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Understanding Republic Act No. 1425

The document discusses Republic Act No. 1425, also known as the Rizal Law, which mandates the inclusion of Jose Rizal's life, works, and writings in the curriculum of all Philippine schools and universities. It summarizes the key provisions of the law and the debates around its passage. Supporters believed it would strengthen Filipino nationalism and patriotism, while some friars criticized it due to concerns about how Rizal portrayed the Catholic Church. The document examines both sides of the debate and argues Rizal was attacking abuses, not religion itself. It concludes Rizal's works should be taught but with proper historical context and annotation, especially to young students.

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Ma. Jessabel Azurin
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53 views8 pages

Understanding Republic Act No. 1425

The document discusses Republic Act No. 1425, also known as the Rizal Law, which mandates the inclusion of Jose Rizal's life, works, and writings in the curriculum of all Philippine schools and universities. It summarizes the key provisions of the law and the debates around its passage. Supporters believed it would strengthen Filipino nationalism and patriotism, while some friars criticized it due to concerns about how Rizal portrayed the Catholic Church. The document examines both sides of the debate and argues Rizal was attacking abuses, not religion itself. It concludes Rizal's works should be taught but with proper historical context and annotation, especially to young students.

Uploaded by

Ma. Jessabel Azurin
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Republic of the Philippines

ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY


Echague, Isabela

GEC 9-LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS OF RIZAL


LEARNING MODULE I

1. TITLE OF THE MODULE- CHAPTER 1: THE STUDY OF RIZAL COURSE AND


REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425

2. INTRODUCTION

The study of Life, Works, and Writing of Rizal has been mandated by Republic
act no. 1425 known as Rizal Law. It is “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”

The law itself had been criticized by many friars because of the issues
concerning their image. According to Claro M. Recto, it was his belief that the readings
of Rizal’s novels would strengthen the Filipinism of the youth and foster patriotism. Also,
Senator Laurel one of the supporters of the bill mentioned that the object of the
measure was to disseminate the ideas and ideals of the great Filipino patriot through
the reading of his works, particularly “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo”

3. LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

• Explain the rationale of Rizal law and its important provisions


• Critically assess the effectiveness of the Rizal Law
• Compare and contrast the sides of the Authors and Oppositions in R.A 1425
• Discuss the historical context of Rizal Law
• Relate the passage of Rizal law to nation building, patriotism, and nationalism

4. LEARNING CONTENT

Among the many illustrious Filipinos who have distinguished themselves for
service to their country, the first place of honor belongs, by universal consent, to Dr.
José Rizal. He devoted himself to “dispelling the ignorance of his people, raising their
moral standards, and combating the injustices and inequality under which they labored.
Republic of the Philippines
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY
Echague, Isabela

Republic Act No. 1425


June 12, 1956
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.

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
Republic of the Philippines
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY
Echague, Isabela

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.

Approved: June 12, 1956


Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6, p. 2971 in June 1956.

The most valuable of Rizal’s ideas are contained in his two novels. But since
there is a widespread impression that these novels are looked upon with disfavor by the
Catholic Church as attacking the Catholic faith, we want to give our views. The Catholic
Church in itself is never against the legitimate political and social aspirations of any
people. Hence it follows that the clear and even forceful expression of such aspirations
can never be injurious to the Catholic Church.

The authors argued that the sole objective of the bill or the Rizal law to foster the
better appreciation of Rizal’s times and of the role he played in combating Spanish
tyranny in this country. Denying that novels had any religious motivation. Rizal himself
Republic of the Philippines
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY
Echague, Isabela

asserted that it was not the church itself but the abuses he was attacking as may be
seen from his letter to a friend, Resurrección Hidalgo:

“I have unmasked the hypocrisy of those who under the cloak of religion have come
amongst us to impoverish and brutalize us. I have distinguished the true religion from
the false, from superstitious religion, from the religion that traffics with the Gospel to
extract money, to make us believe in nonsense at which the Catholic Church would
blush, if it ever came to her knowledge.” (Retana 1907, 125–26)

Let us then heed the warning of Rizal and not confound the abuses of religion with
religion itself. There were scandals in the church in Rizal’s time. Why should we deny it?
There were unfaithful priests, like the Apostles Peter and Judas. But that fact does not
make Catholic doctrine untrue. However, we must not exaggerate the evil. As to the fact
of these evils, the Church awaits the sober judgment of history. But the history of that
period is only imperfectly known and thus people take fictional narratives like Rizal’s
novels as history. Especially with the young, we foresee in the indiscriminate and
undirected reading of the novels a danger, since the young are “too apt to take as
literally true whatever they see in print. Moreover, they cannot be expected to make the
necessary distinctions between what the persons in a novel say in conformity with their
characters and what the author of the novel says on his own account, between what is
said ironically and what is seriously stated; between the condemnation of the individual
and the condemnation of the society or organization to which that individual belongs.

Hence we judge that Rizal’s novels not only can but should by all means be made
familiar to our students; the editions of them which are assigned as reading matter
should be accurate translations of the Spanish text, should be properly annotated by a
competent scholar familiar with the ecclesiastical and civil history of Rizal’s period, and
should, ordinarily, be commented on and explained by the teacher in charge.

In conclusion we say, first, that we find nothing in [these novels] that constitutes a
serious danger to the faith or morals of the mature well instructed Catholic, but much in
conformity with the teachings of the Gospel and right reason. Secondly, prudence
demands that they should not be given as reading matter to the young without proper
direction and guidance in the form of annotations to the printed text and explanations by
the living teacher. If this prescription of prudence is complied with the salutary political
and social ideas of our national hero will strike deep roots in the minds and hearts of our
people.

5. TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES

I. MULTIPLE CHOICE. Write the correct answer on the space provided before the
number.
Republic of the Philippines
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY
Echague, Isabela

_____1. The Republic Act that requires the compulsory teaching of Rizal Course and
the lives of the other Filipino patriot’s is ______?
a. R.A 1234 b. R.A 1432 c. R.A 1423 d. R.A 1425

_____2. Rizal dedicated his novel Noli Me Tangere to _______________?


a. The three martyr priests
b. The motherland
c. His mother
d. The Filipino heroes.

_____3.The Rizal law mandates all institution to study the Life, Works and Writings of
Rizal.
a. True b. False c. partly true d. none of the above

_____4. Recto was the original author of the Rizal law. This makes Rizal’s Noli and El
fili compulsory reading in all universities and colleges.
a. Only the first statement is correct and true.
b. Only the second statement is correct and true.
c. Both statements are true and correct.
d. Both statements are untrue and incorrect

_____5. What was the date of birth of Dr. Jose Rizal?


a. June 18, 1961
b. June 18, 1861
c. June 19, 1869
d. June 19, 1861

II. ESSAY

1. Why study the life and works of Rizal?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

2. How would reading Rizal’s novel impart patriotism?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Republic of the Philippines
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY
Echague, Isabela

6. RECOMMENDED LEARNING MATERIALS AND RESOURCES FOR


SUPPLEMENTARY READING

In addition to the content of the module, the students and subject instructors may
find the references stated below or watch the following videos for further information:

 Pag-aaral ng buhay ni Rizal, dapat pang palalimin: mga eksperto


[Link]

 [Link]
dispute

 Xiao Time: Ang Republic Act 1425 o ang Rizal Law (Batas Rizal)
[Link]

7. FLEXIBLE TEACHING LEARNING MODALITY ADAPTED


This course can be access thru:

A. Online (synchronous) - Actual online classes thru live


 SeDi learning
 Google Meet
 Zoom

B. Remote (asynchronous) - Independent study and work on: self-guided modules,


supplemental videos, readings, lesson plans, research, and check-ins and exchanges
using any of the following: Google Classroom, Messenger, text and call.

8. ASSESSMENT TASK

1. Writing exercise: Compare and contrast the views of those in favor and against R.A
1425, considering the context of 1950’s. Would similar argument still have impact
today?

Affirmative: Negative:
Republic of the Philippines
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY
Echague, Isabela

2. Reflect on your secondary education: Did your school comply with RA 1425? How
effective is Rizal Law in instilling patriotism and nationalism among secondary school
students?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

Rubric- Criteria for checking


• Content: 20 points
• Organization of thought: 20 points
• Grammar and Sentence Structure: 10 points
Total 50 points

9. REFERENCES

Constantino, R. (1969). The Making of a Filipino: a Story of Colonial Politics. Quezon


City: Malaya Books.
Official Gazette. (1956, June). Retrieved from [Link]
[Link]
Pangilinan, M. e. (2018). Life and Works of Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Manila: MINDSHAPERS
CO., INC. .
Republic of the Philippines
ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY
Echague, Isabela

Schumacher, J. N. (2011). The Rizal Bill of 1956 Horacio de la Costa and the Bishops.
Philippine Studies vol.59 No. 4, 529–53. Retrieved from
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]

Common questions

Powered by AI

Historically, supporters of the Rizal Law, like Claro M. Recto, argued it was essential for fostering nationalism and comprehending historical injustices . Opponents, primarily from the Catholic Church, feared it would undermine religious faith due to perceived attacks in Rizal’s novels . Contemporary critiques might focus on educational autonomy and secular versus religious school system debates, while the enduring support hinges on its role in promoting critical historical awareness and civic engagement . The law's balancing act between respecting religious beliefs and fulfilling educational needs remains a key point of discussion.

The Rizal Law sought to balance historical portrayal by emphasizing that Rizal's critiques were directed at the abuses committed in the guise of religion, not at the Church itself. The law addressed concerns about young readers misinterpreting fictional narratives as historical truths by recommending annotations and guidance to help discern individual and institutional criticisms . This balanced approach aimed to preserve faith while fostering historical awareness and patriotism through Rizal's works .

The Rizal Law addressed religious concerns by authorizing the Board of National Education to promulgate rules exempting students from requirements that conflicted with religious beliefs, provided in a sworn statement, while still mandating that the course be taken . Additionally, the Act explicitly stated that it would not amend or repeal the Administrative Code's section prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by public school teachers .

The Rizal Law mandated educational institutions to keep an adequate number of copies of Rizal’s novels and other writings in libraries. It required translations of his works into English, Tagalog, and other dialects, to be distributed widely. The law instructed the Board of National Education to promote cheap and popular editions, making them available free of charge through local organizations .

The required study of Rizal’s novels is intended to inspire patriotism and national consciousness, which are fundamental to moral character and civic responsibility. By understanding the historical context and Rizal's critique of social injustices, students can develop an ethical framework grounded in a broader sense of community and national identity. However, the impact largely depends on effective teaching methods that guide students in critical analysis, preventing misconceptions about the fictional nature of the works and their historical accuracy . Proper annotations and guidance can align the teachings with moral and civic education goals .

The Board of National Education was granted authority under the Rizal Law to ensure that the intentions of the law were effectively carried out. This included adopting textbooks and primers, regulating the necessary disciplinary guidelines, and providing translations to make Rizal’s works accessible. These measures aimed to standardize the teaching process, prevent misinterpretation, ensure educational quality, and accommodate religious sensitivities, balancing the educational and cultural objectives of the law .

Rizal distinguished between legitimate religious practices and the abuses critiqued in his novels by acknowledging a distinction between true religion and false, superstitious practices. He targeted those who used religion for oppression and material gain, rather than the Church or faith itself. Rizal's letters clarified that his critiques were against hypocrisy and not against the core tenets of the Catholic faith .

The teaching of Rizal’s life and works is expected to foster a deeper understanding of patriotism, civic duty, and national identity, thereby contributing to nation-building. By engaging students with themes of social justice, civic responsibility, and national pride encapsulated in Rizal’s works, the law aims to inculcate values that promote active citizenship and dedication to national progress and unity .

The primary objective behind the enactment of the Rizal Law, as stated by Claro M. Recto, was to strengthen the Filipinism of the youth and foster patriotism through the reading of Rizal’s novels. Senator Laurel emphasized that the law aimed to disseminate Rizal's ideas and ideals, particularly through his works “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” .

Rizal’s novels, “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo,” are historically significant because they exposed social injustices under Spanish colonial rule and stirred national consciousness critical for the Philippines’ fight for independence. These works critiqued the entrenched power of the clergy and colonial officers while advocating for reform and educative empowerment. The novels served as a catalyst for the Philippine Revolution by inspiring the Filipino people to assert their identity and push for sovereign self-determination .

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