The KKK and the

‘Kartilya ng
Katipunan’

By;
DingDong Dantes Apostol Alex Nobelo
Elaine Ansay Jhovelle Abarintos
Gegi Rico
Prayer
 Questions
1. What is the greatest contribution of KKK to our
country?
2. What is the meaning of the word ‘Illustrados’?
3. What is the different perspective between Bonifacio
and Rizal about fighting the Spaniards?
4. As a B.A/ Education student, how do you promote
unity to our society?
 The KKK and ‘Kartilya ng Katipunan’

The Kataastaasan Kagalanggalanganng Katipunan ng mga anak ng Bayan (KKK)

or Katipunan is arguablyand the most important organization formed in
Philippine history. It was established on July 7,1892. The main objectives of this
organization is that;

1. United filipino nation that would revolt against the Spaniards

2. Gaining Philippine independence from Spain

Previous armed revolt had already occurred before the foundation of the
Katipunan but none of them envisioned unified Filipino nation revolting against
the colonizers.
For example, Diego Silang was known as an Ilocano
who took up his arms and led one of the longest
running revolts in the country. However, the
imagination of the nation was largely absent in the
aspirations of the local revolts. On the other hand, the
propaganda movements led by the Illustrados like
Marcelo H. del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena and Jose P.
Rizal did not envision a total separation of the
Philippines from Spain but only demanded equal rights,
protection and representation from the abuses of the
friars.
In the conduct of their struggle , Katipunan created a
complex structure and a defined value system that
would guide the organization as a collective aspiring
for a single goal.
The original title of the document was "Manga [sic]
Aral ng [sic] Katipunan ng mga A.N.B." or "Lessons of
Organization of the sons of Country." The document
was written by Emilio Jacinto in the 1896, Jacinto was
only 18 yrs old when he joined the movement. He was
a law student at the Universidad de Santo Tomas.
Despite his youth, Bonifacio recognized the value
and intellect of Jacinto that upon seeing that
Jacinto's Kartilyawas much better than the
Decalouge he wrote, he willingly favored that the
Kartilya be distributed to their fellow Katupuneros,
Jacinto became the secretary of Organization and
took charge of the short-lived printing press of the
Katipunan.
The Kartilya can be treated as the Katipunan's
code. It contains fourteen rules that
Katipunero should have. The rules stated in
the Kartilya can be classified into two groups.
The first group that contains the rules that
will make the member an upright individual
then the second group contains the rules that
will guide the way he treats his fellow men.
Rules of Kartilya
1. The life that is not consecrated to a lofty and reasonable
purpose is a tree without a shade, if not a poisonous weed.
2. To do good for personal gain and not for its own sake is not
virtue.
3. It's rational to be charitable and love one's fellow creature,
and to adjust one's conduct, acts and words to what is in itself
reasonable.
4. Whether our skin be black or white, we are all born equal.
Superiority in knowldege, wealth and beauty are to be
5. The honorable man prefers honor to
personal gain, the scoundrel, gain to
honor.
6. To the honorable man, his word is
sacred.
7. Do not waste thy time, wealth can be
recovered but not time lost.
8.Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor before the law
or in the field.

9.The prudent man is sparing in words and faithful in keeping

secrets.

10.On the thorny path of life, man is the guide of woman and the
children, and if the guide leads to the precipice, those whom he
guides will also go there.

11.Thou must not look upon woman as a mere plaything, but as a

faithful companion who will share with thee the penalties of life;
her (physical) weakness will increase thy interest in her and she
will remind thee of the mother who bore thee and reared thee.
12.What thou dost not desire done unto thy wife, children
brothers and sisters, that do not unto the wife, children, brothers
and sisters of thy neighbor

13.Man is not worth more because he is a king, because his nose

is aquiline, and his color white, not because he is a *priest, a
servant of god, nor because of the high prerogative that he
enjoys upon earth, but he is worth who desires to enter (the
katipunan) has informed himself of all this and believes he will
be able to perform what will be his duties, he may fill out.
most who is a man of proven and real value,
who does good, keeps his words, is worthy
and honest; he who does not oppress nor
consent to being oppressed, he who loves
and cherishes his fatherland, though he be
born in the wilderness and know no tongue
but his own.
14.When these rules of conduct shall be known
to all, the longed-for sun of liberty shall rise
brilliant over this most unhappy portion of the
globe and its rays shall diffuse everlasting joy
among the confederated brethren of the same
rays, the lives of those who have gone before, the
fatigues and the well-paid sufferings will remain.
If he
Analysis of the “Kartilya ng
Katipunan”
 Similar to what we have done to the
accounts of Pigafetta, this primary source
also needs to be analyzed in terms of
content and context.
For example, the fourth and the thirteenth
rules in the Kartilya are an invocation of
the inherent equality between and among
men regardless of race, occupation, or
status.
The values that first emerged in the eighteenth century French
Revolution :
Equality
Tolerance
Freedom
Liberty
For example, various provisions in the Kartilya repeatedly
emphasized the importance of honor
in words and in action. The teaching of the Katipunan on how
women should be treated with:
Honor
Respect
 There is another example, in the tenth rule, the
document specifically stated that men should b
the guide of women and the children would be
guided in the path of evil. Nevertheless, the
same document stated that women should be
treated as companions by men and not as
playthings that can be exploited for their
pleasure.
Letter to the Women of Malolos
 KARTILYA was instructive not just of the
Katipunan’s conduct toward other people, but
also for the member’s development as
individuals in their own rights.
Kartilya can be classified as ethier directed
to how one should treat his neighbor or to how
one should develop and conduct one’s self.