2. GROUP 5 REPORTERS
JESIE MAE
ABADIANO
ANALY LAUREANO
MA. MAE
GREGORIO
KEVIN BAGARES
BSED SCIENCE 2B
3. Learning Outcomes:
● Explain the history of the Rizal Law and its important provisions.
● Critically assessed the effectiveness of the Rizal course and Rizal
Law.
● Enumerate what issues and interests were at stake in the debate
over the Rizal bill that later was crafted into Rizal Law.
● Appraise the relevance of these issues remain pertinent to the
present.
4. A. Introduction to the Rizal Law
Many Filipino students are curious why they are still required to study the
life and works of Jose Rizal in college despite having studied the biography
of Jose Rizal and his two novels in their high school years. Some believe
that it might just be a repetition of the things they have learned and that it
would be a waste of their time. Little did they know that they are mandated
by the law to study the life and works of Jose Rizal not only in high school
but also in college and they might not even have an idea what this law had
gone through in order to be passed and approved
5. A. Introduction to the Rizal Law
Dr. Jose Rizal’s vast role in the attainment of the nation’s freedom led to
the issuance of Republic Act 1425 on June 12, 1956. Commonly known
as the Rizal Act. Senator Claro M. Recto was the main proponent of the
Rizal Bill. He sought to sponsor the bill at Congress. The Rizal Law has
come a long way and was approved by President Ramon Magsaysay on
June 12, 1956. RA 1425 filed a measure which became the original Rizal
Bill recognizing the need to instill heroism among the youth at the time
when the country was experiencing social turmoil.
6. A. Introduction to the Rizal Law
The full name of the law is 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 his novels Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Authorizing the printing and distribution
thereof, and for other purposes.
7. The measure was strongly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in the
Philippines due to the anti-clerical themes in Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo. Groups such as Catholic Action of the Philippines, the
Congregation of the Mission, the Knights of Columbus, and the Catholic
Teachers Guild organized opposition to the bill, they were countered by
Veteranis de la Revolution, Alagad ni Rizal, the Freemasons, and the
Knights of Rizal. Before being enacted,
A. Introduction to the Rizal Law
8. The “Original” Rizal Bill stated that to include Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo as compulsory readings, and to emphasize the original or
unexpurgated versions of the novel. But the “Original Bill was opposed
by the Catholic Church, because they saw the bill as an attempt to
discredit the Catholic Religion; and by the idea of compulsion to read
something against one’s faith, impairs freedom of speech and religious
freedom.
A. Introduction to the Rizal Law
9. . So, as an answer to the problem, the “Original” bill was revised. The
final version of the bill stated: to include all the works and writings by
Jose Rizal, to put emphasis on original or unexpurgated versions of the
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, and removed the idea of
compulsion by allowing exemption by reason of faith.
A. Introduction to the Rizal Law
10. B. The Controversy
During the 1955 Senate Election, the Church charged Recto with being a
communist and anti-Catholic. After Recto’s election the Church
conditioned to oppose the bill mandating the reading of Rizal’s novels
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, claiming it would violate freedom
of conscience and religion. In campaign to oppose the Rizal bill, the
Catholic Church urged its adherents to write to their congressmen and
senators showing their opposition to the bill.
11. B. The Controversy
Later, it organized symposiums. In one of the symposiums, Father Jesus
Cavanna argued that the novels belonged to the past and that teaching
them would misrepresent current conditions. Radio commentator Jesus
Paredes also said that Catholics had the right to read them as it would
“endangered their salvation”.
12. B. The Controversy
First the debate over the Rizal Bill was a show-down between the secular
nationalists led by the two senators from Batangas, Claro M. Recto and
Jose P. Laurel, and those who felt that Rizal’s writings undermined the
Catholic Church, consisting of Francisco Rodrigo, Mariano J. Cuenco
and Decoroso Rosales. The law aimed to revive patriotism by promoting
the teachings of the national hero.
13. B. The Controversy
Quoting from Cuenco’s speech on the floor: Rizal “attacked dogmas, beliefs
and practices of the Church.” The assertion that Rizal limited himself to
castigating undeserving priests and refrained from criticizing, ridiculing or
putting in doubt dogmas of the Catholic church, is absolutely gratuitous and
misleading.” Cuenco then proceeded to quote verbatim passages where
Rizal heaped “scorn” upon Catholic teaching on miracles, the sacraments,
indulgences, the veneration of images. An example: “Rizal (says) that the
idea of purgatory does not exist in the Old Testament or in the Gospels; that
neither Moses nor Christ made the slightest mention of it; and that the early
Christians did not believe in Purgatory.”
14. B. The Controversy
The Second is that the voting in Congress, the initial fence-sitters who
eventually voted for the Rizal Law typically would: one, affirm their
nationalism and admiration for Rizal; two, claim to be faithful to the
Church and to their Catholic constituents; and there, says that the bill
was a worthy compromise because it grants religious exemptions and
limit its unexpurgated version to the college level. In other words, these
were the saving clauses, do to speak both politically (as in face-saving)
and constitutionally.
15. B. The Controversy
The third is that the Rizal Law prevailed despite the pragmatic counter-
offer that it was possible to advance nationalism without Rizal’s anti-
clerical baggage, through edited anthologies of Rizal and of other hero’s
too. In other words, there were practical reasons to drop it altogether,
but the principled reason for keeping it won the day. The Rizal Law was a
political triumph of secular nationalism.
16. B. The Controversy
The lengthy deliberations brought about a compromise. The word
“compulsory” was removed to read, “inclusion” in the curricula of all public
and private schools, colleges and universities, the course on the life, works
and writings of Dr. Jose Rizal…” Representative Arturo Tolentino later
delibered a speech calling for unity among law makers and among Filipinos.
Senator Francisco Rodrigo who earlier opposed the bill was convinced of its
wisdom with the inclusion of “freedom and nationalism”. Thus, RA 1425, an
act to include the Curricula of all public and private schools, colleges and
universities courses on the life, works and writings of Dr. Jose Rizal,
particularly his novels, , Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo also known
as The Rizal Law, was passed on June 12, 1956 and signed by President
Magsaysay.
17. C.Salient Point of the Rizal Law
There is a need to give utmost importance to the ideals of freedom,
nationalism and patriotism through an understanding of the works and
life of Dr. Jose Rizal. Since the schools, among other institutions in
society, are in the best position to carry this out, the compulsory course
on Rizal in college is seen as a must.
18. C.Salient Point of the Rizal Law
Senator Claro M. Recto, Author of the Rizal Law
19. D.The Republic Act 1425
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425
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 HIS NOVELS NOLI ME
TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING AND
DISTRIBUTION THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
20. D.The Republic Act 1425
WHEREAS, today, more than any other period of our history, there is a
need for a rededication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism for
which our heroes lived and died;
WHEREAS, it is meet that in honoring them, particularly the
national hero and patriot, Jose Rizal, we remember with special
fondness and devotion their lives and works that have shaped the
national character;
21. D.The Republic Act 1425
WHEREAS, the life, works and writing of Jose Rizal, particularly his
novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, are a constant and
inspiring source of patriotism with which the minds of the youth,
especially during their formative and decisive years in school, should be
suffused;
WHEREAS, all educational institutions are under the supervision of, and
subject to regulation by the State, and all schools are enjoined to
develop moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience and
to teach the duties of citizenship; Now, therefore,
22. Section 1.
Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his
novel Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in the
curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public or private:
Provided, that in the collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated
editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo of their English
translation shall be used as basic texts. The Board of National Education
is hereby authorized and directed to adopt forthwith measures to
implement and carry out the provisions of this Section, including the
writing and printing of appropriate primers, readers and textbooks.
23. The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act,
promulgate rules and regulations, including those of disciplinary nature,
to carry out and enforce the provisions of this Act. The Board shall
promulgate rules and regulations providing for the exemption of
students for reasons of religious belief stated in a sworn written
statement, from the requirement of the provision contained in the
second part of the first paragraph of this section; but not from taking the
course provided for in the first part of said paragraph. Said rules and
regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after their publication in the
Official Gazette.
24. Section 2.
It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep in
their libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as
well as of Rizal's other works and biography. The said unexpurgated
editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their
translations in English as well as other writings of Rizal shall be included
in the list of approved books for required reading in all public or
private schools, colleges and universities.
25. Section 3.
The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of
Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog and the principal Philippine
dialects; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and
cause them to be distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to
read them, through the Purok organizations and Barrio Councils
throughout the country.
26. Section 4.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or repealing
section nine hundred twenty-seven of the Administrative Code,
prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school
teachers and other person engaged in any public school.
27. Section 5.
The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to
be appropriated out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the
National Treasury to carry out the purposes of this Act.
Section 6.
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: June 12, 1956
30. IT IS 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 HIS
NOVELS NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING
THE PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.
