Section 3

Kartilya ng Katipunan by Emilio Jacinto

This section sheds light on Emilio Jacinto's Kartilya ng Katipunan which enumerates the guidelines that
new members of the Katipunan have to follow. The Kartilya served as the guide of the Katipunan. It
contains thirteen "teachings" that the members were required to adhere to.

Background of the Author

Historians regard Emilio Jacinto as the "Brains of the Katipunan." Artemio Ricarte called him the "Moses
of the Filipino people" while Epifanio de los Santos considered him as the "Soul of the Revolution" and
the "Eyes of the Katipunan."

Emilio Jacinto was born in Trozo, Manila on December 15, 1875. His father was Mariano Jacinto who,
according to Zaide, was a bookkeeper but according to E. de los Santos, was a merchant. His mother
Josefa Dizon was a manghihilot or midwife.

He studied at the private school of Maestro Ferrer and later, at the private school of Jose Dizon. He was
enrolled by his uncle at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran for his Bachelor's degree and he later
transferred to the University of Santo Tomas to study law. He used the pen names Pingkian, Dimasilaw,
and Ka Ilyong. He joined the Katipunan in 1894 and was the youngest member at 19 years old. He was
the fiscal, secretary, editor, and later, general of the Katipunan. He also became the director of the
printing shop and library of the Katipunan. The library contained written works on tactics and weaponry,
the French Revolution, and works of demagogues. Jacinto was proclaimed generalissimo of the North
(Punong Hukbo sa Hilagaan), became the adviser of the Supremo, and furnished Bonifacio with
weapons, money, printing materials, and musical compositions. He was also the editor of the newspaper
Kalayaan. He died of malaria on April 16, 1899 at 23 years old.

Historical Background of the Kartilya

Andres Bonifacio long wanted to have a codified document listing the duties and responsibilities of
every member of the Katipunan. Incidentally, as Bonifacio was drafting the said document, Emilio
Jacinto was writing one as well. By the time that Bonifacio was about to consult Jacinto for comments on
his draft, the latter presented his work to the Supremo. After seeing the draft of Kartilya ng Katipunan by
Emilio Jacinto, Bonifacio was impressed with Jacinto's style of writing and decided to adopt the Kartilya
as the guidebook for the rules and regulations of the Katipunan.

Aside from the maltreatment experienced by Filipinos from the Spaniards, the following are the other
factors that were influential in the forming of the Katipunan and that of the Kartilya:

1. The Age of Enlightenment gave way to Liberalism eland Classicism and in the 20th century,
Modernism. In Do this period, secret societies like the Freemasons were has established. Coffeehouses,
newspapers, and literary bja salons flourished as new places for ideas to circulate bna s and transfer.

2. The French Revolution was a period of social and political upheaval in France. It became the focal
point for the development of all modern political ideologies. This led to the spread of radicalism,
liberalism, and Anon nationalism which greatly influenced the Ilustrados in hinde the Philippines and in
Europe.

3. Masonry was introduced to the Philippines in 1856 when a Spanish naval officer organized a lodge in
Cavite under the auspices of the Portuguese Gran Tor Oriente Lusitano. However, the true roots of
Philippine Masonry sprouted in 1889 when Graciano Lopez Ban Jaena organized the Logia Revolución in
Barcelona under the auspices of Grande Oriente Español. Through Filipino students studying in Spain,
masonry further spread in Philippine circles, among Marcelo H. del Pilar, Jose Alejandrino, brothers
Antonio and Juan Luna, Jose Rizal and more. Masonry, as a civic movement promoting fraternity,
evidently influenced the dynamics of the Katipunan. The Spanish friars believed that Masonry was the
root of the problems and the establishment of the Katipunan. Jesuit Francisco Foradada, wrote that
Filipino filibusterism (subversion) was against righteousness, morality, or justice, and that Masonry was
the enemy of God.

4. The Propaganda Movement was propelled by the execution of the three priests, Gomburza, in 1872
which left a profound effect on many Filipinos including Jose Rizal. After the execution, many Filipinos
started questioning Spanish authorities and asked for reforms. The ilustrados demanded for reforms
through a systematic and peaceful movement later called the Propaganda Movement. This movement
helped Andres Bonifacio and other nationalists to realize that a peaceful way of asking for reforms was
not enough, leading to the establishment of the Katipunan and the staging of an armed rebellion against
the Spanish colonial administration.
5. The La Liga Filipina was established by Jose Rizal when he decided to return to the Philippines to
continue to call for reforms through legal means. However, the operations of La Liga were cut short
when Rizal was arrested and exiled to Dapitan. Left without a leader, La Liga split into two factions-the
Katipunan led by Andres Bonifacio and the Cuerpo de Compromisarios led by Numeriano Adriano. The
former was known to be composed of the radicals while the latter was composed of conservatives,
adhering to the original aspirations of Jose Rizal. Andres Bonifacio saw Rizal's exile to Dapitan as a sign
that asking for reforms through legal means was futile. This prompted him to formally establish the
secret revolutionary organization, the Katipunan.