Republic Act 1425 or Rizal Law

• Senator Claro M. Recto was the main proponent of the Rizal Bill.
• Catholic Church claimed that it would violate freedom of conscience and religion.
• Catholic Bishops conference of the Philippines (CBCP) “Such bill is a violation of 1939
Canon Law which prohibits books that attacks the Catholic Doctrine and practices.

Among the 333 pages of Noli Me Tangere, 25 of the passages are nationalistic while 120 are
anti-Catholic.

•AGAINST: Catholic Action of the Philippines, the Congregation of the Mission, the Knights of
Columbus, and the Catholic Teachers Guild.

•PRO: Veteranos de la Revolucion (Spirit of 1896), Alagad in Rizal, the Freemasons, and the
Knights of Rizal

•Senate Committee on Education sponsored a bill co-written by both José P. Laurel and Recto,
with the only opposition coming from Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Mariano Jesús Cuenco, and
Decoroso Rosales.

Catholic schools threatened to close down if the bill was passed; Recto countered that if that
happened, the schools would be nationalized.

May 12, 1956, a compromise inserted by Committee on Education chairman Laurel that
accommodated the objections of the Catholic Church was approved unanimously.

Importance of Studying RA 1425

1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism

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.

Rizal as an American Sponsored Hero

- It was in 1901 when William Howard Taft proposed Rizal as our National Hero because:
 • Rizal was already dead by the time the Americans colonized the Philippines.
• He did not make any negative or embarrassing remarks of anti-American quotations.
• Martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal was a symbol of Spanish oppression.
• He urged reform from within by publicity.

Rizal as Pioneer Asian Nationalist Leader

• The worth and dignity of the individual;

• The inviolability of human rights;
• The innate equality of all men and races;
• The necessity for constitutional government;
• Due process of law;
• Popular sovereignty as the basis of all political authority,
• Faith in human reason and enlightenment;
• The rights of the masses to public education; and
Belief in social progress through freedom.

The Biographical Sketch of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Jose Rizal was born on Wednesday, June 19, 1861 between eleven to twelve midnight in
Calamba Laguna. His birth would have caused his mother’s life had she has not vowed to the
Virgin of Antipolo that would take him on a pilgrimage of the shrine.

He was baptized at a Catholic Church of Calamba when he was 3 days old by Rev. Rufino
Collantes who is a closed family friend and at the same time stood as his godfather. I was noted
by Rev. Collantes that the new baby has a big head and advised the family to take care of this
child as he was destined to become a great person. Which proved to be prophetic and later
explicitly confirmed by subsequent events.

Rizal’s Life: Family, Childhood, Early Education

The Mercado - Rizal Family

• The Rizals are considered as one of the biggest families during their time. Domingo Lam-
co, the family's paternal ascendant was a full-blooded Chinese who came to the
Philippines from Amoy, China in the closing years of the 17th century and married a
Chinese half-breed by the name of Ines de la Rosa.

• Researchers revealed that the Mercado-Rizal family had also traces of Japanese, Spanish,
Malay and Even Negrito blood aside from Chinese.

• Jose Rizal came from a 13-member family consisting of his parents, Francisco Mercado
II and Teodora Alonso Realonda, and nine sisters and one brother.
Rizal Family
SATURNINA RIZAL (1850-1913)

The eldest child of the Rizal-Alonzo marriage.

Married Manuel Timoteo Hidalgo of Tanauan, Batangas.

PACIANO RIZAL (1851-1930)

The only brother of Jose Rizal and the second child.

Studied at San Jose College in Manila; became a farmer and later a general of the Philippine
Revolution.
He was a second father to his younger brother Jose and gave him wise counsel. People who knew
him opined that he was the filosopo Tayo in Noli Me Tangere. Immediately after the hero’s
execution, He joined General Aguinaldo’s revolutionary army where he rose to the rank of Major
General. He returned to Los Baños after the restoration of peace and order and led the life of a
simple farmer and exemplary citizen. In 1930 he died almost unwept, unhonored and unsung and
was buried in Manila.

NARCISA RIZAL (1852-1939)

The third child. Married Antonio Lopez at

Morong, Rizal; a teacher and musician

OLYMPIA RIZAL (1855-1887)

The fourth child.

Married Silvestre Ubaldo; died in 1887 from childbirth.

LUCIA RIZAL (1857-1919)

The fifth child. Married Matriano Herbosa.

MARIA RIZAL (1859-1945)

The sixth child.

Married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna.

JOSE RIZAL (1861-1896)

The second son and the seventh child.

He was executed by the Spaniards on December 30,1896.
CONCEPCION RIZAL (1862-1865)

The eight child. Died at the age of three.

JOSEFA RIZAL (1865-1945)

The ninth child. An epileptic, died a spinster.

TRINIDAD RIZAL (1868-1951)

The tenth child. Died a spinster and the last of the family to die.

SOLEDAD RIZAL (1870-1929)

The youngest child married Pantaleon Quintero.

The life of Rizal like other young Filipino boys had a lot of pleasant and beautiful memories to
reckon during his childhood days in Calamba. He grew up in a home environment characterized
by joy and contentment. His birthplace was an ideal place for artists, poets and budding writers.
This is Calamba, a perfect place to nurture a growing child that holds promise that eventually
became the “cradle of a genius”.

Mercado family was living a simple and happy life. Mang Kikoy and Aling Lolay loved their
children wherein they taught their children to give respect and show obedience to their elders and
also taught to address elder sister politely with “Senora” and their brothers with “Senor” (Zaide
& Zaide, 2008).
Jose grew up in a two-story house in which the first floor was built of stone.

On the ground floor was his mother’s little store and also have a Camarin, where rice and sugar
were kept. The family resided on the second floor made out of concrete and wood. Here were the
living room, bedrooms, and kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities.
The favorite dish of Jose was Carne Asada or beef steak accompanied by a delicious sauce. He
also loved champorado and the children were well fed of a mixture of ordinary and exquisite
dishes at the time. (Sta. Maria, 2012).
The house had a private library which consisted books of more than 1000 volumes. It had a
grand veranda called azotea, from their children used to watch the people passing by the streets
below, and in that very place many stories had been told by either their mother or their aya. They
told of many enchanting tales, fascinating legends and fantastic stories. (Zaide & Zaide, 2008).

The Town that Inspires a Hero

Calamba was located in the midst of a rich agricultural region in Laguna, the Lake province of
Luzon.It enclosed between the vast Laguna de Bay and the enchanted Mt. Makiling. The
Dominican friars virtually owned the town of Calamba and haciendas at the time, where non-
Spanish families were only renting the lands and they were subject to pay taxes, mostly
excessive, in money or kind (Constantino, 2005).

This sytem is known by encomienda. Jose captured by the striking impression of their town, and
from there he developed his powerful senses dedicated to poetry and visual arts. He revealed his
heart in the poem entitled “Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo” (In Memory Of my Town).

Jose was designed by nature to be an artist. It was revealed before he was five years of age,
where his parents including his uncles recognized this exceptional talent and give him all the
encouragement. (Zaide & Zaide, 2008).

Uncle Jose Alberto, a fine artist himself, helps him to developed innate gift of arts.

Uncle Gregorio, a tireless reader, often lectured the eager child on the foundations of success and
learns 20 languages in his later life.

Uncle Manuel, a sports and fitness enthusiast, encourage him to frail his body by way of athletic
drills, martial arts and physical exercises.

Rizal’s Early Education

Rizal’s mother was his first teacher. He learned the alphabet and the prayers at the age of 3.
Rizal wrote in his student memoirs, “My mother, taught me how to read and say haltingly the
humble prayers which I raised fervently to God. His mother told him about the Parable of the
Moth and encouraged him to write poems. At the age of eight he wrote his first poem which
symbolizes his love for the national language and encourages his countrymen to do the same.

SA AKING MGA KABATA

 Kapagka ang baya’y sadyang umiibig
Sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit,
sanlang Kalayaan nasa ring masapit
katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.

Pagkat ang salita’y isang kahatulan

Sa bayan, sa nayo’t mga kaharian
At ang isang tao’y katulad kabagay
Ng alin mang likha noong Kalayaan

Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita

Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda ,
Kaya ang marapat pagyaamanin kusa
Tulad ng inang tunay na nagpala.

Ang wikang tagalog tulad din sa latin,

Sa ingles, kastila at salitang anghel
Sa pagkat ang Poong maalam tumingin
Ang syang nag-gawad, nag- bigay sa atin.

Ang salita natin tulad din sa iba

Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Na akaya nawala’y dinatnan ng sigwa
Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.

His parents employed private, tutors to give him lessons at home. Maestro Celestino and Maestro
Lucas Padua, Leon Monroy. He was sent to a school for boys in the town of Biñan, where his
uncle Jose Alberto was residing. Señor Justiniano Aquino Cruz- strict practitioner of pounding
knowledge not only into the eye and ear, but also the palm.

“I used to win in the competitions, for nobody happened to be better than I. Of these
succeses I made the most. Despite the reputation I had of being a good boy, rare were the
days when the teacher did not call me up to receive five or six blows on the hand… how it
hurt!”

Jose went home after a few months. He left Biñan for the Christmas vacation in 1871. His
education was determined to continue in Manila when injustice occurred in his young, happy
life.
His mother was thrown to prison. The charge was that she had conspired with her brother,
Alberto, to kill his wife, who had separated from him.

Precedents Event to the Ignatian Life

1. Paciano, Rizal’s brother was studying at Colegio de San Jose under tutelage of Fr. Jose
Burgos
2. Cavite mutiny took place on January 20,1872 led by Sergeant La Madrid.
3. GOMBURZA Execution February 17, 1872
4. The arrest of is mother
5. Rizal took and passed the entrance test in Letran
6. Rizal matriculated in Ateneo on June 10, 1872.
 RIZAL’S ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Four months after the execution of the three martyr priest, and Donya Teodora still in prison,
Rizal was being sent off to Manila to further pursue his study under the supervision of the
Spanish Jesuits, Ateneo de Manila.

It was formerly called Escuela Pia, a school established for poor boys in 1817. He took he
entrance examination on June 10, 1872, He used the name “Rizal” as his surname instead of
Mercado, boarded in Caraballo street outside of Intramuros with Aling Titay as her landlady.
Summer of 1873
It was March 1873 when Rizal returned to Calamba to have his summer vacation. His sister
Neneg ( Saturnina) brought him to Tanawan to cheer him up. He also visited his mother in
prison without the knowledge of his father. After his vacation he returned to Manila for his
second year in college and boarded inside the Intramuros.
His second year in Ateneo was more fruitful one. He spent most his time reading different
interesting books and magazines such as “The Count of Monte Cristo”, Univeral History and
Travels to the Philippines.

June 1876 was Rizal’s last year in Ateneo, he is truly the “Pride of the Jesuits” having excelled
in all his subjects He graduated BACHELOR OF ARTS with highest honors.
Rizal also has written several poems during his Ateneo days such as Mi Primera Inspiration ( My
First Inspiration), El Heroism de Colon ( The Heroism of Colombus), Colon Y Juan II, Gran
Consuelo en la Mayor Desdicha and Un Diarogo Alusivo a la Despedidade Los Colegiales

Summary of Rizal’s scholastic records

 Land Surveying and Assessment- March 14, 1877, with honours and sobresaliente
Took and passed a licensure exam in 1878 but was not given a license until 1881
In 1878, he enrolled for a degree in Philosophy at University of Santo Tomas
Took medicine and specialized in opthalmology

Rizal’s First Romance

It was the first romance of our national hero and at the same time the first heartbreak at the age
of sixteen. Their love story did not flourish because of Rizal’s shyness and reserve. It was to late
for him to know that Segunda was already engaged to Manuel Luz and later got married.

RIZAL’S STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS (1877-

1882)
After his graduation in Ateneo, his father wanted him to pursue higher education believing that
great future that awaited his son whose intelligence was among the best during his time. Despite
the disapproval of his mother Rizal continue to study in University of Sto. Tomas. He took up a
vocational course leading to the title of “peito agrimensor” {expert surveyor}with the grade of
“Excellent” but was not given the title as he was only 17 years old then.

He finally decided to take up medicine with the advice of Fr. Pablo Ramon, the Director of
Ateneo de Manila with the intention and desire to cure Doña Teodora’s failing eyesight.

Rizal’s first encounter of Spanish brutality happens in one summer vacation. It was night time
and he was walking when a guardia civil happens to pass by his side. Without him noticing that
those were Guardia Civil he did not bow his head and greeted them. At a striking distance the
civil guards hit him with stingray tail (buntot pagi) at the back and suffered for two weeks. He
cannot accept such treatment and when consulted by then Captain Primo De Rivera, rizal was
even reprimanded and should be thankful that he is still alive.

He continued his study at UST and later on graduated with high scholastic records. He also have
done several artistic works during his stay in UST.

LITERARY WORKS IN UST

1. 1879 A La Juventud Filipina (To the Filipino Youth) It was Rizal’s winning
masterpiece which he submitted in the Literary contest held in LIceo Artistico Literario
of Manila.
2. El Consejo De Los Dioses (The Council of Gods). Another literary contes by the Liceo to
commemorate the death of of Miguel Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote. Rizal won
the first prize and the priza was a gold ring bearing the engraved bus of Cervantes. But
his certificate was conferred 2nd place upon knowing that the author was a Filipino decide
to give the first prize to a fellow Spanish.

OTHER WORKS

1. Abd-el-Azis Y Mahoma- a poem composed by Rizal for Manuel Fernandez and which
declaimed by the latter on the nigh of December 7, 1879;

2. Junta Al Pasig- A drama played by Ateneans on the occasion of Feast of Immaculate

Concepcion on Decemebr 8, 1880;

3. A Filipinas- a sonnet written in 1880 to praise the beauty of the Philippines and
encourage fellow Filipinos artists to glorify the Philippines through their artworks;

4. Al M.R.P.Pablo Ramon Recto del Ateneo, en Sus Dias A poem he wrote for Fr. Ramon
Recto who has been so kind and helpful to him.