SECTION 2: ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY

SOURCE

SECTION OBJECTIVES
At the end of this section, the students are able to:
a. explained the main idea of the source;
b. discussed the importance of the text in studying Philippine
History; and
c. analyzed the context and content of a primary source;
 K AT I P U N A N A N D T H E R E V O L U T I O N : M E M O I R S O F A G E N E R A L
B Y S A N T I A G O A LVA R E Z

Santiago V. Alvarez (July 25, 1872-October 30, 1930),

the only child of a revolutionary general Mariano Alvarez and
Nicolasa Virata, was born in Imus but was raised in
Noveleta, Cavite. He was known as Kidlat ng Apoy
(Lightning of Fire) because of his inflamed bravery and
participation in the Battle of Dalahican.

Santiago was among the fist in Cavite to take up arms

against Spain. All though the Revolution, he fought side by
side with his father. In the 36-hour battle in Dalahican, one of
the bloodiest encounters during the Revolution, he scored a
decisive victory and repulsed the Spanish troops.
When the American civil government was established in
the Philippines in 1901, Santiago assisted in the organization
Nacionalista Party, where he later became president of its
directorate.
 During the 1920s, his memoirs were published in
Sampaguita, a Tagalog weekly, in 36 installments (from
July 24, 1927 to April 15, 1928). These were reproduced
in book form and translated in English by Paula Carolina
S. Malay.

Malay graduated from the University of the

Philippines. She taught economics at various universities
during the 1950s and 1960s. She turned to translation
and writing during the martial law period.

The events I have related in this account of the

Katipunan and the Revolution reverberate with shouts of
“long live our patriots” and “Death to the enemy!” These
were in answers to the enemy’s assault with mausers
and cannons, the latter fired from both land and sea.
The Magdiwang government honored me with an
appointment as Captain General, or head of its army.
Gen Artemio Ricarte was lieutenant general.
 I will now attempt to write down what I saw and what I know about
the Katipunan and the Revolution. First, I shall narrate the events relating
to the Revolution beginning from 14 March 1896; then I shall deal with
the organization and activities of the Most Venerable Supreme Society of
the Sons of the People (Kamahalmahalan at Kataastaasang Katipunan
ng mga Anak ng Bayan). The Katipunan account is based on records
which were entrusted to me by the original founder of the Katipunan. In
the interest of the honorable truth, I shall now attempt to write a history of
the Katipunan a
nd the revolution which I hope will be acceptable to all. However, I realize
that it is inevitable that, in the narration of actual happenings, I shall risk
of hurting the feelings of contemporaries and comrades-in-arms. I would
like to make it clear that I shall try to be as possible and that is from my
intention of depreciate anyone’s patriotism and greatness.
I shall be honored if these memoirs become a worthy addiction to
what Gen. Artemio Ricarte as already published in this weekly.
On 14 March 1896, a Saturday, I accompanied Emilio F. Aguinaldo
and Raymundo Mata to Manila for their initiation into the Katipunan
secret society. Messrs. Aguinaldo and Mata were prominent townsmen of
Kawit, Cavite, my home province. Reaching Manila at about five in the
afternoon, we waited for the appointed time at the quarters of Jacinto
Lumberas, a Katipunan member. He was the caretaker of the central
telephone exchange on San Jacinto Street in Binondo.
 At about seven o’clock in the evening, a Katipunan director arrived to take us to the Katipunan
headquarters. Before leaving Lumberas’ place, my two companions were blindfolded. Then we go into
calesa (horse cart) and reached the home of Andres Bonifacio, the Katipunan Supremo, after about ab
hour’s ride. It was a moonlight night and since the street was well-lit, we could see the house clearly. It
was a moderate size, the floor not too much raised from the ground; it had wooden walls and a roof
thatched with nipa (palm leaves). The house was located on Cervantes Street (now Rizal Avenue) in
the san Ygnacio area of Bambang. It was surrounded by many guards, some of them police who were
Katipunan members. Directing operations was Gregoria de Jesus, the wife of the Supremo Bonifacio.
We were led into a room in the inner part of the house. On a table covered with the black cloth
were the skull and crossbones from a human skeleton. Lying beside the skull and crossbones were the
following paraphernalia; a new long-blanded weapon, an old revolver, a small knife with a sharp edge, a
new pen, a copy of the Katipunan “primer” and a sheet of paper on which were written blood-colored
characters. On both sides of the table were Katipuneros blindfolded with black cloth. On the wall behind
the skull was a rectangular banner of black cloth on which was the same motif of human skull and
crossbones. Above the manner were three K’s arranged as in a tripod; all where in white paint.
Meanwhile, a woman lookout was heard to say, “cool” which was the code word for “all clear”. Shortly
afterward, the guides led the blindfolded into the house. The woman lookout told the guard, “They’re all
here. Nobody else is coming. Alert your comrades about tighter security”.
 Or execution, they pledge to destroy oppression by signing
their names in their own blood. When the ritual was over, the
happy crowd of Katipunan members warmly embraced the
neophytes amid shouts “Brother! Brother!”

Still blindfolded, the neophytes were then escorted down

the house and cordially sent off with a repetition of fraternal
embraces. I then took over escorting Aguinaldo and Mata.
When we had walked some distance some distance from the
Supremo’s house, I took off their blindfolds. We proceeded to
comrade Jacinto’s Lumberas’ quarters at the telephone
exchange, where we retired for the night. Incidentally,
Lumberas’ wife delivered a baby that night, and we were
witness to that event.
Emilio Aguinaldo asked me to accompany him to see the
Supremo Bonifacio again to learn more about the Katipunan.
We made the trip to Manila on a Monday, 6 April 1896.
In those days, we Cavite folks traveled to and from Manila
aboard Spanish vessels called “Ynchausti boats.” They bore
names like “Isabel”, “Dominga”, and others. These vessels were
purchased by Mr. Luis Yango; their operations are now
managed by his son, Teodor
 We left the pier at Cavite at seven in the morning, and an
hour later we were in Manila. Aguinaldo went to the port office
to attend to some business while I waited outside. When he
comes out after about ten minutes, he was agitated. His face
was flushed and his steps were longer than usual. I asked him
what was the matter. He was upset over the superciliousness
one Ramon Padilla; with whom he had exchange some sharp
words. He said that Padilla, who was a functionary in the port
office, tried to impress people with superior airs but only
succeeded in showing how rude and uncouth he really was.

We talked while walking, and soon we reached Lavezares

Street in Binondo where Dr. Pio Valenzuela was living in a
rented house. Dr. Valenzuela was then the provisional chairman
of the Katipunan. In the house we met Supremo, Andres
Bonifacio, his wife Gregoria de Jesus; Jose Dizon; and Dr.
Valenzuela himself. We were welcomed cordially with fraternal
embraces. They said that they already knew Mr. Aguinaldo, but
they did not recognize him since he had been blindfolded
during their first encounter.
 After we were all seated, we happily exchange news
and talked about the progress of the Katipunan., once in
a while, brother Aguinaldo hesitated, which promoted the
observant Bonifacio to ask solicitously if anything was
bothering him. I volunteered the information that he had
some unpleasant experience with an official at the port
office and that was what probably was on his mind. I had
scarcely finished what I was saying when the Supremo’s
face flushed and his voice shook as he said, “it is
necessity to defend the honor of our brother here.”
Immediately, he sent Dr. Pio Valenzuela and Jose
Dizon to the house of Ramon Padilla for redress to the
dishonor he had showed to brother Aguinaldo. In default
of an apology, the two emissaries were to be seconds in
a duel. The Katipunan continued to spread. It was Good
Friday in the month of April 1896, at nine o’clock in the
morning, the Supremo Andres Bonifacio, accompanied by
Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Emilio Jacinto and Pantaleon Torres,
arrived in the town of Noveleta, Cavite province to
establish a provincial council of the Katipunan.
 The council came to be known as Magdiwang. The
following were its officers: Mariano Alvarez, president;
Pascual Alvarez, secretary; Dionisio Alvarez, treasurer;
Valentin Salud, prosecutor; Benito Alix, sergeant-at-arm;
Nicolas Ricafrente, Adriano Guinto, Emeterio Malia, and
Valeriano Aquino, director.
While both councils approved their respective regulation
uniforms, with a common set of rank insignias, very few were
able to comply because of unsettling events coming one
after another.
On Saturday, 28 September 1896, Captain General Apoy
and General Vibora prepared to go to the field to inspect the
fortifications to the west along the Cavite-Batangas border,
which were under the command of Brig. Gen. Eleuterio
Marasigan and Col. Luciano San Miguel. But before the two
general could leave, the commander of the troops defending
Dalahikan, Major Aklan, came to the war ministry to report
that they had sighted the enemy fortifying the narrowest neck
of Dalahikan. The enemy activity, which had started in the
night, included the massing of Spanish troops.
KATIPUNAN BRIEF BACKGROUND
On July 7, 1892, upon learning that Dr. Jose P. Rizal
 was to be deported and that his works were to be
banned in the country, a secret council was convened in
No. 72 Azcarraga Street. In attendance were 
Andres Bonifacio, Deodato Arellano, Valentin Diaz,
Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, Jose Dizon, and a few
others, all members of La Liga Filipina, a progressive
organization founded by Rizal. The men assembled came
to the agreement that a revolutionary secret society must
be founded, and thus the Kataastaasang Kagalang-
Kagalang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan was born.
The objectives of the Katipunan, as the brotherhood
was popularly known, were threefold: political, moral, and
civic. They advocated for freedom from the yoke of Spain,
to be achieved through armed struggle. They also saw it
as their personal responsibility to help the poor and the
oppressed, and to teach them good manners, hygiene,
and morality.
 New recruits to the secret society
underwent a rigorous initiation process,
similar to Masonic practices. A neophyte,
dressed in black and accompanied by
his sponsor, was brought to a small
room decorated with patriotic posters
(1), in front of a cabinet draped in black.
He was then seated at a dimly-lit table,
on which rested a bolo (2), a revolver
(3), and a set of questions which he
must answer to the satisfaction of the
members assembled: What was the
condition of the Philippines in the early
times? What is the condition today?
What will be the condition in the future?
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Context analysis. Testing the
authenticity of a primary source.
Instructions. Read the article carefully
by taking down notes the important
details to answer the following questions
below. (Note: write legibly and make sure
your output is readable)
1.Who is the author of the article? ( 2 points)
2.When was the article written? (2 points)
3.Where was the article published? (2 points)
4.What is the article all about and what does it
describe? (10 points)
5.Provide a brief description of the source. (Note:
brief description means you do not have to copy
the whole article, just the important details to
summarize the article) (15 points)