June 12, 1956
Republic Act No. 1425
House Bill No. 5561
Senate Bill No. 438
AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COURSES
ON THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF JOSE RIZAL,
PARTICULARLY HIS NOVELS NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL
FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING THE PRINTING AND
DISTRIBUTION THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
WHEREAS, today, more than any other period of our history, there is a need
for a re-dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism for which our
heroes lived and died;
WHEREAS, it is meet that in honoring them, particularly the national hero
and patriot, Jose Rizal, we remember with special fondness and devotion
their lives and works that have shaped the national character;
WHEREAS, the life, works and writing of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source
of patriotism with which the minds of the youth, especially during their
formative and decisive years in school, should be suffused;
WHEREAS, all educational institutions are under the supervision of, and
subject to regulation by the State, and all schools are enjoined to develop
moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience and to teach the duties
of citizenship; Now, therefore,
SECTION 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal,
particularly his novel Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be
included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public or
private: Provided, That in the collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated
editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their English
translation shall be used as basic texts.
The Board of National Education is hereby authorized and directed to adopt
forthwith measures to implement and carry out the provisions of this Section,
including the writing and printing of appropriate primers, readers and
textbooks. The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this
Act, promulgate rules and regulations, including those of a disciplinary
nature, to carry out and enforce the provisions of this Act. The Board shall
promulgate rules and regulations providing for the exemption of students for
reasons of religious belief stated in a sworn written statement, from the
requirement of the provision contained in the second part of the first
paragraph of this section; but not from taking the course provided for in the
first part of said
paragraph. Said rules and regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after
their publication in the Official Gazette.
SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities
to keep in their libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well
as of Rizal’s other works and biography. The said unexpurgated editions of
the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their translations in English as
well as other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books
for required reading in all public or private schools, colleges and universities.
The Board of National Education shall determine the adequacy of the number
of books, depending upon the enrollment of the school, college or university.
SECTION 3. The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of
the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose
Rizal into English, Tagalog and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them
to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be distributed,
free of charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the Purok
organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country.
SECTION 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or
repealing section nine hundred twenty-seven of the Administrative Code,
prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers
and other person engaged in any public school.
SECTION 5. The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized
to be appropriated out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the National
Treasury to carry out the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: June 12, 1956
Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 2971 in June 1956.
Jose Rizal: A Biographical Sketch
BY TEOFILO H. MONTEMAYOR
Having traveled extensively in Europe, America and Asia, he 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. A versatile
genius, he was an architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator,
economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist,
linguist, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, opthalmic
surgeon, poet, propagandist, psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, and
theologian.
He was an expert swordsman and a good shot. In the hope of securing
political and social reforms for his country and at the same time educate his
countrymen, Rizal, the greatest apostle of Filipino natiofaults but even
fabricating charges to pin him down. Thus, he was imprisoned in Fort
Santiago from July 6, 1892 to July 15, 1892 on a charge that anti-friar
pamphlets were found in the luggage of his sister Lucia who arrive with him
from Hong Kong. While a political exile in Dapitan, he engaged in
agriculture, fishing and business; he maintained and operated a hospital; he
conducted classes- taught his pupils the English and Spanish languages, the
arts.
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The sciences, vocational courses including agriculture, surveying,
sculpturing, and painting, as well as the art of self defense; he did some
researches and collected specimens; he entered into correspondence with
renowned men of letters and sciences abroad; and with the help of his pupils,
he constructed water dam and a relief map of Mindanao - both considered
remarkable engineering feats. His sincerity and friendliness won for him the
trust and confidence of even those assigned to guard him; his good manners
and warm personala man whose 35 years of life had been packed with varied
activities which proved that the Filipino has capacity to equal if not excel
even those who treat him as a slave, was shot at Bagumbayan Field.
TEODORA ALONSO (1827-1913)
Mother of Jose Rizal who was the second child of Lorenzo Alonso and
Brijida de Quintos. She studied at the Colegio de Santa Rosa. She was a
business-minded woman, courteous, religious, hard-working and well-read.
She was born in Santa Cruz, Manila on November 14, 1827 and died in 1913
in Manila.
SATURNINA RIZAL (1850-1913)
Eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo marriage. Married Manuel Timoteo Hidalgo
of Tanauan, Batangas.
PACIANO RIZAL (1851-1930)
Only brother of Jose Rizal and the second child. Studied at San Jose College
in Manila; became a farmer and later a general of the Philippine Revolution.
NARCISA RIZAL (1852-1939)
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The third child. married Antonio Lopez at Morong, Rizal; a teacher and
musician.
OLYMPIA RIZAL (1855-1887)
The fourth child. Married Silvestre Ubaldo; died
Early Education in Calamba and Biñan
Rizal had his early education in Calamba and Biñan. It was a typical
schooling that a son of an ilustrado family received during his time,
characterized by the four R’s- reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion.
Instruction was rigid and strict. Knowledge was forced into the minds of the
pupils by means of the tedious memory method aided by the teacher’s whip.
Despite the defects of the Spanish system of elementary education, Rizal was
able to acquire the necessary instruction preparatory for college work in
Manila. It may be said that Rizal, who was born a physical weakling, rose to
become an intellectual giant not because of, but rather in spite of, the
outmoded and backward system of instruction obtaining in the Philippines
during the last decades of Spanish regime.
The Hero’s First Teacher
The first teacher of Rizal was his mother, who was a remarkable woman of
good character and fine culture. On her lap, he learned at the age of three the
alphabet and the prayers. "My mother," wrote Rizal in his student memoirs,
"taught me how to read and to say haltingly the humble prayers which I
raised fervently to God."
As tutor, Doña Teodora was patient, conscientious, and understanding. It was
she who first discovered that her son had a talent for poetry. Accordingly, she
encouraged him to write poems. To lighten the monotony of memorizing the
ABC’s and to stimulate her son’s imagination, she related many stories.
As Jose grew older, his parents employed private tutors to give him lessons at
home. The first was Maestro Celestino and the second, Maestro Lucas Padua.
Later, an old man named Leon Monroy, a former classmate of Rizal’s father,
became the boy’s tutor. This old teacher lived at the Rizal home and
instructed Jose in Spanish and Latin. Unfortunately, he did not lived long. He
died five months later.
After a Monroy’s death, the hero’s parents decided to send their gifted son to
a private school in Biñan.
Jose Goes to Biñan
One Sunday afternoon in June , 1869, Jose, after kissing the hands of his
parents and a tearful parting from his sister, left Calamba for Biñan. He was
accompanied by Paciano , who acted as his second father. The two brothers
rode in a carromata, reaching their destination after one and one-half hours’
drive. They proceeded to their aunt’s house, where Jose was to lodge. It was
almost night when they arrived, and the moon was about to rise.
That same night, Jose, with his cousin named Leandro, went sightseeing in
the town. Instead of enjoying the sights, Jose became depressed because of
homesickness. "In the moonlight," he recounted, "I remembered my home
town, my idolized mother, and my solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet to me
was Calamba, my own town, in spite of the fact that was not as wealthy as
Biñan."
First Day in Biñan School
The next morning (Monday) Paciano brought his younger brother to the
school of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz.
The school was in the house of the teacher, which was a small nipa hut about
30 meters from the home of Jose’s aunt.
Paciano knew the teacher quite well because he had been a pupil under him
before. He introduced Jose to the teacher, after which he departed to return to
Calamba.
Immediately, Jose was assigned his seat in the class. The teacher asked him:
"Do you know Spanish?"
"A little, sir," replied the Calamba lad.
"Do you know Latin?"
"A little, sir."
The boys in the class, especially Pedro, the teacher’s son laughed at Jose’s
answers.
The teacher sharply stopped all noises and begun the lessons of the day.
Jose described his teacher in Biñan as follows: "He was tall, thin, long-
necked, with sharp nose and a body slightly bent forward, and he used to
wear a sinamay shirt, woven by the skilled hands of the women of Batangas.
He knew by the heart the grammars by Nebrija and Gainza. Add to this
severity that in my judgement was exaggerated and you have a picture,
perhaps vague, that I have made of him, but I remember only this."
First School BrawlIn the afternoon of his first day in school, when the
teacher was having his siesta, Jose met the bully, Pedro. He was angry at this
bully for making fun of him during his conversation with the teacher in the
morning.
Jose challenged Pedro to a fight. The latter readily accepted, thinking that he
could easily beat the Calamba boy who was smaller and younger.
The two boys wrestled furiously in the classroom, much to the glee of their
classmates. Jose, having learned the art of wrestling from his athletic Tio
Manuel, defeated the bigger boy. For this feat, he became popular among his
classmates.
After the class in the afternoon, a classmate named Andres Salandanan
challenged him to an arm-wrestling match. They went to a sidewalk of a
house and wrestled with their arms. Jose, having the weaker arm, lost and
nearly cracked his head on the sidewalk.
In succeeding days he had other fights with the boys of Biñan. He was not
quarrelsome by nature, but he never ran away from a fight.
Best Student in School
In academic studies, Jose beat all Biñan boys. He surpassed them all in
Spanish, Latin, and other subjects.
Some of his older classmates were jealous of his intellectual superiority.
They wickedly squealed to the teacher whenever Jose had a fight outside the
school, and even told lies to discredit him before the teacher’s eyes.
Consequently, the teacher had to punish Jose.  Nebrija and Gainza. To this add a severity which, in my judgement I have
Early Schooling in Biñan
Jose had a very vivid imagination and a very keen sense of observation. At
the age of seven he traveled with his father for the first time to Manila and
thence to Antipolo to fulfill the promise of a pilgrimage made by his mother
at the time of his birth. They embarked in a casco, a very ponderous vessel
commonly used in the Philippines. It was the first trip on the lake that Jose
could recollect. As darkness fell he spent the hours by the katig, admiring the
grandeur of the water and the stillness of the night, although he was seized
with a superstitious fear when he saw a water snake entwine itself around the
bamboo beams of the katig. With what joy did he see the sun at the daybreak
as its luminous rays shone upon the glistening surface of the wide lake,
producing a brilliant effect! With what joy did he talk to his father, for he had
not uttered a word during the night!
When they proceeded to Antipolo, he experienced the sweetest emotions
upon seeing the gay banks of the Pasig and the towns of Cainta and Taytay.
In Antipolo he prayed, kneeling before the image of the Virgin of Peace and
Good Voyage, of whom he would later sing in elegant verses. Then he saw
Manila, the great metropolis , with its Chinese sores and European bazaars.
And visited his elder sister, Saturnina, in Santa Ana, who was a boarding
student in the Concordia College.
When he was nine years old, his father sent him to Biñan to continue
studying Latin, because his first teacher had died. His brother Paciano took
him to Biñan one Sunday, and Jose bade his parents and sisters good-bye
with tears in his eyes. Oh, how it saddened him to leave for the first time and
live far from his home and his family! But he felt ashamed to cry and had to
conceal his tears and sentiments. "O Shame," he explained, "how many
beautiful and pathetic scenes the world would witness without thee!"
They arrived at Biñan in the evening. His brother took him to the house of his
aunt where he was to stay, and left him after introducing him to the teacher.
At night, in company with his aunt’s grandson named Leandro, Jose took a
walk around the town in the light of the moon. To him the town looked
extensive and rich but sad and ugly.
His teacher in Biñan was a severe disciplinarian. His name was Justiniano
Aquino Cruz. "He was a tall man, lean and long-necked, with a sharp nose
and a body slightly bent forward. He used to wear a sinamay shirt woven by
the deft hands of Batangas women. He knew by memory the grammars of
made of him, which is all I remember."
The boy Jose distinguished himself in class, and succeeded in surpassing
many of his older classmates. Some of these were so wicked that, even
without reason, they accused him before the teacher, for which, in spite of his
progress, he received many whippings and strokes from the ferule. Rare was
the day when he was not stretched on the bench for a whipping or punished
with five or six blows on the open palm. Jose’s reaction to all these
punishments was one of intense resentment in order to learn and thus carry
out his father’s will.
Jose spent his leisure hours with Justiniano’s father-in-law, a master painter.
From him he took his first two sons, two nephews, and a grandson. His way
life was methodical and well regulated. He heard mass at four if there was
one that early, or studied his lesson at that hour and went to mass afterwards.
Returning home, he might look in the orchard for a mambolo fruit to eat, then
he took his breakfast, consisting generally of a plate of rice and two dried
sardines. 
After that he would go to class, from which he was dismissed at ten, then
home again. He ate with his aunt and then began at ten, then home again. He
ate with his aunt and then began to study. At half past two he returned to
class and left at five. He might play for a short time with some cousins before
returning home. He studied his lessons, drew for a while, and then prayed
and if there was a moon, his friends would invite him to play in the street in
company with other boys.
Whenever he remembered his town, he thought with tears in his eyes of his
beloved father, his idolized mother, and his solicitous sisters. Ah, how sweet
was his town even though not so opulent as Biñan! He grew sad and
thoughtful.
While he was studying in Biñan, he returned to his hometown now and then.
How long the road seemed to him in going and how short in coming! When
from afar he descried the roof of his house, secret joy filled his breast. How
he looked for pretexts to remain longer at home! A day more seemed to him
a day spent in heaven, and how he wept, though silently and secretly, when
he saw the calesa that was flower that him Biñan! Then everything looked
sad; a flower that he touched, a stone that attracted his attention he gathered,
fearful that he might not see it again upon his return. It was a sad but delicate
and quite pain that possessed him.
Philosophies in Life
PHILOSOPHY may be defined as the study and pursuit of facts which deal
with the ultimate reality or causes of things as they affect life.
The philosophy of a country like the Philippines is made up of the intricate
and composite interrelationship of the life histories of its people; in other
word, the philosophy of our nation would be strange and undefinable if we
do not delve into the past tied up with the notable life experiences of the
representative personalities of our nation.
Being one of the prominent representatives of Filipino personalities, Jose
Rizal is a fit subject whose life philosophy deserves to be recognized.  observation, research and the possession of an independent spirit.Being a
Having been a victim of Spanish brutality early in his life in Calamba, Rizal
had thus already formed the nucleus of an unfavorable opinion of Castillian
imperialistic administration of his country and people.
Pitiful social conditions existed in the Philippines as late as three centuries
after his conquest in Spain, with agriculture, commerce, communications and
education languishing under its most backward state. It was because of this
social malady that social evils like inferiority complex, cowardice, timidity
and false pride pervaded nationally and contributed to the decay of social
life. This stimulated and shaped Rizal’s life phylosophy to be to contain if
not eliminate these social ills.
Educational Philosophy
Rizal’s concept of the importance of education is clearly enunciated in his
work entitled Instruction wherein he sought improvements in the schools and
in the methods of teaching. He maintained that the backwardness of his
country during the Spanish ear was not due to the Filipinos’ indifference,
apathy or indolence as claimed by the rulers, but to the neglect of the Spanish
authorities in the islands. For Rizal, the mission of education is to elevate the
country to the highest seat of glory and to develop the people’s mentality.
Since education is the foundation of society and a prerequisite for social
progress, Rizal claimed that only through education could the country be
saved from domination.  1. the bondage and slavery of the conquered ;
Rizal’s philosophy of education, therefore, centers on the provision of proper
motivation in order to bolster the great social forces that make education a
success, to create in the youth an innate desire to cultivate his intelligence
and give him life eternal.
Religious Philosophy
Rizal grew up nurtured by a closely-knit Catholic family, was educated in the
foremost Catholic schools of the period in the elementary, secondary and
college levels; logically, therefore, he should have been a propagator of
strictly Catholic traditions. However, in later life, he developed a life
philosophy of a different nature, a philosophy of a different Catholic practice
intermingled with the use of Truth and Reason.
Why the change?
It could have been the result of contemporary contact, companionship,
critical observer, a profound thinker and a zealous reformer, Rizal did not
agree with the prevailing Christian propagation of the Faith by fire and
sword. This is shown in his Annotation of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas
Filipinas.
Rizal did not believe in the Catholic dogma that salvation was only for
Catholics and that outside Christianity, salvation was not possible even if
Catholics composed only a small minority of the world’s religious groups.
Nor did he believe in the Catholic observation of fasting as a sacrifice, nor in
the sale of such religious items as the cross, medals, rosaries and the like in
order to propagate the Faith and raise church funds. He also lambasted the
superstitious beliefs propagated by the priests in the church and in the
schools. All of these and a lot more are evidences of Rizal’s religious
philosophy. 
Political Philosophy
In Rizal’s political view, a conquered country like the Philippines should not
be taken advantage of but rather should be developed, civilized, educated and
trained in the science of self-government.
He bitterly assailed and criticized in publications the apparent backwardness
of the Spanish ruler’s method of governing the country which resulted in: 
2. the Spanish government’s requirement of forced labor and force military
service upon the n natives.
3. the abuse of power by means of exploitation;
4. the government ruling that any complaint against the authorities was
criminal; and
5. Making the people ignorant, destitute and fanatic, thus discouraging the
formation of a national sentiment.
Rizal’s guiding political philosophy proved to be the study and application of
reforms, the extension of human rights, the training for self government and
the arousing of spirit of discontent over oppression, brutality, inhumanity,
sensitiveness and self love.
Ethical Philosophy
The study of human behavior as to whether it is good or bad or whether it is
right or wrong is that science upon which Rizal’s ethical philosophy was
based. The fact that the Philippines was under Spanish domination during
Rizal’s time led him to subordinate his philosophy to moral problems. This
trend was much more needed at that time because the Spaniards and the
Filipinos had different and sometimes conflicting morals. The moral status of
the Philippines during this period was one with a lack of freedom, one with
predominance of foreign masters, one with an imposition of foreign religious
worship, devotion, homage and racial habits. This led to moral confusion
among the people, what with justice being stifled, limited or curtailed and the
people not enjoying any individual rights.
To bolster his ethical philosophy, Dr. Rizal had recognized not only the
forces of good and evil, but also the tendencies towards good and evil. As a
result, he made use of the practical method of appealing to the better nature
of the conquerors and of offering useful methods of solving the moral
problems of the conquered.
To support his ethical philosophy in life, Rizal:
1. censured the friars for abusing the advantage of their position as spiritual
leaders and the ignorance and fanaticism of the natives;
2. counseled the Filipinos not to resent a defect attributed to them but to
accept same as reasonable and just;
3. advised the masses that the object of marriage was the happiness and love
of the couple and not financial gain;
4. censured the priests who preached greed and wrong morality; and
5. advised every one that love and respect for parents must be strictly
observed.
Social Philosophy
That body of knowledge relating to society including the wisdom which
man's experience in society has taught him is social philosophy. The facts
dealt with are principles involved in nation building and not individual social
problems. The subject matter of this social philosophy covers the problems of
the whole race, with every problem having a distinct solution to bolster the
people’s social knowledge.
Rizal’s social philosophy dealt with;
1. man in society;
2. influential factors in human life;
3. racial problems;
4. social constant;
5. social justice;
6. social ideal;
7. poverty and wealth;
8. reforms;
9. youth and greatness;
10. history and progress;
11. future Philippines.
The above dealt with man’s evolution and his environment, explaining for
the most part human behavior and capacities like his will to live; his desire to
possess happiness; the change of his mentality; the role of virtuous women in
the guidance of great men; the need for elevating and inspiring mission; the
duties and dictates of man’s conscience; man’s need of practicing gratitude;
the necessity for consulting reliable people; his need for experience; his
ability to deny; the importance of deliberation; the voluntary offer of man’s
abilities and possibilities; the ability to think, aspire and strive to rise; and the
proper use of hearth, brain and spirit-all of these combining to enhance the
intricacies, beauty and values of human nature. All of the above served as
Rizal’s guide in his continuous effort to make over his beloved Philippines.
Rizal, the Romantic
There were at least nine women linked with Rizal; namely Segunda
Katigbak, Leonor Valenzuela, Leonor Rivera, Consuelo Ortiga, O-Sei San,
Gertrude Beckette, Nelly Boustead, Suzanne Jacoby and Josephine Bracken.
These women might have been beguiled by his intelligence, charm and wit.
Segunda Katigbak and Leonor Valenzuela
Segunda Katigbak was her puppy love. Unfortunately, his first love was
engaged to be married to a town mate- Manuel Luz. After his admiration for
a short girl in the person of Segunda, then came Leonor Valenzuela, a tall girl
from Pagsanjan. Rizal send her love notes written in invisible ink, that could
only be deciphered over the warmth of the lamp or candle. He visited her on
the eve of his departure to Spain and bade heckett
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While Rizal was in London annotating the Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, he
boarded in the house of the Beckett family, within walking distance of the
British Museum. Gertrude, a blue-eyed and buxom girl was the oldest of the
three Beckett daughters. She fell in love with Rizal. Tottie helped him in his
painting and sculpture. But Rizal suddenly left London for Paris to avoid
Gertrude, who was seriously in love with him. Before leaving London, he
was able to finish the group carving of the Beckett sisters. He gave the group
carving to Gertrude as a sign of their brief relationship.
Nellie Boustead
Rizal having lost Leonor Rivera, entertained the thought of courting other
ladies. While a guest of the Boustead family at their residence in the resort
city of B left Europe.
Suzanne Jacoby
In 1890, Rizal moved to Brussels because of the high cost of living in Paris.
In Brussels, he lived in the boarding house of the two Jacoby sisters. In time,
they fell deeply in love with each other. Suzanne cried when Rizal left
Brussels and wrote him when he was in Madrid.
Josephine Bracken
In the last days of February 1895, while still in Dapitan, Rizal met an 18-year
old petite Irish girl, with bold blue eyes, brown hair and a happy disposition.
She was Josephine Bracken, the adopted daughter of George Taufer from
Hong Kong, who came to Dapitan to seek Rizal for eye treatment. Rizal was
physically attracted to her. His loneliness and boredom must have taken the
measure of him an of some incidence, which might have shocked or
frightened her.
WHAT IS THE RIZAL LAW?
The Rizal Law, also known as RA 1425, mandates the study of Rizal’s life
and works, as shown in section 1. This Republic Act calls for an increased
sense of nationalism from the Filipinos during a time of a dwindling Filipino
identity. According to the judicial system, a republic act is a law that has
already been passed and implemented. In contrast to this, a bill is merely a
proposed law, in other words it may or may not be passed by the Congress.
The Republic Act was signed by the President on June 12, 1956. From the
notes preceding the body of the document, one may infer that the bill was
originally proposed in the Legislative arm of the Philippine Republic, in the
Senate and House of Representatives.  According to the Official Gazette, the
law was made effective thirty days after its implementation. The mere fact
that the Act was passed on the date of our independence seeks to stir up a
greater sense of fervor in the Filipino, to believe in their own country and
national identity—who we are as a nation. It was this time when the
Philippines was heavily dependent on the American government for support
and guidance.  Also, based on the fact that Jose Rizal is honored by the
Philippines as the Philippine national hero, it is but appropriate that the
document written to commemorate his accomplishments is written here, in
the land of his birth.
It is Senator Claro M. Recto who authored the Rizal Bill. While Senator Jose
P. Laurel, Sr., who was then the Chairman of the Committee on Education,
sponsored the bill in the Senate.  Both of them were known for their great
sense of nationalism. This nationalism served as the foundation to come up
with this republic act, to set our country free from the hands of others and
stand up on our own—exactly the ideals and values that Rizal strove to fight
for. It was written for the Filipino people, specifically the Filipino youth,
who may have lost their sense of nationalism. The writers endeavored to
rekindle a lost spark in each Filipino’s belief in their country. A republic act
as drastic as the Rizal Law, which requires the study of Rizal’s life and
works—something that does not need to be required in the first place—can
only be born out of the fact that Rizal and his works were not given a high
priority in the educational system of the country prior to the release of this
act. It is clear that the government had to make drastic changes to resolve the
issue. This is evident in section 3 of the act, legalizing all forms of
translations for Rizal’s works, as well as section 2, obligating all schools,
colleges and universities to keep an adequate number of copies of Rizal’s
works. This makes them more accessible to a greater audience.
It is hard to make out any form of emotion from any legal document;
however, the choice of words is still able to convey a fiery passion. To
highlight this, they also use words or concepts that can easily relate to the
common Filipino man. Such passion is vital, as the audience is presumably of
dwindling nationalism. In this regard, the writer attempts to show the
audience the identity they have slowly been losing, and show them how they
can undo this.
There are important points that the author cited in this republic act that is
worth noticing. First, “Whereas, today, more than other period of our history,
there is a need for a re-dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism
for which our heroes lived and died.” This document was written in the year
1956 during Magsasyay’s regime when the country was still recovering from
the Japanese occupation and still very dependent on US governance. Ideals of
freedom and nationalism were very essential during those times since the
Philippines was still struggling for independence, and the country was still
gradually developing its national identity and integrity. During those times
havoc also existed within the Filipinos since there were numerous uprisings
against the Philippine government. Moreover, even though this document
was written decades ago, it is still striking because this clause is very timely
for this present generation when our culture is being overpowered by foreign
influence and Filipino diaspora is widespread.
Another important point from RA 1425 is “Whereas, all educational
institutions are under the supervision of, and subject to regulation by the
State, and all schools are enjoined to develop moral character, personal
discipline, civic conscience, and to teach the duties of citizenship.” It is very
important to use our educational institutions to instill these values to the
children who are at their prime years of growing and learning. During one’s
educational years especially the college level is when individuals formulate
their priorities and career tracks in life, and it is essential that institutions
make students realize that the country should be a part of their priorities and
serving one’s country is an innate and inborn duty for all. Also, embedding a
profound and authentic moral character and a strong sense of personal
discipline in the youth would yield proficient, genuine, and selfless Filipinos
of the future who would turn the Philippines from an impoverished country
to a globally competitive nation.
Lastly, “The Board of National education shall cause the translation of the
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose
Rizal into English, Tagalog and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them
to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be distributed,
free of charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the Purok
organizations and the Barrio Councils throughout the country.” To provide a
specific way to carry out this act is very helpful. It makes the goal very
SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound. It is also
important that the effects of this act would be experienced by all students
even those who are financially troubled. It is commendable that in the
context of this act, the poor is well represented and that it is attainable
regardless of ethnicity, social stature, and language barriers.
This document was obviously written during a time when patriotism and
nationalism was lost and needed, and a time when people were inspired by
the initiative of the authors of this act. It was during this time when the
Philippines and its’ citizens relied on the United States for guidance, support
and welfare. It was written in order to seek aide from the same brilliant mind
that drove the Filipinos of the past to fight for freedom from colonists entails
another need for another meaningful revolution in spite of the absence of
invaders; the country may have needed a slow-paced revolution driven by
patriotism against dormancy, apathy and futility.
Republic Act No. 1425, known as the Rizal Law, mandates all educational
institutions in the Philippines to offer courses about José Rizal. The full name
of the law is An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and Private
Schools, Colleges and Universities Courses On the Life, Works and Writings
of Jose Rizal, Particularly His Novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, Authorizing the Printing and Distribution Thereof, and for
Other Purposes. The measure was strongly opposed by the Roman Catholic
Church in the Philippines due to the anti-clerical themes in Noli Me
Tángere and El Filibusterismo.
Senator Claro M. Recto was the main proponent of the Rizal Bill. He sought
to sponsor the bill at Congress. However, this was met with stiff opposition
from the Catholic Church. During the 1955 Senate election, the church
charged Recto with being a communist and an anti-Catholic. After Recto's
election, the Church continued to oppose the bill mandating the reading of
Rizal's novels Noli Me Tángere and El Filibusterismo, claiming it would
violate freedom of conscience and religion.
In the campaign to oppose the Rizal bill, the Catholic Church urged its
adherents to write to their congressmen and senators showing their
opposition to the bill; later, it organized symposiums. In one of these
symposiums, Fr. Jesus Cavanna argued that the novels belonged to the past
and that teaching them would misrepresent current conditions. Radio
commentator Jesus Paredes also said that Catholics had the right to refuse to
read them as it would "endanger their salvation".
Groups such as Catholic Action of the Philippines, the Congregation of the was approved unanimously. The bill specified that only college (university)
Mission, the Knights of Columbus, and the Catholic Teachers Guild students would have the option of reading unexpurgated versions of
organized opposition to the bill; they were countered by Veteranos de la clerically-contested reading material, such as Noli Me Tángere and El
Revolucion (Spirit of 1896), Alagad in Rizal, the Freemasons, and Filibusterismo. The bill was enacted on June 12, 1956, Flag Day.
the Knights of Rizal. The Senate Committee on Education sponsored a bill
co-written by both José P. Laurel and Recto, with the only opposition coming
The Noli and Fili were required readings for college students.
from Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Mariano Jesús Cuenco, and Decoroso Rosales.
The Archbishop of Manila, Rufino Santos, protested in a pastoral letter that Section 2 mandated that the students were to read the novels as they were
Catholic students would be affected if compulsory reading of the written in Spanish, although a provision ordered that the Board of National
unexpurgated version were pushed through. Arsenio Lacson, Manila's mayor, Education create rules on how these should be applied. The last two sections
who supported the bill, walked out of Mass when the priest read a circular were focused on making Rizal's works accessible to the general public: the
from the archbishop denouncing the bill. second section mandated the schools to have "an adequate number" of copies
in their libraries, while the third ordered the board to publish the works in
Rizal, according to Cuenco, "attack[ed] dogmas, beliefs and practices of the major Philippine languages.
Church. The assertion that Rizal limited himself to castigating undeserving
priests and refrained from criticizing, ridiculing or putting in doubt dogmas After the bill was enacted into law, there were no recorded instances of
of the Catholic Church, is absolutely gratuitous and misleading." Cuenco students applying for exemption from reading the novels, and there is no
touched on Rizal's denial of the existence of purgatory, as it was not found in known procedure for such exemptions. In 1994, President Fidel V.
the Bible, and that Moses and Jesus Christ did not mention its existence; Ramos ordered the Department of Education, Culture and Sports to fully
Cuenco concluded that a "majority of the Members of this Chamber, if not all implement the law as there had been reports that it has still not been fully
[including] our good friend, the gentleman from Sulu" believed in implemented.
purgatory. The senator from Sulu, Domocao Alonto, attacked Filipinos who The debate during the enactment of the Rizal Law has been compared to
proclaimed Rizal as "their national hero but seemed to despise what he had the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (RH Law)
written", saying that the Indonesians used Rizal's books as their Bible on debate in 2011. Akbayan representative Kaka Bag-ao, one of the proponents
their independence movement; Pedro López, who hails from Cebu, Cuenco's of the RH bill, said, quoting the Catholic hierarchy, that "More than 50 years
province, in his support for the bill, reasoned out that it was in their province ago, they said the Rizal Law violates the Catholic's right to conscience and
the independence movement started, when Lapu-Lapu fought Ferdinand religion, interestingly, the same line of reasoning they use to oppose the RH
Magellan. bill."
Outside the Senate, the Catholic schools threatened to close down if the bill
was passed; Recto countered that if that happened, the schools would be
nationalized. Recto did not believe the threat, stating that the schools were
too profitable to be closed. The schools gave up the threat, but threatened to
"punish" legislators in favor of the law in future elections. A compromise
was suggested, to use the expurgated version; Recto, who had supported the
required reading of the unexpurgated version, declared: "The people who
would eliminate the books of Rizal from the schools would blot out from our
minds the memory of the national hero. This is not a fight against Recto but a
fight against Rizal", adding that since Rizal is dead, they are attempting to
suppress his memory.
On May 12, 1956, a compromise inserted by Committee on Education
chairman Laurel that accommodated the objections of the Catholic Church