Philip John L.

Gargar BSTM 4

Directions: Read the items carefully and provide an argument or stand for each. Type in your answers
here (8 items x 10 points).

1. In no more than three (3) sentences, answer the following questions:

a. Why did the Catholic Church actively oppose the passing of the Rizal Bill?

For Catholic Churches, Rizal’s actions and novels must stay in the past because it talks about the
past. And also, Catholic Churches insist that Rizal bills is all about the harsh criticisms at friar
abuses, simony, and other practices where the rants of a heretic. After all, it shows what
Filipinos truly felt about the friars then.

b. What provision from the Rizal Bill allowed the government to approve it that answers the
arguments provided by the Catholic Church?

The Rizal bill's aim was to give appreciation to the life of the national hero and analyze his
works, particularly his well-known novels of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. However,
the lawmakers had to confront the dangers in reading Rizal. But Recto and Laurel defended the
bill and argued that the only objective of the bill is to keep the memory of the national hero
alive in every Filipino’s mind, to emanate Rizal as he peacefully fought for freedom, and not to
go against religion.

c. Did the Church's views on the study of Jose Rizal's life and works changed over the years?
Why or why not?

In my opinion, Catholic Church are still against the Rizal Bill. They are still insisting that Rizal’s bill
should remain and belonged to the past and that teaching them would misinterpret current
conditions. Due to never-ending argument of the Rizal Bill, works written by Rizal and works
written by others about Rizal would be included and reading of the unexpurgated revision of the
two novels would no longer be compulsory to elementary and secondary level but would be
strictly observed to college level.

2. In no more than three (3) sentences, answer the following questions:

a. What is the Rizal Law all about?

Also known as Republic Act no. 1425, an act to include in the curricula of all 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.
 b. Why do we need to study the Rizal Law?

The Rizal Law is about implementing rules to educate people about the Life, Works, and Writings
of our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, especially his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
This is to give the students and the future generations a sample background and for them to
understand about how Jose Rizal hands over his life for our country.

c. What can you benefit from studying Jose Rizal's life and works?

As a student, it will help me to understand more about how Rizal hands over his life for our
country and to develop an appreciation and deeper understanding of Rizal works in relation to
present conditions and situations in the society. It will help us to be more aware with the
sacrifices that Rizal made in order for us to live freely and to have an independent country.

3. Why did Rizal consider Cervantes "the best writer of art and virtue" in his literary piece, "The
Council of the Gods (El Consejo del los Dioses)?" Justify your answer in no more than three (3)
sentences.

Because Cervantes works were centered around social reform and the rule of reason. Rizal, as
Minerva, narrated that Cervantes' work, Don Quixote, was chosen as the winning piece because
it is “the magic hand that strongly guides human passions," and "the whip which punishes and
corrects without bloodshed.

4. What drove the Filipinos to actively pursue Rizal's literary works in their quest for national
identity? Justify your answer in no more than three (3) sentences.

Jose Rizal was a multifaceted intellectual and a political activist, best known for his political
writings that inspired the Philippine revolution and ultimately led to his execution by the
Spanish colonizers. Filipino actively pursued Rizal literary works for national identity because of
his literary masterpieces, he voiced strong opposition to the abusive Spaniards and conveyed
messages that he hoped would inspire his fellow countrymen.