RA 1425: Ang Batas Rizal (JUNE 12, 1956) civic conscience and to teach the

duties of citizenship; Now, therefore,  

 Section 1.    Courses on the life, works

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425
and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly
AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA his novel Noli Me Tangere and El
OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, Filibusterismo, shall be included in the
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES COURSES curricula of all schools, colleges and
ON THE LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF universities, public or private:
JOSE RIZAL, PARTICULARLY HIS NOVELS Provided, That in the collegiate
NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL courses, the original or unexpurgated
FILIBUSTERISMO, AUTHORIZING THE editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El
PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION THEREOF, Filibusterismo of their English
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. translation shall be used as basic texts.

 WHEREAS, today, more than any other

The Board of National Education is
period of our history, there is a need
hereby authorized and directed to
for a re-dedication to the ideals of
adopt forthwith measures to
freedom and nationalism for which
implement and carry out the
our heroes lived and died; 
provisions of this Section, including
the writing and printing of appropriate
WHEREAS, it is meet that in honoring
primers, readers and textbooks. The
them, particularly the national hero
Board shall, within sixty (60) days from
and patriot, Jose Rizal, we remember
the effectivity of this Act, promulgate
with special fondness and devotion
rules and regulations, including those
their lives and works that have shaped
of disciplinary nature, to carry out and
the national character;
enforce the provisions of this Act. The
Board shall promulgate rules and
WHEREAS, the life, works and writing
regulations providing for the
of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels
exemption of students for reasons of
Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo,
religious belief stated in a sworn
are a constant and inspiring source of
written statement, from the
patriotism with which the minds of the
requirement of the provision
youth, especially during their
contained in the second part of the
formative and decisive years in school,
first paragraph of this section; but not
should be suffused;
from taking the course provided for in
the first part of said paragraph. Said
WHEREAS, all educational institutions
rules and regulations shall take effect
are under the supervision of, and
thirty (30) days after their publication
subject to regulation by the State, and
in the Official Gazette.
all schools are enjoined to develop
moral character, personal discipline,
  Section 2.    It shall be obligatory on all  Section 5. The sum of three hundred
schools, colleges and universities to thousand pesos is hereby authorized
keep in their libraries an adequate to be appropriated out of any fund not
number of copies of the original and otherwise appropriated in the
unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me National Treasury to carry out the
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well purposes of this Act.
as of Rizal's other works and
 Section 6.  This Act shall take effect
biography. The said unexpurgated
upon its approval.
editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo or their translations in  Approved: June 12, 1956
English as well as other writings of
Rizal shall be included in the list of
approved books for required reading Pagbabalik-tanaw
in all public or private schools, colleges
 Sa bisa ng R. A. 1425 (Batas Rizal),
and universities.
mahigit  55 taon nang kinukuha ng
mga mag-aaral sa kolehiyo ang
The Board of National Education shall
kursong tumatalakay sa buhay at mga
determine the adequacy of the
akda ni Jose Rizal.
number of books, depending upon the
enrollment of the school, college or  Mahalagang balikan ang konteksto ng
university. pagpapanukala at ang mga naging
kaakibat na isyu sa pagsusulong nito.
 Section 3.    The Board of National
Education shall cause the translation
of the Noli Me Tangere and El Ang Pilipinas Matapos ang Ikalawang
Filibusterismo, as well as other Digmaang Pandaigdig
writings of Jose Rizal into English,
Tagalog and the principal Philippine 1. Nagpatuloy ang dominasyon ng
dialects; cause them to be printed in Estados Unidos sa
cheap, popular editions; and cause Pilipinas partikular na
them to be distributed, free of charge, sa aspetong
to persons desiring to read them, pampulitika,
through the Purok organizations and pangmilitar at pang
Barrio Councils throughout the ekonomiya.
country. 
2. Patuloy na pakikibaka
 Section 4. Nothing in this Act shall be
ng mga Pilipino para sa
construed as amendment or repealing
tunay at ganap na
section nine hundred twenty-seven of
pagbabagong Panlipunan
the Administrative Code, prohibiting
the discussion of religious doctrines by
public school teachers and other
person engaged in any public school.
Si Recto at ang Batas Ang Batas Rizal (R.A. 1425)
Rizal  Inihapag sa Senado ni
Sen. Jose P. Laurel ang
 Sa gitna ng mga
isang panukalang batas
panlipunang
(Senate Bill 438) na
suliraning ito, isang
naglalayong pag-aralan
makabayang
ang buhay at mga akda
Pilipino ang
ni Jose Rizal noong Abril
pumagitna at naghain ng akmang
17, 1956.
solusyon.
 Si Sen. Laurel bilang Tagapangulo ng
 Itinuturing si Sen. Claro M. Recto na
Senate Committee on Education ang
mahigpit na oposisyon sa mga
naghapag nito, subalit ang orihinal na
polisiyang isinulong nina Pang. Elpidio
panukala ay inakda ni Sen. Claro M.
Quirino at Pang. Ramon Magsaysay.
Recto.
 Maalam sa mga akda at buhay ni Rizal,
Senate Bill 438
naniniwala si Claro M. Recto na
integral sa pagmamahal sa bayan ang  An Act to make Noli Me Tangere and
pag-aaral sa mga dakilang gawa ng El Filibusterismo compulsory reading
ating Pambansang Bayani. matter in all public and private
colleges and universities and for other
“…the reading of Rizal’s novels would
purposes.
strengthen the Filipinism of the youth
and foster patriotism”. Ang panukalang ito ay tumanggap ng
- C. M. Recto maraming mga pagbatikos mula sa mga
Katolikong Senador.
 Sa layuning ito, kanyang isinulong ang
sapilitang pag-aaral sa buhay at mga  Ilan sa mga ito ay sina:
sinulat ni Dr. Jose Rizal sa mga mag-
Sen. Decoroso Rosales
aaral ng kolehiyo.
Sen. Mariano Cuenco

Sen. Francisco Rodrigo

We, too, can prosper, as other nations
which have become free and have known  Ang mga pagbatikos ng mga senador
how to rely on themselves with dignity na ito ang nagbigay-daan para sa mga
and self-respect have prospered. Our debate sa pagitan ng mga laban at
people deserve a better fate, a destiny pumapabor dito.
realized in happiness and freedom…”
 Si Claro M. Recto bilang orihinal na
- Claro M. Recto may-akda ng panukala ang siyang
buong-giting na nagdepensa sa
kahalagahan ng panukala para sa mas
 malalim na pagkakilala sa pagiging “This is the basis of my stand. Let us not
Pilipino at pagmamahal sa bayan. create a conflict between nationalism
and religion; between the government
and the church.”
 Maliban sa mga nabanggit na Senador,
- Senator Francisco Rodrigo
ang Catholic Action of Manila (CAM)
ang isa sa mga pangunahing
organisasyon na naglunsad ng mga
Rizal’s novels “belong to the past” and it
kampanya laban sa panukala:
would be “harmful” to read them because
(1) ang kanilang opisyal na pahayagan, they presented a “false picture” of
Sentinel ay inilabas na araw-araw sa halip conditions in the country at that time.
na isang beses lamang sa isang linggo at;  Noli Me Tangere is an “attack on the
clergy” and its object was to “put to
(2) hinikayat ang mga Katoliko na sumulat
ridicule the Catholic faith.” 
sa mga Senador at Kongresman na ibasura
ang Batas Rizal    The novel was not really patriotic because
out of 333 pages, only 25 contained
patriotic passages while 120 were
Mga Pahayag Laban sa Panukalang Batas devoted to anti-Catholic attack.
Rizal
- Fr. Jesus Cavanna
 “Compulsion to read something
(Speaker on the symposium organized by
against one’s religious convictions
CAM)
was no different from a requirement
to salute the flag, which according to
the latest decision on the matter by
Since some parts of the novels had been
the US Supreme Court, was an
declared “objectionable matter” by the
impairment both of freedom of
hierarchy, Catholics had the right to refuse
speech and freedom of religion.”
to read them so as not to “endanger their
- Principal argument of Senators Rodrigo, salvation.”
Rosales and Cuenco
- Jesus Paredes

Radio commentator
“A vast majority of our people are at the
same time Catholics and Filipino citizens.
As such, they have two great loves: their The bill was Recto’s revenge against the
country and their faith. These two loves Catholic voters who, together with
are not conflicting loves. They are Magsaysay, were responsible for his poor
harmonious affections, like the love of a showing in the 1955 senatorial elections.”
child for his father and for his mother.
- Narciso Pimentel Jr.
Radio commentator
Laban sa Simbahang Katoliko Ang Tagapagtanggol ng Panukalang Batas

 Ang lahat ng pagbatikos sa panukalang  Sa gitna ng mainit na debateng

batas na ito ay bunga ng paniniwala ng ibinunga ng panukalang batas,
mga Senador na makakasira sa imahe nanatiling hindi natitinag ang
ng Simbahan ang pagbabasa sa mga nagpanukala nito- si Sen. Claro M.
nobela at maging sa buhay ni Rizal.  Recto.
 Sa Senado, hindi napigilan si Recto sa
 Sa isang pastoral letter na inilabas ng
pagtatanggol para sa nasabing
Simbahang Katoliko, binabanggit na sa
panukala
333 pahinang edisyon ng nobela ni
 Sa tatlong oras na talumpati sa
Rizal, 25 bahagi lamang ang
Senado, binatikos ni Recto ang
naglalaman ng makabayang
pastoral letter ng Simbahang Katoliko.
damdamin. 120 naman ay inilaan ni
Ayon sa kanya, dinaig pa ng pastoral
Rizal bilang pang-atake sa Simbahang
letter ang pagkundena ng mga
katoliko.
Dominikano sa mga nobela na naging
 Kasama rin sa nasabing pastoral letter dahilan ng pagbaril kay Rizal sa Luneta
ang pagbanggit sa 170 bahagi mula sa noong ika-19 dantaon.
Noli at 50 bahagi mula sa Fili na  Dagdag pa rito, binanggit ni Recto na
naglalayong sirain ang magandang ang pagbabasa ng nasabing pastoral
imahe ng Simbahang Katoliko. letter “should open the eyes of the
 Sa pananalita ng isang Senador: “But I people to the real enemies of Rizal
cannot allow my son who is now 16 and true nationalism”
to read the Noli Me Tangere and the  Bilang tugon sa bantang ipapasara ng
El Filibusterismo lest he lose his Simbahan ang mga paaralang Katoliko
faith”. – Sen. Rodrigo sa sandaling maipasa ang batas, nakita
ni Recto na pabor ito sa bansa upang
 Hindi na lamang sa loob ng Senado maisakatapuran na ang
ang kontrobersiyang idinulot ng nationalization ng mga paaralan.
panukalang batas. Katulad ng Senate Bill 438, hakbang
 Nakialam na rin ang Simbahang din ito upang mapalawak ang
Katoliko tungkol sa isyu. nasyonalismo sa mga Filipino.
 Ayon kay Recto, “They (Catholic
 Binantaan ng Simbahan si Recto na Church) are making too much profit
ipapasara nila ang lahat ng mga which they can ill-afford to give up.”
paaralang Katoliko sa sandaling  “Rizal did not pretend to teach religion
maipasa ang nasabing panukalang or theology when he wrote these
batas. books. He aimed at inculcating civic
consciousness in the Filipinos,
national dignity, personal pride, and
PATRIOTISM, and if references were
made by him in the course of his
 narration to certain religious practices  An Act to make Noli Me Tangere and
in the Philippines in those days and to El Filibusterismo compulsory reading
the conduct and behavior of erring matter in all public and private
ministers of the church, it was because colleges and universities and for other
he portrayed faithfully the general purposes.
situation in the Philippines as it then
existed.” Revised text
 An Act to include in the curricula of all
- CM Recto
public and private schools, colleges
and universities courses on the life,
 “Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo works and writings of Jose Rizal,
must be read by all Filipinos. They particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere
must be taken to heart, for in their and El Filiobusterismo, authorizing the
pages we see ourselves as in a mirror: printing and distribution, thereof, and
our defects as well as our strength, for other purposes.
our virtues as well as our vices. Only
then would we become conscious as a  Malinaw na tinanggal ni Sen. Laurel
people, and so learn to prepare ang ideya ng “sapilitan” (compulsion). 
ourselves for painful sacrifices that  Marami pa rin ang umasa na hindi ito
ultimately lead to self-reliance, self- maaprobahan (kabilang na si Cong.
respect and freedom.” Miguel Cuenco) ngunit nabigo ang
- Senator Jose P. Laurel mga ito, sapagkat…

 Senado: Naipasa ang batas na 23

senador ang pabor (Panukalang Batas
 Dahil humigit na sa dalawang linggo bilang 438)
ang matindihang debate at tila walang
pinatutunguhang pag-uusap tungkol  Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso:
sa panukala, nirebisa ni Sen. Laurel 71 ang pabor; 9 ang hindi pabor; 2
ang panukala. nagpasyang di bumoto (Panukalang
Batas bilang 5564)

 Ang pinagsamang PB 438 at PB 5564

An Act to include in the curricula of all ay naging Batas Pambansa bilang
public and private schools, colleges and 1425.
universities courses on the life, works and
writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his Nilagdaan ang panukalang batas
novels Noli Me Tangere and El ng dating Pangulong Ramon
Filibusterismo, authorizing the printing Magsaysay at naging Republic
and distribution, thereof, and for other Act 1425 noong Hunyo 12,1956
purposes. na mas lalong popular sa tawag
na BATAS RIZAL.
Original text
Ang Batas Pambansa 1425 noong Dekada Thoughts to ponder…
‘90
 The most predominantly Catholic
 Memorandum Order 246 – Pang. Fidel country in Asia and it chooses a mason
V. Ramos, ika-26 ng Disyembre, 1994 and anti-cleric to be its national hero. 
 CHED memos: 
 Either the Filipino is a split personality
 bilang 3, 1995
or the greatest practioner in the art of
 bilang 6, 1996
uniting opposites.
 Sa gitna ng panlabas at panloob na
mga panlipunang suliraning kinaharap  What a nation!
ng bansa noong 1950’s, naniwala si
- Voltaire de Leon 31 May 2008
Recto na ang pag-aaral sa buhay at
at 1pm 
akda ni Rizal ang gigising sa natutulog
na damdaming makabayan ng mga
Pilipinong mag-aaral. PAGPILI NG PAMBANSANG BAYANI
 Taong 1956 nang ipasa at ipatupad Komisyong Taft (1901)
ang R.A. 1425. Makalipas ang 55 taon,
nananatili pa rin ang mga suliraning  Governor-General
panlipunan; nananatili pa rin ang William Howard Taft:
pangangailangan ng bansa sa mga kinakailangang
bayani; nananatili pa rin ang bisa ng magkaroon ang
mga sinulat ni Rizal. Pilipinas ng
 At nananatili pa rin ang panawagan ni Pambansang Bayani.
Rizal na mahalin at paglingkuran ang  Ang pambansang bayani na ito ang
Inang Bayan. magiging pambansang huwaran ng
 Sa panahon natin ngayon na puro mga mamamayang Pilipino.
banyagang gamit, wika, kultura na
lang ang tinatangkilik natin hindi
maiwasan na mawala ang
pagmamahal natin sa sarili nating
bayan o ang nasyonalismo na nabaon
na sa limot…

“Nasaan ang kabataang dapat mag-alay 1. Wiliam Howard Taft

ng kanyang kasariwaan, ng kanyang mga
2. Morgan Shuster
panaginip at sigasig ukol sa kabutihan ng
kanyang Inang Bayan?...Hinihintay namin 3. Bernard Moses
kayo, o mga kabataan! Halikayo sapagkat
4. Dean Worcester
hinihintay namin kayo!”
5. Henry Clay Ide
- Padre Florentino
6. Trinidad Pardo H. de
El Filibusterismo
Tavera
7. Gregorio
Araneta
Marcelo H. del Pilar (1850-1896)
8. Cayetano
 Born on August 30,
Arellano
1850 in Cupang,
9. Jose Bulacan, Bulacan
Luzurriaga
 Filipino writer,
journalist, satirist

Pamantayan  Revolutionary leader

1. Isang Pilipino  Died of tuberculosis in Barcelona,

Spain on July 4, 1896
2. Yumao na

3. May matayog na pagmamahal sa

bayan Jose P. Rizal (1861-1896)

4. May mahinahong damdamin  Born in June 19, 1861 in

Calamba, Laguna

 Filipino polymath
Mga pinagpilian
 Foremost Filipino Patriot
 Jose Rizal
 Marcelo H. del Pilar  Wrote the Noli and Fili
 Graciano Lopez Jaena
 Founder of La Liga Filipina
 Antonio Luna
 Emilio Jacinto  Executed by the Spanish on Dec 30,
1896 in Bagumbayan

Graciano Lopez-Jaena (1856-1896)

Emilio Jacinto (1875-1899)
 Jaro, Iloilo
 Born in Trozo, Tondo
 Filipino journalist on Dec 15, 1875
 Orator  Filipino revolutionary
 Revolutionary  The Brain of the
from Iloilo Katipunan
 Founder, editor of La Solidaridad  Studied in San Juan de Letran College
 Died of tuberculosis on Jan 20, 1896 in then in UST
Barcelona, Spain    Writer – Dimasilaw
 Contracted malaria and died in
Magdalena, Laguna in April 16, 1899

Antonio Luna (1866-1899)

 Born October 29,

1866 in Urbiztondo,
Binondo, Manila

 Filipino pharmacist

 Wrote for La
Solidaridad

 revolutiionary

 Brigadier-general who fought in the

Philippine-American War

 Killed by fellow Fililipinos on June 5,

1899

Si Rizal ang napili dahil…

1. Siya ang kauna-unahang Pilipino

umakit upang ang buong bansa ay
magkaisang maghimagsik laban sa
kolonyalistang Espanya, sa
pamamagitan ng dalawa niyang
nobela, ang Noli Me Tangere at El
Filibusterismo.

2. Huwaran siya ng kapayapaan.

3. Ang mga Pilipino ay sentimental o

maramdamin.