Campus Romance: Rizal's ladies in La Concordia (II)

© 2013 by Jensen DG. Mañebog

… IT WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE though that Rizal’s romance with Segunda Katigbak did not prosper. For if it did, then there would have been no “Leonor Rivera &  Jose Rizal’s” love story, and Noli and El Fili would have had a different or no Maria Clara at all.

Leonor was a “tender as a budding flower with kindly, wistful eyes” colegiala at the La Concordia College when she became secretly involved romantically with her distant relative Rizal. Though Leonor and Segunda both studied in the same school, probably they did not have the chance to meet and know each other, much less pull each other’s hair, for the lady from Camiling, Tarlac was four years younger than Segunda. Rizal was just a young high school student in today’s Blue Eagles’ nest when he was dating Segunda. When he boarded at his Uncle Antonio’s boarding house in Intramuros and became the daughter’s boyfriend, Rizal was already a second-year medical student then at the Growling Tigers’ den. (Rizal did not become the point guard of either team, nor did he battle against FEU Tamaraw Arwind Santos in fade-away slam-dunk competition. But being small but terrible [not “small but teddy bear”] he would have interest in Cheering and Pep Squad competitions [in holding pom-poms and shouting, “Go Tigers go!! Go go go USTe! Hurrah hurrah!!! Ahww…!!!”]).

Secret as the romance was to Leonor’s parents, she used pen names in her letters to Jose. She hid from the signatures “La Cuestion del Oriente” and “Taimis/Tamis”. Records weren’t clear on what Jose used in return. (I guess he used pseudonyms like Pinsan, or Kuya Pepe, or Ang inyong boarder. Or, to make it less obvious, it could have been Ang pamangkin ng iyong ama, a.k.a The Calamba boy. You’re free to add. They are just guesses anyway.)

In one of Rizal and other Filipinos’ street brawls against young Spaniards in Escolta, Rizal was wounded on the head. Bleeding and filthy, he was brought by friends to his boarding house. With tender love and care, Leonor nursed him, and washed and dressed his wound. The band-aid used was unnamed.

Everything Leonor ever wanted was to be on Jose’s side each time, to look for him, and to take care of him. But this became far from possible when Jose left for Spain without giving her a notice, fearing that she, being young and not that cautious yet, could not keep a secret. While busy studying and fighting for a cause abroad, Rizal nonetheless took time to write to his sweetheart. He was puzzled though as Leonor remained silent. The two had no idea that Leonor’s mother was hiding from her all the letters sent her by Rizal, for the mother was not in favor of the affair especially when Rizal was dubbed as political filibustero after the publication of his Noli.

To probe into why Leonor was not answering his letters was one of the reasons Rizal went home in 1887, notwithstanding the dangers he could face in such a decision. He was however forbidden by his parents to visit his sweetheart who was in Dagupan that time because Doña Silvestra Bauson de Rivera utterly did not like him for a son-in-law. Referring to Mrs. Rivera, the Rizal folks were like saying, “So ayaw pala niya sa manok namin ha, so ayaw na rin namin sa dumalaga niya! Itinola na lang ‘nya si Leonor! Lagyan ng Knorr at ipakain sa iba!”

Indeed, this is what the Doña did in effect. She convinced her daughter to marry Charles Henry Kipping, an English engineer in Dagupan, by making her believe that Jose had already fallen in love with other women in Europe.  Leonor desolately consented to marry her mother’s choice on conditions, as narrated by some historians, that she would never play the piano again, all her and Jose’s letters to each other which they have been able to gather be burned and the ashes be deposited in her jewelry box, and that her mother stand beside her at her wedding, which happened on June 1891.  Six months before the wedding, Rizal had received a letter announcing this coming marriage ceremony. It was from Leonor herself who was also asking for his forgiveness. The letter was “a great blow to him”. “He was stunned, his eyes dimmed with tears, and his heart broke.” The letter signaled the death of Rizal’s 11-year love affair with Leonor.

Was Leonor guilty of infidelity? I would say, “No... but my ex-girlfriend was.” (It hurts, you know, it hurts. Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan?) Even Rizal himself regarded Leonor’s compliance to parental authority not as a manifestation of frailty but an extraordinary indication of discipline and self-denial. His heart was injured even more as he mourned over the death of his true love from La Concordia on August 28, 1893 after two years of her married life, while Jose was serving his term as an exile in Dapitan.

Few years back, when somebody was blocking the communications between the two, Rizal could have married other woman in foreign lands. But he could not. For how could he, the other ladies who became close to him may have been beautiful and intelligent, but unlike Segunda and Leonor, they were not from La Concordia!

If Rizal were born in my time and my world, he would have realized that the ladies who deserve his heart are not those from La Concordia, nor from UST and Ateneo, but those from...OurHappySchool.

Related article/s:

Campus Romance: Rizal's ladies in La Concordia (I)

Jensen DG. Mañebog, the contributor, is a book author and professorial lecturer in the graduate school of a state university in Metro Manila. His unique e-books on Rizal (available online) comprehensively tackle, among others, the respective life of Rizal’s parents, siblings, co-heroes, and girlfriends. (e-mail: jensenismo@gmail.com)


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TAGS: Jose Rizal, Leonor Rivera, Segunda Katigbak, Rizal's Girlfriend, History, Philippine Studies, Filipino Heroes

 
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Comments

siguro kung nag katuloyan sila Dr.jose rizal and Leonor Rivera napaganda sana ng love life ni rizal. Kaso naging handalang ang magulang ni leonor rivera sa pag iibigan nila kaya siguro nag kagulo ang love life ni rizal

This was really nice for Rizal but it was hindered by the parents of Leonor. If this affair wasn't hindered then maybe Rizal and Leonor would have lasted long.

Lesson learned: when your sweetheart is silent.. Aba, kabahan ka na! :) Life is about learning how to let go, to get what you want.

siguro kung nag katuloyan sila Dr.jose rizal and Leonor Rivera napaganda sana ng love life ni rizal. Kaso naging handalang ang magulang ni leonor rivera sa pag iibigan nila kaya siguro nag kagulo ang love life ni rizal

siguro kung nag katuloyan sila Dr.jose rizal and Leonor Rivera napaganda sana ng love life ni rizal. Kaso naging handalang ang magulang ni leonor rivera sa pag iibigan nila kaya siguro nag kagulo ang love life ni rizal

siguro kung nag katuloyan sila Dr.jose rizal and Leonor Rivera napaganda sana ng love life Story ni rizal. Kaso naging handalang ang magulang ni leonor rivera sa pag iibigan nila kaya siguro nag kagulo ang love life ni rizal
Christian Carlo P. Atienza's picture

siguro kung nag katuloyan sila Dr.jose rizal and Leonor Rivera napaganda sana ng love life Story ni rizal. Kaso naging handalang ang magulang ni leonor rivera sa pag iibigan nila kaya siguro nag kagulo ang love life ni rizal

Since when I was in elementary, I am able to know more about Jose Rizal's life. Some says he was a womanizer because of those different girls who got involved to him. But I strongly disagree with that, because based on what I heard and on what I've known, Jose Rizal was just a very Gentleman person that's why no wonder a lot of girls would have fall for him. Some people would just have a misinterpretation about his traits for women. Some people also says that his love affair with all the girlfriend that he had was not serious. But, I can say that his love with those girls are pure and full of sincerity especially with Leonor Rivera and Segunda Katigbak because he really showed affection and sympathy to them. It is also noted that it even breaks Rizal's heart knowing that the one he loves had to marry other man. One proof that his feeling for that certain woman is true and sincere. QUESTION: "What do you think is the main reason why some people thinks that Jose Rizal is a womanizer? Explain your answer."

I think this article states that Rizal was really mistaken to be a womanizer and I think he never intended to be linked to many women in different places he's been through. For all I've realized, he did truly love one person but in the unfortunate events that occurred, their relationship did not continue.

I think this article states that Rizal was really mistaken to be a womanizer and I think he never intended to be linked to many women in different places he's been through. For all I've realized, he did truly love one person but in the unfortunate events that occurred, their relationship did not continue.

I think this article states that Rizal was really mistaken to be a womanizer. he did truly love one person but in the unfortunate events that occurred, their relationship did not continue.

Rizal was really mistaken to be a womanizer. He did truly love one person but in the unfortunate events that occurred, their relationship did not continue.

Sa pinakitang pagmamahal ni Leonor kay Rizal, yon siguro ang dahilan kung bakit hindi na siya nagpaalam sa kanyang pag alis. Para na rin siguro protektahan si Leonor sa mga Espanyol.

I think Rizal really love Leonor,because he dont even think twice to go back here in Philippines just to see Leonor. Notwithstanding the dangers he could face in such a decision.

Sa aking palagay kung hindi hinarang ng pamilya ni Leonor Rivera ang pagmamahalan nilang dalawa ni Jose Rizal siguro naging masaya at nagkaroon sila ng supling na magpapatuloy sa laban ni Jose Rizal sa mga kastila.

I think Rizal really love Leonor,because he dont even think twice to go back here in Philippines just to see Leonor. Notwithstanding the dangers he could face in such a decision.

It is so sad to think that both of them love each other. But the parents of Leonor Rivera wants to marry Charles Henry Kipping so that it hurts to Rizal.

I support what the mother of Leonor Rivera did. Some may think that she is the witch of the love story of Rizal and Leonor but for me, what she did was the best for both Rizal and Leonor.

Para sa akin, Tama lang ang pagtutol o paghandlang ng ina ni Leonora sa pag-iibigan nila ni Jose Rizal at ni Leonora. Parehas lang din naman ang nais nila Dr. Jose Rizal at ni Mrs. Rivera na protektahan si Leonora, sabi nga nila, ang magulang alam nila ang makakabuti sa kanilang anak.

This was really nice for Rizal but it was hindered by the parents of Leonor. If this affair wasn't hindered then maybe Rizal and Leonor would have lasted long.

Rizal and Leonor's relationship surely will last forever if Leonor's Family agreed to their relationship. But their love on each other did not last because there were so many struggle that they encounter that losed their hope to continue their relationship.

Dr. Jose Rizal was really in-love with Leonor Rivera, because he risked his life just to see Leonor Rivera. Even though his was being hunted by the Spaniards.

Maganda naman sana yung intensyon ni Donya Rivera para sa kapakanan ng kanyang anak pero hindi niya naisip na mas magiging masaya ang kanyang anak sa piling ni Jose Rizal. Di naisip ni Donya Rivera na may limitasyon din ang pagiging isang ina.

Sa pag-alis ni Rizal sa Pilipinas papuntang Europe,bakit iniwan ni Rizal si Leonor? Ano ang dahilan ng pag- alis niya?

Sa aking nabasa totoong totoo ang pagmamahal ni Rizal kay Leonor Rivera dahil sa hindi na nagpatuloy ang pagsusulatan nila ni Leonor dahil sa ina nya. Kaya hindi na niya inisip kung anung mangyayari sa kanya kapag bumalik siya ng Pilipinas.

Sang ayon ako sa ginawa ng nanay ni Leonor Rivera na pigilan ang relasyon nila ni Rizal. Ginawa ito ng nanay ni Leonor Rivera upang ilayo siya sa problemang kinakaharap ni Rizal.

if you have a choice what would you choose your parents or the one you love ?

Referring to Mrs. Rivera, the Rizal folks were like saying,“So ayaw pala niya sa manok namin ha, so ayaw na rin namin sa dumalaga niya! Itinola na lang ‘nya si Leonor! Lagyan ng Knorr at ipakain sa iba!”haha.it made me laugh!

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