Lesson 5

THE KARTILYA OF THE KATIPUNAN

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
 Independence began on July 7, 1892 when Katipunan was established by
Andres Bonifacio.
 The failure of the Reform Movement in Spain was given a results in which
Filipino attempted to demand reforms for the Philippines from Spanish
government.
 Bonifacio saw a futility of the efforts of the Filipino propagandists and
organized an underground movement against Spain.
Kataastaasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
(KKK)
 It’s a revolutionary society that espoused independence and freedom for
the Philippines through force arms.
 KKK was a separation of the Philippines from Spain at the same time the
development of the Filipinos as citizens of their own nation once
independence was achieved.
 Latter was done through the written works by Bonifacio and fellow
Katipunero Emilio Jacinto who wrote a number of poems and essays for the
society members.
 The recruitment process of the Katipunan followed the Masonic initiation
rites whiles its structure was said to be based on Rizal’s aborted reformist
organization, the La Liga Filipina.
 New members of the society were indoctrinated with the Katipunan rules
and its teachings that emphasized the value of the love of one’s country and
fellow Filipinos.
ABOUT AUTHOR
 Emilio Jacinto was born on December 15, 1875 in the district of Trozo in
Tondo, Manila.
 Mariano Jacinto, a bookkeeper and Josefa Dizon is a parent of Emilio.
 Emilio’s family is living a life of poverty but still Jacinto managed to get a
good education.
 He finished his elementary education in a private school then took up his
secondary education at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
 He later studied at the University of Santo Thomas where he developed a
love of reading and improved his skills in Spanish.
 In 1896, Philippine revolutionary was began and Jacinto stop his studies.
 Jacinto joined the Katipunan in 1894 at the age of 18 and took the symbolic
name Pingkian.
 During Katipunan he developed his nationalistic ideals.
  Through his enthusiasm and ideas, Jacinto became a guiding light to the
members of the society.
 He wrote the Karitilya and Oath of the Katipuneros
 He also edited the Katipunan newspaper, Kalayaan and the author of
several literacy writings using the pen-name “Dimas Ilaw”
 Jacinto served during the Katipunan in different capacities such as
secretary, fiscal, editor.
 He appointed as General by Bonifacio in 1897.
 He served as an adviser to the Supremo.
 After the death of Bonifacio in Cavite in 1897, Jacinto continued the fight
against the Spaniards even after the truce following the Pact of Biak-na-
Bato.
 He was wounded in a battle against the Spaniards in Magdalena, Laguna
and was captured.
 Upon investigation, Jacinto was released after he managed to convince the
Spanish soldiers he was spy in their service when he showed them a
military pass issued to a man he killed several months ago.
 Jacinto quickly went into hiding Manila and he wrote a letter to Apolinario
Mabini in Malolos, Bulacan stating his plan to continue his law studies at
the newly-established Literacy University of the Philippines.
 But his plan was discontinued when he had to go back to Laguna to lead
his fellow patriots in the war against a new enemy ‘the Americans’
 Majayjay is town where Jacinto established his headquarters.
 Jacinto died on April 6, 1899 because of contracted malaria.
ABOUT THE TEXT
 In his study of the Katipunan history and its documents, Jim Richardson
said that “the Kartilya is the best known of all Katipunan texts” and that it is
“the only document of any length set in print by the Katipunan prior to
August 1896 that is known to be still extant”.
 Kartilya was printed as a small pamphlet that was distributed to the
members of the Katipunan.
 Its term was derived from the ‘Spanish cartilla’ was the primer used for
grade schools during the Spanish period.
 The Kartilya presents not only the teachings for the neophyte Katipunero
but also the guiding principles of the society.
 These teachings are expected from the members even after the attainment
of freedom from the colonizers.
 Kartilya ends with a document of affirmation by the members to the society’s
teachings.
 The kartilya was not just P