GE1804

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.

01 Handout 1 *Property of STI

 student.feedback@sti.edu Page 1 of 5
 GE1804

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 TRIALS OF THE RIZAL BILL

A Summary

By Dr. Jose B. Laurel, Jr.

The Republic Act No. 1425, also known as the Rizal Law, has been in much controversy because of the
dichotomy it has wrought. It sparked debates and feelings of bitterness and recrimination in the Congress
during its inception. When it was filed on April 3, 1956 by the Committee on Education, a former committee
in the Legislation, under the name Senate Bill No. 438, only three (3) lawmakers earned its support, such
as Senators Jose P. Laurel and Claro M. Recto, seeing it as a non-controversial measure.

As told by Senator Laurel, the aim of the bill was to disseminate the ideas and ideals of Jose Rizal, known
to be a great patriot, by reading his works, especially the two (2) famous novels, in their original and
uncensored versions, translated in English, Filipino, and native dialects.

The Catholic church members inside and out of the Congress completely disagree, however. They deemed
that the novels contain elements that discredit the religion and its tenets. They challenged its compulsive
nature to be a violation of religious freedom. The principal basis of this opposition stemmed from an alleged
Pastoral Letter which branded the novels as heretical and impious, despite praising Rizal. The letter's
authenticity was questioned, but it was certain that it has sown discord among the people.

This led to its first debate on April 23, 1956, headed by Sen. Laurel and supported by Senator Claro M.
Recto, with Senators Mariano J. Cuenco, Francisco Rodrigo, and Decoroso Rosales leading the opposition.
Recto noted that the bill' objective was to foster appreciation of Rizal's times and of the role he played in
the eventual combat against Spanish tyranny. He noted that the novels did not pretend to teach religion or
theology upon their conception, that Rizal aimed to have Filipinos become aware of their society and instill
in them the national dignity, personal pride, and patriotism. And, if references to the misdeeds of the church
and its ministers had been shown in the novels, it was then to shed light on what the country was back then
-- Rizal simply narrated what had been.

01 Handout 1 *Property of STI

 student.feedback@sti.edu Page 2 of 5
 GE1804

Meanwhile, Senators Cuenco, Rodrigo, and Rosales, with the support of the Catholic church and its
members, spearheaded the argument that by compelling someone to read that is against their religious
convictions is no different from requiring someone to salute the flag, which, based from the US Supreme
Court back then, was an impairment both of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Also, they invoked
the need for unity, which would be upended by the signing of the bill. Noting that them being Catholics do
no mean they were recalcitrant to the country, Sen. Rodrigo remarked that the majority of Filipinos, "…
have two (2) great loves: their country and their faith. These two loves are not conflicting loves. They are
harmonious affections, like the love of a child for his father and for his mother."

Sen. Rodrigo also implored that nationalism and religion, government and church, must not be in conflict
with one another.

This conflict, however, reached the House of Representatives as early as April 19, 1956 when
Congressman Jacobo Z. Gonzales introduced another bill, House Bill No. 5561, which was an identical
copy of Senate Bill No. 438. It also had its struggles similar to the senate bill. However, due to Senator
Laurel creating a substitute bill in place of the original senate bill, more debates and amendments were
made. This led to the condition imposed that if a student's beliefs were to be compromised while taking the
subject, then they can be granted an exemption by the university.

Since then, the bill was to be adjourned sine die (i.e. in indefinite time) since it has to be printed and
disseminated to the entire Congress within three days. The opponents sought to use this technicality to
deter the bill further, forcing Cong. Gonzales to have the Bureau of Printing reprint the Laurel substitute bill
and give out as many copies as possible, changing only the bill's number and the Chamber of origin -- all
the while the actual Senate bill was in its third reading. This was done to ensure that both Laurel and
Gonzales bills would not be tampered in any way. Both Senate Bill No. 438 and House Bill 5561 were
approved upon third reading on May 17.

When the bill has been finalized and signed, it was agreed upon that the Board of National Education (now
called the Commission on Higher Education) shall be responsible in implementing this Act to the public and
private universities and colleges.

THE RIZAL LAW AND THE CATHOLIC HIERARCHY

By Renato Constantino

Recto's next big fight was over the Rizal bill. Though this did not directly, affect our colonial relations with
America, his championship this measure was an integral part of his nationalism. It was his belief that the
reading of Rizal's novels would strengthen the Filipinism of the youth and foster patriotism.

Recto was the original author of the bill which would make Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
compulsory reading in all universities and colleges. Reported out by the committee on education, it was
sponsored by Senator Laurel, committee chairman. The measure immediately ran into determined
opposition from the Catholic hierarchy spearheaded in the Senate by Senators Decoroso Rosales, brother
of Archbishop, now Cardinal Cuenco; and Francisco Rodrigo, former president of Catholic Action. Their
argument was that the bill would violate freedom of conscience and religion. The Catholic hierarchy even
issued a pastoral letter detailing its objections to the bill and enjoining Catholics to oppose it. Despite the
fact that public hearings had already been conducted, Rodrigo proposed that the education committee hold
a closed-door conference with the Catholic hierarchy to search for a solution to the dispute.

Laurel and the other supporters bill rejected the proposal inasmuch as the public hearing had already
afforded the church the opportunity to be heard fully. Recto said that Father Jesus Cavanna of the Paulist
Fathers, who had written the pastoral letter, had himself testified against the bill during the public hearing.

01 Handout 1 *Property of STI

 student.feedback@sti.edu Page 3 of 5
 GE1804

A closed-door conference was obviously one of the means by which the hierarchy hoped to exert pressure
against the bill/ Lobbies from various Catholic organizations as well as the clerics themselves were very
active in the Senate throughout the discussion of the Rizal bill. These clerics, many of them foreigners were
seeking conferences with the senators to convince them to oppose the Rizal bill.

A more organized campaign against the bill was launched under the auspices of the Catholic Action of
Manila. Its first activity was a symposium and open forum in which two announcements were made: first,
that the Sentinel, official organ of Philippine Catholic Action would henceforth be published daily instead of
weekly, and second, that Filipino Catholics would be urged to write their congressman and senators asking
them to "kill" the Rizal bill. Speakers at the symposium offered a variety of objections to the measure. Fr.
Jesus Cavanna, introduced as an authority on Rizal, said that the novels "belong to the past" and it would
be "harmful" to read them because they presented a "false picture" of the condition in the country at that
time. He described the Noli Me Tangere as an "attack on the clergy" and said its object was to put to ridicule
the Catholic Faith." He alleged that the novel was not really patriotic because out of 333 pages only 25
contained patriotic passages while 120 were devoted to anti-Catholic attacks. Jesus Paredes, a radio
commentator, declared that since some parts of the novels had been declared "objectionable matter" by
the hierarchy, Catholics had the right to refuse to read them so as not to "endanger their salvation." Narciso
Pimentel, Jr„ another radio commentator, offered the interesting speculation that the bill was Recto's
revenge against the Catholic voters who, together with Magsaysay, were responsible for his poor showing
in the 1955 senatorial elections.

Against this background of bitter opposition, one can more fully appreciate the integrity and courage of
Recto in championing the bill. He stubbornly persisted in his defense, unmindful of the fact that he was
antagonizing a vital electoral element.

In a three-hour speech on the Senate floor, he attacked the hierarchy of the Catholic church for its pastoral
letter. He declared that the pastoral letter had been "more severe" in its condemnation of the novels than a
committee of Spanish Dominican priests whose findings had resulted in Rizal's execution. In support of his
contention, he brought up the fact that the pastoral letter had cited 170 passages from the Noli and 50 from
the Fili which it regarded as attacks on the doctrines and dogmas of the Catholic church. He said he could
understand the foreign clergy taking such a position but he found it difficult to understand how Filipino
bishops "who will not be bishops now were it not for Rizal" could adopt such a stand when Rizal exalted
the Filipino clergy in his novels.

Rodrigo interpellated the speaker and in the process found himself the butt of Recto' sailies, to the delight
of the gallery. Rodrigo said he had read the books at twenty after securing special dispensation from church
authorities. Having taken advanced scholastic philosophy and religion, he declared his faith was then firm
enough. "But I cannot allow my son who is now 16 to read the Noli Me Tangere and the El Filibusterismo
lest he lose his faith," Rodrigo said. He proposed instead compulsory reading of footnoted editions of the
novels.

Commenting on the opening paragraph of the pastoral letter which praised Rizal as our greatest hero, Recto
charged that these laudatory phrases were being used "to hide the real intentions of the pastoral which is
to separate the people from Rizal." When Rodrigo agreed to his appeal to the people to scrutinize the
pastoral letter, Rodrigo said this would arouse the people to oppose the measure. Recto retorted that on
the contrary the reading of the hierarchy's letter "should open the eyes of the people to the real enemies of
Rizal and true nationalism.

While others were beginning to yield to pressure, no threats could frighten Recto. In reply to a threat that
Catholic schools would close should the Rizal bill pass, Recto went on record in favor of the nationalization
of all schools. He contended that nationalization might be just the step needed to foster a more vibrant
nationalism among Filipinos. He did not really believe the threat. "They are making too much profit which
they can ill-afford to give up," he said.

01 Handout 1 *Property of STI

 student.feedback@sti.edu Page 4 of 5
 GE1804

Tempers flared during the continuous debates and opponents attacked each other with greater virulence.
Recto was in the thick of the fight, his tirades against the church growing ever more bitter. On May 3, in a
privilege speech, he recalled that during the days of Rizal, religious orders dominated the government. "Is
this a new attempt to deliver the State to the Church?" he asked. Reacting to a Philippine News Service
report that Bishop Manuel Yap had warned that legislators who voted for the Rizal bill would be "punished"
in the next election, Recto took the floor for the seventh time to warn against church interference in state
affairs. He branded Yap as "the moderately Torquemada."

Finally, on May 12, the month-old controversy ended with unanimous approval of a substitute measure
authored by Senator Laurel and based on the proposals Senators Roseller T. Lim and Emmanuel Pelaez.
The bill as passed was clearly an accommodation to the objections of the Catholic hierarchy and Laurel
said as much. Though it still provided that the basic texts in the collegiate courses should be the
unexpurgated editions of the two novels, it was now possible for students to be exempted from using the
unexpurgated editions on grounds of religious belief. Opponents of the original Recto version jubilantly
claimed a "complete victory." Proponents felt they had at least gained something. After the entire debacle,
it was July of 1956 when Recto eyed American president Richard M. Nixon and criticized him due to their
intentions of owning operating military bases in the country.

REFERENCES:
Constantino, R. (1969). The Rizal law and the Catholic hierarchy. The Making of a Filipino: A Story of
Philippine Colonial Politics
Laurel, J.B. Jr. (1960). The trials of the Rizal bill. Historical Bulletin
Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines (n.d.). Republic act no. 1425.
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-1425/

01 Handout 1 *Property of STI

 student.feedback@sti.edu Page 5 of 5