lOMoARcPSD|19658276

(1) Lesson 1 (Rizal Law)

BS Civil Engineering (Batangas State University)

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THE CONTEXT OF RIZAL BILL
• Sen. Claro M. Recto – the main proponent of
the Rizal Bill.
• Sen. Jose P. Laurel – the head of the Senate
committee on education.
• The Church accused Recto of being a
communist and anti-Catholic. They believed
that mandating students to read Rizal’s novels
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, would
violate the freedom of conscience and religion.
In an attempt to block the passing of the bill into
law, the Church urged their supporters to write
to their congressmen and senators to show
their opposition to the bill. Fortifying their
opposition, the Church organized symposiums
and fora to denounce the approval of the said
bill.
• Fr. Jesus Cavanna – a staunch oppositionist
of the bill, argued that the novels belonged to
the past and that teaching them would
misinterpret the current conditions of the PH.
• Jesus Paredes – Radio Veritas commentator,
said that Catholics had the right to refuse to
read the novels as it would endanger their
salvation.
NOTABLE PERSONS WHO SUPPORT ITS
APPROVAL BILL
• Veteranos de la Revolucion
• (Spirit of 1896)
• Alagad ni Rizal
• The Freemasons
• Knights of Rizal
INTENTIONS/REASONS FOR PUSHING ITS
APPROVAL
✓ There is a need for rededication to the ideals of
freedom and nationalism for which our heroes
lived and died.
✓ There is a need to remember with special
fondness and devotion the lives and works of
our heroes who shaped the national character.
✓ The life, works and writings of Dr. Jose Rizal,
particularly, his novels Noli me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo are constant and inspiring
source of patriotism with which the minds of the
youth, especially during their formative years in
school, should be suffused.
✓ There is a need to develop moral character,
personal discipline, civic conscience and to
teach the duties of citizenship.
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OPPOSITIONS
• Catholic Action of the PH
• Congregation of the Mission
• Knights of Columbus
• Catholic Teachers Guild
WHAT DID THEY DO TO OPPOSE?
• Notable action taken by the Catholic Church to
oppose the passing of the bill into law:
o Publishing a pastoral letter written by
then Archbishop of Manila, Rufino
Santos.
o Stated that Catholic students would be
affected if compulsory reading of the
unexpurgated version would push
through. It was read in all the masses
that were celebrated in the Diocese of
Manila.
• One oppositionist to the bill said that Rizal
attacked dogmas, beliefs, and practices of the
Church.
• Cuenco, another staunch oppositionist,
highlighted Rizal’s denial of the existence of
purgatory, as it was not found in the bible, and
that Moses and Jesus Christ did not mention its
existence. These, among other reasons, were
emphasized in debates inside the Senate.
• Outside the Senate, a rumor had spread that
the Catholic Schools threatened to close down
if the bill was passed. Recto refused to believe
the possibility of such threat because schools
would lose profit if they closed.
COMPROMISATIONS
• Given these debated, whether to pass the bill or
not, it was suggested that a compromise be
made to appease those who opposed the bill. It
was then agreed that the expurgated versions
of Rizal’s novel would be used.
• Recto, who had supported the required reading
of the unexpurgated versions, declared: “The
people who would eliminate the books of Rizal
from the schools would blot out from our minds
the memory of the national hero. This is not a
fight against Recto but a fight against Rizal”,
adding that since Rizal is dead, they are
attempting to suppress his memory.
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PASSING INTO LAW

• June 12, 1956 – is when the Congress passed

Rizal Bill (SB 438) and was signed into Rizal
Law (RA 1425) by President Ramon
Magsaysay.
• May 17, 1956 – the bill, with the compromise
inserted by Laurel, was approved unanimously.
The bill specified that only college students
would have the option to read the unexpurgated
versions of the clerically-contested reading
materials. There was also an amendment made
to the original bill that included the teaching of
Rizal’s other works, aside from the two novels.
Despite all the controversies, arguments, and
opposition against the Rizal Bill, it was finally
enacted on June 12, 1956.

SALIENT POINTS OF RIZAL LAW

• Courses on the life, works and writings of Dr,

Jose Rizal, particularly, his novels Noli me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be
included in the curricula of all schools, colleges
and universities, public and private
• It obliged all schools, colleges, and universities
to keep in their libraries adequate number of
copies of the original or unexpurgated editions
of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo as
well as Rizal’s other works and biography
• It authorized and directed the Board of National
Education to work for the translation of Noli me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo as well as other
writings of Dr. Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog,
and other principal dialects and their printing in
cheap or popular editions and their circulation.

TEACHING OF RIZAL COURSE IN COLLEGE

• Scholars and academicians are one in saying

that a mandated course on Rizal is as helpful
as any other course that teaches values that a
student may carry for the rest of his/ her life.
• Studying Rizal in the 21st century helps student
make sense of the present by looking back at
the past.
o For instance, Rizal’s illustrations of 19th
century PH may aid today’s generation
in recognizing the ills of present-day
PH.
• With students exposed to many foreign
influences, studying Rizal may remind and urge
them to understand the real essence of being a
Filipino. Significant historical figures like Rizal
help the younger generation navigate Philippine
History and understand why being aware of
social issues are important in the formation of
one’s national identity.

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