Rizal: Family, Childhood, and Early Education Notes

Full name: José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda.
Birthdate: ${June }19,1861$
Birthplace: Calamba, Laguna, Philippines
He was the 7th child in a family of $11$ children.
Occupations attributed to him later in life: Writer, doctor (ophthalmologist), teacher, scientist, artist, and reformist.
Death: ${December }30,1896$ ; executed in Bagumbayan (now Rizal Park, Manila) at age $35$ .
Family name components: Rizal Mercado Realonda (full composite surname convention used in some biographical accounts).

Father: Francisco Mercado II (listed in some sources as part of Rizal’s paternal lineage).
Mother: Teodora Alonzo Realonda.
Siblings named in the source material include:
- Saturnina Rizal (eldest sister, born 1850s) – acted like a second mother to José and provided emotional/financial support during his studies.
- Paciano Rizal (brother) – Rizal’s second father figure; close ally; later a revolutionary general under Emilio Aguinaldo; commanded forces in Laguna.
- Narcisa Rizal
- Olimpia Rizal
- Lucia Rizal
- Maria Rizal
- Concepcion Rizal
- Josefa Rizal
- Trinidad Rizal
- Soledad Rizal
Note: Page 9 lists the siblings by name; several of these are among Rizal’s well-known sisters (Saturnina, Narcisa, Olimpia, Lucia, Maria, Concepcion, Josefa, Trinidad, Soledad) and Paciano as the brother.

Mixed heritage mentioned in the transcripts includes Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Malay, and Negrito lineages, as cited in relation to Rizal’s family history.
The family’s background emphasizes a blend of cultures and a tradition of education and hard work.

Education prioritized as a key family value.
Mother as first teacher; Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda played a central role in Rizal’s early education.
Patriotism and love for the Philippines implemented as family ideals.
Unity, respect, and mutual support within the family.
High moral integrity, honesty, and responsibility emphasized.
Compassion for the poor and oppressed; responsibility to serve the community and country.
Catholic faith as a guiding moral and ethical framework.
Pride in Filipino culture and heritage.

Environment: Grew up in Calamba, a quiet, scenic town surrounded by rice fields, mountains, and Laguna de Bay.
Daily life: Peaceful; provided opportunities to observe nature closely.
Development: Formed a sense of beauty, appreciation for rural life, and love for his hometown.
Ancestral home: Rizal's ancestral house in Calamba (image/estate referenced in the material).
Talents visible from a young age: could draw and sketch well; enjoyed clay figurines, paper models, and small sculptures; read beyond grade level (fables, Bible stories, Spanish literature).
Early creative works: Poems, riddles, and little plays created before turning ten; reputedly wrote "Sa Aking Mga Kabata" in 1868 at age 8; authored or participated in plays and games such as sungka, luxong tinik, kite flying.
Hobbies included: long walks outdoors, observing animals and nature; collecting shells, stones, and insects.

Drawing and sketching from a young age.
Crafting: clay figurines, paper models, small sculptures.
Reading habit: sought books beyond school requirements (fables, Bible stories, Spanish literature).
Notable early writings: Poetic and literary expressions (example titles/phrases include references like "Josephine Sleeping" and other lines indicating early poetry or plays).

Early poems and ideas attributed in the transcript include lines such as:
- "Josephine Sleeping"
- "Oyong Dapitana" (a Filipino title/oral reference)
- "Triumph of Science over Death"
- "Triumph of Death over Science"
These reflect early engagement with themes of science, mortality, and moral imagination.

Writing: poems, riddles, little plays before age 10.
Traditional games: sungka, luxong tinik; kite flying.
Outdoor life: enjoyed walking, observing animals and nature.
Natural history: collected shells, stones, and insects; some references mention species like tree frogs and beetles named after Rizal (e.g., Rhacophorus rizali, Draco rizali, Spathomeles rizali, Apogonia rizali).

First Teacher: Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda (Rizal’s mother).
Early lessons on the lap: alphabet and prayers learned by age three.
Mother’s support for poetry: encouraged Rizal to write poems when she identified his talent.
Storytelling by Doña Teodora: used stories to stimulate imagination and lighten memorization tasks.

Rizal’s private tutors included:
- Maestro Celestino
- Maestro Lucas Padua
Later, Leon Monroy, a former classmate of Rizal’s father, became his tutor at home, teaching Spanish and Latin.
Leon Monroy died five months after beginning instruction.

Formal education in Biñan took place at the home of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
Rizal’s elder brother Paciano introduced him to Cruz.
The school was a nipa hut at Cruz’s house; Rizal’s first day included being asked about Spanish and Latin; he replied, "A little, sir."
He initially faced ridicule from Pedro (the teacher’s son) but quickly excelled academically, particularly in Spanish and Latin.
Before formal schooling in Biñan, at around age nine, Rizal traveled to Manila and Antipolo with his father during a pilgrimage for his mother.
In Biñan, he continued Latin studies after the death of his first teacher; he felt sadness about leaving family and hometown.
The teacher, Justiniano Aquino Cruz, was described as tall, thin, with a sharp nose and bent posture, and known for severity.
Daily routines in Biñan included early Mass, lessons, meals, and leisure activities such as drawing; Rizal felt a sense of longing for his family and hometown while in Biñan.

Early education laid a strong foundation for Rizal’s academic pursuits.
It prepared him for higher education in Manila and later in Europe.
Despite flaws in the Spanish educational system, Rizal developed his intellectual abilities and talents through experiences in Calamba and Biñan.