LESSON 5

THE KARTILYA OF THE

KATIPUNAN
H I S TO R I C A L C O N T E X T

The first move towards independence began on July

7, 1892 when the Katipunan was established by Andres
Bonifacio. This was a result of the failure of the Reform
Movement in Spain in which Filipinos attempted to demand
reforms for the Philippines from the Spanish Government.
Bonifacio saw the futility of the efforts of the Filipino
propagandists and organized an underground movement
against Spain.
E A R LY F L A G O F T H E K A T I P U N A N
■ The Kataastaasang Kagalang- galangang
Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or KKK was a
revolutionary society that espoused independence and
freedom for the Philippines through force of arms.

■ Its main objective was separation of the Philippines

from Spain and, at the same time, the development of
the Filipinos as citizens of their own nation once
independence was achieved.
 A B O U T T H E AU T H O R

■ Emilio Jacinto was born on December 15, 1875 in the district of

Trozo in Tondo, Manila.

■ 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 law at the University of Santo Tomas
where he developed a love of reading and improved his skills in
Spanish. Unfortunately, he had to stop his studies when the
Philippine Revolution began in 1896.
■ Jacinto joined the Katipunan in 1894 at the age
of 18 and took the symbolic name Pingkian.

■ He became a guiding light to the members of

the society because of his enthusiasm and ideas.

■ He wrote the Kartilya as well as the oath of the

Katipuneros. He also edited the Katipunan
newspaper, Kalayaan, and was the author of
several literary writings using the pen-name
“Dimas Ilaw”. Jacinto later was appointed
General by Bonifacio in 1897.
 After the death of Bonifacio in Cavite in 1897, Jacinto
continued the fight against the Spaniards even after the truce
following the Biak-na-Bato. He was wounded in the 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 a spy in their service when
he showed them a military pass issued to a man he killed several
months ago. He sent a letter to Apolinario Mabini stating his
plan to continue his law studies at the newly-established
Literary University of the Philippines. His plan was
discontinued because he had to go back to Laguan to lead his
fellow patriots in the war against the new enemy, the
Americans. He established his headquarters in the town of
Majayjay where he contracted malaria and eventually died on
April 6, 1899.
ABOUT THE TEXT

■ Jim Richardson said that, “ the Kartilya is the best known of all
Katipunan text” 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.”

■ the Kartilya was printed as a small pamphlet that was distributed

to the members of the Katipunan .

■ Its term derived from the Spanish cartilla which was the primer
used for grade schools during the Spanish period.
■ Kartilya served as the the primary lessons for the members
of the Katipunan.
■ It presents not only the teachings for the neophyte
Katipunero but also the guiding principle of the society.

■ The Kartilya was not just a document for the Katipunan. Its
importance today is predicted on the teachings that embodied
the moral and nationalistic principles of a nation that fought
for independence.

■These principles are relevant as the sense of nationhood still

holds true when the cultural and historical values of every
Filipino are threatened by the onslaught of foreign influences
brought about by today’s globalization.