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• Republic Act No. 1425, known as the Rizal Law, was signed on June 12, 1956
• The Rizal Law mandates all educational institutions in the Philippines to teach the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal
• Primary aim of the Rizal Law

  To inculcate in students an increased sense of nationalism
• The author and main proponent of the Rizal Law was Claro M. Recto
• The Rizal Law was dubbed as a communist and anti-Catholic by the Church
• Opponents of the bill said Rizal attacked the Church and denied the existence of purgatory
• Rizal Law (RA 1425)

  • First 2 Sections concern mandating the students to read Rizal's novels
  • Last 2 Sections concern making Rizal's writings accessible to the general public
• The Rizal Law was co-written by Jose P. Laurel
• Goals of the Rizal Law


  • Rededicate the lives of youth to the ideals of freedom and nationalism
  • Pay tribute to our national hero
  • Gain an inspiring source of patriotism
• In 1994, President Fidel V. Ramos issued Memorandum Order No. 247 to fully implement the Rizal Law
• In 1995, CHED issued Memorandum No. 3 enforcing strict compliance to Memorandum Order No. 247
• Republic Act No. 229 prohibits cockfighting, horse racing, and jai-alai on Rizal Day and creates a committee to take charge of the proper celebration of Rizal Day
• Importance of studying Rizal

  • Provides insights into how to deal with current problems
  • Helps us understand better ourselves as Filipinos
  • Teaches nationalism and patriotism
  • Provides various essential life lessons
  • Helps in developing logical and critical thinking
  • Rizal can serve as a worthwhile model and inspiration to every Filipino
  • The subject is a rich source of entertaining narratives
• Nationalism


  Involves the desire to attain freedom and political independence
• Patriotism


  Denotes proud devotion and loyalty to one's nation
• Critical thinking


  Discerning, evaluative, and analytical thinking
• The Rizal Law mandates that courses on the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal shall be included in the curricula of all schools
• The Rizal Law requires all schools to keep an adequate number of copies of Rizal's works and biography in their libraries
• The Rizal Law authorizes the Board of National Education to cause the translation of Rizal's writings
• The Rizal Law does not amend or repeal Section 927 of the Administrative Code
• The Rizal Law authorizes the sum of P300,000 to carry out its purposes
• The Rizal Law took effect upon its approval
• The 19th century was a period of massive changes in Europe, Spain, and consequently in the Philippines
• 4 historical elements that characterized the 19th century in the Philippines

  • The end of the Galleon Trade
  • The opening of the Suez Canal
  • The rise of the export of the crop economy
  • The established monopolies in the Philippines
• Galleon Trade


  1. A ship (galleon) trade going back and forth between Manila and Acapulco, Mexico

  2. Started when Andress de Urdaneta, in convoy under Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, discovered a return route from Cebu to Mexico in 1565

  3. The trade serves as the central income-generating business for Spanish colonists in the Philippines

  4. Manila became a trading hub where China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries sent their goods to be consolidated for shipping
• The Galleon trade ended with Mexico's war of independence on September 14, 1815
• The opening of the Suez Canal and the invention of steamships lessened the travel time from Spain to the Philippines to 40 days
• Suez Canal


  An artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez
• The opening of the Suez Canal brought the Philippines closer to Spain and enabled the growth of the nationalistic desires of Jose Rizal and other Filipino ilustrados
• The rise of the export of crop economy in the Philippines from 1820-1870 provided many opportunities for the expanding Chinese population
• After 1850, government monopoly contracts were opened to foreigners for the first time in the Philippines
• Monopolies in the Philippines

  • Opium Monopoly
  • Tobacco Monopoly
• Opium Monopoly


  Profitable, the Spanish government legalized the use of opium and opium importation and sales was created in the 1840s
• Tobacco Monopoly


  Most controversial and oppressive, the Philippine tobacco industry was placed under government control in 1782 to increase government revenue, finally abolished in 1882
• Schools in the 19th century Philippines were established and run by Catholic missionaries, with religion as a compulsory subject
• College education in the Philippines was initially open only to Spaniards and those with Spanish blood, but in the 19th century started accepting native Filipinos
• The development of commercial agriculture in the Philippines resulted in the presence of a new class of Spanish and Chinese mestizos
• Inquilino


  Tenant, a qualified system of tenancy where inquilinos paid a fixed rent determined by the size and quality of the land being worked on
• 3 strata of hacienda structure

  • Estate owner - demanded a share of the produce
  • Leaseholder/inquilino - paid rent, separated see, divided remaining crop equally between sharecropper and himself
  • Tenant-sharecropper (bottom of the hierarchy) - suffered most abuses
• Liberalism


  A worldview founded on ideas of freedom and equality, includes political goals that underscore individual rights and equality of opportunity