From time to time, the Bulletin comes out with relevant historical pieces such as this editorial about the Katipunan. Read on and learn. I'm just wondering why this important event in our nation's history seems to have been conveniently forgotten.
116th anniversary of the founding of the KKK
Manila Bulletin editorial, 07 July 2008
THE Philippine Revolution was the handiwork of several Filipino patriots. And the KKK (Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangan na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan) was the instrument they forged to liberate the country from foreign dominance.
Marcelo H. del Pilar and Dr. Jose P. Rizal conceived the idea of establishing two parallel organizations in Manila – one to be composed of the educated and well-to-do persons who would operate openly and legally, the other to be composed of the masses, was to be organized secretly and with radical aims in the event that the overt organization would fall. Both had the same goal – to emancipate the country from foreign rule.
Del Pilar tried to establish the Katipunan as early as 1888 but succeeded only in 1892 through the help of brother-in-law Deodato Arellano and other colleagues.
Dr. Rizal established the La Liga Filipina in July, 1892, but this organization was aborted when he was arrested and exiled to Dapitan.
Del Pilar prepared to return to the Philippines to lead the revolution himself. He secretly disseminated his political works La Patria and Ministerio de la Republica Filipina to inform the people about his plans. Death on July 4, 1896, prevented him from realizing his plans.
The radical solution was left to Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto to implement. Under Bonifacio’s energetic leadership and Jacinto’s untiring intellectual activities, the Katipunan was transformed into a "powerful weapon of the weak."
The KKK ideals of Liberty, Equality, and Brotherhood of Men magnetized the unlettered masses who flocked to the Katipunan fold by the thousands.
Emilio Jacinto was the "Soul and Brains of the Katipunan." He wrote most of the Katipunan teachings, hymn, Kartilya, constitution and bylaws, rules, rites and ceremonies, etc. The Katipunan newspaper, the Kalayaan, was his brainchild. Ably aided by equally indefatigable Katipuneros like Aurelio Tolentino, Makario Sakay, and Aguedo del Rosario,
Jacinto and Bonifacio spread the Katipunan from Manila to Southern and Central Luzon. When the colonial authorities discovered the existence of the society on August 19, 1896, they were shocked to know how widespread it had become.
The KKK symbolized the unified energies of the Filipino people.
Today, our country and people are beset by numerous ills that once again calls on all of us to unite our disparate energies and goals in order to overcome these ills and move the country forward.
Ill-educated and ill-equipped, our forefathers succeeded in attaining their freedom and founded a republic – the first republic in Asia.
The KKK ideals live in each one of us.
As we observe the 116th anniversary of the KKK founding, let us rekindle these ideals and, like our forefathers, when they freed themselves from foreign bondage, free ourselves, too, from the clutches of poverty, disunity, and ill-will.