Republic Act 1425: Rizal Law

Republic Act 1425 (Rizal Law)

• Mandates the teaching of Rizal's life, works, and writings in all Philippine schools.
• Senator Jose P. Laurel sponsored the law. -Reading and studying Rizal, Filipino youth will gain incorruptible confidence, direction, courage and determination.

Objectives in Teaching Rizal Course

• Rededicate the lives of the youth to freedom and nationalism.
• Pay tribute to Rizal for shaping the Filipino character.
• Gain an inspiring source of patriotism through studying Rizal.

Goals in Teaching Rizal Course

• Recognize the relevance of Rizal's ideals to present conditions.
• Apply Rizal's ideas to solve contemporary problems.
• Develop an understanding and appreciation of Rizal's qualities and character.
• Foster moral character, personal discipline, citizenship, and vocational efficiency among Filipino youth.

Who Chose Rizal as the National Hero?

• Constantino (1969) claims Rizal was an American-sponsored hero chosen by the Taft Commission of 1901.
• Potential heroes included Rizal, Aguinaldo, Bonifacio, and Mabini.
• Act No. 137 organized a politico-military district and named it Rizal province.
• Act No. 243 authorized a public subscription for a Rizal monument in Luneta.
• Act No. 345 designated the anniversary of Rizal's death as a day of observance.
• Agoncillo (1986) states Rizal was a symbol of assimilation, matching American policy.
• Constantino (1969) notes Rizal was dead during American aggression, had no anti-American quotes, and his martyrdom symbolized Spanish oppression.
• Guerrero (1998) asserts Filipinos chose Rizal before his death, viewing his martyrdom as spiritual dominion.
• Filipinos chose Rizal due to their love for peace, freedom, justice, virtue, and sacrifice.

Spain in the 19th Century

• The 19th century was a turbulent period in Spanish politics due to frequent changes in ministries and constitutions (Zaide, 1994).
• The Spanish crown introduced the Canovite system or rotativism (Maguigad et al, 2000).
• Spain abandoned mercantilism and adopted the laissez-faire policy.
• Mercantilism is an economic doctrine measuring wealth and power by gold and silver stock.
• Spain ended the Galleon Trade or the Manila-Acapulco trade in 1873.

The Philippines During Rizal's Time: Administrative Organization

• The Governor-General, appointed by the Spanish monarch, headed the Spanish colonial government.
• Also the Vice Royal Patron and commander in chief.
• The Governor-General was ex-officio president of the Royal Audiencia.
• The governor-general had legislative powers.
• Actos acordados (Maguigad, 2000) are laws enacted by the governor-general.
• Cumplase is the power of the governor-general to decide which laws to enforce.

Administrative Organization

• Local government units: alcadias, pueblos, and barangays (Agoncillo, 1990).
• Alcadias: provinces headed by an alcalde mayor.
• Alcalde mayors had executive and judicial functions.
• Illicit trade: indulto de commercio.
• Pueblos: towns headed by a gobernadorcillo
• Principal responsibility: tax collection.
• Barangay: smallest unit headed by a cabeza de barangay (Romero et al, 1978).
• Main function: maintaining peace and order and tax collection.
• Ayuntamiento: city government during the Spanish Regime (Zaide, 1994).
• Governed by a cabildo or city council: city mayor (alcalde en ordinario), councilors (regidores), constable (aguacil mayon), and a secretary (escribano).
• Eventually, friars gained enough power to be feared by the civil authorities, termed frailocracia by Lopez Jaena.
• Control tightened through the friars to keep control of the Philippines.
• The Guardia Civil was organized in 1867 as native police under Spanish officers.
• In 1880, the civil guard was used for summary arrests of filibusteros and erehes.
• The Audience Real had Judicial power: the Supreme Court during Spanish rule (De Leon, 2000).
• Below the Audiencia Real were two territorial audiencias, courts of first instance, and justice of the peace courts.
• The Audiencia Real adjudicated appeals for civil and criminal cases
• It also served as a forum for settling important issues on governance and an auditing agency of the finances of Spanish colonial administration in the country.
• No legislature existed in the Philippines before the United States took over in 1898 with previous represenation abolished in 1837 (Schumacher, 1997).
• Las Leyes de Indias remained the basic law but gradually modified.
• Colonial administration was corrupt and inefficient due to the distance from Spain.
• Governor-Generals could reward unqualified favorites.
• The Spanish Crown instituted the residencia, and visitador.
• Lower positions were sold to the highest bidders.
• Graft and corruption were rampant.

The Social Structure of Filipino Society

• Philippine society was feudalistic due to the encomienda system (Romero et al, 1978).
• Filipinos were treated as slaves who had to render polo y servicio, or forced labor to the government and church.
• The social hierarchy was based on limpieza de sangre, purity of blood (Maguigad, 2000).
• The social pyramid consisted of the peninsulares at the apex, then the insulares, Spanish and Chinese mestizos, and principalia.
• At the bottom were the Indios.

Educational System

• The Educational Decree of 1863 implemented one elementary school for boys and girls.
• The decree provided a normal school for teachers familiar with the Spanish language.
• All schools were to use Spanish language.
• Notable weaknesses of the education system (Romero et al, 1978):
• Overemphasis on religion.
• Limited and irrelevant curriculum.
• Obsolete classroom facilities.
• Inadequate instructional materials.
• Absence of academic freedom.
• Racial prejudice against Filipinos in the school.

Economic Situation

• The country was opened to foreign trade at the end of the 18th century.
• Foreign firms in Manila rapidly increased.
• Agriculture and export of sugar, rice, hemp, and tobacco saw expansion.
• Increased trade increased contact with foreigners and spaniards (Schumacher, 1997).
• Increased trade aided families, who sent their sons to get an education in Europe.
• Filipino scholars, were able to absorb intellectual European ideas.
• This gave them awareness of a society and made them disenchanted with Spain.