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.

Approved: June 12, 1956

 History of the Rizal Law
Senate bill 438 (Rizal Bill), authored by Sen. Claro M. Recto
- One of the most controversial bills in the Philippines.

Recto’s original bill made it obligatory for college & university students to study
the life and works of Jose Rizal.

The Church continued its opposition to the bill by calling all Catholic voters to
reject
lawmakers who supported Recto’s Rizal Bill. Pastoral letters were read in masses
voicing
opposition. Bishops threatened to close down Catholic schools if the bill was
approved. Recto,
however, stood his ground and dared the Catholic Church to shut down their
schools, knowing
that this was only an idle threat since the Catholic learning institutions were its
major source
of income. He also rejected Senator Rodrigo’s suggestion that the annotated or
edited
versions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo should be used.
After a month-long stando 昀昀, a compromise bill was 昀椀 led. It was authored
by Senator
Jose P. Laurel, and it was based on the proposals of Senators Roseller Lim and
Emmanuel
Pelaez. On June 12, 1956, Republic Act No. 1425, better known as the Rizal Law,
came into
e 昀 昀 ect. The law accommodated the objections of the Catholic Church. This
could be seen in
the second paragraph of Section 1, allowing students to seek exemption from
reading Rizal’s
works for religious reasons. To the authors of the original bill, it was a complete
victory, but its
opposition felt satis 昀 椀 ed that at least they achieved something. The law,
however, still requires
the reading of the unexpurgated versions of Rizal’s novels. It also provided the
funding for the
publication of Rizal’s works and their distribution to the countryside. It was,
however, a one-
time appropriation, and provision, for future publication was not given. The Rizal
Law is more
than 50 years old now, and it may need revisions to make it more relevant.
 Senate bill 438 known as the Rizal Bill first authored by Senator Claro M.
Recto - requires that the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal be included in
the curriculum of all private and public schools, colleges and universities. .
his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo - are considered one of the
most controversial bills in the Philippines. Usually, before the bill is
approved and implemented in all schools and signed into a law known as
Republic Act 1425, it is taken to the Upper and Lower Houses of Congress
for deliberation. But what became controversial was that the bill was not
only vehemently opposed by the Legislative Arm but also by the Catholic
Church because of the inclusion of compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels
which according to them, is embarrassing to catholic dogmas.
 Senator Recto brought the bill to the Senate and Senator Jose B. Laurel Sr.
that the Chairman of the Committee on Education endorsed the bill which
resulted in an exchange of argument from Congress. The bill was mainly
opposed by three senators namely Senator Francisco Rodrigo, former
Catholic Action President, Senator Mariano Cuenco and Senator Decoroso
Rosales, brother of JulioRosales, an archbishop. The other contestants were
from Lower House 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 not directly involved in the debates and played a major role for
the intervention of signing the bill as a law. The church's allies in the fight
against the Rizal Bill are the Holy Name Society of the Philippines, Catholic
Action of the Philippines, Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus and
Daughters of Isabela.
 Opposition parties argued that the bill violated freedom of conscience and
religion, with the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
 submitted a pastoral letter in which, according to them, Rizal violated
Canon Law. 1399 prohibiting or prohibiting books that attack or ridicule
Catholicism. doctrines and practices. Opponents argued that of the 333
pages of Noli Me Tangere, only 25 verses are nationalistic while 120 verses
are anti-catholic. While reviewing the two novels by some members of the
Catholic hierarchical, 170 passages in Noli Me Tangere and 50 in El
Filibusterismo are against the catholic faith. Furthermore, opponents
pointed out that Rizal admitted that he not only attacked the friars who
would deceive the Filipinos but also the catholic faith itself. They suggested
literature for students about what they called the Rizalian Anthology, a
collection of Rizal’s literary works containing patriotic philosophy in
addition to two novels.
 Of course, Recto and Laurel defended the bill and argued that the sole
purpose of the bill was to keep alive the memory of the national hero in the
minds of every Filipino, who came from Rizal when he peacefully fought for
freedom, and did not oppose. religion. Senators Lorenzo Tanada, Quintin
Paredes and Domocao Alonto of Mindanao also defended the Rizal Bill
which was also favored by Representatives from House Congressmen
Jacobo Gonzales, Emilio Cortez, Mario Bengson, Joaquin Roxas, Lancap
Lagubay and Pedro Lopez. Other supporters of the bill were Mayor Arsenio
Lacson who called the anti-rizal bill “bigoted and intolerant” and left mass
when the priest read a pastoral letter from the Archbishop condemning the
Rizal Bill aqnd General Emilio Aguinaldo along with groups such as the
Knights of Rizal, Verrnacular Women Writers, Philippine Veterans Legion,
Colleger Editors 'Guild and Philippine School Teachers' Association
 Fun and intense scenes arose in the reorganization of the Rizal Bill. One of
these was the debate between Cebu Representative Ramon Durano and
Pampanga Representative Emilio Cortes that ended in a melee in Congress.
Bacolod City Bishop Manuel Yap has threatened to campaign against the
pro-rizal bill by lawmakers to punish them in the upcoming elections.
Representatives of CatholicSchools have threatened to close their schools
once the Rizal Bill is passed. Recto told them that if they did, the State
could nationalize Catholic schools. When there was a proposal to use the
 expurgated novels as textbooks and put the original copies under lock and
key in school libraries, Recto rejected this amendment and said.
 Due to the seemingly endless debate on the Rizal Bill, the approved
amendments were formed through the idea of three senators. Senator
Laurel made changes to the original bill where, among other things Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, works written by Rizal and works written by
others about Rizal would be included and the reading of the unchanged
revision. in the two novels are no longer compulsory at the elementary and
secondary levels but strictly observed at the college level. Senator Lim
proposed the exemption to students who feel that reading Rizal’s novels
will negatively affect his faith. Senator Primicias made an additional
amendment stating the rules and regulations on obtaining exemption only
for reading two novels by written statement or affidavit and not for taking
the Rizal Course. According to historian Ambeth Ocampo, no student has
yet availed of this exemption. After the amendments, the bill was finally
passed on May 17, 1956 and signed into law as Republic Act 1425 by
President Ramon Magsaysay on June 12 of the same year.