RIZAL LAW

(R.A. 1425)

Vocabulary
• Bill – a measure which, if passed through the legislative process, becomes a law.
• Unexpurgated – basically untouched. In the case of the novels of Rizal, unexpurgated versions
were those that were not changed or censored to remove parts that might offend people.
• Bicameral – involving the two chambers of Congress: the Senate and the House of
Representative.
• Veto – a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body.
• Consolidated – combine (a number of things) into a single more effective or coherent whole.

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The Legislative Process

Step 1.
• Bill is filed in the Senate Office of the Secretary.
• It is given a number and calendared for first reading.
Step 2.

• First Reading.
• The bill’s title, number, and author(s) are read on the floor. Afterwards, it is referred to the
appropriate committee.
Step 3.

• Committee Hearings.
• The bill is discussed within the committee and a period of consultations is held. The committee
can approve (approve without revisions, approve with amendments or recommend substitution
or consolidation with similar bills) or reject. After the committee submits the committee report,
the bill is calendared for second reading.
Step 4.

• Second Reading.
• The bill is read and discussed on the floor. The author delivers a sponsorship speech. The other
members of the Senate may engage in discussions regarding the bill and a period of debates will
pursue. Amendments may be suggested to the bill.
Step 5.

• Voting on Second Reading.

• The senators vote on whether to approve or reject the bill. If approved, the bill is calendared for
third.
Step 6.

• Voting on Third Reading.

• Copies of the final versions of the bill are distributed to the members of the Senate for its
approval or rejection.
Step 7.

• Consolidation of Version from the House.

 • The similar steps (1-6) mentioned are followed by the House of Representatives in coming up
with the approved bill. If there are differences between the Senate and House versions, a
bicameral conference committee is called to reconcile the two. After this, both chambers
approve the consolidated version.
Step 8.

• Transmittal of the Final Version to Malacañan.

• The bill is then submitted to the President for signing. The President can either sign the bill into
law or veto and return it to Congress.

The Story of the Rizal Law

• April 3, 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 was filed by Sen. Claro M. Recto
• April 17, 1956, then Senate Committee on Education Chair Jose P. Laurel sponsored the bill and
began delivering speeches for the proposed legislation.
• Catholic Church began to express opposition against its passage.
• Debates started on April 23, 1956.
• The debates on the Rizal Bill also happened as a result in the House of Representatives.
• House Bill No. 5561, an identical version of SB 438, was filed by Rep. Jacobo Z. Gonzales on April
19, 1956.
• The House Committee of Education approved the bill without amendments on May 2, 1956 and
debates started on May 9, 1956.
• A major point of the debates was whether the compulsory reading of the texts Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo was constitutional.
• Sen. Jose P. Laurel proposed amendments to the bill on May 9, 1956. In particular, he removed
the compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels and added that Rizal’s other works must also be
included in the subject.
• He, however, remained firm in his stand that the unexpurgated versions of the novels be read.
• May 14, 1956, similar amendments were adopted to the House version.
• The amended version of the bills was also subjected to scrutiny but seemed more palatable to
the members of the Congress.
• On May 17, 1956, the Senate and House versions were approved.
• The approved versions were then transmitted to Malacañan and on June 12, 1956, President
Magsaysay signed the bill into law which became Republic Act. No. 1425.

Highlights of Rizal Law

1. The study of Rizal’s Life, Works and Writings can support and foster the cause of nationalism for
Filipinos especially the youths;
2. The inclusion of the works of Rizal in the College Curriculum particularly the study of his novels-
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are necessary to have a better understanding of 19 th
century Philippines;
3. The inclusion also of other works of Rizal such as his letters, paintings, travels can promote
cause of nationalism.
4. Funding the law in order to give supplemental copies of the novels to public libraries; and
 5. The implementation of the law. Although this law is not declaring that Rizal is a national hero, it
can be a positive step towards enshrining him and other national heroes of the country.

Analysis on Rizal Law

• The adoption and implementation of R.A. 1425 which clearly states that the study of Jose Rizal’s
Life, Works and Writings must be taught in all public and private schools, colleges, and
universities;
• The study of Rizal’s work particularly his two important novels-Noli me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo and other works as well as their translations in Filipino and English should be
implemented and funded by the government as provided for in the law;
• The law also mandates the study of Rizal’s life, works and writings in the secondary levels
specifically the Noli me Tangere on the 3rd year level and El Filibusterismo in the 4th year level.
This forms part of the Filipino curriculum where the medium of instruction is Filipino;
• The Rizal Course offers a wide range of thoughts on how Rizal and other heroes fought for
freedom for the sake of the country’s survival against the “evil imperialism” of foreign invaders.

Reasons for Opposing the Rizal Bill

• It forces the students to read Rizal’s Noli and El Fili which contain passages that were anti-
Church. They presented fears that the religious beliefs of the young students would be harmed
by reading Rizal’s works while they were at their formative years.
• Fr. Jesus Cavanna commented that Rizal’s novels belonged to the past and it would be harmful
to read them because they presented a false picture of the conditions of the country at that
time.
• He also said that out of the 333 pages of the Noli, there were only 25 patriotic statements
compared to 120 anti-Catholic statements.
• Jesus Paredes, said that the novels contain objectionable matters and Catholics had the right to
refuse to read them.
• Narciso Pimentel, offered the speculation that Recto introduced his Rizal bill to get back at the
Catholic voters, who together with Pres. Magsaysay, were responsible for his poor showing in
the 1955 elections.
• Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo proposed that the footnoted or annotated version of the novels be used
instead of the unexpurgated versions required in the Recto Bill.