THE-STORY-OF-THE-RIZAL-LAW-Critical-Analyses-of-the-Rizal-Law.pptx

THE STORY OF THE
RIZAL LAW
Presentation Title 1

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 rededication 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;

RECTO’S RIZAL BILLHTTP://JOSEPROTASIORIZAL.BLOGSPOT.COM/2013/07/RECTOS-RIZAL-BILL.HTML
“...You cannot help but notice the resistance of students to the Rizal
course on the first day of class- they make you feel how very useless
they feel it is in their lives. Then add to this the prevailing lie that Rizal
was made national hero by the Americans over Bonifacio. This is why I
open my classes with a lecture on how Recto fought tooth- and nail to
get the Rizal bill passed into law in 1956. Since Recto is very much a
nationalistic icon, students stop grumbling and begin to listen.

...When students see Recto in the History of the Rizal course, they shut up and feel sorry they
even thought of playing with the acronym PI 100.
We do not remember how some members of the Catholic hierarchy found 170 passages in
Noli and 50 in Fili offensive to the Catholic faith. They reaffirmed that Catholics could read
selected passages from Rizal’s work, but to compel Catholics to read Rizal’s novels in its
unexpurgated version was to force heresy on them and violate their freedom of conscience.

Students who read Rizal’s novels today cannot understand what all the fuss was about. It is
funny to think that in 1956 the very same obscurantism that banned Rizal’s book in 1887 was
still operative.
Catholic schools threatened to close shop if the Rizal Bill was passed. Recto calmly told them
to go ahead so the State could then nationalize them. Some church bigwigs even threatened
to “punish” erring legislators in future elections, but Recto was undaunted. Here is a man
willing to risk losing votes because of his principles; this is why I admire Recto so much.

There was a proposal to use “expurgated” novels as textbooks, with the “unexpurgated”
copies to be kept under lock and key in the school libraries and to be used only at the
discretion and/ or approval of higher school officials. Recto threw this out. He didn’t want an
adulterated Rizal Bill:
‘The people who would eliminate the books of Rizal from the schools.... would blot out from
our minds the memory of our national hero... This is not a fight against Recto but a fight
against Rizal... Now that Rizal is dead and they can no longer attempt at his life, they are
attempting to blot out his memory.’

Filing of the Rizal Bill
In 1956, Sen. Claro M. Recto filed a measure which
became the original Rizal Bill. Under the bill it shall be
obligatory for college and university students to study the
life and works of Rizal.
Senator Claro M. Recto was the main proponent of the
Rizal Bill. He sought to sponsor the bill at Congress.
However, this was met with stiff opposition from the
Catholic Church.

THE STORY OF THE RIZAL LAW
During the 1955 Senate election, the church
charged Recto with being a communist and an anti-
Catholic. After Recto's election, the Church
continued to oppose the bill mandating the reading
of Rizal's novels Noli Me Tángere and El
Filibusterismo, claiming it would violate freedom of
conscience and religion.

On May 12, 1956, a
compromise inserted by
Committee on Education
Chairman Jose P. Laurel
that accommodated the
objections of the Catholic
Church was approved
unanimously.

The bill specified that only college
(university) students would have the
option of reading unexpurgated versions
of clerically-contested reading material,
such as Noli Me Tángere and El
Filibusterismo.

On June 12, 1956, the bill was approved
by the Philippine Legislature as Republic
Act 1425; otherwise known as Rizal Law.
Incidentally, June 12 was declared as
Flag Day.

CRITICAL
ANALYSIS OF THE
RIZAL LAW
EFFECTS OF THE RIZAL LAW

Positive Effects:
According to Hernando Abaya, 1984, the nationalist
reawakening began on the UP campus, sparked by the
teaching of Rizal’s life and his writings made compulsory
by the Noli-Fili law, co-authored by Recto and Laurel.
This is a statement from a person who was able to
witness the condition of the country before and after
the Rizal law was implemented. He saw the change and
the positive effect of the law to our country back then.

Positive Effects:
The youth was made aware of the contributions
and the principled life of Jose Rizal who was an
emblem of substantial nationalism and
unconditional love for the country. He embodies
brilliance coupled with humility and prestige that
goes along with service. This Republic Act has
pushed for Rizal to be a role model for the youth of
this country.

Positive Effects:
Through this republic act the essence of freedom
and independence was emphasized to the youth.
Also, it has been implied through this act that
national identity is a very important legacy that our
heroes have achieved through sacrificing their own
lives. They have passed it on to us, and it is our role
to nurture and protect it.

Negative Effects:
The R. A. 1425 just caused havoc within educational
institutions. Take the case of UP a couple of years
after this law’s implementation. The UP Student
Catholic Action and numerous publications and
students were pushed to go against their President,
Dr. Singco because they feel that the University is
starting to become godless. It has just caused a
mass confusion between faith and nationalism.

Negative Effects:
The faith of the people is being
compromised. This law is endangering the
Christian growth of the students who are
still in their formative years. This can drive
the youth to question the credibility of the
church and its teachings and traditions.

Negative Effects:
According to a survey that we have
conducted in our university, the Rizal
course is not actually significant for the
students. It has just been a laborious
subject that adds unnecessary work load
to students, and it sometimes drives the
students to lose focus on their majors.

WHY STUDY RIZAL?
It is of great importance that students understand
the rationale behind having to take up a Rizal
course in college. For high school students, the
Noli Me Tangere and the El Filibusterismo are
injected into the Filipino subject as part of the
overall curriculum. In tertiary education, however,
Rizal is a subject required of any course, in any
college or university in the Philippines.

WHY STUDY RIZAL?
1. BECAUSE IT IS MANDATED BY LAW
The Rizal Law, enacted in 1956, seeks to accomplish the following goals:
• To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and
nationalism, for which our heroes lived and died
• To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in
shaping the Filipino character
• To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s
life, works, and writings.

WHY STUDY RIZAL?
2. BECAUSE OF THE LESSONS CONTAINED WITHIN THE COURSE
• To recognize the importance of Rizal’s ideals and teachings
in relation to present conditions and situations in the society.
• To encourage the application of such ideals in current social
and personal problems and issues.
• To develop an appreciation and deeper understanding of all
that Rizal fought and died for.
• To foster the development of the Filipino youth in all aspects
of citizenship.

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