About Rizal

Jose Rizal was born, the seventh child of Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonso, on June 19, 1861. His parents belonged to the middle class and lived on the tenant land ownedby the friars in Calamba,Laguna.

In his early childhood, Rizal was under the tutorship of his mother who taught him the three R’s. He mastered the alphabet at the age of three. After two years of tutoring, he could read the Spanish version of the Vulgate bible. When he was eight years old, he wrote a play in Tagalog and this was presented at a Calamba fiesta. Even at an early age, he showed artistic talent in painting and sculpture.

Pepe Rizal’s formal schooling started when, at the age of eleven, he was admitted into the Ateneo Municipal which was then under the supervision of the Spanish Jesuits. The curriculum of the five-year secondary course (leading to the degree of Bachiller en Artes or AB), included subjects such as Christian doctrine, Sacred history, Latin, Spanish, Greek, French, English, Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, Universal history, Spanish history, Latin literature, rhetoric and poetics, Social ethics, Psychology, Logic and other branches of Philosophy.

Young Rizal tackled his work as a genious would. He captured many honors in literary and artistic contests. He always had an edge over his classmates and he stayed at the top even during the written and oral examinations. His report cards were usually marked sobresaliente (excellent).

Whenever there was an oratorical tilt, Pepe Rizal was there winning medals as usual. He wrote a playlet in Spanish called "Junto al Pasig", which was presented in school.

On the spiritual side of school activities, Rizal was also a high-point man. He was Prefect of the Sodality of Our Lady with Fr. Pablo Pastells, S.J. as the Director.