Charissa Mae G. Amper P.I.

100, TF 1:00 – 2:30pm

BS in Management - IV Prof. Ronald A. Pernia

The Past: The Gateway to Our Future

Republic Act No. 1425, or simply the Rizal law, commands the teaching of Dr. Jose Rizal’s
life, works and writings for all public and private schools, colleges, and universities and the
printing and distribution of his biography and works (Republic Act No. 1425, 1956). Debates about
this act have followed between the senators Recto and Laurel who respectively, authored and
sponsored the act, and the senators Rodrigo, Cuenco, and Rosales, who thought that this act was
another attack to the Catholic Church.

It is noticeable that the act was published on June 12, the date of our independence. I think
that this aimed to awaken the real, dedicated Filipino in each of us. It was written in 1956, the year
when our country was still recovering from the Japanese colonization and was depending on
United States for support. Despite the absence of invaders during this time, the Filipinos still
needed another revolution to fight for freedom. The Filipinos needed not to depend on other nations
but to stand up on their own, as what Rizal did before in fighting for freedom. The Filipinos needed
to bring back their nationalism and their belief in their country. Although the Filipino identity is
slowly fading, Recto showed through this act that the Filipinos could still undo this.

The sponsors of the Rizal law claimed that through Rizal’s works, we would not only be
able to see our strengths and virtues but also our weaknesses and vices as well (Noli-Fili/Rizal
Bill: One of the most controversial bills in Phil History, n.d.). Recto and Laurel believed that once
we recognize our flaws, we will be ready for the sacrifices we have to do to achieve our freedom
and identity again. The purpose of this act is not to attack the Catholic Church but to make us value
our heroes’ fight for freedom during the Spanish rule. The intense debate and fight over the Rizal
law tells us that we Filipinos believe that knowledge of history make us better citizens, despite the
opposition of the Catholic Church.

At the present time, our Filipino nationalism is fading. We Filipinos, especially the youth,
are inclined to embrace other cultures in this globalized world. We lack love for our own country
and we tend to adapt foreign culture, otherwise known as colonial mentality. Dr. Jose P. Rizal, our
national hero, is a fine role model of nationalism and patriotism, especially to the youth. His life,
works and writings would inspire us and make us brave and determined which would then underpin
our Filipino identity and nation building (Santos, n.d.). Through studying our national hero’s
writings, we would also be able to value the freedom we achieved years ago which was made
possible by our heroes. They sacrificed their own lives to achieve not only our freedom but our
national identity as well, so the latter is treated as a very important legacy that we should cherish
and protect. We could also relate the ideals and teachings of Rizal to the present conditions and
situations happening in our country. Colonial mentality is very rampant in our society today so we
should be proud of our own culture and identity, not of another country’s.

As students in particular, we would also be able to understand better what Jose Rizal did
for our country. This is also really important to us because it is during our educational years when
we choose our own priorities and career paths. Through this act, the educational institutions will
make us realize that the Philippines is a critical part of our priorities and serving it is an inborn
duty of each one of us (What is the Rizal Law?, n.d.). I believe that the past is the gateway to our
future and as what most of us believe, “Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng ating bayan.” The past,
partly written in Rizal’s works and writings, will embed strong discipline and genuine moral
character in us youth. We will then become selfless, true Filipinos who will make our beloved
country rise up and smile again and transform it from a poor country to a globally competitive
nation in the future.

References
Noli-Fili/Rizal Bill: One of the most controversial bills in Phil History. (n.d.). Retrieved from
Teamcrisostomo's Blog: https://teamcrisostomo.wordpress.com/noli-filirizal-bill-one-of-
the-most-controversial-bills-in-phil-history/

Republic Act No. 1425. (1956, June 12). Retrieved from Official Gazette of the Republic of the
Philippines: http://www.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-1425/

Santos, A. (n.d.). The Rizal Law. Retrieved from All About J.P. Rizal:
https://angbuhaynijprizal.wordpress.com/the-rizal-law/

What is the Rizal Law? (n.d.). Retrieved from Teamcrisostomo's Blog:

https://teamcrisostomo.wordpress.com/what-is-the-rizal-law/