ASSIGNMENT NO. 2 RODRIGUEZ, Luzille, A.

April 12, 2016 2nd

year BS Accountancy

The Controversy over the RIZAL LAW of 1956

The RIZAL Centennial (1861-1961)

RIZAL LAW

also known as REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425

mandates all educational institutions in the Philippines to

offer courses about José Rizal.

The full name of the law is 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 and El Filibusterismo, Authorizing the Printing and

Distribution Thereof, and for Other Purposes.

Senator Claro M. Recto was the main proponent of the Rizal Bill.

The Republic Act was signed by the President that time, Fidel V. Ramos, on June 12,

1956

THE CONTROVERSY

The measure was strongly opposed by the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines due

to the anti-clerical themes in Noli Me Tángere and El Filibusterismo. During the 1955 Senate

election, the church charged Recto with being a communist and an anti-Catholic. After Recto's

election, the Church continued to oppose the bill mandating the reading of Rizal's novels Noli

Me Tángere and El Filibusterismo, claiming it would violatefreedom of

conscience and religion.

In the campaign to oppose the Rizal bill, the Catholic Church urged its adherents to write to

their congressmen and senators showing their opposition to the bill; later, it organized

symposiums. In one of these symposiums, Fr. Jesus Cavanna argued that the novels belonged

to the past and that teaching them would misrepresent current conditions. Radio commentator

Jesus Paredes also said that Catholics had the right to refuse to read them as it would "endanger

their salvation".

Groups such as Catholic Action of the Philippines, the Congregation of the Mission,

the Knights of Columbus, and the Catholic Teachers Guild organized opposition to the bill; they

were countered by Veteranos de la Revolucion (Spirit of 1896), Alagad in Rizal, the

Freemasons, and the Knights of Rizal. The Senate Committee on Education sponsored a bill co-

written by both José P. Laurel and Recto, with the only opposition coming from Francisco Soc

Rodrigo, Mariano Jesús Cuenco, and Decoroso Rosales.

RL-56

5629

The Noli and Fili were required readings for

college students.

RIZAL CENTENNIAL 1861-1961

Theme 100th Birth Anniversary of Jose Rizal

Obverse Portrait of Jose Rizal, "Jose Rizal * Centennial * National Hero", "1861", "1961"

Reverse Seal of the Republic of the Philippines, “Central Bank of the Philippines * One

Peso *� / “Half Peso�

Year  1961

Denomination 50-sentimo & 1-piso

Precious Metal Component Silver

Note

-Images do not depict the actual size.

-NOT AVAILABLE FOR SALE

-Demonetized

SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rizal_Law

https://teamcrisostomo.wordpress.com/what-is-the-rizal-law/

http://www.gov.ph/1956/06/12/republic-act-no-1425/

http://www.bsp.gov.ph/bspnotes/comm1961.html