The Making of Rizal Law

Notable Persons Who Tried To Block Its Approv

al
Republic Act 1425:
Intentions/Reasons of Persons Who Blocked th
The Rizal Law
e 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 Implementa
tion of Rizal Law
Rizal: A Legislated and Mandated Course
The Making of Rizal Law

In 1956, Senator Jose P

. Laurel filed Senate Bill
448 or the Rizal Bill. Its p
assage was rough due to s
everal persons who tried t
o block its approval.
Notable Persons Who Tried
To Block Its Approval:
Sen. Decoroso Rosales – brother of Arc
hbishop (Cardinal) Rosales

Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo – President of

Catholic Action of the Philippines

Sen. Mariano Cuenco – brother of Arch

bishop Cuenco
Jesus Paredes – radio commentator

Fr. Jesus Cavana – member of the Paulist

Order who wrote a pastoral letter

The Friars
Intentions/Reasons of Person
s Who Blocked the Approval o
f Rizal Bill
The Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
are very damaging to the clerics.

The novels were written when Dr. Jose Riza

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

The novels do contain teachings contrary to Cath

olic faith and so, the Church is opposed to the pr
oposed compulsory reading in their entirety of s
uch books in any school in the Philippines where
Catholic students may be affected.
Notable Persons Who Fough
t For Its Approval:

Sen. Jose P. Laurel

Claro M. Recto

Other Illustrious National

ists
Intentions/Reasons of Persons
Who Pushed for the Approval o
f Rizal Bill
There is a need for a rededication to the ideals
of freedom and nationalism for which our her
oes lived and died.

There is a need to remember with special fond

ness and devotion the lives and works of our h
eroes who shaped the national character.
The life, works and writings of Dr.Jose Ri
zal particularly, his novels Noli Me Tanger
e and El Filibusterismo are constant and i
nspiring source of patriotism with which t
he minds of the youth, especially during t
heir formative and decisive years in school
, should besuffused.

There is a need to develop moral characte

r, personal discipline, civic conscience and
to teach the duties of citizenship.
Congress passed the Ri
zal Bill (Senate Bill 448
) and was signed into R
izal Law (Republic Act
1425) by President Ra
mon Magsaysay on Jun
e 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, coll
eges and universities, public and private.

 It obliged all schools, colleges and universi

ties to keep in their libraries adequate num
ber of copies of the original or unexpurgate
d editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Fi
libusterismo as well as Rizal's other works
and biography.
 It authorized and directed the Board o
f National Education to work for the tr
anslation of Noli Me Tangere and El Fi
libusterismo as well as other writings o
f Dr. Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog a
nd other principal dialects and their pr
inting in cheap or popular editions and
their circulation.
Teaching of Rizal Course in
College

 Rizal as a course has been taught in College ge

nerally as a supplementary course by teachers
of different specializations.

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

al's biography and trivial matters, compounde
d by the varying interpretations of the spirit a
nd the letter of Rizal law through the years.
Important Issuances Relative
to the Implementation of Riza
l Law
 Approval of R.A. 1425 on Ju
ne 12, 1956
 Presidential Memorandum
Order 247 dated Dec. 26, 19
94 – President Ramos direct
ed the DECS and CHED to i
mmediately and fully imple
ment R.A. 1425.
 CHED Memorandum Or
der 6 dated February 15,
1996 – CHED ordered all
colleges and universities t
o offer Rizal course as a s
eparate three-unit course
fully and immediately.
Rizal: A Legislated and Mand
ated Course

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

 Mandated – it is ordered by
Presidential Memorandum
Order 247 and CHED Memo
randum Order 6.
Thank you very much!