PI 01

E RIZAL LAW
TH
Rizal Law
 The enactment of R.A. 1425 otherwise
known as the RIZAL LAW sparked heated
disputes and bitterness among Philippine

THE TRIALS legislators.

OF THE It was originally filled by the Senate

Committee on Education on April 3, 1956
as Senate Bill No. 438. It was supported by

RIZAL BILL the all the senators except for three (3).

When Senator Jose P. Laurel, the Chairman

of the Committee on Education started his
sponsorship of the bill on April 17, 1956,
dispute between the pros and antis
emerged.
 Senate Bill No. 438
Authored by Senator Claro M. Recto

Rizal AN ACT TO MAKE NOLI ME TANGERE

AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO COMPULSORY
Law READING MATERIAL IN ALL PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
 Senate Bill No. 438

Section 1

Rizal
JOSE RIZAL'S NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO ARE HEREBY
DECLARED COMPULSORY READING MATER IN ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES.

Law Section 2
THE WORKS MENTIONED IN SECTION 1 OF THIS ACT SHALL BE IN THE
ORIGINAL EDITIONS OR IN THEIR UNEXPURGATED ENGLISH AND
NATIONAL LANGUAGE VERSIONS
 Senate Bill No. 438

Section 3

Rizal
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL TAKE STEPS TO
PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE IMMEDIATE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT.

Law Section 4
NO PROVISION OF THIS ACT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AS
PROHIBITING OR LIMITING THE STUDY OF THE WORKS OF OTHER
FILIPINO HEROES.
 Senate Bill No. 438

Section 5

Rizal
ANY PUBLIC OR PRIVATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY FOUND
VIOLATING, FAILING TO COMPLY WITH, OR CIRCUMVENTING THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT SHALL BE PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY:

Law
A: The Head of any public college or university charged with
implementing the provisions or this Act, Who shall have been found
guilty of violating, failing to comply with, or circumventing the
provisions thereof, shall be dismissed immediately from the
service and shall be disqualified from teaching in any public or
government recognized private school, college or university.
 Senate Bill No. 438
B: Government recognition of any private college or university found
violating or circumventing the provisions of this Act shall be

Rizal
immediately withdrawn, and the responsible Head and professor
or professors concerned shall be disqualified from teaching in any
Government-recognized college or university

Law Section 6
THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT UPON ITS APPROVAL.
Rizal Law
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." - Jose P. Laurel
 Rizal Law

The Catholic Hierarchy

The Catholic Church assailed the Rizal Bill as anti-Church

because it forces the students to read Rizal's works like the Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo which contain passages that
were anti-Church.
 Rizal Law
The Catholic Hierarchy

Central Arguments:

The hierarchy of the Philippine Church claimed that the two novels
contained errors which were against the teachings of Catholicism.

The 'compulsory' nature of the bill was also challenged as a breach of

religious freedom.
 Rizal Law
The Catholic Hierarchy

Central Arguments:

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 and El Fili, a teacher would have the tendency to discuss- or
worse to criticize certain Church doctrines; and,
(3) the inevitable criticism of Church doctrines might lead to the
jeopardy of the faith of people.
 Rizal Law
The Catholic Hierarchy

Statement of the Philippine Hierarchy on the

Novels of Dr. Jose Rizal
 Rizal Law
The Catholic Hierarchy

Statement of the Philippine Hierarchy on the Novels of Dr. Jose Rizal

 Rizal Law
The Catholic Hierarchy

Statement of the Philippine Hierarchy on the Novels of Dr. Jose Rizal

 Rizal Law
The Catholic Hierarchy

Statement of the Philippine Hierarchy on the Novels of Dr. Jose Rizal

 Rizal Law
The Catholic Hierarchy

Statement of the Philippine Hierarchy on the Novels of Dr. Jose Rizal

 Rizal Law
The Catholic Hierarchy

Opposition from the Catholic Church

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, one through the Sentinel, its official organ, and to
convince the Catholics to write the senators and the congressmen
to junk the bills.
 Rizal Law
The Catholic Hierarchy

Opposition from the Catholic Church

Fr. Jesus Cavanna, a speaker on the symposium organized by CAM.
lambasted Rizal's novels by saying that the Noli and Fili:

". belong to the past and it would be harmful to read them because they
presented 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 to 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" (quoted from Rosales, Sinag Vol. 1).
 Rizal Law

April 3, 1956 April 17, 1956 April 21, 1956 April 23, 1956
 Rizal Law

THE PROS & THE ANTIS

PROS ANTIS
Jose P. Laurel Mariano J. Cuenco
Claro M. Recto Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo
Decoro Rosales
 Rizal Law

THE PROS & THE ANTIS

PROS ANTIS

Sen. Claro M. Recto Sen. Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo

"The sole object of the bill, was to "Let us not create conflict between
foster the better appreciation of Rizal's nationalism and religion; between
times. He aimed at inculcating civic government and the church"
consciousness in the Filipinos, national
dignity, personal pride, and
patriotism."
 House Bill No. 5561
Authored by Jacobo Gonzales

Rizal AN ACT TO MAKE NOLI ME TANGERE

AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO COMPULSORY
Law READING MATERIAL IN ALL PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
 Rizal Law

THE PROS & THE ANTIS

PROS ANTIS
Jacobo Gonzales Ramon Durano
Emilio Cortez Jose Nuguid
Mario Bengzon Marciano Lim
Joaquin R. Roces Manuel Zosa
W. Rancap Lagumbay. Lucas Paredes
Godofredo Ramos
Miguel Cuenco
Carmen D. Consing
Tecla San Andres Ziga.
Rizal Law

ON MAY 9, 1956, A SUDDEN TURN

OF EVENT HAPPENED. IT BECAME
APPARENT THAT JOSE P. LAUREL
WAS WILLING TO ENTER INTO A
COMPROMISE WITH THOSE WHO
OPPOSE THE BILL
 Rizal Law

May 12, 1956 May 14, 1956 June 12, 1956

Sen. Laurel Approved by the

substitute bill House of the
was approved Representatives
unanimously on
second reading
 Republic Act No. 1425
June 12, 1956

President Ramon Magsaysay signed the bill and here forth became
RA. 1425