The Rizal Law

By
Augusto V. de Viana
National Historical Institute
 The Philippines passed through a series
of crisis

The country lay in ruins as a result of the

Second World War
Though most of its leaders were captured or killed, the country was
still in the throes of the Hukbalahap rebellion
There appear to be a moral blight as the
country struggles through various crises

The widening gap between rich and poor

Pro-Americanism vs. nationalism
Prevalence of crime and other social blights
 Filipinos yearned for a moral anchor which
was provided by the country’s heroes

Rizal provided
that moral
anchor
 Following the 1955 elections Sen. Claro
M. Recto introduced the original Rizal Bill

Recto was a maverick

in the Senate
He was a strong advocate
of nationalism

Sen. Claro M. Recto

 The Rizal bill ran into a bitter controversy
with the Catholic Hierarchy

 The bill was considered

“an attack on the Church”
 Rizal’s novels had messages

“not appropriate” for the present

time
 The Noli Me Tangere was said to

have contained 120 “anti-Catholic”

statements compared to 25
“patriotic” statements
Church leaders resorted to threats
 Urged Catholics to
reject legislators who
supported Recto’s bill
 One bishop threatened

to close down Catholic

schools if the Rizal bill
is passed
Recto dared the Catholics
To close down their
schools
 Church leaders also resorted to a
propaganda campaign

 Church leaders urged their

members to write their senators and
congressmen to reject Recto’s Rizal bill
 One Catholic leader said that the Rizal
Bill was a way of punishing Catholic voters
for his poor showing in the 1955 elections
 There was also a pastoral letter

condemning the bill

 The Catholic leaders attack the bill and
moved to emasculate the measure

 The bill, they said, violates

the Constitution because it
contravenes with the freedom of
conscience
 Catholics were “not obliged to

take the course” if it endangers their faith

R.A. 1425 accommodated the objections of
Church leaders
 It was a compromise
Bill and students could
exempt themselves
by citing religious grounds
 The proponents said
That at least they “gained
something”
The passage of the law
showed the influence of
the church in Recto with Sen. Jose P. Laurel
State affairs Author of the RA 1425
Batas Rizal
 Sen. Claro M. Recto:
main proponent of the original Rizal Bill

Maverick in theSenate
Strong advocate of nationalism
 Opposition from Catholic Hierarchy

The bill was considered “an attack on the

Church.”
Church leaders resorted to threats,
propaganda.

Reaching Compromise

Exemption by citing religious grounds

Recto with
Sen. Jose P. Laurel
 Republic Act 1425

 Ratified on June 12, 1956

 Obliges all tertiary schools to include in their
curriculum a course on Rizal’s life, works, and
writings
 Purpose:
1. make Filipinos commit themselves again to
nationalist concerns
2. honor our heroes
3. appreciate their contributions and sacrifices in
building a nation and national identity
Concept of Heroism and Choosing a National Hero
 The Heroism of Rizal

What makes a hero?

Esteban de Ocampo
 Chairman/Director of National Historical Institute 1971-1981
 Hero (1)
a prominent or central personage taking an
admirable part in a remarkable action or
event

Rizal wrote the most powerful literature of the Reform Movement

Hero (2)
a person of distinguished valor or enterprise
in danger or fortitude in suffering

Rizal went to Spain to report to the Spanish government

abuses being committed in the country.
Hero (2)
a person of distinguished valor or enterprise
in danger or fortitude in suffering

Rizal endured four years of lonely exile in Dapitan.

Hero (2)
a person of distinguished valor or enterprise
in danger or fortitude in suffering

Rizal bravely faced a firing squad on December 30, 1896.

Hero (3)
a man honored after death by public
worship because of exceptional service to
mankind

December 30, Rizal Day, is a “national” public holiday in the

Philippines
Is Rizal an American-sponsored hero?
SELECTION OF NATIONAL HERO
 Commissioner William Howard
Taft with four Americans and four
Filipinos (Trinidad Pardo de
Tavera, Gregorio Araneta,
Cayetano Arellano, Jose
Luzuriaga) convened as a
selection committee
 Criteria:
Filipino
Deceased
Great love for country
Mahinahong damdamin
Jose Rizal vs. Andres Bonifacio
“The revolution
prepared by Bonifacio
was only the effect, the
consequence of the
spiritual redemption
wrought by the pen of
Rizal.”
- Rafael Palma
Legislative Research Service
Congress of the Philippines

“No law, executive order nor

proclamation has been enacted or issued
officially proclaiming any Filipino
historical figure as a national hero.”
Point of Discussion
Rizal was never declared as the “national
hero” of the Philippines
HOW DOES ONE
BECOME A HERO?
Point of Discussion
Rizal is the country’s “national hero”
through public acclamation
 March 28, 1993
Executive Order No. 75
 creating the National Heroes
Committee “to study,
evaluate and explicitly
recommend Filipino
historical personages as
national heroes in due
recognition of their sterling
character and remarkable
achievements for the
country”
Technical Committee:
National Heroes Committee
 Dr. Onofre D. Corpuz
 Mrs. Carmen Guerrrero Nakpil
 Dr. Samuel K. Tan
 Dr. Marcelino Foronda
 Dr. Alfredo Lagmay
 Dr. Bernardita Churchill
 Professor Minerva Gonzales
 DOM Ignacio Maria (Ambeth Ocampo)
 Dr. Serafin Quiason
Factors to be considered in
recognizing heroes:
 extent of a person’s sacrifices for the welfare of the
country
 motive and methods employed in the attainment of
the ideal (welfare of the country)
 moral character of the person concerned
 influence of the person concerned on his age/the
succeeding age
Criteria of Heroes
heroes are those who have a concept of
nation and thereafter aspire and struggle
for the nation’s freedom
Criteria of Heroes
heroes are those who define and
contribute to a system of life of freedom
and order for a nation; heroes are those
who make the nation’s constitution and
laws
Criteria of Heroes
heroes are those who contribute to the
quality of life and destiny of a nation
Criteria of Heroes
heroes are those who live by high moral
precepts and ideas
Criteria of Heroes
heroes are those who give strength and
inspiration to the generations after them
Criteria of Heroes
heroes are those who bequeath valid
and important legacies of their values,
ideals and sacrifices
Criteria of Heroes
heroes are those who give their own
modest bid in the formation of the
national community
1995: Selection of Nine (9) to be declared as
National Heroes
Jose Rizal
Andres Bonifacio
Emilio Aguinaldo
Apolinario Mabini
Marcelo H. del Pilar
Sultan Dipatuan Kudarat
Juan Luna
Melchora Aquino
Gabriela Silang
Fidel Ramos

did not declare any of

the 9 as national
heroes
National Historical Institute
discourages the passage of law in declaring
national heroes
prefers public acclamation as the means to
recognize heroes
favors the issuance of laws and proclamations
to HONOR certain Filipinos who have rendered
service to the country
HOW DO WE HONOR
HEROES?
National Government
Burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani
Build monuments
Build monuments
Permanent Hoisting of National Flag
(monument)
Permanent hoisting of national flag
(residence)
Place picture in paper bills
Place picture in paper bills
Place bust/profile in coins
Place picture in stamps
Naming buildings
 Quezon Hall
University of the Philippines Diliman
Naming buildings
 Rizal Memorial Stadium
 Renaming airports
 from Manila International Airport to Ninoy Aquino
International Airport
Naming forts
 Fort del Pilar, Baguio City
Naming ships
 (Philippine Navy) BRP Apolinario Mabini
Naming provinces
Renaming provinces
 from Morong to Rizal
Renaming provinces
 from Tayabas to Quezon
Declaring the date of birth/death a special non-
working holiday (nation-wide)
December 30
Declaring the date of birth/death a special non-
working holiday (province-wide)
July 23
National Historical Institute
Installing historical markers
place of burial
Maintaining residences as shrines
Apolinario Mabini (Polytechnic University of the
Philippines, Sta. Mesa, Manila)
Maintaining residence as shrines
Ramon Magsaysay (Castillejos, Zambales)
Maintaining residence as shrines
Juan Luna (Badoc, Ilocos Norte)
Holding commemorative program on the
date of birth/death
 December 30 Rizal Day
Local Government
Naming streets
Naming streets
Naming streets
Renaming streets
 From Dewey Boulevard to Roxas Boulevard
Naming parks
 Rizal Park
Renaming parks
 Plaza Lawton to Liwasang Bonifacio
Naming bridges
Naming schools
Renaming towns
 Namacpacan to Luna (in honor of Antonio and Juan
Luna)
Renaming towns
 Quingua to Plaridel (in honor of Marcelo del Pilar)
Renaming towns
 San
Francisco del Malabon to Gen. Trias (in honor of
Mariano Trias)
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
Hero Worship
ACTIVITY
Small groups with 4-5
members
1. Research about Rizal’s Heroism
Individual
In your own opinion…
1. What kind of youth does our country need
today?
2. At the present time, what makes hero?
Who do you consider as hero?