The Rizal Law and It’s Significance Today

My initial ideas about the Rizal law was that it was another uninteresting legislative document
that needs to be understood and memorized. Being a teenager, that’s my way of thinking. I
figured that since it is a law, it will tackle all about technicalities and provisions. I also thought
that the Rizal Law was made for the sole purpose of perpetuating the name and works of our
national hero. I was partly wrong. As I read the Rizal Law, I was correct about it tackling about
provisions and technicalities.

At the same time, I proved myself wrong with my assumptions of the Rizal Law being
uninteresting. More so, I was able to have a better grasp and understanding of what it is to be
nationalistic. What is it in the Rizal Law that caught my attention? To start with, my thoughts
about it being insignificant to me was changed. It had everything to do with me.

It was created precisely for students. How so? In the law, it tackles all about Rizal’s works
and/or life to be implemented in all schools. Who are the people in schools and who will benefit
from the Rizal Law? The students. The law was really interesting to learn, as it turns out.

Suddenly my opinions were turned upside down. It changed because the objectives of the
document were like speaking to me. The objectives being to reawaken the Filipino’s nationalism,
to open the eyes of the filipino from colonial mentality and to make the students proud of the
history. Those made re-examine myself and reflect upon my own sense of nationalism. In the
module, I was able to know what the Rizal law was for. The law was to ignite the sense of
nationalism of the country’s people. It’s not just some typical law stating that everyone should
have a background about the national hero and his works.

Yes, it’s main point was to let every Filipino learn from the past as depicted in Dr. Jose Rizal’s
novels. And yes, it encourages us to at least know something about Dr. Jose Rizal’s life. But it’s
more than just that. The law itself is a beacon of hope and faith. The law itself signifies the
hardwork of our fellow countrymen, mainly Jose P. Laurel and Claro M. Recto with some other
minor personalities, in defending that in studying these novels and the life of our national hero
will spark once again our nationalism that was once shining ever so brightly.

Of course, every Republic Act has it’s origin. I learned that the Republic Act 1425 is actually an
amended version of a bill. This bill was called the Noli-Fili Bill. Although the bill was the origin,
the two are quite different. There are some similarities but a lot of differences can be seen.
Firstly, the bill and the law aims to promote nationalism within the country. It’s aim is to spread
the ideologies of Rizal. The significance of Rizal’s works to the lives of the filipino people is
vastly great because it mirrors the situation of the past to the present.

It gives us answers to questions that are difficult to answer. The readings, specifically the Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, should be in their unexpurgated versions. Meaning, the texts
should be in their unedited or original state. This was changed though due to religious beliefs of
the filipinos. This was done because the unexpurgated version of the texts might hinder the
development of the faith of the people, according to the catholic church. Since there are
similarities, there are also differences between the bill and the law.

The noticeable difference is the specific punishments stated in the Noli Fili Bill which weren’t
written in the Rizal Law. Basically, the more strict between the two is the Noli Fili Bill. We can
look at the Rizal Law as the milder version. Next to that is that is the amount of money alotted
for the usage of the implementation of the law. Transparency about finance was shown in the
Rizal Law. To follow is that of the requirements of all libraries to have sufficient number of
books that could cater to the students if ever they wish to read the book of Rizal.

This is necessary so that those who don’t have the books or just want to read the books can have
access to the texts. It can also serve as an aid to the studies of the students. The Noli Fili Bill and
the Rizal Bill was created for the Filipino people. It was done for the best interests of everyone
and no other reason. The aim of the bill and the law are the same but it’s means of executing the
provisions are different. So it gives me an idea that even if these two are connected to each other,
they’re still two separate things. Well, I learned that you really can’t please everyone. In
something that you o, no matter how good the argument is, no matter how logical and needed it
is, someone will always be there to give a rebuttal. Like in the battle for the enforcement of the
bill into a law, it took such a long time to be processed and approved. The debate between Claro
M. Recto and Senator Rodrigo was proof that not everyone had the same views on the bill. Claro
was able to rebutt all of the arguments of Sen. Rodrigo. An example is when Senator Rodrigo
said, “It was not necessary to have read the novels of Rizal in order to venerate him, that Rizal
would still be a hero even if he had not written his books.

It was because of the sufferings that he endured that he became our national hero. ” and he
answered, “For what would Sen. Rodrigo honor Rizal if he had not written the Noli and El Fili?
If Rizal had not written the two books, the Spaniards would not have made him suffer; they
would not have shot him. He would not be the national hero of the Philippines. ” There are a
number of people who were pro’s and anti’s with the law. Emilio Aguinaldo, Mayor Arsenio
Lacson and Sen. Quintin Paredes were in favor of the law while the clergies of the catholic
church together with Sen.

Rodrigo, Ramon Durano and Luciano Paredes were against it. Somehow, in some way, the
people had their own say about the passing of this law. Differences in the understanding of the
law made it difficult for President Magsaysay to sign the bill into a law. But because of the
revision of the bill, it was turned into a republic act. Most important of all, the bill and the law
was written for nationalistic purposes. Not in a way that the people will be like Andres Bonifacio
and Dr. Jose Rizal who died for their own country but a sense of nationalism that shows how
proud they are of their country.

The law is not just for learning. It seeks to bring back what once was the mightiest trait that the
Filipinos had. It gives the Filipinos the drive to do something for themselves and be proud of it.
That we have the capabilities to actually change the world. We’re not indolent. We’re not so
stupid as some people might claim. In reading the works of Dr. Jose Rizal, like To The Filipino
youth, we will know that Filipino’s are also intelligent. That our country has a lot to offer to the
world. I can’t actually say that I alone was able to answer all of the questions resented to us.
There were some aspects that were difficult for me to understand so I needed help from other
people. In terms of absorbing the law itself and knowing what it contains, I can say that I
understood most of the ideas there. It’s just difficult to explain how it works, like there’s no
possible word to explain what it really does. Frankly, I didn’t expect that such a law would’ve
caused such a ruckus in the 1950’s. A ruckus in a way that heated debates happened and the
destruction of reputation was done.

Who would’ve thought that a bill wanting to teach students about the novels of Dr. Jose Rizal
could deal such damage? That was nothing I expected because I thought that the people had a
good grasp between the government’s job and what is the church’s job. The government’s job
was to enforce law beneficial to the people while the church’s job was to enlighted the people
with their spirituality and to teach morals to the people. I do understand that they both had the
people’s best interest at heart, but what I don’t get is that it lead to an ugly picture.

My new questions about the topic are, why does the church belittle the faith of the Filipino
people? Why do they feel threatened by Rizal’s books? And why is it that they act like they’re
the government officials in a way that their say in a matter is highly accounted for? Out of those
three questions, the answer to the second one really intrigues me. If I was to get the answer to
that question, I bet that a lot of people would benefit from it because it’ll give them a better
understanding of why the unexpurgated versions of Rizal’s books were so controversial.

So far, I haven’t gotten an answer to my new questions yet due to lack of time. Hopefully in the
future, I’ll get an answer. The Rizal Law is more than just a law. It preserves and teaches the
youth to be proud of their motherland. The law shows the mighty deeds of the colonized
filipinos. It is not to be taken lightly or to be made fun of because through this law the future
generations will have the same sense of nationalism that we do. The bill and the law is different
from one another. One should not mistake the law as the bill.

They have the same aim and some similar provisions but as a whole, the two are really different.
The bill was more strict and urged the compulsory reading of the Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo. The law tackles everything that has something to do with Rizal. There are always
pros and cons. Something can’t please everybody. That’s why people taking sides can’t be
avoided. It’s a matter of what will prevail. In terms of the Rizal law, the pro’s won. They found a
way to stop the catholic church from hindering them and their solution is to make an amended
version of the bill.

The provisions in the amended bill no longer hindered the opinion of the church and so the
passing of that bill come on smoothly. Lastly, the law aims for a nationalistic Filipino citizen.
Being a Filipino, one should love your country with all your heart. Be proud of it and don’t let
anyone step on your neck and say that you’re lower. One is not above the other. We should not
revere to other countries as better. We’re the same. We have the same capabilities that the others
have. What should matter is our own productivity and that we should be proud of it.