Module 1 Understanding the Rizal Law, Nation and
Voting on Second Reading. The senators vote
Nationalism
1.1 Understanding the Rizal Law
Vocabulary:
bill - a measure which, if passed through the legislative
process, becomes a law
unexpurgated - basically untouched. In the case of the
novels of Rizal, unexpurgated versions were those that
were not changed or censored to remove parts that
might offend people.  reconcile the two. After this, both chambers approve the
bicameral - involving the two chambers of Congress;
the Senate and the House of Representatives  STEP 8 Transmittal of the Final Version to Malacañan.
Introduction
According to Republic Act 1425, better known as Rizal
Law, the teaching of Jose Rizal's life with the emphasis
on his famous novels is mandatory. The law was passed
in 1956 after many debates and contestation.  How did the Rizal Bill become the Rizal Law?  On April
In the course of the presentation, the process of how a
bill becomes law will be traced to have an idea about the
country's legislative process.  proposal was met by controversies, especially the
How a Bill Becomes a Law: The Legislative Process
*The Senate and the House of Representatives
follow the same legislative procedure.
*Legislative proposal emanate from a number of
sources.
*Authored by the members of the Senate or House as
part of their advocates and agenda; produced through
the lobbying from various sectors; or initiated by the
executive branch of the government with the president’s
legislative agenda.
Steps:
STEP 1 Bill is filed in the Senate Office of the Secretary.
It is given a number and calendared for first reading.
STEP 2 First Reading. The bill’s title, number, and the
author(s) are read on the floor. Afterwards, it is referred
to the appropriate committee.
STEP 3 Committee Hearings. The bill is discussed within
the committee and a period of consultations is held. The
committee can approve (approved without revisions,
approve with amendments, or recommend substitution or
consolidation with similar bills) or reject. After the
committee submits the committee report, the bill is
calendared from second reading.
STEP 4 Second Reading. The bill is read and discussed
on the floor. The author delivers a sponsorship speech.
The other members of the Senate may engage in
discussions regarding the bill and a period of debates
will pursue. Amendments may be suggested to the bill.
STEP 5 
on whether to approve or reject the bill. If approved, the
bill is calendared for third reading.
STEP 6 Voting on Third Reading. Copies of the final
versions of the bill are distributed to the members of the
Senate who will vote for its approval or rejection.
STEP 7 Consolidation of Version from the House. The
similar steps above are followed by the House of
Representatives in coming up with the approved bill. If
there are differences between the Senate and House
versions, a bicameral conference committee is called to
consolidated version.
The bill is then submitted to the President for signing.
The President can either sign the bill into law or veto and
return it to Congress.
Presentation
3, 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 was filed by Jose P. Laurel,
the then-Senate Committee on Education Chair, and
delivered speeches for the proposed legislation. This
Catholic Church which opposed its passage.  The
Catholic Church was influential so that it created a fierce
argument between those who sided with the Church and
the allies of Claro Recto.  One of the opposition
members was Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo.  Debates started
on April 23, 1956.
The debates on the Rizal Bill occurred in the House of
Representatives. House Bill No. 5561, an identical
version of Senate Bill 438, was filed by Representative
Jacobo Z. Gonzales on April 19, 1956. The House
Committee on Education approved the bill without
amendment on May 2, 1956, and the debates started on
May 9, 1956. A major point of the debate was whether
the compulsory reading of the novels Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo appropriated in the bill was
constitutional. The call to read the unexpurgated
versions was also challenged.
During the debate, it seemed that it was not possible to
reach an agreement. To move the procedure to the next
step, Senator Jose P. Laurel proposed amendments to
the bill on May 9, 1956. In particular, he removed the
compulsory reading of Rizal's novels and proposed that
Rizal's other works be included in the subject. However,
he still stood in his belief that the unexpurgated version
of the novels is read. On May 14, 1956, similar
amendments were adopted to the House version.
The amended version of the bill was also subjected to
scrutiny but was acceptable to the members of
Congress. But the passage was almost stopped by
technicality since the House of Representatives was
about to adjourn in a few days and President Ramon
Magsaysay did not certify the bill as a priority. The allies
in the House skillfully avoided the insertion of any other
amendment to prevent the need to reprint new copies
(which would take time). They also asked the Bureau of
Printing to use the same templates for the Senate
version in printing the House version. Thus, on May 17,
1956, the Senate and House versions were approved.
The approved versions were transmitted to Malacanan
and on June 12, 1956, President Magsaysay signed the
bill into law which became Republic Act No. 1425.  cause the translation of the Noli Me Tangere and El
The Rizal Law
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 ELI
FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING
AND DISTRIBUTION THEREOF, AND FRO 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, were, a member
with special fondness and devotion their lives and works
that have shaped the national character;
WHEREAS, 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 ;  understand how a bill becomes a law by a legislative
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,  4.
SECTION 1. Course on the life works, and writings of
Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included the
curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public
or private: Provided, That in the collegiate courses, the
original or unexpurgated editions of the Nilo Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo or their English translation shall be
used as basic texts.  1. Senate Bill No. 438 was filed by the Senate
SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools,
colleges, and universities to keep 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. 
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
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 persons 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, 19561956.
Published in the Official Gazette, Vol.52, No.6.2971 in
June 
Summary
To understand the Rizal law, it is necessary to
process that involves.
1. Filing a Bill in the Senate Office of the Secretary
2. First Reading
3. Committee Hearings
Second Reading
5. Voting on Second Reading
6. Voting on Third Reading 
7. Consolidation of Version from the House
8. Transmittal of the Final Version to Malacanan
The Rizal Bill became the Rizal Law when:
Committee on Education
2. Jose P. Laurel sponsored the bill
3. Legislators and Senators debated on the Rizal Bill
4. Legislators and Senators amended versions of the
bill
5. Malacanan approved the final version
6. Malacanan issued Republic Act 1425 aka Rizal Law
Therefore, it is a must that students in all schools in the
Philippines study the life, works, and writings of Rizal.
1.2 Nation and Nationalism whereas division among citizens was
determined through di-customizing 'us' and
Vocabulary:  "them".
o Modernity - Nationalism and national identity
Nation - a group of people with a shared language,
are products of social structure and culture
culture, and history.
brought by capitalism, urbanization,
Nation-state - a state ruling over a nation secularization, and bureaucratization.
o Constructivist approach - nationalism and
Sovereignty - the authority to govern a polity without nationalism are results of discourses socially
external interference/incursions constructed and imagined by people who
identify with a group.  
State - A political entity that wields sovereignty over a
defined territory.
Nation and Bayan
Patriotism - a feeling of attachment to one's homeland
The actual articulations of nation and nationalism started
bayan/banua - indigenous Filipino concepts of by Filipino heroes like Andres Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, and
community and territory that may be related to others culminated in the anti-colonial revolution in Asia. 
nationalism
However, many Filipino scholars traced the concept of
Introduction nation and nationalism through indigenous knowledge.
Sikolohiyang Pilipino and Bagong Kasaysayan
The previous topic stated that one of the major reasons understood nation and nationalism in the context of
behind the passage of the Rizal Law was the strong Kapwa and bayan.     
intent to instill nationalism in the hearts and minds of the
Filipino youth. This topic focuses on nation and  Kapwa is an important concept in the country's
nationalism in the Philippine context. it will explain the social relations and supports the notion of unity and
concepts of nation, state, and the nation-state as a harmony in a community. Kapwa presupposed the
precursor to understanding nationalism and the projects Filipino culture and psyche anchored on collective
that lead to it. likewise, the discussion will touch on some social practices that manifest in linguistic terms such
of Rizal's work that deals with nation and nationalism. as pakikipagkapwa, pakikisama, pakikipag-ugnay,
and pakikibaka.
Presentation
 Bayan or banua - is defined as the territory where
Concepts of nation and nationhood as well as state the people live or the actual community they are
and nation-state. identifying with. It encompasses both the spatial
community as well as the imagined community. 
Table
Excerpts from Emilio Jacinto's Kartilya ng Katipunan
Nation Nation-State State and Liwanag at Dilim
A state A political entity
A group of governing a that wields Kartilya ng Katipunan:
people that nation sovereignty over
shares a a defined Sa May Nasang Makisanib sa Katipunang Ito
common culture, territory
history, Sa pagkakailangan, na ang lahat na nag-iibig pumasok
language, and sa katipunang ito, ay magkaroon ng lubos na pananalig
other practices at kaisipan sa mga layong tinutungo at mga kaaralang
like religion, pinaiiral, minarapat na ipakilala sa kanila ang mga bagay
affinity to a na ito, at ng bukas makalawa'y huwag silang magsisi at
place, etc. tuparing maluwag sa kalooban ang kanilang mga
tungkulin.

Ang kabagayang pinag-uusig ng katipunang ito ay lubos

Nation and Nationalism
 Three theories that explain the roots of the nation
and national identity
o Primordialism - This theory traces the root of
the nation and national identity to existing and
deep-rooted features of a group of people like
race, language, religion, and others. Proponents
of this theory argued that national identity has
always existed and nations have ethnic cores,
na dakila at mahalaga; papag-isahin ang loob at kaisipan
ng lahat ng tagalog (*) sa pamamagitan ng isang
mahigpit na panunumpas, upang sa pagkakaisang ito'y
magkalakas na iwasan ang masinsing tabing na
nakabubulag sa kaisipan at matuklasan ang tunay na
landas ng Katuwiran at Kaliwanagan.
(*) Sa salitang tagalog katutura'y ang lahat nang tumubo
sa Sangkapuluang ito; sa
makatuid, bisaya man, iloko man kapangpangan man,
etc., ay tagalog din.
Dito'y isa sa mga kauna-unahang utos, ang tunay na
pag-ibig sa bayang tinubuan at lubos na pagdadamayan
ng isa't isa.  

Liwanag at Dilim

"Ang alinmang katipunan at pagkakaisa ay

nangangailanagn ng isang pinakaulo, ng isang
kapangyarihang makapagbibigay ng ayos,
makapagpapanatili ng tunay na pagkakaisa at makapag-
aakay sa hangganang ninanais, katulad ng sasakyang
itinutugpa ng bihasang piloto, na kung ito'y mawawala ay
nanganganib na maligaw at abutin ng kakila-kilabot na
kamatayan sa laot ng dagat, na di na makaaasang
makaduduong sa pampang ng maligaya at payapang
kabuhayang hinahanap. Ang pinakaulong ito ay
tinatawag na pamahalaan. 

"Ang kadahilanan nga ng mga pinuno ay ang byan, at

ang kagalingan at kaginhawaan nito ay siyang tanging
dapat tunguhin ng lahat nilang gawa at kautusan.
tungkol nila ang umakay sa bayan sa ikagiginhawa,
kailan pa ma't maghirap at maligaw ay kasalanaan nila.

"Ang alinmang kaangyarihan upang maging tunay at

matuwid ay sa Bayan lamang at sa kanyang mga tunay
na pinakakatawan dapat na manggaling. Sa madaling
salita, di dapat nating kilalanin ang pagkatao ng mga
pinuno na mataas kaysa madla. Ang pagsunod at
pagkilala sa kanila ay dahil sa kapangyarihang
ipinagkaloob ng bayan, samakatuwid, ang kabuuan ng
kapangyarihan ng bawat isa. Sa bagay na ito, ang
sumusunod sa pinunong inilagay ng bayan ay dito
sumusunod at sa paraaang ito'y nakikipag isa sa
kalahatan." 

Summary

The concepts of nation and nationhood, as well as state

and nation-state, are: 

 A nation is a group of people that share a common

culture, history, language, and other practices like
religion, affinity to a place, etc. A nation-state is a state
governing a nation. A state is a political entity that wields
sovereignty over a defined territory.