Module 1: INTRODUCTION TO RIZAL COURSE

Name:
Section:
Date & Time Submitted:

Time Allotment: 6 hours

Course Learning Outcomes:
Display an appreciation for education and love of country.

Lesson 1: REPUBLIC ACT 1425: RIZAL LAW

Time Allotment: 3 hours

The Life and Works of Rizal is a mandated subject. All students in the tertiary level are required to take
this course. It is proper to start the course by knowing the history of the passage of the law. By knowing the
foundation of this course, students may appreciate its role and significance to the people towards nation
building. More than ever, students must understand that nation-building did not end when our heroes died and
our nation was liberated from the Spanish colonizers. Nation-building is a continuing project that every Filipino
must work for. It is through this course that young people must continue to preserve and develop the sense of
nationalism and patriotism to which our heroes like Rizal lived and died hoping to see emancipation of Filipinos
from the foreign colonizers. In his words, “The youth is the hope of our fatherland.”

Specific Learning Outcomes:

1. Explain the history of the Rizal Law and its important provisions.
2. Recognize the value of differing narratives and interpretations of Rizal’s life and works
3. Relate issues to the present conditions of our times.

Activity 1 Now that you know the essential terms and historical background on the course on the life and
works of Dr. Jose Rizal; Let us try to check your understanding by defining the following terms.

a. Bill ________________________________________________
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b. Law ________________________________________________
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c. EO ________________________________________________
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d. RA 1425 ________________________________________________
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e. SB 438 ________________________________________________
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f. HB 5561 ________________________________________________
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g. Claro M. Recto ________________________________________________
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h. EO 75 ________________________________________________
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i. National Hero ________________________________________________
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j. Makamisa ________________________________________________
Contents:
Republic Act 1425: RIZAL LAW

The passage of the Rizal Bill now known as Republic Act 1425 was not a walk in the park. The process
in the passing of the bill was met by a stiff opposition from the Catholic Hierarchy in that time. Supporters of
the Catholic Church both in the Senate and House of Representatives scrutinized and tried everything they
could to suppress the passage of the bill. A heated debate and attacks happened in both houses of Congress.
The movers and defenders were the Nationalists and the oppositions were the members of the Senate and
House of Representatives who were supporters of the Catholic Hierarchy. In the Senate, the bill was known as
Senate Bill No. 438 and its main author was Claro M. Recto. It was sponsored by Jose P. Laurel who was
then the Chair of the Senate Education Committee. Senate Bill No. 438 was filed on April 3, 1956. Heated
debates and arguments ensued on April 23, 1956 between the Nationalists and the Catholic defenders in the
Senate.

Similarly, a fierce opposition and battle happened in the House of Representatives when a similar bill
was filed through House Bill No. 5561 by Representative Jacobo Z. Gonzales on April 19, 1956. On May 9,
1956, a heated debate happened between the supporters of the bill and the defenders of the Catholic Church.

The main subject of the argument was the compulsory reading of the unexpurgated versions of the Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. This became a national issue and unending debates happened that it led
to a deadlock in the passage of the bill. Then, to appease the Nationalists and Conservatives (defenders of
the Catholic Church), Senator Jose P. Laurel proposed amendments to the bill which was consequently
adopted in the House Bill No. 5561. Still, the amendment version of the bill was seriously examined for any
unfavorable insertions or amendments. However, the amended version of Senator Laurel seemed to be
pleasant to the eyes of the members of the House of Representatives.

Thus, on May 17, 1956, the Senate and House versions were approved by the members of the
Congress. On June 12, 1956, the approved version of Congress was signed into law by President Ramon
Magsaysay and became Republic Act 1425.

To fully understand the context and rigors to which the passage of Rizal Law has gone through and the
dilemma within the Catholic Church as to what stand they must take on the issue of Rizal and eventually R.A.
1425 students of this course are mandated to read the following important readings:

1. The Trials of Rizal Bill by Jose B. Laurel, Jr.

2. Rizal Law and the Catholic Hierarchy by Renato Constantino

3. The Rizal Bill of 1956: Horacio de la Costa and the Bishops by. Fr. John Schumacher

4. Republic Act 1425

Activity II: Group Work

1. Divide the class into 5 groups. What are major arguments of the Nationalists (the Pro-passage of
the bill)? What are major arguments of the Conservatives (the Anti-Passage of the bill)? In your
assessment, who won in the passage of the law R.A. 1425? Why?

Activity II: Individual Output:

Analyze: In a historical approach, such as what we use in the course, knowing relevant facts simply is
not enough. A deeper analysis is also necessary to have a clearer grasps of the stories (kwento). Likewise,
generating meaning (kwenta) from the stories (kwento) is essential in making the study more personal. I now
require you to answer the following items thoroughly.
 1. Between the arguments from those who are in favor and those who are against the passage of the
Rizal Bill into Law, which makes sense to you more? And what is your counter argument to the one that
makes sense to you less?
Between the two arguments, the arguments from those who are in favor of the passage of the
Rizal Bill into Law makes sense to me more. I don’t see anything wrong about it being a law. I think its
just right for the youth to know and understand what happened in the past and how our fellow
countrymen fought for our country. As for the other argument, they said that Rizal’s works are made
to attack the Catholic Church, but for me I think, yes, Rizal’s works were made for that, to attack the
church, but that was during Rizal’s time. What happened during that time and what is happening now
in the Catholic Church has changed already.

2.Given that the expressed purpose of the Rizal Law is to inspire nationalism and patriotism to the young
Filipinos, do you agree with the opposition’s proposal to have as material for study the more nationalistic
works of Rizal rather than the Noli and the Fili? If so, which work/s of Rizal or of any other great Filipinos
would you have had as study material/s?
I disagree with the opposition’s proposal, since I believe that the Noli and El Fili is enough for the
youths to know what they have to know. The two works are enough to inspire Nationalism and
Patriotism to the Filipino youths.

3. Heroes are created either by acclamation (before 1993’s EO 75) or proclamation (after EO 75). Which
between the two do you prefer?
Between the two options, I personally prefer proclamation than acclamation for the reason that
it is more formal than the other option. And choosing a hero should be a formal thing.

4. Cite a specific person who lived (and died) in the past decade that you consider hero. Using as
reference the criteria given by the National Heroes Committee, explain why you consider him/her as such.
I consider the SAF 44 as heroes, and that is in accordance with the criteria given by the National
Heroes Committee. They fighting the bring justice to the Muslim and Christian civilians who died from the
bombs made by an international terrorist.

Assessment:
Authentic Assessment: The individual and group outputs will be at the same time a form of assessment.
Rubrics on the individual and group outputs will be used for grading the students.

References:

Constantino, Renato. 1969. The Rizal Law and the Catholic hierarchy. In The making of a Filipino: A story of
Philippine colonial politics, pp. 244-247. Quezon City: Malaya Books.

Laurel, Jose B., Jr. 1960. The Trials of the Rizal Bill. Historical Bulletin 4(2):130-139.

Republic of the Philippines. 1956. Republic Act 1425. http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-

act-n1425/

Schumacher, John. 2011. The Rizal Bill of 1956: Horacio de la Costa and the bishops. Philippine Studies
59(4):529-553.