Saturnina rizal mercado 1849

Jose Rizal's eldest sister

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Mercado, the second or maternal family name is Realonda, and, for married women, the optional marital name is de Hidalgo.

Saturnina Rizal Mercado de Hidalgo (June 4, 1850 – September 14, 1913; néeRizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda), or simply Saturnina Hidalgo, was the eldest sister of Philippine national heroJosé Rizal.

Saturnina special role in rizal life

She was married to Manuel T. Hidalgo, a native and one of the richest persons in Tanauan, Batangas. She was known as Neneng.

Because of her brother José's early interest in obstetrics, Saturnina – along with her mother and eight sisters – shared health concerns and sought medical advice from him.

While he ultimately chose a different path, the women of the family encouraged Rizal in the direction of gynecology and obstetrics because of the high rates of maternal death and sickness from various women's diseases Filipinas