RIZAL LAW

Republic Act 1425

 Rizal Law is perceived
The Philippines is as contributing toward
looking forward to a Filipino excellence –
better Filipino nation the essence of a BEST
NATION
Rizal Law
• Church made use of lobbyists as well as priests in opposing
the Rizal bill
• Seminars were conducted across the countryside to oppose
the bill.
• Fr. Jesus Cavanna commented that Rizal’s novels belonged to
the past and it would be harmful to read them because they
“presented a false picture of the conditions of the country at
the time”
• 333 pages of the Noli Me Tangere there were only 25 patriotic
statements compared to 120 anti-Catholic statements
Rizal Law

•Compromise bill was filed

•Authored by Senator Jose Laurel and based
on the proposals of Senators Roseller Lim
and Emmanuel Pelaez
•Enacted on June 12, 1956: R.A. 1425
Rizal Law
• Allows students to seek exemption from reading
Rizal’s work for religious reasons
• Requires the reading of unexpurgated versions of
Rizal’s nov
• provided funding of publication of Rizal’s works
and distribution to the countryside.
Rizal Law
•Section 1
• Courses on the life, works and writings of Rizal –
particularly Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo shall
be included in the curricula of all schools
•Section 2
• obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to
keep in their libraries an adequate number of Noli and El
Fili as well as Rizal’s other works and biography
INTERPRETING RIZAL
 Varying Interpretations of Rizal
Wenceslao Retana Vida’y Escrito de Rizal
Rizal was misunderstood by the Spanish government

Austin Craig Life, Lineage and Labors of Rizal

The Spanish system is evil and corrupt, Rizal would have
approved of the American system of government
Teodoro Agoncillo
Rizal as a pacifist, questioned Rizal’s role in the revolution
Interpreting Rizal
Interpreting Heroism
Interpreting Heroism
A person is considered a hero if he had a concept
of nation and there under aspires and struggles
for the nation’s freedom.
The person must be guided by the conviction of
national identity, willing to sacrifice for the
nation’s benefit.
According to the National Heroes Committee:
Characteristics of a hero
1. The extent of the person’s sacrifices for the welfare of the
country;
2. Motives and methods employed in the attainment of the
ideal (welfare of the country);
3. Moral character of the person; and
4. The influence of the person to the age or epoch and the
succeeding eras.