REPUBLIC ACT NO.
1425 paragraph of this section; but not from taking the
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
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
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.
Approved: June 12, 1956
Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 52, No. 6,
p. 2971 in June 1956.
1. PREPARATION OF THE BILL
The Member or the Bill Drafting Division
of the Reference and Research Bureau
prepares and drafts the bill upon the
Member's request.
2. FIRST READING
1. The bill is filed with the Bills and
Index Service and the same is
numbered and reproduced.
2. Three days after its filing, the
same is included in the Order of
Business for First Reading.
3. On First Reading, the Secretary
General reads the title and
number of the bill. The Speaker
refers the bill to the appropriate
Committee/s.
3. COMMITTEE
CONSIDERATION/ACTION
1. The Committee where the bill was
referred to evaluates it to
determine the necessity of
conducting public hearings.
If the Committee finds it
necessary to conduct public
hearings, it schedules the time
thereof, issues public notics and
invites resource persons from the
public and private sectors, the
academe and experts on the
proposed legislation.
If the Committee finds that no
public hearing is not needed, it
schedules the bill for Committee
discussion/s.
2. Based on the result of the public
hearings or Committee
discussions, the Committee may
introduce amendments,
consolidate bills on the same
subject matter, or propose a
subsitute bill. It then prepares the
corresponding committee report.
3. The Committee approves the
Committee Report and formally
transmits the same to the Plenary
Affairs Bureau.
4. SECOND READING
1. The Committee Report is
registered and numbered by the
Bills and Index Service. It is
included in the Order of Business
and referred to the Committee on
Rules.
2. The Committee on Rules
schedules the bill for consideration
on Second Reading.
3. On Second Reading, the Secretary
General reads the number, title
and text of the bill and the
following takes place:
a. Period of Sponsorship and
Debate
b. Period of Amendments
c. Voting which may be by:
i. viva voce
ii. count by tellers
iii. division of the
House; or
iv. nominal voting
5. THIRD READING
1. The amendments, if any, are
engrossed and printed copies of
the bill are reproduced for Third
Reading.
2. The engrossed bill is included in
the Calendar of Bills for Third
Reading and copies of the same
are distributed to all the Members
three days before its Third
Reading.
3. On Third Reading, the Secretary
General reads only the number
and title of the bill.
4. A roll call or nominal voting is
called and a Member, if he
desires, is given three minutes to
explain his vote. No amendment
on the bill is allowed at this stage.
a. The bill is approved by an
affirmative vote of a
majority of the Members
present.
b. If the bill is disapproved,
the same is transmitted to
the Archives.

6. TRANSMITTAL OF THE APPROVED
BILL TO THE SENATE
The approved bill is transmitted to the
Senate for its concurrence.
7. SENATE ACTION ON APPROVED
BILL OF THE HOUSE
The bill undergoes the same legislative
process in the Senate.
8. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
1. A Conference Committee is
constituted and is composed of
Members from each House of
Congress to settle, reconcile or
thresh out differences or
disagreements on any provision of
the bill.
2. The conferees are not limited to
reconciling the differences in the
bill but may introduce new
provisions germane to the subject
matter or may report out an
entirely new bill on the subject.
3. The Conference Committee
prepares a report to be signed by
all the conferees and the
Chairman.
4. The Conference Committee Report
is submitted for
consideration/approval of both
Houses. No amendment is
allowed.
9. TRANSMITTAL OF THE BILL TO THE
PRESIDENT
Copies of the bill, signed by the Senate
President and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and certified by both the
Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary
General of the House, are transmitted to
the President.
10. PRESIDENTIAL ACTION ON THE
BILL
1. If the bill is approved the
President, the same is assigned
an RA number and transmitted to
the House where it originated.
2. If the bill is vetoed, the same,
together with a message citing
the reason for the veto, is
transmitted to the House where
the bill originated.
11. ACTION ON APPROVED BIL
The bill is reproduced and copies are sent
to the Official Gasette Office for
publication and distribution to the
implementing agencies. It is then included
in the annual compilation of Acts and
Resolutions.
12. ACTION ON VETOED BILL
The message is included in the Order of
Business. If the Congress decides to
override the veto, the House and the
Senate shall proceed separately to
reconsider the bill or the vetoed items of
the bill. If the bill or its vetoed items is
passed by a vote of two-thirds of the
Members of each House, such bill or items
shall become a law.
NOTE:A joint resolution
having the force and effect of
a law goes through the same
process.
Republic Act No. 1425, known as the Rizal Law,
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. 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.
 Senator Claro M. Recto was the main
proponent of the Rizal Bill. He sought to
sponsor the bill at Congress. However, this
was met with stiff opposition from the
Catholic Church. During the1955 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
violate freedom of conscienceand religion.[1]
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".[1]
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.[2][3]
The Archbishop of Manila, Rufino Santos, protested in
a pastoral letter that Catholic students would be
affected if compulsory reading of the unexpurgated
version were pushed through.[4] Arsenio Lacson,
Manila's mayor, who supported the bill, walked out of
Mass when the priest read a circular from the
archbishop denouncing the bill.[5]
Rizal, according to Cuenco, "attack[ed] dogmas,
beliefs and practices of the Church. The assertion that
Rizal limited himself to castigating undeserving priests
and refrained from criticizing, ridiculing or putting in
doubt dogmas of the Catholic Church, is absolutely
gratuitous and misleading." Cuenco touched on Rizal's
denial of the existence of purgatory, as it was not
found in the Bible, and that Moses and Jesus Christ
did not mention its existence; Cuenco concluded that
a "majority of the Members of this Chamber, if not all
[including] our good friend, the gentleman from Sulu"
believed in purgatory.[3] The senator from Sulu,
Domocao Alonto, attacked Filipinos who proclaimed
Rizal as "their national hero but seemed to despise
what he had written", saying that
the Indonesians used Rizal's books as their Bible on
their independence movement; Pedro López, who
hails from Cebu, Cuenco's province, in his support for
the bill, reasoned out that it was in their province the
independence movement started, when Lapu-
Lapu fought Ferdinand Magellan.[4]
Outside the Senate, the Catholic schools threatened
to close down if the bill was passed; Recto countered
that if that happened, the schools would be
nationalized. Recto did not believe the threat, stating
that the schools were too profitable to be closed.[1] The
schools gave up the threat, but threatened to "punish"
legislators in favor of the law in future elections. A
compromise was suggested, to use the expurgated
version; Recto, who had supported the required
reading of the unexpurgated version, declared: "The
people who would eliminate the books of Rizal from
the schools would blot out from our minds the memory
of the national hero. This is not a fight against Recto
but a fight against Rizal", adding that since Rizal is
dead, they are attempting to suppress his memory.[6]
On May 12, 1956, a compromise inserted by
Committee on Education chairman Laurel that
accommodated the objections of the Catholic Church
was approved unanimously. The bill specified that only
college (university) students would have the option of
reading unexpurgated versions of clerically-contested
reading material, such as Noli Me Tángere and El
Filibusterismo.[1][4][6] The bill was enacted on June 12,
1956,[4] Flag Day.
CLARO M. RECTO
Claro Mayo Recto Jr. (born Claro Recto y Mayo;
February 8, 1890 – October 2, 1960) was
a Filipino statesman, jurist, poet and one of the
foremost statesmen of his generation. He is
remembered for his nationalism, for "the impact of his
patriotic convictions on modern political thought".
Early life
Recto was born in Tiáong, Tayabas (now known
as Quezon province), Philippines, of educated, upper
middle class parents, Claro Recto, Sr. of Rosario,
Batangas, and Micaela Mayo of Lipa, Batangas. He
studied Latin at Instituto de Rizal in Lipa, Batangas,
from 1900 to 1901. He continued his education at
Colegio del Sagrado Corazón of Don Sebastián
Virrey. He moved to Manila to study atAteneo de
Manila where he consistently obtained outstanding
scholastic grades, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts
degree maxima cum laude. He received a Masters of
Laws degree from University of Santo Tomás. He later
received his Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) honorary
degree from Central Philippine University in 1969.
Politician
Recto launched his political career as a legal adviser
to the first Philippine Senate in 1916. In 1919, he was
elected representative from the second district
of Batangas. He served as minority floor leader for
several years until 1925. His grasp of parliamentary
procedures won him the accolades of friends and
adversaries alike.
Recto traveled to the United States as a member of
the Independence Mission and was admitted to the
American Bar in 1924. Upon his return, he founded
the Partido Democrata.
In 1928, Recto temporarily retired from active politics
and dedicated himself to the practice and teaching of
law. Soon thereafter, however, he found the world of
academia restrictive and soporific. Although he still
engaged in the practice of law, he resigned from his
teaching job in 1931 and reentered politics. He ran
and won a senate seat and was subsequently elected
majority floor leader in 1934. He was
appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in
July 3, 1935 – November 1, 1936 by
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
As a jurist, he debated against U.S. President Dwight
D. Eisenhower's Attorney General Herbert Brownell
Jr. on the question of U.S. ownership of military bases
in the Philippines,[4] a question that remained
unresolved for 40 years.
Recto presided over the assembly that drafted the
Philippine Constitution in 1934–35 in accordance with
the provisions of the Tydings–McDuffie Act and a
preliminary step to independence and self-governance
after a 10-year transitional period. The Tydings–
McDuffie Act was written to replace the Hare–Hawes–
Cutting Act which, through the urging of Manuel L.
Quezon, was rejected by the Philippine Senate. The
original bill would have allowed the indefinite retention
of U.S. military and naval bases in the Philippines and
the American imposition of high tariff and quotas on
Philippine exports such as sugar and coconut oil. After
amendments, the Tydings–McDuffie bill was passed
and signed into law by President Roosevelt.
Together with then-Senate President Quezon, who era of rapid industrialization. Only a nationalistic

later was elected first president of the Commonwealth administration can inspire a new idealism in our youth,

of the Philippines, Recto personally presented the and with its valid economic program make our youth

Commonwealth Constitution to U.S. President respond to the challenging jobs and tasks demanding

Roosevelt. The consensus among many political full use of their talents and energies.

scholars of today judges the 1935 Constitution as the

Recto was defeated in the election and never became
best-written Philippine charter ever. Its author was
president. Since his time, subsequent administrations
mainly Claro M. Recto.
practiced with fidelity and enthusiasm what he called

In 1941, Recto ran and reaped the highest number of "subservience and colonial mentality," most of them

votes among the 24 elected senators. He was re- with greed and rapacious intents. To the judgment of

elected in 1949 as aNacionalista Party candidate and Recto and many political gurus, colonial mentality

again in 1955 as a guest candidate of the Liberal towards America by the sycophant Philippine

Party. government, and its evil twin—servility to the almighty

dollar, are among the major contributories to graft and

Recto served as Commissioner of Education (1942–
corruption, which in turn have paralyzed the nation's
43), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1943–44), and Cultural
economy.[5]
Envoy with the rank ofAmbassador on a cultural

mission to Europe and Latin America (1960). In 1991, Philippine president Corazon Aquino initially

fought for the continuation of the Republic of the

In the 1953 and 1955 elections, Recto denounced the
Philippines - U.S Bases Treaty, but ultimately
influence and coercion of the Catholic Church on
acquiesced to the will of the people, and the Philippine
voters' decisions—the Philippines having a 90%
Senate rejected its renewal. In September 1991, by a
Catholic majority at the time. In a 1958 article in "The
slim majority led by Senator Jovito Salonga, the
Lawyer's Journal," Recto suggested a constitutional
lawmaking body rescinded the agreement, effectively
amendment to make the article on Separation of
ending U.S. military presence in the Philippines.[5]
Church and State clearer and more definitive. He also

argued against the teaching of religion in public

schools.
Recto the jurist

Recto foresaw the demands of a fast-moving global

Recto was known as an abogado milagroso (lawyer of
economy and the challenges it would pose to his
miracles), a tribute to his many victories in the judicial
nation. In a memorable speech on the eve of the 1957
court. He wrote a two-volume book on civil
presidential election when he ran against
procedures, which, in the days before World War
then President Carlos Garcia, he petitioned all sectors
II was standard textbook for law students.
of society, and following the example of Rizal,
His prominence as a lawyer paralleled his fame as a
implored Philippine youth: Remembering Recto -
writer. He was known for his flawless logic and lucidity
Manila Bulletin Online, archived from the originalon
of mind in both undertakings. He served the wartime
2007-10-26, retrieved 2015-02-15
cabinet of PresidentJosé P. Laurel during the
The first task to participate seriously in the economic
Japanese occupation. Together with Laurel, Camilo
development of our country (is to) pursue those
Osías, and Quintín Paredes, he was taken into
professions for which there is a great need during an
custody by the American colonial government and
tried for treason. In his defense, in his treatise entitled passionately against its implementation in Asia, wary

"Three Years of Enemy Occupation" (1946), he of Japan's preeminence and its aggressive stance

convincingly presented the case of patriotic conduct of towards its neighbors. In his deliberation, he wrote

Filipinos during World War II. He fought his legal about foreseeing the danger Japan posed to the

battles and was acquitted. Philippines and other Asian countries. His words

proved prophetic when Japan invaded and colonized

the region, including the Philippines from 1942-45.

Poet, playwright, essayist
His eloquence and facility with the Spanish language
He was reared and schooled in the Spanish language,
were recognized throughout the Hispanic world.
his mother tongue alongside Tagalog, and he was
The Enciclopedia Universal says of him: "Recto, more
also fluent in English. He initially gained fame as a
than a politician and lawyer, is a Spanish writer, and
poet while a student at University of Santo Tomás
that among those of his race" (although he had Irish
when he published a book Bajo los Cocoteros (Under
and Spanish ancestors), "there is not and there has
the Coconut Trees, 1911), a collection of his poems in
been no one who has surpassed him in the mastery of
Spanish. A staff writer of El Ideal and La Vanguardia,
the language of his country's former sovereign."[6]
he wrote a daily column, Primeras Cuartillas (First

Sheets), under the nom de plume "Aristeo Hilario."

They were prose and numerous poems of satirical The 'finest mind of his generation'

pieces. Some of his works still grace classic poetry

Recto is considered the "finest mind of his
anthologies of the Hispanic world.
generation".[7] Through his speeches and writings, he

Among the plays he authored were La Ruta de was able to mold the mind of his Filipino

Damasco (The Route to Damascus, 1918), and Solo contemporaries and succeeding generations, a skill

entre las sombras (Alone among the Shadows, 1917), "only excelled by (Jose) Rizal's".[7] Though in

lauded not only in the Philippines, but also comparison Recto was much closer to Apolinario

in Spain and Latin America. Both were produced and Mabini for Rizal was not specifically known for his

staged in Manila to critical acclaim in the mid 1950s. speaking ability and was a reformist in his time. Recto

was unique compared to his peers in that he was one

In 1929, his article Monroismo asiático (Asiatic
of the more notable nationalists against imperialism.
Monroism) validated his repute as a political satirist. In

what was claimed as a commendable study in He left a mark on the patriotic climate of his time and a

polemics, he proferred his arguments and defenses in lasting legacy to those who succeeded him. Such

a debate with Dean Máximo Kálaw of the University of icons of nationalism as Lorenzo Tañada, José

the Philippines where Kálaw championed a version of Diokno, Renato Constantino, and Jovito Salonga, refer

the Monroe Doctrine with its application to the Asian to him as a mentor and forerunner.

continent, while Recto took the opposing side. The

Teodoro M. Locsín of Philippines Free Press, defined
original Monroe doctrine (1823) was U.S.
Recto's genius:[7]
President James Monroe's foreign policy of keeping
Recto is not a good speaker, no. He will arouse no
the Americas off-limits to the influence of the Old
mob. But heaven help the one whose pretensions he
World, and states that the United States, Mexico, and
chooses to demolish. His sentences march like
countries in South and Central America were no
ordered battalions against the inmost citadel of the
longer open to European colonization. Recto was
man's arguments, and reduce them to rubble; Agency (CIA) conducted black propaganda operations

meanwhile his reservations stand like armed sentries to ensure his defeat, including the distribution of

against the most silent approach and every attempt at condoms with holes in them and marked with

encirclement by the adversary. The reduction to `Courtesy of Claro M. Recto' on the labels.[8][9]

absurdity of Nacionalista senator Zulueta's conception

of sound foreign policy was a shattering experience,

Death
the skill that goes into the cutting of a diamond went

into the work of demolition. There was no slip of the Recto died of a heart attack in Rome, Italy, on October

hand, no flaw in the tool. All was delicately, perfectly 2, 1960, while on a cultural mission, and en route to

done... Recto cannot defend the indefensible, but what Spain, where he was to fulfill a series of speaking

can be defended, he will see to it that it will not be engagements.

taken.
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is suspected of

involvement in his death. Recto, who had no known

Criticism heart disease, met with two mysterious "Caucasians"

wearing business suits before he died. United States

His critics claim that Recto's brilliance is
government documents later showed that a plan to
overshadowed by his inability to capture nationwide
murder Recto with a vial of poison was discussed
acceptance. He could have been an exceptional
by CIA Chief of Station Ralph Lovett and the US
leader, perhaps a great president, but his appeal was
Ambassador to the Philippines Admiral Raymond
limited to the intellectual elite and the nationalist
Spruance years earlier.[10][11]
minority of his time. In the same article, political

editorialist, Manuel L. Quezon III, laments this fact: Recto was married twice. He had four children in his

first marriage with Angeles Silos. He also had two

Recto's leadership was the curious kind that only finds
sons with his second wife Aurora Reyes.
fulfillment from being at the periphery of power, and

not from being its fulcrum. It was the best occupation

suited to the satirist that he was. His success at the

polls would be limited, his ability to mold the minds of

his contemporaries was only excelled by Rizal's...But

he was admired for his intellect and his dogged

determination to never let the opposition be bereft of a

champion, still his opposition was flawed. For it was

one that never bothered to transform itself into an

opposition capable of taking power.[7]

However, one possible explanation as to why Recto

was never able to capture full national acceptance

was because he dared to strongly oppose the national

security interests of the United States in the

Philippines, as when he campaigned against the US

military bases in his country. During the 1957

presidential campaign, the Central Intelligence