Controversy over Rizal Law and Rizal Centennial (1861-1961)
- 1. 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.
- 2. 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