Name: Nieva, Michael Vernice B.

Year and Section: BSIT A306

Reflection on the Importance of Studying

The enactment of Republic no. 1425, also known as the Rizal Law, is an important
alarm of how José Rizal’s influence was the very essence of the Filipino culture. In
1956, the law requires that the life, works, and writings of Rizal be the subject of
studies in all schools in the Philippines. The main intent of this law is not only to
preserve the memory of the great hero of the Filipinos but is also a means of
teaching the values he fought for such as freedom, justice, and national dignity at a
deeper level. The government, through this, wants to imprint in the youth a sense
of patriotism, civic responsibility, and a dedication to the improvement of society.
Rizal’s life and works are central to the identification of the Filipinos with their
nationality. His mental agility, moral uprightness, and fearless opposition to
colonial oppression still live on in the persons of the indigenous Filipinos. The Rizal
Law admits that his contributions do not only apply to history as events but they
are the realization of the people to claim their nationhood. By his magnificent
pieces like books, essays, and other writings, the law obliges Filipinos not to
forget, but rather, constantly remind them of their past, help them vibrate with the
present, and guide them onto a path to a future where pride and identity are
nationwide.

José Rizal was born in a Philippines when it is still colonized and dominated by
Spain he was able to see with his own eyes how the Spaniards treated fellow
countrymen. His thinking process and protest were defined by the urgency of
colonial oppression, in which Filipinos are regarded as inferior beings in own
country. Rizal’s two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo became the
most influential books written by a Filipino as they present a detailed social,
political and economical perspectives of the Philippines during Spanish
colonization. Noli Me Tangere (1887), includes the English title, Touch Me Not, is a
novel written in Philippine Spanish which is quite critical of the Spanish colonial
government and of the Catholic Church. Education is presented by Rizal through
the character of Crisostomo Ibarra as a mistake of the Filipinos that sought reform
and find themselves suppressed or erased by the powers that be. The novel also
reveals the decadency and the scandalous things that were hidden on the
shadowed religious and political systems which dominated the Filipino community.
Noli Me Tangere is a novel written by Filipino nationalist Rizal in 1887 and El
Filibusterismo is its sequel which was published posthumously in 1891 and
showcases the up rise of the Filipino frustration and a revolutionary spirit as
reform is no longer attainable peacefully. In this novel, the character Simoun who
is Ibarra transformed by bitterness calls for revolution especially one that is violent
as the only way to gain freedom. By writing these novels Rizal did not only give
expression against the colonial powers but also aroused the Filipino nationalism.
He convinced them that they are not abandoned and forgotten; they fear, pain and
losses they go through are not unique to them but rather a reflection of people of
color for centuries. The characters in his novels however imaginary represented
the first generation Filipino experience in real sense. By these works, Rizal was
placed in the pedestal of justice as a symbolic figure and fight of the Filipinos in
order to gain recognition, dignity and independence.

The passage of the Rizal Law In 1956 was a milestone in the post- colonial
Philippines since it embodied the country’s search for a common nationality. After
the World War II and the freeing of Philippines from the Japanese rule, Philippines
had a huge challenge of reconstruction in all aspects such as political, economical
and even cultural. As the country builders during this early period of the twentieth
century carry on nation building, they realized the need to instill patriotism and
unity among the countrymen and in doing so they found Rizal as the perfect model
and mold on which this needed consciousness is to be built.

The Rizal Law appreciates the fact that history has significant influence in the
molding of the values and the identity of a nation. Incompliance to this is the
purpose of the law which requires the study of Rizal’s life and works with the
intention of instilling in the hearts of the youth the deep appreciation for their
roots and the commitment to honor those who sacrificed for the future
generations. Rizal’s writings have not only historical significance that they have
even become a living example to the present generation that indeed ideas live and
the struggle for justice and freedom continues.

The concepts that Rizal advocated such as education, civic responsibility, and
patriotism has not lost its meaning during the present time. Here, critical thinking,
leadership, and the call to fight an unjust society are among the things students
learn from reading Rizal’s creations. Rizal actually firmly held that the liberation
from ignorance and from foreign dominate was only through education. He
claimed that only through education would the Filipino people be capable of
exercising enough intellect and morality to enable them gain independence. This is
one of the major beliefs embedded in the Rizal Law as a device towards change
through education.

The impact of Rizal was not only in his standing as a critic of Spanish colonialism.
He has rose to the epitome of Filipino nationalism and its better understanding in
terms of death, heroism and dedication to the welfare of the country. Studying his
life and works provides hope how different individuals can learn from their
mistakes and show society meaning engagement in addition to learning the role of
every citizen in society. Through the novels of Rizal which are the Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo, he was able to bring into the limelight the concept of social
justice and the necessity of struggling for liberty against oppression. He criticized
colonialism within the government authority but he also spoke against internalized
colonialism within the people of a certain nation. Rizal realized that this sort of
freedom could only be attained if the Filipinos are prepared to be responsible for
implementing justice to every ones human rights and freedom. Another major
social impact of Rizal was his advocacy on the importance of the individual towards
the achievement of nationalist goals. Unlike other emancipators of his generation
who called on for an armed uprising against European powers Rizal understood
the power of education, dialogue and letter-writing. He also insisted that the power
of a nation is in the people and one has to change oneself to bring a change. This
message is still relevant to Filipinos today as they try to deal with poverty,
corruption and issues on inequality.

It Is by this juncture that this book can validate the applicability of the Rizal Law in
modern Philippine society in addressing the issues on social justice, good
governance and nation building. Through mandating the study of Rizal’s life and
works in school, the law helps in passing the important lessons in life to the next
generation so that they would be knowledgeable enough and would possess the
right attitude in making a better Philippines. Volunteerism and selfless, such as
Rizal advocated for, are most appropriate during this period where many Filipinos
strive away from home in search of a better life, still others struggle in new socio-
economic landscape of the Philippines and many more fight for relatively more civil
political freedom. Rizal has given his perception of love for country, he said that
the true love for country means being patriotic in doing good deeds for people
including giving away charity. His life taught people that being a public servant is
the highest form of a citizenry and this fuel continue to fuel the Filipinos in
volunteering, committing themselves in their community and volunteerism to
reform and fight for the oppressed. The Rizal Law still holds their significance in
current Philippine society experiencing constant fight for social justice, meaningful
governance, and national unity. Making awareness and knowledge of Rizal’s life
and works mandatory for the students, the law instills that the past experiences
are not forgotten and the future generations are being prepared with the
knowledge and values of building a better country. Rizal himself focused
volunteerism and self- sacrificing service which could be significant in today’s
primitive society the majority of Filipino struggling in poverty, inequality, and
political turmoil. Rizal also stated that the real patriotism can be manifest through
an act of kindness, charity and goodness as well as being one in support to the
oppressed. This message states that the act of helping others is the greatest form
of citizenship and through this message the Filipino people continue to do
volunteer works, join social change initiatives and be at the forefront of fighting for
the cause of the vulnerable. Rizal Law continues its relevance in the Philippines
today, which is a country struggling with social justice, meaningful governance and
national unity. The idea behind this law is that by making sure students have
knowledge about Rizal’s life and works, we will not forget our past experiences but
prepare future generations with values and ideas for a better nation. In calamity
like our country today, most Filipinos are being consumed by poverty, inequality
and political turmoil. Therefore, Rizal himself gave an account of volunteerism as
being one step he took to end up in altruism referring to slow death when he said
“what we do for ourselves dies with us, what we do for others remains immortal”.
Additionally, it is through kindness, charity, and goodness that genuine love for
one’s fatherland can be depicted; thus he could be aligned with those who fight for
rights of oppressed groups. This emphasizes that serving others is the highest
expression of citizenship and under this philosophy Filo people continue doing
charity work through volunteering campaigns or they take part in organizations
which are aimed at social changes thus becoming protestors for such causes.

Human beings have always cherished and adored the life and works of José Rizal
because they remain relevant even today. His books are full of thrilling features
that appeal to every reader in order to make them aware about oppressive systems
across societies. Education, civic responsibility and patriotism are some among
many things emphasized by this law so that his memory lives on forever in the
hearts of generations to come. In navigating complexities of today’s world still
what Rizal said is true. For instance, his call for social equity, belief in education as
remedy to all problems also drive him towards common good is what can be used
as a formula for a more inclusive democratic and better Philippines. Thus, through
the study of Rizal, Filipinos remember their common past, mutual identity and
obligations towards each other as citizens. Finally, the Rizal Law is not only about
remembering our history but also about determining our future direction. By
learning from José Rizal’s life and writings, Filipinos have the power to actively
participate in nation-building processes whereby freedom, justice and equality are
put at the forefront when it comes to defining Philippine national identity.