LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL TRIALS OF THE RIZAL LAW
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Course R.A. 1425
INTRODUCTION TO R.A NO. 1425
Republic Act No. 1425 or the Rizal Law
- An act to include in the curricula of all
public and private schools, college and
universities courses on the life and works
and writing of Jose Rizal, particularly his
novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, authorizing the printing
and distribution thereof, and distribution
thereof, and for other purposes.
HISTORY
- On April 3, 1956, the Committee of
Education filed a bill to the senate, under
the name of Senate Bill No. 438 by
Senator Jose P. Laurel, Jr., however its
author was Senator Claro M. Recto
- to cultivate patriotism in the youths by
appreciating the works and actions of
José Rizal was the aim of Senator Laurel
Jr. and Senator Recto during their
sponsorship of the bill
- the bill underwent trials and was even
involved in a controversy involving the
church
- approved on June 12, 1956 as Republic
Act No. 1425 and published in the Official
Gazette Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 297 in the same
month
- President Fidel V. Ramos filed
Memorandum Order No. 247 (approved
on December 26, 1994) in the hopes of
rekindling Patriotism in the hearts and
minds of the youths and future
generations
- within 30 days after the issuance that they
must submit a report on the steps of the
implementation to the president and
another report in the extent of compliance
by both the public and private schools
with Republic Act No. 1425 one year after
- Commission of Higher Education issued
the CHED Memorandum No. 3, s. 1995
on January 13, 1995 in order to strictly
and fully implement Republic Act No.
1425
- on April 3 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 was
filed to the senate
- the Upper House supported the bill,
except for three senators, namely Senator
Mariano J. Cuenco, Senator Francisco
Rodrigo and Senator Decroso Rosales
arguments:
1. Rizal’s works contains views that are
against their faith and discredits the
church. To support their claims, the
senators cited the Pastoral Letters
written by Horacio de la Costa, of which
brands Rizal’s literary works as
heretical.
2. The bill goes against their rights to
freedom of speech and religion because
of the “Compulsory” nature of the bill
found in Section 1 of the original version
of Senate Bill No. 438.
“No Law shall be made respecting an
establishment of religion or prohibiting the free
exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and
worship, without discrimination or preferences, shall
forever be allowed. No religious test shall be
required for the exercise of civil or political rights”
(Article III, the Bill of Rights Section 5 of the 1987
Philippine Constitution)
- the debate over Senate Bill No. 438 lasted
for three weeks and later reached the
House of Representatives when Jacobo
Z. Gonzales introduced House Bill No.
5561, an identical copy of Senate Bill No.
438 on April 19
- Jacobo Z. Gonzales introduced House Bill
No. 5561 on April 19, an identical copy of
Senate Bill No. 438.
- in favor of the bill: Emilio Cortez, Mario
Bengzon, Joaquin R. Roces and W.
Rancap Lagumbay
- against the bill: (members of the
congress) Ramon Durano, Jose Nuguid,
Marciano Lim, Manuel Zosa, Lucas
Paredes, Godofredo Ramos, Miguel
Cuenco, Carmen D. Consing, and Tecla
San Andres Ziga
- Durano, Jose Nuguid, Marciano Lim,
Manuel Zosa, Lucas Paredes, Godofredo
Ramos, Miguel Cuenco, Carmen D.
Consing, and Tecla San Andres Ziga.
- the congress could not agree upon the
terms included in the original version of
the bill until Senator Laurel Jr. proposed
an amendment by substitution
 - Senator Roseller T. Lim and Emmanuel NATION AND NATIONALISM
Pelaez proposed that the arguments of
- Nation it is defined as a territorial division
the opposition and the concerns of the
containing a body of people of one or
church be accommodated
more nationalities and usually
changes and additions to the bill: characterized by relatively large size and
independent status
1. The compulsory nature of the bill was
removed. one can identify key terms which are the
2. Added exemptions of students from the following:
bill under certain conditions such as
1. body of people
Religious belief.
2. nationalities
- on June 12, 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 or
3. independent status
House Bill No. 5561 was approved by
- Nationalities, also called ethnicity refers to
President Ramon Magsaysay and is thus,
a group or rather a large group of people
known as Republic Act No. 1425
cooperating with a same goal or living
within a single area
- Nationalism is defined as the loyalty and
THE RIZAL LAW AND THE CATHOLIC
devotion to a nation
HIERARCHY
Negative Nationalism Positive Nationalism
- those opposed to the bill argued that the
violating the rights of promotes a sense of
bill may go against the religious belief of other people Identity
an individual and discredits the teaching leading to conflict and creates unity among
of the church due the views in the content discrimination, such the people
of Rizal’s literary works, Noli me Tángere as Xenophobia or
and El Filibusterismo Racism
- the Catholic Hierarchy also believed in the
claims of the senators in opposition of the
2 theories on the origin of nationalism:
Rizal bill and have given them support
during the trials 1. Primordialism - the origin of Nationalism
is a phenomenon that traces its roots
measures that the Catholic Hierarchy took
way back in time during the ancient
against the Rizal Bill:
times or even further beyond it
1. Conducted forums and symposiums. 2. Modernism - states that nationalism is a
2. Catholic schools threatened the modern construct by the people due to
government that they will close down if the rapid changes and development in
the bill was passed. the different contexts within a society or
3. Gave warnings against the senators in nation, such as Politics, Economics and
favour of the bill that they will be Education
punished in future elections. - “Nationalism is Aggressive or Offensive
- one of the speakers was the Catholic while Patriotism is Defensive” (Ernest
Priest, Jesus Cavanna who have stated Gellner, 1945)
that the Novels were an attack against the - Nationalism is a phenomenon that
clergy due to a majority of the pages compels an individual to find ways for
attacking them numbered around 120 and more power to promote and develop their
only a few pages were patriotic which are nation
25 - Patriotism is not driven by power but they
- according to Jesus Paredes, it is natural simply express their love and loyalty to
for the Filipino people to refuse since they their country
have the rights
- Senator Claro M. Recto fought against the
opposition through his speeches critiquing
the pastoral letters that the senate have
cited
- The main concern of the Catholic
Hierarchy: “Looming effects that the Rizal
bill will have on catholic students”
 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Lesson 2: 19th Century Philippines as Rizal’s
Context
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PHILIPPINES
- through the travels of Ferdinand
Magellan, Europe was able to locate our
country
- the archipelago was named “Las Islas
Filipinas” which was named after King
Philip II King of Spain and Portugal
- Spain then continued to colonize Las Islas
Filipinas
Fernão de Magalhães/Ferdinand Magellan
- Portuguese explorer that travelled the
pacific and one of the first Europeans to
discover the archipelago
Antonio Pigafetta
- Italian scholar and explorer among the
crew of Ferdinand Magellan that
circumnavigated the world
Ruy Lopez de Villalobos
- Spanish explorer that named the
archipelago “Las Islas Filipinas”
Miguel López de Legazpi
- First Governor-General of the Spanish
East Indies and had native allies in Las
Islas that helped in conquering the other
Regions of the archipelago.
THE SOCIAL CLASS SYSTEM
1. The Chieftains (Highest Class)
- promulgate laws and treaties enacted,
defend and supervise their respective
domain
Lakan
- descendants of their deities hence only
those of the immediate family or those
who have earned respect from the
barangay can take up the position
- used mostly among the Tagalog groups
Raja
- lack the divine ancestry of their Tagalog
counterparts and also manage a smaller
domain
- mostly from Mindanao
Datu
- formed chiefdoms in region while the
Datus in Mindanao are under the
leadership of the Sultanate Empire
- commonly used term in all of the three
major island groups of the Philippines
The Members of the Royal Family (Highest
Class)
Maginoo or Tumao
- immediate family of the tribe’s chief and
are considered to be the Royal Nobility
- given positions and offices within the court
of the Chieftain and are employed as
Advisers, Tax collectors or Stewards
2. The Nobility and Warriors (Middle Class)
Maharlika or Timawa
- exempted from giving tributes and paying
taxes
- required to serve in times of war
3. The Laborer and Serfs (Lowest Class)
Alipin or Oripun
- have the obligation to serve their chiefs as
laborers that harvest or gather resources,
as warriors for battles, building structures,
crafting tools and weaving clothing.
- required to pay tax fees and tributes
- dependent on their employers so some
had to prove their worthiness to gain
favour
- a person will end up as an Alipin or
Oripun if they have committed crimes, as
an inheritance for their parents’ faults,
being a war captive or they can volunteer
to be one.
subclasses or Alipin/Oripun
1. Horo-han – people that primarily serve
as warriors and were not mandated to
do hard labor
2. Aliping Namamahay – able to have their
own property established within their
employers domain and able to freely
marry whoever they want without the
consent of their employer
3. Alipin sa Gigilid– they do not have their
own belongings or property and not
allowed to get married without the
consent of their employer
1. Español or Spaniards
the Spaniards’ had the highest rank in class
and were split into two ranks;
Peninsulares
- Spanish pure bloods that were born in
Spain
- were given the highest ranking
professions such as the Governor
General position
Insulares
- sometimes called Criollo
- Spanish or European pure bloods that
were born in Las Islas Filipinas
- enjoyed some benefits although not to the
extent of luxury as the Peninsulares
Mestizo de Español or Spanish Mestizo
- with Spanish and Malay blood
- result of the intermarriage of the Insulares
and Indios
- mostly interest in the arts and military
matters
- inherited the devotion and loyalty to one’s
family by the Indios
2. Sangley or Chinese
they were skilled traders settled in Binondo
The Mestizo de Sangley or Chinese Mestizo
- result of the intermarriages between the
Chinese and Indios
- interested in commerce which they
inherited from the Chinese and possessed
the devotion and loyalty that the Indios
had
3. Indios
- the natives that the Spaniards were able
to colonize in Las Islas
- were taxed heavily and were given jobs
requiring manual labor, often working as
slaves
THE ASCENDANCE
- due to the unique heritages the Chinese
Mestizos possessed traits and interests
that eventually lead to their ascendance in
power and wealth within Las Islas
Filipinas
- their growing in numbers making them a
threat to the Spanish government
- in attempt to quell the rising power of the
Chinese Mestizo, the Spanish tried to
divert them from trading
Torna Atrás
- the enlightened class that existed
because of the intermarriages that
happened throughout the years
- were able to attend Educational
institutions both in Las Islas Filipinas and
in other countries
- they were given another name, Illustrados
- one famous, Illustrados was José Rizal
The Spanish may have the military power and
political power during the 19th century in Las
Islas Filipinas.
The Chinese Mestizos slowly ascended and
acquired the power in eeconomics in the years
1741 to 1898.
The Torna atrás were acquiring more
knowledge and gaining connections from
different countries.
AGRARIAN RELATIONS AND FRIAR LANDS
- the Spaniards that held the highest
positions and ended up being the ones
that owned most of the land because of
the Encomienda System and the Maura
Law
Encomienda System
- a labor system implemented in Las Islas
Filipinas which asks tax payment and
labor from the Indios
Maura Law/ Royal decree of 1894
- states that the land owners of agricultural
lands have to register their lands if they
don’t then the land that they own will be
declared as state property
- some Indios were ignorant to it so they
were asked for rent for living in the land
because it was owned by the Spanish
Haciendas
- agricultural lands that were owned by the
Hacienderos
1. Hacienderos
- landowners in Spanish colonies during the
19th century
- most are Peninsulares within the Spanish
government or the clergy
 - there are some Insulares and Mestizos José Apolonio Burgos y García (35)
able to become Hacienderos through
- a Spanish Mestizo
inheritance or great wealth.
- wrote several, essays and articles that
2. Inquilinos express his secular and nationalist views
- the people that rented the land Jacinto Zamora y del Rosario (36)
- mostly comprised of Mestizos or Sangley
- a Mestizo
- average land holding of an Inquillino:
- responsible for managing the Manila
Mid-18th century = 2.9 hectares Cathedral and several parishes
- fond of playing cards or gambling
Late-18th century = 390 hectares
The three native priests were charged with
3. Kasamá
treason and sentenced to death on the 15th of
- they were the share-tenants of the February 1872.
Inquillinos
On the break of dawn at Bagumbayan on
- the ones who do most of the hard-labor
February 17, 1872 they were executed using a
for they till, cultivate and harvest the
garrote in front of 40,000 people.
resources from the land
One person greatly affected by their execution
Friar Lands
was José Rizal. They were one of the reasons
- agricultural land in Las Islas Filipinas he wrote the novel, El Filibusterismo.
owned by Spanish Friars
- some of the Friars refused to sell or rent
those lands to the natives and even THE CAVITE MUTINY OF 1872
abused their power that the system gives
- 200 armed laborers in Cavite attacked an
them
arsenal, Fort San Filipe in Cavite on
New Law or the Law of the Indies January 20, 1872
- was issued in 1542 Sergeant Fernando Lamadrid
- a decree that tries to limit the power of the
- a Mestizo
Spanish in colonies but was ineffective
- lead the revolt in Cavite with Jaerel Brent
Senior as the second in command
- died in a skirmish with the Spaniards
INTERCLERGY CONFLICTS AND CAVITE
MUTINY After they lost to the Spaniards, the Indios and
Mestizos that were not killed are sentenced
- the native priest were also mistreated and
with life imprisonment, while the rest were
deprived of their privileges creating a
exiled.
conflict between the Spanish and the
native priests With the bloodshed and unresolved conflict
- some of the native priests to lead a revolt caused by the events in the year 1872 this will
of 200 laborers against the Spaniards eventually lead the people towards a path of
- three native priests were the most revolution until it reaches the breaking point
prominent and were known to have that they have to fight once again.
supported the revolt
- they were called by the acronynm
GOMBURZA and their names were
Mariano Gómez, José Burgos, and
Jacinto Zamora
Mariano Gómes de los Ángeles (72)
- a Tornatrás of Indio, Chinese and Spanish
descent
- founder and one of the publishers in the
- newspaper La Verdad (The Truth) which
provides the Indios, Mestizos and
Illustrados a voice to their criticisms of the
church.
 LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
Lesson 3: Rizal’s Life
Jose Rizal (“The National Hero”)
- June 19, 1861-December 30, 1896
- his family lived and he grew up in
Calamba, Laguna
- he married Josephine Bracken hours
before he was executed
JOSE RIZAL’S FAMILY
Francisco Mercado (“Models of Father”)
- of Chinese descent
- was an Inquillino that rented the
Haciendas of Dominican Friars in
Calamba, Laguna
Teodora Alonso (“Loving and Prudent Mother”)
- of Japanese, Malay, Spanish and Chinese
descent
- the first teacher of Rizal
Saturnina Rizal (“Second Mother”)
- acted as a motherly figure and helped
their mother in educating Rizal.
- helped in financing Rizal’s education
- supported the publication of the Tagalog
translation of Rizal’s Noli me Tángere
Paciano Rizal (“Reliable Older Brother”)
- helped in financing Rizal’s education.
- was a Kasamá of the Haciendas owned
by Dominican Friars in Calamba
- was a General of the Kataastaasan,
Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng mga Anak
ng Bayan or Katipunan during the
Philippine Revolution
Narcisa Rizal (“Hospitable Sister”)
- helped in financing Rizal’s education
- let the Rizal family and Josephine Braken
stay at her home when they were evicted
and to hide from the Spanish authorities
- was the one who successfully found the
remains of Rizal in Paco Park Cemetery
in Manila and put Rizal’s initials as
“R.P.J.”
Olympia Rizal (“The Mediator”)
- helped Rizal with his First love
- continued to update Rizal of their family’s
condition when he was abroad
Lucia Rizal (“The Sufferer”)
- tormented by the Spaniards by not
allowing her husband a proper catholic
burial and also confiscating their
possessions
- she had a child named, Delfina Rizal
Herbosa de Natividad who joined the
Katipunan and helped in seaming the
Philippine flag
Maria Rizal (“The Confidant”)
- she was the one Rizal confided on when
the others did not support his plan in
marrying Bracken
- Rizal sent a letter to her on December 12,
1891 it contained his plans on making a
Filipino Colony called New Calamba and
was located in North Borneo which is now
Sabah, Malaysia
Concepcion Rizal (“Rizal’s First Loss”)
- she and Rizal often played with each
other who were only one year apart
- Rizal recounted their memories in his
work, Memoirs of a Student in Manila
Josefa Rizal (“Katipunera”)
- joined the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang
Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
- her duty was to hide important documents
and make meetings by the Katipunan look
like gatherings or celebrations
Trinidad Rizal (“The Steward”)
- she and their mother, Teodora Alonso
visited Rizal during his exile and when he
was imprisoned till the day of his
execution
- Rizal gave her an alcohol cocinilla or
alcohol burner which contained his last
work, Mi Ultimo Adios
Soledad Rizal (“The Controversial Sister”)
- was rumored to have been the daughter
not by Teodora Alonso and Francisco
Mercado but that of Saturnina Rizal and
Jose Alberto de Quintos Alonzo