Life and Works of Jose Rizal Modified Module

THE LIFE, WORKS
AND WRITINGS OF
JOSE RIZAL
Table of Contents
MODULE 1
Introduction to the Course: Republic Act 1425 3
MODULE 2
Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood and Early Education 11
MODULE 3
Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life Abroad 19
MODULE 4
Rizal’s Life: Exile, Trial and Death 44
MODULE 5
Noli Me Tangere 55
MODULE 6
El Filibusterismo 70
MODULE 7
Jose Rizal and Philippine Nationalism: Bayani and Kabayanihan 82
THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

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MODULE 1
Introduction to the Course: Republic Act

1425
Name:
Year level & Course:
Learning Outcome:
 Explain the history of the Rizal Law and its important provisions
 Critically assess the effectiveness of the Rizal Course
 Reflect upon themselves the idea and principles of Rizal in their life.
If you were to ask or say something to Dr. Jose Rizal, what would it be? Write at least two
(2) questions in the circle. Then, answer the questions that follow.
ASK ME! ASK ME!
1. What do you know about Dr. Jose Rizal? -
2. What is your reason for asking or saying those things to Rizal?
3. Why do you think you need to study the life and works of Rizal?
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WHAT IS THE RIZAL LAW?
The Rizal Law, also known as RA 1425, mandates the study of Rizal’s life and works,
as shown in section 1. This Republic Act calls for an increased sense of nationalism from the
Filipinos during a time of a dwindling Filipino identity. According to the judicial system, a
republic act is a law that has already been passed and implemented. In contrast to this, a bill
is merely a proposed law, in other words it may or may not be passed by the Congress.
The Republic Act was signed by the President on June 12, 1956. From the notes
preceding the body of the document, one may infer that the bill was originally proposed in
the Legislative arm of the Philippine Republic, in the Senate and House of Representatives.
According to the Official Gazette, the law was made effective thirty days after its
implementation. The mere fact that the Act was passed on the date of our independence seeks
to stir up a greater sense of fervor in the Filipino, to believe in their own country and national
identity—who we are as a nation. It was this time when the Philippines was heavily
dependent on the American government for support and guidance. Also, based on the fact
that Jose Rizal is honored by the Philippines as the Philippine national hero, it is but
appropriate that the document written to commemorate his accomplishments is written here,
in the land of his birth.
It is Senator Claro M. Recto who authored the Rizal Bill. While Senator Jose P.
Laurel, Sr., who was then the Chairman of the Committee on Education, sponsored the bill in
the Senate. Both of them were known for their great sense of nationalism. This nationalism
served as the foundation to come up with this republic act, to set our country free from the
hands of others and stand up on our own—exactly the ideals and values that Rizal strove to
fight for. It was written for the Filipino people, specifically the Filipino youth, who may have
lost their sense of nationalism. The writers endeavored to rekindle a lost spark in each
Filipino’s belief in their country. A republic act as drastic as the Rizal Law, which requires
the study of Rizal’s life and works— something that does not need to be required in the first
place—can only be born out of the fact that Rizal and his works were not given a high
priority in the educational system of the country prior to the release of this act. It is clear that
the government had to make drastic changes to resolve the issue. This is evident in section 3
of the act, legalizing all forms of translations for Rizal’s works, as well as section 2,
obligating all schools, colleges and universities to keep an adequate number of copies of
Rizal’s works. This makes them more accessible to a greater audience.
It is hard to make out any form of emotion from any legal document; however, the
choice of words is still able to convey a fiery passion. To highlight this, they also use words
or concepts that can easily relate to the common Filipino man. Such passion is vital, as the
audience is presumably of dwindling nationalism. In this regard, the writer attempts to show
the audience the identity they have slowly been losing and show them how they can undo
this.
There are important points that the author cited in this republic act that is worth
noticing. First, “Whereas, today, more than other period of our history, there is a need

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for a re-dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism for which our heroes lived and
died.” This document was written in the year 1956 during Magsasyay’s regime when the
country was still recovering from the Japanese occupation and still very dependent on US
governance. Ideals of freedom and nationalism were very essential during those times since
the Philippines was still struggling for independence, and the country was still gradually
developing its national identity and integrity. During those times havoc also existed within
the Filipinos since there were numerous uprisings against the Philippine government.
Moreover, even though this document was written decades ago, it is still striking because this
clause is very timely for this present generation when our culture is being overpowered by
foreign influence and Filipino diaspora is widespread.
Another important point from RA 1425 is “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.” It is very important to use our educational institutions to instill these values to
the children who are at their prime years of growing and learning. During one’s educational
years especially the college level is when individuals formulate their priorities and career
tracks in life, and it is essential that institutions make students realize that the country should
be a part of their priorities and serving one’s country is an innate and inborn duty for all.
Also, embedding a profound and authentic moral character and a strong sense of personal
discipline in the youth would yield proficient, genuine, and selfless Filipinos of the future
who would turn the Philippines from an impoverished country to a globally competitive
nation.
Lastly, “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 the Barrio Councils throughout the country.” To provide a specific
way to carry out this act is very helpful. It makes the goal very SMART – specific,
measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. It is also important that the effects of this act
would be experienced by all students even those who are financially troubled. It is
commendable that in the context of this act, the poor is well represented and that it is
attainable regardless of ethnicity, social stature, and language barriers.
This document was obviously written during a time when patriotism and nationalism
was lost and needed, and a time when people were inspired by the initiative of the authors of
this act. It was during this time when the Philippines and its’ citizens relied on the United
States for guidance, support and welfare. It was written in order to seek aide from the same
brilliant mind that drove the Filipinos of the past to fight for freedom from colonists entails
another need for another meaningful revolution in spite of the absence of invaders; the
country may have needed a slow-paced revolution driven by patriotism against dormancy,
apathy and futility.

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REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425
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
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 meet that in honouring 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
affectivity 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 their publication in the
Official Gazette.
SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on 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 LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL 6

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.
Approved: June 12, 1956
Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 2971 in June 1956.
Think about this again: Why study the life and works of Rizal? It is apparent that during
Rizal’s time, the Filipino identity is already diminishing—this was the rationale behind the enactment
of the Rizal Law, which seeks to accomplish the following objectives:
1) To rededicate the lives of the youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for which our
heroes lived and died;
2) To play tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works for shaping the
Filipino character;
3) To gain an inspiring source of patriotism thru the study of Rizal’s life, works and
writings.
The late Senator Jose P. Laurel, who sponsored the said law emphasized the need to know and
imbibe the great ideals and principles for which Rizal died. After all, Rizal was the founder of Filipino
nationality and the architect of the Filipino nation. It is by reading and studying Rizal’s life, teachings
and writings that the young generation of the Philippines will be able to gain incorruptible confidence,
direction, courage and determination to move forward in our people’s journey towards an abundant
life.
The teaching of Rizal Course in higher education institutions in our country today is anchored
on the patriotic policy statements of Rizal Law and the patriotic goals set by the then Board on
National Education (Capino et. Al, 1997). These goals are as follows:
1) To recognize the relevance of Rizal’s ideals, thoughts, teaching, and life values to present
conditions in the community;
2) To apply Rizal’s ideas in the solution of day-to-day situations and problems in
contemporary life;
3) To develop an understanding and appreciation of the qualities, behavior and
character of Rizal; and
4) To foster the development of moral character, personal discipline, citizenship and
vocational efficiency among the Filipino youth.
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Thus, the importance of the study of Rizal’s life, works and writings is to instill in ourselves
the idea and ideals of Jose Rizal, and to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of its
relevance so that in the long run, we may be able to apply them in our daily lives and become an
active participant in nation-building.
WORKSHEET 1
I. TRUE or FALSE. Write True if the statement is correct and False if it is not.
1. Bill No. 1425 is an act to include the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal in the in
the curricula of all public and private schools, colleges and universities courses.
2. According to Claro M. Recto and Jose P. Laurel, “Noli Me Tangere and El

Filibusterismo must be read by all Filipinos. They must be taken to heart, for in their pages we see
ourselves as a mirror, our defects as well as our strength, our virtues as well as our vices.
3. The enactment of Rizal Law seeks to rededicate the lives of the youth to the ideals of
freedom and activism, for which our heroes lived and died; to pay his life and works in shaping the
Filipino character; to gain an inspiring source of patriotism.
4. It shall be obligatory on 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.
5. It is by reading and studying Rizal’s life, teachings and writings that the Filipino
youth will be able to gain incorruptible confidence, direction, courage and determination to move
forward in our people’s journey towards an abundant life.
II. ENUMERATION. Provide what is being asked for in each item.
What are the objectives of the Rizal Law? 7.
8.
9.
What are the goals of the Rizal Law? 10.
11.
12.
13.
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WORKSHEET 2
1. Compare and contrast the arguments and views of those in favor of and against
R.A. 1425, considering the context of the 1950s. Write your comparison on the table
below.
Arguments in favor of RA 1425 Arguments against RA 1425
2. Would similar arguments still have force today? Justify your answer in not more than
three (3) sentences.
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WORKSHEET 3
REFLECTION.
Describe the kind of curriculum that your higher education institution offers its students in
your course. Does your school comply with R.A. 1425? Do you think it is effective to include the
Rizal Law in instilling patriotism among students like you? Why do you say so? Provide examples if
you can to justify your claim. Write your reflection below.

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MODULE 2
Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood and Early

Education
Name:
Learning Outcome:
 Analyze the family, childhood, and early education of Rizal.

 Evaluate the people and events and their influence on Rizal’s early life.
The Rizal family was known to be well-off family in Calamba, Laguna and they were
considered as one of the biggest families in those times. They lived a life of comfort and prosperity,
then considered that his family belonged to the principalia class or the ruling elite of their town. Jose
Rizal came from a 13-member family, consisted of his father Don Francisco Mercado II and his
mother Teodora Alonso Realonda. Jose Rizal had nine sisters and one brother. Saturnina Rizal was the
eldest child among the siblings, followed by Paciano, Narcisa, Olympia, Lucia, Maria, Jose,
Concepcion, Josefa, Trinidad and the youngest was Soledad.
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Rizal came from a mixture of races, his paternal ascendant was Domingo Lamco, a full-
blooded Chinese. He married a wealthy Chinese mestiza, Ines de la Rosa. Domingo Lamco adopted
the surname Mercado, which means “market” in keeping the gubernatorial decree of Narciso Claveria
on the use of Spanish surnames. From the Parian in Manila, the coupled moved to Biñan, Laguna and
became tenants in the Dominican hacienda.
Rizal’s father is one of the 14 children of Juan Mercado, paternal grandfather and his
grandmother was Cirila Alejandrino, a Chinese-Filipino mestiza. Juan Mercado became a
gobernadorcillo of Biñan Laguna. Rizal’s maternal great grandfather was Manuel de Quintos, a
Chinese mestizo from Lingayen, Pangasinan. Manuel married Regina Ursua, with a Japanese ancestry
to whom they bore the grandmother of Rizal, Brigida who married Lorenzo Alberto Alonso.
DON FRANCISCO RIZAL MERCADO (1818-1898)

Rizal’s father was born on May 11, 1818 and was the youngest of his 13 siblings. Mercado
was a well-respected man in their home town of Calamba in which citizens made him the their
"cabeza de barangay" (head of town.) He was of part Chinese descent, having been related to a
Chinese entrepreneur by the name of Domingo Lamco. Mercado die shortly after Rizal in the home of
his daughter, Narcisa Rizal in Binondo, Manila on January 5, 1898.
TEODORA ALONSO (1827-1913)

Doña Teodora Alonso was born on November 14, 1827 in Santa Cruz Manila. Her parents
were Lorenzo Alonso, a municipal captain and Brijida de Quintos, an educated housewife and had
four other siblings. It is said that her great grandfather, Eugenio Ursua was of Japanese ancestry
making her of Japanese descent. When Teodora was 20 years old, she married Francisco Mercado, a
native from Binan, Laguna. Together they prospered in Calamba after involving themselves in
business and agriculture. She was known to be a hardworking, intelligent, business minded woman.
She died in 1913 in Manila.
SATURNINA RIZAL (1850-1913)

Saturnina Mercado Rizal Hidalgo was born in 1818 and was the eldest sister of Jose Rizal.
She had five children together with husband Manuel T. Hidalgo and died the same year as her mother
in 1913.
PACIANO RIZAL (1851-1930)

General Paciano Mercado Rizal aka "Lolo Ciano" was the only brother of Jose Rizal. He was
born in 1851 and studied in Biñan later attending school at the Colegio de San Jose in Manila. After
the execution of his brother, he joined in the Philippine Revolution where he rose up to the ranks of a
General. He later married Severina Decena of Los Banos and had two children of which one died at
an early age. Paciano passed away in 1930.
NARCISA RIZAL (1852-1939)

Narcisa Rizal Lopez was born in 1852 and was the one who found the unmarked grave of her
brother, Jose in the abandoned Old Paco Cemetery. Narcisa married Antonio Lopez who was a
teacher and musician from Morong, Rizal. She died in 1938.
OLYMPIA RIZAL (1855-1887)

Olympia Rizal Ubaldo was born in 1855. She married Silvestre Ubaldo and together they had
three children. She died in 1887 from childbirth when she was only 32 years old.
LUCIA RIZAL (1857-1919)

Lucia Rizal Herbosa was born in 1857. She married Mariano Herbosa and had 5 children
together. In 1889 Mariano died due to an epidemic but was denied a Christian burial.

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This was due to the fact that he was the brother in law of Jose Rizal. This showed the
beginning of the persecution of the Rizal family by Spanish friars. Lucia died in 1919.
MARIA RIZAL (1859-1945)
Maria Cruz Rizal was born in 1855. She married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna and
together they had 5 children. Mauricio Cruz, one of Maria's children became a student of Jose Rizal in
Dapitan and was known to be one of his uncle's favorites. Maria was a known recipient of many od
Jose's letters during his lifetime. Maria died in 1945.
JOSE RIZAL
Jose Protacio Rizal was the second son and the seventh child. He was executed by the
Spaniards on December 30,1896.
CONCEPCION RIZAL (1862-1865)

Concepcion Rizal was born in 1862. Concepcion did not live very long as she died at the age
of 3 in 1865.
JOSEFA RIZAL (1865-1945)

Josefa Rizal was born in 1865. She was unmarried lived together with sister Trinidad until
death. Josefa was said to have suffered from epilepsy. She died in 1945.
TRINIDAD RIZAL (1868-1951)

Trinidad Rizal was born in 1868. She remained unmarried and lived together with her sister
Josefa. Trinidad was the one who received an alcohol lamp from brother Jose, in which he secretly
hid the "Last Farewell" better known as "Mi Ultimo Adios," a poem Rizal wrote on the eve of his
death in 1896. Trinidad died in 1951, outliving all her siblings.
SOLEDAD RIZAL (1870-1929)

Soledad Rizal Quintero was born in 1870 making her the youngest of the Rizal siblings.
She married Pantaleon Quintero and together they had 5 children. Soledad died in 1929.
RIZAL’S CHILDHOOD AND EARLY EDUCATION
Jose Rizal (Jose Protacio Mercado Rizal y Alonso Realonda) was

born on June 19, 1861 at Calamba, Laguna. According to some readings,
his mother nearly died during his delivery because of his big head. Three
days after his birth, Rizal was baptized on June 22 of the said year with the
name Jose Rizal Mercado at the Catholic church of Calamba by the parish
priest Rev. Rufino Collantes. He was the seventh child of Francisco
Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso y Quintos.
During 1865-1867, his mother taught him how to read and write.
At the age of three, Rizal mastered and learned the alphabet taught by his
mother. At a very young age, he has shown great interest in reading. He enjoyed reading books in their
library at home, with his mother who acts as his reading teacher and a critic. At this time, he also
learned how to pray and even read the bible.
When Jose Rizal grew older, his parents acquired private tutors to give him lessons at home in
preparation for his formal education. One of them was Leon Monroy, a classmate of his father who
taught him the rudiments of Latin. At about this time, his mother’s cousin, Uncle Manuel Alberto,
who frequently visited the family in Calamba, was worried about his nephew’s physical development.
He then taught Rizal to develop the skills in swimming, fencing,

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wrestling and other sports, while Uncle Jose taught him to love and admire the beauty of nature. On
the other hand, Uncle Gregorio, a scholar, has instilled in Rizal’s mind the love for education and its
importance, the value of hard work, to think for himself, and to observe his surroundings carefully.
When he was four years old, his sister Concepcion, the eighth child in the Rizal family, died
at the age of three. This was the first time he cried as a young boy. As sad as he was, the parish priest
of Calamba, Father Leoncio Lopez, helped Rizal understand the philosophy of life and learned the
value of scholarship and intellectual honesty.
Rizal, in his childhood, used to take long rides through all the surrounding country by riding
his pony that his father gave him. Among his pets were doves and a dog.
Owing to the continuous teaching of Doña Teodora, Rizal was persuaded to express his
feelings through verses. He was able to write his first poem when he was eight years old. The poem
was entitled “Sa Aking Mga Kababata” (To My Fellow Children), which showed that Rizal, even at a
young age, already had love for his country. Here, he similarly incorporates the love for the native
language with God’s gift of freedom. He compared his native language or Tagalog to Latin, English
and Spanish. Tagalog, like any other languages, had its own alphabet and system writing, which
according to Rizal, disappeared because they were neglected or ignored. With this, he encourages his
fellow children to love their native tongue.
Then, after Rizal’s tutor Leon Monroy died, his parents decided to transfer Rizal to a private
school in Biñan, Laguna. He was accompanied by his older brother Paciano, who acted as his second
father during his school days in Biñan. The school was then supervised by Maestro Justiniano Aquino
Cruz.
Rizal’s first day of class in the school was not easy. The maestro asked him if he knows how
to speak Latin or Spanish, but in response, he only knew a little of the languages. As a result, one of
his classmates named Pedro, the son of the maestro, laughed at him. Pedro was always bullying him
that eventually resulted to a brawl. But knowing Rizal’s acquired knowledge and skill in the art of
wrestling from his Tio Manuel, he defeated Pedro. After the said incident, Rizal became popular in his
class. Here, Rizal was able to show his intellectual superiority.
He excelled in his class in Latin, Spanish and other subjects in the curriculum for elementary
pupils. Because of this, many of the students became jealous to him and do everything to destroy
Rizal’s name to Maestro Cruz. While Rizal’s interest in painting was nurtured early on by an old
painter named Juancho of Biñan. During this time, knowledge was taught in the minds of the students
by doing tedious memorization method. Despite some lack of the elementary education in Spanish
system, Rizal was able to have the needed instruction preparatory for college work in Manila.

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Unang Tula ni Rizal. Sa edad 8, isunulat ni Rizal ang una niyang tula ng isinulat sa
katutubong wika at pinamagatang "SA AKING MGA KABATA".
SA AKING MGA KABATA

TO MY FELLOW CHILDREN
Kapagka ang baya'y sadyáng Whenever people of a country truly love
umiibig' Sa kanyáng salitáng kaloob The language, which by heaven they were taught
ng langit, Sanlang kalayaan nasa ring to use
masapit Katulad ng ibong nasa That country also surely liberty pursue
himpapawid. As does the bird which soars to freer space above.
For language is the final judge and referee

Pagka't ang salita'y isang kahatulan Upon the people in the land where it holds sway;
Sa bayan, sa nayo't mga kaharián, In truth our human race resembles this way
At ang isáng tao'y katulad, kabagay The other living beings born in liberty.
Ng alin mang likha noong kalayaán.
Whoever knows not how to love his native tongue
Is worse than any beast or evil smelling fish.
Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang To make our language richer ought to be our wish
salitâ Mahigit sa hayop at malansáng The same as any mother loves to feed her young.
isdâ, Kayâ ang marapat pagyamaning
kusà Na tulad sa ináng tunay na Tagalog and the Latin language are the same
nagpalà. And English and Castilian and the angel’s tongue;
And God, whose watchful care o’er all is flung,
Has given us His blessing in the speech we claim.
Ang wikang Tagalog tulad din sa Latin
Sa Inglés, Kastilà at salitang anghel, Our mother tongue, like all the highest that we
Sapagka't ang Poong maalam tumingín know
Ang siyang naggawad, nagbigay sa Had alphabet and letters of its very own;
atin. But these were lost – by furious waves were
overthrown
Like bancas in the stormy sea, long years ago.
Ang salita nati'y huwad din sa iba
Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Na kaya nawalá'y dinatnan ng
sigwâ
Ang lunday sa lawà noóng dakong una.
WORKSHEET 1
REFLECTION.
Give some examples of virtues that were exhibited in the life of Rizal based on his
relationship with his family, his childhood and early education. How do you think you can use
these virtues in your everyday life? Provide specific situations to explain your answer.
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WORKSHEET 2
SHORT ESSAY. Read and analyze each question. Answer each item briefly
but concisely.
1. Of all the members of Jose Rizal’s family, who do you think had been the most
influential to his life? Explain your answer by citing a specific situation.
2. How was the value of good education manifested in the life of Rizal?
3. What can you say about Rizal’s relationship with his parents and siblings?
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WORKSHEET 3
ESSAY.
Write a short biographical essay that compares your early childhood with
that of Rizal’s.
How different (or similar) was your experience from Rizal?
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MODULE 3
Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life

Abroad
Name:
Learning Outcome:
 Explain the principle of assimilation advocated by the Propaganda Movement.

 Appraise Rizal’s relationship with other Propagandists.
 Analyze Rizal’s growth as a Propagandist and disavowal of assimilation.
Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life Abroad
Ateneo was known to be the most prestigious college

for boys because of its great teachings. From 1872- 1877, under
the supervision of the Jesuit priests Rizal studied in Ateneo de
Manila. Rizal went to Ateneo Municipal, formerly known as
Escuela Pia. In search for Rizal’s formal knowledge as a high
school student, his father wanted to send Rizal to Letran but
decided to have him enrolled at the latter instead.
AT ATENEO DE MANILA
Rizal took first the entrance examination at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran on June 10,
1872. His brother, Paciano, accompanied him when he took the exam. The exams for incoming
freshmen in the different colleges for boys were administered or held at the Colegio de San Juan de
Letran since the Dominicans exer-cised the power of inspection and regulation over Ateneo that
time. After passing the exam, Rizal was admitted at the Ateneo Municipal.
Although Rizal qualified in the entrance examination, Father Magin Ferrand, who was then
the College Registrar, refused Rizal’s admission in the institution for two reasons: first, Rizal was a
late registrant and second, he was very pale, thin and undersized for an 11-year old. But, with the help
of Manuel Burgos he was accepted in the institution. Jose was not able to use Mercado as his surname
when he enrolled at Ateneo.
He was registered as Jose Rizal because his real surname had ring a bell to the ears of the
authorities — this was because of Paciano’s relation with one of the leaders of the
19
secularization movement, Father Burgos. At that time, Ateneo was offering a six-year program that
gives students the academic title of Bachiller en Artes. This program exposed students to five
subjects: Christian doctrine; Languages of Spanish, Latin, Greek and French; History and Geography
(World History and Geography and History of Spain and the Philippines; Mathematics and Sciences
(geometry, trigonometry, mineralogy, chemistry, physics, botany and zoology); and the Classic
disciplines (poetry, rhetoric, and philosophy).
Ateneo, as a prestigious school, offered the best secondary education for boys that enhances
the character of their students through strict religious instruction and discipline. Before the classes
start, the students must first hear masses and end with prayers.
To encourage the spirit of competition among students in academics, with the help of Atenean
teachers, the school proposed a program of dividing the class into two competing groups (empires):
The Roman Empire composed of boarding students at Ateneo and the Carthaginian Empire composed
of non-boarding students. Both groups have ranks and classifications and they competed through
question and answers. When banners are raised, it means victory for the group; there is defeat if
banners are lowered.
Rizal’s first professor was Father Jose Bech. At first, Rizal was left behind among his
classmates but he knew the severity of his studies, so he organized and seriously observed himself a
timetable to manage his studies. He excelled as the emperor in his class, a title given to the most
intelligent in the class. The method of instruction used at Ateneo was the ration studiorum, a system
of indoctrination under tight and constant discipline but with reward.
It applies memorization and understanding of the concepts taught in class. At that time, the
Atenean education had one goal: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (or For the Greater Glory of God). A
student’s life was centered on the chapel, considered as the highest level of extra- curricular activity.
Rizal was able to pass his oral examination on March 14,1877.
He finished with the degree, Bachiller en Artes, with the highest academic honors. Looking at
Rizal’s scholastic records, it is evident that he excelled in his academic studies during the entire time
that he was studying at Ateneo. Racial pride, monastic discipline and seclusion of boarding school life
were the factors that gave Rizal the motivation to outshine his classmates.
Note that in doing so, he wanted to prove to his Spanish classmates that a Filipino student can
compete and beat them academically. The competition inside the classroom was an opportunity to
outdo his classmates in the daily activities designed to test the student’s memory and understanding of
their lessons in the different curriculum. For Rizal, being in a boarding school was effective as it gave
him more time to focus on his studies.
Aside from academics, Rizal was also active in extra-curricular activities. He became a
member of Marian Congregation and an officer in the religious confraternities at Ateneo. This
position is only offered to students who consistently possessed the highest degree of scholarship and
leadership. There, he was mentored by Father Pablo Pastells, S.J. He was also a member of two
academic societies: Academy of Spanish Literature and the Academy of Natural Sciences, both were
considered elite organizations for students who excelled in literature and the sciences.
STA. ISABEL COLLEGE
Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College to be

proficient in Spanish and develop his skills in poetry
writing more. But before he took up lessons, he was
guided by Father Francisco Paula de Sanchez in
developing his skills in poetry. Through his poetry he
was able to finish poems about religion, education, and
childhood experiences. It also gave him the
opportunity to develop more

20
mature emotions, patriotic sentiments and exquisite sensitivity.
Rizal did not waste any time to learn new things during his time. On his vacant time, Rizal took
painting lessons from Agustin Saez and sculpture lessons from Teodoro Romualdo de Jesus to
enhance his interest in arts. As a result, he was able to sculpt the image of the Virgin Mary and the
Sacred Heart of Jesus. Father Jose Villaclara, S.J. encouraged him to pay attention also to the sciences
and philosophy.
LITERATURE FOR RIZAL
The first poem that Rizal wrote as a student was entitled Mi Primera Inspiracion (My First
Inspiration). This poem was dedicated to his mother during her birthday, but according to some, this
was a work of his cousin.
My First Inspiration
Why do the scented flowers in fragrant fray

Rival each other’s flower this festive day?
Why is the sweet melody bruited in the sylvan dale,

Harmony sweet and fluted like the nightingale?
Why do the birds sing so in the tender grass,

Flitting from bough to bough with winds that pass?
And why does the crystal spring run among the flowers
While lullaby zephyrs sing like its crystal showers?
I see the dawn in the East with the beauty endowed

Why goes she to a feast in a carmine cloud?
Sweet mother, they celebrate your natal day

The rose with her scent innate, the bird with his lay.
The murmurous spring this day without alloy.

Murmuring bids you always to live in joy.
While the crystalline murmurs glisten, hear you the accents strong
Struck from my lyre, listen! To my love’s first song.
When he was a student at Ateneo, he wrote another poem entitled Un Recuerdo de Mi Pueblo
(In Memory of My Town). Written in 1876, this poem was his way of giving tribute to his hometown,
Calamba. The content of the poem shows how Rizal appreciates the beauty of his place, which made
him love nature and to strengthen his faith and beliefs in God.
In Memory of My Town
When I recall the days, that my boyhood saw

By the green banks of a murmuring lagoon;
When I recall the murmur of the wind
That sweetly amused by brow with delicious freshness;

21
I recall, sadly recall your countenance, infancy precious
That a loving mother Oh! Succeeded in embellishing
I recall a simple town, my contentment, happiness and cradle, by the fresh lagoon, seat my love.
The Creator I saw in the grandeur of your secular forests;

Sorrows on your bosom, never did I come to know;
While at your blue sky I gazed, neither love nor tenderness
Did I lack, for in Nature my pleasure depended.
Tender childhood, beautiful town, rich fountain of happiness

Of harmonious melodies that banish sorrows!
Return to my heart, return my gentle hours
Return as the birds return when flowers are in bloom!
But alas! Adieu! Eternally keep vigil over your peace, joy and
Repose, Genie of goodness who kindly his gifts presents with love;
For you my fervent wishes, for you my constant yearning
To learn and to heaven I pray that you your candor keep!
Salin sa Filipino
Isang Alaala Ng Aking Bayan
Nagugunita ko ang nagdaang araw ng kamusmusang kong kay sayang pumanaw
sa gilid ng isang baybaying luntian ng rumaragasang agos ng dagatan;
Kung alalahanin ang damping marahan halik sa noo ko ng hanging magaslaw
ito'y naglalagos sa 'king katauhan lalong sumisigla't nagbabagong buhay
Kung aking masdan ang liryong busilak animo'y nagduruyan sa hanging marahas
habang sa buhangin dito'y nakalatag ang lubhang maalon, mapusok na dagat
Kung aking samyuin sa mga bulaklak kabanguhan nito ay ikinakalat
ang bukang liwayway na nanganganinag masayang bumabati, may ngiti sa lahat.
Naalaala kong may kasamang lumbay ang kamusmusan ko nang nagdaang araw
Kasama-sama ko'y inang mapagmahal siyang nagpapaganda sa aba kong buhay.
Naalaala kong lubhang mapanglaw bayan kong Kalambang aking sinilangan
sa dalampasigan ng dagat-dagatan sadlakan ng aking saya't kaaliwan
Di miminsang tumikim ng galak sa tabing-ilog mong lubhang mapanatag

Mababakas pa rin yaong mga yapak na nag-uunahan sa 'yong mga gubat
sa iyong kapilya'y sa ganda ay salat ang mga dasal ko'y laging nag-aalab
habang ako nama'y maligayang ganap bisa ng hanging mo ay walang katulad.
Ang kagubatan mong kahanga-hanga Nababanaag ko'y Kamay ng Lumikha

sa iyong himlayan ay wala nang luha wala nang daranas ni munting balisa
ang bughaw mong langit na tinitingala dala ang pag-ibig sa puso at diwa
buong kalikasa'y titik na mistula aking nasisinag pangarap kong tuwa.
Ang kamusmusan ko sa bayan kong giliw dito'y masagana ang saya ko't aliw
ng naggagandahang tugtog at awitin siyang nagtataboy ng luha't hilahil
Hayo na, bumalik ka't muli mong dalawin ang katauhan ko'y dagling pagsamahin
tulad ng pagbalik ng ibon sa hardin sa pananagana ng bukong nagbitin.

22
Paalam sa iyo, ako'y magpupuyat ako'y magbabantay, walang paghuhumpay
ang kabutihan mo na sa aking pangarap Nawa'y daluyan ka ng biyaya't lingap
ng dakilang Diwa ng maamong palad; tanging ikaw lamang panatang maalab
pagdarasal kita sa lahat ng oras na ikaw ay laging manatiling tapat.
The exposure of Rizal into the Atenean system of education became his way to write more
poems on religion and education. Among the notable poems were: Al Niño Jesus (To the Child Jesus)
as Rizal’s expression of his devotion to Catholicism; La Alianza Intima Entre Religion y La Buena
Educacion (The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Good Education); and Por La Educacion
Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through Education The Country Receives Light) that shows Rizal’s various
ideas on education. From this, Rizal likened education to a lighthouse — that it can guide people in
their behaviors and actions. Rizal even quoted the good effects that a country and its people can learn
from an excellent and wise education. He believes that through education, the country could bear a
group of educated youth who can guide them towards progress.
AT UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
After completion of Bachiller en Artes at

Ateneo, Rizal was admitted to higher studies at a
university. Doña Teodora was against Rizal’s
decision to pursue a higher education because of
her fear of what might happen to her son due to
the martyrdom of Gomburza. However, Don
Francisco sent Rizal to UST, the Dominican
University of the
Philippines. At the beginning, Rizal was not sure of what course to take after graduation. His former
mentors in Ateneo suggested priesthood or farming, but Rizal considered taking up literature, law or
medicine. Paciano, his brother discouraged him to take law, saying that Rizal will not be able to practice
it later on because of the political conditions in the country that time.
Rizal was 16 years old when he began his freshman year at UST. He enrolled under the
Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, Major in Philosophy. This was the course that his father wanted
him to pursue, but then it turned out that he took up courses in Cosmology, Metaphysics, Theodicy
and History of Philosophy.
He also took up surveying course at Ateneo. Once again, he excelled in the said course while
underage. But because of this, he could not practice the surveyor’s profession yet. Instead, Rizal was
presented the title on November 25, 1881 for his excellency. After his first year, Rizal changed his
course from Philosophy and Letters to Medicine. Rizal believed that he should finish medicine so that
he could cure his sick mother who had an eyesight failure.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AT UST
Rizal’s performance in UST was not as good as his accomplishment in Ateneo, where he
excelled in all his subjects. On the contrary, some of Rizal’s grades in UST were still excellent but he
had lower grades in other subjects. This might have been because Rizal was not actually happy while
in UST. Three contributing factors explain this: The attitude of Dominican professors towards Rizal;
there was racial discrimination against Filipino students; and he was disgusted at the primitive method
used in UST.

23
It was manifested in Rizal’s scholastic records that he was not into a medical course. Most of
his grades in his medical subjects were generally average, his real vocation was really in the arts.
Rizal’s not-so-good performance can also be attributed to a number of distractions he experienced as a
youth in Manila, specifically his interest in women when he was a UST student.
The first woman he was into was Segundina Katigbak of Batangas, whom he frequently
visited in her boarding house. But when Rizal learned that she was getting married, he turned his eyes
on other women. At that time, he was courting both Leonor (Orang) Valenzuela and Leonor Rivera.
Upon learning that Orang was already engaged with another man, Rizal focused on courting Leonor
Rivera, his first cousin.
From these, we could tell that Rizal became very busy with other things, a reason why he had
less time for studies. He also joined gang fights, attended parties and even did cutting classes.
LIBERALISM AND LITERARY WORKS AS A UNIVERSITY STUDENT
Liberal ideas were significantly introduced in Manila owing to the culmination of the Spanish
Civil Wars, opening of Suez Canal and the availability of the Philippines to world trade. Filipino
students were heavily influenced by the entry of these ideas and were exposed to the significant
revolutions of 19th century in the country such as: revolution against monasticism; human reason
against the comforting certitudes of the catechism; and race and nation against inequality and
subjection.
To support the production of literary works in Manila, the Liceo Artistico Literario de Manila,
an organization of art lovers in the city, initiated regular competitions in literary writing. Rizal joined
the contests to prove that the Filipinos can be equal and even surpass the Spaniards in literary
prowess. Sponsored by the association in 1879 and 1880, his works, A La Juventud Filipina (To The
Filipino Youth) and El Consejo de los Dioses (The Council of the Gods) were recognized as the best
entry in the competition.
A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA
This literary work is considered as one of the best work of Rizal. The English translation of
this poem is seen on the next page, which Rizal wrote when he was 18.
Rizal expressed that he wanted to contribute to Spanish-Philippine society, but instead of
being famous to have the prize for excellence in the arts, it was rejected.
To The Filipino Youth

Theme: “Grow, O Timid Flower”
Lift up your radiant brow,

This day, Youth of my native strand!
Your abounding talents show
Resplendently and grand,
Fair hope of my motherland!
Soar high, oh genius great,

And with noble thoughts fill their mind;
The honor’s glorious seat,
May their virgin mind fly and find

24
More rapidly than the wind.
Descend with the pleasing light

Of the arts and sciences to the
plain,
Oh Youth, and break forthright
The links of the heavy chain
That your poetic genius enchain.
See that in the ardent zone,

The Spaniard, where shadow stand,
Doth offer a shining crown,
With wise and merciful hand
To the son of this Indian
land.
You who heavenward rise

On wings of your rich fantasy
Seek in the Olympian skies
The tenderest poesy,
More sweet than divine honey;
You of heavenly harmony,

On a calm unperturbed
night, Philomel’s match in
melody, That in varied
symphony
Dissipate man’s sorrow’s blight;
You, at the impulse of your mind

The hard rock animate
And your mind with the great pow’r consigned
Transforms into immortal state
The pure mem’ry of genius great;
And you, who with magic brush

On canvas plain capture
The varied charm of
Phoebus, Loved by the divine
Apelles And the mantle of
Nature;
Run! For genius’ sacred flame

Awaits the artist’s crowning
Spreading far and wide the fame
Throughout the sphere proclaiming
With trumpet the mortal’s name.
Oh, joyful, joyful day,

For you fair Philippines!
The Almighty blessed be
Who, with loving eagerness
Sends you luck and happiness.

25
Salin sa Filipino
SA KABATAANG PILIPINO
Itaas ang iyong noong aliwalas,

Mutyang Kabataan, sa iyong paglakad;
Ang bigay ng Diyos sa tanging
liwanag Ay pagitawin mo, Pag-asa ng
Bukas.
Ikaw ay bumaba, O katalinuhan,

Mga puso namin ay nangaghihintay;
Magsahangin ka nga't ang aming
isipa'y Ilipad mo roon sa kaitaasan.
Taglayin mo lahat ang kagiliw-giliw

Na ang silahis ng dunong at sining;
Kilos, Kabataan, at iyong lagutin,
Ang gapos ng iyong diwa at damdamin.
Masdan mo ang putong na nakasisilaw,

Sa gitna ng dilim ay dakilang alay,
Ang putong na yaon ay dakilang
alay, Sa nalulugaming iyong Inang
Bayan.
O, ikaw na iyang may pakpak ng nais

At handang lumipad sa rurok ng langit,
Upang kamtan yaong matamis na himig,
Doon sa Olimpo'y yamang nagsisikip.
Ikaw na ang tinig ay lubhang mairog,

Awit ni Pilomel na sa dusa'y gamot
Lunas na mabisa sa dusa't himutok
Ng kaluluwang luksa't alipin ng lungkot.
Ikaw na ang diwa'y nagbibigay-buhay,

Sa marmol na batong tigas ay sukdulan,
At ang alaalang wagas at dalisay
Sa iyo'y nagiging walang-kamatayan.
At ikaw, O Diwang mahal kay Apeles,

Sinuyo sa wika ni Pebong marikit,

26
O sa isang putol na lonang makitid
Nagsalin ng kulay at ganda ng
langit.
Hayo na ngayon dito papag-alabin mo,

Ang apoy ng iyong isip at talino,
Ang magandang ngala'y ihasik sa mundo,
At ipagbansagan ang dangal ng tao.
O dakilang araw ng tuwa at galak,

Magdiwang na ngayon, sintang
Pilipinas! Magpuri sa Bayang sa iyo'y
lumingap, Umakay sa iyo sa magandang
palad.
This poem won the grand prize in the contest wherein Rizal received a silver quill for sharing
his talent in poetry. A La Juventud Filipina was considered a great work in Philippine literature for the
following reasons: one, the Spanish authorities noticed that it was the first best poem in Spanish
written by a Filipino; and two, it showed that the Filipinos were the fair hope of the motherland — a
nationalistic concept that portrayed Rizal’s love for the country. In his piece, he clearly mentioned
that Philippines is his motherland, Mi Patria.
However, the Spanish authorities did not see the political involvement of the poem. In the
poem Spain was considered to be the Patria but, contrary to what was written, Rizal used the term to
mean the Philippines. Rizal, for that reason was the first Filipino to call the country his motherland.
He also pointed out in his poem the role of the youth in nation-building. In the poem, he stated that
the youth is, “THE FAIR HOPE OF THE MOTHERLAND” (La Bella Esperanza de la Patria Mia).
He challenges the youth of his day to practice three things: to enhance their talents in the arts; to
develop their knowledge of the sciences; and to not be afraid of the future and remove the chain of
bondage.
EL CONSEJO DE LOS DIOS

This is one of Rizal’s entry in the literary contest of 1880. The poem was announced as the
best entry in the competition that year. However, the jury knew that its author was a Filipino so they
decided to confer the grand prize to a Spaniard. Even though Rizal did not receive the best award, he
had proven that Filipinos can compete with other races in a fair play irrespective of the superiority of
the Spaniards.
JUNTO AL PASIG
At the request of the Jesuits, Rizal wrote a one-act play and was staged at Ateneo in
celebration of the Feast Day of Immaculate Conception on December 8. The play was essentially
considered as continuation of Rizal’s appeal to the Filipino youth to rebuke foreign individuals for
causing them misery.
A FILIPINAS
In February 1880, Rizal wrote a sonnet dedicated to the Philippines that aimed at encouraging
Filipino artists to thank the country through their art works. This is the most passionate poem about
the Philippines written by Rizal.

27
To the Philippines
Warm and beautiful like a houri from heaven,

Gracious and pure like the rising dawn
When it colors the sapphire clouds,
There sleeps a goddess of the Indian soil.
The light foam of the sonorous sea

Kisses her feet with a lover’s desire;
The civilized West adores her smile,
And the white Pole her flowered veil.
My muse, stuttering with tenderness,

Sings to her among the naiads and undines;
I offer her my happiness and fortune.
With green myrtle and purple roses

And Madonna lilies crown her pure brow,
O artists and sing the praises of the Philippines!
It can be deducted from Rizal’s work that he is grateful to God for all his experiences of the
scenery of his country. His love for natural beauty had always been appreciated since he was a child,
but the depiction of the lake, sky, mountains and fields in “A Filipinas”, the country to which he was
personally connected, was something new.
ACTIVISM AT UST
Rizal stood as a leader in student activism when he was studying philosophy and medicine in
UST. The Spanish and mestizo students called the Filipinos indio or chongo. In return, Rizal and his
peers retaliated by calling them Kastila or bangus. As a result, student fights in the university campus
and even in the streets of Manila became common. Rizal, being the front-runner, was recognized for
winning the brawls because of his determination and skills in fencing and wrestling. In fact, there was
also a time that Rizal was wounded due to a fight with the Spanish students of Escolta, Manila.
Rizal then created a secret group of Filipino students called “Compañerismo.” The members
were called Companions of Jehu, the patriot general of the Jews. Rizal automatically became the
president of this secret society and Galiciano Apacible was the secretary. Rizal’s activism was also
expressed in his disapproval of the faulty and outmoded system of education in the university during
his time.
He condemned the humiliation of brown Filipino students, who were most of the time
insulted by their Dominican mentors. He also criticized the archaic method of instruction at UST. He
ridiculously described the teaching of Physics devoid of laboratory experiments. Students were not
allowed to touch the laboratory apparatus and equipment that is why they were always kept inside the
display cabinets. Besides, favoritism and skin color were bases for getting the good grades and not the
actual intellectual capacity of the students.
EXPERIENCING SPANISH BRUTALITY

Rizal first experienced Spanish brutality during his first summer vacation at Calamba after his
freshman year in UST. While walking past the streets, he did not notice the man passing by because
of the darkness of the night. This man happened to be a lieutenant of the Guardia Civil. But since
Rizal did not pay respect to the lieutenant by saluting or greeting him,

28
the lieutenant whipped him with his sword and slashed it at Rizal’s back causing him to be wounded.
Of course, everybody was expected to bow down for the Guardia Civil during that time.
Consequently, Rizal wrote a complaint letter to Governor-General Primo de Rivera but the response,
as foreseen, was nothing as good, considering that he was an indio. The incident left Rizal a bad
impression of the unfair and unjust acts of the Spaniards towards the Filipinos.
RIZAL’S LIFE ABROAD

Barcelona
Rizal did not continue his studies in the
Philippines, instead, he went to Europe to widen his
learning and to acquire knowledge about a cure for
his mother’s worsening eye condition. He left
Calamba on May 1, 1882 and was able to reach
Manila in ten hours. He left Manila on May 3, 1882,
with his brother Paciano and Uncle Antonio
Rivera’s blessing. He decided to go abroad after
completing his fourth year in the medical course.
But he did not seek his parents’ permission because
clearly, they will not approve of Rizal’s plan.
Bringing with him his disappointments during his
days as a student, he left the Philippines for Europe.
Initially, he was going to finish his medical course

in Barcelona, Spain. Then again, he wanted to make
a name for himself in the field of
journalism, to observe and study the European society and to prepare himself from being freed from
the tyrants of Spain. This was seen in Paciano’s letter to Rizal dated May 26,1882 and reads:
“When the telegram advising us of your departure was received in Kalamba, our
parents were naturally grief-stricken, especially the old man who would not speak a word and
took to his bed, crying to himself at night, all advice from the family, the parish priest and
others not doing any good at all.
He made me go down to Manila to find out his satisfaction how you had managed to
make a trip. When I returned, I told them that some friends of yours in Manila had shouldered
the expenses, hoping to reassure them. For all that, I could see that he was still depressed and,
seeing this and fearing, for another thing, that his continued brooding might make him ill, I told
him everything, but only to him, pleading with him to keep it to himself, which he promised.
Only since then have I seen him somewhat cheerful and back to his usual self.
This is what happened in the family. As far as our friends, our acquaintances, and
strangers are concerned, you will finish your medical course in Barcelona, not in Madrid; to my
way of thinking, the main purpose of your going is not to improve yourself in the profession but
in other more useful things or what comes to the same thing, that to which you have greater
inclination. That is why I believe you should follow it in Madrid, the center of all the provinces,
for, while it is true that in Barcelona there is more activity and even less to do business and as
afar as a good education is concern, if it should not be available in Madrid, the application of
the student can supply it. It should be more convenient for you to be there together with our
countrymen who can show you around until you can get the hang of things.

29
Paciano did everything to make sure that Rizal can leave the country secretly to avoid
detection by Spanish authorities, especially by the friars. He was the one who secured Rizal’s passport
using the name Jose Mercado and through the endorsements from Pedro Paterno. From Manila, he
boarded the steamer Salvadora and sailed to Singapore. Rizal stayed there for two days and visited the
botanical garden, art galleries, parks and some historical places. After Singapore, he boarded the ship
Djemnah that passed through Colombo in Sr Lanka, Aden in Yemen, and the entire Suez Canal until it
landed at Port Said. The ship reached the Naples in Italy on June 11,1882.
From there, the steamer stopped at the harbor of Marseilles, and then he rode a train going to
Barcelona, Spain. He arrived at the city on June 16,1882. Upon his coming, Rizal noticed that the
community practices freedom and liberalism. But in the end, he adored the hospitality, open-
heartedness and courage shown by the people.
To welcome Rizal, his fellow Filipinos (most of them were his former schoolmates at Ateneo
Municipal), gave him a celebration at Plaza de Cataluna. He roamed around the city and visited the
historical spots. Not forgetting his family, he made sure that he wrote them, his relatives and friends a
letter. This trip aimed to satisfy one of Rizal’s mission: to make a name for himself by sharing his
writings and to express his love for his country.
At the age of 21, the first piece he made was the essay entitled, El Amor Patrio or Love of
Country. While writing this, he used the screen name Laong Laan. It was published in the Diariong
Tagalog in Manila on August 20, 1882.
Love of Country
It has been said that love has always been the most powerful force behind the most
sublime actions. Well then, of all loves, that of country is the greatest, the most heroic and
the most disinterested. Read history, if not, the annals, the traditions. Go to the homes, what
sacrifices, self-denial, and ears are held on the sacred altar of the nation! From Brutus, who
condemned his sons charged with treason, to Guzman the Good who allowed his son to die
in order not to fail his duty, what dramas, what tragedies, what martyrdom have not been
enacted for the welfare of that inexorable divinity who has not nothing to give you in return
for your children but gratitude and blessings! And notwithstanding, with the pieces of their
hearts they raise glorious monuments to their motherland; with the work of their hands,
with the sweat of their brow, they have sprinkled and made fruitful her sacred tree, and
neither have they expected nor received any reward……….
The motherland is in danger! Soldiers and leaders as if by charm, spring from the
ground. The father leaves his children, the sons leave their parents and all rush to defend
their common mother. They bid farewell to the quiet pleasures of the home and hide under
the helmets the tears that tenderness draws. They all leave and die…….
Some have sacrificed for her their youth, their pleasures; others have dedicated to
her the splendors of their genius; others shed their blood; all have died, bequeathing to
their motherland an immense fortune: LIBERTY and GLORY………
Fair and grand is the Motherland when her children at the cry of the battle, get
ready to defend the ancient land of their ancestors; cruel and arrogant when she sees from her
throne the terrified foreigner flee before the invincible phalanx of her sons. But when her sons,
divided into rival factions, destroy one another; when anger and rancor devastate the fields,
towns, and cities; then ashamed, she tears away her robe and hurling her scepter, she puts
on mourning clothes for her dead sons.
Whatever our conditions might be then, let us love her always and let us wish
nothing but her welfare. Then we shall labor in conformity with the purpose of humanity
dictated by God, which is the harmony and universal peace of his creatures. You have lost the
ideal of your souls, you, who with wounded hearts have seen your illusions disappear one by
one and like

30
the trees in autumn you find yourselves without flowers and without leaves, and desirous of
loving, find no one worthy of you, there you have the Motherland: Love her.
You have lost a father, mother, brother, wife, child, in short, love, upon which you have
founded your dreams, and you find in yourselves a deep and horrible void. There you have the
Motherland: Love her.
Love her! Oh, yes! But not as they loved in other times by performing ferocious acts, denied
and condemned by true morals and mother nature; by making a display a fanaticism,
destruction and cruelty, no. A more promising dawn appears in the horizon – a soft and gentle
light, the messenger of life and peace – the dawn, in short, of true Christianity, the prelude
to happy and peaceful days.
It is our duty to follow the arid but peaceful and productive paths of science, which
lead to progress, and thence to the unity desired and asked by Jesus Christ on the night of
his sorrow.
Jose Rizal
Barcelona, June 1882
Love of Country was considered to portray the purest, most noble and courageous human
sentiment. It reminds us of the love, affection and gratitude to the Philippines. Other forms of
sacrifices can be read in the article such as the fathers who gave up their children for the sake of the
country. After writing the El Amor Patrio, Rizal suspended writing articles about the country because
of his mother’s opposition. Apart from this, he also had a difficulty in putting his name to fame and
wanted to finish his studies first.
MADRID
On September 1882, Rizal moved to the capital city of Spain to continue his studies. Rizal
enrolled at the Universidad Central de Madrid on November 3, 1882 he took up Philosophy and
Letters in Medicine. While studying in the university, he also enrolled at the Academy of San Carlos
taking up painting and sculpture, and languages in French, German and English. He also took up
shooting and fencing at the Hall of Sanz and Carbonell. He also showed great interest in
taking the examination in Roman law.
Rizal passed the medical examination which he
took from June 5 to 26. He was given the degree of
Licentiate in Medicine for this and continued his
doctorate degree in medicine. However, he was not able
to accomplish the diploma because he failed to present
the thesis required for graduation. He was allowed to
practice medicine but cannot teach medicine. Rizal was
saddened by this decision and thought that the education
system in Madrid had no difference with that in Manila.
He then finished his course in Philosophy and Letters and
gained the degree Licenciado en Filosofia y Letras.
During this
time, Rizal was halfway done with his novel, the Noli Me Tangere.
CIRCULO HISPANO FILIPINO

Circulo Hispano Filipino was a social organization meant to create reforms for the
Philippines. The members were mostly Filipino elderlies, who were exiles of 1872. It was led by Juan
Atayde, a retired army officer and a Philippine-born Spaniard. They conducted informal programs,
which included poetry reading and debates. Even with a busy schedule, Rizal took the time to join his
fellow Filipinos in Madrid. The group knew that Rizal is a good
31
writer — he was actually requested to comment or write a few verses to the review published by the
group. Rizal was able to do the poem entitled Mi Piden Versos (They Ask Me for Verses).
Rizal, while in Madrid, sent a letter to Don Francisco about joining the Circulo Hispano. But
later on, he told him that the society was disbanded because of: 1) the differences among its members
who were young student expatriates and retired colonials, and 2) due to their age difference. It was
difficult for Rizal during his stay in Madrid. There were delays in his monthly allowance coming from
the Philippines, considering the financial status of Rizal’s family caused by crop failures brought by
drought and locusts, and the increase in rentals of the Dominican hacienda lands in his hometown.
Truth be told, there were times when Rizal attended his classes on an empty stomach.
Influenced by Miguel Morayta, a history professor at the Universidad de Madrid, Rizal
became a member of freemasonry with “Dimasalang” as its masonic name. It is an organization
outlawed by the Catholic Church because its beliefs are contrary to the doctrines of the church. It is
said that the mason’s view of life is that, knowledge should be achieved by the light of reason and
universal brotherhood of men. He became a Master Mason in Lodge Solidaridad on November
15,1890. Hence, Rizal was immediately removed from the Catholic church.
Rizal’s love interest in Madrid was Consuelo, Don Pabolo’s daughter. Because of her good
traits and beautiful smile he got attracted and fell for her but he held back his feelings for Consuelo
knowing that he was engaged with Leonor Rivera in the Philippines. Aside from this, Rizal did not
want to ruin his friendship with Eduardo de Lete, who is the latter’s love interest. Before leaving
Madrid in 1883, Rizal composed a poem that expressed his admiration to Consuelo, entitled A La
Senorita C.O. y R.
On June 25, 1884, in honor of Juan Luna and Felix Hidalgo Rizal made a speech, the Brindis
which gave him praises from the public audience because for the first time, they heard a Filipino
delivering a speech fluently in the Castillan language. He stated that Luna and Hidalgo were the pride
of Filipino people. Luna was awarded the top prize for his painting Spolarium while Hidalgo got the
second place for his painting Virgines Christianas Expuestas al Populacho (Christian Virgins Exposed
to the Population).
Both Filipino painters joined the National Exposition of Fine Arts. In his speech, Rizal said
that intelligence knows no race and the prizes they got were results of both Philippines and Spain. He
also hoped that someday, Spain will accept the changes that the Filipinos have to offer. The speech
was published in the newspaper, El Liberal.
RIZAL’S LIFE IN OTHER COUNTRIES
Paris
Rizal arrived in Paris on November 1885. At that time, he was 24 years old and a full-
pledged surgeon. He decided to migrate to Paris to specialize in Ophthalmology, but prior to doing so,
he went to visit Maximo Viola, a friend from San Miguel, Bulacan. Rizal also worked as an assistant
to Dr. Louis de Weckert’s eye clinic for four months. During his stay, Rizal knew how to conduct the
operation of the eye, its ailments, and the different techniques of eye operation. He spent his past time
with his fellow Filipinos in the city, something that contributed much to learning how to speak French
fluently. His friends were Felix Hidalgo, Juan Luna and Pardo de Tavera. For the duration of his stay
with Juan Luna, Rizal became a model and posed for two historical paintings of Luna: The Blood
Compact (as Sikatuna) and Death of Cleopatra (as a Priest). It was also in Paris that he finished some
part of his Noli.
Germany
Due to high cost of living, Rizal left Paris for Germany on February 1886. He arrived at an
old university town in Heidelberg. He worked as an assistant of Dr. Otto Becker at the University Eye
Hospital. It is where Rizal mastered the techniques of diagnosing eye ailments,

32
which he learned from Dr. Louis de Wecker. But before transferring to the university, Rizal resided in
a German boarding house where he became friends with a number of German law students.
He became a member of the Chess Players’ Club of Heidelberg. He was known among the
students not because he was good at chess but because he also joined them in their drinking sessions.
While in Heidelberg, he used to write letters to his sis-ters Maria and Trinidad in the Philippines,
telling them good things about Germany, the good traits of the German students including the women.
The letter was to show her sisters that they can imitate the virtues of German women. There, he wrote
a poem entitled, A Las Flores de Heidelberg (To the Flowers of Heidelberg) to express his
homesickness for his loved ones.
During the summer, Rizal spent his three-month vacation at Wilhelmsfeld. He stayed with Dr.
Karl Ulmer, a pastor of the vicarage of Wilhelmsfeld, owing to his pleasant traits, his skills in
sketching and his knowledge on different languages. For these reasons, Pastor Ulmer’s wife genuinely
admired Rizal. With the hospitality and friendship that the Ulmer family showed him, Rizal enjoyed
his vacation at Wilhelmsfeld. Rizal had the thought that, unlike the friars in the Philippines, Pastor
Ulmer can get along well with the Catholic priest in the area.
After his vacation at Wilhelmsfeld, on July 31,1886 Rizal started his correspondence with
Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt, the director of Ateneo of Leitmeritz, Austria then. Together with
his letter, Rizal sent him a book entitled Aritmetica by Rufino Baltazar Hernandez.
Blumentritt was amazed by Rizal and their frequent communication started through writing
and sending letters to each other.
On August 14, 1886, after attending the fifth centenary foundation day celebration of the
University of Heidelberg, he arrived in Leipzig. There he met Prof. Friedrich Ratzel, a well- known
German historian and Dr. Hans Meyer, a famous German anthropologist who both wrote a book on
the Philippines. In Leipzig, he was able to translate Schiller’s William Tell into Tagalog. The book
presented how the Swiss achieved their independence in a peaceful manner. For his nephews and
nieces in the Philippines, Rizal also translated the fairy tales that Hans Christian Andersen wrote.
During his two months stay in Leipzig, he worked in a publishing company as a proofreader to sustain
his allowance.
Then on October 29, 1886, Rizal arrived at Dresden. There he met Dr. Adolph Meyer, the
Director of Anthropological and Ethnological Museum of the city, where he saw the collection about
the Philippines. After three days in Dresden, he left for Berlin and rode the train.
Rizal arrived at Berlin on November 1, 1886. He wanted to learn more about ophthalmology,
languages and sciences. He then became a member of the Anthropological Society, the Ethnographic
Society and the Geographic Society because of the recommendation from Dr. Jagor and Dr. Meyer.
Rizal wanted to learn the economic and political conditions of Germany so he also joined the circle of
famous German scientists and scholars. There he aimed to complete and publish the novel, Noli Me
Tangere. In Berlin, he met Dr. Rudolf Virchow and his son Dr. Hans Virchow, two known German
anthropologists; Dr. W. Joest, a famous German geographer; and Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger, a well-
known ophthalmologist. He also presented a paper entitled Tagalische Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical
Art) to the Ethnographic Society of Berlin.
Rizal’s life in Berlin was challenging — in the morning, he worked as an assistant in the
clinic of Dr. Schweigger; in the evening, he attended classes at the University of Berlin. He continued
his physical training and practiced his languages of German, French, and Italian at home. He also took
the time to finish his novel. At times, Rizal cannot sustain his daily needs in Berlin as his brother
Paciano failed to send his monthly allowance because of the crop failures in Calamba. Rizal had to
pawn his diamond ring given to her by his sister Saturnina and sell his books to bookstores to enable
him to eat. Due to his poor nutrition, he got sick with tuberculosis. Without money during his time in
Berlin, he planned to burn the manuscript of his first novel.
In Prague, Viola and Rizal visited several historical places. They were accompanied by Dr.
Welkomm, a history professor at University of Prague through the recommendation of

33
Blumentritt. They visited the tomb of Nicolaus Copernicus, a famous Polish astronomer; the museum
of natural history, the bacteriological laboratories; and the cave where San Juan Nepomuceno was
jailed.
Rizal and Voila arrived at Vienna, the capital city of Austria-Hungary, on May 20, 1887.
They visited art galleries, museums, public parks and recreation centers. The two doctors spent four
days in the city and stayed at Hotel Metropole. They decided to take a small boat that brought them to
the famous Danube River, where they saw the archaic villages on the riversides.
After passing by the Danube River, they ended their trip at Linz. Rizal and Viola left
Austria, went back to Germany and arrived at Munich on May 27,1887. They continued to
Nuremberg, where they saw the torture machines used during the Inquisition against the
enemies of the Catholic Church. After Munich they proceeded to Ulm, known to have the
largest and tallest cathedral in Germany. Both Rizal and Viola tried to climb the cathedral.
From Ulm, they went to Stuttgart, Baden and Rheinfall. At Rheinfall, the most beautiful
waterfall in the continent of Europe can be seen, the Bin Waterfall.
From Rheinfall, Rizal and Viola crossed the Swiss border. They rode a small boat and arrived
at Geneva, the most beautiful city of Switzerland. In Geneva, Rizal received a bad news from his
friends in Madrid about the bad conditions of the primitive Igorots who were exhibited in the
Exposition on the Philippines. Rizal learned that some of the Igorots died and some of their
possessions like their g-strings and crude weapons became the source of bullying and laughter by the
Spaniards and the Spanish press. On June 6,1887, he started communicating with Blumentritt about
what had happened to his fellowmen from Northern Luzon. Rizal, as an advocate of human dignity,
was angered by the incident. After fifteen days in the city, Rizal and Viola parted ways on June 23,
1887. Rizal continued his trip to Italy, while Viola returned to Barcelona. After a week of travel in
Rome, Rizal prepared for his return in the Philippines.
JOSE RIZAL RETURNED TO CALAMBA

Rizal lived five years of his life abroad and away from his loved ones. He left Rome and
rode the train going to Marseilles, France on July 3,1887. He then boarded the Djemnah, the vessel
that ferried him to Saigon, and from Saigon, he transferred to the steamer Haiphong in Vietnam and
reached Manila on August 5,1887. He stayed in Manila for three days and tried to visit and call
Isabelo de los Reyes twice but unfortunately, he was unable to reach him.
Later on, he visited Ateneo wherein the Jesuits attempted to get Rizal back to his old faith.
Rizal was able to talked to Padre Faura, the priest who showed him the Sacred Heart of Jesus that he
carved during his student days. Then, Padre Faura told Rizal all the wrong points that he said in his
novel, Noili Me Tangere. But for Rizal, everything he wrote was the truth.
Upon Rizal’s arrival in Calamba on August 8, 1887, there were rumors spreading that Rizal
was a German spy, a mason and many more. Because of these, Rizal received death threats each day
and his family was worried about the possible consequences of such. So Paciano accompanied him
whenever he goes out— even his father, Don Francisco, had hesitations on allowing Rizal to go out of
their house.
Nevertheless, Rizal kept himself busy while in Calamba. He established a medical clinic and
his first patient was his mother. He cured the sick and soon he was known to be an eye specialist and
surgeon. Rizal successfully removed the cataracts on his mother’s eyes. In the town, Rizal was called
Doctor Uliman, because he was mistaken for a German. On August 30, 1887, Rizal left Calamba and
went to Manila for he was invited to see Governor-General Emilio Terrero as regards his Noli.
The Governor-General asked for a copy of the novel and so Rizal gave him the copy that was
worn out. The former did not see anything wrong with the novel. On the same day, the Archbishop of
Manila recommended that the importation, reproduction, distribution and

34
possession of the book should be stopped. The Governor-General, concerned about the safety and
security of Rizal, assigned Lieutenant Jose Taviel de Andrade to protect him. Terrero requested Jose
Rizal to leave the country, but Rizal refused and stayed at his hometown.
At about the same time, Terrero wanted to have an investigation to solve the Calamba
agrarian problems. The Dominican-owned hacienda in Calamba was one of the properties owned by
the friars that were affected. Rizal led the group of Calamba tenants to represent for the investigation.
Rizal presented the following findings to Terrero for actions (Zulueta 2004):
1. The hacienda of the Dominican Order comprised not only the lands around Calamba but the
whole town of Calamba;
2. There were increased profits of the Dominican order because of the arbitrary increase of the
rentals paid by the tenants;
3. The hacienda owner never contributed for the celebration of the town fiesta, for
education of the children, and for the improvement of agriculture;
4. Tenants who spent more labor in clearing the lands were dispossessed of the said lands for
a weak reason;
5. For delayed payment of rentals, high rates of interest were charged to the tenants;
6. Work animals, tools and farm implements of the tenants were confiscated by the
hacienda management if the rentals were not paid by the tenants.
In effect, the friars were furious so they commanded the Malacañang to order the
departure of Rizal to leave the country. But Terrero did not mind the friars’ request. As a result, the
friars demanded his deportation. Then again, Terrero adviced Rizal to leave the country for good.
The same counsel was given to Rizal by his family and relatives for his own safety. After six months
in the Philippines, he left the country and went to Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, the friars forced all the tenants to leave the Dominican Hacienda as a revenge. The Rizal
family was the first among the tenants to be evicted because they refused to pay the rent and interest.
Terrero, on the other hand, was replaced by Lieutenant General Valeriano Weyler, who was grateful
of the role of the friars in the conquest of Luzon and Visayas. He pointed out that religion should be a
means of the government in the aforementioned islands in the Philippines.
The tenants protested in Manila headed by Doroteo Cortes. In the said demonstration, the
tenants presented a petition to Queen Regent requesting the departure of the friars from the
Philippines. After the protest, there were rallyists who got arrested.
On the other hand, Rizal’s brother-in-law, Mariano Herbosa was denied of having a Christian
burial by the Roman Catholic Church because he was married to Lucia, Rizal’s sister. Rizal wrote an
essay to address this issue and it was entitled, “A Profanation” (Una Profanacion). Note that when
Rizal left, Don Francisco, Paciano, Saturnina, Narcisa and Lucia were exiled to other parts of the
country. Rizal felt sorry for what had happened to his family after supporting the rights of the tenants.
This caused him so much despair.
Before leaving Calamba on February 3,1888, a friend of Rizal from Lipa requested him to
write a poem to celebrate the conversion of Lipa from a pueblo(town) to a villa (city). The poem,
Himno al Trabajo or Hymn to Labor (Osias, 1948) depicts Rizal’s appreciation for men’s efforts and
compliment the country’s wealth and energy. He believed that hardwork or labor is the country’s
blood, health and life.
TRIP TO HONG KONG

Rizal arrived in Hong Kong on February 8,1888. His fellow Filipinos namely Jose
Maria Basa, Balbino Mauricio and Manuel Yriarte, who were all exiled in 1872, met Rizal. In
Hong Kong, he was able to study the Chinese language, Chinese drama

35
and theater, Chinese cultures and Chinese values. Rizal even became friends with some
Spaniards that were based in Hong Kong.
He met Barranda, Terrero’s secretary, together with other Spaniards and went to visit Macao,
a Portuguese colony near Hong Kong. Rizal and his friends visited the botanical garden, theatre,
casino, cathedral and churches, pagodas and bazaars. They lived in the house of Juan Lecaroz and on
February 20, 1888, he went back to Hong Kong. Two days after, he left for Japan on Board the SS
Oceania on February 22, 1888.
TRIP TO JAPAN AND SHORT ROMANCE WITH O-SEI-SAN

Rizal arrived in Yokohama, Japan and stayed at Tokyo Hotel on February 28, 1888f or a few
days. He was then invited by Juan Perez Caballero to live at the Spanish Legation for a month. On
March 7,1887, he left the hotel and lived at the Spanish legation. During his stay in Japan, he studied
the Japanese language or Nippongo, Japanese culture, theatres, martial arts and visited Japanese
provinces. Rizal appreciated the cleanliness, politeness, and industry of the Japanese.
Rizal then met O-Sei-San and their romance began when he lived at the Spanish legation.
They became friends and later on developed to become lovers. O-Sei-San or Seiko Usui and Rizal fell
in love for each other. Because of this, Rizal thought of staying in Japan for good. Nonetheless, Rizal
had duties to fulfill for his country. So, he decided to leave Japan and said his goodbyes to O-Sei-San.
TRIP TO UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Aboard a steamer on April 28,1888, the entire boat was quarantined when it stopped in San
Francisco because accordingly, the ship came from a country where cholera was epidemic. Rizal
knew that this was not the fact — he found out that the ship was halted for the Chinese and Japanese
laborers who accepted cheap labor, replacing the American laborers. On May 4, 1888, after a week
of the quarantine, some passengers were allowed to disembark, except for the Japanese and
Chinese passengers who were quarantined for a longer period. Rizal went to different cities in
America like Reno, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Chicago, Albany, and New York City. He was very
much impressed with all the cities for its natural beauty, the hardworking Americans, the material
progress and the high standard of
living, and the opportunities offered for poor immigrants for a better life.
The negative impressions include the lack of racial equality and the presence of racial
prejudice against other nations. The Americans value valued money more than human life and fairness
and justice were only offered to white people.
TRIP IN LONDON
After Rizal’s trip to the United States of America, he left New York City on May 16, 1888
and arrived in Liverpool, England on May 24 of the same year. He stayed for a day at Adelphi Hotel
and left for London the following day. He was welcomed by Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor on May 25,
1888 and stayed as a guest in their home. Dr. Regidor was an exile of 1872 and a practicing lawyer in
London.
Rizal had reasons why he chose to live in London. First, he wanted to enhance his knowledge
on the English language; he sought to have further study on Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas; to do research on the Philippine history; and to continue to write for La Solidaridad in
defense of his people against the Spanish tyranny.
Jose Rizal then met Dr. Reinhold Rost, the librarian of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in
England and also an authority on Malay languages and customs. Dr. Rost was the one who
allowed Rizal to undertake research at the British Museum. Thankful to Dr. Rost, Rizal had
the time to read Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas. The doctor was also the one who
inspired Rizal to contribute two articles in the Asian Studies Journal Trubner’s Record on
May 1889. The first was entitled, Specimens of Tagal Folklore (a collection of 14 proverbs, 8
puzzles and 2 verses) and the second was Two Eastern Fables (a comparison of Japanese
fables with the Filipino fables). At that time,
36
he transferred and became a boarder of the Beckett family. Unfortunately, he still received
good and bad news from the Philippines while he was in London and some of them are as
follows:
1. Persecution of his fellow Filipinos who signed the Anti-Friar Petition of 1888 that was
submitted to Queen Regen for the expulsion of the friars in the Philippines;
2. Persecution of the tenants of Calamba, including the Rizal family and relatives because of
their petition for the reforms in the government;
3. The exile of Rizal’s brother-in-law, Manuel T. Hidalgo, in Bohol;
4. Furious attacks of the Spanish senators;
5. The arrest of Rizal’s friend, Laureano Vida, for keeping copies of Noli Me Tangere in his
home;
6. The good news that Rev. Vicente Garcia defended the Noli against the attacks of the friars.
Earlier in September 1888, Rizal went to Paris to continue his research on the Philippine
history in the Bibliotheque Nationale or the National Library in Paris. There he polished the annotated
version of Antonio Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas. Rizal stayed in the house of Valentin
Ventura. Despite the good life that he had in Paris, Rizal kept himself busy at the National Library. He
also studied the French language and made plenty of lesson drills for the students.
On December 24,1888, Rizal spent his Christmas and New Year with the Beckett family.
That time, Rizal was attracted to another woman, Gertrude Beckett, known by her nicknames Tottie
and Sissie. Like Segunda Katigbak, Gertrude was small and chubby. This just goes to show that
Rizal’s love for Leonor Rivera was not that deep. But unlike Leonor, Gertrude was not as appealing.
Rizal was interested with Gertrude because they had close relationship and have a happy family.
Rizal, however, prevented his feelings for Gertrude when he knew that she was falling in love with
him.
Rizal was also welcomed by Juan Luna and his wife in London. Rizal visited Madrid and
Barcelona again on December 1888 and there he first met Marcelo H. del Pilar and Mariano Ponce,
the leaders of the Propaganda Movement. Rizal became more active in the Propaganda Movement
with his fellow ilustrados. In the face of Rizal’s absence, he was still chosen to be the Honorary
President during the inauguration of Asociacion La Solidaridad on December 31,1888, which was
founded by Graciano Lopez Jaena in Barcelona on February 15,1889.
The Propaganda Movement aimed for reforms such as:
1) for the Philippines to be made a province of Spain so that the native Filipinos would have equal
rights accorded to Spaniards;
2) to have a representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes; and
(3) secularization of parishes. Rizal became busy in writing articles and essays that were
published in the Propaganda Movement’s newspaper,
La Solidaridad. Rizal had translated into Tagalog the letter to The Women of Malolos
on February 22,1889 as requested by Marcelo H. del Pilar. Said
letter will be discussed in greater detail later on.
Rizal founded the Kidlat Club and the Indios Bravos on March 19,1889 to prove that the
Filipinos are not only capable of excellence but can also be the best in terms of intellectual and
physical aspects. Another society that Rizal founded in Paris in 1890 was the R.D.L.M. (Redencion de
los Malayos), its acronym revived the Malay race, for the purpose of increasing the knowledge of the
people in the Philippines. To continue his writings for La Solidaridad,
37
Rizal contributed articles such as the “Filipinas Dentro de Cien Años (The Philippines a Century
Hence) and the essay “Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos” (On the Indolence of the Filipinos) in
1890. In Paris, Rizal published Por Telefono, using the screen name Dimas Alang, to answer the
attacks of the Spanish friar, Fr. Salvacion Font against the novel Noli Me Tangere.
IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
On January 28,1890, Rizal left Paris for Brussels, Belgium. He was accompanied by Jose
Alberto when he moved to Brussels. When Jose Alberto left the country, an engineering student, Jose
Alejandro stayed with Rizal at the boarding house owned by Suzanne and Marie Jacoby. Aside from
the cost of living in Paris, which was too much, Rizal cannot focus on writing his second novel El
Filibusterismo because of the social life in Paris that interfered with his writings. While doing the
chapters of the novel, he continued to write articles for La Solidaridad and they were:
1. “ A La Defensa” (To la Defensa) on April 30, 1889 as his answer to an Anti-Filipino

writing of Patricio de la Escorura;
2. “La Verdad Para Todos” (The Truth For All) on May 31, 1889 as his reply against the
Spanish accusations that the Filipino officials were ignorant and immoral;
3. “Vicente Barrantes’ Teatro Tagalo” on June 15, 1889;
4. Barrantes’ ignorance on the theatrical art of the Tagalog;
5. “Una Profanacion” (A Profanation) on July 31, 1889 as his attack against the friars for
ignoring and not allowing Christian burial for his brother-in-law, Mariano Herbosa;
6. “Crueldad” (Cruelty) on July 31, 1889 defending Blumentritt from mocking and insulting
attacks of his rivals;
7. “Verdades Nuevas” (New Truths) on August 15, 1889, that because of the letter written by
Vicente Belloc Sanchez, saying that if reforms were granted, it will start in the destruction of
the peaceful ruling of the friars in the Philippines;
8. “Diferencias” (Differences) on September 15, 1889 in response of the attacks of the article,
saying mean and bad comments to the Filipinos who were then protesting for reforms from
the Spanish government;
9. “Inconsequencias” (Inconsequences) on November 30, 1889 to defend Antonio Luna against
the attacks of Pablo Mir Deas’s article in El Pueblo Soberano, a newspaper in Barcelona;
10. “LLanto y Risas” (Tears and Laughters) on November 30, 1889 as Rizal’s way of saving the
Filipinos from the Spaniards racial prejudice;
11. Ingratitudes” (Ingratitudes) on January 15, 1890 in response to Governor-General Weyler’s
words, that people of Calamba should not be fooled by empty promises of their ungrateful
sons.
To sustain his living condition in Brussels, Rizal practiced and treated patients as a
surgeon. Unlike the Noli Me Tangere, Rizal spent too much time in writing his second novel El
Filibusterismo and articles for La Solidaridad. Rizal had been hearing news from Juan Luna and
Valentin Ventura that his fellow Filipinos in Spain were too much into gambling. With this, Rizal sent
a letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar on May 28,1890, asking him to remind the Filipinos in Madrid that
they are not to gamble in Europe but to work for the freedom of the Philippines. On the other hand,
Rizal received bad news coming from home that his family and relatives were forced to leave and
go to different places because the Calamba land problem had worsened, that the Dominican
management raised the rents for the land. This was the reason why the tenants, including Rizal’s
father, refused to pay the rent, which resulted for the filing of a case by the Dominicans to strip the
ownership of Calamba land from the Rizal family.
The illegal eviction of his family angered him and made him depressed. Rizal planned to go
home to the Philippines because he could not bear the pain about what happened to his

38
family. Rizal then wrote a poem entitled “A Mi Musa” (To My Muse) to address his disappointments
on the land problems of Calamba. This poem was published in La Solidaridad with Laong Laan as
Rizal’s pen name on December 15,1890.
Rizal failed to defend the case against the Dominicans and justice was not received for his
family and the tenants of Calamba. While in Madrid, Rizal attended a gathering of Filipinos where he
had a fight with Antonio Luna and dared Wenceslao Retana to a duel. Retana, was a Spanish scholar
and Rizal’s rival in writing.
While in Madrid, Rizal asked for the help of the former members of the ministry who were
liberal Spanish statesmen, but they only gave him a pat on the shoulder and sympathized with him.
The Asociacion Hispano Filipino was formed, led by Dr. Miguel Morayta, a Spanish professor and a
mason grandmaster. To decide what is the goal of the propaganda, they initiated an election who the
leader will be. There were ninety participants, all were Filipinos. The competition was between Jose
Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar and during the first two canvass, M.H. del Pilar was leading the votes
and it was Rizal who won in the end. But Rizal chose to leave rather than divide the Filipinos in
Madrid.
On February 1891, Rizal arrived in Biarritz, France. He was entertained by the Boustead
family. The one-month trip to France made him forget all his bad experiences in Madrid and on his
vacation, he once again had an affection to Nelly Boustead. He finished his second novel El Fili on
March 29,1891 and on March 30,1891, the revision of the novel was completed, ready to be published
anytime soon.
LIFE IN HONG KONG

Rizal left Madrid and went to Hong Kong after he published the El Fili in Europe. He did not
like the political situation between him and del Pilar, and the other Filipinos in Spain. It was during
this time that Rizal heard that his friend, Jose Ma. Panganiban (his pen name was Jomapa), bid his
farewell to the world. As saddened as he was, he recognized Jomapa’s talent, intelligence, and
industry through a eulogy, considering him as a lost for the country.
Due to his unpleasant experiences in Madrid, Rizal planned on leaving the political life in
Europe to focus on his mission instead. On November 20,1891, he arrived in Hong Kong. He then
decided to practice medicine, through his association with Dr. Lorenzo P. Marquez, so he applied for
a license and the license and was eventually granted. His family went to Hong Kong and he supported
them in the city.
While in Hong Kong, he translated The Rights of Man written in French into Tagalog, Ang
Mga Karapatan ng Tao. He also wrote articles entitled, A La Nacion Española (To The Spanish
Nation), as a reconsideration for Spain to correct the wrong things they have done to the tenants of
Calamba; and Sa Mga Kababayan (To My Countrymen), as Rizal’s interpretation of the Calamba
agrarian problem. During his days in Hong Kong, he started to write the constitution of La Liga
Filipina, through the help of Jose Ma. Basa. La Liga Filipina aimed for: the unity of the whole
archipelago into one body; common protection in every want and necessity; protection against all
forms of violence and injustice; stimulation of instruction, agriculture and commerce; and the
undertaking of study and application of reforms. The motto of the league was Unus Instar Omnium Or
One Like All. There were three organizational councils in La Liga: popular, provincial and supreme.
Qualification in the tests and a recommendation from the town’s council was necessary to become a
member of this organization. It also requires a monthly contribution for the following projects:
1. Helping a member or his son who had problem in financing his studies but with
excellent aptitude for study;
2. Helping member who are less fortunate;
3. Lending funds to am member who needs finances for his farm or industrial activities;
4. Aiming to help the member to defend his rights;
5. Putting up stores to help members in their needs at lesser price.

39
Before going back to the Philippines, he sought to see Governor-General Eulogio Despujol on
his North Borneo project because the latter does not have a response to it. Rizal and his sister Lucia
left Hong Kong and returned to Manila in 1892, Despite the warnings and his family’s disapproval,
Rizal arrived on June 26, 1892 and immediately went to visit his friends in Central Luzon. He
encouraged them to join the La Liga Filipina but sadly, a few days after the Liga’s formation, Rizal
was captured and brought to Fort Santiago on July 6, 1892 for the accusation that he brought with him
from Hong Kong, leaflets entitled “Pobres Friales” or poor friars — a satire against the rich
Dominican friars and their accumulation of wealth, which was against their vow of poverty. Though
untrue, Rizal was exiled in Dapitan, Mindanao.
WORKSHEET 1
A. TRUE or FALSE. Write A if the statement is correct. Otherwise, write B.
1. Rizal’s entrance to Colegio de San Juan Letran went on smoothly.
2. The Carthagian Empire was solely for the boarding students of Ateneo.
3. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam means “That in all things, God may be glorified.”
4. Rizal finished Bachiller En Artes at Sta. Isabel College.
5. It was Father Francisco Paula de Sanchez who taught Rizal painting and sculpture.
6. Rizal possessed the highest degree of scholarship and leadership in Ateneo.
7. “My First Inspiration” was written to give tribute to his hometown, Calamba.
8. Por La Educacion Recibe Lustre La Patria was a poem that Rizal wrote when he likened
education to a lighthouse.
9. Junto Al Pasig was Rizal’s first best poem in Spanish written by a Filipino.
10. El Consejo De Los Dios was announced the best entry in the literary contest of 1880 but
since its author was a Filipino, the grand prize was given to a Spaniard.

40
B. Describe Rizal’s life in each country that he visited. Write the highlight of his experience in
each country on the table below.
Country Highlight/s
Barcelona
Madrid
Paris
Germany
Hong Kong
Japan
USA
London
Belgium

41
WORKSHEET 2
Access online the Rizal’s “Brindis” Speech. Read and analyze the speech and then write
a reflection about Rizal’s objectives in writing the said speech. Give at least three (3) highlights
of the speech to justify Rizal’s message for writing it.
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WORKSHEET 3
SHORT ESSAY. Read and analyze each question. Answer each item briefly but concisely.
1. What were Rizal’s reasons for traveling to different places like Europe, Asia, and
America?
2. Cite some of the benefits that Rizal attained from traveling around the world.
3. Do you think Rizal was successful in attaining his significant missions from his travels?
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MODULE 4
Rizal’s Life: Exile, Trial and Death
Name:
Learning Outcome:
 Analyze the factors that led to Rizal’s execution.

 Analyze the effects of Rizal’s execution on Spanish colonial rule and the Philippine
Revolution.
Rizal’s Life: Exile, Trial and Death
As soon as Rizal arrived in Manila on June 26,1892, he was welcomed by Apolinario Mabini,
Andres Bonifacio, Ambrosio Salvador, Pedro Serrano Laktaw, Deodato Arellano, and other patriots,
who, altogether founded La Liga Filipina (The Filipino League). They wanted to discuss the plan for
La Liga Filipina which was held in a house on Calle Ylaya. That time, Rizal was able to talk to
Governor-General Despujol on July 1892, saying his gratitude for lifting the order of exile for his
sisters.
Dapitan is a remote town in Mindanao, which served as an outpost of the Spaniards in the
Philippines. Dapitan became the only witness to Rizal’s fate since July 1896. During his exile, Rizal
became close with Captain Ricardo Carnicero for allowing him to roam the place on the condition that
Rizal will relay his activities in his office once a week. In Dapitan, he continued his medicine,
research and continued his talent in sculpture, painting, sketching and poetry writing. He put up a
school for boys and introduced projects for the community. As a gift to Captain Carnicero, Rizal
wrote a poem entitled, “A Don Ricardo Carnicero” on August 26, 1892.
Rizal helped the people of Dapitan with their livelihood — he did farming and business and
even invented a wooden equipment in making bricks. On September 21, 1892, Rizal together with
Carnicero and another Spaniard, won a lottery ticket. The amount given to him as his share was
P6,200. Part of his share was used to buy a land in Talisay. He built a house, a clinic and a school
within the area. He sent letters to Blumentritt, narrating his daily activities in Dapitan: He wrote
poems, performed operation on his mother’s eyes, and studied on medicinal plants of Dapitan to be
prescribed to his patients.
That time, Rizal had been known to be one of the best ophthalmologists. Upon hearing this,
George Tauffer who had an eye ailment, together with her adopted daughter, Josephine Bracken,
traveled from Hong Kong to Dapitan. Rizal developed an attraction with Josephine and soon, they
became husband and wife even if it was against Father Obach and both their relatives.

44
Another project of Rizal for Dapitan was the creation of a big map of Mindanao at the plaza to be
used for geography class. He explained the position of Dapitan to the town people in relation to other
places in Mindanao. With the help of Rizal’s students, he invented a water system that gave the town
people water for their drinking and irrigation. He also helped the people in putting-up lamp posts in
every corner of the town.
When revolution commenced in Manila in 1896, Dr. Pio Valenzuela together with Raymundo
Mata, a blind man, visited Rizal in Dapitan to narrate to him the founding of Katipunan and its plan
for revolution. For a while, Rizal sent letters to Governor General Ramon Blanco from 1894 to 1895.
He wanted his case be reviewed so Blumentriit proposed that Rizal may offer his services as a
surgeon to the Spanish government in Cuba to end his exile. That time, Cuba was also a colony of
Spain and was raged by a yellow-fever epidemic. On July 30,1896, Governor-General Ramon Blanco
granted Rizal’s request to go to Cuba. Rizal left Manila, embarked the steamer España and on
September 3, 1896 he went to Barcelona boarded the steamer Isla de Panay. When he arrived at the
port, Governor-General Despujol told Rizal that there was a command to return him back to Manila.
Rizal was arrested while on his trip at the Mediterranean Sea. He was put into prison in Barcelona,
Spain and was brought back to the Philippines. Safely guarded while on the way from Barcelona to
Manila, Rizal reached the capital on November 3,1896 and was soon brought to be imprisoned at Fort
Santiago.
TRIAL AND DEATH OF RIZAL
On November 20, 1896, the assigned Judge to summon Rizal was Colonel Francisco Olive,
an Advocate of the Spanish military tribunal. The preliminary investigation began, and a five-day
investigation was conducted. He was blamed for being the leader of the revolution by increasing the
people’s ideas about rebellion and making illegal organizations. As expected, Rizal was not given the
chance to interrogate his witnesses. He was only allowed to choose his lawyer from a list of young
Spanish officers who were not into law. He chose Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade, who was the bodyguard
of Rizal when he first came home. There were two kinds of evidences presented to him during the
investigation: documentary and testimonial. There were fifteen documents against Rizal and ten
witnesses for testimonial. All efforts were made by Lt. Taviel de Andrade to defend Rizal of his
innocence but as obvious as it may have seemed, Rizal was still found guilty.
Note that Rizal cited twelve points to prove his innocence:

1. Rizal was against rebellion as testified by Pio Valenzuela.
2. No letter consisting of revolutionary elements was addressed to the Katipunan was written
3. Without his consent, the Katipunan used his name as one of the passwords.
4. If he was guilty, he could have left the country while in exile; he would not have built a
home and would not have bought a parcel of alnd to put up a hospital in Dapitan.
5. The revolutionists could have consulted him if he was the leader.
6. He did not deny that he wrote the by-laws of the Liga Filipina, but to make things clear, it
is a different organization from Katipunan. The former being a civic association and
the latter being a revolutionary society.
7. After the first meeting of the Liga, the association banished because of his exile in Dapitan
and it did not last long.
8. He had no idea, that the Liga was reorganized nine months after.
9. If the Liga had a revolutionary purpose, then Katipunan should not have been
founded.
10. If the Spanish authorities found his letters offending, it was because in 1890, his family
has been persecuted.
11. He lived a good life in Dapitan – the politico military commander and missionary priest
in the province could attest to it.
45
12. The witnesses said that if the speech delivered at Doroteo Ongjunco’s house had inspired
the revolution, he should be given a chance to confront these persons. If he was in the
revolution, the Katipunan should not have sent an unfamiliar
emissary to him in Dapitan. For this, his friends knew that he never promoted
violence.
RIZAL’S REMAINING DAYS AND THE LAST FAREWELL
When Rizal heard the court decision, he knew that there will be no chance of changing his
fate. At six o’ clock in the morning of December 29, 1896, Captain Rafael Dominguez, read him the
official notice of his execution. Rizal spent his last hours by going to the prison chapel. His mother
and sisters visited him on the same day. He then gave them his remaining possessions, reached out for
the gas lamp and gave it to his sister, Trinidad and carefully whispered, “There is something inside.”
Then Trinidad and his sister Maria got a copy of Rizal’s last poem from the lamp. Unfortunately, it
was said that on his last days that Rizal was not allowed to embrace his mother.
He took time to write his last letter to his best friend Bluementrit. The last poem he composed was the
longest he ever written, it was entitled “Mi Ultimo Adios” or My Last Farewell.
HULING PAALAM
Pinipintuho kong Bayan ay paalam,

Lupang iniirog ng sikat ng araw,
mutyang mahalaga sa dagat
Silangan, kaluwalhatiang sa ami’y
pumanaw.
Masayang sa iyo’y aking idudulot
ang lanta kong buhay na lubhang malungkot;
maging maringal man at labis ang alindog
sa kagalingan mo ay akin ding handog.
Sa pakikidigma at pamimiyapis
ang alay ng iba’y ang buhay na kipkip,
walang agam-agam, maluwag sa
dibdib, matamis sa puso at di
ikahahapis.
Saan man mautas ay di kailangan,

cipres o laurel, lirio ma’y
patungan pakikipaghamok, at ang
bibitayan,
yaon ay gayon din kung hiling ng Bayan.
Ako’y mamamatay, ngayong

namamalas na sa Silanganan ay
namamanaag yaong maligayang
araw na sisikat
sa likod ng luksang nagtabing na ulap.
Ang kulay na pula kung kinakailangan

na maitina sa iyong liwayway,
46
dugo ko’y isaboy at siyang ikikinang
ng kislap ng iyong maningning na ilaw.
Ang aking adhika sapul magkaisip

noong kasalukuyang bata pang maliit,
ay ang tanghaling ka at minsang
masilip sa dagat Silangan hiyas na
marikit.
Natuyo ang luhang sa mata’y nunukal,

taas na ang noo’t walang kapootan,
walang bakas kunot ng kapighatian
gabahid man dungis niyong kahihiyan.
Sa kabuhayan ko ang laging gunita

maningas na aking ninanasa-nasa
ay guminhawa ka ang hiyas ng
diwa
paghingang papanaw ngayong biglang-bigla.
Ikaw’y guminhawa laking kagandahang

akoy malugmok, at ikaw ay matanghal,
hininga’y malagot, mabuhay ka lamang
bangkay ko’y maisilong sa iyong
Kalangitan.
Kung sa libingan ko’y tumubong mamalas

sa malagong damo mahinhing bulaklak,
sa mga labi mo’y mangyayaring ilapat,
sa kaluluwa ko halik ay igawad.
At sa aking noo nawa’y iparamdam,

sa lamig ng lupa ng aking libingan,
ang init ng iyong paghingang
dalisay at simoy ng iyong paggiliw
na tunay.
Bayaang ang buwan sa aki’y ititig

ang liwanag niyang lamlam at tahimik,
liwayway bayaang sa aki’y ihatid
magalaw na sinag at hanging hagibis.
Kung sakasakaling bumabang humantong

sa krus ko’y dumapo kahit isang ibon,
doon ay bayaan humuning hinahon
at dalitin niya payapang panahon.
Bayaan ang ningas ng sikat ng araw

ula’y pasingawin noong kainitan,

47
magbalik sa langit ng buong dalisay
kalakip ng aking pagdaing na
hiyaw.
Bayaang sino man sa katotong giliw

tangisang maagang sa buhay pagkitil;
kung tungkol sa akin ay may
manalangin idalangin, Bayan, yaring
pagkahimbing.
Idalanging lahat yaong nangamatay,

Nangag-tiis hirap na walang
kapantay; mga ina naming walang
kapalaran
na inihihibik ay kapighatian.
Ang mga balo’t pinapangulila,

ang mga bilanggong
nagsisipagdusa; dalanginin namang
kanilang makita ang kalayaan mong
ikagiginhawa.
At kung ang madilim na gabing mapanglaw

ay lumaganap na doon sa libinga’t
tanging mga patay ang nangaglalamay,
huwag bagabagin ang katahimikan.
Ang kanyang hiwaga’y huwag gambalain;

kaipala’y marinig doon ang taginting,
tunog ng gitara’t salterio’y magsaliw,
ako, Bayan yao’t kita’y aawitan.
Kung ang libingan ko’y limot na ng lahat

at wala ng kurus at batong mabakas,
bayaang linangin ng taong masipag,
lupa’y asarolin at kahuya’y ikalat.
Ang mga buto ko ay bago matunaw,

mauwi sa wala at kusang maparam,
alabok na iyong latag ay bayaang
siya ang babalang doo’y makipisan.
Kung magkagayon ma’y, alintanahin

na ako sa limot iyong ihabilin,
pagka’t himpapawid at ang panganorin,
mga lansangan mo’y aking lilibutin.
Matining na tunog ako sa dinig mo,

ilaw, mga kulay, masamyong
pabango,
ang ugong at awit, paghibik ko sa
iyo, pag-asang dalisay ng pananalig
ko.
Bayang iniirog, sakit niyaring hirap,

Katagalugan kong pinakaliliyag,
dinggin mo ang aking pagpapahimakas;
diya’y iiwan ko sa iyo ang lahat.
Ako’y patutungo sa walang busabos,

walang umiinis at berdugong hayop;
pananalig doo’y di nakasasalot,
si Bathala lamang doo’y haring lubos.
Paalam, magulang at mga kapatid

kapilas ng aking kaluluwa’t
dibdib mga kaibigan, bata pang
maliit,
sa aking tahanan di na masisilip.
Pag-papasalamat at napahinga rin,

paalam estranherang kasuyo ko’t
aliw, paalam sa inyo, mga ginigiliw;
mamatay ay siyang pagkakagupiling!
This Spanish poem of Jose Rizal was translated into Tagalog by the Filipino revolutionary
hero Andres Bonifacio.
Rizal had his last supper in the evening of December 29, 1896. At that time, he said to
Captain Dominguez that he has already forgiven his enemies including those who wanted him dead.
At three in the morning on the day of his execution, he prayed and confessed his sins in the chapel. At
exactly 5:30 in the morning, he had his last breakfast of three hard boiled eggs. After breakfast, he
singed some memorabilia including religious pictures and books, some of which he gave to his
mother and sister, Trinidad. To his wife Josephine, he gave the Imitacion de Cristo as a gift.
He once again wrote a letter to his family, sisters and brother that said:
To my family, I ask you for forgiveness for the pain I cause you, but someday I
shall have to die and it is better that I die now in the plentitude of my conscience.
Dear parents and brothers: give thanks to God that I may preserve my
tranquility before my death. I die resigned, hoping that with my death you will be left in
peace. Ah! It is better to die than to live suffering. Console yourselves.
I enjoin you to forgive one another the little meanness of life and try to live
united in peace and good harmony. Treat your old parents as you would like to be treated
by your children later. Love them very much in my memory.

49
Bury me in the ground. Place a stone and a cross over it. My name, the date of
my birth and of my death. Nothing more. If later you wish to surround my grave with a
fence, you can do it. No anniversaries. I prefer Paang Bundok.
Have pity on poor Josephine.
My Dear Brother, it is now four and a half years since we have seen one another,
or have we exchanged letters. This I think is not because of any lack of love on my part
or yours, but because, knowing one another so well, we do not need to talk in order to
be understood by one another.
Now I am about to die, and it is to you I dedicate my last line, to tell you how
sorry I am to leave you alone in this life, burdened with the weight of the family and of
our old parents. I am thinking how hard you have work to give me a career; I have tried
not to waste my time. My brother, if the fruit been bitter, it is not my fault, but the fault
of circumstances. I know that you have suffered much for me, and I am sorry.
I assure you, brother, that I die innocent of this crime of rebellion. That my
former writings may have contributed toward it, I cannot wholly deny; but then, I
thought I had expiated for the pass in my deportation.
Tell our father that I remember him, and how much! I remember his affection
and his love since my earliest childhood. Ask him to forgive me for the pain I have
unwillingly caused him.
(Signed)
Jose
Rizal
Wearing a black suit, black pants, black bowler hat, and white shirt with his arms tied behind
his back, Rizal walked
to Bagumbayan at 6:30 in the
morning of December 30, 1896.
He walked along with his
defense lawyer, Andrade, and
two Jesuit priests, March and
Vilaclara. In front of them were
the advance guard of armed
soldiers and behind them were
another group of military men.
The sound of a
trumpet signaled the start of the death march and the muffled sound of drums served as the musical
score of the walk.
People were lined up in the streets—” some were sympathetic to him, oothers, especially the
Spaniards, wanted nothing less than to see him die. Some observed that his family or the katipuneros
would make a last-minute effort to sprint him from the trap” (Ocampo, 2016).
Prior to his death, it was believed that Rizal has managed to remain calm. Spectators said
Rizal acknowledged the familiar faces in the crowd by nodding his head from left and right. Some
people even saw that Rizal smiled from time to time.
At the time of his death, Rizal refused to kneel and declined the traditional blindfold.
Maintaining that he was not a traitor to his country and to Spain, he even requested to face the firing
squad. The Commander of the firing squad denied his request but after some time, Rizal agreed to
turn his back to the firing squad but requested that he be shot not in the head
— but in the small of the back instead. When agreement has been reached, Rizal shook the hand of his
defense lawyer. The military physician asked permission to feel the pulse of the man who had only a
few minutes to live and the doctor was startled to find it normal. Before
50
leaving Rizal in his appointed place, the priests offered him a crucifix to kiss “but he turned his head
away and silently prepared for his death. When the command had been given, the executioners’ guns
barked at once. Rizal yelled Christ’s two words, “Consummatum est!” (It is finished!) simultaneously
with his final effort to twist his bullet-pieced body halfway around.
Silence was all
over. Unfortunately, the
Captain did not keep his
words about the request
made by Rizal of not
shooting his head, but
one of his men came
near to the body and
gave Rizal “tira de
gracia” or the mercy
shot in the head to make
sure that Rizal is dead.
The Spaniards
houted, Viva Espana!
Muerte a los Traidores!
But the
crowd did not respond. To break the ice, the military band played “Marcha de Cadiz,” and so they
cheered.

51
WORKSHEET 1
A. MULTIPLE CHOICE. Write the letter of the correct answer.
1. He is a friend of Rizal who informed him that the revolution in Cuba was plagued by a
yellow-fever epidemic.
A. Pio Valenzuela C. Gov. Gen. Ramon Blanco
B. Ferdinand Blumentritt D. Matias Arrieta
2. Rizal jointly won a lottery ticket worth .
A. P20,000 C. P5,000
B. P50,000 D. 17,000
3. He is the Spanish commandant who became Rizal’s friend during his exile in
Dapitan.
A. Pablo Pastells C. Ricardo Carnicero
B. Francisco de Paula Sanchez D. Kapitan Tiago
4. She is an orphan with an Irish blood and stepdaughter of Rizal’s patient from Hong Kong.
A. Narcisa C. Leonor Rivera
B. Josephine Bracken D. Orang Valenzuela
5. Which among the following is not included in Rizal’s acquired land from the lottery ticket
that he won?
A. house C. chapel
B. school D. hospital
B. TRUE or FALSE. Write a triangle if the statement is true and a circle if it is false.
6. It was in Dapitan that Rizal was able to practice medicine.
7. Rizal’s request to face his executioners at the time of his death was granted.
8. Rizal cited his points to prove his innocence.
9. Mi Ultimo Adios is the last poem that Rizal wrote for his family.
10. Rizal was in Barcelona when he was brought back to the Philippines to be imprisoned at
Fort Santiago.

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WORKSHEET 2
1. Agree or Disagree. Rizal is a coward when he refused to approve the planned

uprising of the Katipunan. Explain your answer in brief.
2. If you had been Rizal’s lawyer, what could have you done to save Rizal from his death
sentence?
3. Explain the reason why Rizal wanted to be shot in the small of the back instead of the head.
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WORKSHEET 3
REFLECTION. Do you think Rizal’s dying for the country was really worth it? Prove your
point.
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MODULE 5
Noli Me Tangere
Name:
Learning Outcome:
 Assess the important characters in the novel and what they represent.
 Examine the present Philippine situation through the examples mentioned in the novel,
Noli Me Tangere.
If you are to draw a symbol that would best represent one current problem of the Philippines
(be it political, social, economic, etc.), what would it be? Identify this problem and illustrate a symbol
for it in the box below. Then, write a brief explanation about your symbol on the space provided.
55

“A hero is he who best understands the society in which he lives, who knows the problems
and aspirations of his people, who by his teachings and his labors, concretizes these problems and
aspirations so that the vague discontent and the hazy strivings towards something better in the
people's minds are crystallized into a clear pattern of action with definite goals. Rizal is still very
much our hero because he crystallized for his generation as well as for ours most of the great
problems of Philippine society.”
- Renato Constantino 2011
Greatly influenced by Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Rizal wanted to publish a
book that would play a crucial role in the political history of the country. He planned on revealing the
kind of society that the Philippines had under the Spanish colonial rule. Thus, a meeting of Filipinos
was held at the Paterno residence in January 1884 wherein Rizal suggested the creation of the book.
At first, Rizal’s companions (Pedro Paterno, Maximino Paterno, Antonio Paterno, Graciano Lopez
Jaena, Valentin Ventura, Eduardo de Lete, Evaristo Aguirre and Julio Llorente) unanimously
approved that they would all contribute papers on the various facets of life in the Philippines for the
proposed novel. However, in a letter dated January 2, 1884, Rizal explained that this plan did not
materialize. There were objections that the gentlemen refused to discuss any further and he noticed
comrades were more interested in writing about women instead. They also preferred to spend time
gambling or flirting with Spanish women.
Suspecting that he cannot count on the support of his companions, Rizal decided to write the
novel in Madrid alone towards the latter part of the same year and finished about half of it in the city.
When he left For France in 1885, he had written 3/4 of the novel in Paris and from April to June 1886,
he had penned the last few chapters of Noli. It was completed in Berlin, Germany at the end of 1886
and at the onset of 1887, the final draft was ready for publication.
Of course, it was not a walk in the park for Rizal. While he was conscientiously finishing the
final draft of the Noli, he had apprehensions that it might not be published. For one, he had
insufficient money to have it printed. Obviously, he would not ask his companions in Europe for
financial help — after all, he did not get the support that he needed from them in writing the Noli.
Fortunately, Rizal’s friend from a rich family of San Miguel, Bulacan

arrived in Berlin to invite him on a Europe Tour. Dr. Maximo Viola
wanted Rizal to accompany him on his tour but upon learning Rizal’s
dilemma, he was kind enough to delay the tour and insisted on lending
Rizal P300 to publish the Noli. Rizal even made some adjustments in
the novel to save on the printing costs and deleted Chapter 25 entitled
“Elias and Salome”.
The money that Viola lent to Rizal was then used to print the first
2,000 copies of the Noli. Some attests say that the novel was officially
off the press on March 29, 1887 but there were also accounts that
showed that Rizal was already sending a copy of the novel to
Blumentritt on March 21.
Because of Viola’s generosity, he was dubbed in the Philippine
history as the “Savior of the Noli”. Rizal then gave him, not only the
gallery of proofs of the novel rolled around the pen used in writing the
Noli, but also the very first copy of the novel with Rizal’s
dedication which described Viola as the “first to read and appreciate [Rizal’s] work.

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THE NOVEL’S DESCRIPTION
Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere was written in Spanish and

published in 1887. Basing it from experience, the conventions of the
19th century novel and the ideals of European liberalism, Rizal was
able to expose the real-life scenario under the Spanish colonial rule —
the abuses and inequalities of many Spanish Catholic friars and
government officials during his time.
With 63 chapters and an epilogue, Rizal was only 26 years old
when the Noli was published. He was studying medicine that time at
the Universidad Central de Madrid. The Noli was dedicated to the
country whose miseries and sorrows were brought to light in an attempt
to awaken its people to the truths concerning the ills of the society
during that time.
Noli Me Tangere, which means “touch me not” in Latin is the

first in a trilogy about the history of the Philippines, which is followed
by El Filibusterismo and ends with Makamisa, though it
was never finished. “Noli me tangere” is a known Latin phrase that has a biblical connection meaning,
“touch me not.” This phrase was spoken by Jesus to Mary Magdalene after he was resurrected and
was in fact recorded in John 20:17: “Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.”
NOLI IN BRIEF
The main character of the Noli Me Tangere, the young and wealthy Filipino Crisostomo
Ibarra returned to his country after some years of studying in Europe. In his honor, Capitan Tiago
(Santiago de los Santos) threw a party at his house in Manila. The gathering was attended by
renowned local personalities like Padre Damaso, a fat Franciscan priest who had been assigned for
many years in Ibarra’s native town (San Diego); Fray Sybila, the young Dominican curate of
Binondo; Lieutenant Guevarra of the Guardia Civil; and Doña Victorina, wife of a fake Spanish
physician Tiburcio de Espadaña. Crisosto-mo’s father, Don Rafael Ibarra, was Capitan Tiago’s friend.
Capitan Tiago’s sup-posed daughter, Maria Clara, was Crisostomo’s fiancée.
During the party, Padre Damaso belittled Ibarra and rudely tried to harm his reputation. But
the gentleman Ibarra simply ignored the friar’s affront. When Ibarra left Capitan Tiago’s house,
Lieutenant Guevara talked to him and related the miserable fate of his deceased father in San Diego.
Guevara explained that Don Rafael was unfairly accused by San Diego curate of being a
heretic and filibuster because of his non-participation in mass and confession. One day, Don Rafael
saw a Spanish tax collector and a weak boy fighting. In an attempt to defend the powerless boy, he
had accidentally pushed and killed the brutal Spaniard. Don Rafael was thus imprisoned and died in
his cell miserably. Initially buried in consecrated ground, his body was removed from the Catholic
cemetery under the order of his enemies.
The next day, Crisostomo visited his sweetheart, Maria Clara. After the lovely visit to his
girlfriend, Ibarra went to San Diego to look for his father’s grave. He had known through the grave-
digger that his father’s corpse was dug up by order of the curate to be transferred in the Chinese
cemetery. But since it was raining and the corpse was heavy, the grave-digger just threw Don Rafael’s
corpse into the river.
Angered by what he learned, Ibarra suddenly attacked Padre Salvi when he saw this San
Diego parish priest. But Salvi explained to him that it was Damaso who was the town’s parish priest
at the time of Don Rafael’s death.

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When Maria Clara and her family arrived in San Diego, Ibarra gave picnic at the lake. During
the picnic, Ibarra had saved the life of Elias—the boatman who was almost killed by a crocodile
trapped in the fish cage. Later in the picnic, some members of the Guardia Civil also came, pursuing
Elias who had previously assaulted Padre Damaso and the alferez. But Elias had escaped even before
the Guardia Civil arrived. Later on, Ibarra received a notice that his donation of a school in San
Diego had been approved by the Spanish government.
On the day of San Diego town fiesta, Ibarra and Maria Clara attended the morning mass
officiated by Padre Salvi and Padre Damaso. During the mass, Elias silently went near Ibarra and
notified him of the plot to kill him on the ceremony of the laying of the school’s cornerstone. So,
during the inauguration, when Ibarra was about to cement the foundation of the schoolhouse, the
platform collapsed. Fortunately, the quick Elias had rescued Ibarra and the man who was paid to harm
Ibarra was the one killed in the incident.
Ibarra hosted a banquet later that day. Padre Damaso who attended the feast publicly attacked
the dignity of Ibarra’s dead father. The angered host lunged at the ill-mannered friar and had almost
killed Damaso with a knife were it not for Maria Clara who interfered just in time. Ibarra was
consequently excommunicated and his engagement with Maria Clara was broken as Damaso
persuaded Capitan Tiago to prohibit the lady to marry Ibarra.
One day, Ibarra’s enemies engineered a helpless attack on the station of the Guardia Civil,
making the attackers believe that Ibarra was the brain of the uprising. After the attack failed, Ibarra
was incriminated and arrested.
Elias helped Ibarra escape from prison. Before leaving, they discreetly stopped at Capitan
Tiago’s house. Maria Clara explained that she was blackmailed by Padre Salvi to surrender Ibarra’s
letter (which was used to incriminate him) in exchange for the letters written by her dead mother.
From these, she learned that her real father was Padre Damaso.
Ibarra and Elias then took off by boat. Instructing Ibarra to lie down, Elias covered him with
grass to conceal his presence. As luck would have it, they were spotted by their enemies. Elias,
thinking he could outsmart them, jumped into the water. The guards rained shots on him, all the while
not knowing that they were aiming at the wrong man.
Badly injured, Elias reached the forest where he found the altar boy Basilio who was sobbing
over the body of his dead mother, Sisa. His mother had previously lost her mind upon learning that
her two sons, altar boys Crispin and Basilio, were missing from the convent. Falsely accused of
stealing from the convent, Crispin had been tortured and killed by the wicked and crooked sacristan
mayor. Basilio had escaped and the death of his brother had been covered-up by Salvi.
Knowing that he would eventually die, Elias instructed Basilio to make a funeral pyre and
burn his and Sisa’s bodies to ashes. In his dying breath, Elias mumbled the following hopeful patriotic
words:“I shall die without seeing the dawn break upon my homeland. You, who shall see it, salute it!
Do not forget those who have fallen during the night.”
The novel’s epilogue narrates that Capitan Tiago became addicted to opium. Padre Damaso
was assigned to a far province and was found dead in his bedroom one morning. The sorrowful Maria
Clara, believing that Ibarra had been shot dead in the river, entered the nunnery. Padre Salvi left the
San Diego parish and became a chaplain of the nunnery. Some infer that Salvi, who had been
portrayed as having a hidden desire for Maria Clara, regularly molested her in the nunnery.
Consequently, a pretty crazy woman was seen one rainy night at the top of the convent bitterly
weeping and cursing the heavens for the fate it has bestowed upon her. The woman was not named
but it was assumed that she was none less than Maria Clara.
THE CHARACTERS OF NOLI
Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin (Ibarra)

A wealthy young mestizo who has just returned to the Philippines after seven years of
studying in Europe, Ibarra is sophisticated, highly esteemed, and very idealistic. The priests

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of San Diego all view him with great wariness on account of his highly liberal education and
connections. He is shocked upon learning of his beloved father’s demise. His father, the equally
idealistic Don Rafael, was labeled a subversive and a heretic by the corrupt priesthood and
incarcerated, ultimately leading to his death. He seeks to fulfill his father’s wishes of putting up a
school in San Diego---one that will not be influenced by the friars.
María Clara
A woman of high social standing, she is the adoptive daughter of Capitan Tiago and
goddaughter to the vile Fr. Damaso. The truth however is that she is actually the biological daughter
of Fr. Damaso, the product of a scandalous relationship between the old priest and Capitan Tiago’s
wife, Pia Alba. Maria Clara had grown up alongside the younger Ibarra and planned to marry but Fr.
Damaso disapproved of the union. Her interfering guardians set her up to be wed to Linares, a wealthy
young man of Spanish descent. She keeps mum about her arranged marriage to keep from angering
her father, the weak-willed Capitan Tiago. When Ibarra is put on trial for sedition she is coerced into
surrendering the letters Ibarra has sent her as evidence of his guilt.
Father Damaso
An old, power-hungry, and shamelessly corrupt Spanish priest who has lived among the
native Filipinos for nearly two decades; in spite of having spent all that time among them the years
have done nothing to endear him or develop any sympathy for his “flock.” Petty and vindictive, he
thinks nothing of using his considerable influence to ruin the lives of those who have slighted him,
regardless of how small the offense is. He masterminded the death of Don Rafael Ibarra then brazenly
taunted the younger Ibarra, alluding to having a hand in his father’s death. The insult is too much for
Crisostomo Ibarra to let slide; he attacks the old friar prompting his excommunication and the
dissolution of their would-be wedding.
Elías
A mysterious character, Elias is a man on the run from the law---a wandering insurgent-
--resentful of both the Spanish colonial government and the Catholic Church, he crosses paths with the
more temperate Crisostomo Ibarra when he bravely saves his life from a marauding crocodile. He
pledges his life to the young man, promising to protect him from his manifold enemies. He takes on
the identity of a laborer to gather intelligence for his new friend, uncovering a plot against Sr. Ibarra’s
life. He and Ibarra have several long conversations regarding the ethics of politics and governance
with Elias taking a more definite revolutionary stand.
Don Rafael Ibarra

Crisostomo Ibarra’s father is posthumously mentioned in the novel. A great supporter
of liberal education for all and a vocal critic of the corrupt practices of the Spanish friars, he
earns the ire of the vitriolic Fray Damaso who accuses him of sedition and heresy. He dies in
prison having contracted pneumonia. His remains are buried in the catholic cemetery in the town
of San Diego but the hateful Fr. Damaso hires a gravedigger to disinter his body to have him buried at
the Chinese cemetery because of his status as a heretic. The gravedigger, unwilling to make the long
journey he instead throws the body into the lake, deciding that it would make a more honorable final
resting place than the Chinese cemetery
Crispín
A young lad studying to be a church caretaker, he together with his brother Basilio,
ceaselessly work to send support money for their beleaguered mother, Sisa. Crispín is blamed for
stealing money from the church coffers by the head sexton and is kept a virtual prisoner until the debt
is paid. On the night that he and his sibling were to visit their mother the head sexton forbids them,
keeping them until the curfew, effectively barring the brothers from

59
travelling. Crispín reasons out to the head sexton, it infuriates him and he proceeds to drag the young
boy away to beat him. He is never seen again afterwards, and one can assume that he has died at the
hands of the cruel head sexton.
Basilio
Eldest of Sisa’ brood, he, like his younger brother are sextons in training. Basilio makes a
desperate run for their home the night Crispín is dragged away. He attempts to locate his younger
brother the day after but his search efforts come up fruitless. The following day the Civil Guard
comes looking for him and his brother. Fearing for his life he makes a mad dash for the forest where
he goes into hiding, living with kind family until Christmas Eve where he planned to return to his
mother. When he finally locates Sisa but learns that the poor woman has gone mad from grief and is
thusly unable to identify her son. He follows her to the forest where she regains her wits temporarily
recognizing her son, and then dies from the shock.
Father Salví
A younger, more cunning Spanish priest who assumes control over Fr. Damaso’s post as friar
curate of San Diego; he is in many regards more dangerous that his precursor as he is a cannier
strategist who knows how to leverage the multiple dirty little secrets each of the members of San
Diego’s high society circle has.
Captain Tiago (Don Santiago de los Santos)

Capitan Tiago is a rarity in that he is a wealthy native-born Filipino socialite; he keeps close
ties with high-ranking members of the Catholic Church, despite actually having no love for them. His
primary concern is to marry off his daughter, the lovely Maria Clara, to an affluent man from an
influential family. This is one of the main reasons that he is quick to toss aside his loyalties to
Crisostomo Ibarra when he is labeled a subversive. His predilection for advantageous social pairings
makes him quick to assent to Linares as a potential new match for his daughter.
The Ensign
The nameless head of the Civil Guard of the township of San Diego; a man of Spanish
descent he is in a constant bitter feud with Fr. Salví as he has come to hate the sly priest’s
manipulations. In retaliation the ensign imposes curfews that make it all but impossible for the
citizens of San Diego to attend mass at the proper schedule. A drunkard and a braggart, he is actually
a cuckolded man married to a fiery, feisty, and foul-mouthed Filipina, Doña Consolación.
Doña Consolación
The pugnacious wife of The Ensign, Doña Consolación is an older, cantankerous Filipina
woman who constantly lectures her husband. Their fights are the stuff of legend and it is an open
secret that it is she, not her husband who makes he decisions for the organization. She is described as
an exceptionally vulgar woman and exceedingly ugly almost bordering on caricature prompting the
less charitable members of the Civil Guard to facetiously call her “The Muse of Civil Guard.” Doña
Consolación sees herself to be a person of great standing in society, even if she is the only one who
holds this opinion, and even if she is wholly Filipino she feigns inability to speak Tagalog, her native
dialect insisting instead on speaking very poor, nearly pidgin Spanish.
Doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña

A fraud and a hustler, the Spaniard who calls himself Doctor Tiburcio de Espadaña was
actually a customs officer who was dismissed from his post shortly after arriving in the Philippines.
Despite having no medical experience or money he travels to the countryside to posing as a doctor,
charging extortionate fees for his so-called services. His patients eventually catch wind of his schemes
and he is forced to relocate to another area where he is

60
all but unknown. He finds his was to San Diego and as luck would have it the unfortunate Maria Clara
falls ill and he is once again called to resume his duplicitous medical practice.
La Doctora Victorina de los Reyes de Espadaña

A brazen and determined Filipina social climber Doña Victorina is the spouse of the
counterfeit doctor, Tiburcio de Espadaña. She well past her prime and relies on garish make- up to
carry on a façade of youth. Her tastes in fashion are mercurial as are her patterns of speech,
mimicking the speech and manner of dress of members of high society. An accomplished hustler
herself it is she that devises that Dr. Tiburcio treat Maria Clara as well as matching her up with his
nephew Linares.
Lt. Guevara
A morally upright man of Spanish descent who holds both Crisostomo Ibarra and the late Don
Rafael in high esteem, he is also the lieutenant of the Civil Guard. He is one of the few who openly
supported the Ibarra’s and was vocal about his dislike of Fray Damaso’s control. He was the one who
informed Crisostomo Ibarra of the fate of his father and how Fr. Damaso was involved in his death.
Linares
Dr. de Espadaña’s nephew, a respectable young Spanish man, quite gifted and possesses a law
degree; a near polar opposite of his uncle, a matter that endears him to his uncle’s social-climbing
wife.
The Schoolmaster
A teacher that Don Rafael housed thus allowing him to suitably attend to the task of
instructing students; he informs Crisostomo Ibarra of the sorry state of education of San
Diego since the passing of his father. The friars closely watch t he material being taught in the
school, forbidding him from teaching Spanish, even if there was an edict stating that Spanish must be
taught. The Schoolmaster is grateful to the Ibarra family but he expresses no optimism that he’d make
headway in getting any lasting educational reforms happen.
Don Filipo (Filipo Lino)

Don Filipo Lino is a representative of the younger, less religiously shackled generation of
movers and shakers in San Diego, he also serves as the vice mayor of the town. He despises the idea
of spending lavish amounts of money on the numerous feast days that mark the religious calendar
seeing it as both wasteful and burdensome to the citizens as it often puts them under great financial
stress, may even going under debt just to be able to celebrate. His words however fall on deaf ears as
he is only deputy mayor---the Mayor, his commanding officer---is a dedicated follower of the
Catholic church and the de facto mouthpiece of the friars.
Sisa
The long-suffering mother of sextons in training Crispin and Basilio, she goes mad
upon the loss of her sons. Impoverished and married to a violent drunkard her sons were the only ray
of sunshine in her life. She wanders the town, clothes tattered and hair disheveled, calling out for her
sons. When she actually does meet Basilio she cannot recognize him but when her wits do return she
dies from surprise and sudden joy.
Fr. Sibyla
A priest serving in the Binondo district in the city of Manila, Fr. Sibyla serves as a foil to the
otherwise largely corrupt Fray Dámaso and the perverse Fray Salví as he is rational and calm. Fr.
Sibyla is an adept and shrewd orator who takes obvious delight in antagonizing the pompous Fr.
Dámaso at Ibarra’s return party.

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The Gravedigger
A cemetery worker who exhumes Don Rafael’s remains upon the insistence of Fr. Damaso;
moved by pity and laziness he dumps Don Rafael’s body in the lake seeing it as a more fitting resting
place for such a respected man. Ibarra grills him, anxious for information about his father.
SYMBOLISMS IN THE NOLI
Noli Me Tangere intends to depict the real conditions of the Filipino life under the Spanish
rule. Mainly because of the rampant corrupt acts of the Spanish officials and friars, the way of living
of the Filipinos during that time had been backward, anti-intellectual and anti- progressive, up to the
point that the country was not in any way catching up on the developments of the so-called Age of
Enlightenment. As Rizal introduced the novel to his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, he wrote, “The
novel is the first impartial and bold account of the life of the Tagalogs. The Filipinos will find in it the
history of the last ten years” (Noli Me Tangere, n.d.).
The Schoolhouse
More than just an edifice for learning the schoolhouse has become a symbol of
empowerment and freedom. Having received an education abroad, Ibarra does not bow down
to the priests and is all but immune to the threat of excommunication.
Crispin and Basilio

These characters represent the opposite end of the spectrum of not having received education.
The suffering they are subjected is due largely to their ignorant over dependence on the church. They
are open to abuses because they have been conditioned to unquestioningly follow the church leaders.
Tinola and betel nut parcels served at a fancy, formal gathering

Tinola is a thin, rustic soup-like dish made with boiled chicken, ginger, and unripe papayas
served in the Philippines--common, everyday fare. Betel Nut parcels are made of pepper leaves, sliced
betel nuts, and an acrid paste of lime, typically chewed by rural workers in the Philippines and other
countries in South-East Asia. These items are typically associated with rural austerity and bucolic
sensibilities that aren't befitting of such a high society gathering. These food items are symbolic of the
wide variety of party-goers that have made their way into Crisostomo Ibarra's welcoming party: social
climbers and sycophants, hustlers, and the intellectuals of the day all under one roof.
Capitan Tiago
Capitan Tiago is the in-novel embodiment of the Philippine government during the Spanish
colonial era. There was native Filipino participating in civil government in those days, however, many
of them tended to be mere figureheads, serving more as a mouthpiece for the Spanish Cortés. Capitan
Tiago, like the Philippine government, also shares these unflattering characteristics: powerless and
silently enduring of the indignities he suffers at the hands of the Catholic priests that eat at his table
and rape his wife.
Capitan Tiago also represents the rich Filipinos who opted to be allies (as in ‘tuta’) of Spanish
officials and friars just to preserve their wealth and political position.
Elias and Ibarra

The two characters Elias and Ibarra symbolize the two contrasting means by which political
reforms are to be achieved. Elias, the mysterious insurgent, who represents political reforms achieved
through bloody revolution and his polar opposite, Ibarra, who represents

62
political reforms achieved through civil discussions. Through these two characters the ethics of
governance are discussed at length and as the novel progresses the circumstances that happen to them
continue to shape their political outlook--so much so in fact that by the end of the novel the two have
all but traded their political stance on revolution and social reform.
Maria Clara
Maria Clara symbolizes the nation of the Philippines under Spanish rule. She is also the
culture caricature and in-novel criticism of the novelist of the typical Filipino woman of the age.
Maria Clara is the product of the exploitation of a Spanish priest and the failure of her Filipino father
to defend his wife's honor. These conditions parallel the Philippines: like Maria Clara the Philippines
is a nation born from the exploitations of the Spanish colonial government and the inability of the
Filipino people to defend its sovereignty. She also embodies everything that the author finds wrong
about the typical Filipino woman of the time--timid, no strong convictions, focused solely on
domestic and church concerns, and blindly devoted to her parents and guardians. As Ibarra's fiancée,
she also stands for the powerless Filipina then. Patterned after Leonor Rivera, Rizal's ‘true love,’
Maria Clara’s character also personifies some ideal Filipina—loving and unwavering in their loyalty
to their respective spouses.
Crisostomo Ibarra
He represents the small group of Filipinos who had a chance to study abroad and dreamt of
improving the country. Like Jose Rizal, Ibarra wanted education for Filipino children, hence his plan
to construct a public school in San Diego.
Father Damaso
This Spanish friar corresponds to wicked but ironically respected priests. His character is a
reflection of the then rampant covert fathering of illegitimate children by friars. In the novel, he is
revealed to be the biological father of Maria Clara.
Pilosopo Tasio
This character symbolizes those whose ideas were advanced and wise but are perceived by
the uneducated as weird or lunatic. that It is said that Tasio’s character was patterned after Paciano,
Jose’s intelligent brother who also sought reforms.
Sisa and her sons Crispin and Basilio

They epitomize a Filipino family oppressed by the Spanish authorities. Through Sisa, Rizal
illustrated a lack of concern in facing and resolving the problems that confront the Filipino family this
was evident when Sisa lost her mental balance upon learning what happened to her sons. She also
symbolizes a typical Filipino mother, fully-aware of her child’s attributes and willing to defend
him/her no matter what.
Doña Victorina
She represents some ambitious Filipinas who wanted to be classified as Spanish, hence the
putting on of heavy make-up. She despised everything Filipino and imitated what was Spanish — an
embodiment of a social climber and colonial mentality.
Don Tiburcio
Doña Victorina’s husband stands for incompetent and unqualified Spaniards who illegally
practiced their supposed profession in the Philippines.
Padre Salvi
The curate who secretly harbors lust for Maria Clara, represents the seemingly kind but in fact
wicked Spanish friars. Don Rafael Ibarra, Ibarra’s father, epitomizes the rich and at the same time
virtuous and generous Filipinos during the Spanish era.

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The School Master of San Diego
He symbolized intellectual disappointment during Rizal’s time. He wanted to change the
teaching methods so that more people will learn.
Don Rafael Ibarra
As Ibarra’s father, he symbolized a rich landlord with a social conscience. He was sent to jail
after helping a boy from an abusive Spanish tax collector.
Indeed, the novel’s characters represent the various kinds of people inhabiting the country during the
period of Rizal’s life. Do you still see these characters in the present time?
REACTIONS TO NOLI
As expected, the Spanish officials and friars, especially the sensitive ones, were
furious by the contents of the Noli. Rizal’s friends and compatriots, on the other hand, praised
and defended the novel.
Non-Filipino defenders of the Noli include Rizal’s Austrian friend, Ferdinand
Blumentritt, and Dr. Miguel Morayta, statesman and history professor in Central University
of Madrid. Federico Faura, Rizal’s Jesuit professor, told the Noli’s author that “everything in
it was the truth,” but also foretold, “You may lose your head for it.” Today, there are streets
in Manila which were named after Morayta, Blumentritt, and Faura. (The road ‘Morayta’ was
already renamed but is still more known to many by its old name).
Even before Rizal went home after the publication of the Noli, his family had been
feeling the backlash produced by the novel. Using coded words, Paciano wrote Rizal that a
“storm” was “threatening Makiling.” “It is only waiting for time,” he added, “It should not
surprise those who know that this is time for typhoons” (Bantug, p. 71). Later in history,
Paciano would proudly translate the Noli into Tagalog.
During Rizal’s first homecoming in 1887, Governor General Emilio Terrero
summoned him to the Malacañang Palace a few days after his (Rizal’s) arrival. Terrero told
Rizal that Bernardino Nozaleda, the Archbishop of Manila, petitioned to ban the Noli. The
governor general asked Rizal for a copy of the Noli and found noting ‘criminal’ in the book.
He nonetheless assigned Lt. Jose Taviel de Andrade of the Gurdia Civil to be Rizal’s
bodyguard, fearing that Noli attackers would harm the author.
Meanwhile, an ad hoc committee of the faculty of the University of Santo Tomas

formed at the request of Manila Archbishop Pedro Payo, found and denounced Noli as
ecclesiastically heretical, impious, and scandalous and politically unpatriotic, subversive of
public order, and harmful to the Spanish government and its administration in the
Philippines. The Permanent Commission of Censorship led by Tondo cura Salvador Font
similarly found the Noli to contain subversive ideas against the Catholic Church and Spain
and thus recommended the absolute prohibition on the importation, reproduction, and
circulation of the book.
In Madrid, a newspaper article written by a Vicente Barrantes resentfully
attacked the Noli. Similarly, some members of the Spanish Cortes belabored the novel
through formal speeches labeling it as “anti-Catholic, Protestant, socialistic.”
Another attacker of Noli happened to be Rizal’s namesake, Jose Rodriguez, an
Augustinian priest who even took great pains to write eight anti-Noli pamphlets, which
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were forcibly sold to church-goers. The arguments outlined in the pamphlets were
nonetheless logically addressed by an unexpected defender of the novel, the Filipino
theologian and priest, Vicente Garcia. Writing under the penname Justo Desiderio Magalang,
the priest countered the claim that Noli’s author was an “ignorant man” by saying that Rizal
was a graduate of universities in Spain and was a recipient of scholastic honors. By sound
inference, Garcia also answered Rodriguez’ claim that those who read the Noli commit a
mortal sin by concluding that he (Rodriguez) therefore committed a mortal sin since he had
read the novel.
Describing the effects of Noli, Rizal himself wrote, “My book made a lot of noise;
everywhere, I am asked about it. They wanted to anathematize me [‘to excommunicate me’]
because of it... I am considered a German spy … a Protestant, a freemason, a sorcerer, a
damned soul and evil.” (Rizal was indeed a freemason but, of course, not the rest of the
allegations.) In a letter to his friend Pastor Ullmer, Rizal narrated, “… enemies burned my
books, friends bought them for as much as fifty pesos. Bookstores profited, but I got
nothing.” Noli therefore is a classic case of a black-market profiting much from an ‘illegal’
product.
Rizal once received a letter dated February 15, 1888 which was comparable to a death
threat. The sender wrote in part, “If you… think you have a grievance, then challenge us and
we shall pick up the gauntlet, for we are not cowards like you, which is not to say that a
hidden hand will not put an end to your life.” Ironically, the sender did not indicate his real
name and just cowardly signed the letter “A Friar”.

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WORKSHEET 1
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.
1. The banning of the Noli Me Tangere was recommended by:

A. Archbishop of Manila C. Catholic Church of Madrid
B. Permanent Commission on Censorship D. Rector of UST
2. Which among the following is considered as the enemy of progress and reform according to
Rizal?
A. Guardia Civil C. Spanish Governor-General
B. Friars D. Filipinos
3. was considered the savior of the Noli due to the financial assistance he gave Rizal for the
printing of the novel.
A. Felipe Buencamino C. Felix Hidalgo
B. Maximo Viola D. Valentin Ventura
4. The literal meaning of Noli Me Tangere is .
A. Leave Me Alone C. Touch Me Not
B. Save Me From Sin D. Help Me
5. is the character that represents rich Filipinos who chose to be allies of Spanish
officials to preserve their wealth.
A. Kapitan Inggo C. Kapitan Basilio
B. Kapitan Elias D. Kapitan Tiago
6. Rizal’s Noli was influenced by the novel of Harriet Beecher Stowe entitled .
A. Uncle Tom’s Cabin C. Count of Monte Cristo
B. Deception D. A Tale of Two Cities
7. Rizal deleted this chapter in the Noli entitled to economize its printing.
A. In the Woods C. Memories
B. Elias and Salome D. The Supper
8. Which among the following characters in the novel best describe a social climber?
A. Doña Patrocinio C. Doña Victorina
B. Sisa D. Maria Clara
9. Maria Clara symbolizes .
A. Filipino womanhood C. Oppression
B. Filipino nation D. Martyrdom
10. is the character in Noli that represents the small group of Filipinos who had a chance
to study abroad.
A. Elias C. Basilio
B. Isagani D. Ibarra

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WORKSHEET 2
SYMBOLISMS IN NOLI.
Complete the table below to describe your own symbol-ism of the characters used in the Noli
Me Tangere. It can be an object, a person in the present time, or any other representation. Briefly
explain your symbolism on the third column.
Character Symbolism Explanation
Ibarra
Maria Clara
Kapitan Tiago
Basilio
Don Rafael Ibarra
Elias
Fr. Damaso
Sisa
Doña Victorina

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WORKSHEET 3
SHORT ESSAY.
Read and analyze each question. Answer each item briefly but concisely.
1. Why do you think Rizal wrote the original Noli Me Tangere in Spanish, considering that it is the
language of the colonizers?
2. Prove or Contradict: Noli Me Tangere is anti-clerical and anti-patriotic.
3. Between Elias and Ibarra, who do you prefer? Why?
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WORKSHEET 4
REFLECTION:
What is freedom? How is lack of freedom portrayed in the Noli Me Tan-gere? Hos is the
situation in the novel similar or different from today?
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MODULE 6
El Filibusterismo
Name:
Learning Outcome:
 Describe the important characters in the novel and what they represent.
 Compare and contrast the characters, plot, and the theme of the Noli and El Fili.
 Evaluate the role of the youth in the development and future of society.
This lesson will discuss Rizal’s second novel as the sequel to his Noli Me Tangere. The
alternative title of this sequel is The Reign of Greed. Paste a picture (cut-out or print-out) in the box
that would best describe how you define ‘greed.’ Write a brief explanation below to describe your
symbol.
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EL FILI’s DESCRIPTION
Rizal began writing El Filibusterismo in

October 1887 while he was in Calamba,
Laguna. In 1888, he revised the plot and some
chapters in London. Rizal continued to work on
his manuscripts in Paris. Then, he moved to
Brussels, Belgium where, the cost was cheaper
and there were less distractions so he could
focus on finishing the book. He finally
completed the book on March 29, 1891 in
Biarritz, France and was published in September
of that year in Ghent.
The novel is said to have been written against the background of threats and oppressions that
Rizal and his family suffered because of the Noli and the so-called Calamba agrarian trouble.
According to history, (Ocampo, 2012) it was Rizal’s roommate in Belgium, Jose Alejandrino,
who canvassed the printing press for El Fili. He delivered the proofs and revisions to F. Meyer Van
Loo in Ghent, which is why, for his assistance, Rizal gave him the El Fili’s corrected proofs and the
pen used in doing the corrections. Unluckily, these historical souvenirs were either lost or destroyed
during the revolution.
Alejandrino, who later became a general in the Philippine revolution, may have been the first
person to read the novel aside from the author but the honor of being called ‘the savior of the Fili’ had
been given to Valentin Ventura — Rizal’s friend who partially financed the publication of the novel.
Clearly, Ventura’s steal of the title is another classic interpretation of the expression, “That’s what
money can do.”
At first, Rizal financed El Fili’s printing by placing his properties as collateral. In a letter to
Jose Basa dated July 9, 1891, he related:
“For the past three months I have not received a single centavo, so I have pawned all
that I have in order to publish this book. I will continue publishing it as long as I can; and when
there is nothing to pawn I will stop …”
However, Rizal’s next letter to Basa carried the sad news that the printing had to be
suspended due to lack of funds, and it was at this point that Valentin Ventura came into the picture. If
you can still recall, Ventura was one of the Filipinos who promised to co-author Rizal’s Noli but
ended up contributing nothing? In retrospection, it can be assumed that Ventura was bothered by his
conscience—having known Rizal’s predicament, he offered his generous monetary assistance for
Rizal’s El Fili.
On the contrary, even with Ventura’s help, Rizal found it necessary to fundamentally shorten
the novel, erasing 47 whole pages from the 279-page manuscript to save expenses. Thus, the printed
El Fili, which came off the press by mid-September 1891, turned out comprising only 38 chapters
compared to the 64 of the Noli — contrary to his original plan to make a longer sequel.
For Ventura’s saving act, Rizal gave him the novel’s original manuscript, a pen, and an
autographed printed copy. In 1925, the Philippine government bought the El Fili manuscript from
Ventura for a large sum of 10, 000 pesos (Zaide,1984). At present, it is now being kept in the National
Library.

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FILIBUSTERO DEFINED
Rizal had to define the word filibuster to his German friend Ferdinand Blumentritt who did
not understand his use of word in Noli Me Tangere. In a letter, Rizal explained:
“The word filibuster is little known in the Philippines. The masses do not know it yet. I
heard it for the first time in 1872 when the tragic executions (of Gomburza) took place. I still
remember the panic that this word created. Our father forbade us to utter it, as well as the
words Cavite, Burgos (one of the executed priests), etc. The Manila newspapers and the
Spaniards apply this word to one whom they want to make a revolutionary suspect. The
Filipinos belonging to the educated class fear the reach of the word. It does not have the
meaning of freebooters; it rather means a dangerous patriot who will soon be hanged or well, a
presumptuous man.”
By the end of the 19th century, the word filibuster had acquired the meaning “subversive” in
the Philippines, hence the book is about subversion.
Note that the ‘Filibusterismo’ in the novel’s title is derived from the simpler term
‘filibustero’, which contextually means subversive, dissident, revolutionary, seditious,
insurrectionary, and treasonous. Fittingly, Rizal dedicated the book to the memory of the Gomburza,
the three Filipino patriotic priests who were accused of being ‘filibustero’ and thus executed. In his
dedication, Rizal fearlessly declared his conviction that the Spanish officials’ treatment of the priests’
case was unjust “as [their] complicity in the Cavite Mutiny is not clearly proved”.
The dedication partly reads:
“To the memory of the priests, Don Mariano Gomez (85 years old), Don Jose Burgos (30 years
old), and Don Jacinto Zamora (35 years old). Executed in the Bagumbayan Field on the 28th of
February, 1872 … I have the right to dedicate my work to you as victims of the evil which I
undertake to combat…”
Rizal however made mistakes in indicating the ages of the priests and the date of their
execution. During their martyrdom on the 17th (not 28th) of February, 1872, Gomez was then 73 (not
85), Burgos was 35 (not 30) and Zamora was 37 (not 35). Like many other students today (especially
men), Rizal was perhaps not that good in memorizing historical details like dates and ages.
The foreword of the Fili indicated: “To The Filipino People and Their Government”. The
original manuscript also includes a “warning” and an “inscription” on the title page written by the
author’s friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt.
Given the reaction to his first book, Rizal tried to avoid allowing the second one to fall into
the hands of the Spaniards. He had after all written El Filibusterismo not for the Spaniards but for the
Filipino people to read. After distributing the copies of the first edition to his friends in Europe, Rizal
designated most of the remainder to be sent to the Philippines. The books were first sent to his
residence in Hong Kong, to be smuggled to the Philippines by his friends. Upon shipment, the copies
were immediately seized by the authorities, making it a rare book overnight.
EL FILI IN BRIEF
The story in El Filibusterismo revolves around its main character Simoun who is an affluent
jeweler. Simoun is actually Crisostomo Ibarra of the Noli whom everyone thought had been killed by
the Guardia Civil at Laguna de Bay. He had in fact escaped, fled to Cuba, become wealthy, and made
connections with influential Spanish officials. Upon his return to
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the Philippines after many years, he becomes very influential as the governor general, who owes so
much to him, consults him in making decisions.
In reality however, everything Simoun does is just part of his grand plan to take revenge
against the Spanish officials and rescue Maria Clara from the convent. Planning to stage a revolution,
he smuggles arms and looks for followers, mainly from the exploited and abused natives. One of his
recruits is Basilio, the son of Sisa, who with Capitan Tiago’s help was able to study in Manila.
Simoun also makes an alliance with the revolutionary group of Kabesang Tales, a former ‘cabeza de
barangay’ who suffered maltreatments from the hands of the friars. Using his influence, Simoun
encourages corruption, decadence, and more oppressive government policies so that the citizens may
become more infuriated.
Yet, the planned revolt one night was not carried out because Simoun, upon hearing that
Maria Clara died in the nunnery, decided not to give the signal for the outbreak of the uprising.
Another plan was made some months later. At the venue of the wedding reception of Juanito
Pelaez and Paulita Gomez, Simoun planted many explosives — enough to kill the invited guests,
primarily the friars and government officials. According to the plot, the big explosion shall be started
by the gift he would give to the newlyweds at the reception—a kerosene lamp with an explosive.
When the lamp flickers and someone turns the wick, it will result into a big explosion that will
become a signal to the revolutionary troops to simultaneously attack all the government buildings in
Manila.
During the reception, Simoun gives his gift to the newly-weds. Before hurriedly leaving the
venue, he leaves a piece of mysterious paper bearing the message “You will die tonight” signed by
Juan Crisostomo Ibarra.
Meanwhile, Isagani, the rejected lover of Paulita, is standing outside the reception. His friend
Basilio tells him to leave the place because the lamp will soon blow up.
When Father Salvi identifies the handwriting in the note and confirms that it was indeed
Ibarra’s, the guests begin to panic. When the lamp flickers, Father Irene tries to turn the wick up. But
Isagani, wanting to save Paulita’s life, rushes into the house, grabs the lamp, and throws it into the
river where it explodes.
Simoun’s revolutionary plot was thus known and he is thus hunted by the law enforcers. He
managed to escape but was seriously wounded. Carrying his jewelry chest, he finds shelter in the
home of Padre Florentino by the sea. Learning of his presence in the house of the priest, the lieutenant
of the Guardia Civil informs Padre Florentino that he will come in the evening to arrest Simoun.
Simoun then takes poison that he would not be caught alive. As the poison’s effects start to
take toll on his body, he confesses to Florentino his true identity and his plan of revenge through
bloody revolution. After the emotional and agonizing confession of the dying man, the priest absolves
the dying man from his sins, saying: “God will forgive you Señor Simoun. He knows that we are
fallible. He has seen that you have suffered … He has frustrated your plans one by one … first by the
death of Maria Clara, then by a lack of preparation, then in some mysterious way. Let us bow to His
will and render Him thanks!”
The story ends with the priest throwing Simoun’s treasures into the sea so that they would not
be used by the greedy. The priest hopes that when the right time comes, they would be recovered and
used only for the good.
PREMISES OF EL FILI
In actual fact, the El Filibusterismo is a continuation of the Noli Me Tangere, which still
exposes the real picture of the Filipino society at the hands of the Spanish government officials. Issues
concerning socio-political activities that were mentioned in the Noli are also dealt with in its sequel
such as the abuses and hypocrisy of the members of the Spanish Catholic clergy, superstitions
disguising as religious faith, the need for reform in educational system, the exploitation and
corruption of government officials, and the pretenses of some social-climbing Filipinos and
Spaniards.

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What sets El Fili apart from Noli is that it offers various means (ideal for Rizal) of
attaining social reform. There were dialogues and incidents that seemed to suggest the apparent
unlikelihood of any radical socio-political change. The main character’s persistence to push through
with the rebellion, on the other hand, seemed to suggest that independence is attainable through
revolution. However, the closing chapters rather imply that freedom must be attained without
bloodshed as the story ends with the failure of Simoun’s planned uprising. The ending, some scholars
explain however, should not be interpreted as Rizal’s categorical stand against revolution. In fact,
Rizal can be said to be against unprepared and disorganized rebellion of an uneducated people, which
could have a slight chance of victory. It is important to note that Rizal once commented that an
upright, patriotic, and selfless individual like Noli’s Elias would be a viable revolutionary leader. If
truth be told, Rizal was said to have confessed that he seriously regretted having killed Elias instead
of Ibarra. These seem to prove that Rizal, though practically promoting the attainment of reforms
peacefully, also advocated the idea of armed revolution under some conditions. Intelligent as he is,
what Rizal would never subscribe to is the “useless spilling of blood,” but not the uprising as such.
CHARACTERS AND IMAGERIES OF EL FILI
A number of other characters from the Noli reappear in this second novel. As the El Fili aims
to focus on attacking the Spanish corruption, greed, exploitation and injustice, Rizal did not spare his
fellow Filipinos from his harsh criticism of the regime. He condemned them for their greed,
corruption, hypocrisy, and cowardice, which contributed so much to the abuses of the civil guards and
friars. These personalities are shown in the more important characters that can be interpreted
symbolically.
Simoun
He is Crisóstomo Ibarra in disguise, presumed dead at the end of Noli Me Tangere and has
returned as the wealthy jeweler Simoun. He appears to be tanned, with sparse beard, long white hair,
and large blue-tinted glasses. His manners were described to be crude and confrontational, presenting
an arrogant elitist on the outside but secretly plans a violent revolution in order to avenge himself for
his misfortunes as Crisóstomo Ibarra, as well as hasten Elias' reformist goals.
He could represent the portion of the Filipino society who got tired of the oppressors’ rule,
desperately wanted to overthrow the said rule at all cost. Because of his past failures and
disappointments, he turned cynical and revolutionary but had no systematic plan for the new society,
if the old one is overthrown.
Basilio
Known to be the son of Sisa and another character from Noli Me Tangere, he is now an
aspiring and so far, successful physician on his last year at the University in El FIli, waiting for his
license to be released upon his graduation. After his mother's death in the Noli, he applied as a servant
in Captain Tiago's household in exchange for food, lodging, and being allowed to study. Eventually he
took up medicine, and with Tiago having retired from society, he also became the manager of Tiago's
vast estate. He is a quiet, contemplative man who is more aware of his immediate duties as a servant,
doctor, and member of the student association than he is of politics or patriotic endeavors. His
sweetheart is Juli, the daughter of Kabesang Tales whose family took him in when he was a young
boy fleeing the Guardia Civil and his deranged mother.
Aware of the rampant injustices and cruelty against his own family, he still remains hostile to
any revolution. As a medical student, he is that educated Filipino who has become numbed and
ignorant of the well-being of his fellow Filipinos and his country because of his brutal experiences in
the past.

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Isagani
He is Basilio's friend and is described as a poet, taller and more robust than Basilio although
younger. He is the nephew of Padre Florentino but is also rumored to be Florentino's son with his old
sweetheart before he was ordained as a priest. During the events of the novel, Isagani is finishing his
studies at the Ateneo Municipal and is planning to take medicine. A member of the student
association, Isagani is proud and naive, and tends to put himself on the spot when his ideals are
affronted. His unrestrained idealism and poeticism clash with the more practical and mundane
concerns of his girlfriend, Paulita Gomez. When Isagani allows himself to be arrested after their
association is outlawed, Paulita leaves him for Juanito Peláez. In his final mention in the novel, he was
bidding goodbye to his landlords, the Orenda family, to stay with Florentino permanently.
His sense of unproven and unpredictable idealism symbolizes the educated Filipino youths at
that time. He may be inspired by his ideals for his country but at crucial moments, he unconsciously
forgets those ideals for selfish reasons.
Captain Tiago
Also, a character in the Noli, he had several landholdings in Pampanga, Binondo, and Laguna,
as well as taking ownership of the Ibarras' vast estate, too. However, he fell into a depression
following María Clara’s entry into the convent. He alleviated this by smoking opium, which quickly
became an uncontrolled vice, exacerbated by his association with Padre Írene who regularly supplied
him with the substance. Tiago hired Basilio as a capista, a servant who was given the opportunity to
study as part of his wages. Tiago died of shock upon hearing of Basilio's arrest and Padre Írene's
embellished stories of violent revolt.
Don Custodio
He is Custodio de Salazar y Sánchez de Monteredondo, a famous "contractor" who was
tasked by the Captain-General to develop the students’ association's proposal for an academy for the
teaching of Spanish but was then also under pressure from the priests not to compromise their
prerogatives as monopolizers of instruction. Some of the novel's most scathing criticism is reserved
for Custodio, who is portrayed as an opportunist who married his way into high society, who regularly
criticized favored ideas that did not come from him, but was ultimately, laughably incompetent in
spite of his scruples.
As an average, unqualified Spanish official who holds several positions in the country, he
does not welcome any idea from others. In the novel, Rizal portrayed him as one who finds pleasure
in developing a feeling of inferiority among the people.
Maria Clara
Symbolically speaking, she represents the friar-dominated Filipino culture, which, at that
time, is ripe for revolution. After suffering from untold physical and spiritual abuse for at least 13
years, Maria Clara dies — hence, there was no eventual union between Simoun and Maria Clara, not
even meeting together since they parted 13 years ago (because Simoun was not permitted to do so).
Kabesang Tales
Also known as Telesforo Juan de Dios, a former kabesa of Barrio Sagpang in Tiani. He was a
sugarcane planter who cleared lands he thought belonged to no one, losing his wife and eldest
daughter in the endeavor. When the Dominicans took over his farm, he fought to his last money to
have it retained in his possession. While his suit against the Dominicans was ongoing, he was
kidnapped by the bandits while he was out patrolling his fields. Having no money to pay his captors,
his daughter Juli was forced to become a maid in exchange for her mistress paying his ransom. When
his son Tano was conscripted into the Guardia Civil, Tales had no money (again) to pay for Tano's
exclusion from the draft. When Tales lost the case,

75
he not only lost his farm but was also dealt with a heavy fine. He later joined the bandits and became
one of their fiercest commanders. Tandang Selo, his father, would later on join his band after the
death of Juli.
He embodied those who join the bandits for personal revenge after suffering from the
maltreatments caused by the friars.
Juli
Her full name is Juliana de Dios, the girlfriend of Basilio, and the youngest daughter of
Kabesang Tales. When Tales was captured by bandits, Juli petitioned Hermana Penchang to pay for
his ransom. In exchange, she had to work as Penchang's maid. Basilio ransomed her and bought a
house for her family. When Basilio was sent to prison, Juli approached Tiani's curate, Padre Camorra,
for help. When Camorra tried to rape her instead, Juli jumped to her death from the church's tower.
She symbolized love for honor and chastity when she took her own life instead of submitting
her womanhood to Fr. Camorra.
Placido Penitente
Another young student who desires to go abroad for a better life. Upon learning about
Simoun’s planned revolt, he got so scared that he was undecided whether to join or not. He is that part
of the Philippine society who does not have a sense of nationalism or social conscience.
THE SEMBLANCE OF NOLI AND EL FILI
Both novels portray an exposure of the ills of the Spanish authorities. In depicting the social
conditions in the country, the use of satires and caricatures were very evident, although El Fili is more
serious, less humorous and more bitter in its treatment of the situations.
The suffering of the native Filipinos from the cruelty and exploitation of the colonizers were
very much depicted in the Noli. On the other hand, there is awakening in El Fili wherein the natives
were described to be at the brink of a rebellion as revolutionary forces have been formed.
In general, El Fili presents a more miserable representation of the country under the Spanish
regime. The novel is more radical and revolutionary — it has less idealism and romance as compared
to the Noli. The El Fili manifests Rizal’s more mature and less hopeful attitude toward the socio-
political situation in the country. The novel’s poor outlook and more tragic mood can be attributed to
the persecutions and sufferings that Rizal and his family experienced from the Spanish friars and
officials in the years he was writing the novel.
Nevertheless, the sufferings caused by the Spaniards to the Rizal family is not a matter of
revenge in the El Fili. Rizal wrote to Blumentritt: “I have not written in it [Fili] any idea of vengeance
against my enemies, but only for the good of those who suffer, for the rights of Tagalogs ..."
Some of Rizal’s friends like Blumentritt and Graciano Lopez Jaena expressed that the El Fili
was more superior than Noli. Apparently, Rizal himself also believed in the superiority of the El Fili.
When its printing had to be stopped for lack of funds, he wrote to Basa: “It is a pity because it seems
to me that this second part [El Fili] is more important than the first [Noli].” After the publication of
the El Fili, Rizal appeared to have a change of heart. In his October 13, 1891 letter to Marcelo
Del Pilar, he said: “I appreciate what you say about my work and I value your opinion highly that
considered my Filibusterismo inferior to the Noli. I, too frankly, without irony or words with a
double meaning, share your opinion. For me, the Filibusterismo as a novel is inferior to the Noli…
You are the first one to tell me the truth and I
agree with you. This flatters me as it proves that I still know how to judge myself. “
Indeed, the El Filibusterismo is a novel about a failed revolution as organized by Simoun. His
return to the Philippines was to encourage corruption in the government using
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his wealth and influence in order to provoke the people take a stand against the Spanish regime.
Rizal, through Simoun, realized that it is only through independence that the Filipinos will be
eased of their miseries under the colonizers. This was manifested in his conversation with Basilio that
said:
“Instead of aspiring to be a mere province, aspire to be a nation, develop an

independent, not colonial mentality. There are no tyrants where there are no slaves.
Basilio’s reply was: “Science can redeem man from social and other reforms of
persecution”
Simoun’s dispute was: “Patriotism will always be a virtue in oppressed people.”
During Simoun’s dying moment, he uttered the words, “Why has God God forsaken me?
Is not God justice? Is it God’s will that the Philippines remain under its present condition?”
Through Fr. Florentino, Rizal spoke of how independence should be won. Fr.
Florentino responded,
“If our country is someday to be free, it will not be through vice, it will not be through the
corruption of its sons...Redemption presupposes virtue; virtue, sacrifice; and sacrifice, love!
Hence, Rizal’s message was very clear: Filipinos should be courageous enough to protest and
proclaim their rights. They have to be willing to sacrifice in the face of oppression and tyranny —
only then can they be deserving of the independence that they desperately want to attain.
According to Guerrero (1998), Rizal was a reluctant revolutionary. He believed in
independence as a solution to the sufferings of the many Filipinos under the Spanish rule but he
hesitated and backed down. One explanation seemed logical: To Rizal, the Filipinos during his time
were not yet ready for a revolution. Similarly, they were not ready for independence. They were still
unworthy of independence because they have not yet learned to prioritize the common good over their
personal gain. The Filipinos were not yet ready to become a nation. For Rizal, God will provide the
means — be it a revolution or a peaceful separation from Spain
— but they need education, exemplary lives and the willingness to sacrifice for other people.
RIZAL AFTER FILI
After the publication of El Fili, Rizal gave up on the idea that peaceful liberation is possible
for the Philippines. In his letter to Blumentritt in 1887, he wrote,
“peaceful struggle will just remain a dream, considering that Spain had not learned the
lesson of her former colonies in South America” (Guerrero, 1998).
Rizal then became a separatist upon realizing that reforms will no longer be granted by Spain.
Unlike other separatists, Rizal is exceptional as he learned to leave the attainment of independence to
God.
Subsequently, Rizal was bitterly attacked by his fellow reformers in Madrid. This can be
accounted for by the very radical and revolutionary tone of the novel, which renounced the
propaganda campaign for peaceful reforms and assimilation. As a result, Rizal decided to end his
connection with the propagandists in Madrid and opted to return to the Philippines to share the
misfortunes of his family.

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WORKSHEET 1
A. MULTIPLE CHOICE. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.
1. is the main character of El Fili who is an affluent jeweler

A. Elias c. Simoun
B. Ibarra d. Kapitan Tiago
2. partially financed the publication of the El Fili, thereby attaining the reputation of being
its savior.
A. Maximo Viola c. Jose Alejandrino
B. Valentin Ventura d. F. Meyer van Loo
3. Who was Rizal’s friend who wrote the “warning” and “inscription” on the title page of the El Fili?
A. Antonio Luna c. Graciano Lopez Jaena
B. Jose Basa d. Ferdinand Blumentritt
4. El Fili was dedicated to .
A. Gomburza c. Philippines
B. Filipinos d. Spain
5. Which among the following does NOT define filibustero?
A. revolutionary c. subversive
B. conventional d. radical
B. TRUE or FALSE. Write Y if the statement is correct and N if the statement is false.
1. El Fili was finally published in London.

2. This second novel is shorter than the Noli.
3. Rizal agreed to Antonio Luna that the El Fili is inferior to Noli.
4. The English translation of El Fili is The Reign of Greed.
5. Jose Alejandrino was the one who looked for a cheaper printing press for the El Fili.
6. Rizal condemned the hypocrisy of the Filipinos in the El Fili.
7. Rizal became a separatist after the El Fili.
8. Don Custodio was a victim of land grabbing and injustice.
9. Isagani symbolized those elements of the society who had not yet been infused with social
conscience.
10. Juli was the innocent young woman who took her own life to save her chastity from Fr.
Camorra’s earthly lust.

78
WORKSHEET 2
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS.
Fill-in the table below to show the similarities and differences of the novels, Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo.
ELEMENTS Noli Me Tangere El Filibusterismo
Setting
Characters
Plot
Theme
Message

79
WORKSHEET 3
1. Are filibusteros the same as the batang pasaway in the present generation? Prove your
point by citing examples or specific situations.
2. Explain why Rizal would never subscribe to the “useless spilling of blood.”
3. Take a stand: Which is better, Rizal’s diplomatic reform or Bonifacio’s impulsive

revolt? Defend your answer.
80
WORKSHEET 4
REFLECTION.
What is the role of the youth in the development and future of the society?

81
MODULE 7
Jose Rizal and Philippine Nationalism:

Bayani and Kabayanihan
Name:
Learning Outcome:
 Interpret views and opinions about bayani and kabayanihan in the context of Philippine
history and society.
 Assess the concepts of bayani and kabayanihan in the context of Philippine society.
What is the first word that comes to your mind when you see the picture below?
Why do you say so? Explain your answer in not more than five (5) sentences.
82
Write the first word that comes to your mind when you see this second picture and
explain why you think that word best describes the photo.
Rizal valued nationalism, patriotism and heroism (kabayanihan). Serving as a role model and
inspiration to every Filipino, he has manifested versatility and flexibility while sustaining a strong
sense of moral uprightness. Indeed, he is our national hero. But what exactly is the definition of the
word, “hero”?
HERO vs. BAYANI
In mythology, a hero is someone who possesses great courage, strength, and is favored by the
gods. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines "hero" as "a mythological or legendary figure
often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability; an illustrious warrior; a person admired
for achievements and noble qualities; one who shows great courage.”
The Filipino counterpart, bayani, has a similar meaning but with some contextual distinctions.
Bayani is someone who fights with his ‘bayan’ or community. The Vicassan's Dictionary (Santos,
1978) provides the following meanings for bayani:"... hero, patriot ("taong makabayan"), cooperative
endeavor, mutual aid, a person who volunteers or offers free

83
service or labor to a cooperative endeavor, to prevail, to be victorious, to prevail ("mamayani"),
leading man in play (often referred to as the "bida"--from the Spanish for life, "vida"--who is
contrasted with the villain or "kontrabida" from the Spanish "contra vida", against life)” as cited in
Ocampo, 2016.
UP Diksiyonariyong Filipino (2001) gives three meanings for 'bayani': (1) a person of
extraordinary courage or ability; (2) a person considered to possess extraordinary talents or someone
who did something noble ("dakila"); and (3) a leading man in a play (Ocampo, 2016). The
Vocabulario de la lengua Tagala by the Jesuits Juan de Noceda and Pedro de Sanlucar (1755 and1860)
lists these meanings for bayani: "someone who is brave or valiant, someone who works towards a
common task or cooperative endeavor ("bayanihan") ( as cited in Ocampo, 2016).
History professor Ambeth Ocampo sees it significant that bayani comes a few words under
bayan, which is also defined as: "the space between here and the sky." Bayan is also a town,
municipality, pueblo, or nation, and can refer to people and citizens (mamamayan) who live in those
communities, or those who originate or come from the same place (kababayan). Bayan (Ocampo,
2016) also refers to the day (araw) or a time of a day (malalim ang bayan) or even to the weather,
good or bad (masamang bayan). Ocampo, thus, concludes that "hero" and bayani do not have the same
meaning. Bayani is a richer word than hero because it may be rooted in bayan as place or in doing
something great, not for oneself but for a greater good, for community or nation.
THE CHANGING FORMS AND DEFINITIONS OF BAYANI AND KABAYANIHAN
Anchored on the definitions given by old dictionaries, mga bayani may historically (and
profoundly) refer to those who contributed to the birth of a nation. In the early times, heroes are the
warriors and generals who serve their cause with sword, distilling blood and tears; they are those, for
the Filipinos, who served their cause with a pen, demonstrating that the pen is as mighty as the sword
to redeem a people from their political slavery.
However, the modern-day bayani may refer to someone who contributes to a nation in a
global world.
In modern definitions, a Hero is: someone who has distinguished courage and ability,
someone who do good deeds for the greater good of others, and mostly works alone. One case in point
is our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) — Filipinos who are working in foreign countries who
basically travel abroad in pursuit of better employment to provide for the needs of their respective
families in the Philippines. The OFWs’ sacrifices play a vital role in the progress of the Philippines’
economic status — by remitting their savings back to the country, they help the government in pulling
up the economy through the overall dollar reserve. The money that they send provides the much-
needed hard currency, saving the country from defaulting debt obligations. Aside from this, they also
help stabilize the Philippine Peso in relation to peso-dollar exchange, which in turn, contributes to the
country’s Gross National Product (GNP) growth. Truly, when they work abroad, they are taking risks
(pakikipagsapalaran) and in recognition of their sacrifices, they are named Bagong Bayani or
“Modern-Day Heroes”, acknowledging their contributions every December as the Month of Overseas
Filipino Workers.

84
Many Filipino bayani have fought and died for the Philippines, some of which are Jose Rizal,
Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, and many more. They can be considered as traditional Bayani,
someone who fought for the people of his community and for their greater good and died in exchange.
But in our modern world, does our country need a bayani who will sacrifice his/her life for the
country?
Without a doubt, the concept of bayani and kabayanihan have evolved through the years. To
better understand this evolution, let us compare the notion of OFWs as modern-day heroes to the early
definitions of bayani. Its etymology is explained in an online article entitled,
“Ang Salitang Bayani sa Pilipinas” (n.d.).
“Ang salitang “bayani” ay isang Austronesian na salita na dinala ng ating mga katutubo sa
ating bayan. Ang mga bayani ay ang mga mandirigma kung saan sila ay nangunguna sa
pagtatanggol ng pamayanan laban sa mga kinakaharap na mga kaaway at panganib. Ang ilan sa
mga diribatibo ng salitang bayani ay bajani, majani, bagabnim, bahani.
Sa kultura nating mga Pilipino, ang pagiging bayani ay nasusukat sa katapangan at sa bilang
ng napapatay na kaaway. May iba’t-iba itong antas. Ang mga antas na ito ay kinikilala bilang:
1) Maniklad, ang pinakamababang uri ng bayani na nakapatay ng isa o dalawang kaaway,
karaniwang siya ay nakasuot ng putong na pula at dilaw;
2) Hanagan naman kung tawagin ang nasa ikalawang antas, siya ay sumasailalim sa ritwal
na kung saan ay dapat siyang sapian ni Tagbusawa, ang diyos ng pakikidigma at kainin ang atay at
puso ng mga kaaway. Karaniwang nagsusuot ang mga ito ng pulang putong;
3) Kinaboan naman kung tawagin ang makakapatay ng dalawampu hanggang dalawampu’t
pito at karaniwang nakasuot ng pulang pantalaon;
4) Luto naman kung tawagin ang makakapatay ng limampu hanggang 100 na kaaway at
karaniwang nagsusuot ng pulang jacket;
5) Lunugum naman ang pinakapaborito ng diyos na si Tagbusaw dahil dito maipapakita
niya ang kanyang katapangan sa pakikipagdigma kung saan napatay niya ang kanyang kaaway sa
sarili nitong tahanan. Itim ang karaniwang suot ng mga ito.
Father of New Philippine Historiography and

Pantayong Pananaw (For-Us-From-Us Perspective)
Proponent, Dr. Zeus A. Salazar gives a different
definition of the term bayani. In fact, he believes that
bayani is different from “heroes.” For him,
“ang mga bayani ay mga taong naglalakbay at

bumabalik sa bayan… ang mga bayani ay lumalaban
ng may kooperasyon [samantalang] ang mga hero
(western concept) ay lumalaban mag-isa… Ang
bayani ay hindi kailangang mamatay upang maging
bayani... Kailangan niya lang gumawa ng
magagandang impluwensya at mga gawain sa bayan
upang
tawaging bayani
(Ang Salitang Bayani sa Pilipinas, n.d.).

85
This definition gives us hope that anyone of us can be a bayani, too, in our respective
communities.
Thus, we should now realize that a modern bayani can be anyone who sacrifices even the
littlest of things for the benefit of others. A good example for a modern bayani is Efren Peñaflorida,
who sacrificed his time and effort just to teach out-of-school youths in a simple pushcart classroom.
He may not have died for the country, but he responded to the needs of others – education.
“Each person has a hidden

hero within, you just have to look
inside you and search it in your
heart and be the hero to the next
one in need.”
– Efren Peñaflorida
Today, anyone can be a

bayani. A bayani who can sacrifice
the simplest of things like: time,
effort, and knowledge
for those who are in need. We do not need to die like our traditional heroes, rather, a simple act of
kindness can be worth a lot to someone.
So, how can you be a Bayani of your time?
WHY IS RIZAL OUR GREATEST HERO?
In an article entitled, “Who Made Rizal Our Foremost

National Hero and Why?” the author, Esteban A. de Ocampo,
denies the claim that Rizal is a made-to-order national hero
manufactured by the Americans, mainly by Civil Governor
William Howard Taft. Instead, he defended Rizal as the
country’s foremost hero. This was done, allegedly, in the
following manner:
"And now, gentlemen, you must have a national hero".

These were sup-posed to be the words addressed by
Gov. Taft to Mssrs. Pardo de Tavera, Legarda and
Luzurriaga, Filipino members of the Philippine
Commission, of which Taft was the
chairman. It was further reported that "in the subsequent discussion in which the rival
merits of the revolutionary heroes (Marcelo H. del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, Gen.
Antonio Luna, Emilio Jacinto were considered, the final choice— now universally
acclaimed wise one - was Rizal. And so history was made."
De Ocampo’s justification is founded on the definition of the term “hero,” which he took
from the Webster’s New International Dictionary of the English Language, that a hero is "a prominent
or central personage taking admirable part in any remarkable action or event". Also, "a person of
distinguished valor or enterprise in danger". And finally, he is a man "honored after death by public
worship, because of exceptional service to mankind".

86
Why is Rizal a hero, more correctly, our foremost national hero? It was said in the article that
he is our greatest hero because he took an “admirable part” in the Propaganda Campaign from 1882-
1896. His Noli Me Tangere (Berlin, 1887) contributed tremendously to the formation of Filipino
nationality and was said to be far superior than those published by Pedro Paterno’s Ninay in Madrid in
1885; Marcelo H. del Pilar’s La Soberania Monacal in Barcelona in 1889, Graciano Lopez Jaena’s
Discursos y Articulos Varios, also in Barcelona in 1891; and Antonio Luna’s Impresiones in Madrid
in 1893. This claim was evident in the comments that Rizal received from Antonio Ma. Regidor and
Professor. Ferdinand Blumentritt. Regidor, a Filipino exile of 1872 in London, said that "the book
was superior" and that if "don Quixote has made its author immortal because he exposed to the
world the sufferings of Spain, your Noli Me Tangere will bring you equal glory…"
Blumentritt, on the other hand, after reading Rizal’s Noli, wrote and congratulated its author,
saying among other things:
"Your work, as we Germans say, has been written w/ the blood of the heart... Your
work has exceeded my hopes and I consider myself happy to have been honored by your
friendship. Not only I, but also your country, may feel happy for having in you a patriotic and
loyal son. If you continue so, you will be to your people one of those great men who will exercise
a determinative influence over the progress of their spiritual life."
While Rizal’s friends and admirers praised him and his Noli with justifiable pride, his
enemies were equally loud and bitter in attacking and condemning the same. Perhaps no other work
has, up to this day, aroused as much hostile and spiteful argument not only among our people but also
among reactionary foreigners as the Noli of Rizal. In the Philippines alone, De Ocampo shared in his
article that Rizal’s novel was attacked and condemned by a faculty committee of a Manila university
(UST) and by the permanent censorship commission in 1887 because the committee found the book
"heretical, impious, and scandalous to the religious order, and unpatriotic and subversive to the
public order, libelous to the government of Spain and to its political policies in these islands",
while the commission recommended that "the I mportation, reproduction, and circulation of this
pernicious book in the islands be absolutely prohibited." Coming down to our time, during the
congressional discus-sions and hearings on the Rizal (Noili-Fili) in 1956, the proponents and
opponents of the bill also engaged themselves in a bitter and long-drawn-out debate that finally
resulted in the enactment of a compromise measure, now known as RA 1425.
In the Spanish capital, attacks on Rizal’s Noli were also staged - Senator Vida, Deputy (and
ex-general) Luis de Pando and Premier Praxedes Mateo Sagasta were among those who unjustly
lambasted and criticized Rizal and his Noli in the two chambers of the Spanish Cortes in 1888 and
1889.
But it was comforting to learn that 13 years later, Cong. Henry Allen Cooper of Wisconsin
delivered a eulogy of Rizal and even recited the martyr’s Ultimo Pensamiento on the floor of the U. S.
House of Representatives in order to prove the capacity of the Filipinos for self- government. He said
in part: "It has been said that, if American institutions had done nothing else to furnish to the
world the character of George Washington, that alone would entitle them to the respect of
mankind. So, Sir, I say to all those who denounces the Filipinos indiscriminately as barbarians
and savages, with-out possibility of a civilized future, that this despised race proved itself
entitled to their respect and to the respect of mankind when it furnished to the world the
character of Jose Rizal." The result of this appeal was the approval of what is popularly known as
the Philippine Bill of 1902. The preceding paragraphs, De Ocampo claimed, have shown that by the
Noli alone Rizal, among his contemporaries, had become the most prominent/ the central figure of the
Propaganda Movement.

87
Ask again, why did Rizal, become the greatest Filipino hero? De Ocampo fur-ther justifies
that [no Filipino has yet been born who could equal or surpass Rizal as a "person of distinguished
valor/enterprise in danger, fortitude in suffering."] Of these traits of our hero, let us see what a
Filipino and an American biographer said:
"What is most admirable in Rizal," wrote Rafael Palma, is his complete self- denial, his
complete abandonment of his personal interests to think only of those of his country. He could
have been whatever he wished to be, considering his natural endowments; he could have earned
considerable sums of money from his profession; he could have lived relatively rich, happy,
prosperous, had he not dedicated himself to public matters. But in him, the voice of the species
was stronger than the voice of personal progress or of private fortune, and he preferred to live
far from his family and to sacrifice his personal affections for an ideal he had dreamed of. He
heeded not his brother, not even his parents, beings whom he respected and venerated so much,
in order to follow the road his conscience had traced for him.
He did not have great means at his disposal to carry out his campaign, but that did not
discourage him; he contented himself w/ what he had. He suffered the rigors of the cold winter
of Europe, he suffered hunger, privation, and misery; but when he raised his eyes to heaven and
saw his ideal, his hope was reborn. He complained of his countrymen, he complained of some of
those who had promised him help and did not help him, until at times, profoundly disillusioned,
he wanted to renounce his campaign forever, giving up everything. But such moments are
evanescent, he soon felt comforted and resumed the task of bearing the cross of his suffering."
(8)
Dr. Frank C. Laubach, an American biographer of Rizal, spoke of the hero’s courage in the
following words:
“His consuming life purpose was the secret of his moral courage. Physical courage, it is
true, was one of his inherited traits. But that high courage to die loving his murderers, w/c he at
last achieved--that cannot be inherited. It must be forged out in the fires of suffering and
temptation. As we read through his life, we can see how the moral strength and fiber grew year
by year as he faced new perils and was forced to make fearful decisions. It required courage to
write his two great novels telling nothing that no other man has ventured to say before, standing
almost alone against the powerful interests in the country and in Spain, and knowing full well
that despotism would strike back. He had reached another loftier plateau of heroism when he
wrote those letters to Hong Kong, "To be opened after my death", and sailed to the "trap" in
Manila without any illusions. Then in his Dapitan exile when he was tempted to escape, and said
"No", not once but hundreds of times for four long years, and when, on the way to Cuba, Pedro
Roxas pleaded with him to step off the boat of Singapore upon British territory and save his life,
what an inner struggle it must have caused him to answer over and over again, "No, no, no!"
When the sentence of death and the fateful morning of his execution brought the final test, he
walked with perfect calm to the firing line as though by his own choice, the only heroic figure in
that sordid scene."
To the bigoted Spaniards in Spain and in the Philippines, Rizal was the most intelligent, most
courageous, and most dangerous enemy of the reactionaries and the tyrants; therefore, he should be
shot publicly to serve as an example and a warning to those of his kind. This was the reason why
Rizal, after a brief mock trial, was sentenced to death and made to face the firing squad at
Bagumbayan Field, now Luneta, in the early morning of December 30, 1896.
And for the last time, we repeat the question: Why is Rizal the greatest Filipino hero that
ever lived? De Ocampo claims that "he is a man honored after death by public

88
worship, because of exceptional service to mankind". It was said that even before his execution,
Rizal was the already acclaimed by both Filipinos and foreigners as the “foremost leader of his
people".
From Barcelona, M. H. del Pilar wrote to the Great Malayan on March 10, 1889 and said:
"Rizal no tiene aun derecho a morir: su nombre constituye la mas pura e immaculada bandera
de aspirationes y Plaridel los suyos no son otra causa ma que immaculada unos voluntarios que
militan bajo esa bandera."
Fernando Acevedo, who called Rizal his distinguido amigo, compañero y paisano", wrote the
letter from Zaragoza, Spain, on October 25, 1889 and said: "I see in you the model Filipino; your
application to study and you talents have placed on a height w/c I revere and admire."
The Bicolano Dr. Tomas Arejola wrote Rizal in Madrid on February 9, 1891, saying: "Your
moral influence over us is indisputable." And Guillermo Puatu of Bulacan wrote this tribute to
Rizal, saying: "Vd. a quien se le puede (llamar) con razon, cabeza tutelary de los Filipinos,
aunque la comparacion parezca algo ridicula, porque posee la virtud la atraer consigo
enconadas voluntades, zanjar las discordias y enemistades renorosasnreuniren fiestas a
hombres que no querian verse ni en la calle…”
Among the foreigners who recognized Rizal as the leading Filipino of his time were
Blumentritt, Napoleon M. Kheil, Dr. Rheinhold Rost, and Vicente Barrantes. Prof. Blumentritt told
Dr. Maximo Viola in May 1887 that "Rizal was the greatest product of the Philippines and that
his coming to the world was like the appearance of a rare comet, whose rare brilliance appears
only every other century." Napoleon Kheil of Prague, Austria, wrote to Rizal and said: "admiro en
Vd. a un noble representante de la España colonial." Dr. Rost, distinguished Malayologist and
librarian of the India office of London, called Rizal "una perla hombre", while don Vicente
Barrantes had to admit that Rizal was “the first among the Filipinos."
Even before the outbreak of the revolution against Spain in 1896, many instances can be cited
to prove that his country here and abroad recognized Rizal’s leadership. In the early part of 1899 he
was unanimously elected by the Filipinos in Barcelona and Madrid as Honorary President of La
Solidaridad. Some months later in Paris, he organized and became Chief of the Indios Bravos. In
January 1891, Rizal was again unanimously chosen Responsable (chief) of the Spanish-Filipino
Association. He was also the founder and moving spirit in the founding of La Liga Filipina on Manila
in July 3, 1892.
History tells us that the revolutionary society known as Katipunan likewise acknowledged
Rizal’s leadership and greatness by making him its honorary President and by using his family name
Rizalas the password for the third-degree members.
A year after Rizal’s execution, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and the other revolutionary chiefs
exiled to Hong Kong held a commemorative program on December 29, 1897 on the occasion of the
First Anniversary of the hero’s execution and martyrdom.
Of utmost significance in the public’s appreciation for Rizal’s patriotic labors in behalf of his
people were the tributes paid by the revolutionary government to his memory. In his opening address
at the congress assembled at Malolos, Bulacan on September 15, 1898, Pres. Aguinaldo invoked the
spirits of the departed heroes of the fatherland, thus: “Illustrious spirits of RIZAL, Lopez Jaena, of
Marcelo del Pilar! August shades of Burgos, Pelaez and Panganiban! Warlike geniuses of
Aguinaldo! (Crispulo---O.), and Tirona, of Natividad and Evangelista! Arise a moment from
your un-known graves!

89
Then on December 20, 1898 at the revolutionary capital of Malolos, Pres. Aguinaldo issued
the first official proclamation making December 30 of that year as "Rizal Day". The same
proclamation ordered the hoisting the Filipino flags at half-mast "from 12:00 noon on December 30,
1898" and the closing of "all offices of the government" during the whole day of December 30.
Actually, the impressive Rizal Day program, sponsored by the Club Filipino, was held in Manila on
December 30,1898.
Two of the greatest of Filipino poets in the Spanish language paid glowing tributes to the
martyr of Bagumbayan in acknowledgement of the hero’s labors and sacrifices for his people.
Fernando Ma. Guerrero wrote on September 25, 1898, thus: "No has muerto, no. La Gloria es tu
destino; tu corona los fuegos de la aurora, y tu inviolable altar nuestra conciencia." Cecilio Apostol,
on December 30 of the same year, wrote these lines:
"!Duerme en paz las sombras de la nada,

Redentor de una Patria esclavizada!
!No llores de la tumba en el misterio Del
español el triunfo momentaneo: Que si
Una bala destrozo tu craneo, Tambien tu
idea destrozo un emperio!
The Filipinos were not alone in grieving the untimely death of their hero and idol, for the
intellectual and scientific circles of the world felt keenly the loss of Rizal, who was their esteemed
colleague and friend. Dr. Camilo Osias and Wenceslao E. Retaña both spoke of the universal homage
accorded to Rizal immediately after his death.
Among the scientific necrological services held specially to honor Rizal, the one sponsored
by the Anthropological Society of Berlin in November 20, 1897 at the initiative of Dr. Rudolph
Virchow, its president, was the most important and significant. Dr. Ed Seler recited the German
translation of Rizal’s "My Last Farewell" on that occasion.
The newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals throughout the civilized world – in
Germany, Austria, France, Holland, London, the US, Japan, Hong Kong and Macao, Singapore,
Switzerland, and in Latin American countries — published accounts of Rizal’s martyrdom in order to
render homage to his greatness (De Ocampo, n.d.).
Perhaps the following quotation from the late William Cameron Forbes, an ardent admirer of
Rizal and the governor-general of the Philippines during the construction of the Rizal Mausoleum on
the Luneta, is appropriate at this point. He said:
“It is eminently proper that Rizal should have become the acknowledged national hero
of the Philippine people. The American administration has lent every assistance to this
recognition, setting aside the anniversary of his death to be a day of his observance, placing his
picture on the postage stamp most commonly used in the Islands, and on the currency,
cooperating with the Filipinos in making the site of his school in Dapitan a national park, and
encouraging the erection by public subscription of a monument in his honor on the Luneta in
Manila near the place where he met his death. One of the longest and most important street in
Manila has been named in his memory—Rizal Avenue. The Filipinos in many cities and towns
have erected monuments to his name, and throughout the Islands the public schools teach the
young Filipinos to revere his memory as the greatest of Filipino patriots.”
We are all aware of some Filipinos who, every now and then, argue that Andres Bonifacio,
and not Jose Rizal, deserves to be acknowledged and canonized as our first national hero. They
maintain that Rizal never held a gun, a rifle, or a sword in fighting for the liberty and independence of
our country in the battlefield. They further assert that while the foremost national heroes of other
countries are soldier-generals, like George Washington of US, Napoleon I and Joan of Arc of France,
simon Bolivar of Venezuela, Jose de San Martin

90
of Argentina, Bernardo O’Higgins of Chile, Jimmu Tenno of Japan, etc., our greatest hero
was a pacifist and a civilian whose weapon was his quill. However, our people in exercising
their good sense, independent judgment, and unusual discernment, have not followed the
examples of other nations in selecting and acknowledging a military leader for their greatest
hero. Rafael Palma has very well stated the case of Rizal versus Bonifacio in these words:
“It should be a source of pride and satisfaction to the Filipinos to have among
their national heroes one of such excellent qualities and merits which may be equaled
but not surpassed by any other man. Whereas generally the heroes of occidental nations
are warriors and generals who serve their cause with the sword, distilling blood and
tears, the hero of the Filipinos served his cause with the pen, demonstrating that the pen
is as mighty as the sword to redeem a people from their political slavery. It is true that
in our case the sword of Bonifacio was after all needed to shake off the yoke of a foreign
power; but the revolution prepared by Bonifacio was only the effect, the consequence of
the spiritual redemption wrought by the pen of Rizal. Hence not only in the
chronological order but also in the point of importance the previous works of Rizal
seems to us superior to that of Bonifacio, because although that of Bonifacio was of
immediate results, that of Rizal will have more durable and permanent effects.
In the preceding discussions, we have tried to establish that Rizal was not only a great
hero, but the greatest among the Filipinos. In summary, Prof. Blumentritt judged him as "the
most prominent man of his own people" and "the greatest man the Malayan race has
produced"; during his lifetime, Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and foreigners
as the foremost leader of his people and that this admiration for him has increased with the
passing of time since his dramatic death at Luneta that fateful morning of December 30,
1896. Likewise, we attempted to disprove the claim made by some quarters that Rizal is an
American-made hero, and we also tried to explain why Rizal is greater than any other
Filipino hero, including Andres Bonifacio.
The question now is, who made Rizal the foremost hero of the Philippines? De
Ocampo (n.d.) writes, “no single person or groups of persons were responsible for
making the Greatest Malayan the No. 1 Hero of his people. Rizal himself, his own
people, and the foreigners all together contributed to make him the greatest hero and
martyr of his people. No amount of adulation and canonization by both Filipinos and
foreigners could convert Rizal into a great hero if he did not possess in himself what
Palma calls "excellent qualities and merits" or what Retaña calls "la finura exquisite de
su espiritu,…la nobleza quijotesca de su corazon,… su psicologia toda, romantica,
soñadora, buena, adorable, psicologia que sintetizo todos los entimientos y
aspiraciones de un pueblo que sufria, vien-dose victima de su regimen oprobioso…."

91
WORKSHEET 1
MATCHING TYPE.
Match Column A with Column B. Write the letter of the correct an-swer before each number.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. These are the Filipinos who are working in A. Roosevelt

foreign countries and are also called the Modern-Day
Heroes. B. Aguinaldo
2. He has become well-known in defending Jose C. Blumentritt

Rizal as the country’s foremost hero. D. Salazar
3. He held a commemorative program on E. Taft
December 29, 1897 to celebrate the first anniversary
of Rizal’s execution and martyrdom. F. OFWs
G. Malolos
4. He is the proponent of “Pantayong Pananaw”
who offers another sense of the term “bayani” and H. Palma
believes that “mga bayani” are different from heroes.
I. De Ocampo
5. He recited the German translation of Rizal’s
“My Last Farewell” on the necrological services J. Viola
held for Rizal on November 20, 1897. K. Laubach
6. Some believe that he deserves to be the first L. Wisconsin
national hero of the Philippines instead of Jose Rizal.
M. Zaragoza
7. He was the one who admired Rizal’s
application N. Bonifacio
to study and talents. O. Owen
8. He believed that Rizal was the greatest product P. Ileto
of the Philippines.
Q. Seler
9. The lowest level of bayani who has killed one
R. La Solidaridad
or two enemy.
S. Hero
10. is a mythological figure with great strength

and ability.

92
WORKSHEET 2
SENTENCE COMPLETION.
Fill in the blank with the correct word/s to complete the sentence.
1) In January 1891, was unanimously chosen again as the

Responsible of the Spanish-Filipino Association.
2) Rizal’s Noli and El Fili resulted in the enactment of a law now known as.
.
3) concluded that the terms, “hero” and “bayani,” have

different meanings.
4) President Aguinaldo issued the first official proclamation making December 30 as

.
5) In 1902, of Wisconsin delivered a eulogy of Rizal and

even recited the hero’s last poem in the US House of Representatives to justify the
capacity of the Filipinos for self-government.
6) History tells us that the revolutionary society known as

also acknowledged Rizal’s leadership and greatness by making him its honorary President.
7) also play a vital role in the progress of the Philippines’

economic status.
8) Rizal was also the founder and the moving spirit in the founding of
in Manila on July 3, 1892.
9) Working abroad is a form of taking risks or .
10) is a richer word than hero.

93
WORKSHEET 3
HERO ANALYSIS.
Choose one bayani and paste a picture of him/her below. Write a short description of your
chosen bayani and make a checklist if your hero satisfies their criteria to determine whether your hero
should or should not be recognized as such.
Paste Photo Here
Checklist:
CONGRATULATIONS!
PLS, CONTACT YOUR TEACHER FOR THE LINK OF YOUR FINAL EXAM.

94

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THE LIFE, WORKS

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

Introduction to the Course: Republic Act

ASK ME! ASK ME!

1. What do you know about Dr. Jose Rizal? -

2. What is your reason for asking or saying those things to Rizal?

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL 6

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 12, 1956

2. According to Claro M. Recto and Jose P. Laurel, “Noli Me Tangere and El

II. ENUMERATION. Provide what is being asked for in each item.

What are the objectives of the Rizal Law? 7.

What are the goals of the Rizal Law? 10.

Arguments in favor of RA 1425 Arguments against RA 1425

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood and Early

 Analyze the family, childhood, and early education of Rizal.

DON FRANCISCO RIZAL MERCADO (1818-1898)

TEODORA ALONSO (1827-1913)

SATURNINA RIZAL (1850-1913)

PACIANO RIZAL (1851-1930)

NARCISA RIZAL (1852-1939)

OLYMPIA RIZAL (1855-1887)

LUCIA RIZAL (1857-1919)

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

CONCEPCION RIZAL (1862-1865)

JOSEFA RIZAL (1865-1945)

TRINIDAD RIZAL (1868-1951)

SOLEDAD RIZAL (1870-1929)

RIZAL’S CHILDHOOD AND EARLY EDUCATION

Jose Rizal (Jose Protacio Mercado Rizal y Alonso Realonda) was

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

SA AKING MGA KABATA

For language is the final judge and referee

Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life

 Explain the principle of assimilation advocated by the Propaganda Movement.

Rizal’s Life: Higher Education and Life Abroad

Ateneo was known to be the most prestigious college

STA. ISABEL COLLEGE

Rizal took private lessons in Santa Isabel College to be

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

LITERATURE FOR RIZAL

Why do the scented flowers in fragrant fray

Why is the sweet melody bruited in the sylvan dale,

Why do the birds sing so in the tender grass,

I see the dawn in the East with the beauty endowed

Sweet mother, they celebrate your natal day

The murmurous spring this day without alloy.

When I recall the days, that my boyhood saw

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL

The Creator I saw in the grandeur of your secular forests;

Tender childhood, beautiful town, rich fountain of happiness

Di miminsang tumikim ng galak sa tabing-ilog mong lubhang mapanatag

Ang kagubatan mong kahanga-hanga Nababanaag ko'y Kamay ng Lumikha

THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL