What do you think

Media

Part of The Carolinian

Title: What do you think
Creator: Fabroz, S.B.
Language: English
Year: 1956
Rights
Fulltext: * * Explanatory Note: Subject of a chaotic debate before Congress today is the bill providing for the compulsory reading of Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo." Merits of the bill are raised up on the issue of nationalism, patriot ism and Filipinism. Propo nents say that it tvould be treachery to the youth whom Rizal called the “Fair Hopes of the Fatherland” if his works, as brain-children of a national hero, are to be de nied them. On the other hand, it is be ing feared that once the bill is approved, religious contro versy which would cause dis sension among the people ivould militate against the peace of the country. This could be so because the com pulsory nature of the bill it self violates the principle of academic freedom xvhich is very essential in a democracy. The two books contain reli gious errors ivhich Rizal him self later retracted, and that, if the youth be allowed to read them, they might make their own rush interpreta tions. Here are a number of per sonal opinions from among the students who had their say about the controversial bill.—sbf Hbout the Bill providing for the compulsory reading of Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere" and “El Filibusterismo”? conducted by: S.B. FOBROZ FRANCISCO CHIN FRANCISCO CHIN College of Law Since the bill in question is still before the house of the Senate un dergoing further deliberations, I think it is the right of every citizen to participate in the debate. As far as the constitutionality of the bill is concerned, it is respectfully submitted that the bill clearly vio lates the constitutional provisions of law on religious freedom. By reading the two novels, one will find that they contain passages which are against the teachings and laws of the Catholic church. To compel, therefore, the Catholic youth to read these novels is equiv alent to forcing them read doc trines attacking their own religion. Hence, the above constitutional guarantee is snatched from them. The Supreme Court of the United States has gone far enough in ex panding the above constitutional guaranty by upholding the rights of a certain group to refuse to salute the American flag because said act is offensive to their religious be liefs (West Virginia Board of Edu cation, vs. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624). Since we don't have Philippine juris prudence on this point, the case cited must be taken as authority to support my contention. It is recom mended, therefore, that, in order to make the bill consistent with our constitutional provisions on religious freedom, the word "compulsory" be changed to "optional." It is impractical to conceive that we appear more patriotic and na tionalistic by simply reading the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. If we ever want to inculcate in our minds the ideals of patriot ism and nationalism, we should not only limit ourselves to the read ing of these two novels which re veal only the life of one Filipino hero. Instead, Congress should pass a law compelling all students to read the different biographies of our heroes. (Turn to next page) SUMMER, 1956 Page 17 NATIVIDAD ILAO NATIVIDAD ILAO College of Commerce I am not in lavor ol the com pulsory reading of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo of Rizal in all public and private schools of the country. Not all works of a hero are rec ommendatory for study. Not all his thoughts reduced to writings are wholesome. There are portions of them which ought to be censored. Referring to the two books of Rizal, we see errors malignantly incon sistent with the dogmas of the church. There are passages which violate the teachings of the Catholic faith. Until we find the two books overhauled, making them consistent with Catholicism, they are simply of no use. They only light up religious controversy among the people. JAIME E. LOZANO College of Engineering I am not in favor of the com pulsory reading of Rizal’s Noli Me JAIME E. LOZANO Tangere and El Filibusterismo in all public and private schools. I do not mean to disregard the two novels of our national hero. In fact, I regard his works as the true and novel revelation of the actual events that happened during his time. He wrote them during the time when he was most critical of Spanish rule in the Philippines. His observations were, therefore, tinctured by his own resentment against the alleged abuses of the Spaniards. It was natural that his writings, having been set down at a time when even his Faith was shaken, were biased and inaccurate. It is shameful for us to claim that we are Catholics — that we are the only Christian country in the Far East and at the same time fold our arms when the very foun dations of our religion are ridiculed. We can love Rizal without hav ing to read all his works. As a matter of fact, it is possible that if we read the two controversial books, we might not regard our national hero in the same light that he is esteemed now. TITO ESCARIO College of Commerce I am for the compulsory reading ol Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo in all public and private schools. As our national hero, Rizal should be honored not merely by remembering him but by reading his works and emulating the ex ample he set. The fate of all mar tyrs has always been in all times to suffer so that those unborn will live under a happy atmosphere. What is strange is the fact that all the noble works of Rizal calculated to shed enlightenment would now be shelved because those books are said to be misleading and con troversial. The church will not be embar rassed if these books will be read because there is only one truth. If these be read as part of the school curriculum, the teachers can guide and give the proper expla nation. Time will tell us in due course its real results, but certainly nothing can be arrived at reason ably if these books will be shelved. It would be very funny if the books written by our national hero are not prescribed as reading ma terials in school. It is an insult to the Filipinos if aliens can recite passages from Rizal’s writings and the Filipinos cannot. It will be a shame not to learn our lesson from TITO ESCARIO the sparks of truth which Rizal un selfishly hammered in the anvils of his books so that men later on shall enjoy the blessings of freedom. TERESITA REBECCA F. ALCARES College of Education Rizal wrote his novels while he was yet a Mason. He was, at that time, out of the fold of the Faith he embraced since boyhood. His resentment against what he be lieved as the excesses of the Span iards and his differences that time so embittered him that he made light of the Catholic religion. Adopting these books as part of our high school curriculum en dangers the future of our students. A great majority of our high school students are still very young and immature in understanding. They have the tendency to make hasty judgments, thus, make conclusions of their own without making a care ful scrutiny and broad understand ing of what they have read. They (Continued on page 22) TERESITA REBECCA F. ALCARES Page 18 THE CAROLINIAN ^Anything ^ou Say (Continued from page 2) Sir: Why did you ever scrap the "campuscrats?” It was such a nice column — newsy, colorful, light, and just wonderful for "the little women.” We were so much in the habit of reading it that you can fairly imagine tvhat a let-down it brought us when it came out only during the first issue of the Carolinian last year. I’ve heard that the column was discontinued because only a special group kept being mentioned and that it contained nothing but gossip. Well, these are not such serious reasons because they can be helped! With respect to the first, all the columnist has to do is look for other faces, ivrite the human side of campus activities. As for the next objection, I don’t see hotv innocuous gossip, if this is the right word, can ever hurt anybody. I mean, small talk about somebody having something new or unusual would not sound so gossipy. Things like these are allowed even in big magazines. But ive certainly hope you will revive the “Campuscrats” minus the objectionable features, that is. I guess everybody sort of knows what’s wrong with the Carolinian. It lacks the real, honest-to-goodness feminine touch! Tita Cui What Do You Think (Continued from, page IS) are prone to believe the ideas sug gested in the context because they have no time to investigate. These novels are proper only lor researchers and graduate school students who want to compile the works ol Rizal and make a com parison ol the different phases ol his literary masterpieces. It is proper for them because they, unlike our young high school students, are already equipped with high understanding. LORETA CACHO College of Education I am lor the compulsory reading ol Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. That the bill would violate the principle of academic freedom and natural right of parents to send their children to schools ol their choice is absurd because the prohibition of the two novels lor public -read ing is, by itself, a violation of aca demic freedom. The proposal of some Senators to make some alterations of the said books or publish footnotes in the unexpurgated versions of the two books is thoughtless if we are to admit and say that Rizal is our na tional hero and that he was truthful in writing them because they were taken and based upon actual facts that happened during the critical period of the Spanish rule in the Philippines. As Senator Laurel said: "Expurgating the Noli and the Fili would be disfiguring Rizal." The Legend at Mt. Tempoong (Continued from page 21) lovers. And the promise, too — oh, so sweet indeed is the tongue of love. Or so they thought. But the king got wind of the whole affair and became mad as a tornado. He cursed Lawin for the encroachment the lad made on his royal household. In his fit of anger he unleashed all the fury ol his pagan birth. The sky darkened and rain fell in tor rents, drowning all the inhabitants of the island, except Lawin who was transformed into a big white whale and was cast into the lake at the summit of the mountain. This was made as his watery jail to punish him for his unsolicited intrusion. Alimyon was turned into mountain ranges bordering Mt. Tempoong, gazing night and day at the sky but never on the lake where Lawin was transformed into a whale. To this day, passengers aboard ship passing around Camiguin Is land could see the outline of the buxom Alimyon in the silhouettes of the mountain ranges. This has been said to be the sleeping beauty of the Camiguin mountains. Lawin who was turned into a white whale in a lake nearby, can be seen by hunters every full moon, appearing on the surface of the lake, hugging and kissing the sha dow of Alimyon cast on the lake by the light of the full eastern moon. THE PHTRtH STORY (Continued from page 16) shrink from the challenge. They j chose, as their critics branded them, to be fanatical. But not hopeless. | Inspired by the enlivening influence of their Adviser, the Rev. Fr. Ber| nard Wrocklage, SVD, of USC, and I fired by the youthful spirit to dare i and do big things, they resolved i to push through their project at all cost. I The Initial Action With the idea conceived, the or; ganization started making arrange ments. His Grace Archbishop Julio R. Rosales of Cebu was consulted for his approval of the project. With the approval secured a formal re solution was adopted for the con struction of the Patria as the organ ization's 1955-1956 Archdiocesan project. This resolution was unani mously approved by the SCA Exe cutive Board on February, 1954 in a meeting held at the University of the Visayas with then Rev. Fr. Epifanio Surban, who represented the Archbishop, attending. The next move concerned the site of the building. The building had to be located in the very heart of the city and, because of its pur pose, had to be accessible to trans portation facilities. After several deliberations, the spacious lot of i 6,600 square meters in front of the j Cebu Cathedral Church was chosen as the project site. Through the good Offices of the Archbishop, the lot, owned by the Archdiocese of Cebu, was finally obtained on lease. Then, as the land was occupied by squatters, efforts were made to relocate them. In doing this, the SCA encountered difficulties as some of the settlers refused to va cate the place. Only alter consi derable effort notably on the part of Mr. Anastacio Fabiaha, one of | the SCA executive officers, were these people successfully ejected I from the area. The Fund Campaign Even as the site was yet unde cided, the Student Actionists, from the lowest members to the highest officers, started girding themselves for a head-and-heel effort to raise the enormous sum called for by the project. This hectic campaign was waged through such means as person-to-person approaches, hold ing of musical concerts, benefit shows and games, appeals to wealthy citizens, and appeals to various social and religious or(Continued on page 25) Page 22 The CAROLINIAN