EMILIO JACINTO

The Brain and

the Soul of the Katipunan

By:
Partoza, Cherie Ann
Abarro, Loreza Mae

Personal Information

Full Name: Emilio Jacinto y Dizon

Other Names: Pingkian, Dimasilaw, Ka Ilyong
Birthdate: December 15, 1875
Birthplace: Tondo, Manila
Name of Mother: Josefa Dizon
Name of Father: Mariano Jacinto
Education:
San Juan de Letran College
University of Santo Tomas (to pursue law)
Wife: Catalina de Jesus
Death: April 16, 1899

Jacinto in the
Philippine History

Emilio Jacinto was considered one of the

greatest military strategists during his time
who played a very important role in the fight
for
Philippine
Independence. For
Andres
Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto was the brain and
soul of the Katipunan. He was very close to
Bonifacio who treated him as his brother.
He is popularly known in Philippine history
textbooks as the Brains of the Katipunan while
some contend he should be rightfully recognized
as the "Brains of the Revolution"

Life Before KKK

Shortly after he was born, his father passed away. This

untimely death forced his mother to send Emilio to live
with his uncle, Don Jose Dizon. His mother believed that
his uncle could care for the young Emilio better than she
could after the death of Mariano.
It is known that by the time he went away to college, he
could fluently speak both Spanish and Tagalog, the language
of the Philippine people. However, he preferred to speak in
Spanish a majority of the time.
Emilio attended the San Juan de Letran College when he
first embarked on his college career. However, he later
attended the University of San Tomas in order to study law.
Manuel Quezon, Sergio Osmea and Juan Sumulong were his
classmates.

Emilio Jacinto as
Member of Katipunan

Jacinto did not finish college and, at the

age
of
19,
joined
the
secret
society
called Kataas-taasan,
Kagalang-galangang
Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or simply and
more popularly called Katipunan.
Jacinto
was
one
of
the
highest-ranking
officers in the Philippine Revolution and was
one of the highest-ranking officers of the
revolutionary
society
called Katipunan,
being a member of its Supreme Council.
He became the advisor on fiscal matters and
secretary to Andrs Bonifacio. He was later
known as Utak ng Katipunan.

Emilio Jacinto as
Member of Katipunan

Jacinto also wrote for the Katipunan

newspaper called Kalayaan. He wrote in the
newspaper under the pen name 'Dimasilaw',
and used the alias 'Pingkian' in the
Katipunan. Jacinto was the author of
the Kartilya ng Katipunan as well.
He was elected Secretary of State for the
Haring Bayang Katagalugan, a revolutionary
government established during the outbreak
of hostilities.

Emilio Jacinto Seal as Punong Hukbo of

KKK forces in Manila,Morong, Bulacan &
Nueva Ecija (late 1896 - early 1897)

Emilio Jacinto after the

Death of Bonifacio

After Bonifacio's execution, Jacinto pressed on

with the Katipunan's struggle.
Like general Mariano lvarez, he refused to join
the forces of general Emilio Aguinaldo, the
leader of the Katipunan's Magdalo faction and by
then
the
President
of
the
Revolutionary
Government because they had different views.
Jacinto lived in Laguna and also joined the
militia fighting the Spaniards.
Jacintos last position was as Commanding General
of the Northern District of Manila, accordingly
appointed by Bonifacio on April 15, 1897.

Emilio Jacinto as
a Lover of Books

One of Jacintos greatest passions was

reading books and his book collection
consisted of how to make gunpowder and
dynamite.
One of his favourite books was about
the French Revolution.
He also learned a few things about the
art of war, military strategies and
ways of making weapons of war.

Emilio Jacinto
as a Writer

Jacinto was inspired to be a good writer by Dr. Jose Rizal, author

of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, and the revolutionary
propagandist Marcelo H. Del Pilar, founder and copublisher of the
newspaper La Solidaridad and author of the anticleric literatures
such as Kaiingat Kayo and Aba Ginoong Barya.
Jacinto wrote the primer of the Katipunan, the oath of pledges, and
edited
the
revolutionary
newspaper
of
the
Katipunan called Kalayaan under the pseudonym 'Dimasilaw', and used
the alias 'Pingkian' in the Katipunan.
His
other
writings
include: "Liwanag
at
Dilim" (Light
and
Darkness), "Pahayag" (Manifesto), "Sa Mga Kababayan Ko" (To My
Countrymen) that all contain his socio-political ideas using Dr.
Jose Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar as his role models.
He also wrote A mi Madre (To My Mother), a touching ode .

He was also the author of the Kartilya ng Katipunan, ethics

code or the guidebook for members of the Katipunan in
fighting the Spanish colonizers it also contained the
constitution and bylaws of the Katipunan.

The Kartilya or TEACHINGS

OF THE KATIPUNAN

A life that is not dedicated to a noble cause is like a

tree without a shade or a poisonous weed.
A deed lacks nobility if it is motivated by self-interest
and not by a sincere desire to help.
True piety consists of being charitable, loving ones
fellow men, and being judicious in behavior, speech and
deed.
All persons are equal, regardless of the color of their
skin. While one could have more schooling, wealth, or
beauty than another, all that does not make one more human
than anybody else.
A person with a noble character values honor above selfinterest, while a person with a base character values selfinterest above honor.
To a person of honor, his/her word is a pledge.
Dont waste time; lost wealth can be retrieved, but time
lost is lost forever.
Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor.

The Kartilya or TEACHINGS

OF THE KATIPUNAN

The wise person is careful in all he/she has to say and is discreet about
things that need to be kept secret./ An intelligent man is he who is cautious
in speech and knows how to keep the secrets that must be guarded.
In the thorny path of life, the man leads the way and his wife and children
follow. If the leader goes the way to perdition, so do the followers. (Note:
This begins with an observation of the vertical relationship of husband and
wife during the time of the Katipunan; now, we can say that the parents lead
the way and the children follow.)
Never regard a woman as an object for you to trifle with; rather you should
consider her as a partner and helpmate. Give proper consideration to a womans
frailty and never forget that your own mother, who brought you forth and
nurtured you from infancy, is herself such a person.
Dont do to the wife, children, brothers, and sisters of others what you do not
want done to your wife, children, brothers, and sisters.
A mans worth is not measured by his station in life, neither by the height of
his nose nor the fairness of skin, and certainly not by whether he is a priest
claiming to be Gods deputy. Even if he a tribesman from the hills and speaks
only his tongue, a man has fine perceptions and is loyal to his native land.
When these teachings shall have been propagated and the glorious sun of freedom
begins to shine on these poor Islands to enlighten a united race and people,
then all the lives lost, all the struggle and the sacrifices will not have been
in vain.

A La Patria

On October 8, 1897, Jacinto wrote his

masterpiece A La Patria (To My Fatherland)
in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. The poem was inspired
by Jose Rizal's Mi Ultimo Adios.
Jacinto wrote the poem under the coconut
palms of Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
The simplicity and ease of comprehension of
his writing style to the masses evoked power
and admiration among all his readers.
He used the pen name Dimas Ilaw.

Captivity and Release

In 1898, while leading his troops

against the Spaniards in the Battle of
Maimpis in Magdalena, Laguna, Jacinto
was severely wounded and was captured
and then taken to the church.
He was saved by an identity pass which
belonged to another man identifying him
as a Spanish spy.
His wounds were treated and he was
released.

Emilio Jacintos
Death

While living in San Juan, Sta. Cruz, Jacinto

contracted malaria and died on April 9, 1899 at
the age of 23.
His remains were buried in Sta. Cruz, Laguna
but were transferred to the Manila North
Cemetery a few years later.
Just after he was buried, American soldiers
stormed into Laguna.

Jacinto on his Wake

A photo
taken
during
Jacintos
wake
shows his
pregnant
wife,
Catalina
de Jesus
and other
mourners.

Grave
(Santa Maria
Magdalena
Parish
Church of
Magdalena
-Magdalena,
Laguna)


Tributes to Emilio
Jacinto

In the 1970s, Jacinto's remains were again transferred and

then enshrined at the Himlayang Pilipino Memorial Park
in Quezon City.
At the shrine is a lifesize bronze sculpture of a defiant
Jacinto riding a horse during his days as a revolutionary.

As a tribute to his heroic deeds, Jacinto's likeness

was featured on the old 20 peso bill that circulated
from 1949 to 1969, and also on the old 20 centavo coin.

Finally in 1999, the National Historical Commission of the

Philippines installed a historical marker in the first burial
site of Jacinto in San Juan, Sta. Cruz, Laguna recognizing the
historicity of the place and honoring Jacintos patriotic
sojourn.

Historical marker in the

first burial site of
Emilio Jacinto

Historical relics on
Emilio Jacintos
burial site

A Philippine Navy ship was named after Emilio Jacinto which is

called BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35).
The BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35) is the lead ship of the
three Jacinto class of corvettes, and are considered as one of the
most modern ships in the Philippine Navy. She was originally
named HMS Peacock (P239) during her service with the Royal Navy. She
is currently assigned to the Patrol Force of the Philippine Fleet.

Descendants of Emilio
Jacinto

Some of his close descendants have

surfaced
recently
and
acknowledged
their lineage to Jacinto. They are all
Chinese from Binondo and Tondo, proving
that Jacinto was of Chinese ancestry.

Jacinto in Popular
Culture

Portrayed by Smokey Manaloto in 1995 TV

series, Bayani in
episode
"Andres
Bonifacio: KKK"
Portrayed by Cris Villanueva in 1996 TV
series, Bayani in 2 episodes
Portrayed by RJ Agustin in the 2013 TV
series, Katipunan.
Portrayed by Joem Bascon in the 2014
film, Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo.

Other Interesting Facts

about Emilio Jacinto

1. Like Andres Bonifacio, Joseph Estrada, Manuel Villar and many other popular
personalities, Jacinto was born in Trozo in Tondo, Manila.
2. If Bonifacio was known in the Katipunan as May Pag-asa, Jacinto was known as
Pingkian.
3. Jacinto is one of the closest friend s of the Supremo- Bonifacio although he is
12 years younger than Bonifacio.
4. When Aguinaldo signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato (a treaty that compromised the
revolution), he (Aguinaldo) and his men went into exile to Hong Kong after
receiving P800, 000.00, Jacinto and his followers went into hidings in the
mountains.
5. In 1898, following Aguinaldos return from exile, Apolinario Mabini, Aguinaldos
adviser by that time, wrote to Jacinto asking him to come down from the
mountains.
6. Jacinto never came down from the mountains because he was cautious and fearful
that his close association to Bonifacio might be counted against him.
7. Heres a famous quotation from this great Filipino- Emilio Jacinto The Filipino
people have always proved themselves bigger than their leaders... Filipino
leaders may come and Filipino leaders may go, but not the Filipino people who
will continue treading on towards the one destiny the God of Nation has
designated for them.
8. Jacinto also wrote several articles on human rights, equality, liberty,
government, labor and love of country.