RIZAL: Lesson 1

Week 1: Introduction to Republic Act 1425

Bill

Before a law is passed or takes effect, it must first be drafted as a?

Senate bill 438

What was the bill which mandated that Jose Rizal's life, works, and writings particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo be taught in all public and private schools, colleges, and institutions.

Rizal Bill or Noli Fili Bill

What was the other name of the Senate bill 438?

Senator Claro M. Recto

Who was the principal author of Senate Bill 438?

1425, Upper, Lower

Before being approved, implemented in schools, and signed into law as Republic Act _____, the bill underwent deliberations in both the _____ and _____ Houses of Congress.

members of the legislative branch and the Catholic Church

Who and what opposed the Senate Bill 438?

the bill’s provision mandating the compulsory reading of Rizal’s novel which demeaned Catholic doctrines

From where did the controversy surrounding senate bill 438 stem?

Senator Jose P. Laurel Sr.

Who sponsored the Senate Bill 438?

Chairman of the Committee on Education

What was the position of the senator who sponsored the Rizal Bill?

Senator Jose P. Laurel Sr.’s bringing of the bill to the Senate

What led to the exchange of arguments form the Congress?

• to disseminate the ideas and ideals of a Filipino patriot through the reading of Rizal’s magnum opera

According to Laurel Sr., what was the object of measure of the Rizal Bill?

• to foster an appreciation of Rizal’s times and of the role he played against Spanish tyranny

According to Laurel Sr., what was the sole object of the Rizal Bill?

• Francisco Rodrigo (former president of “Catholic Action”)

• Decoroso Rosales (brother of Julio Rosales, an archbishop)

• Mariano Cuenco

Fr. Dr. Mariano Cuenco

Who were the senators who headedly opposed the bill?

Congresswomen

• Carmen Consing

• Tecia San Andres Ziga

Congressmen

• Godofredo Ramos

• Jose Nuguid

• Lucas Paredes

• Manuel Soza

• Marciano Lim

• Miguel Cuenco

• Ramon Durano
  
  CanTot Gosh Lord Jesus MMM Rawr

Who were the oppositors of the bill from the Lower House?

The Catholic Church

What was indirectly included in the debates and played a major role for the intervention of signing of the bill into a law?

• Holy Name Society of the Philippines

• Catholic Action of the Philippines

• Legion of Mary

• Knights of Columbus

• Daughters of Isabela

What institutions allied with the church in the battle against the Rizal Bill?

• the bill would go against freedom of conscience and religion

• Rizal law allegedly violated the Canon Law 1399 which forbids or bans books that attack or ridicule the Catholic doctrine and practices

• among the 333 passages of Noli, only 25 were nationalistic and 120 were anti-Catholic (by oppositors)

  • + 170 passages in Noli and 50 in El Fili were against the Catholic faith (by some members of the Catholic hierarchical)

• Rizal himself admitted to not only criticizing the friars but also the Catholic faith

What were the arguments of the opposition?

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines

What conference submitted a pastoral letter against the Rizal bill?

Cebu Representative Ramon Durano and Pampanga Representative Emilio Cortes

Who ended up in a fist fight in Congress while the bill was settled?

Bacolod City Bishop Manuel Yap

Who threatened to campaign against pro-Rizal legislators and to punish them in future elections?

Catholic Schools Representatives

Who threatened to close their schools if the bill was passed?

The state could nationalize Catholic schools

What did Recto reply to those who threatened to close down their schools?

Three

Due to apparently never-ending debate on the Rizal Bill, approved amendments were formulated through ideas of ____ senators.

• other that Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, works written by Rizal and works written by others about Rizal would be included

• 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.

What were Senator Laurel’s amendments to the original bill?

May 17, 1956

After revised amendments, when was the bill finally passed?

RA 1425

What republic act was Senate Bill 438 turned into?

Ramon Magsaysay

Who signed the bill into a law?

June 12, 1956

When was the bill signed into law?

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

Full name of the Rizal Law

• inclusion of Rizal courses in the curriculum

• role of the Board of National Education

• exemption for religious beliefs

Overview of RA 1425 Section 1

• book requirements

• unexpurgated editions as required reading

• role of the BNE in determining the adequacy of the number of books

Overview of RA 1425 Section 2

• life, works, and writings

• Noli Me Tangere, El FIlibusterismo

• original, unedited, English translations

Inclusion of Rizal Courses in Curriculum

• Schools, colleges, and universities (both public and private) must include courses on the ____, ____, and ____ of Jose Rizal.

• Focus on his novels: _____ and _____.

• Collegiate courses must use the _____ or _____ versions or their _____ ______ as basic texts.

• primers, readers, textbooks

• 60 days

Role of the Board of National Education

The Board is tasked with implementing this section through:

• Writing and printing _____, _____, and _____.

• Promulgating rules and regulations within __ days from the law’s effectivity.

1. original, unedited, religious beliefs

2. sworn written statement

3. still take

Exemption for Religious Beliefs

• Students may be exempted from reading the _____ or _____ versions of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo due to _____ _____.

• Exemption requires a _____ _____ _____.

• However, students must _____ _____ the Rizal course.

• original, unexpurgated

• works, biographies

SECTION 2:

All schools, colleges, and universities are required to have adequate copies of the following in their libraries:

• _____ and _____ editions of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

• Other _____ and _____ of José Rizal.

• included in the list of books for required reading

• Board of National Education

SECTION 2:

The unexpurgated editions of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo (or their English translations) must be ___________________________________________.

This requirement applies to both public and private educational institutions, with the supervision by the _____ __ _____ _____

• adequacy

• school’s enrollment

• access, integrated

SECTION 2:

The Board of National Education is tasked with determining the _____ of the number of books.

• The number of copies required will depend on the _____ _____.

• This ensures that students have _____ to Rizal’s works and that these are _____ into the educational curriculum.