RIZAL (prelim)

• RA 1425, also known as the Rizal Law, was signed by former President Ramon Magsaysay on June 12, 1956
• Former President Ramon Magsaysay created a wide-scale propaganda program during the 1950s to educate the youth on the evils of communism
• Republic Act No. 1425 mandates the inclusion of courses on the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, in all public and private schools, colleges, and universities
• The Rizal Law became a controversial bill in Philippine history due to debates surrounding the separation of church and state issues
• The Catholic Church raised concerns about the Rizal Law, particularly regarding the requirement for students to read the unexpurgated editions of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo
• Senator Claro M. Recto and Senator Jose P. Laurel stood firm on the importance of studying Rizal and his novels to understand the history and sacrifices of the Filipino people
• Senator Jose P. Laurel created a compromise version of the bill to include other works by Rizal for a better understanding of the context of the novels
• Reasons to study the Rizal subject:

  • It is mandated by law
  • It contains valuable lessons for students to appreciate
• As Rizal once said, "The youth is the hope of the fatherland"
• Political context in the 19th century:

  • Spain was losing most of its colonies, leading to colonial instability
  • Evils of colonial rule included maladministration of justice, no equality before the law, racial prejudice against native Filipinos, forced labor (polo y servicio), and lack of representation in the Spanish Cortes
• Economic context in the 19th century:

  • Technological innovations from the industrial revolution led to the invention of tools and machinery
  • Opening of the Suez Canal shortened travel distance between Europe and the Philippines, allowing ilustrados to send their children to European universities
• Socio-cultural context in the 19th century:

  • Rise of the enlightenment period in Spain and the Philippines
  • Rise of the middle-class principalias in the Philippines
  • Manila became a free port in 1834, primarily for European traders
• Rizal's shaping as a hero in the 19th century:

  • Rizal responded to the deplorable political and social conditions in the Philippines by rising against the Spaniards and calling out inefficiency, injustice, and racial discrimination
  • Rizal's idea of a Filipino nation was a response to the growing desire for justice, equality, and freedom in the 19th century
• The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century Philippines, especially Rizal, was shaped by technological innovations and the opening of the Suez Canal, which facilitated trade and travel