GEd 103 – Life and Works of Rizal

Lesson 1: The Study of Rizal in Historical and Critical Approach

Introduction/Overview
Lesson 1 shall focus on the introduction and passing of Rizal Law (R.A. 1425) that gave rise to the
implementation of the Rizal Course. Students also learn to understand Rizal as a modern man who conquered his
inferiorities. Rizal became a hero because he responded to the challenge of conquering himself and he
succeeded. In the end, he was finally able to accept a great responsibility to give his own life for his own
country. From a weak, frail child, Jose Rizal rose to become one of the tallest men in history.

WHY STUDY RIZAL: BECAUSE IT IS MANDATED BY LAW

The teaching of Jose Rizal’s life, works, and writings is mandated by Republic Act 1425, otherwise
known as the Rizal Law. Senator Jose P. Laurel, the person who sponsored the said law, said that since Rizal
was the founder of Philippine nationalism and has contributed much to the current standing of this nation, it is
only right that the youth as well as all the people in the country know about and learn to imbibe the great ideals
for which he died.
The Trials of the Rizal Bill
▪ The enactment of R.A. 1425 otherwise known as the RIZAL LAW sparked heated disputes and
bitterness among Philippine legislators.
▪ It was originally filled by the Senate Committee on Education on April 3, 1956 as Senate Bill No. 438. It
was supported by all the senators except for three.
▪ When Senator Jose P. Laurel, the then Chairman of the Committee on Education started his sponsorship
of the bill on April 17, 1956, dispute between the pros and antis emerged.

AN ACT TO MAKE NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO COMPULSORY READING

MATERIAL IN ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
▪ Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are hereby declared compulsory reading material in all
public and private schools, colleges and universities in the Philippines.
▪ Rizal’s novels shall be in the original editions or in their expurgated English and National language
versions.
▪ No provisions of this act shall be construed as prohibiting or limiting the study of the works of other
Filipino heroes.
▪ Any public or private college or university found violating, failing to comply with, or circumventing the
provisions of this act shall be punished accordingly:
(A)The Head of any public college or university charged with implementing provisions of this act
who shall have been found guilty of violating, failing to comply with or circumventing the
provisions thereof, shall be dismissed immediately from public service and shall be disqualified
from teaching in any public or government recognized private school, college or university.
(B) Government recognition of any private college or university found violating or circumventing the
provisions of this act shall be immediately withdrawn, and the responsible head and professor or
professors concerned shall disqualified from teaching in any government-recognized college or
university.
Jose P. Laurel argued that the object of the measure was to disseminate the ideas and ideals of the great
Filipino patriot through the reading of his works, particularly Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
“Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo must be read by all Filipinos. They must be taken to heart, for
in their pages we see ourselves as in a mirror; our defects as well as our strength, our virtues as well as our
vices. Only then would we become conscious as a people, and so learn to prepare ourselves for painful
sacrifices that ultimately lead to self-reliance, self-respect, and freedom.”

Opposition of the Catholic Church

The hierarchy of the Philippine Church claimed that the two novels contained errors which were
against the teachings of the Catholicism. The ‘compulsory’ nature of the bill was also challenged as a breach of
religious freedom.
In general, the Philippine Church strongly opposed due to the following reasons: (1) show open criticism
to the Catholic Church; (2) in the ‘compulsory’ teaching of the unexpurgated versions of Rizal’s Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, a teacher would have the tendency to discuss or worse, to criticize certain
Church doctrines; and (3) the inevitable criticism of the Church doctrines might lead to the jeopardy of the faith
of people.

Excerpt from the Philippine Hierarchy on the Novels of Dr. Jose Rizal
“Among the many illustrious Filipinos who have distinguished themselves in the service of their country,
the highest place of honor belongs to Dr. Jose Rizal. And justly so; for Rizal possessed to an eminent degree
those virtues which together make up true patriotism. He loved his country not in word alone but in deed. He
devoted his time, his energies and the resources of his brilliant mind to dispelling the ignorance and apathy of
his people, and combating the injustices and inequalities under which they labored. When these salutary
activities fell under the suspicion of the colonial government and he was condemned to death as a rebel, he
generously offered his blood for the welfare of his country.”
“Did Rizal attack only the abuses of certain priest but never contradict Catholic doctrines? No. When in
May 1889, Dr. Tavera told Rizal in Paris “that he (Tavera) tried to defend him (Rizal) before Fr. Faura
explaining that, in the attack upon the friars, the stone was thrown so high and with such force that it reach
religion,” Rizal corrected him saying: “This comparison is not quite exact; I wished to throw the missile against
the friars; but as they used the ritual and superstitions of a religion as a shield, I had to get rid of that shield in
order to wound the enemy that was hiding behind it.”
“In these two novels we find passages against Catholic dogma and morals where repeated attacks are
made against the Catholic religion in general, against the possibility of miracles, against the doctrine of
Purgatory, against the Sacrament of Baptism, against Confession, Communion, Holy Mass, against the doctrine
of Indulgences, Church prayers, the Catechism of Christian Doctrine, sermons, sacramentals and books of
piety. There are even passages casting doubts on or covering with confusion God’s omnipotence, the existence of
hell, the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, and the two natures of Christ.”

Given this 21st day of April in the Year of Our Lord, 1956. Manila, Philippines
For the Philippine Hierarchy:
(Sgd.) +RUFINO J. SANTOS, D.D.
Archbishop of Manila
President, Administrative Council
Catholic Welfare Organization

The Catholic Action of Manila (CAM) was one of the principal organizations that initiated campaigns
against the bills. Its two attempts were to release articles of resistance daily, instead of weekly, through the
Sentinel, and to convince the Catholics to write the senators and congressmen to junk the bill.
Fr. Jesus Cavanna, a speaker on the symposium organized by CAM, lambasted Rizal’s novels by saying
that the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo “… belong to the past and it would be harmful to read them
because they represented a false picture of conditions in the country at that time. Noli Me Tangere is an attack
on the clergy and its object was to put in ridicule the Catholic faith. The novel was not really patriotic because
out of 333 pages, only 25 contained patriotic passages, while 120 were devoted to anti-Catholic attack.”

Debates on Senate Bill. 438 started on April 23, 1956

PROS – Jose P. Laurel and Claro M. Recto
ANTIS – Mariano J. Cuenco, Francisco Rodrigo and Decoroso Rosales
Claro M. Recto argued that under the police power and the Article 14 Section 5 of the 1935 Constitution,
the Senate could require the reading of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The proposed bill was
envisioned to foster understanding and the appreciation of Rizal’s times as well as his role in exposing Spanish
tyranny in the Philippines.
“Rizal did not pretend to teach religion or theology when he wrote these books. He aimed at inculcating
civic consciousness in the Filipinos, national dignity, personal pride, and patriotism, and if references were
made by him in the course of his narration to certain religious practices in the Philippines in those days and to
the conduct and behavior of erring ministers of the church, it was because he portrayed faithfully the general
situation in the Philippines as it then existed.”
“… but while he criticized and ridiculed the unworthy behavior of certain ministers of the church, he
made exceptions in favor of certain ministers of the church, he made exceptions in favor of the worthy ones, like
the Dominican friar, Padre Fernandez, and virtuous native priests, Padre Florentino, and the Jesuits in
general.”
-Claro M. Recto

“A vast majority of our people are at the same time Catholics and Filipino citizens. As such, they have
two 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.”
“This is the basis of my stand. Let us not create a conflict between nationalism and religion; between
the government and the church.”
- Francisco Rodrigo

On May 9, 1956, a sudden turn of events happened. It became apparent that Jose P. Laurel was willing to
enter into a compromise with those who oppose the bill.
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.

Objectives of the Rizal Law

1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes lived and
died.
2. To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping the Filipino character.
3. To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s life, works, and writings.
Senator Laurel explained that he eliminated the ‘compulsion idea’ after consulting his religious
conscience as a member of the church.
“If Jose Rizal was a hero, and on that there could be no debate, if he is a national hero, these books that
he has written, whenever read, must be read in the unexpurgated, original form.”
Senator Primicias proposed the inclusion of this to the amendment: “The Board shall promulgate rules
and regulations providing for the exemption of students for reasons of religious belief stated in a sworn written
statement…”
The proposal of Senator Primicias was included in Section one (1) paragraph two of the bill. Senator
Laurel’s substitute bill was approved unanimously on second reading on May 12, 1956. On June 12, 1956,
President Ramon Magsaysay signed the bill and henceforth became Republic Act 1425

WHY STUDY RIZAL: BECAUSE OF THE LESSONS CONTAINED WITHIN THE COURSE Aside
from those mentioned earlier, there are other reasons for teaching the Rizal course in Philippine schools:
 1. To recognize the importance of Rizal’s ideals and teachings in relation to present conditions and situations
in the society.
2. To encourage the application of such ideals in current social and personal problems and issues.
3. To develop an appreciation and deeper understanding of all that Rizal fought and died for.
4. To foster the development of the Filipino youth in all aspects.

Rizal: An Example of Sacrifice

▪ Our national hero was a man of peace with a vision.
▪ Rizal suffered as much as his countrymen.
▪ He was the spark that gave birth to Philippine pride for one’s country and people. ▪ Yet all he wanted for
his people was that they educate themselves so that they could stand as free men and face the world with
head held high.

“Whatever our condition might be then, let us love our country always and let us wish nothing but her
welfare. Thus, we shall labor in conformity with the purpose of humanity dictated by God which is the harmony
and universal peace of His creations.” Letter of Rizal to Dr. Ferdinand Blumentritt

Rizal: A Modern Day Hero

According to Nick Joaquin, Rizal was greatly aggrieved by his physique. When Rizal was young, he was
always teased by his sisters because of his frail body and often described as a very tiny child with a
disproportionately big head that he carried even in his adulthood. When the young Rizal was in the early stages
of adolescence, he strove to erase his puny image. He became interested in body-building and athletics but his
feelings of inferiority had made an indelible mark on his soul. Rizal was forever haunted by a sense of
inadequacy which explains his inability to sustain relationships with women and great dread for responsibility.

Rizal’s inferiority complexes were not without positive side, however. It is his feelings of inadequacy
that made him dynamic and he continually looked for ways to be better than others. Jose Rizal’s dynamism was
what made him a jack of many talents, and a master of many trades. What he lacked in physique he
compensated by excelling in many fields such as science, art, literature, among many others. Because of his
insecurities, Rizal strove to overcome himself and rise above the others. Rizal’s determination to excel in as
many fields as possible was to show the world that he was capable, that he was as tall as the next man. He
proved that he was very much taller by rising above himself.