Reevaluating the Rizal Law at 70: Legarda urges renewed appreciation of Rizal’s teachings to shape values and nationhood

Senator Loren Legarda urged a renewed appreciation of Republic Act No. 1425, or the Rizal Law, stressing that Rizal’s teachings remain vital in shaping values, guiding the youth, and strengthening Filipino nationhood, as the second installment of the Solidaridad Literary Series was held on 14 August 2026 at the Solidaridad Bookshop in Ermita, Manila.

The event, “Reevaluating the Rizal Law at 70,” featured a lecture by Dr. Paul A. Dumol of the University of Asia and the Pacific. Legarda emphasized that Rizal’s works must continue to inspire civic duty and cultural pride, noting that their relevance extends beyond classrooms into the daily lives of Filipinos.

“Paalala ito na ang tunay na kalayaan ay nakaugat sa kaalaman at malasakit. Kung hindi natin muling bibigyang‑halaga ang mga aral ni Rizal, mawawala ang gabay na humuhubog sa ating pagkatao bilang Pilipino,” Legarda said.

The program opened with Reading Rizal, a special exhibition curated from the collection of Dr. Victorino “Ino” Manalo, with curatorial notes by Kristian Sendon Cordero offering contemporary reflections on Rizal’s texts. This set the tone for the lecture, which revisited the Rizal Law’s passage in 1956 and its continuing role in nation‑building.

Legarda’s call was reinforced by her recent legislative initiative. On July 29, 2026, she filed Senate Resolution No. 539, directing the Committee on Culture and the Arts to review the implementation of the Rizal Law. The measure seeks to examine textbooks, translations, and editions of Rizal’s works used in schools, and ensure their preservation and dissemination as part of the nation’s cultural patrimony.

Dr. Dumol’s lecture highlighted how the Rizal Law was enacted to guard against the loss of national identity and to instill civic duty and nationalism. He noted that while Rizal’s novels remain central to education, poor teaching practices and reduced classroom time risk turning them into mere assignments. Participants echoed these concerns, pointing to abridged versions and translations that dilute Rizal’s original meaning, weakening the law’s intent to immerse the youth in his full vision of nationhood.

The discussion also stressed that teachers must be properly prepared, as the study of Rizal requires grounding in both history and literature. Dumol remarked that “the worse Philippine society becomes, the more Rizal is needed,” underscoring the urgency of teaching his works meaningfully to strengthen civic virtues and ethical responsibility.

Legarda emphasized that the Solidaridad Literary Series is not only a commemoration but also a continuing dialogue and assessment of identity, memory, and nationhood.

“Sa tuwing binabalikan natin ang mga aral ni Rizal, muling nabubuksan ang diwa ng kalayaan at malasakit na dapat isabuhay sa ating araw‑araw na pamumuhay. Hindi lamang ito bahagi ng kasaysayan, kundi gabay na nagpapatatag sa ating pagkakakilanlan bilang Pilipino at nagbibigay direksyon sa paghubog ng isang lipunang makatarungan, mapanuri, at makabayan,” Legarda concluded. (30)