Based on the Philippines’ vibrant history, the Filipinos are well-known throughout the world with their sense of nationalism. Since the Spanish era until the latest People Power, the Filipinos had generously expressed their ideals of their own love of freedom of their country. This certain noble love that we, Filipinos, are proud of should always be remembered and practiced, and therefore should be taught to the younger generations. For this reason, the Republic Act 1425, or popularly known as the Rizal Law, was implemented by the State.
The Rizal Law states that all public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the country must include in their curricula, courses or subject about the life, works and, writings of Dr. Jose Rizal, particularly the novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. In this law, the honor of the Filipinos’ nationalism, particularly our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, is met with special fondness and devotion by the younger generations during their formal education.
The works of Dr. Jose Rizal, especially the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, are excellent inspiring sources of nationalism or patriotism in which the Filipino youths should also recognize and put into practice. Since also in school, the minds of these youths are carefully molded with proper knowledge and discipline. Therefore, in school, the enacted curricula, course or subject is also a way of teaching the youths of being a good Filipino citizen.
On the other hand, minor occurrences have already violated this law. The use of the English translation as an alternative medium is already a contrast to the objectives of the law. The law should also recognize our national language and not the English language but this implementation may be difficult due to colonial mentality and the recent issue of globalization. Certain primers, readers, and textbooks that are used in certain public schools with only a few funds for good education had already edited the original texts to different explanations and views that had led to a confusion or false knowledge to the students. But sad to say, there is not enough implementation of laws that can control this problem in our poor country.
The Essay on Filipinos Rizal
Evils of Spain darkened the Philippine skies 1. Instability of colonial administration 2. Corrupt officialdom 3. No Philippine representation in Spanish Cortes 4. Human rights denied to Filipinos 5. No equality before the law 6. Maladministration of justice 7. Racial discrimination 8. Frailocracy 9. Force labor 10. Haciendas owned by the friars and 11. Guardia civil CHAPTER 15 “Rizal’s Second ...
Many other violations of the law had been done and ignored. Adequate amounts of copies are not available in public schools due to the massive graft and corruption of some public officials. Distribution of copies of Rizal’s works that are free of charge to those persons desiring to read them is not also really available in the Purok organizations and Barrio Councils throughout the country. I think that a revision of the Rizal Law should be considered or, in a hard way, the law should be more strictly practiced and penalized so hat somehow, or in some way, appreciation and recognition of the love of country is truly practiced.
