“Republic Act 1425 realistic? Why or why not?

There are laws being imposed by the government to help in the upholding of the must-have
significant characteristics of the Filipinos that will consequently result in the preservation of these things
within the heart and mind of every individual. One law to corroborate this is the Republic Act 1425
otherwise known as the “Republic Act 1425” which makes the reading of Rizal’s life and works
mandatory in all public and private colleges and state universities in the Philippines. This move by “jose
rizal” is very timely especially that if not taken into consideration as early as now, we wouldn’t have
something to expect in the future for there are certain possibilities that linger around us and that could
make the essence of this law fade into the background together with its purported reasons. In the very
first place, the law intends to inculcate to the students the values and characteristics that Rizal himself
had naturally epitomized and for all of us, is it as realistic as making this all possible?

Being a student who is on the verge of losing his identity as a Filipino because of the too many
things that bothers the stability of one’s thinking, I could assert to all my co-students that this is a need
for most of us if not all to return the level of patriotism and nationalism that our forefathers had in their
time. On the one hand, if we know that the two necessary characteristics starts to falter, we give
remedies and practice it, we practice it and we master it, and we master it to have a unified strong and
indestructible nationalism and patriotism that we all must seek as a light of hope for every one of us.
However, I know that that will only be possible if we all work for it and together we strive for one cause
and one goal so that we all reach the one that we sought while no one is being left from behind. On the
other hand, the fact that it is possible to be achieved by looking forward to all positivity, it therefore is
realistic isn’t it? If it wasn’t realistic, would it not be realistic then?

In the case of the law, I believe that it went through series of talks and argumentations in the
legislative branch and one question that could have been posed is if it is realistic and if it is, why then
and why not. Our lawmakers surely have studied the law inquisitively and meticulously while
considering both the upside and downside of it that they remain impartial with their judgment and they
remain the good image of both the upper house and the lower house. Now with this laborious process
that every law should go into first from the introduction of the bill to the legislative branch to the
declaration of it as either a law or one that remains a bill for resolution or amendments, I don’t think
that it would just slip out and turn into law that easy as people would possibly think. Every law must be
just and be in accordance with the constitution because if it is already ratified, there is no way one can
easily express dissent because he or she believes it isn’t realistic when as a matter of fact, it is studied
well and as much as possible they eliminate any loopholes that could question it. If the ratification of
this law is still not realistic for all, what else will it consider as one? Are the reasons of the law not
making it realistic? I definitely don’t think so.

As I hypothetically put toes in the shoes of a noble teacher teaching the subject that the law
mandates, I would no doubt wish to educate my students about the life of Rizal and his works because I
am myself amused with the values and character he stood until the time of his death. I would do it not
because I am forced to which I know is far to happen because I don’t take things that way, but because I
want to share the same field of interest with my students so it would be more of a teaching because I
love the subject than merely a duty itself. I will exert the greatest of efforts just to make the students
understand what the point of having to study the life of Rizal and change the perspective of those
apathetic students who doesn’t seem to care about other people’s life and works. They may forget the
life of others but not Rizal’s because he is one important person in the Philippine History and to forget
him would be tantamount to forgetting the perfect model for nationalism and patriotism which we all
need to develop as we grow up. Now if all teachers are like me, more than willing to spend most of the
day just taking the teaching of the subject as a pleasure, it would be of goodness of the students and the
country as well because their learning will somehow reflect on their attitude towards our nation.
Furthermore, if it can be taken that way, isn’t it realistic at its finest? The law and the benefactors being
sound together?

Teachers would be the first one to appreciate this effort by the legislators since this coincides
with the national drive of the law which is to make students have the values that Rizal wants the 21 st
century people to instil strongly so that no external force would ever make it break its foundation if ever
it is already built. Their main role is to guide the students as they start to exercise these characteristics
taught to them and help them if ever they find themselves struggling as to how to start or how to
continue if ever they’ve already started. By this, the law being realistic, was not only being recognized as
a mandatory subject but a thing which would subject all the students to good qualities needed by the
country to prosper as nation not only economically but also culturally and morally. This law serves as a
catalyst for a faster development of the mentioned qualities. With the sources that the teachers use,
why would it not be realistic?

The realistic side of the Republic Act would be tangible and evident as long as the teachers
would use specific resources that will help them serve the purpose of the law and one example of this is
the reading of his two novels which clearly showed certain nationalistic and patriotic values which is
important to be acquired by the Filipinos. As long as these textbooks were not expurgated or tempered,
then it would actually be positive that the claims of this law would be attained and students will have to
want to be with this claims be achieved as well.

I believe that there are hazards in the translation of Rizal’s life and works and for that reason, it
could possibly mislead the Filipinos and would plant misconceptions and confusions within their minds
which is the concern of the people. Now if the teachers resort in the expurgated version, it might
inculcate a different version of values which isn’t at all the main purpose of the law. This heightens the
concern that if the purpose would not be attained, what good will the law have then? And there is also a
concern the law would have no use and it would have contrary effects to students.

In general, the Rizal Law remains realistic because of the provisions stipulated in the law and
that the stands mentioned justifies why it is to be one despite the concerns in the translation of the
works. Additionally, the government provides resolutions for it and that they could regulate if the
merits of the law are still followed and in that way, the law can still be attained and can be seen as
feasible.