Module 1 The Rizal Law ( RA 1425)

The Rizal was as controversial as Jose Rizal himself.

The mandatory Rizal subject in the Philippines was the upshot of this bill, which
later became a law in 1956. The bill involves mandating educational institutions in
the country to offer a course on the hero’s life, works and writings, especially the
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The transition from a bill to becoming a
republic act was, however, not easy as the proposal was met with intense
opposition, particularly from the Catholic Church.
            Largely because the issue,  then senator Claro M. Rector- the main
proponent of the Rizal Bill – was even dubbed as the communist and an anti-
Catholic. Catholic schools threatened to stop operation if the bill was passed
though Recto calmly countered the threat, stating that if that happened, the
schools would be nationalized. Afterward threatened to be punished in future
elections, Recto remained undeterred. Concerning the suggestion to use instead
the expurgated (edited) version of Rizal’s novel as mandatory readings, Recto
explained his firm support for the expurgated version exclaiming:” The people
who would eliminate the books of Rizal from the schools would blot out from our
minds and memory of the national hero. This is not a fight against Recto but a
fight against Rizal”. (Ocampo 2012, p.23).
            The bill was eventually passed, but with a clause that would allow
exemptions to students who think that reading the Noli and Fili would ruin their
faith. In other words, one can apply to the Department of Education for
exemption from reading Rizal’s novel –though not from taking the Rizal subject.
The bill was enacted on June 12, 1956.
RA 1425 and Other Rizal Laws
            The Rizal Bill became the Republic Act no. 1425, known as the “Rizal Law”.
The fullname of the law is “An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and
Private Achools, 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 honouring 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 writings 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,
            The first section of the law concerns 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 sufficient number of copies in
their libraries and mandate the publication of the works in major Philippine
languages.(For the full text of RA 1425, read appendix A: The Republic Act no.
1425).
 (https://www.scribd.com/document/364562417/02-Laurel-the-Trials-of-the-
Rizal-Bill)
Jose P. Laurel, then senator who co-wrote the law, 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 great ideals for which the hero died.
Accordingly, the Rizal Law aims to accomplish the following goals:
            1. To rededicate the lives of the 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; and
            3. To gain and inspiring source of patriotism through the study of Rizal’s
lifer, works, and writings.
            So far, no student has yet applied for exemption from reading Rizal’s
novels. Correspondingly, former President Fidel V. Ramos in 1994, through
Memorandum Order No. 247, directed the Secretary of Education, Culture and
Sports and the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education to fully
implement the RA 1425 as there had been reports that the law had still not been
totally carried out in 1995. CHED Memorandum No. 3 was issued enforcing strict
compliance to Memorandum Order No. 247.
            Not known to many, there is another republic act that concerns the
national hero. Republic Act No. 229 is an act prohibiting cockfighting, horse
racing, and jai alai on the thirtieth day of December of each year and to create a
committee to take charge of the proper celebration of Rizal day in every
municipality and chartered city, and for other purposes.
Life and works of Rizal Biography, Writings, and Legacies of our Bayani, Manebog
et.al 2018 p.1-2

4. Why Study Rizal?

 Why Study Rizal?

In our present day, the challenge for students is to understand the purpose of
studying Rizal. Scholars and academicians are one in saying that a mandated
course on Rizal is as helpful as any other course that teaches value that a
student may carry for the rest of his or her life.

Studying Rizal in the 21st century helps students make sense of the present by
looking back at the past. For instance, Rizal’s illustration pf 19 th century Philippines
in his works and may aid today’s generation in recognizing the ills of present say
Philippines.

With students exposed to many foreign influences, studying Rizal may remind
and urge them to understand the real essence of being a Filipino. Significant
historical figure lie Rizal help the younger generation navigate Philippine history
and understand why being aware of social issues are important in the formation
of one’s national identity.

The practicality of studying Rizal in this day and age is seen in how’s Rizal’s
experience s and ideologies are instrumental in grasping the current context of
Philippine Society. The mandated course on Rizal aids in developing the critical
thinking skills of students. The different challenge and dilemma’s that Rizal faced
in his life teaches them to be aware of and not apathetic to the issues happening
around them.

 And finally, Rizal, then and now, is a worthy role model ans constant inspiration to
all Filipinos. In every aspect of his being, Rizal is worthy emulate especially in the
ideals he held as a nationalist. He was not only intelligent, he was also humane,
creative, and innovative. As an inspiration to the Philippine nation. Rizal  will
always be valuable subject inside and outside the classroom in understanding
how the Philippine nation came to be. (by Clemente and Cruz, The life and Works
of Jose Rizal,2019

6. B. THE RIZAL LAW AND PHILIPPINE

LITERATURE
Content

 What is literature? What is the function of literature? What is its relation to

society? Does society require literature? There are a number of such questions
that hit human mind. It is through such question and answer method that the
author aims at cinematographing a few aspects of literature and society. We all
know that literature mirrors society. What happens in a society is reflected in
literary works in one form or another. The literal meaning of literature is the art of
written work in different forms, such as, poetry, plays, stories, prose, fiction etc. It
may also consist of texts based on information as well as imagination. A  society 
is  a  group  of  people  related  to  each  other  through  their  continuous  and 
uninterrupted relations. It is also a group of likeminded people largely governed
by their own norms and values. Human society, it is observed, is characterized by
the patterns of relationship between individuals who share cultures, traditions,
beliefs and values etc. If one looks at the history of society, one will find that the
nature of different societies has gone through changes from the Palaeolithic
period to the present age of Information Technology. The people’s living style,
faiths, beliefs, cultures etc. have never remained uniformly consistent. With the
passage of time, owing to changes taking place in environment and with
emergence of new technologies, we observe that the societies have not
remained stubborn with regards to their norms and values, the reflections of
which can be found in different forms of literature. 

Literature in a society is not only banned or attempted to be banned because of

mirroring the norms and values, not found in conformity with that society, it is
sometime marginalized or vehemently opposed due to another form of
language it is written by ,and which is  different from what people have been 
using. In the context of depicting or portraying the Epics in a language commonly
used by the people during that  period, examples of strong opposition by a
different section of society, who not only use conventional or traditional form of
language but they feel proud of it considering themselves as elite group, can be
seen the world
over.         (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236843776_Literature_and
_Society)      

In the difficult late 1950s, the domestic controllers of the Philippine state began
preparations for an elaborate centennial celebration of the birth of Dr. Jose Rizal
on June 19, 1861. Not only Rizal the greatest national martyr- having been
executed by the collapsing Spanish colonial regime in 1896- but he was also a
highly gifted poet, historian, scientist, journalist, linguist, satirist, political activist,
and above all, novelists had long been generally agreed that his two novels, Noli
Me Tangere(published in Berlin in 1887) and El Filibusterismo (published in Ghent
in 1891), are the chefs d’oeuvre Of Philippine literature and had a central role in
the “awakening” of Filipino nationalism” Unluckily, the” First Filipino” had
composed these works in Spanish, the lingua franca and language of cultivation
of the late Spanish-colonial period. Still more unfortunately, the American
colonial regime of 1899-1942 had by the end wiped out--- not wholly intentionally
--- the local use of Spanish except in the few rich mestizo and creole families,
instilling in its place American. Thanks to the spread of public education under
Washington’s auspices, American ended up (slightly) more widely understood
than any of the Philippine’s ingenious vernaculars. One result of these
developments was that by 1950s, Rizal’s two novels had become inaccessible in
their original form. English translation did exist, but these had been composed,
some by even foreigners, in the colonial era.

(Anderson, Benedict. 2001. Hard to Imagine. In Spectre of comparisons:

Nationalism, Southeast Asia, and the world, 235-47 only. Quezon City: Ateneo de
Manila University Press.)