The Rizal Law
Proponents:
o Claro M. Recto – Senator
 Proposed Bill 438
 Saw the need for the Rizal Law to instil heroism
among the youth.
 Believes that teaching Rizal will not lead to the
closure of Catholic Schools.
 Dubbed as a communist and anti-Catholic.
 There was pressure that his future elections will be
affected, but he remained undeterred.
o Jose P. Laurel – Senator
 Chairman of the Committee on Education
 Stated that Rizal was the founder of Filipino
nationality and the architect of the Filipino nation.
 There is a need to know and imbibe the great ideals
and principles for which he died.
 Authored the compromised bill which emphasized
on “not forcing the students to read the novels for
religious reasons.”
o Jacobo Gonzales – Member of the House of
Representatives
 Laguna
 Proposed Bill 5561
 Compulsory reading of Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo in all schools, private or public.
Supporters of the Law:
o Joaquin “Titong” Roces
 Member of the House of Representatives
 Manila
 Emphasized on the term “compulsory”
o Arturo Tolentino
 Member of the House of Representatives
 Manila
 Teaching of Rizal will allow the youth to know more
about him as well as to imbibe his nationalism.
Anti-Rizal Law
o Church
 Seminars were held across the countryside to
oppose the bill.
 Fr. Jesus Cavanna – commented that Rizal’s novels
belonged to the past and it would be harmful to read
them because it presented a false picture of the
conditions of the country at that time.
o Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo – Senator
 Against the compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels.
 Proposed that the novels be footnoted, or
annotated versions of the novels be used.
o Decoroso Rosales – Senator
 Implementation of Rizal Law might lead to the
closing of Catholic schools.
o Jesus Paredes – Member of the House of Representatives
 Abra
 Teaching of Rizal violates Section 927 of the New
Administrative Code which prohibits teachers in the
public schools to discuss about religious doctrines.
The Rizal Law – Republic Act 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.”
 Aims of Rizal Law
o To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of
freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes lived
and died.
o To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life
and works in shaping the Filipino character.
o To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the
study of Rizal’s life, works and writings.
 Libraries should have an adequate number of copies of the
two novels.
 Board of Education
o Implemented the law
o Translation and distribution of the novels and other
writings of Rizal.
o Fund: 300,000
Ramon Magsaysay – President of the Philippines who signed the
law on June 12, 1956.
 Implemented the law on August 16, 1956.
Fidel Ramos –signed the Memorandum Order No. 247 on
December 26,
1994.
 Memorandum No. 247
o Directing the Secretary of Education, Culture and
Sports and the Chairman of the Commission on
Higher Education to fully implement Republic Act
No. 1425 and give appropriate disciplinary action
for all educational institution that does not follow.
Republic Act No. 229 – “An act prohibiting cockfighting, horse
racing, and jai-alai in the thirtieth day of December of each year
and to create a committee to take charge of the proper
celebration of Rizal day in every municipality and chartered city,
and for other purposes.
Rizal the National Hero
 Even Jose Rizal, considered as the greatest among the
Filipino heroes, was not explicitly proclaimed as a national
hero. The position he now holds in Philippine history is a
tribute to the continued veneration or acclamation of the
people in recognition of his contribution to the significant
social transformations that took place in our country.
 Aside from Rizal, the only other hero given an implied
recognition as a national hero is Andres Bonifacio whose
day of birth on November 30 has been made a national
holiday.
1. Katipunan Days
a. Triumvirate of the Katipunan
i. Andres Bonifacio
ii. Emilio Jacinto
iii. Pio Valenzuela
2. Emilio Aguinaldo – December 30, 1897 must be a
national day of mourning for Rizal and all victims of
the Spanish government during their rule in the
Philippines.
3. Daet, Camarines Norte – first town to follow the
decree of building a monument in honor of Rizal.
a. Lt. Col. Antonio Sanz – designed the
monument
b. Inscribed in it are the two novels of Rizal and
his annotation of the Morga’s Sucesos de las
Islas Filipinas.
4. Act No. 345 – 1902
a. William Howard Taft
 b. December 30 be a public holiday h. Melchora Aquino
5. Act No. 243 – 1901 i. Gabriela Silang
a. A monument will be erected in a land found in
Luneta to commemorate the memory of
Rizal.
6. Act No. 137 – 1901
a. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera proposed that
the area of Morong and Manila be united, and
it will be known as the Province of Rizal.

William Howard Taft – Led the Second Philippine Commission

 First Civilian Governor General
 Headed the group who chose the National hero of the
Philippines.
 Members:
o Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera
o Benito Legarda
o Jose Luzuriaga
 Henry Otley Beyer – Master in Anthropology and a part
of the technical committee who made the characteristics
of a hero
o Filipino
o Dead
o Patriotic
o Model of Peace
National Historical Institute (National Historical Commission of
the Philippines) – prescribed the passage of fifty years before a
person is finally confirmed as a hero.

National Heroes Commission (1965) – characteristics of a hero

 Extent of person’s sacrifice
 Motives and methods
 Moral character of the person
 Influence of the person

Nominees for National Hero

1. Emilio Jacinto
2. Graciano Lopez-Jaena
3. Antonio Luna
4. Marcelo H. del Pilar
5. Andres Bonifacio
6. Jose Rizal

National Heroes Committee

 On March 28, 1993, President Fidel V. Ramos issued
Executive Order No.75 entitled “Creating the National
Heroes Committee Under the Office of the President”.

Criteria for National Heroes

1. A hero is part of the people’s expression. But the process of a
people’s internalization of a hero’s life and works takes time, with
the youth forming a part of the internalization.
2. A hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations.
3. The choice of a hero involves not only the recounting of an
episode or events in history, but of the entire process that made
this particular person a hero.

Historical Figures Recommended as National Heroes

a. Jose Rizal
b. Andres Bonifacio
c. Emilio Aguinaldo
d. Apolinario Mabini
e. Marcelo H. del Pilar
f. Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat
g. Juan Luna