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Aballe, Alop, & Ambuyoc

What we'll discuss
Background and Content of
Republic Act No. 1425
Controversial Issues
surrounding the Rizal Law
Interesting Facts about Rizal
R.A. NO. 1425 known as the Rizal Law mandates all
educational institutions in the Philippines to
offer courses about José Rizal. The full name of
the law is "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".
Content of the Law
Section 2 mandated that the students were to
read the novels as they were written in
Spanish, although a provision ordered that
the Board of National Education create rules
on how these should be applied.
The last two sections were focused on
making Rizal's works accessible to the
general public: the second section mandated
the schools to have "an adequate number" of
copies in their libraries, while the third
ordered the board to publish the works in
major Philippine languages.
 Controversial Issues
Senator Claro M. Recto, a proponent of the Rizal Bill, faced opposition from
the Catholic Church. Recto was accused of being communist and anti-
Catholic during the 1955 Senate election. The Church continued to oppose
the bill, claiming it violated freedom of conscience and religion.

The Catholic Church urged opposition to the bill, organizing symposiums

and arguing that teaching past novels would misrepresent current
conditions. Radio commentator Jesus Paredes argued Catholics had the right
to refuse reading them.

Opposition to the bill was organized by Catholic Action of the Philippines,

Congregation of the Mission, Knights of Columbus, and Catholic Teachers
Guild. Counterattacks included Veteranos de la Revolucion, Alagad in Rizal,
Freemasons, and Knights of Rizal. Senate Committee on Education sponsored
the bill.
Archbishop Rufino Santos protests compulsory reading of unexpurgated version,
causing Manila's mayor Arsenio Lacson to walk out of Mass after reading circular.
Cuenco argues that Rizal attacked Catholic Church dogmas and beliefs, denying the
existence of purgatory and not found in the Bible. He also criticized Filipinos who
proclaimed Rizal as their national hero but seemed to despise his writing. Domocao
Alonto, a senator from Sulu, attacked Filipinos who proclaimed Rizal as their
national hero but seemed to despise his writing. Pedro López, from Cebu, supported
the bill, arguing that the independence movement began in Cebu when Lapu-Lapu
fought Ferdinand Magellan.
Catholic schools threatened to close if the bill was passed, but Recto countered that
it would lead to nationalization. The schools complied, but threatened to punish
legislators in future elections. A compromise suggested using the expurgated version,
but Recto argued that eliminating Rizal's books would blot out the memory of the
national hero. He argued that this is not a fight against Recto but against Rizal, who
is dead and attempting to suppress his memory.
On May 12, 1956, the Committee on Education Chairman Laurel approved a
compromise accommodating Catholic Church objections. The bill allowed college
students to read unexpurgated versions of clerically-contested reading material, such
as Noli Me Tángere and El Filibusterismo.
 Interesting Facts About Rizal
Jose P. Rizal had a great
influence on Andres Bonifacio
Through Rizal’s works, Bonifacio learned more
about the nationalistic sentiments via the
novels that lead to the revolution of the
country. Andres Bonifacio was the first one to
recognize Rizal as a hero.
He was recognized among other
nationalities
During his travels to Japan, America, and North
America; he attended different gatherings
involving intellectuals. Rizal also wrote many
novels, essays and poems that were published in
Europe and other different parts of the world.
Dr. Jose P. Rizal left writings
letters, and a diary for his family
and friends
Before his death, Rizal wrote to
his friends and family telling them
what he will do for his country,
and how he asks them to succeed
and love our country.
References