MODULE LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL

CHAPTER 1: THE RIZAL LAW

Objectives:

a.) Critically assess the effectiveness of Rizal course.

b.) Analyze the various social, political, economic, cultural changes
that occurred in the 19th century.
c.) Appraise Rizal’s important part of the law.

BACKGROUND AND CONTENT OF REPUBLIC ACT NO.1425, S.1956

Republic Act No. 1425 known as the RIZAL LAW mandates all educational institutions in
the Philippines to offer courses about Jose Rizal.

Complete name:
“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”

RIZAL BILL: One of the Most Controversial Bills in Philippine HistoThe measure was
strongly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines due to the anti-clerical
themes in Noli Me Tángere and El Filibusterismo. During the 1955 Senate election, the
church charged Recto with being a communist and an anti-Catholic. After Recto's election,
the Church continued to oppose the bill mandating the reading of Rizal's novels Noli Me
Tángere and El Filibusterismo, claiming it would violate freedom of conscience and religion.
In the campaign to oppose the Rizal bill, the Catholic Church urged its adherents
to write to their congressmen and senators showing their opposition to the bill; later, it
organized symposiums. In one of these symposiums, Fr. Jesus Cavanna argued that the
novels belonged to the past and that teaching them would misrepresent current

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conditions. Radio commentator Jesus Paredes also said that Catholics had the right to
refuse to read them as it would "endanger their salvation".

Groups such as Catholic Action of the Philippines, the

Congregation of the Mission, the Knights of Columbus, and
the Catholic Teachers Guild organized opposition to the bill;
they were countered by Veteranos de la Revolucion (Spirit of
1896), Alagad in Rizal, the Freemasons, and the Knights of
Rizal. The Senate Committee on Education sponsored a bill
cowritten by both José P. Laurel and Recto, with the only
opposition coming from Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Mariano
Jesús Cuenco, and Decoroso Rosales.

REASONS WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY THE LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL

• The sponsors argued that in reading Rizal’s words, we are able to see ourselves.

• It is through the works of Rizal, the greatest Filipino patriot, which show not only the
strengths and virtues of the Filipinos but the Filipino’s defects and vices as well.

• Making the Filipinos realize their flaws will prepare themselves for the sacrifices they
have to make to attain freedom.

• The only objective of the bill is to foster the better appreciation of our national hero’s
role in fighting for freedom under the col onialism of the Spaniards, not to go against
any religion.

REPUBLIC ACT 229

An act to prohibit cockfighting, horse racing and jai-alai on the thirtieth day of December
of each year and to create a committee to take charge of the proper celebration of Rizal’s
day in every municipality and chartered city, and for other purposes.
MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 247
Directing the Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports and the Chairman of the
Commission on Higher Education to fully implement Republic Act No. 1425
CHED MEMORANDUM NO. 3, S. 1995
Enforcing strict compliance to Memorandum Order No. 247

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ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE LAW

SECTION 2 mandated that the students were to
read the novels as they were written in Spanish, although
a provision ordered that the Board of National Education
create rules on how these should be applied.
The last two sections were focused on making
Rizal's works accessible to the general public: the
second section mandated the schools to have "an
adequate number" of copies in their libraries, while the
third ordered the board to publish the works in
major Philippine languages.
After the bill was enacted into law, there were no recorded instances of students
applying for exemption from reading the novels, and there is no known procedure for
such exemptions.
In 1994, President Fidel V. Ramos ordered the Department of Education, Culture
and Sports to fully implement the law as there had been reports that it has still not been
fully implemented.

DR. JOSE P. RIZAL | As the GREATEST PHILIPPINE NATIONAL HERO

“Pen is Mightier than the Sword” -Dr.Jose P. Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was a man of many talents.
The Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo provided the ember that awakened
Filipino nationalism and paved the way for the Philippine Revolution of 1896.
The Americans, particularly Civil Governor William Howard Taft being the Chairman of
Philippine Commission addressed Messrs. Pardo de Tavera, Legarda, Gregorio
Araneta, Cayetano Arellano the choosing of the Philippine National Hero.

Among the nominated names are:

• Marcelo H. Del Pilar
• Graciano Lopez-Jaena
• Gen.Antonio Luna
• Emilio Jacinto
• Andres Bonifacio
• Dr. Jose P. Rizal

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CRITERIA IN CHOOSING NATIONAL HERO ACCORDING TO DR. OTLEY BAYER;

1. He should be Filipino.
2. He is peace-loving person.
3. He has high ideals and love of country.
4. He died for the country as a martyr.

REASONS WHY RIZAL WAS CHOSEN AND DECLARED AS THE PHILIPPINE’S

NATIONAL HERO.
1. He was the first Filipino to unite and awaken the Filipino People to peacefully rise
for independence.
2. He is a model for being a peacemaker by his complete self-denial, his complete
abandonment of his personal interest and to think only of his country and people.
3. He was towering figure in the propaganda campaign from 1882-1896.
4. He was a martyr at Bagumbayan where he willingly died for our country.

OTHER COUNTRIES CHOOSE THEIR NATIONAL HERO

Other countries chose their national hero heroes who were soldier-generals, who
fought for the country’s liberty and independence in the battlefield with their mighty
“sword”.
1. George Washington of USA
2. Joan of Arc of France
3. Simon Bolivar of Venezuela
4. Jose de San Martin of Argentina
5. Jimmo Tenno of Japan

HONORS ACCORDED TO RIZAL AS THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL HERO:

1. The day of his birth and day of his execution are fittingly
commemorated by all classes of people throughout the
country and other Filipino abroad.
2. No other Filipino hero can surpass Rizal in the number
of monuments erected in his honor, in towns, barrios and
school.
3. His name is a byword in every home and his picture is
printed and used in postage stamps.
4. The paper money / coins with his image have the widest
circulation that the poorest of the poor can take hold.

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5. Streets, boulevards, educational institutions and persons were named ‘Rizal’.

6. His noble thoughts and teachings had been frequently invoked and quoted by
speakers.

To know more about this Chapter, please click the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsAbgBHL20w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03G1UmDVLKs&t=87s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEmXrrP4LS8

Dr. Mariano M. Ariola The Life and Works of Rizal. Unlimited Books Library Service & Publishing
Inc.: 2018

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