Katipunan and the Kartilya ng Katipunan

Dr. Dennis J. Saluba

Department of Social Sciences
College of Education and Liberal Arts
Adamson University
Andres Bonifacio
 Andres Bonifacio Biography

• Andres Bonifacio was born on November 30, 1863 in a small hut at Calle
Azcarraga, presently known as Claro M. Recto Avenue in Tondo, Manila.
• His parents were Santiago Bonifacio and Catalina de Castro.
• Andres was the eldest in a brood of five. His other siblings were Ciriaco,
Procopio, Troadio, Esperidiona and Maxima. 
• He obtained his basic education through a certain Guillermo Osmeña of Cebu. 
• The Bonifacio family was orphaned when Andres was barely fourteen.  With
this, Andres assumed the responsibility of raising his younger siblings.
  
 Andres Bonifacio Biography
• In order to support the needs of their family, he maximized his skills in making crafts and
sold paper fans and canes.  He also worked as messenger in Fleming & Company (British
Company). 
• Eventually, he moved to Fressel & Company (German Company), where he worked as
warehouse man until 1896. 
• Poverty never hindered Andres’ thirst for knowledge.  He devoted most of his time
reading books while trying to improve his knowledge in the Spanish and Tagalog
language. 
• Andres was married to Gregoria de Jesus who happened to be his second wife.  His first
wife – Monica- died of leprosy a year after their marriage. 
• Gregoria was only sixteen years old and Andres was twenty-nine when their romance
sprung.  At first, Gregoria’s parents were against their relationship, but in time, allowed
the couple to be married in Catholic rites.
 Andres Bonifacio
Bonifacio is a Philippine patriot, founder and leader of the nationalist Katipunan society, who instigated the
revolt of August 1896 against the Spanish. He was known as the “Father of Philippine Revolution” and the
“Supremo” of the Katipunan. Not finishing his normal education, Bonifacio enriched his natural intelligence
with self-education. He read books about the French Revolution, biographies of the Presidents of the United
States, books about contemporary Philippine penal and civil codes, and novels such as Victor Hugo's Les
Misérables, Eugène Sue’s wandering Jew.
 Gregoria De Jesus
Andres Bonifacio was married twice: first to a certain Monica in Palomar, Tondo. She was Bonifacio's
neighbor in Tondo. Monica died of leprosy and they had no recorded children. In 1892 Bonifacio, a 29-
year-old widower, met the 18-year-old Gregoria de Jesús c cousin of Teodoro Plata. Also known as
Oriang, was the founder and vice-president of the women's chapter of the Katipunan of the
Philippines. She was known as the “Lakambini” of the Katipunan. They had a son died of small pox in
infancy.
Katipunan
 Katipunan
• In 1892 Bonifacio was one of the founding members of José Rizal's La Liga
Filipina, an organization which called for political reforms
in Spain's colonial government of the Philippines. However, La
Liga disbanded after only one meeting as Rizal was arrested and deported
to Dapitan in Mindanao.
•  On July 7, 1892, the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak
ng Bayan (KKK) was founded in the house of Deodato Arellano at 734 Calle
El Cano cor. Azcarraga. 
• Membership was through blood compact symbolizing the foundation of the
secret society, which aimed the separation of the Philippines from Spain and the
expulsion of the Spaniards in the country. 
• The first Supremo of the Katipunan was Deodato Arellano, followed by Roman
Basa and finally, Andres Bonifacio.
Old Azcarraga
 Deodato Arellano
Deodato Arellano was a propagandist and first president of the Katipunan. He was born to Juan de la Cruz
and Mamerta de la Cruz on July 26, 1844 in Bulacan. The family changed their name to Arellano in
compliance with the Claveria decree of 1849. Arellano studied bookkeeping at the Ateneo Municipal de
Manila. 
 Katipunan
• In 1893, women were given the chance to join the organization.  The first
members were Gregoria de Jesus, Josefa Rizal, Marina Dizon and Angelica
Lopez. 
• They served as the keepers of important and confidential documents of the
Katipunan and staged galas as fronts for the regular meetings of the male
members. 
 Dr. Pio Valenzuela
An important meeting held on 3 May 1896 concluded with a plan to rescue Rizal from Dapitan to
lead the revolution.  The task was assigned to Dr. Pio Valenzuela. Unfortunately, Rizal expressed
his opposition to the idea of launching an unprepared revolution against a strong nation
protected by well-armed defense force He also suggested that the service of Antonio Luna be
secured by the organization because of his military expertise and affiliation with rich and
influential Filipinos.
Katipunan Membership
 Discovery of Katipunan
• The quarrel between two employees of the printing shop publishing Diario de
Manila resulted in the discovery of Katipunan.  This happened after Apolonio
dela Cruz was given a P2 raise in salary and Teodoro Patiño was not given any. 
• A heated argument sparked between them which led Patiño to confide the
secrets of the Katipunan to his sister Honoria at the convent where she was
staying, her tearful reaction attracted the attention of one of the nuns. The nun
in turn, persuaded Patiño to tell everything he knew to Fr. Mariano Gil, the
parish priest of Tondo. 
• After hearing the revelations, Fr. Gil contacted the authorities and urged them
to raid the printing shop.  Documents, oaths signed in blood, receipts and
ledgers related to Katipunan were confiscated from the shop.
Kartilya ng Katipunan
 Kartilya ng Katipunan

• The Kartilya ng Katipunan served as the guidebook for new members of the
organization, which laid out the group's rules and principles.
• The first edition of the Kartilya was written by Emilio Jacinto. Andrés Bonifacio
later wrote a revised Decalogue.
• The Decalogue, originally titled Katungkulang Gagawin ng mga Z. Ll. B. (Duties of
the Sons of the People), was never published because Bonifacio believed that
Jacinto's Kartilya was superior to what he had made.
 Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto was a Filipino General during the Philippine Revolution. He was one of the highest-
ranking officers in the Philippine Revolution and was one of the highest-ranking officers of the
revolutionary society  Katipunan, being a member of its Supreme Council. He joined Katipunan at
age 18 with symbolic name Pinkian and editor of the Katipunan newspaper “Kalayaan”. He is
popularly known as the Brains of the Katipunan and author of the Kartilya ng Katipunan.
Kartilya ng Katipunan
1. Ang kabuhayang hindi ginugugol sa isang malaki at banal na kadahilanan ay kahoy
na walang lilim, kundi damong makamandag

2. Ang gawang magaling na nagbubuhat sa pagpipita sa sarili, at hindi sa talagang

nasang gumawa ng kagalingan, ay di kabaitan. 

3. Ang tunay na kabanalan ay ang pagkakawang gawa, ang pagibig sa kapua at ang
isukat ang bawat kilos, gawa’t pangungusap sa talagang Katuiran.

4. Maitim man at maputi ang kulay ng balat, lahat ng tao’y magkakapantay;

mangyayaring ang isa’y higtan sa dunong, sa yaman, sa ganda…; ngunit di
mahihigtan sa pagkatao.

5. Ang may mataas na kalooban inuuna ang puri sa pagpipita sa sarili; ang may
hamak na kalooban inuuna ang pagpipita sa sarili sa puri.
Kartilya ng Katipunan
6.  Sa taong may hiya, salita’y panunumpa.

7. Huag mong sasayangin ang panahun; ang yamang nawala’y magyayaring

magbalik; nguni’t panahong nagdaan na’y di na muli pang magdadaan.

8. Ipagtanggol mo ang inaapi, at kabakahin ang umaapi.

9. Ang taong matalino’y ang may pagiingat sa bawat sasabihin, at matutong

ipaglihim ang dapat ipaglihim. 

10. Sa daang matinik ng kabuhayan, lalaki ay siyang patnugot ng asawa’t mga anak;
kung ang umaakay ay tungo sa sama, ang patutunguhan ng iaakay ay kasamaan
din.
Kartilya ng Katipunan
11. Ang babai ay huag mong tignang isang bagay na libangan lamang, kundi isang
katuang at karamay sa mga kahirapan nitong kabuhayan; gamitan mo ng buong
pagpipitagan ang kaniyang kahinaan, at alalahanin ang inang pinagbuhata’t nagiwi
sa iyong kasangulan. 

12. Ang di mo ibig na gawin sa asawa mo, anak at kapatid, ay huag mong gagawin
sa asawa, anak, at kapatid ng iba.

13. Ang kamahalan ng tao’y wala sa pagkahari, wala sa tangus ng ilong at puti ng

mukha, wala sa pagkaparing kahalili ng Dios wala sa mataas na kalagayan sa balat
ng lupa; wagas at tunay na mahal na tao, kahit laking gubat at walang nababatid
kundi ang sariling wika, yaong may magandang asal, may isang pangungusap, may
dangal at puri; yaong di napaaapi’t di nakikiapi; yaong marunong magdamdam at
marunong lumingap sa bayang tinubuan.
Kartilya ng Katipunan
14. Paglaganap ng mga aral na ito at maningning na sumikat ang araw ng mahal na
Kalayaan dito sa kaabaabang Sangkalupuan, at sabugan ng matamis  niyang liwanag
ang nangagkaisang magkalahi’t magkakapatid ng ligaya ng walang katapusan, ang
mga ginugol na buhay, pagud, at mga tiniis na kahirapa’y labis nang natumbasan.
Kung lahat ng ito’y mataruk na ng nagiibig pumasuk at inaakala niyang matutupad
ang mga tutungkulin, maitatala ang kaniyang ninanasa sa kasunod nito.
Main Sources:

• Batis: Sources in Philippine History, Jose Victor Z. Torres, C & E Publishing, 2018
• https://nhcp.gov.ph/andres-bonifacio-and-the-katipunan/
• http://malacanang.gov.ph/7013-andres-bonifacios-decalogue-and-the-kartilya-ng-katipunan/
• https://www.slideshare.net/nanamimae-chan/katipunan-membership
• https://web.facebook.com/Discovering-the-Old-Philippines-People-Places-Heroes-Historical-
Events-656729927676590/?__tn__=k*F&tn-str=k*F
• http://www.philippinemasonry.org/kartilya-ng-katipunan.html
End of Presentation

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