 RA 1425 Rizal Law

 Making of Rizal Law

Republic Act 1425:
 Notable Persons Who Tried To Block Its
Approval
The Rizal Law
 Intentions/Reasons of Persons Who Blocked
the Approval of Rizal Bill
 Notable Persons Who Fought For Its Approval
 Intentions/Reasons of Persons Who Pushed for
the Approval of Rizal Bill
 Salient Points of Rizal Law
 Teaching of Rizal Course in College
 Important Issuances Relative to the
Implementation of Rizal Law
 Rizal: A Legislated and Mandated Course
Question?

Why do we need to study Jose

Rizal’s Life?
R.A 1425 Rizal Law
• 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.
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.
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.
Main Proponent – Claro M. Recto
Approved – may 12, 1956 (Rizal
Bill)
Father of Rizal Law – Jose P.
Laurel
Approved – June 12, 1956 (Rizal
Law)
The Making of Rizal Law

In 1956, Senator Jose

P. Laurel filed Senate
Bill 448 or the Rizal Bill.
Its passage was rough due
to several persons who
tried to block its approval.
Notable Persons Who Tried To
Block Its Approval:
Sen. Decoroso Rosales – brother of
Archbishop (Cardinal) Rosales

Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo – President of

Catholic Action of the Philippines

Sen. Mariano Cuenco – brother of

Archbishop Cuenco
Jesus Paredes – radio commentator

Fr. Jesus Cavana – member of the Paulist

Order who wrote a pastoral letter

The Friars
Intentions/Reasons of Persons Who
Blocked the Approval of Rizal Bill

The Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo

are very damaging to the clerics.

The novels were written when Dr. Jose

Rizal, estranged from Catholic faith and
religion and contradict many of the
Christian beliefs.
To compel Catholic students to read a book
which contains passages contradicting their faith
constitutes a violation of a Philippine
constitutional provision (Art. 3, Sec. 1, Par. 7).

The novels do contain teachings contrary to

Catholic faith and so, the Church is opposed to
the proposed compulsory reading in their
entirety of such books in any school in the
Philippines where Catholic students may be
affected.
Notable Persons Who Fought For
Its Approval:

Sen. Jose P. Laurel

Claro M. Recto

Other Illustrious
Nationalists
Intentions/Reasons of Persons Who
Pushed for the Approval of Rizal Bill

There is a need for a rededication to the ideals

of freedom and nationalism for which our
heroes lived and died.

There is a need to remember with special

fondness and devotion the lives and works of
our heroes who shaped the national character.
The life, works and writings of Dr.Jose
Rizal particularly, his novels Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo are
constant and inspiring source of
patriotism with which the minds of the
youth, especially during their formative
and decisive years in school, should
besuffused.

There is a need to develop moral

character, personal discipline, civic
conscience and to teach the duties of
citizenship.
Congress passed the
Rizal Bill (Senate Bill
448) and was signed
into Rizal Law
(Republic Act 1425) by
President Ramon
Magsaysay on June 12,
1956.
Salient Points of Rizal Law
 Courses on the life, works and writings of
Dr. Jose Rizal, particularly the novels Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be
included in the curricula of all schools,
colleges and universities, public and
private.

 It obliged all schools, colleges and

universities to keep in their libraries
adequate number of copies of the original
or unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo as well as
Rizal's other works and biography.
 It authorized and directed the Board
of National Education to work for the
translation of Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo as well as other
writings of Dr. Jose Rizal into English,
Tagalog and other principal dialects
and their printing in cheap or popular
editions and their circulation.
Teaching of Rizal Course in College

 Rizal as a course has been taught in College

generally as a supplementary course by
teachers of different specializations.

 In most cases, the focus of the course is on

Rizal's biography and trivial matters,
compounded by the varying interpretations of
the spirit and the letter of Rizal law through
the years.
Important Issuances Relative to the
Implementation of Rizal Law

 Approval of R.A. 1425 on

June 12, 1956
 Presidential Memorandum
Order 247 dated Dec. 26,
1994 – President Ramos
directed the DECS and
CHED to immediately and
fully implement R.A. 1425.
 CHED Memorandum
Order 6 dated February
15, 1996 – CHED ordered
all colleges and
universities to offer Rizal
course as a separate
three-unit course fully
and immediately.
Rizal: A Legislated and Mandated
Course

 Legislated – it is founded on
Republic Act 1425 (Rizal
Law)

 Mandated – it is ordered by
Presidential Memorandum
Order 247 and CHED
Memorandum Order 6.
Activity 1: RA 1425
• Answer the following in two to three sentences:
• 1. Who sponsored the Rizal Bill in Congress? What
are their arguments in support of the Bill?
• What are the arguments of the opposition of the
Bill?
• What is the Importance of having dissenting
opinions in democratic legislation processes?
• What are the amendments made in the original
Rizal Bill in order to perfect it?
Activity 2: Importance of Law
• Reflect on the importance of the law
in democratic society. As a law-
abiding citizen, what can you do to
uphold the rule of law? What are the
implications when the rule of law is
eradicated.
References
• Crudo, Eugene Raymond P., Guiwa, Herald Ian C. and Pawilen,
Reidan M. A Course Module for The Life, Works, and Writings
of Jose Rizal. (2019) Rex Boostore, Inc. Q.C.
• https://www.academia.edu/35297890/Rizal_Law
Thank you very much!