LIFE, WORKS & WRITINGS OF RIZAL
WHY STUDY RIZAL? THE LESSONS CONTAINED WITHIN THE COURSE
• It is of great importance that students
understand the ra3onale behind having to take
up a Rizal course in college. For high school
students, the Noli Me Tangere and the El
Filibusterismo are injected into the Filipino
subject as part of the overall curriculum. In
ter3ary educa3on, however, Rizal is a subject
required of any course, in any college or
university in the Philippines.
- First and foremost, because it is mandated
by law.
- Secondly, because of the lessons contained
within the course itself.
MANDATED BY LAW
The teaching of Jose Rizal’s life, works, and wri3ngs is
mandated by Republic Act 1425, otherwise known as the
Rizal Law. Senator Jose P. Laurel, the person who
sponsored the said law, said that since Rizal was the
founder of Philippine na3onalism and has contributed
much to the current standing of this na3on, it is only right
that the youth as well as all the people in the country
know about and learn to imbibe the great ideals for
which he died. The Rizal Law, enacted in 1956, seeks to
accomplish the following goals:
• To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of
freedom and na3onalism, for which our heroes
lived and died
• To pay tribute to our na3onal hero for devo3ng
his life and works in shaping the Filipino
character
• To gain an inspiring source of patrio3sm through
the study of Rizal’s life, works, and wri3ngs.
Aside from those men3oned above, there are other
reasons for teaching the Rizal course in Philippine
schools:
• To recognize the importance of Rizal’s ideals and
teachings in rela3on to present condi3ons and
situa3ons in the society.
• To encourage the applica3on of such ideals in
current social and personal problems and issues.
• To develop an apprecia3on and deeper
understanding of all that Rizal fought and died
for.
• To foster the development of the Filipino youth
in all aspects of ci3zenship.
PHILOSOPHIES IN LIFE
PHILOSOPHY may be defined as the study and pursuit of
facts which deal with the ul3mate 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 interrela3onship of the
life histories of its people; in other word, the philosophy
of our na3on would be strange and undefinable if we do
not delve into the past 3ed up with the notable life
experiences of the representa3ve personali3es of our
na3on.
Being one of the prominent representa3ves of Filipino
personali3es, Jose Rizal is a fit subject whose life
philosophy deserves to be recognized.
Having been a vic3m of Spanish brutality early in his life
in Calamba, Rizal had thus already formed the nucleus of
an unfavorable opinion of Cas3lian imperialis3c
administra3on of his country and people.
Pi3ful social condi3ons existed in the Philippines as late
as three centuries a_er his conquest in Spain, with
agriculture, commerce, communica3ons and educa3on
languishing under its most backward state. It was
because of this social malady that social evils like
inferiority complex, cowardice, 3midity and false pride
pervaded na3onally and contributed to the decay of
social life. This s3mulated and shaped Rizal’s life
philosophy to be to contain if not eliminate these social
ills.
 LIFE, WORKS & WRITINGS OF RIZAL
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
Rizal’s concept of the importance of educa3on is clearly
enunciated in his work en3tled Instruc3on 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 authori3es in
the islands. For Rizal, the mission of educa3on is to
elevate the country to the highest seat of glory and to
develop the people’s mentality. Since educa3on is the
founda3on of society and a prerequisite for social
progress, Rizal claimed that only through educa3on could
the country be saved from domina3on.
Rizal’s philosophy of educa3on, therefore, centers on the
provision of proper mo3va3on in order to bolster the
great social forces that make educa3on a success, to
create in the youth an innate desire to cul3vate 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 tradi3ons. However, in later life, he
developed a life philosophy of a different nature, a
philosophy of a different Catholic prac3ce intermingled
with the use of Truth and Reason.
Why the change?
• It could have been the result of contemporary
contact, companionship, observa3on, research
and the possession of an independent spirit.
Being a cri3cal observer, a profound thinker and
a zealous reformer, Rizal did not agree with the
prevailing Chris3an propaga3on of the Faith by
fire and sword. This is shown in his Annota3on of
Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.
• Rizal did not believe in the Catholic dogma that
salva3on was only for Catholics and that outside
Chris3anity, salva3on was not possible even if
Catholics composed only a small minority of the
world’s religious groups. Nor did he believe in the
Catholic observa3on of fas3ng 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 supers33ous 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 poli3cal 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 biberly assailed and
cri3cized in publica3ons the apparent backwardness of
the Spanish ruler’s method of governing the country
which resulted in:
- the bondage and slavery of the conquered
- the Spanish government’s requirement of forced
labor and force military service upon the n
na3ves
- the abuse of power by means of exploita3on
- the government ruling that any complaint
against the authori3es was criminal
- Making the people ignorant, des3tute and
fana3c, thus discouraging the forma3on of a
na3onal sen3ment.
Rizal’s guiding poli3cal philosophy proved to be the study
and applica3on of reforms, the extension of human
rights, the training for self-government and the arousing
of spirit of discontent over oppression, brutality,
inhumanity, sensi3veness and self-love.
 LIFE, WORKS & WRITINGS OF RIZAL
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 domina3on during
Rizal’s 3me led him to subordinate his philosophy to
moral problems. This trend was much more needed at
that 3me because the Spaniards and the Filipinos had
different and some3mes conflic3ng 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 imposi3on of foreign religious
worship, devo3on, homage and racial habits. This led to
moral confusion among the people, what with jus3ce
being s3fled, 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 prac3cal method of appealing to the beber
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:
- censured the friars for abusing the advantage of
their posi3on as spiritual leaders and the
ignorance and fana3cism of the na3ves
- counseled the Filipinos not to resent a defect
abributed to them but to accept same as
reasonable and just
- advised the masses that the object of marriage
was the happiness and love of the couple and not
financial gain
- censured the priests who preached greed and
wrong morality
- advised every one that love and respect for
parents must be strictly observed
SOCIAL PHILOSPHY
That body of knowledge rela3ng 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 na3on building and not individual
social problems. The subject maber of this social
philosophy covers the problems of the whole race, with
every problem having a dis3nct solu3on to bolster the
people’s social knowledge.
Rizal’s social philosophy dealt with:
- man in society
- influen3al factors in human life
- racial problems
- social constant
- social jus3ce
- social ideal
- poverty and wealth
- reforms
- youth and greatness
- history and progress
- future Philippines
The above dealt with man’s evolu3on and his
environment, explaining for the most part human
behavior and capaci3es 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 eleva3ng and inspiring mission; the du3es and
dictates of man’s conscience; man’s need of prac3cing
gra3tude
The necessity for consul3ng reliable people; his need for
experience; his ability to deny; the importance of
delibera3on; the voluntary offer of man’s abili3es and
possibili3es; 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 con3nuous effort to make over his beloved
Philippines.