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THE RIZAL LAW

The Rizal Law is about implementing rules to educate people about the Life, Works, and Writings
of our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, especially his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
This is to give the students and the future generations an ample background and for them to
understand about how Jose Rizal hands over his life for our country.
WHEREAS, today, more than any other period of our history, there is a need for a re-dedication to
the ideals of freedom and nationalism for which our heroes lived and died;
WHEREAS, it is meet that in honoring them, particularly the national hero and patriot, Jose Rizal,
we remember with special fondness and devotion their lives and works that have shaped the
national character;
WHEREAS, the life, works and writing of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and
El Filibusterismo, are a constant and inspiring source of patriotism with which the minds of the
youth, especially during their formative and decisive years in school, should be suffused;
WHEREAS, all educational institutions are under the supervision of, and subject to regulation by
the State, and all schools are enjoined to develop moral character, personal discipline, civic
conscience and to teach the duties of citizenship; Now, therefore,
SECTION 1. Courses on the life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novel Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo, shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and
universities, public or private: Provided, That in the collegiate courses, the original or unexpurgated
editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their English translation shall be used as
basic texts.
The Board of National Education is hereby authorized and directed to adopt forthwith measures to
implement and carry out the provisions of this Section, including the writing and printing of
appropriate primers, readers and textbooks. The Board shall, within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, promulgate rules and regulations, including those of a disciplinary nature, to
carry out and enforce the provisions of this Act. The Board shall promulgate rules and regulations
providing for the exemption of students for reasons of religious belief stated in a sworn written
statement, from the requirement of the provision contained in the second part of the first paragraph
of this section; but not from taking the course provided for in the first part of said paragraph. Said
rules and regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after their publication in the Official Gazette.
SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep in their libraries
an adequate number of copies of the original and unexpurgated editions of the Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo, as well as of Rizal’s other works and biography. The said unexpurgated
editions of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo or their translations in English as well as
other writings of Rizal shall be included in the list of approved books for required reading in all
public or private schools, colleges and universities.
The Board of National Education shall determine the adequacy of the number of books, depending
upon the enrollment of the school, college or university.
SECTION 3. The Board of National Education shall cause the translation of the Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo, as well as other writings of Jose Rizal into English, Tagalog and the principal
Philippine dialects; cause them to be printed in cheap, popular editions; and cause them to be
distributed, free of charge, to persons desiring to read them, through the Purok organizations and
Barrio Councils throughout the country.
SECTION 4. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as amendment or repealing section nine
hundred twenty-seven of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines
by public school teachers and other person engaged in any public school.
SECTION 5. The sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated
out of any fund not otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury to carry out the purposes of
this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
HISTORY
Senate bill 438 known as Rizal Bill which was first authored by Senator Claro M. Recto – requiring
the inclusion in the curricula of all private and public schools, colleges and universities the life,
works and writings of Jose Rizal particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo – is
considered as one of the most controversial bills in the Philippines. Normally, before the bill was
approved and implemented in all schools and was signed into a law known as Republic Act 1425,
it had been brought to the Upper and Lower House of the Congress for deliberations. But what
made it controversial is that the bill was not just fiercely opposed by people from Legislative Arm
but also by the Catholic Church due to the inclusion of compulsory reading of Rizal’s novels in
which according to them, catholic dogmas are humiliated.
Senator Recto brought the bill to the Senate and Senator Jose B. Laurel Sr. who was then the
Chairman of the Committee on Education sponsored the bill that consequently led to exchange of
arguments from the Congress. The bill was headedly opposed by three senators namely Senator
Francisco Rodrigo who was a former Catholic Action President, Senator Mariano Cuenco and
Senator Decoroso Rosales who was the brother of Julio Rosales, an archbishop. Other oppositors
were from Lower House namely Congressmen Ramon Durano, Marciano Lim, Jose Nuguid,
Manuel Soza, Godofredo Ramos, Miguel Cuenco, Lucas Paredes, Congressmen Carmen Consing
and Tecia San Andres Ziga. The Catholic Church was indirectly included in the debates and
played a major role for the intervention of signing of the bill into a law. Allied with the church in
battle against Rizal Bill were the Holy Name Society of the Philippines, Catholic Action of the
Philippines, Legion of Mary, Knights of Columbus and Daughters of Isabela.
Oppositions argued that the bill would go against freedom of

conscience and religion. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
submitted a pastoral letter to which according, Rizal violated Canon Law 1399 which forbids or
bans books that attack or ridicule the catholic doctrine and practices. Oppositors argued that
among the 333 pages of Noli Me Tangere, only 25 passages are nationalistic while 120 passages
are anti-catholic. While upon scrutiny of thetwo novels by some members of catholic hierarchical,
170 passages in Noli Me Tangere and 50 in El Filibusterismo are against catholic faith.
Furthermore, oppositors pointed out that Rizal admitted that he did not only attack the friars who
acted deceptively on the Filipinos but also the catholic faith itself. They suggested a reading
material for students as to what they called Rizalian Anthology, a collection of Rizal’s literary works
that contain the patriotic philosophy excluding the two novels.

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THE RIZAL LAW

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Oppositions argued that the bill would go against freedom of

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