THE RIZAL LAW  Jose P.
Laurel
THE ORIGIN OF RIZAL LAW
(REPUBLIC ACT 1425)
•Senate Bill No. 438
TITLE OF THE BILL
-AN ACT TO MAKE NOLI ME
TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO
COMPULSORY READING
MATTER IN ALL PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
SECTION 1
-It declares that Jose Rizal's
Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo are compulsory
reading matter in all public and
private schools, colleges and
universities in the Philippines.
SECTION 2
-This section provides that
Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo shall be in the
original editions or in their
unexpurgated English and
National Language versions
 CLARO MAYO RECTO
(FEBRUARY 8, 1890 - OCTOBER2,
1960)
"THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF THE
BILL"
 JOSÉ PACIANO LAUREL.
PLH
SPONSORED THE SAID BILL
-THE OBJECT OF THE MEASURE
WAS TO DISSEMINATE THE IDEAS
AND IDEALS OF THE GREAT
FILIPINO PATRIOT THROUGH
THE READING OF HIS WORKS,
PARTICULARLY NOL ME TANGERE
AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO.
MAIN ARGUMENTS AGAINTS THE
BILL
 -The two novels contained views
inimical to the tenets of their faith
 The compulsory nature of the bill
as violative of religious freedom
ACCORDING TO RECTO.
-Under Art. XIV (5) of the constitution, it
was competent for the State to require the
reading of Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo in our public and private
schools. The sole object of the Rizal bill
was to foster the better appreciation of
Rizal's times and the role he played in
combatting Spanish tyranny in this
country.
RECTO ASSERTED
"RIZAL DID NOT PRETEND TO
TEACH RELIGION OR THEOLOGY
WHEN HE WROTE THOSE BOOKS. I
AIM AT INCULCATING CMIC
CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE FILIPINOS.
NATIONAL DIGNITY, PERSONAL
PRIDE, AND PATRIOTISM."
 May 9, 1956
-Senator JP Laurel, proposed an
amendment by substitution.
THE AMENDMENTS
TITLE OF 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
THE AMENDMENTS
-THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITING OF
RIZAL PARTICULARLY HIS NOVELS
NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL
FILIBUSTERISMO, ARE A CONSTANT
AND INSPIRING SOURCE OF
PATRIOTISM WITH WHICH THE
MIND OF THE YOUTH, ESPECIALLY
DURING THEIR FORMATIVE AND
DECISIVE YEARS IN SCHOOL,
SHOULD SUFFUSED.
"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."
 June 12, 1956
-the bill was signed into law by
President Magsaysay and became
Republic Act No. 1425

SECTION 1
- IT DECLARES THAT COURSES IN
THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS
OF JOSE RIZAL, PARTICULARLY HIS
NOVELS, 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 TRANSLATIONS
SHALL BE USED AS A BASIC TEXTS.

 May 12, 1956,

-the substituted measure was
approved.