The Rizal Law and Its Significance Today free essay sample

My initial ideas about the Rizal law was that it was another uninteresting legislative document that needs to be understood and memorized. Being a teenager, thats my way of thinking. I figured that since it is a law, it will tackle all about technicalities and provisions. I also thought that the Rizal Law was made for the sole purpose of perpetuating the name and works of our national hero. I was partly wrong. As I read the Rizal Law, I was correct about it tackling about provisions and technicalities. At the same time, I proved myself wrong with my assumptions of the Rizal Law being uninteresting. More so, I was able to have a better grasp and understanding of what it is to be nationalistic. What is it in the Rizal Law that caught my attention? To start with, my thoughts about it being insignificant to me was changed. It had everything to do with me. We will write a custom essay sample on The Rizal Law and Its Significance Today or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was created precisely for students. How so? In the law, it tackles all about Rizals works and/or life to be implemented in all schools. Who are the people in schools and who will benefit from the Rizal Law? The students. The law was really interesting to learn, as it turns out. Suddenly my opinions were turned upside down. It changed because the objectives of the document were like speaking to me. The objectives being to reawaken the Filipinos nationalism, to open the eyes of the filipino from colonial mentality and to make the students proud of the history. Those made re-examine myself and reflect upon my own sense of nationalism. In the module, I was able to know what the Rizal law was for. The law was to ignite the sense of nationalism of the countrys people. Its not just some typical law stating that everyone should have a background about the national hero and his works. Yes, its main point was to let every Filipino learn from the past as depicted in Dr. Jose Rizals novels. And yes, it encourages us to at least know something about Dr. Jose Rizals life. But its more than just that. The law itself is a beacon of hope and faith. The law itself signifies the hardwork of our fellow countrymen, mainly Jose P. Laurel and Claro M. Recto with some other minor personalities, in defending that in studying these novels and the life of our national hero will spark once again our nationalism that was once shining ever so brightly. Of course, every Republic Act has its origin. I learned that the Republic Act 1425 is actually an amended version of a bill. This bill was called the Noli-Fili Bill. Although the bill was the origin, the two are quite different. There are some similarities but a lot of differences can be seen. Firstly, the bill and the law aims to promote nationalism within the country. Its aim is to spread the ideologies of Rizal. The significance of Rizals works to the lives of the filipino people is vastly great because it mirrors the situation of the past to the present. It gives us answers to questions that are difficult to answer. The readings, specifically the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, should be in their unexpurgated versions. Meaning, the texts should be in their unedited or original state. This was changed though due to religious beliefs of the filipinos. This was done because the unexpurgated version of the texts might hinder the development of the faith of the people, according to the catholic church. Since there are similarities, there are also differences between the bill and the law. The noticeable difference is the specific punishments stated in the Noli Fili Bill which werent written in the Rizal Law. Basically, the more strict between the two is the Noli Fili Bill. We can look at the Rizal Law as the milder version. Next to that is that is the amount of money alotted for the usage of the implementation of the law. Transparency about finance was shown in the Rizal Law. To follow is that of the requirements of all libraries to have sufficient number of books that could cater to the students if ever they wish to read the book of Rizal. This is necessary so that those who dont have the books or just want to read the books can have access to the texts. It can also serve as an aid to the studies of the students. The Noli Fili Bill and the Rizal Bill was created for the filipino people. It was done for the best interests of everyone and no other reason. The aim of the bill and the law are the same but its means of executing the provisions are different. So it gives me an idea that even if these two are connected to each other, theyre still two separate things. Well, I learned that you really cant please everyone. In something that you o, no matter how good the argument is, no matter how logical and needed it is, someone will always be there to give a rebuttal. Like in the battle for the enforcement of the bill into a law, it took such a long time to be processed and approved. The debate between Claro M. Recto and Senator Rodrigo was proof that not everyone had the same views on the bill. Claro was able to rebutt all of the arguments of Sen. Rodrigo. An example is when Senator Rodrigo said, It was not necessary to have read the novels of Rizal in order to venerate him, that Rizal would still be a hero even if he had not written his books. It was because of the sufferings that he endured that he became our national hero. † and he answered, For what would Sen. Rodrigo honor Rizal if he had not written the Noli and El Fili? If Rizal had not written the two books, the Spaniards would not have made him suffer; they would not have shot him. He would not be the national hero of the Philippines. There are a number of people who were pros and antis with the law. Emilio Aguinaldo, Mayor Arsenio Lacson and Sen. Quintin Paredes were in favor of the law while the clergies of the catholic church together with Sen. Rodrigo, Ramon Durano and Luciano Paredes were against it. Somehow, in some way, the people had their own say about the passing of this law. Differences in the understanding of the law made it difficult for President Magsaysay to sign the bill into a law. But because of the revision of the bill, it was turned into a republic act. Most important of all, the bill and the law was written for nationalistic purposes. Not in a way that the people will be like Andres Bonifacio and Dr. Jose Rizal who died for their own country but a sense of nationalism that shows how proud they are of their country. The law is not just for learning. It seeks to bring back what once was the mightiest trait that the Filipinos had. It gives the Filipinos the drive to do something for themselves and be proud of it. That we have the capabilities to actually change the world. Were not indolent. Were not so stupid as some people might claim. In reading the works of Dr. Jose Rizal, like To The Filipino youth, we will know that Filipinos are also intelligent. That our country has a lot to offer to the world. I cant actually say that I alone was able to answer all of the questions resented to us. There were some aspects that were difficult for me to understand so I needed help from other people. In terms of absorbing the law itself and knowing what it contains, I can say that I understood most of the ideas there. Its just difficult to explain how it works, like theres no possible word to explain what it really does. Frankly, I didnt expect that such a law wouldve caused such a ruckus in the 1950s. A rucku s in a way that heated debates happened and the destruction of reputation was done. Who wouldve thought that a bill wanting to teach students about the novels of Dr. Jose Rizal could deal such damage? That was nothing I expected because I thought that the people had a good grasp between the governments job and what is the churchs job. The governments job was to enforce law beneficial to the people while the churchs job was to enlighted the people with their spirituality and to teach morals to the people. I do understand that they both had the peoples best interest at heart, but what I dont get is that it lead to an ugly picture. My new questions about the topic are, why does the church belittle the faith of the Filipino people? Why do they feel threatened by Rizals books? And why is it that they act like theyre the government officials in a way that their say in a matter is highly accounted for? Out of those three questions, the answer to the second one really intrigues me. If I was to get the answer to that question, I bet that a lot of people would benefit from it because itll give them a better understanding of why the unexpurgated versions of Rizals books were so controversial. So far, I havent gotten an answer to my new questions yet due to lack of time. Hopefully in the future, Ill get an answer. The Rizal Law is more than just a law. It preserves and teaches the youth to be proud of their motherland. The law shows the mighty deeds of the colonized filipinos. It is not to be taken lightly or to be made fun of because through this law the future generations will have the same sense of nationalism that we do. The bill and the law is different from one another. One should not mistake the law as the bill. They have the same aim and some similar provisions but as a whole, the two are really different. The bill was more strict and urged the compulsery reading of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The law tackles everything that has something to do with Rizal. There are always pros and cons. Somethin cant please everybody. Thats why people taking sides cant be avoided. Its a matter of what will prevail. In terms of the Rizal law, the pros won. They found a way to stop the catholic church from hindering them and their solution is to make an amended version of the bill. The provisions in the amended bill no longer hindered the opinion of the church and so the passing of that bill come on smoothly. Lastly, the law aims for a nationalistic Filipino citizen. Being a Filipino, one should love your country with all your heart. Be proud of it and dont let anyone step on your neck and say that youre lower. One is not above the other. We should not revere to other countries as better. Were the same. We have the same capabilities that the others have. What should matter is our own productivity and that we should be proud of it.