CHAPTER 1: THE STUDY OF RIZAL COURSE AND REPUBLIC ACT NO.

1425

INTRODUCTION
The study of Life, Works, and Writing of Rizal has been mandated by Republic act no. 1425 known as Rizal Law. It is “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”
The law itself had been criticized by many friars because of the issues concerning their image. According to Claro M. Recto, it
was his belief that the readings of Rizal’s novels would strengthen the Filipinism of the youth and foster patriotism. Also, Senator Laurel
one of the supporters of the bill mentioned 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”

Republic Act No. 1425

June 12, 1956
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 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 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; Now, therefore,

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

SECTION 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 of 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 enrollment of the school,
college or university.

SECTION 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; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular editions;
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.

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

SECTION 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.

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

Approved: June 12, 1956

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 2971 in June 1956.
The most valuable of Rizal’s ideas are contained in his two novels. But since there is a widespread impression that these
novels are looked upon with disfavor by the Catholic Church as attacking the Catholic faith, we want to give our views. The Catholic
Church in itself is never against the legitimate political and social aspirations of any people. Hence it follows that the clear and even
forceful expression of such aspirations can never be injurious to the Catholic Church.

The authors argued that the sole objective of the bill or the Rizal law to foster the better appreciation of Rizal’s times and of the
role he played in combating Spanish tyranny in this country. Denying that novels had any religious motivation. Rizal himself asserted
that it was not the church itself but the abuses he was attacking as may be seen from his letter to a friend, Resurrección Hidalgo:
“I have unmasked the hypocrisy of those who under the cloak of religion have come amongst us to impoverish and brutalize us. I have
distinguished the true religion from the false, from superstitious religion, from the religion that traffics with the Gospel to extract money,
to make us believe in nonsense at which the Catholic Church would blush, if it ever came to her knowledge.” (Retana 1907, 125–26)

Let us then heed the warning of Rizal and not confound the abuses of religion with religion itself. There were scandals in the
church in Rizal’s time. Why should we deny it? There were unfaithful priests, like the Apostles Peter and Judas. But that fact does not
make Catholic doctrine untrue. However, we must not exaggerate the evil. As to the fact of these evils, the Church awaits the sober
judgment of history. But the history of that period is only imperfectly known and thus people take fictional narratives like Rizal’s novels
as history. Especially with the young, we foresee in the indiscriminate and undirected reading of the novels a danger, since the young
are “too apt to take as literally true whatever they see in print. Moreover, they cannot be expected to make the necessary distinctions
between what the persons in a novel say in conformity with their characters and what the author of the novel says on his own account,
between what is said ironically and what is seriously stated; between the condemnation of the individual and the condemnation of the
society or organization to which that individual belongs.

Hence we judge that Rizal’s novels not only can but should by all means be made familiar to our students; the editions of them
which are assigned as reading matter should be accurate translations of the Spanish text, should be properly annotated by a competent
scholar familiar with the ecclesiastical and civil history of Rizal’s period, and should, ordinarily, be commented on and explained by the
teacher in charge.
In conclusion we say, first, that we find nothing in [these novels] that constitutes a serious danger to the faith or morals of the mature
well instructed Catholic, but much in conformity with the teachings of the Gospel and right reason. Secondly, prudence demands that
theys hould not be given as reading matter to the young without proper direction and guidance in the form of annotations to the printed
text and explanations by the living teacher. If this prescription of prudence is complied with the salutary political and social ideas of our
national hero will strike deep roots in the minds and hearts of our people.

CHAPTER 2: THE PHILIPPINES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AS RIZAL’S CONTEXT.

INTRODUCTION
Nineteenth century was the era of challenges and responses. It is a period of major changes that affect man and society.
During this period, such concepts of liberalism, industrialism, democracy, social realization, and nationalism gained control and sparked
and radical changes in science, technology, economics, socio-cultural, and political condition.
Throughout the 19th century, Spain was in state of political instability, there was an ideological battle between the liberals and
the conservatives. This Instability of the Spanish government made it impossible to develop consistent policy in the colonies. Corruption
in the government resulted to its inability to provide for public works, schools, peace and order and other basic needs. The creation of
Guardia Civil in 1868 failed to get rid of tulisanes, instead, they became an oppressive force in the provinces as Rizal showed in his
novels.
The transition of the country’s traditional societal structure to colonial hierarchy brought about the enlightenment of the local
inhabitants as to their common source of problem and suffering. Spanish Government unknowingly planted the seeds of new concepts
that created an impact to the local inhabitants.

LEARNING CONTENT
The 19th century, a period of massive changes in Europe, Spain, and in the Philippines. During this era, the glory and power
of Spain had warned both in her colonies and in the world.
One cannot fully understand Rizal’s thought without understanding the social and political context of the 19th century. Social
scientists marked the 19th century as the birth of modern life as well as the birth of many nation-states around the world. The birth of
modernity was precipitated by three great revolutions around the world: The Industrial revolution in England, the French Revolution in
France and the American Revolution.

Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution is basically an economic revolution which started with the invention of steam engine and resulted to
the use of machinery in the manufacturing sector in the cities of Europe. It has changed the economy of Europe from feudalism—an
economic system which relied on land and agriculture--to capitalism which relied on machinery and wage labor. The merchants of
Europe who became rich through trade became the early capitalists of this emerging economy. Farmers from rural areas migrated to
the cities and became industrial workers while their wives remained as housekeepers at home in what Karl Marx’s characterized as the
first instance of the domestication of women.
The Industrial Revolution that started in Europe had repercussions to the Philippine economy. A radical transformation of the
economy took place between the middle of the eighteenth century and the middle of the nineteenth; something that might almost be
called an agricultural revolution, with a concomitant development of agricultural industries and domestic as well as foreign trade (De la
Costa 1965: 159).The economic opportunities created by the Industrial Revolution had encouraged Spain in 1834 to open the
Philippine economy to world commerce. As a result, new cities and ports were built. Foreign firms increased rapidly. Foreigners were
allowed to engage in manufacturing and agriculture. Merchant banks and financial institutions were also established.
The British and Americans improved agricultural machinery for sugar milling and rice hulling and introduced new methods of
farming. The presence of these foreign traders stimulated agricultural production, particularly sugar, rice, hemp, and—once the
government monopoly was removed in 1882—tobacco. Indeed, the abolition of restrictions on foreign trade has produced a balanced
and dynamic economy of the Philippines during the 19th century (Maguigad & Muhi 2001: 46; Schumacher 1997: 17).
Furthermore, the fast tempo of economic progress in the Philippines during the 19th century facilitated by Industrial Revolution
resulted to the rise to a new breed of rich and influential Filipino middle class. Non-existent in previous centuries, this class, composed
of Spanish and Chinese mestizos rose to a position of power in the Filipino community and eventually became leaders in finance and
education (Agoncillo 1990: 129-130). This class included the ilustrados who belonged to the landed gentry and who were highly
respected in their respective pueblos or towns, though regarded as filibusteros or rebels by the friars.
The relative prosperity of the period has enabled them to send their sons to Spain and Europe for higher studies. Most of them
later became members of freemasonry and active in the Propaganda Movement. Some of them sensed the failure of reformism and
turned to radicalism, and looked up to Rizal as their leader (PES 1993:239)
 Lastly, safer, faster and more comfortable means of transportation such as railways and steamships were constructed. The
construction of steel bridges and the opening of Suez Canal opened shorter routes to commerce. Faster means of communications
enable people to have better contacts for business and trade. This resulted to closer communication between the Philippines and Spain
and to the rest of the world in the 19th century (Romero 1978: 16).

The French Revolution

If the Industrial Revolution changed the economic landscape of Europe and of the Philippines, another great Revolution
changed their political tone of the period—the French Revolution. The French revolution (1789-1799) started a political revolution in
Europe and in some parts of the world. This revolution is a period of political and social upheaval and radical change in the history of
France during which the French governmental structure was transformed from absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the rich and
clergy to a more democratic government form based on the principles of citizenship and inalienable rights. With the overthrow of
monarchial rule, democratic principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity--the battle cry of the French Revolution--started to spread in
Europe and around the world.
Not all democratic principles were spread as a result of the French Revolution. The anarchy or political disturbance caused by
the revolution had reached not only in neighboring countries of France, it has also reached Spain in the 19th century. Spain
experienced a turbulent century of political disturbances during this era which included numerous changes in parliaments and
constitutions, the Peninsular War, the loss of Spanish America, and the struggle between liberals and conservatives (De la Costa 1965:
159). Moreover, radical shifts in government structure were introduced by liberals in the motherland. From 1834 to 1862, for instance, a
brief span of only 28 years, Spain had four constitutions, 28 parliaments, and 529 ministers with portfolio (Zaide 1999: 203). All these
political changes in Spain had their repercussions in the Philippines, cracking the fabric of the old colonial system and introducing
through cracks perilous possibilities of reform, of equality and even emancipation” (De la Costa 1965: 159).
Because of this political turmoil in the motherland, the global power of the “Siglo de Oro of Spain in the sixteenth century as
the mistress of the world with extensive territories had waned abroad in the nineteenth century. Her colonies had gained momentum for
independence owing to the cracks in political leadership in the motherland. In fact, Cuba, a colony of Spain, was waging a revolution
against Spain when Rizal volunteered to discontinue his exile in Dapitan to work as volunteer doctor there in order for him to observe
the revolution.
The divided power of Spain was triggered by successive change of regimes due to the democratic aspiration created by the
French Revolution. This aspiration had inspired colonies under Spain and Portugal to revolt in order to gain independence from their
colonial masters in the 19th century.

The American Revolution

Finally, the American Revolution, though not directly affecting the local economy and politics of the Philippines in the
nineteenth century, had important repercussions to democratic aspirations of the Filipino reformist led by Rizal during this period. The
American Revolution refers to the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which the 13 colonies of North America
overthrew the rule of the British Empire andrejected the British monarchy to make the United States of American a sovereign nation. In
this period the colonies first rejected the authority British Parliament to govern without representation, and formed self-governing
independent states. The American revolution had given the world in the 19th century the idea that colonized people can gain their
independence from their colonizers.
The Americans were able to overthrow their British colonial masters to gain independence and the status of one free nation-
state. This significant event had reverberated in Europe and around the world and inspired others to follow. Indirectly, the American
Revolution had in a way inspired Filipino reformists like Rizal to aspire for freedom and independence. When the Philippines was
opened by Spain to world trade in the 19th century, liberal ideas from America borne by ships and men from foreign ports began to
reach the country and influenced the ilustrados. These ideas, contained in books and newspapers, were ideologies of the American
and French Revolutions and the thoughts of Montesquieu, Rousseau, Voltaire, Locke, Jefferson, and other political philosophers (Zaide
1999: 214)
Rizal’s time was deemed to be the height of the maladministration of Spain and its decay that obscured the Philippine skies.
The Filipino people suffered intensely beneath the bondage of Spanish misrule for they were ill-fated victims of the evil, injustices,
prejudices and sudden collapse of colonial power.

The abuses and injustices made by the Spanish officials were as follows…
• Instability of Colonial Administration
• Corrupt Spanish Officials
• No Philippine Representation to the Spanish Cortes
• Human Rights Denied to the Filipinos
• No Equality before the law
• Mal-administration of Justice
• Racial Discrimination
• Frailocracy and Secularization Filipino Priests
• Force Labor and Excessive taxes
• Haciendas owned by Friars and Spanish Officials

The Rise of Filipino Nationalism

The malpractices of Spanish officials gave rise to Filipino nationalism and nationalism is not a product of a sudden outburst of
sentiment. It is brought about by certain factors that gradually develop. It is like a seed nourished by common ideals and aspiration for
national unity. Here are the following factors:
1. Racial Prejudice. The Spaniards commonly regarded the Filipino natives as belonging to the “inferior race” and arrogantly
called them “indios”. The actions and discrimination made by Spanish people created an impact that the Filipinos started
to revolt.
2. Influx of Liberal Ideas. In view of the fact that the opening of Philippines to world trade, Philippines was exposed to
international commerce, liberal ideas filtered in. The thoughts of Montesque, Rousseau, Voltaire, Jefferson, and Locke
were made known through books and periodicals brought into the country by men from foreign ports (SUEZ CANAL)
 3. Secularization of The Church. The Council of Trent (1545-63) affirmed that secular priest be appointed to administer the
parishes in the colony. In 1567, Pope Pius V issued the Exponi Nobis, which allowed the regular clergy to serve as parish
priest without diocesan authorization and be exempted from bishop’s authority.
The return of the Jesuits in 1859 and the DE secularization policy affected the native seculars; it transformed into Filipinization
issue since the secular priests were mostly Filipinos.
In 1870, Archbishop Gregorio Meliton Martinez wrote to the Spanish Regent advocating secularization and mentioned that
discrimination against Filipino priests would encourage anti-Spanish sentiments. Archbishop Basilio Santa Justa accepted the
resignation of regular priests and appointed native secular priests to the parishes.
On November 9, 1774, a royal decree ordering the secularization of parishes became the basis for the appointment of native
secular clergy.
This was suspended in 1776 due to opposition of the friars and the unpreparedness of the native priests.

3.1 Secularization Movement

Two kinds of priests that served the Catholic Church in the Philippines
Regular Priests and Secular Priests
-- Regular priests belonged to religious orders. Their main task was to spread Christianity.
-- Secular priests were trained to run the parishes and were under the supervision of the bishops.
Conflict began when the bishops insisted on visiting the parishes that were being run by regular priest. The secularization
controversies transformed into Filipinization issue since the secular priests were mostly Filipinos. The effort to secularize the parishes in
a way heightened the nationalist feeling of the people.
4. The Polo or Forced Labor. In addition to the tribute, the Polo or forced labor is another Spanish that had created discontent
among the indios during the Spanish times. The word “polo” is actually a corruption of the Tagalog pulong, originally meaning
“meeting of persons and things” or “community labor”. Drafted laborers were either Filipino or Chinese male mestizos who
were obligated to give personal service to community projects, like construction and repair of infrastructure, church
construction, or cutting logs in forests, for forty days. All able-body males, from 16 to 60 years of old, except chieftains and
their elder sons, were required to render labor for these various projects in the colony. This was instituted in 1580 and reduced
to 15 days per year in 1884 (Constantino 1975: 51).

There were laws that regulate polo. For instance, the polista (the person who renders forced labor) will be paid a daily wage of
¼ real plus rice. Moreover, the polista was not supposed to be brought from a distant place nor required to work during planting and
harvesting seasons (Ibid: 52). Despite restrictions, polo resulted to the disastrous consequences. It resulted to the ruining of
communities the men left behind. The promised wage was not given exactly as promised that led to starvation or even death to some
polistas and their families. Moreover, the polo had affected the village economy negatively. The labor drafts coincided with the planting
and harvesting seasons; forced separation from the family and relocation to different places, sometimes outside the Philippines; and
reduction of male population as they were compelled at times, to escape to the mountains instead of working in the labor pool
(Agoncillo 1990: 83).
5. Cavite Mutiny. In 1868, a revolution led by the liberals in Spain deposed Queen Isabella II and gave rise to the Provisional
Republic of Spain. With the victory of the Spanish Revolution, many colonial officials with democratic ideals were sent to
Manila, which included Gov. Gen. Carlos De La Torre in 1869.

De La Torre, a liberal Spaniard who practiced liberal and democratic principles.

He abolished flogging, relaxed media censorship, and began limited secularization of education.
The republican government was overruled with the restoration of monarchy. Amadeo, son of King Victor Emannuel II of Italy,
accepted the invitation to assume the Spanish crown in December 1870. With the alteration of the system of government in Spain, the
political atmosphere in the Philippines likewise changed.
When Rafael De Izquierdo replaced De La Torrein 1871, he totally discarded the liberal measures. The privileges of arsenal
workers and others regarding exemption from tribute and force labor were also abolished.
Many Filipinos protested, as a matter of fact, aabout 200 Filipino soldiers and dock workers of Cavite, under the leadership of
Sergeant La Madrid, Mutinied and killed their Spanish Officers.It was suppressed and La Madrid and 41 others were executed in
Bagumbayan (present- Luneta) .
The mutiny was used by the Spanish officials to implicate the liberal critics of the government. Rumours were gradually spread
and led in to the abduction of 3 Priests, they were Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora. They were sentenced to
death by garrotte on February 17, 1872

Garrote:
‘Is a weapon, most often referring to a handheld ligature of chain, rope, scarf, wire
or fishing line”

The decline of the Spanish rule in the 19th century and the popularity of Rizal
and his reform agenda were products of an interplay of various economic, social,
political and cultural forces both in the global and local scale. The three great
revolutions, namely: Industrial, French and American as well the birth of the social
sciences and liberal ideas had gradually secularized societies in the 19th century and
thereby weakened the influence of religion in people’s mind, especially the well-
educated reformists and ilustrados. The political turmoil in Spain caused by the rapid
change of leadership and struggle between conservatives and liberals had also
weakened the Spanish administration in the Philippines. Although the influence of the
Catholic Church in the 19th century led by the friars had not diminished, the liberal and
progressive ideas of Rizal and the reformists had already awakened the nationalist
sentiment of the natives that soon became the catalyst for political change in the late
19th century.