josephine as his wife even without the blessings of the Church.
Josephine Bracken gave birth to a premature baby and as a result had caused her to get
frightened and shocked.

As a young man during his time, Jose Rizal was very much aware of his surroundings and the
difficult situations of his fellowmen under the Spanish colonial government. He was aware about
the tragic scenarios of how the government treated his native land. He had even witnessed the
unfair treatment of the Spanish authorities to his family members especially to his older brother,
Paciano, a man who had been connected toFilipino priests, Gomez, Burgos and Zamora,
popularly known as GomBurZa who sought reform within the Catholic church in support of
equal rights for Filipinos and Spanish priests. Her beloved mother was also accused by the
Spanish authorities of attempted poisoning on her cousin. Her mother was sent to prison in Sta.
Cruz, Laguna and was made to walk sixteen kilometres from their home to all the way to jail.
Teodora Mercado was detained two and a half yearsuntil a successful appeal at the highest court
of the Spanish government cleared her of the charges.

When he was still in Europe where he lived in ten years, Rizal wrote his novel entitled, “Noli Me
Tangere.” In He wrote his novel using the Spanish Language and it was published in Berlin,
Germany in 1887. The significant story of his novel tells about a young Filipino man who
travelled to Europe in order to study and returned to his native land with truth on his eyes against
the injustices and corruption of government. For Rizal, Spain was a perfect place in reaching and
realizing his dreams. After finishing his studies in Madrid, he realized that it was the start of a
wider part of his ambition. It awakened him to deeply understand human nature and that his
fellow Filipino people needed him. During the re-organizational meeting of the Circulo-Hispano-
Filipino, he was encouraged to pursue the publication of his book where the members would give
contributions on different aspects and conditions of the Philippines.

On his novel, “Noli Me Tangere,” Rizal emphasized the characters of different personalities
between oppressors and oppressed. He gave attention on his novel to those Filipinos who had
adopted the customs and traditions of the foreign colonizers and taking for granted their own
nationality. His novel also centers on Spanish friars in robes who were described as being
lascivious and having selfish desires for wealth in order to satisfy their own needs. The novel
also presents the poor and uneducated members of the society who suffered under the cruelty of
the Spanish authorities on their own native land.
When Jose Rizal returned to the Philippines, he was urgently called by the Governor General of
the Philippine islands to further give explanations about the accusations against him that he
established a rebellion. Rizal was brave enough to face the charges against him and he openly
defended himself. Although he was discharged, his name remained on the watch list of the
Spanish colonial government. Despite the negative reaction to his novel “Noli Me Tangere,”
Rizal did not think it as a distraction to write his second novel. In 1891, his second novel was
published entitled, “El Filibusterismo.” On his first novel whose character named Ibarra was a
peacemaker, the significant character named Simeon on the novel “El Filibusterismo” was more
militant. Both characters on Rizal’s novel lead to the same end where they both wanted to
achieve significant changes in the system of the Spanish colonial government. The word
”filibusterismo” was written by Rizal to his friend named Blumentritt who was not so much
well-known in the Philippines. Inspired by what the word ”filibusterismo”, Rizal’s second novel
was dedicated to the three martyred priests as his adoration to their contributions and to pay
respect to their good deeds.

Upon his return to the Philippines in 1892, Rizal arrested and jailed by the Spanish authorities
for getting involved in the rebellion against the government. He was eventually exiled to Dapitan
in Mindanao, the southernmost island group in the Philippines. Jose Rizal had a very peaceful
life during his stay in Dapitan. He even sent a letter to his friend, Blumentritt describing the
serenity of the place. During his exiled in Dapitan, Jose Rizal built a school that taught young
boys the English language. He also worked on agricultural projects on abaca and he didn’t stop
to practice medicine.He experienced how to be a farmer and a merchant and he earned a prize
from the Manila lottery where he used it in building three houses made of bamboo, wood and
nipa.

Rizal’s life after his peaceful life in Dapitan focused on how he spent every moment by letting
his loved ones know every detailed happening that he was going through. During the dawn of
Manila bay, he was not able depart for Spain because the Isla de Luzon which Rizal supposed to
board left early before they arrived in Manila.During these days, he instructed his family
members how they could visit him and requested his sister, Narcisa to buy fruits for the cruise
officers who treated him well. He also wrote Narcisa a letter, thanking her for the hospitality
when she lets Josephine bracken stayed in her house.

On August 30, 1896, governor Ramon Blanco sent a letter of recommendation to the Minister of
war stating that Rizal had shown exceptional conduct during his stay in Dapitan and that he had
no connection with the Philippines revolution.

At around six in the evening, Rizal was transferred to the boat Isla de Panay and he was assisted
by the Captain of the boat named Capt. Alemany where he was given the best cabin. Later, Rizal
wrote a letter to his beloved mother in order to let her know that he was in a good condition on
board to the ship. He informed his mother about his departure to Cuba and extending his comfort
that everybody is in the hands of the Divine Providence. Aside from that, Rizal also asked his
sisters to take good care of their aged parents just like what they wanted their children to do and
love them.

Rizal was given privileged by governor Genera Ramon Blanco to travel in Cuba which was
another Spanish colony during his time. He was requested to support and give medical missions
to eliminate an outbreak of yellow fever. On the way to Cuba, Rizal got arrested in Barcelona
due to political accusations of the friars and he saw the replacement from Blanco to Camilo de
Polavieja. Jose Rizal was brought back to the Philippines to face charges of rebellion against him
where he was found guilty in establishing rebellion and taking part in revolutionary movement
against the Spanish colonial government. He was eventually sentence to death.

During the last hours of Rizal, he spent his last moments without worrying about the difficult
situation that he was facing. On Dec. 29, 1896, around 6:00 to 7:00 A.M., Sr. Mataix requested
and asked permission from Rizal to interview him. It was Capt. Dominguez who read the death
sentence of Rizal. Around 7:00 to 8:00 in the morning, Rizal was transferred to his death cell.
After an hour, Rizal shared his milk and coffee with Fr. Rosell, Lt. Andrade and chief of
Artillery. Eventually, Rizal scribbles a note inviting his family to visit him.

A night before Rizal’s execution, he slept peacefully because he was confident in the goodness
of God and his faith strengthens him despite of his nearly death. On the day of his execution,
Rizal picked up imitation of Christ, reads,meditates and then writes to his wife Josephine and by
this very act in itself he gives to her their only

certificate of marriage. Around 5:00 in the morning, Rizal washed up, took breakfast and
attended to his personal needs. He also wrote a letter to his parents, read the bible and meditate.
Unfortunately, his wife Josephine Bracken was restricted by the Spanish authorities in seeing
Rizal. Rizal walked to the place of execution between Fr. March and Fr. Villaclara. On
December 30, 1896 at 7:00 in the morning, his final day of execution, Rizal kept looking around
as if looking for someone and expecting someone to see. The hero’s last words, said in a loud
voice: “It is finished.” The sounds of guns of the firing squad were heard and Rizal turned
halfway around falls down backwards and lies on the ground facing the sun.

The legacy of the of the national hero, Jose Rizal not just only centers on his intelligence,
personality and ideals but it he was also worthy to be named as a national hero because of his
patriotism, optimism, his inevitable love to his country and his belief in his fellowmen which
made him different from others. Rizal not just only believed on the independence of his beloved
country but more importantly, the potential of his fellow Filipinos to overcome the unjust
Spanish colonial government. For this reason, he truly deserve and earned his symbol as a
national hero of the Philippines.

Rizal also had a contribution in terms of his philosophies which was made known to his legacy
as a national hero. The philosophy of Rizal in education focuses on the proper motivation to
cultivate the young minds’ intelligence. He also had his religious philosophy that made him a
better person and servant of God as he belonged to a nurtured Catholic family. When it comes to
his political philosophy, he believed that as a victim of colonization, the Philippines should
developed and be civilized. His ethical philosophy, however, has something to do with human
behaviour and focuses between good or bad and right or wrong. The social philosophy of Rizal,
on the other hand includes the wisdom based on his personal experience.

Finally, Jose Rizal was greatly known throughout the Philippines as the national hero in the
Philippine history and his life, works and writings continually serve as an inspiration to many
young Filipinos. He was very well-known for his brilliance, courage and compassion in bringing
significant and memorable contributions to the native land.