Midterm

Lesson 1

The KKK is arguably the most important organization formed in the Philippine history. It
envisioned a (1) unified Filipino nation that would revolt against the Spaniards for (2) total
independence of the country from Spain. One of the most important Katipunan documents
was the Kartilya ng Katipunan. The original title of the document was “Manga Aral Nang
Katipunan ng mga A.N.B” or Lessons of the Organization of the Sons of Country. The
document was written by Emilio Jacinto in the 1896. Jacinto was only 18 years old when
he joined the movement and was a law student at UST. Jacinto became the secretary of
the organization and took charge of the short-lived printing press of the Katipunan. On
April 15, 1897, Bonifacio appointed Jacinto as a commander of the Katipunan in Northern
Luzon. Jacinto was 22 years old then. He died of Malaria at a young age of 24 in the
town of Magdalena, Laguna. This can be treated as the Katipunan’s code of conduct. It
contains fourteen rules that instruct the way a Katipunan should behave. Generally, the
rules stated in the Kartilya can be classified into two: (1) rules that will make the member
an upright individual and (2) rules that will guide the way he treats his fellow men.
14 RULES IN KARTILYA:
I. The life that is not consecrated to a lofty and reasonable purpose is a tree
without a
shade, if not a poisonous weed.
II. To do good for personal gain and not for its own sake is not virtue.
III. It is rational to be charitable and love one’s fellow creature, and to adjust
one’s
conduct, acts and words to what is in itself reasonable.
IV. Whether our skin be black or white, we are all born equal; superiority in
knowledge,
wealth and beauty are to be understood, but not superiority in nature.
V. The honorable man prefers honor to personal gain; the scoundrel, gain to
honor.
VI. To the honorable man, his word is sacred.
VII. Do not waste thy time; wealth can be recovered but not time lost.
VIII. Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor before the law or in the field.
IX. The prudent man is sparing in words and faithful in keeping secrets.
X. On the thorny path of life, man is the guide of woman and the children, and
if the guide leads to the precipice, those whom he guides will also go there.
XI. Thou must not look upon woman as a mere plaything, but as a faithful
companion who will share with thee the penalties of life; her (physical) weakness will
increase
thy interest in her and she will remind thee of the mother who bore thee and reared thee.
XII. What thou does not desire done unto thy wife, children, brothers and sisters,
that do not do unto the wife, children, brothers and sisters of thy neighbor.
XIII. Man is not worth more because he is a king, because his nose is aquiline, and
his
color white, not because he is a priest, a servant of God, nor because of the high
prerogative that he enjoys upon Earth, but he is worth most who is a man of proven and
real value, who does good, keeps his words, to worthy and honest; he who does not
oppress nor consent to being oppressed, he who loves and cherishes his fatherland,
though he be born in the wilderness an know no tongue but his own.
XIV. When these rules of conduct shall be known to all, the longest for sun of Liberty
shall
rise brilliant over this most unhappy portion of the globe and its rays shall diffuse
everlasting joy among the confederated brethren of the same rays, the lives of those who
have gone before, the fatigues and the well-paid sufferings will remain. If he who desires
to enter has informed himself of all this and believes he will be able to perform what will
be his duties, he may fill out the application for admission.

“Kartílya ng Katipúnan” ang popular na tawag sa akda ni Emilio Jacinto na naglatag ng

mga batas at prinsipyo ng Katipunan at nagsilbing gabay para sa mga kasapi nitó.
May katulad ding akda si Andres Bonifacio na pinamagatan namang “Katungkulang
Gagawin ng mga Z.Ll.B.” ngunit ipinasiya niyang ang isinulat ni Jacinto ang ikabit sa
sinusumpaang kasulatan ng magiging kasapi ng Katipunan. Ang orihinal na pamagat ng
“Kartilya ng Katpunan” ay “Mga Aral ng Katipunan Ng Mga Anak ng Bayan” at
hinahangaan noon ar ngayon dahil sa matalinghaga ngunit eksaktong pormulasyon ng
mga tuntunin sa buhay na dapat sundin ng isang Katipunero. Ang unang pangungusap
nitó: “Ang kabuhayang hindi ginugol sa isang malaki at banal na kadahilanan ay kahoy na
walang lilim kundi man damong makamandag” ay tila isang kredo hinggil sa paglilingkod
sa bayan at sa kapuwa tao.
Mapapansin sa “Kartilya ng Katipunan” ang tuntuning moral at etiko na nais pairalin sa
Katipunan bilang tunay na kapatirang Filipino. Idinidiin nitó ang pag-ibig sa kapuwa at
pagtutulungan, ang paniniwala sa katwiran, at ang pag-iingat sa dangal at puri bilang tao.
Gayunman, taglay din nitó ang pangunahing mga simulaing demokratiko, gaya ng
pagkakapantay ng tao anuman ang kulay ng balát, antas ng kabuhayan, at pinag-aralan.
Ipinangangaral din nitó ang mataas na pagtingin sa kababaihan at ang mabigat na
tungkulin ng lalaki na alagaan ang asawa at anak. Sa dulo, iginiit ang pag-ibig sa
kalayaan at ang kahandaan ng kasapi na ihandog ang sarili para sa bayan. Wika nga ni
Jacinto, ang “kamahalan ng tao” ay tinitimbang alinsunod sa “magandang asal, may isang
pangungusap, may dangal at puri” at lalo na”y “di napaaapi’t di nakikiapi,” at “marunong
magdamdam at marunong lumingap sa bayang tinubuan.” (KLL)
Decalogue of "The Duties of the Sons of the People"
by Andres Bonifacio

I. Love God full-heartedly.

II. Bear always in mind that the true love of God is love of Country, love which is also true
love of man.

III. Bear always in mind that the true measure of honor and of charity is to die in defense
of your Country.

IV. Serenity, constancy, reason, and faith in whatever act of endeavor, crown with
success every desire.

V. Guard, as you would your honor, the mandates and aims of the K.K.K.

VI. It is incumbent on all that he who runs a serious risk in complying with his duties
should be protected at the sacrifice of life and riches.

VII. Let the achievement of each, either in self-control or in compliance with duty, be an
example to his fellow.

VIII. Help to the limit of your endurance, share your wealth with the needy or unfortunate.

IX. Diligence in your daily work to earn a living is the true expression of love and affection
for yourself, for your wife, for your child, for your brother, and for your countryman.

X. Believe in the chastisement of the perverseand the treacherous and in the reward of all
good work. Believe, also, that the aims of the K.K.K. are the gifts of God; for the hopes of
the Country are also the hopes of God.

From the official program for the inauguration of the Bonifacio Monument, 1933