Rizal Law (RA 1425) and 19th Century Philippines

Context of the Rizal Bill

• Postwar Philippines faced challenges recovering from World War II.
• The populace wanted to get back on their feet.

Vocabulary

• A bill can become a law if it passes the legislative process.
• Unexpurgated means untouched or uncensored.
• Bicameral describes a legislature with two chambers (Senate and House).

How a Bill Becomes a Law: The Legislative Process

• Senate and House follow the same legislative procedure.
• Legislative proposals come from various sources (Senate or House members, lobbying, executive branch).
• Step 1: The bill is filed in the Senate, given a number, and calendared for first reading.
• Step 2: The bill's title, number, and author are read on the floor before being referred to a committee.
• Step 3: Committee hearings are held to discuss the bill.
• The committee can approve, approve with revisions, or reject the bill.
• Afterward a committee report will be submitted and the bill is calendared for a second reading
• Step 4: the Author delivers a sponsorship speech where the bill is read, discussed, and debated on the floor.
• Amendments may be suggested.
• Step 5: Senators vote to approve or reject.
• If approved, the bill is calendared for third reading.
• Step 6: Final versions are distributed, and Senate members vote for approval or rejection.
• Step 7: The House follows similar steps.
• A bicameral conference committee reconciles any differences between Senate and House versions.
• Afterward Both chambers approve the consolidated version
• Step 8: the President can sign the bill into law or veto it.

From the Rizal Bill to the Rizal Law

• After the war prominent figures championed nationalism.
• They promoted instilling patriotism/love of country and drew inspiration from the heroes who fought against Spain.
• Republic Act No. 1425 (Rizal Law) was primarily aimed at re-dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism.
• The passage of the law encountered fierce opposition in both chambers.
• On April 3, 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 was filed by the Senate Committee on Education.
• On April 17, 1956, Senator Jose P. Laurel sponsored the bill.
• Soon after the bill became controversial as the powerful Catholic Church began expressing their opposition against its passage.
• On April 19, 1956 House Bill No. 5561, an identical version of SB 438, was filed by Representative Jacobo Z. Gonzales
• On May 2, 1956 The House Committee on Education approved the bill without amendments
• On May 9, 1956 debates commenced
• The debates began on April 23, 1956 in the Senate
• The debates hinged on requiring compulsory reading
• There was a call to read original text, but the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo versions were also challenged.
• Senator Jose P. Laurel proposed amendments by removing the compulsory reading requirement on May 9, 1956
• Added the clause that Rizal’s other literary works must also be included.
• Maintained that unexpurgated editions be read of the novels.
• Similar ammendments were adopted to the House version on May 14, 1956.
• Congress made the amended version of the bills which was subjected to to scrutiny but seemed more palatable
• Passage of the Rizal Bill almost hijacked due to technicalities which President Ramon Magsaysay did not certify the bills as priority and the House of Representatives about to adjourn soon in the week
• Allies in the house skillfully avoided the insertion of any other amendment to preclude any issues concerning new copies being reprinted from the Senate version
• Versions were approved by the Senate and House on May 17, 1956
• The approved versions went to Malacañan and signed by President Magsaysay to law on June 12, 1956 making Republic Act No. 1425

Claro M. Recto

• Feb 8, 1890 - Oct 2, 1960
• Main sponsor and defender of the Rizal Bill.
• Born in Tiaong, Tayabas (Quezon)
• Studied in Ateneo and University of Santo Tomas
• Started his political career in the House of Representatives in 1919
• In 1931 Senator
• In 1935 Associate Justice Supreme Court
• President Of the Assembly drafting the constitution between 1934-1935
• Served as a diplomat
• Man of letters Known as an ardent nationalist
• Died of a heart attack in Italy; survived by wife and five children

Extracts from debates about the Rizal Bill

• Senator Jose P. Laurel stated the novels must be read by all Filipinos to see themselves to learn prepare so they learn to prepare themselves and freedom.
• Senator Claro M. Recto stated "Rizal did not pretend to teach to teach when he wrote those books"
• aimed to inculcate civic awareness, personal pride, and patriotism
• Senator Francisco "soc" Rodrigo stated a vast majority of out people are, at the same time, Catholic and Filipino citizens

Republic Act No. 1425 - An Act to Include in the Curricula of All Public and Private Schools

• All courses of college and universities must undergo courses of Rizal
• Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo in their public version with no edits as basic texts
• Requires all school and universities to keep adequate copies of the original editions of Rizal in their libraries.
• The board of National Education must oversee the transfer the Rizal texts into english, and tagalong and distribute among all principal dialects for educational purposes.
• Requires the board of national education to to come to a conclusion on the adequate printing issues for schools

Summary

• Landmark legislation in postwar Philippines.
• The bill was strongly opposed particularly from the Catholic Church.
• Eventually Became the Republic Act No. 1425

The Changing Landscape of Philippine Economy and Society

• This period was marked by significant economic, political, social, and cultural changes and vast currents
• By the late eighteenth century, Spain's monarchy shifted with Bourbon Policies and reforms being carried out to reinvigorate the profitability of The Philippines.
• The first governor-general to the Philippines under the Bourbon mandate was José de Basco y Vargas who arrived in the Philippines in 1778.
• The Galleon Trade was already a losing enterprise
• The government sought ways to unite the people, legislators like Claro M. Recto drew inspiration from the lives of the heroes of the revolution.

Key Facts

• Cash crop: Crops cultivated for export.
• Mestizo: A person with mixed ancestry
• Pacto de retroventa: An agreement allowing a landowner to sell with a buy-back guarantee.
• Sangley: Pure Chinese descent
• The first governor-general to the Philippines under the Bourbon mandate in 1778 was José de Vasco y Vargas who arrived in the Philippines.
• The rapid development of the economy began to flow in the Philippines through cash crops.
• Majority of the exports of the Philippines became from cash crops like tobacco, sugar, cotton, indigo, abaca, and coffee.
• The rapid development of the economy began to flow in the Philippines through cash crops.

The Chinese and Chinese Mestizos

• Since pre-colonial times, the natives of the Philippines had had trade relations with the Chinese.
• These feelings lead to stringent state policy towards the sangley who were proven to be "necessary outsiders" in the Philippine colonial economy and society
• From the the development of retail trad and the merchandise was given a rise of intermariages with indios that gave birth to Chinese mestizos
• The population growth that eventually realized their indispensable position in society as movers and facilitators of the economy.
• The renegotiation continued throughout the century as the mestizos

Impact on Life in the Colony

• The colonial government order by 1836 required all towns to set up primary schools to the population that know how to read and write it.
• Led to the passage of education in 1863
• The building of Manila becoming a trading center as well as internal migration raised several concerns.
• One measure implemented: The 1836 order of a new literate population and the 1849 decree that people in the colony adopt surnames with the catalogo de apellidos drawn up.
• The Philippine society felt the economic impact and saw social relations undergo redefinition, with new lines in social strata with the Chinese influence, resulting in a renegotiation of social stratification

Explores the primary goal of the Rizal Law (RA 1425) and its impact. Discusses the 19th-century Philippine economy's influence on social structure. Also examines arguments against the Rizal Bill and its effects on the Chinese Mestizo population.