R.A 1425

I. REPUBLIC ACT 1425

The Controversial Rizal Law

The Players

The Senate bill 438, known as the Rizal Bill authored by Senator Claro M. Recto, which was filed on April 3, 1956, is considered one  of the most controversial bills in the Philippines.

It instigated a debate between the Proponents: Senator Claro M. Recto and Senator Jose P. Laurel and those who opposed the bill: Senator Francisco Rodrigo who was a former Catholic Action president. Senator Mariano J. Cuenco and Senator Decoroso Rosales who was the brother of an Archbishop.  

The original bill made it obligatory for college and university students to study the unexpurgated and original of Rizal’s two famous novels: El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere. Thus, the opposition claimed that the Rizal bill was anti-Catholic because according to them the two novels of Rizal contained passages that were anti-Catholic. They believed that it might affect the religious beliefs of the students and violate their constitutional freedom of religion and conscience. The Church continued its opposition to the bill by conducting seminars, reading pastoral letters, and urging the Catholic masses to vote out the lawmakers who are Pro-Rizal bill. The Church also threatened to close down the catholic schools if the bill was approved.