LEARNING MODULE

Module 1 : The Rizal Law, Literature and Society

Subject Code : GEC-5
Subject Description : Life and Works of Rizal
Term : 2nd Semester

I. Learning Objectives:

 Understand the entre life of Dr. Jose Rizal and his contributions to the
society.
 Understand the importance of teaching Life and Works of Rizal in college
curriculum.
 Identify the childhood and adulthood and Rizal and its implication today
 Discuss the resistance of Filipino against conquerors through Filipino heroes.
 Show the importance of education in fighting oppression and abuse of
people.
 Understand the Noli Mi Tangere and its implications to filpinos in fighting
Spaniards
 Enumerate the following learnings taught in El Filibusterismo and its effect
on the mindset of Filipinos in fighting oppression brought by conquerors.
II. Learning Outcomes:
 Enumerate the contributions of Dr. Jose Rizal in the revolution lead by Andres

Bonifacio through his novels and articles.

 Explain the reason why Dr. Jose Rizal was chosen as the National Hero of the

Philippines.

 Identify the qualities of Dr. Jose Rizal contributed in shaping the nationalism in all

the Filipinos in his time leading to the independence of the Philippines.

 Integrate the values and character of a national hero in daily living and in building

the society.
  Disseminate nationalism in every individual being a proud Filipino here in the

Philippines and all over the world.

 Demonstrate the traits and characteristics of a proud Filipino in everyday living.

 Preserve and promote “Filipino historical and cultural heritage “through showing a

deep and principled understanding of how health care processes relate to larger

social and cultural processes

III. Learning Resources:

The Life and Works of Jose Rizal Rico B. Maghuyop, Theresa Mae E. Gallardo, Gerlieta S.
Ruiz, Victoria R. Babac, Winston B. Gallinero, Mutya Publishing House Inc.
http://www.joserizal.ph
Gregorio F. Zaide, Jose Rizal Life Works and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and
National Hero. Quezon City, All Nations Publishing Co., Inc. 2012
Rogelio B. Maguigad, Jose Rizal The First Filipino. CM Recto Manila. Libro Filipino
Enterprises. 2014
Lua, Shirley (August 22, 2011). "Love, Loss and the Noli". The Philippine Inquirer . Retrieved
September 3, 2013.
Dennis Villegas (June 30, 2011). "'Saint' Jose Rizal". Philippine Online Chronicles.
Ocampo, Ambeth. "Was Jose Rizal an American-sponsored Hero?". Reflections of Jose Rizal.
NHCP – National Historical Commission of The Philippines . Retrieved September 3, 2013.
Yoder, Dr. Robert L. "The Life and Works of Dr. José Rizal" . Retrieved September 3, 2013.
Aguilar, F.V., Jr. (2016). Romancing Tropicality: Illustrado Portraits of the Climate in the
Late Nineteenth Century. Philippine Studies. 64 (3-4), 417-54

IV. Task to Complete

 Activities
 Quizzes
 Examination
V. Content Items
Lesson 1: History of the Rizal Law
 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 Rizal law, in any case, was emphatically restricted by the Christian church much
appreciated to the anti-clerical subjects that were pertinent in Rizal’s books Noli Me
Tangere 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.
 Groups such as Catholic Action of the Philippines, the Congregation of the Mission,
the Knights of Columbus, and the Catholic Teachers Guild organized opposition to
the bill; they were countered by Veteranos de la Revolucion (Spirit of 1896), Alagad
ni Rizal, the Freemasons, and 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 from Francisco Soc
Rodrigo, Mariano Jesús Cuenco, and Decoroso Rosales
 Section 2 mandated that the students were to read the novels as they were written
in Spanish, although a provision ordered that the Board of National Education create
rules on how these should be applied.[3] The last two sections were focused on
making Rizal's works accessible to the general public: the 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 major Philippine languages.
 The debate during the enactment of the Rizal Law has been compared to
the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (RH Law) debate
in 2011.[8] Akbayan representative Kaka Bag-ao, one of the proponents of the RH bill,
said, quoting the Catholic hierarchy, that "More than 50 years ago, they said the Rizal
Law violates the Catholic's right to conscience and religion, interestingly, the same
line of reasoning they use to oppose the RH bill.

Lesson 2: Honoring Filipino National Heroes

Definition of a hero:
According to the dictionary:
- a hero is a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities and regarded as an ideal
or model
- the central figure in an event, period, or movement, honored for outstanding qualities
- he/she is someone who shows great courage in an important event
- a hero is a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities and regarded as an ideal
or model
- the central figure in an event, period or movement, honored for outstanding qualities
- he/she is someone who shows great courage in an important event

According to Dr. Esteban de Ocampo, a known Filipino historian, as stated in his book
about Rizal that:

“a hero means a prominent or central personage taking an admirable part in any

remarkable action or event; a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger,
or fortitude in suffering; and a man honored after death by public worship because
of exceptional service to mankind.”
Who will set the criteria for the recognition of the national hero?

No law, executive order or proclamation has been enacted or issued officially

proclaiming any Filipino historical figure as a national hero. However, because of them
significant roles in the process of nation building and contributions to history, there were
laws. enacted and proclamations issued honoring these heroes. But according to
historians, heroes, should not be legislated. Their appreciation should be better left to
academics. Acclamation for heroes, they felt, would be recognition enough.

Executive Order No.75 “National Heroes Committee”

Issued by President Fidel V. Ramon on March 28, 1993, creating the National Heroes
Committee under the Office of the President. The principal duty of the Committee is to
study, evaluate and recommend Filipino national personages/heroes in due recognition of
their sterling character and remarkable achievements for the country.

The Technical Committee of the National Heroes Committee had a meeting on June 3,
1993, in Manila and adopted the following criteria:

1. Heroes are those who have a concept of nation and thereafter aspire and struggle
for the nation’s freedom.
2. Heroes are those who define and contribute to a system or life of freedom and
order for a nation.
3. Heroes are those who contribute to the quality of life and destiny of a nation.

In another round-table discussion held on November 15, 1995, the NHC Technical
Committee further adopted the criteria submitted by Dr. Alfredo Lagmay, as follows:

1. A hero is part of the people's expression, but that process of a people's

internalization of a hero's life and works takes time, with the youth forming part of
that internalization.
2. A hero thinks of the future, especially the future generations.
3. The choice of hero involves not only the recounting of an episode or events in
history, but of the entire process that made this particular person a hero
On November 15, 1995 , the Technical Committee after deliberation and careful study
based on Dr. Onofre D. Corpuz’ and Dr. Alfredo Lagmay’s criteria selected the following
nine Filipino historical figures to be recommended as National Heroes:

 Jose Rizal
 Marcelo H. del Pilar
 Andres Bonifacio
 Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat
 Emilio Aguinaldo
 Juan Luna
 Apolinario Mabini
 Gabriela Silang
 Melchora Aquino

Laws Honoring/ Commemorating Filipino Historical Figures- for Dr.Rizal

A. Decree of December 20, 1898 , issued by General Emilio Aguinaldo, declared

December 30 of every year a day of national mourning in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal
and other victims of the Philippine Revolution.
B. Act No. 137, which organized the politico-military district of Morong into the
Province of Rizal, was the first official step taken by the Taft Commission to honor
our greatest hero and martyr.
Lesson 3: Philippine National Literature

Writings of Dr. Jose Rizal are considered as a literary treasure. Most significantly his
books Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are used as the basis on how to perceive the
scenario of the Filipinos during the Spanish Colonization. On the other hand, he had a
third novel but not published the “Makamisa”.

Relation of the Philippine nationalism and literature was joined in a paradoxical

notion in the literary sense due to its embodiment of the Filipino culture and the mix up of
other cultures in that creates a new identity for us Filipinos. Where we see the life and its
dynamics in view of the Spanish Era; also, we see the exercise of authority that was shown
in these novels with different concepts.

The Noli dealt with the country’s present, and the Fili pointed to its future. Noli Me
Tangere talks about the love of Crisostomo Ibarra to Maria Clara and its tragic events that
unfold on the political and religious flow of the plots that unfolded in every page of the
novel. El Filibustersmo tackled the revenge of Crisostomo (Simoun) who would wage war
against the Spaniards to get his dream revenge for all the hardships he encountered. And
lastly, the Makamisa, that dealt exclusively with the usages, virtues, and defects of the
Tagalogs.