• FOR THE CONTENT/TEXT OF THE RIZAL LAW REFER TO THE BOOK – JOSE RIZAL IN OUR TIMES

Story of the Bill• 1950’s was a period of imperialist

presence and communist insurgency.• Claro M. Recto passed the bill

calling for a return to patriotic values voiced by Filipino Heroes such as Jose Rizal.• The Catholic Church opposed the

bill because Rizal’s novels contained passages that were anti-church and could violate the constitutional freedom of religion and conscience.

Claro M. Recto

Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo

• Fr. Jesus Cavanna said that the novels belonged to the past.• Jose P. Laurel authored the

revised bill. • The Rizal Law accommodated

the objections of the Catholic church allowing students to seek exemptions from reading Rizal’s works for religious reasons but still required the reading of the unedited versions of Rizal’s novels.

Jose P. Laurel

Conclusion• Rizal does not have the monopoly of nationalism.• The works of other heroes should also be studied

because many of the content of their works are relevant to present day situations.• Examples: 1. “Wealth that is lost can be recovered, but time that has

passed will not be regained again”.2. “To an honorable man his word is sacred.”3. “Independence is not enough but that a moral

government is also indispensable. It must be moral, that it should govern with truth, without deceit, sincerely complying with the law and its promises to the people.”