Rizal Law: The Trials of the Rizal Bill PDF

THE TRIALS OF THE RIZAL BILL Republic Act. No. 1425 known as Rizal Law It was filed by the Committee on Education on April 3, 1956, Senate Bill No.438. On April 17, 1956 Senator Jose P. Laurel, began his sponsorship....

THE TRIALS OF THE RIZAL BILL Republic Act. No. 1425 known as Rizal Law It was filed by the Committee on Education on April 3, 1956, Senate Bill No.438. On April 17, 1956 Senator Jose P. Laurel, began his sponsorship. The original version of Senate Bill No. 438 AN ACT TO MAKE NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO COMPULSORY READING MATTER IN ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.  Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are hereby declared compulsory reading matter in all public Any public or private college or university found 1 and private schools, colleges and universities in the Philippines. 5 violating, falling to comply with, or circumventing the provisions of this Act shall be punished accordingly: 5A: the head of any public college or university charged with implementing the The works mentioned in Section 1 of this Act shall be in provisions of this Act, who shall have been found guilty violating, falling the original editions or in their unexpurgated English comply with, or circumventing the provisions thereof, shall be dismissed 2 and National Language versions. immediately from service and shall be disqualified from teaching in any public or government recognized private school, college or university. 5B: Government recognition of any private college or university The Department of Education shall take steps to found violating or circumventing the provisions of this Act shall promulgate rules and regulations for the be immediately withdrawn, and the responsible Head and 3 immediate implementation of the provisions of professor or professors concerned shall be disqualified from this Act. teaching in any Government-recognized college or university No provision of this Act shall be construed as 4 prohibiting or limiting the study of the works to other Filipino heroes 6 This Act shall take effect upon its approval  Persons Who Fought For Its Approval Sen. Jose P. Laurel Sen. Claro M. Recto Intentions for Approval There is a need for a rededication There is a need to develop Sponsorship speech: to the ideals of freedom and moral character, personal 01 04 nationalism for which our heroes discipline, civic conscience and “Noli Me Tangere and El to teach the duties of Filibusterismo must be read by all lived and died. Filipinos. They must be taken to citizenship. heart, for in their pages we see There is a need to remember with ourselves as in a mirror; our special fondness and devotion the defects as well as our strength, 02 our virtues as well as our vices. lives and works of our heroes who only then would we become shaped the national character. conscious as people, and so learn to prepare ourselves for painful The life, works and writings of Dr. sacrifices that ultimately lead to Jose Rizal particularly, his novels self-reliance, self-respect and 03 freedom.” Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are 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.  Persons Who Tried To Block Its Approval Sen. Francisco Soc Rodrigo Sen. Mariano J. Cuenco Sen. Decoroso Rosales Intentions for Disapproval The novels were written when Dr. Rizal, T h e N o l i M e Ta n g e r e a n d E l estranged from Catholic faith and religion 01 Filibusterismo are very damaging to 02 and contradict many of the Christian the clerics. beliefs. 03 To compel Catholic students to read a book 04 The novels do contain teachings contrary to which contains passages contradicting their Catholic faith and so, the Church is opposed faith constitutes a violation of a Philippine to the proposed compulsory. constitutional provision (Art. 3, Sec. 1, Par. Catholic students may be affected. 7). The conflict reached the House Representatives on April 19, 1956 Cong. Jacobo Gonzales introduced House Bill No. 5561 Opponents of the bill Debates started on May 9, 1956 Ramon Durano Miguel Cuneco Senator Laurel propose in his own name an Jose Ninguid Carmen D. Consing amendment by substitution which read in full as Marciano Lim Tecla San Andres Ziga follows: Manuel Zosa Godofredo Ramos Lucas Paredes 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 Whereas, the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels and El Filibusterismo, authorizing the printing Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source and distribution thereof, and for other purposes. of patriotism with which the minds of the youth, especially during their formative and decisive years in school, should be suffused; Whereas, today, more than in any other period of our history, there is a need for a re-dedication to Whereas, all educational institutions are under the supervisions of , and the ideals of freedom and nationalism for which subject to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic conscience and our heroes lived and died. to teach the duties of citizenship; Now therefore Whereas, it is meet that in honoring then, 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; Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled; Section 1 Section 4 Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his nothing within the act shall be considered as an act novel Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in the of amendment or repealing of the administrative curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public or private: code 927. 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. Section 2 Section 5 It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep in the sum of three hundred thousand pesos their libraries an adequate number of copies of the original and (300,000) was the amount that was appropriated in unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, the national treasury for the purpose of carrying out as well as of Rizal’s other works and biography. The said of the said act. 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. Section 3 Section 6 The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the Noli the act shall take effect upon its approval. 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. Explaining the amendment, Senator Laurel stated that: In the substitute bill, not only the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo were included but also all the works and writings of Rizal and even those written by other people about him. The idea of compulsory reading of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo was removed at the substitute bill. If Rizal was a hero, then there might be no debate. But if Rizal is a national hero, the books that he has written, whenever read must be unexpurgated and must be at its original form. If not, Senator Laurel prefers that the bill shall be defeated. Senator Rodrigo, still in opposition. Suggested the removal of the provision in section 1, but the change was rejected by the sponsor. Senator Lim, proposed the exemption of students from the requirements of the bill on certain conditions. This development was quite propitious for, owing to the impasse among its members on the original Gonzales bill. On May 14,1956, Congressman Tolentino, sponsored an amendment by substitution identical to Laurel’s substitute bill The anti-climax was dramatic. On June 12,1956, the bill was signed into law by President Magsaysay and became Republic Act No. 1425.