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RIZAL:

LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL

MODULE 3
ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES

The Life and Works of Rizal is the only mandated-legislated course in senior high school and in college.
The Rizal Law of RA 1425 requires the study of Rizal Life and Works, and the reading of the
unexpurgated version of Noli Me Tangrere and El Filibusterismo. Controversies on the passage, and
implementation of the Rizal law, and the treatment of Rizal as national hero are explained to set the
right mode in the studying course. This module is designed for the learners to understand the Filipino
people, their struggles for freedom, and Philippine society as whole.

At the end of this module, the students must have:

1. named the seeming contradictions in the Life and Works of Dr. Jose Rizal

2. discussed how RA 1425 had been legislated and how it been implemented

3. related the issues and controversies in the life of our national hero

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PARADOXES AND CONTROVERSIES

Paradoxes are statement which, though true, seem to be false and contradictory. On the other hand,
controversies are disputable claims which neither true nor untrue unless proven by facts. Ironically,
Jose Rizal life and works are filled with paradoxes: there have been contradicting concepts about his
life; different ways of treating him as the Philippine national hero; and varying approaches in teaching
the Rizal course.

More than a hundred years had passed since the birth of Jose Rizal, yet, his life and works are still filled
with controversies. Jose Rizal is the Philippine national hero said to be chosen by the Americans
because of his non-revolutionary ideology. On the contrary, Rizal's works and his unjust execution on
December 30, 1896 angered the leader of katipunan revolutionary movement, Andres Bonifacio.

Consequently, Bonifacio issued the Manifesto to the Filipinos which deepened the Filipino's patriotic
sentiments and fueled the fire of the Philippine revolution in 1896. Jose Rizal did not openly campaign
to rise in arms against Spain but, the kind of revolution that he promoted was revolution which is
continuing one. His works, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. are universal, timeless, and timely.

Accordingly, Jose Rizal's idea served as the seed of revolution in the Filipinos' quest for freedom. Noli
Me Tangere is a showcase of Filipino culture. It is the people 's mirror to see for themselves the kind of
society where they exist, and to realize who they are. El Filibusterismo emphasizes the necessity and
the inevitability of a revolution Philosophically, unti today, Rizal's revolution urges the Filipinos to
examine themselves.

Rizal is the soul of the Philippine revolution- the first ever in Asia against the western colonial power,
and the first country likewise, to establish republic. Clearly, long before the coming of the Americans,
Jose Rizal was already the choice of his compatriots. Without his knowledge and consent, Kataas-
taasan, Kagalang-galangan, Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) or the katipunan made them their
honorary president.

In 1898, President Emilio Aguinaldo declared December 30 (The Date of Rizal's Execution) as the Annual
day of National Mourning. "In a sense, the Americans simply built on the prevailing sentiments of the
Filipino people in their choice of their national hero".
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RIZAL: GOD OF CULTS
Biographies have conflicting accounts of Rizal's life and works, as well. There has been a downgrading
of Jose Rizal's personality, his life and his works, but there is also excessive admiration which led to the
formation of cults in the Iglesia Watawat ng labi, the Rizalista, and others that worship him either as
god, as a saint, or as supernatural being. Anti Radaic (one of Rizal's critics), on the contrary, focused on
Rizal's psychological defects. Some biographers saw Rizal as an extraordinary creature while, Ambeth
Ocampo pictured him in a realistic and light mood. He saw Rizal as a great, yet, a typical Filipino with
strengths and weaknesses. Ironically, the early biographers of Jose Rizal were foreigners: Spaniards,
Americans, and Anglo-Saxons. The first Spanish biographers were Wenceslao Retana in 1907, and Jose
Varon Fernadez in 1981. American biographers include Austin Craig in 1913, Charles Russel in 1923,
and Frank Laubach in 1936. There was also Anglo-Saxon biographer, also Austin Coates in 1968.
Strangely enough, Filipino biographers started writing about Rizal's life only forty years after his
execution.

RA 1425 AND THE TEACHING OF THE RIZAL COURSE

While the school is recognized as powerful agent of cultural transmission, mandatory teaching of the
RA 1425 or Rizal Law was finally passed only in 1956, sixty years after Jose Rizal's death. Opposing
views and conflicting interest made the passage of the Rizal Bill difficult.

Rizal law enquires the teaching of the Rizal course in the college, and it has ordered the reproduction
and reading of the unabridged version of his two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. This
has made reading of both two novels obligatory.

Earlier however, Noli Me Tangere and EL Filibusterismo were considered subversive, sacrilegious, and
scandalous, for they have exposed the anomalies and immoralities of the two leading institution in the
country. the church and the state. Thus, the reading of these two books was even prohibited or
avoided in some catholic institutions. As a result, they reading (which is the focus of the course) has
been usually treated lightly. Deliberately or incidentally, teachers fail to carefully analyze the novels
and other writings of Jose Rizal and, learners miss the message Rizal wanted to convey.

Life, works and writings of Dr. Jose Rizal is the only mandated-legislated course in college but, almost
always, it has been treated as irrelevant or filler course. Although some teachers consider the Rizal
course as an academic course, a great number of teachers dwell on trivia and memorization of events,
dates, names of person, places, and objects which have made the Rizal course boring and insignificant.
As a result, the letter and spirit of the Rizal law are unconsciously neglected.

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Dr. Jose Rizal Controversies

Dr. Jose Rizal, the well-loved Philippine national hero, and the brave known genius was famous and will
remain famous worldwide. I don’t know if you’ve heard bout him, but of course if you’re a Filipino, you
surely know him well because he’s a big part of the Philippine history. Jose Rizal is a star and like I’ve
said genius and every star and genius is famous. And every famous is controversial. Before I go direct to
Jose Rizal’s controversies, has a brief information about who he was… Bits of facts about the genius
Jose Rizal

Dr. Jose Rizal was a philosopher, painter, poet, architect, artists, businessman,cartoonist, educator,
economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian,inventor, journalist, linguist, musician, mythologist,
nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic surgeon, propagandist, psychologist, scientist, sculptor,
sociologist, swordsman, , theologian hmm seems never-ending. In short Rizal was a versatile genius.
Amazing Facts about Jose Rizal Jose Rizal has mastered 22 languages.

These include Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese,
Latin, Malayan, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tagalog, and other native dialects. Whoa, how
many do you speak? To have a complete read on how genius Jose Rizal visit his complete biography
atjoserizal. ph Secrets of Dr. Jose Rizal Who hasn’t had secrets? Even ordinary people had, what more
the geniuses…Da Vinci had codes…Einstein, Newton andGalileo had theories…Shakespeare’s real
birthday remains unknown…Did Rizal have secrets?

What are the mysteries surrounding the genius Dr. Jose Rizal? Read on and maybe you’ll solve the
puzzle. Jose Rizal Controversies His real name His complete name was Dr. Jose Rizal Protasio Mercado y
Alonso Realonda. Many wonder why he used “Rizal” while his father was Francisco Mercado. He should
have been Jose Mercado right? So why did Rizal’s surname become Rizal instead of Mercado? Some of
the explanations with this are: Jose’s real last name, Mercado, during those times was a hot name,
targeted by the Spaniards. He changed his surname to protect his identity.

So he just used his middle name, Rizal, instead, which was considered as illustrado during the Spanish
time and entails the benefits a Spaniard can get. Second, there was Spanish law to change the last
name of Filipinos those times. Mercado sounded a common name and there were lots of people having
that surname already who were not really relatives of Rizal. And so, why why? A big why. first stanza of
Mi Ultimo Adios in Spanish Another note that he had written before his death was found in his shoe
but because the text could not be read it remains a mystery. What was the text really all about?

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Couldn’t they decode it till now? Mi Ultimo Adios Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell)– this was one of
the last notes written by Jose Rizal before the day of his execution. Read again… “one of his last notes.
” On the eve of his execution, on December 30, 1896, he wrote this 14 five-line stanzas poem. This
poem was unsigned, untitled and undated. Perhaps unfinished? Perhaps, it really was unfinished. I
mean, it was a farewell letter, one who would be executed wouldn’t have enough time writing
everything he needs to say especially someone like Rizal. Here is a copy of news story taken from The
Inquirer dated December 30, 2002:

On the afternoon of Dec. 29, 1896, a day before his execution, Dr. Jose Rizal was visited by his mother,
Teodora Alonzo, sisters Lucia, Josefa, Trinidad, Maria and Narcisa, and two nephews. When they took
their leave, Rizal told Trinidad in English that there was something in the small alcohol stove (cocinilla),
not alcohol lamp (lamparilla). The stove was given to Narcisa by the guard when the party was about to
board their carriage in the courtyard. At home, the Rizal ladies recovered from the stove a folded
paper. On it was written an unsigned, untitled and undated poem of 14 five-line stanzas.

The Rizals reproduced copies of the poem and sent them to Rizal’s friends in the country and abroad. In
1897, Mariano Ponce in Hong Kong had the poem printed with the title “Mi Ultimo Pensamiento. ” Fr.
Mariano Dacanay, who received a copy of the poem while a prisoner in Bilibid(jail), published it in the
first issue of La Independencia on Sept. 25, 1898 with the title “Ultimo Adios. ” N. B. The stove was not
delivered until after the execution. Rizal needed it to light the room and to be able to write the poem
and his other parting words.

https://steemit.com/literaturang-filipino/@markaparre/the-controversy-of-philippines-national-hero-dr-
jose-rizal-the-story

NOLI-FILI/RIZAL BILL: ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL BILLS IN PHIL  HISTORY

It is normal for bills to be debated in the upper and lower house of the Congress, but the trial that the
Noli-Fili/Rizal Bill underwent was beyond normal. With the sponsors of the bill and the opposition not
only coming from the people inside of the Legislative Arm but also the inclusion of the Catholic Church
in the debates for this bill.

When the bill was brought to the senate by Senator Recto, there were but three who opposed it. It was
when Senator Laurel sponsored the bill as the head of committee education that the exchange of
arguments from the two sides started. The Church played a big role in this fight because they are the
ones who intervened with the approval and signing of this bill into a law.

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On the side of Senator Rectos was of course Senator Laurel who defended the bill in the deliberations.
Other representatives from the house also supported the bill namely Congressmen Jacobo Z. Gonzalez,
Emilio Cortez, Mario Bengzon, Joaquin Roxas, Lancap Lagumbay, Quintin Paredes, and Senator
Domocao Alonto of Mindanao.

On the other hand, the original bill was opposed by Senator Francisco Rodrigo, Senator Mariano J.
Cuenco and Senator Decoroso Rosales.  Senator Rodrigo was a former Catholic Action president while
Senator Cuenco was the brother of an Archbishop. From the lower house, it was also opposed by
Congressmen Ramon Durano, Jose Nuguid, Marciano Lim, Manuel Zosa, Lucas Paredes, Godofredo
Ramos, Miguel Cuenco, Congresswomen Carnen Consing and Tecia San Andres Ziga.

The sponsors argued that in reading Rizal’s words, we are able to see ourselves. It is through the works
of Rizal, the greatest Filipino patriot, which show not only the strengths and virtues of the Filipinos but
the Filipino’s defects and vices as well. Making the Filipinos realize their flaws will prepare themselves
for the sacrifices they have to make to attain freedom. The only objective of the bill is to foster the
better appreciation of our national hero’s role in fighting for freedom under the colonialism of the
Spaniards, not to go against any religion.

However, the oppositors argued that the bill would violate freedom of conscience and religion.
According to the letter submitted by the CBCP, Rizal violated the Church’s laws specifically Canon Law
1399, which forbids books that attack or ridicule any of the catholic dogmas or which defend errors
condemned by the Holy See. Not only that, they argue that among the 333 pages of Noli Me Tangere,
only 25 passages are patriotic while 120 passages are anti-catholic. Rizal admitted before that in these
passages he did not only attack the friars that acted falsely on the Filipinos but also attacked the
Catholic Faith itself. Rizal himself included in his last will the retraction of his statements about the
Church in his two novels. They also stated that it is not necessary to attack the Faith of the church to
imbue nationalism on the Filipinos. They suggest a Rizalian Anthology, where a compilation of all his
works which contains the nationalistic philosophy will be provided as reading material for the students
instead of his two novels.  Francisco Rodrigo even said in a statement that Filipinos can still venerate
Rizal without having to read his works. Rizal would still be a hero even if he didn’t write these two
novels.

As the debate on whether the bill should be approved seemed like it will never end, Senator Laurel
created an amendment to the original bill or the Noli-Fili Bill.

In this bill Senator Laurel included other books, poems, and other works written by Rizal and works
written by other authors about Rizal other than Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. In addition to
that, the reading of the unexpurgated version of the novels would no longer be compulsory to
elementary and secondary levels due to the issues it had with the Catholic Church. Finally, the bill also
included that the works done by Rizal should be read strictly in the original and unexpurgated form in
the college level.

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Senator Primicias, in accordance to the previous suggestion of student exemption by Senator Lim also
presented an additional amendment on the substitute bill proposed by Senator Laurel that
promulgates rules and regulation for the exemption of students in reading the two books, Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, settled in a written statement but not from taking the course.

What made Rizal a controversial national hero? Explain.

Your output will be graded using the rubric below:

https://www.scribd.com/document/430844049/Rubric-Reaction-Paper

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Why Rizal is our national hero?

Here are four myths about our national hero juxtaposed with the facts. Through shedding more
light on the factual, historical events that happened, perhaps you can be more conscientious in
how you take, reflect, and respond to information.

Myth #1: Jose Rizal was not an ophthalmologist.

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Myth #2: Jose Rizal opposed the 1896 Revolution and wanted the
assimilation of the Philippines to Spain.

Myth #3:  Jose Rizal’s La Liga Filipina was an enemy of Bonifacio’s

Katipunan.

Myth #4:  Jose Rizal wrote “Sa Aking Mga Kababata.”

Daquila, Sonia D (2017). Seeds of Freedom. Iloilo City: AY- MEEL

https://lagas.org/controversies-of-rizal/

https://teamcrisostomo.wordpress.com/noli-filirizal-bill-one-of-the-most-controversial-bills-in-
phil-history/

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