Introduction to the Course:

Republic Act 1425

 Learning Objectives

Explain the history of the Rizal Law and

1 its historical background;

Enumerate the other laws related to

2 Republic Act 1425; and

Critically assess the effectiveness of the

3 Rizal Course.

2
Republic Act
1425
Why study the life and works of Rizal?
● On June 12 1956, Republic Act No. 1425 also known as the
Rizal Law was approved. This act requires all public and
private schools, colleges, and universities to include in their
curricula the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, with
emphasis on two of his novels, El Filibusterismo and Noli
Me Tangere.

● It also mandated the printing and distribution of materials

through the country and required schools colleges, and
libraries to keep adequate number of copies of his two
novels for the access of their students

4
 R.A. 1425
Chief proponent of the bill was Senator Claro M. Recto who
named as socialist and enemy of Catholicism

 The first section of the law concerns in the mandating the

students to read Rizal's novels.

 The last two sections involve making Rizal’s writings

accessible to the general public – they require the schools to
have a sufficient number of copies in their libraries and
mandate the publication of the works in major Philippine
Former Senator Claro M. Recto,
languages. The chief proponent of the Rizal Bill5
(Image credits to bing.com)
 R.A. 1425
• He explained that since Jose Rizal was the founder of
the country's nationalism and had significantly
contributed to the current condition of the nation, it is
only right that Filipinos, especially the youth, know
about and learn to imbibe the high ideals for which
the hero died

Former Senator Jose P. Laurel,

The Co-Author of the Rizal Bill 6
(Image credits to Ka Pete.com)
 To rededicate the lives of youth to the beliefs of
opportunity and patriotism, for which our heroes
lived;
 To pay tribute to our national legend for giving his
life and works in molding the Filipino character; and
 To increase a rousing wellspring of nationalism
through an incredible investigation, works, and
compositions.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
AND CONTEXT OF R.A. 1425
April 3, 1956:

The Committee on Education

Filed Senate Bill No. 438 which
was then supported only by 3
members of the upper house. At
the time, the move seemed non-
controversial

The pre-war senate session Hall as it appeared

soon after the senate move in, 1926 10
April 17, 1956

Chairman of the Committee on

Education Jose P, Laurel supported
the measure; its goal was to
scatter the thoughts and
standards of Jose Rizal through
his books, Noli Me Tangere and EI
Filibusterismo.

11
 An Act to make Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
Compulsory reading materials in all public and private
colleges and universities and for other purposes.

Section 1. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El

The Original Filibusterismo are herby declared compulsory reading
Version of the matter in all public and private schools, colleges and
universities in the Philippines.
Senate Bill No.
438 are as follows:
Section 2. The works mentioned in Section 1 of this Act shall
be in Original Editions or in their unexpurgated English
and Natural Language versions.

12
 Section 3: The Department of Education shall take steps to
promulgate rules and regulations for the immediate
implementation of the provisions of this Act.

The Original
Section 4: No provision of this act shall be constructed as
Version of the prohibiting or limiting the study of the works of other
Senate Bill No. Filipino heroes
438 are as follows:
Section 5. Any Public or private college or university found
violating, failure to comply with, or circumvention the
provision of this act shall be punished accordingly.

13
● The Catholic components declared that the bill
was an endeavor to ruin their religion and that
it disregards strict opportunity. As per them,
the bill hurts the estimations of the Catholic
faith, particularly the two books that Jose Rizal
composed.
 April 19, 1956

The conflict reached the House of

Representatives when
Congressman Jacobo Z. Gonzales
proposed House Bill No. 5561,
which was very similar to Senate
Bill 438..

Congressman. Jacobo Z. Gonazales

15
 April 23, 1956

● The discussions On Senate Bill 438 started.

Representative Claro M. Recto upheld Senator
Laurel's Bill, contending that the goal of the
bill is just to value Rizal's job in fighting the
Spanish oppression.
 April 23, 1956
● On the Other hand, Senators Rodrigo, Rosales, and
Cuenco derived support from the Catholic Church and
its devotees. In one of his speeches, Rodrigo Said,” A
vast Majority of our people are at the same time Catholics
and Filipino citizens. As such, they have two great loves:
their country and their faith. These two loves are not
conflicting love. They are harmonious affections, like the
love for his father and his mother. Let us not Create a
conflict between nationalism and religion. ”
 May 02, 1956
The report of the Committee on Education suggested endorsement without
revision.

NOTABLE DEFENDORS NOTABLE OPPOSERS

• Congressman Ramon Durano;
• Jose P. Laurel • Jose Nuguid;
• Marciano Lim;
• Congressman Emilio • Manuel Lucas Paredes;
Cortez; • Godofredo Ramos; and
• Joaquin R. Rotes; and • Miguel Cuenco
• W. Rancap Lagumbay • Congresswoman Carmen
Consing; and
• Tecla San Andres Ziga
18
 May 09, 1956

● Debates in the Senate gained more public and media

attention, and they're almost was a fistfight on the
floor in the Upper Chamber.
● The Discussions were mostly about the
constitutionality of the proposed bill, and the
ownership of the measure
 May 12, 1956

● The Amendment continued to spark debate,

specifically the provision on section 1(Compulsory
to read Rizal’s novels) and on the power given to the
Board of National Education to implement the act.
● The amendment of the bill was approved in its
second reading.
 May 14, 1956
● The House of Representatives, House Majority Floor Leader Congressman
Tolentino, sponsored an amendment similar to Laurel’s.
● President Elpidio Quirino declined to ensure that the measure was
prompt. With just a couple of days left before the Congress dismisses for
the year, the Constitution commands printed duplicates must be dispersed
to the Congressmen three days before its last endorsement.
● Senate Bill 438 was approved on third reading, with 23 votes.
House Bill No. 5561 was also passed on third reading with 71votes (6
against, two abstained, 17 absent) and was sent to the Senate on the same
day
 May 17, 1956

● The bill was later passed in Senate

 June 12 1956

● The Rizal bill was signed into the law by then-

President Ramon Magsaysay, this becoming
Republic Act 1425.
OTHER RIZAL LAWS
 former Pres. Fidel V. Ramos
Memorandum coordinated the DECS Secretary
and CHED Chairman to
Order No. 247 entirely execute the RA 1425
because there had been reports that the
law had still not been thoroughly done.
CHED was upholding exacting
given

Memorandum consistency to Memorandum

Order No. 247 out of 1995.
No. 3
 a demonstration disallowing
cockfighting, horse hustling, and

Republic Act jai-alai on December 30 of every

year and make a board of trustees to

No. 229 assume responsibility for the

best possible festival of Rizal Day
in each district and contracted city, and
for some other purposes.
HERO VS MARTYR
A HERO is an individual or main character of
a scholarly work who, within the confront of
danger, combats difficulty through
accomplishments of ingenuity, bravery or
strength, regularly sacrificing their claim
individual concerns for a greater great.
MARTYR is someone who suffers persecution and death for
advocating, renouncing, refusing to renounce, or refusing to
advocate a belief or cause as demanded by an external party.
RIZAL AS HERO AND MARTYR
 According to Esteban De Ocampo, Dr. Jose Rizal is
unquestionably the greatest hero and martyr of our
nation. The day of his birth and the day of his execution
are fittingly commemorated by all classes of our people
throughout the length and breadth of our country and
even by Filipinos and their friends abroad.
WHY IS RIZAL THE GREATEST
FILIPINO HERO
 He is a person who took an admirable part in any
remarkable action or event.

 He is a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in

danger, or fortitude in suffering.

 He is a man honored after death by public worship,

because of exceptional service to mankind.
 He is a person who took an admirable part in
any remarkable action or event.

• He took an admirable part in the movement which roughly

covered the period from 1882 to 1896.
• Rizal’s Writing contributed tremendously to the formation of
Filipino nationality. His books have garnered and evoked such
favorable and unfavorable comments from friends and foes.
 He is a person of distinguished valor or
enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering.

• Rafael Palma said that the most admirable about Rizal is his
complete self-denial, his complete abandonment of his personal
interests in order to think only of those of his country. He
sacrificed his personal affections for an ideal he had dreamed for
his country.
• Dr. Frank C. Laubach spoke of hero’s courage to write his two
great novels, telling things that no other an had ventured to say
before, standing almost alone against the most powerful interest
in his country and in Spain
 He is a person of distinguished valor or
enterprise in danger, or fortitude in suffering.

• Dr. Frank C. Laubach stated that Dr. Jose Rizal have reached
another plateau of heroism when Rizal wrote those letters in
Hongkong, “to be opened after death,” and sailed into the “trap” in
Manila without any illusions. Rizal could have easily escape
during his exile and onboard on Singapore but he refused to do
so. In the day of his execution, He walked with perfect calm to the
firing line as though by his own choice, only heroic figure in that
sordid scene.
He is a man honored after death by public worship, because of
exceptional service to mankind.
Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and Foreigners as the foremost leader of
his people
● MARCELO H. DEL PILAR said, “Rizal has no right yet to die. His
name Embodies the most pure and unblemished emblem of our
aspirations.”
● FERNANDO ACEVEDO called Rizal his “distnguido amigo,
companero y paisano” and wrote a letter to him: I see in you the
model Filipino.
● DR. TOMAS AREJOLA wrote Rizal in madrid saying: your influence
over us is indisputable.
He is a man honored after death by public worship, because of
exceptional service to mankind.
Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and Foreigners as the foremost leader of
his people
● PROF. FERDINAND BLUMENTRITT said that “Rizal was the
greatest product of the Philippines and that his coming to the worlds
was like the appearance of a rare comet, whose rare brilliance
appears only every other century”.
● DON VICENTE BARRANTES had to admit that Rizal was, “the first
among the Filipinos.”
He is a man honored after death by public worship, because of
exceptional service to mankind.
Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and Foreigners as the foremost leader of
his people
● Rizal was unanimously elected as the president of La Solidaridad.
● Rizal became the chief of Indios Bravos.
● Rizal was chosen Responsible(Chief) of the Spanish-Filipino
Association.
● He was also the founder and moving spirit in the organization of
the Liga Filipina
He is a man honored after death by public worship, because of
exceptional service to mankind.
Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and Foreigners as the foremost leader of
his people
● The KATIPUNAN acknowledge Rizal’s leadership and greatness by
making him its Honorary President and by using his family name
Rizal as the password for the third-degree members.
● ANDRES BONIFACIO recognized the leadership of Rizal when he
and other Katipunan seeks the great hero’s opinion on the plan
to rise in arms against the Spain.
● PRESIDENT EMILIO AGUINALDO held a commemorative
program there on December 29, 1897 on the occasion of the first
anniversary of their hero’s execution and martyrdom.
He is a man honored after death by public worship, because of
exceptional service to mankind.
Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and Foreigners as the foremost leader of
his people
● On December 20 1898, President Aguinaldo issued the
first official proclamation making December 30 of that
year as “RIZAL DAY”.
● La independencia and El Hearldo de la Revolucion
issued a special supplement in honor of Rizal in one of
their December issues in 1898.
He is a man honored after death by public worship, because of
exceptional service to mankind.
Rizal was already acclaimed by both Filipinos and Foreigners as the foremost leader of
his people
● Two of the greatest Filipino poets( FERNANDO MA.
GUERRERO AND CECILIO APOSTOL) paid glowing
tributes to the martyr of Bagumbayan in
acknowledgement of the hero’s labors and sacrifices for
his people.
The Filipinos were not alone in grieving the untimely death
of their hero, for the intellectual and scientific circles of the
world felt keenly the loss of Rizal.
 WHO MADE RIZAL THE
FOREMOST HERO OF THE
PHILIPPINES
The answer:is:
No Single person or groups of persons were responsible for
making the Greatest Malayan the Number One Hero of his people. Rizal
himself, his own people, and the foreigners all together contributed to
make him the greatest hero and martyr of his people. No amount of
adulation and canonization by both Filipinos and foreigners could
convert Rizal into a great Here if he did not possess in himself what
Palma calls “excellent qualities and merits.”
 References
• Constantino, R. (1982). The Making of a Filipino A Story of Philippine Colonia/ Politics. QC:
R.Constantino, pp. 244-247.

• De Ocampo, E. A. (1993). Why is Rizal the Greatest Filipino Hero?. National Historical Institute.

• Hau, C.S. (2000). "Introduction," Necessary Fictions: Philippine Literature and Nation, 7946-
7980. QuezonCity, Ateneo de Manila University Press, pp. 1-4.

• Laurel, J.B. (1960). "The Trials Of the Rizal Bill," Historical Bulletin vol. 4, no. 2: pp. 130-139.

• Schumacher, J. (2011). "The Rizal Bill Of 1956: Horacio de la Costa and the Bishops,"
PhilippineStudies 59 no. 4: pp 529-553.

• Republic Act No. 1425. (1956). Retrieved from

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-142S

• Republic Act No. 1425 | GOVPH. (1956, June 12). Retrieved from
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-1425/

46
 Thanks!

Does anyone have any questions?

47