The

Of The
April 3, 1956

❖Senate Bill No. 438 was filed by the committee on Education.

❖Supported by all but three of the members of the Upper
House and seemed, to all appearances, a non-controversial
measure.

April 17, 1956

❖ Senator Jose P. Laurel, Chairman of the Committee of Education,

began his sponsorship.
THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF SENATE BILL NO. 438
AN ACT TO MAKE NOLI ME TANGERE AND EL FILIBUSTERISMO COMPULSORY
READING MATTER IN ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the

Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are hereby

declared compulsory reading matter in all public and private schools, colleges
and universities in the Philippines.

SECTION 2. The works mentioned in Section 1 of this Act shall be in the original
editions or in their unexpurgated English and Natural Language versions.

SECTION 3. The Department of Education shall take steps to promulgate rules

and regulations for the immediate implementation of the provisions of this Act.
Continuaton…
SECTION 4. No provisions of this Act shall be constructed as prohibiting or
limiting the study of the works of other Filipino heroes.

SECTION 5. any public or private college or university found violating, failing to

comply with, or circumventing the provisions of this Act shall be punished
accordingly:

a. The head of any public college or university charged with

implementing the provisions of this Act, who shall have been found guilty of
violating, failing to comply with, or circumventing the provisions thereof, shall
be dismissed immediately from the service and shall be disqualified from
teaching in any public or government recognized private school, college or
university.

b. Government Recognition of any private college or university found

violating or circumventing the provisions of this Act shall be immediately
withdrawn, and the responsible Head and professor or professors concerned
shall be disqualified from teaching in any Government-recognized college or
university.

SECTION 6. The Act shall take effect upon its approval.

SENATOR LAUREL’S SPEECH IN THE COURSE OF HIS
THREE-DAY SPONSORHIP.
“Noli Me Tangere” and “El filibusterismo” must
be read by all Filipinos. They must be taken to
heart, for in their pages, we see ourselves as in a
mirror; our defects as well as our strength, our
virtues as well as our vices. Only then would we
become conscious as a people, and so learn to
prepare ourselves for painful sacrifices that
ultimately lead to self-reliance, self-respect and
freedom.
APRIL 23, 1956

❖Debates on Senate Bill No. 438 began.

❖Senator Laurel was supported by a prestigious

colleague and ardent nationalist, formidable,
Senator Claro M. Recto.

❖Other camp:
✓Senator Mariano J. Cuenco
✓Senator Francisco Rodrigo
✓Decoroso Rosales
SENATOR RECTO’S SPEECH, DENYING THAT THE NOVELS
HAD ANY RELIGIOUS MOTIVATION

“Rizal did not pretend to teach religion or theology when he wrote those books.
He aimed at inculcating civic consciousness in the Filipinos, national dignity,
personal pride, and patriotism, and if references were made by him in the course
of his narration to certain religious practices in the Philippines in those days and
to the conduct and behavior of erring ministers of the church, it was because he
portrayed faithfully the general situation in the Philippines as it then existed.
Nobody can dispute that the situation described by Rizal in those days,
political, social and religious, was the one actually obtaining in the Philippines;
but while he criticized and ridiculed the unworthy behavior of certain ministers of
the church, he made exceptions in favor of the worthy ones, like the Dominican
Friars, Padre Fernandez, and the virtuous native priest, Padre Florentino, and
the Jesuits in General”
➢ Senators Rodrigo, Rosales and Cuenco derived much support
from the Catholic Church itself and from its hundreds of
thousands of adherents throughout the country.

• Compulsion to something against one’s religious

convictions was no different from a requirement to salute
the flag, which, according to the latest decision and the
matter by the US Supreme Court, was an impairment
both of freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

• Invoked the need for unity, which they said would be

imperiled if the bill were approved.
REMARKS OF SENATOR RODRIGO…

“A vast majority of our people are at the same time

Catholics and Filipino citizens. As such, they have two
great love: their country and their faith. These two loves
are not conflicting loves. They are harmonious affections,
like the love for his father or mother.”

“This is the basis of my stand. Let us not create a

conflict between nationalism and religion; between the
government and the church.”
APRIL 19, 1956
❖ The conflict reached the House of Representatives, when Congressman Jacobo Z.
Gonzales introduced House Bill No. 5561, which was identical copy of Senate Bill
No. 438.

❖ Debates started on May 9, 1956, following the report of the Committee on

Education, dated May 2, 1956, recommending approval without amendment.

❖ Discussions also revolved on the constitutionality and propriety of the measure.

Defenders: Opponents:
• Emilio Cortez • Ramon Durano
• Mario Bengzon • Jose Nuguid
• Joaquin R. Roces • Marciano Lim
• W. Rancap Lagumbay • Mannuel Soza
• Lucas Paredes
• Godofredo Ramos
• Miguel Cuenco
• Carmen D. Consing
• Tecla San Andres Ziga
 MAY 9, 1956
❖ Sen Laurel, sensing the futility of further strife on the matter, rose to propose in his
own name an amendment by substitution which read in full as follows.

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 in any other period of our history, there is a need for a re-
dedication to the ideals of freedom and nationalism for which our…

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 writings 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;
Continuation…
Whereas, all educational institutions are under the supervision of, and subject to
regulation y the state, and all schools are enjoined to develop moral character, personal
discipline, civic conscience and to teach the duties of citizenship; Now therefore,

Be it enacted by the Senate of the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

Assembled:

SECTION 1. Course in the life, works, and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his
novels 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 writings, 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.
Said rules and regulations shall take effect thirty (30) days after their publication in the
official Gazette.
Continuation…
SECTION 2. It shall be obligatory on all schools, colleges and universities to keep
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 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 on this Act shall be construed as amending or repealing Section

927 of the Administrative Code, prohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines by
public school teachers and other persons engaged in any public school.
Continuation…
SECTION 5. the sum of three hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be
appropriated in the National treasury to carry out the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Sen. Laurel’s Explanation of the amendment

In my substitute bill, I have included nor only the Noli and the Fili but all the
works and writings of Rizal and even those written by other people about him. I
eliminated the compulsion idea, although deep in my life, considering my own
information, my own knowledge of the history of mankind, however poor and however
incomplete, notwithstanding my own personal conviction that the state can properly
require, in the case of Filipinos, the compulsory reading of the Fili and the Noli. After
consulting my own religious conscience as one belonging to my own church, I removed the
idea of compulsion. You will no longer find the word ‘compulsory’ or ‘compulsion’ in
the substitute bill that I have filed. But there is one thing of which there could be no
compromise in so far as I am concerned. I half reached the saturation point. I have
reached the dead end of a blind alley. I can go farther; and thus I say: If Rizal was a
hero, and on that there could be no debate, if Rizal is a national hero, these books that he
has written, whenever read, must be read in the unexpurgated, original form. Otherwise,
I would prefer to have this bill defeated, defeated ignominiously if you wish. But then I
shall have fulfilled my duty.”
 ✓ Senator Rodrigo suggested the deletion of the proviso in Section 1, but this
change was rejected by the sponsor.

✓ Senator Lim proposed the exemption of students from the requirements of the
bill, on certain conditions.

Senator Primicias presented an amendment on page 2 line 6, after the period (I)
following the word “act”, to insert the following:

“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
PARAGRAPH OF THIS SECTION; BUT NOT FROM TAKING THE COURSE
PROVIDED FOR IN THE FIRST PART OF THE SAID PARAGRAPH.
MAY 12, 1956
➢ The amended Substitute Bill was unanimously approved on second reading.

MAY 14, 1956

➢ Congressman Tolentino, the brilliant House Majority Floor Leader, sponsored an
amendment by substitution identical to Senator Laurel’s substitute bill as
amended and approved on second reacting in the Upper House.

➢ Senate Bill No. 438 was approved on the third reading with 23 votes in favor.
House Bill No. 5561 was also approved on the third reading with 71 votes in favor
and sent to the senate the same day.
 JUNE 12, 1956
➢ The Bill was signed into a law by
President Ramon Magsaysay and
became REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1425