Republic Act 1425 Rizal Law (Its History and Important Provisions)
The Republic Act 1425 Rizal Law is comprehensively discussed in this free lecture. It also provides “Republic Act 1425 explanation” as it explains the history of the Rizal Law and its important provisions.
Professorial lecturer emeritus and book author Jensen DG. Mañebog, in one of his History lectures, focuses on this so-called “Republic Act 1425 Rizal Law.” The following is how he discusses the topic:
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Republic Act 1425 Rizal Law
Professor Jensen DG. Mañebog states that the Rizal Bill was as controversial as Jose Rizal himself. The mandatory Rizal subject in the Philippines was the upshot of this bill which later became a law in 1956 (the Republic Act no. 1425 Rizal Law).
The Rizal Bill involves requiring educational institutions in the country to offer a course on the hero’s life, works, and writings, especially the ‘Noli Me Tangere’ and ‘El Filibusterismo’. (Related: The Synopsis and Spirit of Noli Me Tangere and The Synopsis and Theme of Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo)
Read: Jose Rizal: The First Filipino Phenom
However, the transition from being a bill to becoming a republic act was not easy as the proposal was met with intense opposition particularly from the Catholic Church.
The then senator Claro M. Recto—the main proponent of the Rizal Bill—was even dubbed as a communist and an anti-Catholic principally because of the issue. Catholic schools threatened to stop operation if the bill was passed, though Recto calmly countered the threat, stating that if that happened, then the schools would be nationalized.
Even when threatened afterward to be punished in future elections, Recto remained undeterred.
As regards the suggestion to use instead the expurgated (edited) version of Rizal’s novels as mandatory readings, Recto explained his firm support for the unexpurgated version, exclaiming:
“The people who would eliminate the books of Rizal from the schools would blot out from our minds the memory of the national hero. This is not a fight against Recto but a fight against Rizal.” (Ocampo, 2012, p. 23)
Read: Jose Rizal’s Collaborations with Other Heroes
Republic Act 1425
In the end, the bill was nonetheless passed, but with a clause that would allow exemptions to students who think that reading the Noli and Fili would ruin their faith.
In other words, one can apply to the Department of Education for exemption from reading Rizal’s novels—though not from taking the Rizal subject. The bill was enacted on June 12, 1956.
Read: The Interesting Tales of the Jose Rizal Family
The Rizal Bill became the Republic Act No. 1425, known as the ‘Rizal Law’. The full name of the law is “An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and Private Schools, Colleges and Universities Courses on the Life, Works and Writings ofJose Rizal, Particularly His NovelsNoli Me TangereandEl Filibusterismo, Authorizing the Printing and Distribution Thereof, and for Other Purposes.”
Republic Act 1425 explanation
The Rizal Law’s first section concerns 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, then senator who co-wrote the law, 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 great ideals for which the hero died.
Accordingly, the Rizal Law aims to accomplish the following goals:
1. To rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes lived and died
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.
No student has yet officially applied for exemption from reading Rizal’s novels thus far.
Relatedly, former President Fidel V. Ramos in 1994, through Memorandum Order No. 247, directed the Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports and the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education to fully implement the RA 1425 as there had been reports that the law had still not been totally carried out.
In 1995, CHED Memorandum No. 3 was issued enforcing strict compliance to Memorandum Order No. 247.
Another Rizal Law
Not known to many, there is another republic act that concerns the national hero.
Read: The Colorful Love Affairs of Dr. Jose Rizal
Republic Act No. 229 is an act prohibiting cockfighting, horse racing, and jai-alai on the thirtieth day of December of each year. It also mandates creating a committee to take charge of the proper celebration of Rizal day in every municipality and chartered city, and for other purposes.
The Importance of Studying Rizal: Why Study the Life and Works of Rizal?
So Why study the life and works of Rizal? The academic subject on the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal was not mandated by law for nothing.
The Jose Rizal subject is far from being impractical. The course interestingly offers many benefits that some contemporary academicians declare that the subject, especially when taught properly, is more beneficial than many subjects in various curricula. For proofs and explanations, read: The Importance of the Jose Rizal Subject
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*If you want to know more about Rizal or history (e.g. Rizal’s parents), search here:
Assignment/Activity:
1. Explain the history of the Rizal law and its important provisions
2. Critically assess the effectiveness of the Rizal Course
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Note: Teachers may share this as a reading assignment of their students.
For other free lectures like this (especially for students), visit Homepage: The Life and Works of Jose Rizal
Related: The Colorful Love Affairs of Dr. Jose Rizal
Free Lectures for The Life and Works of Jose Rizal Subject
Jose Rizal Family Tree: The Ancestry of the Hero
Jose Rizal’s Love for Francisco Mercado Rizal, His Father
Jose Rizal’s Love for Teodora Alonzo, His Mother
Jose Rizal’s Siblings: How His Brother and Sisters Affected the Life of the Filipino Hero
Jose Rizal’s Parents: How Don Francisco Mercado and Doña Teodora Alonso made him a hero
Jose Rizal: Tagalog Biography of the Bayaning Pilipino
Jose Rizal: Short Biography of the Filipino Hero
Jose Rizal’s Birthday: Date, Significance and Historicity
Jose Rizal: On the Full Name of the Filipino Hero
Jose Rizal height: A discussion on how tall (or short) our hero was
The Story of the Moth, Jose Rizal, and his Mother
The Synopsis and Spirit of Noli Me Tangere
The Synopsis and Theme of Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo
Maria Clara in Noli Me Tangere: Her Fate and Symbolism
Jose Rizal’s Last 25 Hours: Eventful, Dramatic, Historic