Kartilya

Teaching the Values of a Nation

Course Developers:
Prof. Percival GABRIEL
Prof. Rhinalou Cervantes-SALAMAT
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
• Katipunan or KKK (Kagalang-galang na
Katipunan nang manga Anak nang Bayan)
– The underground society was founded by
a Andres Bonifacio, Valentin Diaz,
Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, Deodato
Arellano among others.
(Agoncillo and Guerrero 1977: 195)

• Founded on the night of July 7, 1892

the day of Jose Rizal’s arrest and
deportation to Dapitan
• For allegedly smuggling a
subversive black book upon his
entry in Manila from Hongkong.
FOUNDING OF KATIPUNAN
• Result of the Failure of the
Propaganda Movement:
– Short of funds
– Conflict of ideas
– La Solidaridad was not able to
generate as much sentiment from
the Spanish politicians and
bureaucrats to craft a to make the
Philippines a province of Spain and
institute reforms
LA SOLIDARIDAD
• Served as the mouthpiece of the
Propaganda Movement
• Was still in operation by 1892,
stopped its printing by 1895
• Death of Marcelo Del Pilar and
Graciano Lopez Jaena in 1896
– the aim of uniting the Filipinos with one
solid stand against Spain was not fully
attained
• Inspired the founding of Katipunan
– Rizal’s novels
MEMBERS OF KATIPUNAN
• Had to be taught of values it upheld
– MEMBERSHIP PROCESS:
• Triangular system - a secret networking
process where a member would recruit at
least two members who do not know each
other except the recruiter.
• Open Recruitment – since the triangle
system was slow
– THREE RANKS/PASSWORD:
1. Katipon/Anak ng Bayan – new
recruit
2. Kawal/Gomburza – recruited a
number of members
3. Bayani/Rizal - highest rank; once
elected into a position
POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF KATIPUNAN
• THREE GOVERNING ASSEMBLIES:
1. Supreme Council (Katatastaasang
Sanggunian) – highest; composed of the
elected president, fiscal, secretary,
treasurer and comptroller
2. Provincial Council (Sangguniang Bayan) –
second highest
3. Municipal Council (Sangguniang Balangay)
4. Judicial Council (Sangguniang Hukuman)
which tried members in violation of its
rules
(Agoncillo and Guerrero 1977: 170-171)
To those who wished to join the organization…
• They had to be initiated and indoctrinated into its teachings
– Bonifacio had his version of these teachings, the Decalogue
(probably used from 1892 to 1894)
– Jacinto entered the organization in 1894 and wrote his
Kartilya
• Became the official material to teach their doctrines for
reason of its beautifully crafted language
• Kartilya, is not given for free but is given to new
members upon payment of a membership fee of 4 pesos

(Richardson 2013:129)