The

Kartilya
Background of the Author
• Historians accolade : “the Brains
of the Katipunan”

•Ricarte : “Moses of the Filipino people”

• E. de los Santos acclaimed him “the

soul of the Revolution and the eyes of
the Katipunan”
• Born in Trozo, Manila
on December 15,
1875
• Mariano Jacinto, book
keeper (Zaide)
E. de los Santos: Mariano
was a merchant

• Josefa Dizon: hilot or

midwife

Marina Dizon,
cousin of Emilio Jacinto and
daughter of Jose Dizon
• Private School of Maestro Ferrer
• Jose Dizon enrolled him at the
College of San Juan de Letran for his
Bachelor of Art

Main Entrance (ca.1880)

• Studied Law at the
University of Santo
Tomas

The old UST campus

(Intramuros)
• Joined KKK in 1894;
pen names : Pingkian
(Inflammable) and Dimasilaw;
Ka Ilyong
- youngest member

• 19 y.o. (fiscal, secretary,

editor, and later, general of the
Katipunan)
Treatises

➢
director of the printing shop
and Library of the Katipunan

➢
Library contained treatises on
tactics and weaponry; French
Revolution and works of
demagogues

Library of the University of Santo Tomás in Manila, 1887

• Proclaimed generalissimo
of the North (Punong Hukbo
sa Hilagaan) Emilio Jacinto Seal as Punong
Hukbo of KKK forces in Manila,
Morong, Bulacan & Nueva Ecija
(late 1896 - early 1897)
• Adviser of the Supremo
➢
furnished Bonifacio with
weapons, money,
printing materials and
musical compositions
• Editor of the newspaper
“Kalayaan”
• Literary works (large part was in Tagalog)

Divided into three :

➢ Journalistic
➢ the Primer of the
Katipunan and;
➢ his still unpublished book
“Liwanag at Dilim”
• his literary influences
• died from Malaria on April 16, 1899
(23 y.o.)
Historical Background of
the Document
 Aside from ill-treatment experiences felt
by katipuneros under the Spanish rule, there
were other influencing factors causing the
creation of Katipunan and the
conceptualization of Kartilya.
 1. Enlightenment in Europe
Immanuel Kant summed the definition of enlightenment in the
following terms: "Dare to know! Have courage to use your
own reason!“

Enlightened rationality gave way to the rise of Romanticism. By

the 19th-century it pave its way to Liberalism and
Classicism then in the 20th-century, Modernism.

During this period, secret societies like the Freemasons, the

Bavarian Illuminati, the Rosicrucian —flourished. Coffeehouses, newspapers and literary salons emerged
as new venues for ideas to circulate.
 2. French Revolution

The French Revolution of 1789 was the culmination of the High

Enlightenment vision of throwing out the old authorities to remake
society along rational lines.

A legacy of the Age of Enlightenment, the motto "Liberté, Egalité,

Fraternité" inspired the French Revolution.
The ideas of enlightenment and the French Revolution inspired
the Ilustrados in Europe and in the island. These two events in the
globe encouraged the Filipinos to take up a stand for reforms and
later independence. Books from Europe easily reached the
Philippines thru the Suez Canal and thus this leads to the spread
of the idea of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.
 3. Coming of Masonry in the Philippines

In 1856, Freemasonry was introduced in the Philippines, however,

native Filipinos were not allowed to join the organization.

In 1889, Graciano Lopez-Jaena organized the Logia Revolución in

Barcelona thru the support of Grande Oriente Español hence the root of
true Philippine Masonry.
Pedro Serrano Laktaw, with the help of Moises Salvador
(initiated in Madrid) and Jose A. Ramos (initiated in London),
organized Logia Nilad and it was approved by the Grande Oriente
Español as Logia Nilad No 144 on March 20, 1892.

As the Fraternity grew, the Spanish friars were alarmed and

therefore branded all Masons as insurrectos. Masons were arrested,
tortured, exiled. These event became the voice for freedom and
democracy.
Most of the prominent personalities in the Katipunan were members of
the Masonry. The influence of this fraternity to the members were very
evident in the Kartilya written by Emilio Jacinto.

During the revolution, the Spanish Friars believed that the root of all the
problems was Masonry and Katipunan. Katipunan as considered by the
friars as “Huwad sa Masonerya.
Jesuit Francisco Foradada wrote in his book that Filipino
filibusterism (subversion) was not the son of righteousness,
morality or justice; but of Masonry – the enemy of God.
 4. Propaganda Movement
The death of Gomburza in 1872 awakened strong feelings of anger
and resentment among the Filipinos. They questioned Spanish
authorities and demanded reforms. The Filipino ilustrados aimed for
reforms and so they created a systematic movement and they used a
peaceful means of battling the Spanish government called the
Propaganda Movement.
The writings produced by the Propaganda Movement inspired Andres
Bonifacio and other radicals to establish the Katipunan and set the
Philippine Revolution in place
La Liga and the Cuerpo de
Compromisarios
In 1892, Jose Rizal arrived home and with the support of the Masonic
Leaders, he established the La Liga Filipina. However, he was
arrested and soon deported to Dapitan.
Andres Bonifacio and other members of Logia Taliba saw Rizal’s
deportation as a sign that reforms were no longer attainable. Before
the revival of the Liga, Andres Bonifacio had conceptualized a new
secret society called the Katipunan to advocate separation from Spain.
Thus, Katipunan was established on July 7, 1892.
On April 3, 1893, Andres Bonifacio of Logia Taliba,
Domingo Franco and Apolinario Mabini, both of
Logia Balagtas, led the revival of the Liga Filipina.

Six months after the Liga’s revival two factions emerged: one that
wanted to continue the society’s aim of peaceful reforms, and another
which advocated the overthrow of the colonial government. In
October of 1893, the Liga was dissolved.
Mabini and other moderates formed the Cuerpo de Compromisarios,
they tried to continue sending funds to finance the Propaganda Movement
in Spain. However, most of the members became increasingly
disappointed over the apathy of the central government in Madrid.
Some Filipinos were convinced that separation from Spain was the only
alternative – some members united with the radical movement -
Katipunan of Bonifacio, Arellano, Plata and other Logia Taliba members.
Content Presentation
 The
Kartilya ng Katipunan
has 14 points.
 The Kartilya ng Katipunan

A life that is not dedicated to a noble and divine cause is like a tree
without a shade, if not, a poisonous weed

A deed that is motivated by self-interest or self-pity and done

without sincerity lacks nobility.
 The Kartilya ng Katipunan

True piety is the act of being charitable, loving one's

fellowmen, and being judicious in behavior, speech and
deed.

All [people] are equal, regardless of the color of their skin; While
one could have more education, wealth or beauty than the other,
none of them can overpass one's identity.
 The Kartilya ng Katipunan

A person with a noble character values honor above self-

interest, while a person with a base character values self-
interest above honor.

To a [person] that respects, his/her word is a pledge.

 The Kartilya ng Katipunan
Do not waste your time; lost wealth can be
retrieved, but time lost is lost forever.

Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor.

A wise man is someone who is careful in all that he says; learn to

keep the things that need to be kept secret.
 The Kartilya ng Katipunan
In the thorny path of life, the man leads the way and his wife and
children follow; If the leader goes the way of evil, so do the
followers.

Never regard a woman as an object for you to trifle with; rather you
should consider her as a partner and a friend in times of need; Give
proper considerations to a woman's frailty and never forget that your
own mother, who brought you forth and nurtured you from infancy, is
herself such a person.
 The Kartilya ng Katipunan
Don't do to the wife, children and brothers
and sisters of others what you do not want
done to your wife, children and brothers and
sisters.

(A (person's) worth is not measured by his/ her 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 God's deputy. Even if he is a tribesman/tribeswoman from
the hills and speaks only his/her own tongue, a (person) is honorable if he/she
possesses a good character, is true to his/her word, has fine perceptions and is
loyal to his/her native land.
 The Kartilya ng Katipunan

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 loves lost, all the struggle and
sacrifices shall not have been in vain.
Contribution to the Grand Narrative of
Philippine History
It serves as a guiding
principle
It enhances sense of nationalism
It advocates an anti- enslavement
It promotes spread of liberal
ideas
Hence, be someone that can be
a…
Relevance to Contemporary Times
Kartilya is a source of moral beacon for self transformation for
the contemporary times. It can be used as guide:

• To institutionalize good
governance among our
government officials.

• To teach honor and dignity and

curtail corruption among politicians

• To inculcate generosity
and compassion among us

• To practice respect for

women and love for our
family
References
• Agoncillo, T.A.(1993).The Revolutionists:Aguinaldo, Bonifacio
and Jacinto. Manila:NHI
• Dela Costa, H. (1992). Readings in Philippine History.
Bookmark, Inc. Makati City.
• Gripaldo, R.M.(Vol. XXVI, 2:1996-97). Ʃoɸɩα (Sophia): Journal
of Philosophy.Malate,Manila:De La Salle University Press, Inc.
• Richardson, J.(2013) The Light of Liberty:Documents and
Studies on the Katipunan, 1892-1897.Loyola Heights,Quezon
City:Ateneo de Manila Press.
• Schumacher, J. (1981). Revolutionary Clergy. Ateneo Press
Publication, Quezon City.
• Zaide, G.F. (1970). Great Filipinos in History: An Epic of Filipino
Greatness in War and Peace. Manila:Verde Book Store
Acknowledgment:
Dr. Badilles, Ms. Cuada,
Dr. Damilig, Mr. Gabriel
& Ms. Montenegro
Trainers for RPH