🌹 RA 1425: Rizal Law

🌻Republic Act 1425 (House Bill No. 5561; Senate Bill No. 438) also known as The
Rizal Law

states that every public and private schools, collages, and universities should
include courses about the life, and works of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, in their curricula.

🌻Considered as one of the most controversial bills in the Philippines.

But what made it controversial is that the bill was not just fiercely opposed by
people from Legislative Arm but also by the Catholic Church due to the inclusion
of compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels in which according to them, catholic
dogmas are humiliated.

🌻First authored by Senator Claro M. Recto and

🌻 Sponsored by Jose Laurel Sr.

*Picture of the two

It is Senator Claro M. Recto who authored the Rizal bill or the Senate Bill No. 438.
While Senator Jose Laurel, Sr.,who was then the chairman of the committee on
education, sponsored the bill in the senate. Both of them were known for their
great sense of nationalism. This nationalism served as the foundation to come up
with this republic act, to set our country free from the hands of others and stand
up on our own —exactly the ideals and values that Rizal strove to fight for. It was
written for the Filipino people, specifically the Filipino youth, who may have lost
their sense of nationalism. The writers endeavored to rekindle a lost spark in each
Filipino’s belief in their country. A republic act as drastic as the Rizal Law, which
requires the study of Rizal’s life and works—something that does not need to be
required in the first place—can only be born out of the fact that Rizal and his
works were not given a high priority in the educational system of the country
prior to the release of this act. It is clear that the government had to make drastic
changes to resolve the issue. This is evident in section7 of the act, legalizing all
forms of translations for Rizal’s works, as well as section 2, obligatinh all schools,
colleges and universities to keep an adequate number of copies of Rizal’s works.
This makes them more accessible to a greater audien

🌻It was approved in June 12 1956 by former President Ramon Magsaysay

T he act was published on June 12, the date of the Philippine Independence and
was written in the year 1956, when the country was still recovering from the
Japanese Colonization and was depending on United States for support.

🌹 The Politics Behind the Rizal Law

🌻Senator Recto brought the bill to the Senate and Senator Jose Laurel Sr. who
was then the Chairman of the Committee on Education sponsored the bill that
consequently led to exchange of arguments from the Congress.

But what made it controversial is that the bill was not just fiercely opposed by
people from Legislative Arm but also by the Catholic Church due to the inclusion
of compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels in which according to them, catholic
dogmas are humiliated.

🌻Aside from Senador Recto and Senador Laurel, Senators Lorenso Tanada, Quintin
Paredes and Domocao Alonto of Mindanao also defended Rizal Bill which was also
favored by Representatives from the House namely Congressmen Jacobo
Gonzales, Emilio Cortez, Mario Bengson, Joaquin Roxas, LancapLagumbay and
Pedro Lopez. Other supporters of the bill were Mayor Arsenio Lacson
🌻Opposed by three senators namely Senator Francisco Rodrigo who was a former
Catholic Action President, Senator Mariano Cuenco and Senator Decoroso Rosales
who was the brother of Julio Rosales, an archbishop.

🌻Other oppositors were from Lower House namely Congressmen Ramon Durano,
Marciano Lim, Jose Nuguid, Manuel Soza, Godofredo Ramos, Miguel Cuenco,
Lucas Paredes, Congressmen Carmen Consing and Tecia San Andres Ziga

🌻The Catholic Church was indirectly included in the debates and played a major
role for the intervention of signing of the bill into a law. Allied with the church in
battle against Rizal Bill were the Holy Name Society of the Philippines, Catholic
Action of the Philippines, Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus and Daughters of
Isabela.

🌻Oppositions argued that the bill would go against freedom of conscience and
religion,

Excitement and intense scnenes were eventually arisen in settling the Rizal Bill.
One of which was the debate of Cebu Representative Ramon Durano and
Pampanga Representative Emilio Cortes that ended with a fistfight in Congress.
Bacolod City Bishop Manuel Yap threatened to campaign against pro-rizal bill
legislators nad to punish them in future elections. Catholic Schools
Representatives threatened to close down their schools if the Rizal Bill was
passed. Recto told them that if they did, the State could nationalize the catholic
schools. When there was a proposal to use the expurgated novels as textbooks
and put the original copies under lock and key in the school libraries, Recto
rejected this amendment

🌻Due to apparently never-ending debate on the Rizal Bill, approved amendments

were formulated through ideas of three senators.
🌻Senator Laurel’ created an amendment to the original bill in which, other that
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, works written by Rizal and works written
by others about Rizal would be included and reading of the unexpurgated revision
of the two novels would no longer be compulsory to elementary and secondary
levels but would be strictly observed to college level.

🌻Senator Lim suggested the exemption to those students who feel that reading
Rizal’s novels would negatively affect his or her faith.

🌻Senator Primicias created an additional amendment that promulgates the rules

and regulations in getting an exemption only from reading the two novels through
written statement or affidavit and not from taking the Rizal Course.

According to historian Ambeth Ocampo, no student has ever availed of this

exemption.

🌻After the revised amendments, the bill was finally passed on May 17, 1956 and
was signed into law as Republic Act 1425 by President Ramon Magsaysay on June
12 of the same year

🌹 The Goals and Provisions of Rizal Law

🌻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

🌻WHEREAS, today, more than any other period of our history, there is a need for
a re-dedication 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;

🌻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,

🌻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 or 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.
The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate
rules and regulations, including those of a 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.

🌻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.

The Board of National Education shall determine the adequacy of the number of
books, depending upon the enrollment of the school, college or university.

🌻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.
🌻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.

🌻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.

It seeks to accomplish the following goals'

1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for
which our heroes lived and died

2. To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping
the Filipino character

3. To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s life, works,
and writings.