Republic Act No.

1425
House Bill No. 5561 Senate Bill No. 438 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 I!AL, "articularl# his novels $OLI %E &A$'E E and EL (ILI)US&E IS%O, Authori*ing the Printing and +istribution &hereof, and for Other Pur"oses, Whereas, toda#, -ore than other "eriod of our histor#, there is a need for a re.dedication to the ideals of freedo- and nationalis- for /hich our heroes lived and died, Whereas, it is -eet that in honoring the-, "articularl# the national hero and "atriot, Jose i*al, /e re-e-ber /ith s"ecial fondness and devotion their lives and /orks that have sha"ed the national character0 Whereas, the life, /orks and /ritings of Jose i*al "articularl# his novels $oli %e &angere and El (ilibusteris-o, are a constant and ins"iring source of "atriotis- /ith /hich the -inds of the #outh, es"eciall# during their for-ative and decisive #ears in school, should be suffused, Whereas, all educational institutions are under the su"ervision of, and sub1ect to regulation b# the State, and all schools are en1oined to develo" -oral character, "ersonal disci"line, civic conscience, and to teach the duties of citi*enshi"0 $o/ therefore, )e it enacted b# the Senate and 2ouse of in Congress asse-bled e"resentatives of the Phili""ines

SEC.1 Courses on the life, /orks and /ritings of Jose i*al, "articularl# his novels $oli %e &angere and El (ilibusteris-o, shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, "ublic or "rivate0 Provided, &hat in the collegiate courses, the original or une3"urgated editions of the $oli %e &angere and El (ilibusteris-o or their English translations shall be used as basic te3ts, &he )oard of $ational Education is hereb# authori*ed and directed to ado"t forth/ith -easures to i-"le-ent and carr# out the "rovisions of this Section, including the /riting and "rinting of a""ro"riate "ri-ers, readers and te3tbooks, &he )oard shall, /ithin si3t# 4567 da#s fro- the effectivit# of this Act "ro-ulgate rules and regulations, including those of a disci"linar#

nature, to carr# out and enforce the regulations of this Act, &he )oard shall "ro-ulgate rules and regulations "roviding for the e3e-"tion of students for reason of religious belief stated in a s/orn /ritten state-ent, fro- the re8uire-ent of the "rovision contained in the second "art of the first "aragra"h of this section0 but not fro- taking the course "rovided for in the first "art of said "aragra"h, Said rules and regulations shall take effect thirt# 4967 da#s after their "ublication in the Official 'a*ette, SEC.2 It shall be obligator# on all schools, colleges and universities to kee" in their libraries an ade8uate nu-ber of co"ies of the original and e3"urgated editions of the $oli %e &angere and El (ilibusteris-o, as /ell as i*al:s other /orks and biogra"h#, &he said une3"urgated editions of the $oli %e &angere and El (ilibusteris-o or their translations in English as /ell as other /ritings of i*al shall be included in the list of a""roved books for re8uired reading in all "ublic or "rivate schools, colleges and universities, &he )oard of $ational Education shall deter-ine the ade8uac# of the nu-ber of books, de"ending u"on the enroll-ent of the school, college or universit#, SEC.3 &he )oard of $ational education shall cause the translation of the $oli %e &angere and El (ilibusteris-o, as /ell as other /ritings of Jose i*al into English, &agalog and the "rinci"al Phili""ine dialects0 cause the- to be "rinted in chea", "o"ular editions0 and cause the- to be distributed, free of charge, to "ersons desiring to read the-, through the Purok organi*ations and the )arrio Councils throughout the countr#, SEC.4 $othing in this Act shall be construed as a-ending or re"ealing section nine hundred t/ent#.seven of the Ad-inistrative Code, "rohibiting the discussion of religious doctrines b# "ublic school teachers and other "ersons engaged in an# "ublic school, SEC.5 &he su- of three hundred thousand "esos is hereb# authori*ed to be a""ro"riated out of an# fund not other/ise a""ro"riated in the $ational &reasur# to carr# out the "ur"oses of this Act, SEC.6 &his Act shall take effect u"on its a""roval,
****REF. NHI, 1995