History TikToker Traces Rizal’s Descendants

A prominent Tiktoker and genealogist commemorated the heroism of Jose Rizal by tracing his descendants and their role in continuing the martyr’s legacy in time for his 126th death anniversary today, Dec. 30.

During the “7th Digital Magiting Conference: Rizal Revealed” virtual forum held by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the Ayala Foundation on Thursday, Dec. 29, Mona Magno-Veluz, more known as “Mighty Magulang” on social media, said Rizal’s descendants continued his moral cause and love for country.

“The concept of ‘angkan’ or ‘lahi-lahi’ is a very powerful one for us Filipinos. We’re clannish by default, and we have a deep emotional attachment to our family names and to the provinces and towns where we grew up,” Magno-Veluz said.

As the country commemorates the anniversary of Rizal’s martyrdom today, Magno-Veluz, who describes herself as a “history advocate,” says tracing the genealogy of Jose Rizal – who had nine sisters and a brother – is also a walk-through of the Rizal clan’s history of valor and nationalism.

Jeremiah Villaroman, the second great grandson of Rizal’s sister Saturnina, made headlines in 2020 after refusing to heed the Philippine Navy’s call to take down his social media posts critical of the government ahead of his attendance at an inauguration of a ship named after the martyr.

Magno-Veluz said the descendant’s refusal to take down his commentary online was “true to the Rizal family’s ‘gangsta’ tradition.”

Gemma Cruz-Araneta, the first Filipino to win the Miss International 1964 title, is Rizal’s second great niece, as the daughter of Ismael Cruz, the first husband of writer Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil. Ismael, who was executed during World War II, was Rizal’s great nephew as the son of Mauricio Cruz, the son of Rizal’s sister Maria.

“There are photos floating online of Gemma Cruz refusing to wear a bathing suit during competitions in Long Beach, California. Instead, she wore a ‘baro’t saya.’ Since then, she flexed her intellect as a writer and politician,” Magno-Veluz said of Cruz-Araneta, who served as tourism secretary during the Estrada administration.

Ted Herbosa, an adviser to the government’s COVID-19 response and health undersecretary during the second Aquino administration, is Rizal’s second great nephew under the family tree of Rizal’s sister Lucia. His sister Teresita Herbosa was Securities and Exchange Commission chairperson from 2011 to 2018.

Herbosa is also related to two Rizal descendants who sewed the first Philippine flag that was unfurled in 1898 – Delfina Herbosa (Rizal’s niece), and her daughter Lorenza Herbosa (Rizal’s great niece).

“The Rizal family lost several grandchildren during World War II,” added Magno-Veluz. They were Jose Herbosa (grandson of Rizal’s sister Lucia), Jose Ver (grandson of Rizal’s sister Saturnina), and Leandro Lopez (grandson of Rizal’s sister Narcisa).

“All fell as soldiers fighting for a country at war,” Magno-Veluz said of the Rizal family’s contribution for the country’s freedom from Japanese occupation.

The history advocate also shared “random trivia” about two Philippine presidents related to Rizal by marriage.

Wartime President Jose P. Laurel was Rizal’s brother-in-law’s niece’s husband. “Saturnina’s husband Manuel Hidalgo had a brother Basilio, and Basilio’s daughter Pacencia married JP Laurel,” Magno-Veluz said.

On the other hand, President Sergio Osmeña was Rizal’s nephew’s wife’s sister’s first husband. “Olympia’s son Aristeo Ubaldo married Leonarda Limhap. Leonarda’s sister Esperanza Limhap was the second wife of Sergio Osmeña Sr.,” the genealogist added.

Jose Rizal could have also had descendants of his own, had his son by Josephine Bracken not been stillborn.

Magno-Veluz said tracing a family history goes beyond studying one’s roots through grandparents because it also “helps us connect more deeply with generations before ours… and understand who we are and who we want to be.”

“Looking at examples of Rizal’s family and others like them, we learned compassion, resilience and aspirations,” she said.

Rizal’s rites

President Marcos will lead today the commemoration of the 126th anniversary of the martyrdom of national hero Jose Rizal in Rizal Park, Manila.

It will be Marcos’ first Rizal Day ceremony as president.

A flag raising and wreath-laying ceremony will be held at 7 a.m. at the Rizal National Monument, near the exact site where the national hero was executed.

Marcos will be joined by National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) chairman Rene Escalante, members of the Rizal Day Technical Working Committee and members of the diplomatic corps during the ceremony.

National government officials, local executives, representatives from non-government organizations and descendants of Rizal will also attend the event, according to the NHCP.

The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Rizal: Alaalang Iningatan, Yaman Ngayon ng Bayan.”

NHCP said flag-raising and wreath-laying rites would also be held at the Museo ni Jose Rizal, Calamba Laguna, Museo ni Jose Rizal in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte and all local government units.

Rizal, whose writings fueled the Philippines’ fight for independence against Spanish colonial rule, was executed by firing squad on Dec. 30, 1896 in Bagumbayan, now known as Rizal Park. – Alexis Romero