LESSON 1

“RA 1425”
 LESSON 1
RA 1425 (Rizal Law)

Basic Facts:
 Senate Bill 438 known as Rizal Bill, first authored and sponsored by Claro M.
Recto.
 Jose P. Laurel who was then the Chairman of the Committee on Education
sponsored the bill.
 The RA 1425 was signed by Ramon Magsaysay on June 12, 1956.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
RA 1425 (Rizal Law)

 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. “

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
RA 1425 (Rizal Law)

History of the Rizal Law

• In the year 1956, during the regime of late president Magsaysay, when the
country was very dependent on US governance, ideals of freedom and
nationalism were necessary during those times. Senator Recto brought the bill
to the Senate (Senator Jose P. Laurel–Chairman of the Committee on
Education also sponsored the bill.)

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
RA 1425 (Rizal Law)

• A pastoral letter from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
to which accordingly, such bill is a violation of 1939 Canon Law (prohibits books
that attack the Catholic doctrine and practices).

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
RA 1425 (Rizal Law)

 However, Recto and Laurel defended the bill and argued that the only objective of
the law is to keep the memory of the national hero alive in every Filipino’s mind, to
emanate Rizal as he peacefully fought for freedom and not to go against religion.
 Senator Laurel proposed an amendment to the original bill in which, aside from
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, other written works of Rizal must include
and be read out, the unexpurgated revision of the two novels would no longer be
compulsory to elementary and secondary levels but would strictly be included in
college level.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
RA 1425 (Rizal Law)

 Senator Primicias proposed an additional amendment that promulgates the rules

and regulations in getting an exemption only from reading the two novels
through written statement or affidavit and not from taking the Rizal Course.
 After the final amendments, the bill was finally passed on May 17, 1956 and was
signed into law as Republic Act 1425 by President Ramon Magsaysay on June 12
of the same year.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
RA 1425 (Rizal Law)

Its Important Provisions

 Section 1 of the law concerns mandating the students to read Rizal’s novels.
 Section 2 involves making Rizal’s writings accessible to the general public—they
require the schools to have a sufficient number of copies in their libraries
 Section 3 mandates the publication of the works into English, Tagalog, and the
Principal Philippine Dialects.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
RA 1425 (Rizal Law)

Accordingly, the Rizal Law aims to accomplish the following goals:

1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for
which our heroes lived and died

2. To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping the
Filipino character

3. To gain an inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s life, works,
and writings.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

NATIONAL SYMBOLS
 LESSON 1
National Symbols

Dr. Rizal as the Philippine National Hero

• When William Howard Taft arrived in the Philippines
in June 1900, the American governor-general
suggested naming Rizal a national hero. The
Americans decided for him to be a national hero at
their time in the country.
• It is said that the Americans, Civil Governor William
Howard Taft, chose Jose Rizal to be the national hero
as a strategy. Rizal didn't want a bloody revolution in
his time. So they wanted him to be a "good example"
to the Filipinos so that the people will not revolt
against the Americans.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
National Symbols

• We do not have any official national hero. According to the National Historical

Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Heraldry Section Chief Teodoro Atienza,
there has never been any law passed to recognize a national hero in the country.
• Since the submission of the report/recommendations by the National Heroes
Committee on November 22,1995, no action has been taken.
• It can trigger bitter debates involving historical controversies about the heroes.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
National Symbols

• Only a few of our national symbols are officially

instituted by the legislature.
• Among the handful of officially recognized
symbols are the Philippine Eagle as the national
bird, the Sampaguita as the national flower, Narra
as the national tree, and the Philippine Pearl as the
national gem.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
National Symbols

• Most of the popular symbols—the national

animal (carabao), fruit (mango), leaf (anahaw)
and fish (bangus)—have no legislative basis.
• Some of these symbols have even changed over
time. For instance, sipa, which used to be our
national sport, has already been replaced
by arnis, the Filipino traditional art of stick-
fighting. In December 2009, former President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed RA 9850.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1

The End.
Important Note: This slide presentation is FOR LSPU
USE ONLY.

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works

 LESSON 1
References

• Umali, Vanessa D.: Jose Rizal: A Review on the Life and

Works of the First Filipino

• https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-
profile/selection-and-proclamation-of-national-heroes-and-
laws-honoring-filipino-historical-figures/

• https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/256
043/rizal-is-not-our-official-national-hero-and-other-facts-
about-phl-s-national-symbols/story/

P.I.100: Rizal’s Life and Works