Republic Act 1425: Introduction to Rizal's Life, Works, & Writings PDF

Rizal Law and The Teaching of Rizal Course Rizal, A True Filipino Hero Rizal, Pioneer Asian Nationalist Leader Major Periods in the Life of Rizal  Author: Claro M. Recto Sponsored the Bill in the Senate: Jose P. Laurel Signed: June 12, 1956  Full nam...

Rizal Law and The Teaching of Rizal Course Rizal, A True Filipino Hero Rizal, Pioneer Asian Nationalist Leader Major Periods in the Life of Rizal  Author: Claro M. Recto Sponsored the Bill in the Senate: Jose P. Laurel Signed: June 12, 1956  Full name of the Law Mandates the teaching of the life, works, and writings of Rizal in all schools in the country  Accdg. to Sen. Jose P. Laurel, who sponsored the said law, since Rizal was the founder of Filipino nationality and the architech of the Filipino nation, there is a need to know and imbibe the great ideals and principles for which he died. Moreover, Laurel believed that by reading and studying Rizal's life, teachings and writings, Filipino youth will be able to: - gain incorruptible confidence - direction - courage - and determination to move forward in our people's journey towards an abundant life.  Objectives of the Law: 1. To rededicate the lives of the youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes lived and died; 2. To pay tribute to our national hero for devoting his life and works in shaping the Filipino character 3. To gain an inspiring source of patriotism thru the study of Rizal's life, works and writings.  Goals set by the Board on National Education: 1. To recognize the relevance of Rizal's ideals, thoughts, teachings and life values to present conditions in the community; 2. To apply Rizal's ideals in the solution of day-to-day situations and problems in contemporary life;  Goals set by the Board on National Education: 3. To develop an understanding and appreciation of the qualities, behavior and character of Rizal; and 4. To foster the development of moral character, personal discipline, citizenship and vocational efficiency among the Filipino youth.  In many countries in the world, the leader is almost always chosen. Jose Rizal was not a man of war but a man of peace. Among the country's national heroes, Jose Rizal stands out. To many Filipinos, he is the national hero of the Philippines.  Actually, Rizal is only one of the country's national heroes who include Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Marcelo H. del Pilar and others more. They helped guide in the formation of the Filipino national spirit and the Philippine nation-state. All these heroes are examplars of all Filipinos to follow.  Historian Renato Constantino (1969) claimed that it was the Americans who were responsible for endorsing him as the Philippine national hero. He cited the efforts of the Taft Commission in 1901 which picked Rizal from a group of heroes, which included Emilio Aguinaldo,Andres Bonifacio and Apolinario Mabini.  Teodoro Agoncillo (1986) - eminent historian - writes that Rizal was acceptable as a national hero to the Americans because he was the symbol of assimilation, which was their policy then in the Philippines. Rizal never favored revolution but the slow process of evolution through education which suited American objectives.  Factors which contributed to Rizal's acceptability as the official hero of the Philippines: 1. Rizal was already dead at the time the Americans began their aggression in the Philippines. 2. No embarrassing anti-American quotations could ever be attributed to Rizal. 3. Rizal's dramatic martyrdom had already made him the symbol of Spanish oppression.  In reality, it is the Filipinos themselves who chose Rizal as their national hero. This could be seen in tributes to him during his lifetime and immediately after his death. The Katipuneros considered him the honorary leader of the Katipunan. His guidance was sought by its emissaries when Dr. Pio Valenzuela visited him in Dapitan in 1892.  Rizal's name was one of the passwords of the secret society which swore to fight for the country's freedom. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo - issued a decree on Dec. 20, 1898 ordering that Dec 30, the anniversary of Rizal's execution at Bagumbayan, be commemorated as “a day of mourning for Rizal and other victims of the Philippine Revolution”  Act No. 345 - the basis of the yearly celebration of Rizal Day *The early admiration for Rizal is manifested in the erection of the first monument in his honor. Dec. 30. 1898 - a group of masons erected a simple monument in Daet, Camarines Norte  -The monument bore the words: “A Jose Rizal” (To Jose Rizal) “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo,” the title of his two important novels and “Morga” which refers to the book “Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas” - annotated by Rizal in 1890 to correct Spanish misinterpretations in the book written by Antonio Morga during the 17th century *The monument at Daet antecedates the better known monument at Luneta in Manila.  -*Though the monument in Luneta was erected during the American Regime, it is the Filipino people themselves that helped build the monument through public subscriptions. -*This was authorized by Act No. 243 of the Philippine Commission.  Another proof: - Construction of myriad monuments in his honor in most cities and towns in the country. - Many main streets and avenues in the various towns and cities are named after him. - One province, Rizal Province, formerly part of the province of Manila, was named in his honor by virtue of Act No. 137 of the Philippine Commission  Another proof: - Filipino businessmen named their businesses after Rizal, as a sign of their admiration and respect. - bank(RCBC - Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.) - match (Rizal) - universities (Jose Rizal University and Rizal Technological University) - all one peso coin bears his image All of these are outward signs of the Filipino's adulations for Rizal and his achievements. He is truly a hero of the Filipinos. Conclusions drawn: (Guerrero, 1998) 1. Since the Filipinos love peace, they have chosen to magnify a man of peace above the men of war. 2. Because Filipinos are lovers of freedom and justice, they have given their worship to a man who gave up all comforts and pleasures of peace for their sake. Conclusions drawn: (Guerrero, 1998) 3. Filipinos prize virtue more than victory, and sacrifice above success. Despite the controversy on Rizal's heroism, it cannot be denied that he gave form to the aspiration of the Filipino people, thereby giving rise to our people's nationalist struggle. Conclusions drawn: (Guerrero, 1998) Due to Rizal's qualities, he was able to serve the pressing needs of the people. Constantino (1969), - Rizal is a hero in the sense that he was able to see the problems generated by historical forces, discern the new social needs created by historical development of new social relationships, and take an active part in meeting these needs. - Guerrero (1998) - Rizal was the first Filipino - This was because it was Rizal who first called the Philippines as his fatherland. - It was he who taught his countrymen that they could be something else, Filipinos who were members of the Filipino nation. - Guerrero (1998) - Rizal was the first Filipino - He was the first to work towards the unification of the Philippine archipelago into a compact and homogenous body based on common interests and mutual protection. - Rizal was born in the decade when other nationalist leaders of Asia were born: - Mohandas Gandhi, Rabindaranath Tagore and Sun Yat-Sen Accdg. to Coates (1968), all the four challenged the West but Rizal was the most remarkable because his ideas matured at an early age. - At that time that Gandhi was a schoolboy and Sun Yat-Sen was a student, Rizal was already articulating lucidly in his speeches, articles and letters his views of a completely different relationship between Asia and Europe - that the Asians must be regarded by Europe as equals. - De Ocampo, (1969) - Rizal was the first exponent of Asian nationalism since he was the source of inspiration for the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution of 1896. *Although Rizal opposed the revolution because it was premature and inadequately organized, the revolution brole out, which can be considered the first genuine uprising by an Asian people against the Western colonialism. - Fischer (1962) - Rizal was the Pioneer Exponent of Liberal Democracy in Asia. - even before Gandhi and Sun Yat-Sen began their career of political agitation, Rizal through his essays, letters and novels had already spoken out with firmness and courage ideas on liberal democracy. - Fischer (1962) - Ideas for liberal democracy by Rizal: The worth and dignity of the individual The inviolability of human rights The innate equality of all men and races The necessity for constitutional government Due process of law - Fischer (1962) - Ideas for liberal democracy by Rizal:  Popular sovereignty as the basis of all political authority  Faith in human reason and enlightenment The rights of the masses to public eduaction, and  Belief in social progress through freedom. - Rizal was the first Asian leader to assert that the aforementioned ideas and principles be established in Asia for the benefit of the Asians. - It was through Rizal that the basic tenets of modern and social democracy was given a major voice in Asia for the first time. - Thus, Rizal deserves to be called the First Asian Nationalist Leader - There are four major periods in the life of Rizal: 1861 - 1872 1882 - 1892 1872 - 1882 1892 - 1896 (Celedonio, 1982) First Period (1861 - 1872) Second Period (1872 - 1882) Third Period (1882 - 1892) Fourth Period (1892 - 1896) - This was the period when the young Rizal learned how to read, write and listened to stories that triggered imaginative and critical thinking on his part. - It was a period when the following values and virtues were developed in him: - It was a period when the following values and virtues were developed in him: industrious instead of idleness; creativeness instead of unproductiveness; rationality instead of blind acceptance; and dignity instead of servility. - This was the first turning point in the life of Rizal.  - He was then 11 years and was enrolled at Ateneo Municipal, despite the objection of his mother.  - It was the period when Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora were unjustly executed by the Spanish government. - The martyrdom of these three priests led Rizal to be awakened to the abuses of the regime and at the same time led him to devote himself in the future to avenge the victims of injustices and cruelties of the Spanish colonizers. - Other significant developments in his life during this period include the following: Strengthening of his religious foundation; Cultivation of the drive toward excellence; Envisioning the Philippines receiving light thru education; and Perception of the intimate alliance between religion and education.  - The year 1882 was the second major turning point in the life of Rizal.  - It was at this time that Rizal decided to leave the Philippines to escape persecution.  - He went to Europe and everywhere he went, Rizal was always an observer and a student,learning from everything he saw, read and heard.  - He urged the Filipino colony in Spain to prove that Filipinos can compete with the Europeans in intellect and talent.  - Thru his membership in exclusive societies of scholars and scientists in Europe where he presented monographs and was greatly appreciated, Rizal provided his compatriots an example.  - During this period Rizal took part in the Propaganda Movement, based in Europe.  - Through his articles, essays, and novels, he sought to make truthful disclosures of the political, social, and economic conditions in the Philippines. - The year 1892 can be considered the last turning point in the life of our national hero, before his martyrdom on Dec. 30, 1896. - Rizal was exiled in Dapitan. It was in Dapitan, where he demonstrated what an individual can do and accomplish within a short period of time. - It is here where he detached his connections with politics and devoted more of his time in practical service and usefulness to the community. Next topic: The 19th Century World of Jose Rizal Growth and Development of Nationalism Rise and Gradual Spread of Liberalism and Democracy The Industrial Revolution The Advance of Science The Resurgence of Western Imperialism Optimism and Confidence in Progress