GNED 09 Learning Module

CHAPTER 1: Introduction – Republic Act 1425

History
Senate bill 438 known as Rizal Bill which was first authored by Senator Claro M. Recto – requiring the
inclusion in the curricula of all private and public schools, colleges and universities the life, works and writings of Jose
Rizal particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo – is considered as one of the most controversial
bills in the Philippines. Normally, before the bill was approved and implemented in all schools and was signed into a
law known as Republic Act 1425, it had been brought to the Upper and Lower House of the Congress for
deliberations. But what made it controversial is that the bill was not just fiercely opposed by people from Legislative
Arm but also by the Catholic Church due to the inclusion of compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels in which according
to them, catholic dogmas are humiliated.

Senator Recto brought the bill to the Senate and Senator Jose B. Laurel Sr. who was then the Chairman of
the Committee on Education sponsored the bill that consequently led to exchange of arguments from the Congress.
The bill was headedly opposed by three senators namely Senator Francisco Rodrigo who was a former Catholic
Action President, Senator Mariano Cuenco and Senator Decoroso Rosales who was the brother of Julio Rosales, an
archbishop. Other oppositors were from Lower House namely Congressmen Ramon Durano, Marciano Lim, Jose
Nuguid, Manuel Soza, Godofredo Ramos, Miguel Cuenco, Lucas Paredes, Congressmen Carmen Consing and Tecia
San Andres Ziga. The Catholic Church was indirectly included in the debates and played a major role for the
intervention of signing of the bill into a law. Allied with the church in battle against Rizal Bill were the Holy Name
Society of the Philippines, Catholic Action of the Philippines, Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus and Daughters of
Isabela.

Oppositions argued that the bill would go against freedom of conscience and religion, The Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) submitted a pastoral letter to which according, Rizal violated Canon Law 1399
which forbids or bans books that attack or ridicule the catholic doctrine and practices. Oppositors argued that among
the 333 pages of Noli Me Tangere, only 25 passages are nationalistic while 120 passages are anti-catholic. While
upon scrutiny of the two novels by some members of catholic hierarchical, 170 passages in Noli Me Tangere and 50
in El Filibusterismo are against catholic faith. Furthermore, oppositors pointed out that Rizal admitted that he did not
only attack the friars who acted deceptively on the Filipinos but also the catholic faith itself. They suggested a
reading material for students as to what they called Rizalian Anthology, a collection of Rizal’s literary works that
contain the patriotic philosophy excluding the two novels.

Of course, Recto and Laurel defended the bill and argued that the only objective of the bill is to keep the
memory of the national hero alive in every Filipino’s mind, to emanate Rizal as he peacefully fought for freedom, and
not to go against religion. Senators Lorenso Tanada, Quintin Paredes and Domocao Alonto of Mindanao also
defended Rizal Bill which was also favored by Representatives from the House namely Congressmen Jacobo
Gonzales, Emilio Cortez, Mario Bengson, Joaquin Roxas, Lancap Lagumbay and Pedro Lopez. Other supporters of the
bill were Mayor Arsenio Lacson call anti-Rizal bill “bigoted and intolerant” and walked out of a mass when the priest
read a pastoral letter from the Archbishop denouncing the Rizal Bill aqnd General Emilio Aguinaldo with groups like

Reference: https://dimasalang.weebly.com/ra-1425.html
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the Knights of Rizal, Women Writers of the Vernacular, Philippine Veterans Legion, Colleges Editors’ Guild and
Philippine School Teachers’ Association.

Excitement and intense scenes were eventually arisen in settling the Rizal Bill. One of which was the debate
of Cebu Representative Ramon Durano and Pampanga Representative Emilio Cortes that ended with a fistfight in
Congress. Bacolod City Bishop Manuel Yap threatened to campaign against pro-Rizal bill legislators and to punish
them in future elections. Catholic Schools Representatives threatened to close down their schools if the Rizal Bill was
passed. Recto told them that if they did, the State could nationalize the catholic schools. When there was a proposal
to use the expurgated novels as textbooks and put the original copies under lock and key in the school libraries,
Recto rejected this amendment and expressed:

“The people who would eliminate the books of Rizal from the schools…would bot out from our minds the memory of
the national hero…this is not a fight against Recto but a fight against Rizal…now that Rizal is dead and they can no
longer attempt at his life, they are attempting to blot out his memory.”

Due to apparently never-ending debate on the Rizal Bill, approved amendments were formulated through
ideas of three senators. Senator Laurel’ created an amendment to the original bill in which, other that Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, works written by Rizal and works written by others about Rizal would be included and
reading of the unexpurgated revision of the two novels would no longer be compulsory to elementary and secondary
levels but would be strictly observed to college level. Senator Lim suggested the exemption to those students who
feel that reading Rizal’s novels would negatively affect his or her faith. Senator Primicias created an additional
amendment that promulgates the rules and regulations in getting an exemption only from reading the two novels
through written statement or affidavit and not from taking the Rizal Course. According to historian Ambeth Ocampo,
no student has ever availed of this exemption. After the revised amendments, the bill was finally passed on May 17,
1956 and was signed into law as Republic Act 1425 by President Ramon Magsaysay on June 12 of the same year.

Republic Act No. 1425

AN ACT TO INCLUDE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, 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 honoring 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 writing 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,

SECTION 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novel Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo, shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public or private: Provided,
That in the collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or
their English translation shall be used as basic texts.

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The Board of National Education is hereby authorized and directed to adopt forthwith measures to implement and
carry out the provisions of this Section, including the writing and printing of appropriate primers, readers and
textbooks. The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate rules and regulations,
including those of a disciplinary nature, to carry out and enforce the provisions of this Act. The Board shall
promulgate rules and regulations providing for the exemption of students for reasons of religious belief stated in a
sworn written statement, from the requirement of the provision contained in the second part of the first paragraph
of this section; but not from taking the course provided for in the first part of said paragraph. Said rules and
regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after their publication in the Official Gazette.

SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep in their libraries an adequate
number of copies of the original and unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as
of Rizal’s other works and biography. The said unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or
their translations in English as well as other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books for
required reading in all public or private schools, colleges and universities.
The Board of National Education shall determine the adequacy of the number of books, depending upon the
enrollment of the school, college or university.

SECTION 3. The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo,
as well as other writings of Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog and the principal Philippine dialects; cause them to be
printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to read
them, through the Purok organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country.

SECTION 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or repealing section nine hundred twenty-seven of
the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers and other person
engaged in any public school.

SECTION 5. The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any fund not
otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Reference: https://dimasalang.weebly.com/ra-1425.html