Republic Act 1425
and El Filibusterismo”
Background on the Legislative
System
• Bicameral: Senate and House
of Rep
• Term 3 years
• 3 rd congress from January
25, 1954, until December 10,
1957.
• Regular sessions ran from
the 3rd week of January up to
the 3rd week of May
• Several committees in each
house (eg. education, health,
etc.)
THE TRIALS OF RIZAL BILL
BY Dr, J. B. LAUREL, JR.
Republic Act No. 1425, also
known as the Rizal law.
SENATE BILL NO. 438
 April 3, 1956
 Supported by all but 3
of the members of the
upper hoiuse seemed, to
all appearances, a non-
controversial measure.
 April 17,1956
o Senator Jose P.
Laurel (Chairman of
the Committee on
education) began his
sponsorship of the
measure.
ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE SENATE
BILL NO. 438
AN ACT OT MAKE NOLI ME TANGERE
AD EL FILIBUSTERISMO
COMPULSORY READING MATTER IN
ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
SENATOR LAUREL
“The object of the
measure was to disseminate the
ideas and ideals of the great
Filipino patriot through
reading his works,
particularly Noli Me Tangere
The catholic elements claim
that the bill violates the
religious freedom. That
THE RIZAL LAW AND THE CATHOLIC
HIERARCHY
Recto’s fight over the Rizal
bill
 His championship of this
measure was an integral
part of his nationalism.
 He believed that reading
Rizal’s novels would
strengthen the
Filipinnism of the youth
and foster patriotism.
RECTO
 Original author of the
bill that would make
Rizal’s novel compulsory
in all universities and
colleges. (was sponsored
by Senator Laurel)
 The bill ran into
opposition from catholic
hierarchy, that said that
the bill would violate
freedom of conscience and
religion.
FR. JESUS CAVANNA
 Said that the novels
“belong to past” and it
is harmful as they
presented a “false
picture” of the
condition in the country
at that time.
 He describe Noli Me
Tangere as “an attack on
the clergy” and said its
object was to “put
ridicule of the catholic
Faith”
NARCISO PIMENTEL, JR. (radio
commentor)
 Speculates that the bill
was Recto’s revenge
against the catholic
voters who, togetherwith
 Magsaysay, were
responsible for his
ppoor showing in the
1955 senatorial
elections.
Civic consciousness is the
recognition that each citizen
is for the society and the
genuine interests of the
society are the interests of
the citizen.