Basic Profile of Rizal

The Story of the Rizal Law

 In 1956, Senator Claro M.

Recto promulgated the original
Rizal Bill.
 the country was being
destroyed by the HUKBALAHAP
 Philippines became part of the
global network to contain the
spread of communism with the
conclusion of a mutual defense
agreement with the U.S in 1951
joining the Southeast Asia Treaty
Organization (SEATO).
 the country was troubled
by corrupt party politcs and
news of political corruption
was rampant.
 was the time when Recto
submitted his bill, calling for
a return to patriotic values
pronounced by Filipino
heroes like Jose Rizal.
 Under the bill, it shall be
obligatory for college and
university students to study
the life and works of Jose
Rizal.
 the issuance of the bill
was not welcomed by
various quarters.
 the Catholic Church
assailed the Rizal Bill as
anti Church.
 Forcing the students to
read Rizal's works which
have religious overtones
would be a violation of the
constitutional freedom of
religion and of conscience.
 The church made use of
lobbyists and priests in
opposing the Rizal bill.
 Among them were
Catholic Organizations such
as the Accion Catolico.
 Priests attended and
Participated in the hearings
of the Senate.
Why did the Catholic
Church assailed
the Rizal Bill?
 Commentors of the Rizal Bill
“Rizal's novels belonged to the past
and it would be harmful to read
them because they presented a
false picture of the conditions of the
country at that time.”
- Fr. Jesus Cavanna
Narciso Pimentel
 offered the speculation that
Recto introduced his Rizal Bill
to get back at the Catholic
voters together with President
Magsaysay.
Representative Miguel Cuenco
& Senator Francisco “Soc”
Rodrigo

 voiced the opposition of the

Church in Congress.
 Bishops threatened to
close down Catholic
schools if the bill were
approved.
 Recto dared the Catholic
Church to shut down their
schools, knowing that this was
only the idle threat since the
Catholic learning institutions
were its major source of
income.
 he also rejected Senator
Rodrigo's suggestion that the
annotated or edited versions
of the Noli Me Tangere and
El Filibusterismo should be
used.
June 12, 1956, Republic Act. No
1425
 better known as the Rizal
Law, came into effect.
 The law accommodated the
second paragraph of Section
1.
Allowing students to seek
exemption from reading Rizal's
Works for religious reasons.
Republic Act No. 1425
House Bill No. 5561
Senate Bill No. 438
Section 1.
Courses on life, works, and
writings of Jose Rizal, particularly
his novels 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 colligiate
courses, the original or
unexpurgated editions of Noli
Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo or their English
translation shall be used as
basic texts.
 Out of the 333 pages of
the Noli Metangere, there
were only 25 patriotic
statement compared to 120
anti-Catholic statement.