FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY

GENERAL EDUCATION

Members: Section: 105

Donor, Hannah
Go, Angeline
Morecho, Krishia

Anti Rizal

Person blocked Intension/Reason Arguments Take Away

Rizal Bill
Catholic Bishops Rizal, according to A pastoral letter I agree with the
Conference of the CBCP, broke Canon prohibiting proposal of

Philippines (CBCP) Law 1399, which publications that continuous studying

prohibits or prohibits criticize catholic of Rizal’s compilation
publications that teaching and of literary works. It is
challenge or ridicule practices was very inspiring, value-
Catholic doctrines presented by the oriented, and
and practices. opposition, who motivating for
stated that the law nationalism. His
would interfere with works manifest the
freedom of strong love for the
conscience and country, which is still
religion. relevant today in
They proposed that sacrificing one’s life
students study the may it be for the
Rizalian Anthology, a country, the family, or
compilation of Rizal's for another person.
literary works that Our current leaders,
incorporate patriotic as well as our whole
thought but not the people, would put
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
GENERAL EDUCATION

two novels, as a into practice more

reading resource for rigorously the
pupils. patriotic principles
contained in our
national hero's works.
Sen. Francisco It because violate His arguments It is mentioned that
Rodrigo the right of freedom states that the Rizal bill was never
and right of religion books are clearly an anti-catholic. As
or did people anti-Catholic. If it Dela Costa
conceive it to be a has no permission, mentioned that
sin to read the it is literally a sin for Rizal himself
novel. any Catholic to asserted that it was
read the Rizal’s not the church itself
novels. but the abuses he
was attacking as
may be seen from
his letter to a friend,
Resurrección
Hidalgo (quoted on
p. 544).

Pro Rizal

Person blocked Intension/Reason Arguments Take Away

Rizal Bill
Sen. Claro M. It is mainly because The implementation Of course, Recto
Recto and sen. Sen. Recto of the so-called and Laurel backed
Jose P. Laurel introduced or the Rizal Law by Laurel the bill, claiming
author of the and Recto in 1956 that the major goal
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
GENERAL EDUCATION

Senate Bill 438 in sparked a historical is to keep the

1956 or Known as conflict. The memory of the
Rizal Bill and is proposed law, national hero alive
sponsored by Sen. which attempted to in every Filipino's
Laurel (quoted on compel the reading awareness, to
p. 530). of the Noli and Fili radiate Rizal as he
in Philippine peacefully fought
schools, colleges, for independence,
and institutions, and not to violate
elicited a strong religion. As it is said
reaction from the that Rizal declared
country's Catholic he did not intend to
Church leaders. attack the Catholic
The Catholic Church itself, but
hierarchy thought it the abuses in it
was unacceptable (quoted on p. 537)
since Rizal's
writings were
critical of several
Church beliefs and
showed priests in
an unfavorable
light.
Mayor Arsenio Those who When the priest I understand why
Lacson opposed the Bill of read a pastoral he walked out of
Rights, the letter from the the ceremony, and
opposition was Archbishop it seems like the
described as opposing the Rizal people who
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
GENERAL EDUCATION

"enemies who Bill, he called it opposes Rizal Bill

jeopardize the very "bigoted and were ignorant,
foundations of our intolerant" and ignoring what Rizal
freedom." On the walked out of a had been through
other hand, this ceremony. where he sacrificed
"new breed of himself for our
Filipinos" would country; biased, in
deny the a sense they don’t
government the like to be exposed
right to dictate what of what happened
books should be in the past. Also,
read in school and Catholic
what books should organizations held
not be read by the symposiums to
public. explain why it
should not have
become a law and
asked those
lawmakers to
contact legislators
and express their
opposition to the
bill.

1. Considering the context of the 1950s, what issues and interests were at stake in the
debate over the Rizal Bill?
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
GENERAL EDUCATION

-Rizal bill is known to be controversial mainly because of the involvement of having the
Catholic Church as its main rival. Saying that Rizal's writings portrayed the church in a
poor light and were critical of many Church beliefs, hence it was unacceptable to the
Catholic hierarchy.

2. Do these issues remain pertinent in the present day? How? Cite examples.

-These topics are still relevant among Filipinos today. While the concerns and interests
are obvious in the Rizal law, it is clear that the Church continues to resist laws to this
day. Going back to the RH law, fourteen petitions were filed alleging that the constitution
was “mocks the nation’s Filipino culture” and "ultimately detrimental to society”. Despite
the presence of the modern world, there are times when rulers still call for the
appointment of bishops to settle doctrinal controversies, and Rizal's teachings will
remind people that a law must not favor one religion over another. Our is a challenge for
educators to combat injustice and inequality in this society while using pen or media to
spread the message that things must be done without violence.

3. Dela Costa mentioned that Rizal declared that he did not intend to attack the Catholic
church itself, but the abuses in it. Point-out ideas and concepts from the article that
proved this statement. What is your take on it?

-Rizal himself, according to De la Costa, expressed his goal to expose the

injustices that lie behind the Church's cloak, and the characters in his novels were
fictional but based on truth. To comprehend the ideals inherent in Rizal's works, De la
Costa recommended that careful reading and accurate interpretation of the passages in
his novels is necessary (quoted on p. 544). Rizal used the passage of veneration of
saints by Capitan Tiago as an example. "If we read the chapter in its entirety ... we find
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
GENERAL EDUCATION

that what Rizal is satirizing is not the invocation of saints as such but the abuse of this
practice by nominal Catholics like Capitan Tiago" (quoted on p. 534). The
consequences of not thoroughly reading the passages may be misinterpreted from their
context.

What they have done in disregarding De la Costa's perceptions of Rizal's works seems
like the Church is attempting to censor its ties to Philippine History. They insist that
Rizal was attacking the Church, but they can't even admit to themselves that the abuses
of the Church are Rizal had mentioned.

4. Rizal mentioned that he did not blame all ills on strangers, and proclaimed that the
Filipino people were also victims of their own vices and defects? Do you agree with
this? Why?

- Yes. He loved his country not just in words but indeed. In Rizal’s statement is
certify by examination of the novels after writing about fictional crimes of fictional
character absolutely he did not attack the Catholic Church by itself instead he served for
them. He definitely saw annunciate the fact while Filipino suffering from colonial rule,
they were just victims of these vices of autocracy and defects of an instance of leading.
That is why he could say of the Noli that "no one can dispute the objectivity of my
narrative." (p. 536). Rizal dedicating of his novel Noli Me Tangere for his beloved
country, he addressed her as follows as “Desiring your health which is also ours, and
seeking the best means of restoring it”. We are all victims of our own circumstances.

References:

Retana, W[enceslao] E. 1907. Vida y escritos del Dr. José Rizal. Madrid: Victoriano
Suárez.
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
GENERAL EDUCATION

“R.A. 1425.” Home. Accessed February 5, 2022. https://dimasalang.weebly.com/ra-

1425.html.

Oppositions argued that the bill would go against freedom of conscience and religion,
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) submitted a pastoral letter
to which according, Rizal violated Canon Law 1399 which forbids or bans books that
attack or ridicule the catholic doctrine and practices.

“R.A. 1425.” Home. Accessed February 5, 2022. https://dimasalang.weebly.com/ra-

1425.html.

Mayor Arsenio Lacson call anti-rizal bill “bigoted and intolerant” and walked out of a
mass when the priest read a pastoral letter from the Archbishop denouncing the Rizal
Bill

Ybiernas, Van. “Laurel and Recto: Nationalists.” The Manila Times. The Manila Times,
June 25, 2021. https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/06/25/opinion/columns/laurel-and-
recto-nationalists/1804553.

Torres, Tetch. “First Petition vs Reproductive Health Law Filed before SC.”
INQUIRER.net, January 2, 2013. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/333827/first-petition-vs-
reproductive-health-law-filed-before-sc.

Diola, Camille. “8th Petition against RH Law Arrives at SC.” Philstar.com. Philstar.com.
Accessed February 5, 2022.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/02/14/908797/8th-petition-against-rh-law-
arrives-sc.

“Statement of the Philippine Hierarchy on the Novels of Dr. Jose Rizal.” CBCP Online.
Accessed February 5, 2022. https://cbcponline.net/statement-of-the-philippine-
hierarchy-on-the-novels-of-dr-jose-rizal/.
FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
GENERAL EDUCATION