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RIZAL: LIFE WORKS AND WRITINGS exercising a determinative over the spititual life
RIZAL AS A NATIONAL HERO
Why nations have their hero?
- Every country has its heroes. They may
have been responsible for inspiring the people
to fight for their freedom such as Benjamin
Franklin, George Washington, Gandhi, Ho Chi
Minh and others.
Having heroes is important in the history every
country. They demonstrate the bast of what a
person can be.
It is important to study what makes a
hero because by looking at our heroes in the
context of our countrys history, we properly
owe our debt of gratitude to them and
appreciate their role in the building of the
nation-state.
CRITERIA FOR HEROES
There is no law or official proclamation
which directly made Rizal into a hero. Rizals
hero status was made by the acclamation of the
Filipino people.
The National Historical Commission of
the Philippines is in charge of historical matters,
prescribes the passage of fifty years before a
person is finally confirmed as a hero. If the
person is still being admired after that period
and his ideas and ideals are still invoked and
appreciated, that person has passed the test of
time and is considered a hero.
DEFINITION OF A HERO
According to NHC, an admirable leader
towering over his peers, who serves a noble
cause, possessing exceptional talent,
distinguished valor and/or hold enterprise,
of his people in a particular remarkable event.
From round table discussion (June 3, 1993-
Ramos Regime) the body adopted the definiton
of a hero by Dr. Onofre Corpuz Heroes are
those who have a concept of nation and
thereafter aspire and struggle for the nations
freedomheroes are those define and
contribute to a system of life and freedom and
order for a nation. Freedom without order will
only lead to anarchy.
The historical committee of the National Heroes
Commission came out with the characteristics
of a person to be examined before he could be
considered a hero:
1. The extent of the persons sacrifices for
the welfare of the country
2. Motive and methods employed in the
attainment of the ideal,
3. Did the person concerned sacrificed
purely and exclusively for the welfare of
the country or was there any selfish or
ulterior motive in the making of such
sacrifices? Were the methods employed
in the attainment of the ideal morally
valid?
4. 3. The moral character of the person. If
there was any immorality, did it affect
his work, his society or the ideal?
5. 4. The final criterion examines the
influence of the person to his age and
the succeeding eras.
Currently the Philippines has set 4 days to
honor its heroes, three of which honor specific
persons namely: Jose Rizal Every Dec. 30-the
origin of this commemoration comes from the

decree issued by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo on
Dec. 20, 1898.
Though Aguinaldos decree did not specifically
declare Rizal as a national hero, it was a tribute
to his heroism.
Andres Bonifacio every November 30, The
celebration of bonifacio day was made
possible by the issuance of Act No. 2946 by the
Philippine Legislature on February 16, 1921.
The third is National Heroes Day which is
celebrated every last Sunday of August. It
honors all the heroes of the Philippines
including those who are unknown. The
celebration of this holiday became possible in
accordance to Public Act No. 3827 which was
passed by the Philippine Legislature on
October 28, 1931.
The fourth holiday was recently created by
Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo on December 25, 2004
when she signed into law R.A. 9256, which
created Ninoy Aquino Day that is
commemorated every August 21, the
anniversary of Ninoys assassination.
R.A. No. 1425 (House Bill No. 5561 Senate Bill
No. 438)- 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 Noli me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
The story of Rizal Law- Claro M. Rectos
original Bill
-After a month long standoff with the
Catholic Church, a compromise bill authored
by Senator Jose P. Laurel was filed.
- Finally on June 12, 1956, the R.A. No. 1425
better known as RIZAL LAW came into effect.
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THE WORLD DURING RIZALS TIME
RIZALS CENTURY: 19TH CENTURY
Age of Enlightenment reached its height in
France culminating in the Revolution of 1789.
During Napoleons time Spain was part of
Frances alliance against Britain in Continental
System
Outside the Philippines the struggle for equal
has spread over the world. Europe went up in
revolution.
In the Philippines, meanwhile, liberal
stirrings from Europe reached the country.
Important Dates in the Life of Rizal
19 JUNE 1861- Birth of Jose Mercado,
the 7th child of Francisco Mercado Rizal
and Teodora Alonso y Quintos
1869- at the age of eight Jose writes in
Tagalog the poem SA AKING MGA
KABABATA
1870 Paciano takes Jose to Binan to
study Latin and Spanish under Justinian
Aquino Cruz
17 December 1870 Jose returns to
Calamba aboard the motorboat TALIM.
His parents plan to transfer him to
Manila to continue his studies
1871 Joses mother is imprisoned for
allegedly trying to poison his aunt.
A Manila Student: The Ateneo Years, 1872-
1877

10, June 1872- Jose takes the entrance
examination for the secondary course at the
Colegio De San Juan de Letran
26, June 1872 He attends classes for the
first time at the Ateneo Municipal and boards
at a house of an elderly spinter named Titay.
5 December 1875- Writes the poems El
Combate; Urbiztondo, Terror de Jolo, El
Embarque, Y Es Espanol, Elcano El Primero en
dar Vuelta al Mundo
14 March 1877- Rizal finihes the course
Bachiller en Artes with the general average of
Sobresaliente or EXCELLENT.
June 1877 Meets Segunda Katigbak
15 December 1877- Rizal rides his white
horse on his way to meet Segunda Katigbak
who is set to marry Arturo Luz in Lipa.
In the University of Santo Tomas, 1877-1882
6 January 1878 Rizal returns to Manila
to resume his studies; takes a course in
Surveying at the Ateneo and at the
same time
Taking up Philosophy and Letters at the
University of Santo Tomas.
12 May 1878- Rizal passes the
examination for surveyors but is not
issued the diploma for being under
aged.
2 June 1878 Enrols in the Medicine
course at the University of Santo Tomas
22 November 1879- Rizal receives an
award a silver pen for his winning poem
A La Juventud Filipina.
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"A la juventud filipina" was written by
Rizal when he was only eighteen years
old, and was dedicated to the Filipino
Youth.
13 April Rizal receives the 1st prize for
his play El Consejo de los Dioses
25, November 1881- Rizal is granted the
title of Surveyor by the Direccion
General de Administracion Civil
1 May 1882- Rizal leaves Calamba for
his first trip abroad
Rizal in Europe, 1882-1885
9 may 1882- Stop over at Singapore and
tours the colony.
12 June 1882- Arrives in Marseilles,
France and explores the city.
15 June 1882- Leaves Marseilles for
Barcelona by train
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and
it is the second Spains largest city.
2 Oct. 1882- attends his first day of
classes for medical course at
Universidad Central de Madrid
Pawn his jewels to pay for his
examination
21 June 1884- Rizal finishes his
Licentiate in medicine with the grade of
Aprobado
22 June 1884- delivers a speech
honouring Juan Luna and Felix
Resurreccion Hidalgo
5 November 1884- Rizal receives news
that his speech in Spain made many

enemies and had caused his mothers
illness.
19 June 1885 Rizal finishes the degree
of Licentiate in Philosophy and letters
from the Universidad Central de
Madrid with a grade of Sobresaliente
4 December 1885- Rizal practices
ophthalmology with Dr. Wecker at the
Crugen clinic
11 March 1886- He writes a letter to his
sister Trinidad describing the admirable
qualities of German women
22 April 1886- Rizal writes A las Flores
de Heidelberg
11 January- Rizal meet Feodor Jagor
who invites him to come to the
meetings of the German
Anthropological
13 March 1887- The Noli Me Tangere
comes off the press in Berlin
13 May 1887- Rizal and Maximo Viola
arrive in Leitmeritz and meet Dr.
Ferdinand Blumentritt
HOME AFTER FIVE YEARS
5 August 1887 Rizal arrives in Manila
after staying five years in Europe
15 August 1887- Archbishop Pedro Payo
instructs UST Rector to review Rizals
Noli Me Tangere. The committee later
issues negative information about the
novel
30 August 1887-Gov.Gen. Emilio
Terrero requests from Rizal a copy of
the Noli Me Tangere
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October 1887- Rizal introduces
gymnastics and other sports to
discourage his townmates from
gambling
29 December 1887- The Permanent
Board of Censors under Fr. Salvador
Font issues a final judgment prohibiting
the distribution of the Noli Me Tangere
January 1888 Rizal writes a report
outlining the grievances of the tenants
of the Calamba Estate to Gov. Gen.
Terrero
2nd SOJOURN ABROAD, 1888-1892
19 February 1888- visits Macau
22 February 1888- Arrives Yokohama
and observes he customs of the
Japanese
7 March 1888- He engages with Usui
Seiko
13 April he departs Japan for San
Francisco aboard the Belgic and arrives
there on April 28, 1888.
Rizal lands in San Francisco; checks in at
the Palace Hotel and explores the city
He begins crossing the United States by
rail and arrives New York on May 13,
1888
18 Sept. 1891- El Filibusterismo comes
off the press
3 Oct. 1891- with 600 copies of El
Filibusterismo Rizal decides to leave for
Hongkong
7 Oct. 1891- Rizal informs Marcelo H.
del Pilar that he is no longer writing for

La Solidaridad as he said it was being
run like a private enterprise.
Rizal begins his work on his third novel.
18 Oct. 1981- he arrives Hongkong
ARREST AND EXILE TO DAPITAN, TRIAL
AND EXECUTION
26 June 1892 After almost two years
in Hongkong Rizal Arrives Manila
27 June 1892- He tours town in Tarlac,
Bulacan and Pampanga
29 June 1892 Meets Gov. Gen. Eulogio
Despujol and discusses the North
Borneo resettlement project.
3 July 1892 Founds La Liga Filipina in
Ilaya St., Tondo Manila
7 July 1892- Rizal is summoned by
Despujol to Malacanan and confronted
by Handbills (Pobres Frailes), arrested
and deported to Dapitan.
Rizal is taken to the steamer Cebu for
deportation to Dapitan
17 July 1892- Rizal arrives Dapitan
7 Sept. 1892- Beginning of Rizal
correspondence with Fr. Pablo Pastells,
S.J. as the Jesuits were trynig to win him
back to the Catholic fold but the Jesuits
failed
28 August 1893- He meets Josephine
Bracken with whom he falls in love and
later proposes
4 November 1893- Rizal reports that he
met certain Pablo Mercado, who
disguised as his relative but in reality
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was an assassin Who named Florencio
Namaan who was hired by the Friars to
kill him
1894- he reports that he was busy
treating patients in Dapitan
May 1895- Rizal requests to be
transferred to the Ilocos or to Spain on
account of his ailing health.
15 Dec. 1895- Rizal volunteers to serve
as a medical doctor in Cuba to Gov.
Gen. Ramon Blanco
Rizal was visited by Dr. Pio Valenzuela
who seeks his advice about launching
the revolution against Spain.
Rizal refuses to have any part in the
movement.
1 July 1896- a letter arrives from Manila
informing Rizal that his offer to serve as
a medical doctor in Cuba was accepted.
He leaves Dapitan on July 1, 1896 for
Manila on the first leg of his trip to
Cuba.
6 August 1896- Rizal boards the cruiser
Castilla while waiting to leave for Spain
4 Sept. 1896- Rizal is informed that he
was the cause of the disturbances in
Manila as the Philippine Revolution had
broke out.
30 Sept. 1896- After sailing through the
Suez Canal, Rizal was placed under
arrest aboard the Isla de Panay.
He was taken to Montjuich castle
before being shipped back to manila on
Oct. 6 aboard the cruiser Colon
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He was taken to Montjuich castle Prepared by :

before being shipped back to manila on Dr. Conchita V. Yumol
Oct. 6 aboard the cruiser Colon

20 November 1896- He is taken before

Col. Francisco Olive for questioning and
on 11 December.

He was informed of the charges against

him. He chooses Lt. Luis Taviel de
Andrade as his defender

15 December 1896- Rizal writes a

manifesto urging the people to stop the
rebellion and accused the
revolutionaries of using his name
without permission.

26 December 1896- Actual trial of Rizal.

The court martial reached its decision
on the same day and recommended
death by musketry. (Military / Firearms,
Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) the
technique of using small arms

28 December 1896- Gov. Gen. Camilo

de Polavieja approves the death
sentence of Rizal

29 December 1896- Rizal met his close

relatives for the last time and asks for
forgiveness.

He signs his declaration of retraction

from free- masonry.

30 December 1896- During early

morning hours he had four

Confessions and received communion.

He marries Josephine Bracken. At 6:30
in the morning Rizal begins his march
towards Bagumbayan and is executed
at 7:03 in the morning