Why students are required to study the Life of Rizal ➢Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No.
. 52, No. 6, page
and his works
• Answer:
✓The Rizal was created as an Act of Congress of the
Republic of the Philippines through R.A. No. 1425 on
June 12, 1956.
✓It was approved at the time of President Ramon
Magsaysay.
✓The title of the said law, “An Act to include in the
curricula of all public and private schools, colleges and
universities courses on the life, works, writings of Jose
Rizal, particularly his novels, the Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, Authorizing the printing and distribution
thereof and for other purposes.
✓In this Act, there is a need for a re-dedication to the
ideals of freedom and nationalism for which heroes
lived and died.
✓The novels of Jose Rizal, Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo are a constant and inspiring source of
Patriotism.
✓R.A. No. 1425, Section 1; Courses on the life, works
and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in all
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 a basic texts.
✓R.A. No. 1425, Section 2; It shall be obligatory in 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.
✓R.A. No. 1425, 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.
✓R.A. No. 1425, Section 6; This Act shall take effect
upon its approval.
➢ Approved: June 12, 1956
➢House Bill No. 5561
➢Senate Bill No. 438
2971 in June 1956.
R.A. No. 1425
• The purpose of the law is enunciated in its preamble.
The preamble consists in the paragraph that begin with
word “Whereas”.
1. The preamble explains that there is a need for a
rededication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism
for which our heroes lived and died for.
2. Preamble identifies Rizal as one of those heroes who
have devoted their lives and shaped the national
character.
3. Preamble identifies Rizal’s novels the Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo as an inspiring source of
patriotism, which should be inculcated in the minds of
young people especially in their formative years.
4. Preambles invokes the power of the state in
supervising all educational institutions, which are
required to teach its students moral character, personal
discipline, civic conscience and the duties of citizenship.
The Story of Rizal Law
• In 1956 legislators seeing the need to promote
nationalism and patriotism among the Filipinos,
especially among the youth filled a bill.
• The original Rizal bill was filed by Senator Claro M.
Recto and it sponsored by Senator Jose P. Laurel who
was a Chairman of the Committee. Since the purpose of
the bill was to promote patriotism and nationalism, the
senators saw no problem in legislating it in congress. It
is supposed to be non- controversial considering its
intention.
Senate Bill 438
• It is an Act to make Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo compulsory reading in all public and
private colleges and universities and for other purpose.
✓ April 17, 1956, Senator Jose P. Laurel was the
chairman of the Committee.
✓Section 1 of Senate Bill 438; Jose Rizal’s Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo are hereby declared
compulsory reading matter in all public and private
schools, colleges and universities in the Philippines.
✓Section 3 of Senate Bill 438; The Department of
Education shall take steps to promulgate rules and
regulations for the immediate implementation of the
provisions of this Act.
✓Section 5 of Senate Bill 438; Any public or private reading contained more anti-Church statements than
college or university found violating, failing to comply nationalistic statements.
with, or circumventing the provisions of this Act shall be • Jesus Peredes;
punished accordingly. ✓He said that the novels contained objectionable
material and the Catholics have a right not to read them
Penalties in order not to endanger their faith.
• The head of any public college or university charged • Archbishop Rufino Santos
with implementing the provisions of this Act, who shall ✓ He said in his pastoral letter a warning about
have been found guilty of violating, failing to comply disaffection of the youth on the church if the Rizal Bill
with, or circumventing the provisions thereof shall be was approved. Priests encouraged their parishioners to
dismissed immediately from service and disqualified write their congressmen and senators to oppose the
from teaching in any public or government recognized bill.
private school, college or university.
• Government recognition of any private or university Supporter of Rizal Bill
found violating or circumventing the provisions of this • Father Horacio de la Costa, S.J.;
Act shall be immediately withdrawn, and the ✓ A Jesuit scholar and historian.
responsible, head and professor or professors ✓ He admitted that abuses did happen in the Catholic
concerned shall be disqualified from teaching in any Church and there were historical mistakes committed
Government recognized college or university. by the Catholic Church.
✓As an organization composed of men, mistakes were
Oppositions of Rizal Bill bound to be committed.
1. The church had powerful allies on opposing the Rizal
✓ He said that Riza’s works only exposed abuses within
Bill,
the Church, however that abuses were committed by
2. Senator Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo, he said that he
individual clergymen and should not be treated as
would not allow his 17-year-old son to read Rizal novels
reflective of the entire clergy
and he also denounced the Rizal Bill.
3. Congressman Miguel Cuenco, his speech contained
views, opinions and theories attacking the dogmas,
belief and practices of the church. He said a passage in
the Noli Me Tangere, Rizal wrote “God cannot pardon a
crime simply because we confess it to the priest (Noli,
Sayo Ed. 1950, page 191). He mentioned that the novels
of Rizal disparage devotion to the virgin Mary, the
Saints, the use of scapulars, saying of rosaries, novenas,
ejaculations and indulgenced prayers.
4. The catholic organizations such as the Accion Catolico
(Catholic Action), who were composed of conservative
Catholics, the knights of Columbus, the congregation of
the mission and the catholic teachers' guild.
5. Priests and Nuns, many of whom were foreigners
attended hearings in congress.

Opponents of Rizal Bill

• Father Jesus Cavanna;
✓He said that Rizal’s novels painted a false picture of
the conditions of the country in the 19th century. He
also mentioned that if the Rizal Bill intended to promote
patriotism and nationalism, that novels for required