UNIT I. INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE: REPUBLIC ACT 1425
Overview
This unit will give you center thoughts about the Republic Act 1425, which enacts
the incorporation of the Life and Works of Rizal within the educational program of schools,
colleges, and universities: aims to instill the standards of freedom and patriotism and to
honor the national legend and nationalist, Dr. Jose Rizal.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the unit, I am able to:
1. explain the history of the Rizal Law and its historical background;
2. enumerate the other laws related to Republic Act 1425; and
3. critically assess the effectiveness of the Rizal Course.
Setting Up
Name: ___________________________________ Date: ____________________
Course, Year & Section: ____________________
Directions: Think one of the most famous lines or quotations of our national hero Jose
Rizal and interpret its meaning and its impact on our lives today.
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Lesson Proper
REPUBLIC ACT 1425
This is the act that mandates to include in the curricula
of all public and private schools, colleges and universities
courses on the life, works and writings of our national hero
Rizal, particularly his two novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo and authorizing the printing and distribution
thereof, and for other purposes.
• The then-Senator Claro M. Recto – the fundamental
defender of the Rizal Bill – was even named as a
socialist and an enemy of Catholicism.
• The bill mandates all private and public educational
institutions in the country to offer a course on the hero’s
life, works, and writings, especially the Noli Me
Former Senator Claro M. Recto,
Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
The chief proponent of the Rizal Bill
(Image credits to bing.com)
• The first section of the law concerns in the
mandating the students to read Rizal's novels.
• The last two sections involve making Rizal’s writings accessible to the general
public – they require the schools to have a sufficient number of copies in their
libraries and mandate the publication of the works in major Philippine languages.
• Jose P. Laurel – the co-author of the law, has explained that since Jose Rizal was
the founder of the country's nationalism and had significantly contributed to the
current condition of the nation, it is only right that Filipinos, especially the youth,
know about and learn to imbibe the high ideals for which the hero died.
Motivations behind the Republic Act 1425
•
•
•
To rededicate the lives of youth to the beliefs of opportunity and patriotism, for
which our heroes lived;
To pay tribute to our national legend for giving his life and works in molding the
Filipino character; and
To increase a rousing wellspring of nationalism through an incredible investigation,
works, and compositions.
Historical Timeline of Republic Act 1425
Date
During the
1950s
April 03, 1956
Action Taken
One of the prominent recommendations during the
1950s was Jose Lansang's proposition to make a "common
patriot program for building the country." (Schumacher,
2011)
Committee on Education filed Senate Bill No. 438,
which was then supported only by three members of the
upper house.
April 17, 1956
April 19, 1956
April 23, 1956
May 02, 1956
May 09, 1956
Chairman of the Committee on Education, Jose P,
Laurel, supported the measure; its goal was to scatter the
thoughts and standards of Jose Rizal through his books,
Noli Me Tangere and EI Filibusterismo
The Catholic components declared that the bill was
an endeavor to ruin their religion and that it disregards
strict opportunity. As per them, the bill hurts the
estimations of the Catholic faith, particularly the two
books that Jose Rizal composed.
The conflict reached the House of Representatives
when Congressman Jacobo Z. Gonzales proposed House
Bill No. 5561, which was very similar to Senate Bill 438.
The discussions On Senate Bill 438 started.
Representative Claro M. Recto upheld Senator Laurel's
Bill, contending that the goal of the bill is just to value
Rizal's job in fighting the Spanish oppression.
The report of the Committee on Education suggested
endorsement without revision.
Notable defenders of the bill are the bill author Jose
P. Laurel, Congressman Emilio Cortez. Joaquin R. Rotes,
and W. Rancap Lagumbay.
Notable opposers of the bill are Congressman
Ramon Durano, Jose Nuguid, Marciano Lim, Manuel
Lucas Paredes, Godofredo Ramos, Miguel Cuenco,
Congresswoman Carmen Consing, and Tecla San Andres
Ziga.
Debates in the Senate gained more public and media
attention, and they're almost was a fistfight on the floor in
the Upper Chamber.
May 14, 1956,
The amendment of the bill was approved in its
second reading.
The House of Representatives, House Majority
Floor Leader Congressman Tolentino, sponsored an
amendment similar to Laurel's.
President ElpidioQuirino declined to ensure that the
measure was prompt. With just a couple of days left before
the Congress dismisses for the year, the Constitution
commands printed duplicates must be dispersed to the
Congressmen three days before its last endorsement.
Senate Bill 438 was approved on third reading, with
23 votes. House Bill No. 5561 was also passed on third
reading with 71votes (6 against, two abstained, 17 absent)
and was sent to the Senate on the same day.
May 17, 1956
The bill was later passed in Senate
May 12, 1956
June 12, 1956
The Rizal bill was signed into the law by thenPresident Ramon Magsaysay, this becoming Republic Act
1425.
Other Rizal Laws
•
•
•
Memorandum Order No. 247 – former Pres. Fidel V. Ramos coordinated the
DECS Secretary and CHED Chairman to entirely execute the RA 1425 because
there had been reports that the law had still not been thoroughly done.
CHED Memorandum No. 3 – was given upholding exacting consistency to
Memorandum Order No. 247 out of 1995.
Republic Act No. 229 – a demonstration disallowing cockfighting, horse
hustling, and jai-alai on December 30 of every year and make a board of trustees
to assume responsibility for the best possible festival of Rizal Day in each
district and contracted city, and for some other purposes.
Hero VS Martyr
•
A hero is an individual or main character of a scholarly work who combats
difficulty through accomplishments of ingenuity, bravery, or strength within the
confront of danger, regularly sacrificing their claim individual concerns for a
greater cause.
•
A martyr is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing,
refusing to renounce, or refusing to advocate a belief or cause as demanded by an
external party.
Rizal as Hero and Martyr
According to Esteban De Ocampo, Dr. Jose Rizal is unquestionably our nation's
greatest hero and martyr. The day of his birth and his execution are fittingly commemorated
by all classes of our people throughout the length and breadth of our country and even by
Filipinos and their friends abroad.
Why is Rizal the greatest Filipino hero?
•
•
•
He is a person who took an admirable part in any remarkable action or event.
He is a person of distinguished valor or enterprise in danger, or fortitude in
suffering.
He is a man honored after death by public worship, because of exceptional service
to mankind.
References
Book
Constantino, R. (1982). The Making of a Filipino A Story of Philippine Colonia/ Politics.
QC: R.Constantino, pp. 244-247.
Hau, C.S. (2000). "Introduction," Necessary Fictions: Philippine Literature and Nation,
7946-7980. Quezon City, Ateneo de Manila University Press, pp. 1-4.
Laurel, J.B. (1960). "The Trials Of the Rizal Bill," Historical Bulletin vol. 4, no. 2: pp.
130-139.
Schumacher, J. (2011). "The Rizal Bill Of 1956: Horacio de la Costa and the Bishops,"
PhilippineStudies 59 no. 4: pp 529-553.
Internet
Republic Act No. 1425. (1956). Retrieved from
https://www.official
gazette.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-142S
Republic Act No. 1425 | GOVPH. (1956, June 12). Retrieved from
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-1425/