Katipunan

Did You Know?

• The name Katipunan comes from the Tagalog word tipon, meaning gathering or to gather.
• The Katipunan was one of two groups formed after the dissolution of La Liga Filipina; the other was the Cuerpo de Compromisarios.
• The Katipunan was discovered after member Teodoro Patiño confessed to parish priest Mariano Gil, revealing lithographic materials kept at the Diario de Manila printing house.

Organization

The Katipunan was governed by the Supreme Council, first formed around August 1892. This council was headed by an elected president, followed by a secretary or secretaries, a treasurer, and a fiscal, along with councilors whose number varied across presidencies. The Supreme Council's president was called the Supreme President. At the outbreak of the 1896 Revolution, the council was reorganized into a cabinet regarded as a genuine revolutionary government. Provincial councils called Sangguniang Bayan were established in provinces with Katipunan members, and each town had a popular council called Sangguniang Balangay. These councils had elected officials including a president, secretary, fiscal, treasurer, vice president, vice secretary, councilors, and other roles such as guard, collector, and patroller. Each balangay could expand its influence through the triangle system to gain Sangguniang Bayan status; those that did not were dissolved and annexed. Towns supporting the Katipunan received symbolic names, such as Magdiwang for Noveleta and Magdalo for Kawit, all in Cavite province.

Literature of the society

Literature flourished within the Katipunan through writers Andrés Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, and Dr. Pío Valenzuela. Bonifacio's poem Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa, published under his pen name Agapito Bagumbayan in the January 1896 issue of Kalayaan, expressed patriotic sentiment. After José Rizal's execution, Bonifacio wrote the first Tagalog translation of Mi último adiós, titling it Pahimakas. He also wrote the prose Katungkulang Gagawin ng mga Z. Ll. B., which was never published because he considered Jacinto's Kartilya superior, and the political-historical essay Ang Dapat Mabatid ng Mga Tagalog. Emilio Jacinto, regarded as the Brains of the Katipunan, wrote the poetical masterpiece A la Patría on October 8, 1897, and the ode A mí Madre. His prose masterpiece Kartilya became the Katipunan's Bible, and he also wrote Liwanag at Dilim, a series of articles on rights, liberty, equality, labor, government, and love of country, under his pen name Dimas-Ilaw.

Preparation for the revolution

On May 4, 1896, Bonifacio and his councilors met secretly by Bitukang Manok creek near Pasig and decided to seek José Rizal's advice on revolting. Dr. Pío Valenzuela was sent as emissary to Dapitan, where Rizal was exiled. Valenzuela arrived on June 21, 1896, and after supper told Rizal of the Katipunan's plan. Rizal objected, saying the revolution would harm the Filipino nation, believing it premature because the people were not ready and arms and funds were needed first. Valenzuela proposed rescuing Rizal, but Rizal refused, having given his word to Spanish authorities. Instead, Rizal advised soliciting funds from wealthy Filipinos and recommended Antonio Luna as a war general. Valenzuela left the next day instead of staying a month. Upon returning to Manila, he informed the Katipunan of Rizal's refusal. Bonifacio, furious, warned Valenzuela not to spread word of Rizal's rejection, but Valenzuela had already done so, causing fund proposals to be canceled. Despite this, the Katipunan continued addressing its arms supply and took steps to smuggle weapons from abroad.

Revolution

Learning of arrests, Bonifacio called an assembly of provincial councils at Apolonio Samson's house in Kangkong, Balintawak, with about 1,000 Katipuneros attending, but no decision was reached. A second meeting occurred either on August 23 or 24, at a location debated by historians—either Melchora Aquino's yard or her son Juan Ramos's house. Attendees decided to start the armed uprising, tearing their cedulas as a sign of commitment, and agreed to attack Manila on August 29. Spanish civil guards discovered the meeting, leading to the Battle of Pasong Tamo. The Katipunan initially had the upper hand but retreated toward Marikina via Balara, then to San Mateo, which they took but lost three days later. Katipuneros in Caloocan, San Pedro de Macati, Pateros, and Taguig also rose up.