History 6/ GEC 9

Rizal’s Life and Works

Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of this section, the students should be able to:
• Identify the basic facts about Republic Act 1425.
• Determine the issues and interest at stake in the
debate over the Rizal Bill.
• Relate the issues to the present-day and recognize
the significant value of studying Jose Rizal in the
21th century.
 Chapter 1 –UNDERSTANDING THE
RIZAL LAW
• It highlights the story of how the bill
became law, particularly what necessitated
its proponents to propose the bill.
• It presents issues behind the deliberation
and approval of the law focusing on the
arguments made by both the proponents
and opponents of the law.
 VOCABULARY
• Bill – a measure which , if passed through the
legislative process becomes a law.
• Unexpurgated – basically untouched. In the case of
the novels of Rizal, Unexpurgated versions were those
that were not change.
• Bicameral – involving the two chambers of Congress:
the Senate and the House of Representatives
 How a Bill becomes a Law:
The Legislative Process
• STEP 1
• Bill is files in the Senate Office of the Secretary. It is
given a number and calendared for first reading
• STEP 2
• First Reading. The bill’s title, number and author [s] are
read on the floor. Afterwards, it is referred to the
appropriate committee.
• STEP 3
• Committee Hearing. The bill is discussed within the committee
and a period of consultations is held. The committee can approve
[ approve without revisions, approve with amendments, or
recommend substitution or consolidation of similar bills]
• STEP 4
• Second Reading. The bill is read and discussed on the floor. The
author delivers a sponsorship speech. The other members of the
Senate may engage in discussions regarding the bill and a period of
debates will pursue. Amendments may be suggested to the bill.
• STEP 5
• Voting on the Second Reading. The Senators vote
on whether to approve or reject the bill. If approved,
the bill is calendared for the third reading.
• STEP 6
• Voting on Third Reading. Copies of the final
versions of the bill are distributed to the members of
the Senate who will vote for its approval or
rejections.
• STEP 7
• Consolidation of Version from the House. The
similar steps above are followed by the House of
Representatives in coming up with the approved bill.
If there are differences between the Senate and the
House versions, a bicameral conference committee
is called to reconcile the two. After this, both
chambers approve the consolidated version.
• STEP 8
• Transmittal of the Final Version to
Malacañang. The bill is then submitted
to the President for signing. The
President can either sign the bill into law
or veto and return it to the Congress.
 The Context of the Rizal Bill
• The post war period saw a Philippines rife with
challenges and problems. With a country torn
and tired from stresses of World War II,
prominent individuals who championed
nationalism and patriotism were at the forefront
of forwarding measures to instill such values in
the Philippine society.
 CLARO MAYO RECTO
• The main sponsor and defender of the
Rizal Bill, born in Tiaong Tayabas
[Quezon] on February 8, 189O to Claro
Recto Sr. and Micaela Mayo.
• He completed his primary education in
his hometown and his secondary
education in Batangas.
• In tertiary level, he moved to Manila
and finished AB degree at Ateneo and
was awarded maxima cum laude in
19O9.
• He finished his law degree from the
University of Santo Tomas
• Recto was also instrumental in the drafting
of the Constitution of the Philippines in
1934-1935 as he was selected as President
of the Assembly.
• He was known as an ardent nationalist. A
man of letters. He penned beautiful poetry
and prose.
• On October 2, 196O, he died of a heart attack in
Italy
• He believed that studying the life and works of
Jose Rizal would be instrumental in teaching the
youth to stand up for their country, therefore
embodying the values and ideals of Rizal.
From the Rizal Bill to the Rizal Law
• April 3, 1956, Senate Bill No. 438 was filed
by the Senate Committee on Education
• April 17, 1956, Senate Committee on
Education Chair Jose P. Laurel sponsored the
bill and began delivering speeches for the
proposed legislation. He helped Sen. Recto
defend the viability and practicality of having
the bill enacted into a law.
• He firmly believed that passing
the bill will be integral in
achieving the noble intent of
bringing to the Filipinos a sense
of nationalism that would helped
them understand the importance
of sovereignty.
• Soon after, the bill became controversial as
the powerful Catholic Church began to
express opposition against its passage.
• April 23, 1956, debates started where in
Recto and his allies in the Senate entered
into a fierce battle arguing for the passage of
the SB 438.
• The Church accused Recto of being
communist and anti-Catholic.
• They believed that mandating
students to read Rizal’s novels Noli
Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo,
would violate the freedom of
conscience and religion.
• To block the passing of the bill into law, the Church
urged their supporters to write to their congressmen and
senators to show their opposition to the bill.
• The Church organized symposiums and fora to
denounce the approval of the bill. Fr. Jesus Cavanna, a
staunch oppositionist of the bill argued that the novels
belonged to the past and that teaching them would be
misinterpret the current conditions of the Philippines.
• Radio Veritas commentator, Jesus Paredes, also said
that Catholics had the right to refuse to read the
novels as it would endanger their salvation.
• There was also a strong resistance from various
groups like:
• Catholic Action of the Philippines,
• Congregation of the Mission,
• Knights of Columbus and the
• Catholic Teachers Guild.
• However the Rizal Bill also had
supporters, namely:
• The Veteranos de la Revolucion
• Alagad ni Rizal,
• The Freemasons and
• The Knights of Rizal
 Archbishop, Rufino Santos
• His notable action was publishing letter stated
that Catholic students would be affected if
compulsory reading of the unexpurgated version
would push through.
• It was read in all masses that were celebrated in
the Diocese of Manila
• Cuenco, another staunch
oppositionist, highlighted Rizal’s
denial of existence of purgatory,
as it was not found in the Bible,
and that Moses and Jesus Christ
did not mention its existence
• House Bill No. 5561, an identical
version of SB 438, was filed by
Representative Jacobo Z. Gonzales on
April 19, 1956.
• The House Committee on Education
approved the bill without amendments on
May 2, 1956 and the debates commence
on May 9, 1956
• May 12, 1956- the bill specified that
only college students would have the
option to read the unexpurgated versions
of the clerically-contested reading
materials.
• An amendment made to the original bill
that included the teaching of Rizal’s
other works, aside from the two novels.
• The approved versions were
then transmitted to
Malacanang and on June 12,
1956, President Ramon
Magsaysay signed the bill into
a law which became Republic
Act No. 1425
 Thank You for
Listening
Prepared by:
ARWIN BINAYA BISO, Instructor 1