SABUSAY, Benmar; SORINGA, Candid Ren Joven; SUMBI, Jocelyn Faith

TTh 12:00 Nn – 1:30 Pm

1. The overall argument of Republic Act 1425 is to acknowledge and appreciate the
life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal most especially in rededicating our lives to the
ideals and spirit of nationalism for which our heroes lived and died. Studying the life
and works of Jose Rizal is important because this is where we know the history of
how he saves our country with his knowledge and undying love for it. We start to
understand the heroism for which our heroes fought for, most especially Jose Rizal,
and it gives us new hope that as one community we can strive for the betterment of
our country and as Filipinos.

2. Republic Act No. 1425 eliminated the compulsory nature stated in Senate Bill No.
438. The scope of Republic Act No. 1425 is not limited only to the two novels, but
includes the life, works and writings of Rizal. The compulsory idea of Senate Bill No.
438 received negative remarks because it was deemed unconstitutional since there
were no exceptions even though it might speak differently of one's religious
convictions. It is also more inflammatory than RA No. 1425 since it was believed to
create a conflict between nationalism and religion.

3. Claro M. Recto and Jose P. Laurel implemented the Senate Bill No. 438 wherein
they insisted on the reading of Jose Rizal’s novels. By requiring the reading of Noli
Me tangere and El Filibusterismo in both public and private schools they wanted to
give better appreciation of Rizal’s time and the role he played in combatting Spanish
tyranny in our country. However, some members of the Senate and the Church
hierarchy opposed it because of an overriding concern for the safety of the faith. With
the line “ To read Rizal is to endanger it”, they thought that Rizal’s work may have
an attempt to discredit or attack the Catholic religion

4. Senator Recto and his supporters push the Rizal bill to foster better appreciation
of Rizal’s time and of the role he played in combatting Spanish tyranny in the
Philippines. They believed that if people most especially the youth were to read the
novels of Rizal in its entirety, they can appreciate and acknowledge the life, works
and writings of our Philippine hero. The main justification of the Rizal Bill was the
need to understand the problems of Rizal’s time because they are still with us today.
Part of the history wars is exact reproductions of the Spanish friars in which Filipino
bishops prevent the works of Rizal from the youth and this made Recto demonstrate
the evils in the novels of Rizal.