GRUTAS, SEAN ANDREW B.

BSAR 3B

THOUGHT PAPER ON THE RIZAL LAW DISCUSSION

Including in Rizal's Life and Works as part of the curriculum isn't that bad at all. It is only right and
just to study the life and works of Jose Rizal since he is our national hero. He dedicated his youth in
fighting for the freedom of the filipino people from the spaniards who took the rights of the filipinos
to their mother land. It may have been more than a hundred years since he died but the results of
his patriotism is still enjoyed by the filipino nation. Studying his life is not enough to pay all of his
efforts but making this part of this curriculum reminds every filipinos of his bravery and nationalistic
principles.

If Im already born in 1956 by the time Rizal Bill is very controversial, not just in senate, but also in
the catholic church, I think I would support this bill because I don't see any problem in the content.
This bill is only to teach and show students the importance of nationalism and patriotism through
our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. It is for us to gain inspiration and learn how to dream and hope
something we could give for the betterment of our motherland that is why I am very impressed to
those senators who fight for the bill, Recto and Laurel. I can sense their nationalistic point of view
and pushes to fight for the recognition of Rizal in the educational system. They want the youth to
learn from the views of Rizal when it comes to patriotism. But despite the good intentions of the bill
it did not escaped criticisms from many individuals, senators and clergies opposing the bill stating
that including the two novels which they said that religious freedom has been violated and there are
anti-catholic passages that you can find on both novels and bashing the religious dogma. I
understand the priest and all those anti Rizal Bill because of their faith. They only want is to protect
the name of the Catholic to those who are promoting something that they believed thay includes
anti-catholic agenda. The mistake that the anti-catholic has done is that they did not see the bigger
picture of the bill that it is not to destroy the catholic church but to build nationalistic point of view
of the filipino youths. Instead, they keep on being blinded by the fact that the government might
want to destroy them which is not true. They even see as Rizal as an anti-catholic just because of the
bashing in the novel which is not actually for the entire catholic religion but only for those who are
the heads of this institutions who uses power to abuse common people. This bill wanted to establish
in our minds that we filipinos own the Philippines and need to fight for our sovereignty. Priests who
opposed this bill even threatened those who proposed and continue fighting for its approval in the
senate. Priests even mentioned it during mass to not vote those supporters of Rizal Bill which a
priest should not do during the mass. what I observed is clergy and other anti-rizal bill become
selfish because their views doesn't contribute to the improvement of our nation rather it only
reflects on their personal issues and are only worried that their pride might be stepped by this bill
which will never ever happen. If they only open their minds in the importance of this bill, the insights
to solve current problems based on the principles of Jose Rizal, could have help our country to be
successful because success of the country starts from its people and the Rizal Bill can be a very great
help.

T‌ his kind of argument is very relevant and timely specially when it involves the church and state.
There are always things that the state and the church might not agree with each other but we are
already in 20th century where most of the people are already open to very controversial topics and
had already learned how to deal with it with peace and full of respect that is why I am confident that
this kind of topic to be discussed or any issues involving church and state can be discussed with
respect with each other and whatever the result maybe, may have been agreed by two sides
because of peaceful debate and agreement .

How ironic to those who tried to block the passing of the bill wherein they are enjoying the freedom
that Rizal has dreamt of for them.