Saint Ferdinand College

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

Sta. Ana St., City of Ilagan, Isabela 3300 (078) 624-2125)

READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

MODULE 5: The Propaganda Movement and the Katipunan

Time Frame: Midterm – Week 9

Learning Outcomes:
 Identify and discuss the consequences of Spanish colonization in the Philippines.
 Identify causes of early revolts and struggles against Spanish colonization.
 Discuss the factors that gave rise to the sense of nationalism among Filipinos.

ENGAGE

Answer me!
How would you define patriotism? (You may give your own example on how to show it)
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EXPLORE AND EXPLAIN

By the 19th century, the Filipinos united as a nation and campaigned for reforms in the colony. At
first, this campaign for reforms was a peaceful one. The peaceful campaign was led by the Filipino
thinkers and writers like Dr. Jose Rizal and others. They started the propaganda movement in Spain and
the Philippines to ask for more freedom and rights. But this movement failed. When Rizal was exiled to
Dapitan, Bonifacio and other patriots started a secret organization called the Katipunan. They called for a
revolution to make the Philippines free at last.

NATIONALISM

-it means a devotion to one’s country, or fighting for its independence.

-when the people of a nation become united and work together for common aims.

CAUSES OF NATIONALISM

1. New ideas from abroad about the freedom and the rights men.

-they taught about freedom and the natural rights of men to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
 2. Opening of the Suez Canal.

-the opening of Suez Canal was in 1896, made the Philippines closer to the world trade,
communication and travel.

3. Race prejudice against Filipino.

-many Filipino became priest, especially in 19th century, but they were not given their own
parishes because of the racial prejudices of the Spanish priests.

“Secularization controversy”- campaigned for reforms in the Catholic Church, led by fathers
Pedro Pelaez, Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez, Jacinto Zamora, and others.

4. The Spanish Revolution of 1868.

-overthrew the monarchy and brought in a new government. This new government gave
Filipinos more freedom and rights.

Spanish new governor general- Carlos Maria de la Torre

5. Martyrdom of GOM-BUR-ZA.

-in 1870, a new government came to power in Spain and returned dictatorship to the Philippines.

The new governor general and a tyrant- Rafael de Izquerdo

On the night of February 20, 1872- some Filipino soldiers and workers at the Cavite arsenal mutinied
and they killed the Spanish officers and captured the fort.

Three of the most famous victims of the Cavite Mutiny trials were fathers Jose Burgos, Mariano
Gomez, and Jacinto Zamora.

-they were accused of treason of Spain and tried in an unfair trial.

THE PROPAGANDA MOVEMENTS

 The crusade for reforms was a peaceful one. It was done by means of pen and tongue. Great
Filipinos wrote articles, books, and pamphlets, and they made speeches to pressure the Spanish
government. This peaceful campaign called “Propaganda Movements”. It began in 1872 (after
the martyrdom of Gom-Bur-Za) and ended in 1896 (after the exile of Rizal to Dapitan)
 The Propagandist- were young Filipinos in their twenties or thirties, they came from the best,
brightest, and riches families in the Philippines. They were mostly college students or young
professionals and they were all men of intelligence, courage, and patriotism.
 La Solidaridad- the Filipino progandists published their crude for reforms in forthnightly
newspaper called “La Solidaridad”, founded by Graciano Lopez Jaena, its first editor. The first
issue appeared in Barcelona, Spain on February 15, 1889.
 November 1889- it was moved to Madrid, Spain, and next editor became Marcelo H. del Pilar.
 La Solidaridad- bravely championed the Filipino cause in Spain. The Spanish authorities in the
the Philippines hated it and tried to stop it, unfortunately, it ended for the lack of funds on
November 15, 1895.

RIZAL AND LA LIGA FILIPINA

  Dr. Jose Rizal (1861-1896) - the national hero of the Philippines. He was a great lover of his
country.
 Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo- on this novel Rizal exposed the abuses of the Spanish
officials and priests. And these novels awakened the Filipinos, love of country and paved the
way for the Philippine Revolution of 1896.
 June 26, 1892- Rizal decided to return to the Philippines.
 He founded a political association of patriotic Filipinos to crusade for reforms and this was
called La Liga Filipina (Philippine League). It met for the first time in the house on Ilaya
Street, Tondo on July 3, 1892.

 On suspicion Rizal was arrested and sent to exile in Mindanao.

 Rizal left for Dapitan, Mindanao by ship on midnight of July 14, 1892. Later, Rizal would be
shot by a firing squad at the Luneta on December 30, 1896.
 He was the greatest victim of Spanish injustice and oppression.

BONIFACIO AND THE KATIPUNAN:

He and his friends met at a house on Azcarraga Street (now C.M. Recto Avenue), Tondo, Manila.
On the night of July 7, 1892, they founded a secret revolutionary society for Filipinos to fight for
freedom. Its full name was Kataastaasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
(Highest and Most Respectable Society of the Sons of the People). It was called the “Katipunan” or
K.K.K. for short.

AIMS OF THE KATIPUNAN:

The Katipunan or K.K.K had two aims: (1) to unite the Filipinos into one solid nation, and (2) to
fight for the Philippine Independence from Spain. The Katipunan prepared the country for an armed
revolution to regain the country’s lost freedom.

THE KATIPUNAN GOVERNMENT:

 The Katipunan was more than a secret society, it was also a hidden government. It had
two constitutions, the first one in 1892 and the second one in 1894. The central government was
the Supreme Council (Kataastaasang Sanggunian), with a president, a fiscal, a secretary, a
treasurer, and a comptroller. There were Katipunan chapters in each province and in each town.
The members paid “taxes” or contributions to keep it going. The Katipunan also had its own
courts and court system.

 The first President of the Katipunan was Deodato Arellano. In 1985 he was replaced by Andres
Bonifacio. The title of president was changed to Supremo. Bonifacio was supremo of the
Katipunan from 1895 until his death in 1897.

MEMBERS OF THE KATIPUNAN:

 In the year 1896 the Katipunan spread quickly and attracted many members, especially
among the poor oppressed masses. By the time it was found out it had about 20,000 members.

 Some of the famous katipuneros were Bonifacio, Arellano, Emilio Jacinto also known as the
“Brains of the Katipunan” , Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Valentin Diaz, Jose A. Dizon, Ladislao Diwa,
and Teodoro Plata. Women also joined and helped the Katipunan, these were the wives, sisters
and female relatives of male katipuneros. When a secret meeting was being held, they pretended
 it was a party by singing songs and dancing. Among the famous katipuneras were Marina Dizon,
Benita Rodriguez, Marta Saldana Semeona de Remigio, Macaria Pangilinan and Gregoria de
Jesus the wife of Bonifacio who was called the “Lakambini of the Katipunan”.

SECRET INITIATION OF THE KATIPUNAN:

 A candidate for membership was first blindfolded and entered a secret room. In the room
there was a table with a lamp, a skull and a bolo. The blindfold was removed from his eyes and
had to pass other tests on his patriotism, courage and sincerity. The ceremony of the “blood
compact” followed the tests.

KATIPUNAN LITERATURE:

 The Katipuneros wrote beautiful and stirring words about their love for our country. The
three writers of the Katipunan were Bonifacio, Jacinto and Dr. Pio Valenzuela. Bonifacio wrote
the Decalogue,(Collections of wise sayings) Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan (Love for Country).
Jacinto was the greatest writer, he wrote the Kartilla (Collections of teachings of the Katipunan)
and A La Patria (To Country) written before his death in Laguna in 1897. The Katipunan had a
newspaper called Kalayaan (Freedom). The first and only issue was published in January 1896
and about 1,000 copies were printed.

THE KATIPUNAN PLOT:

 In a cave at San Mateo, Rizal on April 10, 1896, Bonifacio, Jacinto, Aurelio, Tolentino,
Guillermo Masangkay, Faustino Manalac and others were present. They wrote their signatures on
the walls of the cave and their cry: “LONG LIVE PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE”. August
29, 1896 was the date of the revolt against Spain. At seven o’clock on the evening of August 29 th,
the revolt would begin at the gates of Manila.

DISCOVERY OF THE KATIPUNAN:

Before Bonifacio and his men could strike, the plot was discovered. A katipunero named Teodoro
Patino told his sister Honoria who lived in the Augustinian orphanage at Mandaluyong. His sister and a
Visayan nun told him to tell everything to Father Mariano Gil, the Spanish parish priest of Tondo. In the
evening of August 19, 1896, Patino saw father Gil and told him about the secrets of the Katipunan. That
same night, Father Gil and the troops went to the office of the press used by the katipuneros and found out
and took the news and evidence about the Katipunan plot to the Spanish authorities. Many Filipinos were
immediately arrested and put in prison. Fortunately, many katipuneros escaped in time. They fled from
the city to the hills of Balintawak. Among them was Bonifacio and his men.

HISTORICAL VALUES:

From the birth of Philippine nationalism in the 19th century, we learn the following lessons:

 The Filipinos can only solve their problems if they are united.

 The Filipinos love freedom and hate tyranny.

 Filipinos spoke out against the cruel treatment of our people.

 We must remember and honor these heroes and heroines who fought for our rights during the
Spanish Era.
  A violent revolution does not end a nation’s problems.

References:

Zaide, G., & Zaide S. (2007). Philippine History and Government. Quezon City,
Philippines. All-Nations Publishing

Name: ______________________________________________ Score: _________

Course, Year & Section: ________________________________ Date: __________

ELABORATE AND EVALUATE

Learning Activity

Can a violent revolution end a nation’s problems? Explain your answer in not less than 200 words.