Rizal’s Life and Works

Course Overview:
Mandated by RA 1425

Course Objective:
At the end of the course, the students will be able to:
1. Discuss Jose Rizal’s life within the context of the 19th century Philippines in relation to international
events.
2. Understand the context that produced Rizal and other nationalists.
3. Analyze Rizal’s Various works, particularly the novels Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
4. Organize Rizal’s ideas into various themes
5. Demonstrate a critical reading of primary sources from various personages relevant to the formation of
nationalism.
6. Interpret the values that can be derived from studying Rizal’s life and works.
7. Display an appreciation for education and love of country.
UNIT 1
UNDERSTANDING THE RIZAL’S LAW
THE TRIALS OF THE RIZAL BILL – Dr. J.B. Laurel jr.
The enactment of R.A. 1425 otherwise known as the Rizal Law sparked heated disputes and bitterness
among Philippine Legislators.
It was originally filled by the Senate Committee on Education on April 3, 1956 as Senate Bill No.438. It
was supported by all the Senators except for three(3)
When Senator Jose P. Laurel, the then Chairman of the Committee on Education started his sponsorship of
the bill on April 17, 1956 dispute between the pros and antis emerged.
SENATE BILL NO. 438
An Act to make Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo compulsory reading material in all public and
private colleges and Universities and for other purposes
Section 1. 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 2. The works in Section 1 of this Act shall be in the original editions or in their expurgated
English and national language versions.
Section 3. The Department of Education shall take steps to promulgate rules and regulations for the
immediate implementation of the provisions of this act.
Section 4. No provisions of this act shall be construed as prohibiting or limiting the study of the works
of other Filipino heroes.
Section 5. Any public or private college or university found violating, failing to comply with, or
circumventing the provisions of this act shall be punished accordingly.
(A) The Head of any public college or university charged with Implementing provisions of this
act, who shall have been found guilty of violating, failing to comply with, or circumventing
the provisions thereof, shall be dismissed immediately from public service and shall be
disqualified from teaching in any public or government recognized private school, college or
university.
(B) Government recognition of any private college or university found violating or
circumventing the provisions of this act shall be immediately withdrawn, and the
responsible head and professor or professors concerned shall be disqualified from teaching
in any government recognized college or university.
Section 6. This act shall take effect upon its approval.
Jose P. Laurel argued that the object of the measure was to disseminate the ideas and ideals of the great
Filipino patriot through the reading of his works, particularly Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
“ Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo must be read by all Filipinos. They must be taken to heart, for
in their pages we see ourselves as in a mirror; our defects as well as our strength, our virtues as well as
our vices. Only then would we become conscious as a people, and so learn to prepare ourselves for painful
sacrifices that ultimately lead to self-reliance, self-respect, and freedom”-(Jose P. Laurel)
OPPOSITION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The hierarchy of the Philippine Church claimed that the two novels contained errors which were
against the teachings of Catholicism.
The ‘ Compulsary’ nature of the bill was also challenged as a breach of religious freedom.
In general, the Philippine Church strongly opposed due to the following reasons:
 (1) Show open criticism to the Catholic Church.
(2) In the ‘ Compulsary’ teaching of the unexpurgated version of Rizal’s Noli and El Fili, a teacher
would have the tendency to discuss or worse, to criticize certain Church doctrines, and,
(3) The inevitable criticism of Church Doctrines might lead to the jeopardy of the faith of people.
Excerpt from the statement of the Philippine Hierarchy on the Novels of Dr. Jose Rizal
“ Among the many illustrious Filipinos who have distinguished themselves in the service of their
country, the highest place of honor belongs to Dr. Jose Rizal, and justly so, for Rizal possessed to an eminent
degree those virtues which together make up true patriotism. He love his country not in word alone but in deed.
He devoted his time, his energies and the resources of his brilliant mind to dispelling the ignorance and apathy
of his people, and combating the injustice and inequalities under which they labored. When these salutary
activities fell under the suspicion of the colonial government and he was condemned to death as a rebel., he
generously offered his blood for the welfare of his country.”
“ Did Rizal attack only the abuses of certain priest but never contradict Catholic doctrines? No. When in May
1889, Dr. Tavera told Rizal in Paris “ that he tried to defend him (Rizal) before Fr. Faura explaining that, in the
attack upon the friars, the stone was thrown so high and with such force that it reach religion.” Rizal corrected
him saying: “This comparison is not quite exact ; I wished to throw missile against the friars; but as they used
the ritual and superstitions of a religion as a shield, I had to get rid of that shield in order to wound the enemy
that was hiding behind it.”
“In these two novels we find passages against Catholic Dogma and Morals. where repeated attacks are made
against Catholic religion in general, against the possibility of Miracles, against the Doctrine of Purgatory,
against the Sacrament of Baptism, against Confession, Communion, Holy Mass, against the Doctrine of
Indulgences, Church prayers, the Cathechism of Christian Doctrine, Sermons, Sacramentals and books of piety.
There are even passages casting doubts on or covering with confusion God’s Omnipotence, the existence of
Hell, the Mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, and the two Natures of Christ”
I. We, the Catholic Philippine Hierarchy, in Our name and in the name of millions of faithful Filipino
Catholics, wish on this occasion to restate our unshakable loyalty to our fatherland, as well as to the
lawfully constituted authorities of the country:
II. Faithful Catholics wish to be second to none in love and veneration for our national hero. Dr. Jose Rizal,
whose patriotism remains for us a noble inspiration.
III. We assert that he is our greatest patriot and our greatest national hero, not however for what one day he
wrote against our religion and which at the end he retracted” with all his heart”, but for what he did on
behalf of the welfare of our country:
IV. The novels Noli Me Tanger and El Filibusterismo were doubtlessly written as an expression of Rizal’s
ardent and generous love for our dear Philippines, and there are many beautiful passages in them showing
this; and we are in favor of propagating these passages and encouraging our young generation to read and
learn then.
V. But unfortunately these novels were written when Dr. Jose Rizal, estranged for a time from our faith and
religion, did contradict many of our Christian beliefs
VI. This in no way implies that we must reject him in order to remain loyal to our faith. It only means that we
have to imitate him precisely in what he did when he was about to crown the whole work of his life by
sealing it with his blood: we ought to withdraw, as he courageously did in the hour of his supreme
sacrifice.”whatever in his works, writings, publication and conduct had been contrary to his status as a
son of the Catholic Church”. A dying person’s will is sacred. Taking into account Rizal’s last will, we
must carry out for him what death prevented him from doing, namely, the withdrawal of all his statements
against the Catholic faith.
VII. It is our conviction that to disregard our national hero’s last will expressed in his Retraction as well as his
last farewell, is, far from revering his memory, bringing it into contempt.
VIII. It is true, as the Explanatory Note to the proposed Bill No. 438-3rd C.R.P. says that “ to praise Rizal
without taking the trouble to study that which elicits our praises is to be hypocritical.” Hence we suggest
that a Rizalian Anthology be prepared where all the patriotic passages and the social political philosophy
of Rizal not only from these two novels but from all the rest of his writings, letters, poems and speeches
be compiled. It is not only in the two novels but also in his other writings are the patriotic teachings of
Rizal to be found. In order to compile an Anthropology of the kind we suggest, we have already
organized a committee which is making the necessary studies.
IX. Our objection then to the Bill proposed is not an objection against our national hero nor against the
imparting of patriotic education to our Children.
X. Our Constitution(Art.3. Section 1 (7) guarantees the free exercise of religion. The Supreme Court of the
United States has decided that the American school children belonging to a certain sect cannot be
compelled to salute the American flag because said act is offensive to their religious belief. (West
Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette.319,U.S. 624). On the basis, We believe that to compel Catholic
 students to read a book which contain passages contradicting their faith constitutes a vilation of a
Philippine constitutional provision.
XI. We, the Catholic Philippine Hierarchy maintain that these novels do contain teachings contrary to our
faith and so, We are opposed to the proposed compulsory reading in their entirety of such books in any
school in the Philippines where Catholic students may be affected. We cannot permit the eternal salvation
of immortal souls, souls for which We are answerable before the throne of Divine Justice, to be
compromised for the sake of any human good, no matter how great it may appear to be.” For what does it
profit a man, if he gains the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul?”
Given this 21st day of April in the year of Our Lord, 1956. Manila, Philippines
For the Philippine Hierarchy:

(Sgd.) +RUFINO J. SANTOS,D.D.

Archbishop of Manila
President, Administrative Council
Catholic Welfare Organization

OPPOSITION IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

The Catholic Action of Manila ( CAM ) was onr of the principal organization that initriated campaigns
against the Bill. Its two attempts were to release articles of resistance daily, instead of weekly, through the
Sentinel, its official its official organ, and to convince the Catholics to write the senators and the congressmen
to junk the bills.
Fr. Jesus Cavanna, a speaker on the symposium organized by CAM, lambasted Rizal’s novels by saying
that the Noli and Fili “..belong to the past and it would be harmful to read them because they presented a false
picture of conditions in the country at that time. Noli Me Tangere is an attack on the clergy and its object was
to put to ridicule the Catholic faith. The novel was not reallt patriotic because out of 333 pages, only 25
contained patriotic passages while 120 were devoted to anti-Catholic attack”( quoted from Rosales, Sinag
Vol.1)

THE PROS AND ANTIS

Debates on Senate Bill No.438 Started on April 23, 1956

PROS- Jose P. Laurel and Claro M. Recto ANTIS- Mariano J. Cuenco, Francisco ‘Soc’ Rodrigo, and
Decoro Rosales.
CLARO M. RECTO argued that under the police power and the Article 14 Section 5 of the (1935) Constitution,
the State could require the reading of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
The proposed bill was envisioned to foster understanding and appreciation of Rizal’s times as well as his role in
exposing Spanich tyranny in the Philippines.
“ Rizal did not pretend to teach religion or theology when he wrote those books. He aimed at inculcating civic
consciousness in the Filipinos, national dignity, personal pride, and patriotism, and if references were made by
him in the course of his narration of certain religious practices in the Philippines in those days and to the
conduct and behavior of erring ministers of the church, it was because he portrayed faithfully the general
situation in the Philippines as it then existed.”
“…but while he criticized and ridiculed the unworthy behavior of certain ministers of the church, he made
exeptions in favor of certain ministers of the church, he exeptions in favor of the worthy ones, like the
Dominicans friar, Padre Fernandez, and virtuous native priest, Padre Florentino, and the Jesuit in general.”
- Claro M. Recto
“ A vast majority of our people are at the same time Catholics and Filipino citizens. As such, they have two
great loves: their country and their faith. These two loves are not conflicting loves. They are harmonious
affections, like the love of a child for his father and for his mother”
“ This is the basis of my stand. Let us not create a conflict between nationalism and religion;. Between the
government and the church.”
-Francisco ‘Soc’ Rodrico-
HOUSE BILL 5561
THE PROS AND THE ANTIS
PROS- Jacobo Gonzales, Emilio Cortez, and W. Rancap Lagumbay
ANTIS- Ramon Durano, Jose Nuguid, Marciano Lim, Manuel Zosa, Lucas paredes, Godofredo Ramos, Miguel
C;uenco, Carmen D. Consing, and Tecla San Andres Ziga.
On May 9, 1956, A sudden turn of event happened .It became apparent that Jose P. Laurel was willing to
enter into a compromise with those who oppose the Bill.
 An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and Private Schools, Colleges and Universities course 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 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 nationa character.
Whereas, the life. Works and writings 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 institution 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,
An act to make Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo compulsory reading material in all Public and Private
Colleges and Universities and for other purposes.

VS.
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.
Senator Laurel explained that he eliminated the ‘compulsion idea’ after consulting his religious conscience as a
member of the church.
“If Rizal was a hero, and on that there could be no debate, if Rizal is a national hero, these books that he has
written, whenever read, must be read in the unexpurgated, original form”
Senator Primicias proposed the inclusion of this amendment to the amendment:
“ The Board shall Promulgate Rules and Regulations providing for the exemption of Students for reasons of
Religious Belief stated in a sworn written statement…”
The proposal of Senator Primicias was inckuded in section one (1) Paragraph two (2) of the Bill.
Senator Laurel’s substitute bill was approved unanimously on second reading on May 12, 1956.

HOUSE BILL NO.5561

The solution on the impasse by Senator Laurel was deemed acceptable by members of the House of
Representatives.
On May 14, 1956, Congressman Tolentino, the then House Majority Leader sponsored an amendment by
substitution like the one proposed by Senator Laurel.
Although there were minor dissents, 51 congressmen approved the bill on second reading on the same day.

ANTI CLIMAX

Just as how the deliberations in the both chamber of Congress were intense, it’s anti-climax was dramatic as
well.
Representatives need to pass the bill as soon as possible because the Congress was to adjourn indefinitely .
Since the President did not certify the bill as urgent, it must undergo the rigors of the constitutional process.
First, printed copies of the bill must be distributed among the members of the House at least three (3) calendar
days before its final approval.
Through the help of Congressman Gonzales, Speaker Laurel managed to pull some strings at the Bureau of
Printing. He made an instruction not to destroy the printing molds of Senator Laurel’s substitute bill. He ordered
enough copies for the members of the House altering the bill number and the chamber of origin.
While Senate was still deliberating SB 438 for its 3rd reading, copies of HB 5561 were distributed among the
members of the House of Representative.
While HB 5561 was being deliberated on its second reading, Speaker Laurel made sure that no insertion or
amendments be made in order to avoid its reprinting and redistribution.
SB 438 was Accepted as it is.
Speaker Laurel did not let the adjournment of the House not until the bill could be approved.
SB 438 was approved on its 3rd reading with 23 senators in favor ( 1 was absent) while HB 5561 was approved
on its 3rd reading with 71 representatives in favor (6 objected, 2 abstained, while 17 were absent).
Passing of the Law
On June 12, 1956, President Ramon Magsaysay signed the bill and henceforth became Republic Act
1425.

Prepared by,
Bernardo G. Delos Santos, LPT, MBA
(KNS College Instructor)