Lesson 1

Page 2-6

I. The Rizal Law: Republic Act 1425

Senators Claro M. Recto and Dr. Jose P Laurel Sr., authored this act commonly called the
Rizal Law. The law passed approved in June 1956, during the presidency of the late Hon. Ramon
Magsaysay. It is of interest for our students to know that Dr. Recto, a nationalist is an alumnus of
CPU, a donor of the Recto scholarship in our College of Law (CPU) and the President of the
Constitutional Convention that drafted our Philippine Constitution on Feb. 3, 1936. He died in
Rome, October 2, 1962. Senator Laurel, a nationalist is from Tanawan, Batangas, was also a former
Secretary of the Interior and Justice of the Supreme Court. and President of the Japanese sponsored
Philippine Republic. He died in 1963.

The Rizal Bill

Senate Bill no. 438, was one of Sen. Claro M. Recto’s major fight in the Senate. Presented by
Sen. Jose P. Laurel, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, on April 17, 1956, but it was
generally known that Recto was the author.

It was bitterly opposed by some senators and by the Catholic Institution – pointing out that
requiring the teaching of Rizal in schools would be a violation of religious freedom. The
oppositionists were Senators Decoroso Rosales (brother of Archbishop, then Cardinal Rosales),
Sen. Mariano Cuenco (brother of Archbishop Cuenco), and Fransisco “Soc” Rodrigo (President of
Catholic Active Group. Fr. Jesus Cavanna, Paulist Order wrote a pastoral letter against the bill.
Clerics had a closed-door conference with Senators to dissuade them from passing the bill.

To solve the disunity created by the bill, Laurel sponsored a substitute measure - as a
compromise
the word “compulsory” was removed and was stated as … “an act to include in the curricula of all
schools
(public or private) courses on the life, works, and writings of Rizal.” – which was unanimously
approved
on May 12, 1956.

President Ramon Magsaysay signed this into law as RA 1425 on June 12, 1956.

The Implementation of the Rizal Law

 1956, Education Secretary, Jose E. Romero, allowed schools much leeway in their
implementation of the provisions of the law. Some schools issued exceptions from the
reading of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo;

 1960, schools offered Rizal either as a three (3) unit course, one (1) unit or integrated with
other subjects in college;

 1965, then Education Secretary Alejandro Roces ordered the integration of the Rizal
course with appropriate subjects other than Spanish as practiced;

 1969, thirteen (13) years after the passage of Rizal Law, the three (3) unit course was
ordered to be offered as a regular three unit course and a requisite for graduation as
directed by then Education Secretary Carlos P. Romulo;

House Bill No. 5561

Senate Bill No. 438
Republic Act 1425
 AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES COURSES IN 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 national 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 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,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled

SEC. 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels 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
translations 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
measure, to carry out and enforce the regulations of this Act. The Board shall promulgate rules and regulations providing for
the exemption of students for reason 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 the said paragraph. Said rules and regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after their publication in the
Official Gazette.

SEC. 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 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 enrolment of the
school, college, or universities.

SEC. 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; 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.

SEC. 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amending or repealing section nine hundred twenty-seven of the
Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers and other persons engaged in
any public school.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

APPROVED. June 12, 1956

II. Rizal: The Selection of the National Hero

“To die is a fact of life. But the person’s characteristics, his dreams and works can stand the test of time;
his life can be an example for the generations to come. He is worthy to be honored.”
Members of the Commission (1901):

1. Civil Governor William Howard Taft 6. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera

2. W. Morgan Schuster 7. Gregorio Araneta
3. Bernard Moses 8. Jose Luzurriaga
4. Dean Worcester 9. Cayetano Arellano
5. Henry Clay Ides 10. Benito Legarda

Other Candidates for National Hero:

1. Marcelo H. Del Pilar

2. Graciano Lopez-Jaena
3. Antonio Luna
4. Emilio Jacinto

Criteria for selection

According to Dr. H. Otley Beyer, an anthropologist and a technical member of the

said commission in the book “Rizal: Ang Bayani” by Crisanto Rivera there were four criteria
used for choosing the national hero:

1. Filipino;
2. Dead;
3. Must have ardent love for one's country;
4. A man honored after death by public worship/ compassionate and peace loving.

What is a hero?

 A prominent or central personage taking an admirable part in any remarkable action or

event;
 A person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering;
 A man honored after death by public worship, because of exceptional service to mankind

Why Rizal?
 He was a towering figure in the Propaganda Campaign 1882-1896;
 Noli Me Tangere (Berlin, 1887)-contributed tremendously to the formation of Filipino
Nationality:

- His book was praised and attacked by friends and enemies; by Filipinos and
foreigners
- This book made him the most prominent in the Propaganda movement

 No Filipino has yet been born who could equal or surpass Rizal as “a person of
distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude of suffering;
 Even before his execution he was acclaimed by both Filipinos and foreigners as the
foremost leader of his people:
 MH Del Pilar;
 Fernando Acevedo – sees in him the model Filipino;
 Dr. Tomas Arejola - “your moral influence over us is indisputable”;
 Ferdinand Blumentritt - “Rizal was the greatest product of the Philippines and that his
coming to the world was like the appearance of a rare comet, whose rare brilliance
appears only every other
century; the most prominent man of his own people but the greatest man the Malayan
race has
 produced”;
 Napoleon M. Kheil;
 Dr. Reinhold Rost;
 Vicente Barrantes - “the first among the Filipinos”;

Other Honors and acclamations:

 1889, Barcelonam, he was unanimously elected as honorary president of La Solidaridad;

 1891, he was unanimously chosen as “RESPONSABLE” (chief) of the Spanish-Filipino
Association;
 July 3, 1892, Manila he founded Liga Filipina;
 He was made Honorary President, Katipunan; used the name “Rizal” as password;
 December 29, 1897, Emilio Aguinaldo along with other exiles in Hong Kong held a
commemorative program for Rizal;
 December, 20, 1898, Malolos, Bulacan, President Aguinaldo declared Dec. 30 as “Rizal
Day”; flags should be at half mast from Dec. 29, 12 noon- Dec. 30, 12 noon;
 “La Independencia”, edited by Antonio Luna and “EL Heraldo de la Revolucion” published
articles to honor and commemorate the death of Rizal;
 Rizal himself, his own people, and the foreigners contributed to make him the greatest hero
and martyr

Other references to Rizal:

 “Pearl of a man” (Rost)

 “Symbol of that race, one of the few representative men of humanity in general”
(Unamuno)
 “Universal genius”
 “Intellectual giant”
 “Builder of the nation”
 “Father of Philippine Nationalism” (Romero, 1978, p. 172)

☺ MH Del Pilar won according to the votes, but upon knowing that Rizal’s life and death was
more colorful than Del Pilar, the decision was reversed.

Other Reasons for choosing Rizal:

1. His being a martyr of Bagumbayan may arouse feelings of nationhood and of love for country.
His exile to Dapitan prompted the creation of Katipunan by Andres Bonifacio, which spread to 8
provinces: Cavite, Bulacan, Bataan, Tarlac, Morong, Batangas, Laguna, and Nueva Ecija
2. Rizal was peace loving. He wanted reforms but not through bloody revolutions. (Filipinos are
peaceful and peace loving)
3. Filipinos are sentimental. Reading his real life story would touch the reader's heart. Filipinos
usually sympathize with the hero that is kind and the underdog. Rizal's death was the perfect
plot.

To support the choice, the commission passed the following acts:


Act 137 organized the politico-military district of Morong and named it Rizal Province

Act 243 authorized public subscription for the construction of the Rizal monument in
Luneta
 Act 345 set aside December 30 as a national holiday, Rizal Day
Republic Act 1425 – the Rizal Law