RIZAL Childhood Script

RIZAL’S EARLY CHILDHOOD           

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Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. He was the seventh child in family of 11 children. His father is named Francisco Mercado Rizal and his mother is Teodora Alfonso u Quintos. The townspeople call him “Pepe”. The life of Jose Rizal, like other young Filipino boys had a lot of pleasure memories to reckon during his childhood days in Calamba. With parents full of affection to their children and an abundant blessing, he grew up in a home environment characterized by joy and contentment. The first teacher of Jose was his mother, Teodora. On her lap, young Rizal learned at the age of 3, the alphabet and hist first prayers. As tutor, Dona Teodora was patient, conscientious and understanding. It was her, who first discovered that her son had a talent for poetry. One late night, Rizal’s mother, Dona Teodora was narrating the parable of the moth. Young Rizal was inattentive to the story, his attention was focused on the moth encircling to the tongue of the flame of the oil lamp. Dona Teodora scolded Jose and told him that if he would not adhere to the advice of his parents or other old people around him, he would end up like the moth that burned itself in the fire. I made profoundest impression on him. “Moths no longer were, insignificant insects for me. The moth died a martyr in its own illusion. He thought he really conquered the burning flame but he did not.” At young age, Rizal gained inspiration that it is not impossible to conquer insurmountable odds and be a martyr in reality but never an illusion. This was what he did as he grew in age and in wisdom. As Rizal grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him lessons. Early teachers of Rizal were Maestro Celestino, Maestro Lucas Padua, Francisco Mercado’s classmate, an old man named Leon Monroy, who taught introductory lessons in Latin to Rizal. Unfortunately, he didn’t live love. He died months later. In 1865, a tragedy struck when his favorite sister Concha died. “I lost my sister Concha, it was the first time I shed tears caused by love and grief.” In 1868, at the age of 7, Rizal wrote a comedy, which highlighted his literary talent, he was rewarded P2.00 by the municipal captain. At the age of 8 in 1869, he wrote the poem ‘Sa Aking Mga Kabata’ “Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita, mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda” Rizal’s deep love for his mother was expressed in the poem “Mother’s Birthday” When he turned 9, Jose was sent to a boy’s school in Binan. His teacher was Dr. Justiniano Cruz. He was accompanied by Paciano Mercado, who acted as his second father. The school was in the home of the teacher, which was a small nipa hut. In succeeding days, he had fights with boys of Binan, he was not quarrelsome by nature but he never ran away from a fight.

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In academic studies, Jose beat all Binan boys. He surpassed all of them in Spanish, Latin and other subjects. As seen of a Catholic clan, born and bred in a wholesome atmosphere of Catholicism and possessed an inborn pious spirit, Rizal grew up a good Catholic. ‘Pilgrimage to Antipolo’: June 6, 1868, Jose and his father left Calamba to go on a pilgrimage to Antipolo, in order to fulfill his mother’s vow which was made when Jose was born. After praying at the shrine of the virgin of Antipolo, Rizal and his father went to Manila. It was the first time that Jose saw Manila. They visited Saturnina, who was then a boarding student at La Concordia College in Sta. Ana

RIZAL’S FORMATIVE YEARS IN ATENEO 

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Rizal took and passed the entrance exam at Colegio de San Juan de Letran, but his father opted for Ateneo. Fr. Magin Ferrando: “ You cannot admit to this university because you’re already late for you’re already late for registration. And besides, you seem underaged for your height” The registrar of Ateneo Fr. Ferrando refused to admit Rizal but upon the intercession of Manuel Xerez-Burgos, he was then reluctantly admitted. While attending Ateneo, Rizal developed into a first-rate student. He was remembered as an original thinker, a creative scholar and a natural leader. Rizal wrote the poetry “A La Juventud Filipina (To The Philippine Youth)” Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez remarked that Rizal was becoming proficient in Spanish. He encouraged him to practice this craft. Meanwhile, Fr. Jose Villaclara instructed Rizal in the sciences and philosophy. He convinced him to take scientific attitude about life. He told him “you shouldn’t waste your time in just poetry.” Rizal wrote “Por la Educacion Recibe Lustre la Patria (Through Education Our Motherland Receives Light)” which suggested thar education is an integral part of the rational character. “Aliansa Intima la Religion y la Educacion” in which Rizal expressed the importance of religion in education, and to him, education without God is not true education.” “A la Virgen Maria (To The Virgin Mary)” “Al Nino Jesus (To The Child Jesus)” “In Memory of my Village” where he recalled joyous days of his c childhood in Calamba. Rizal also wrote “A Farewell Dialogue of the Student” just before he graduated in Ateneo. On March 23, 1877, not yet 16 y/o, he received the Degree of Bachelor of Arts with highest honors. His 4 years in Ateneo were a continuous pageant of brilliant scholastic triumphs.

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RIZAL’S LIFE AT UST “I was sixteen when my mother told my father: Don’t send him to Manila any longer; he knows enough; if he gets to know any more, they will cut off his head!” “Did my mother perhaps have a foreboding of what was going to happen to me” Does a mother’s heart really have a second sight? After Ateneo, Rizal enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas. April 1877, Rizal then nearly 16, matriculated UST as a philosophy and medical student and the following year, matriculated at the faculty of medicine. Rizal was led for his desire to cure the cataracts that caused his mother’s blindness. At UST, Rizal received passing marks but found that the heavy emphasis on science wasn’t his liking. The brilliant Atenean, did not shine at UST. He failed to obtain high academic records. Although Rizal interest in literature, science and philosophy grew even more. His mind opened to new ideas - with characteristic humility. Rizal suggested that University of Santo Tomas helped him developed patriotic sentiment.