Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro

Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (Andres Bonifacio)

Born: November 30, 1863 in Tondo Manila

Filipino nationalist and revolutionary

Father: Santiago Bonifacio a tailor who served as a

teniente mayor (municipal official)

Mother: Catalina de Castro a mestiza of Spanish descent

who worked in a cigarette factory.

He was a founder and later the supreme leader of the

Katipunan movement which sought the independence of

the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started

the Philippine Revolution.

He is considered a de facto national hero of the

Philippines.

Eldest child among the siblings.

Brothers: Ciriaco, Procopio, and Troadio.

Sisters: Espiridonia and Maxima.

His education was very limited because the death of

his parents forced him to leave school while still

quite young in order to support his siblings.

Studied under Guillermo Osmeña, who taught him basic

arithmetic, writing in Tagalog, and basic Spanish.

Worked as a messenger(clerk/messenger) for the local

parish choir.

Became a salesman (agent) of tar and other goods for

the English firm of J.M. Fleeming & Company.

Transferred to Fressell and Company, a German trading

firm, where he worked as a bodeguero

(warehouseman/agent).

Also set up a family business of selling canes and paper

fans.

Despite not finishing formal education, Bonifacio

was self-educated.

He read books about the French Revolution,

biographies of the Presidents of the United States,

the colonial penal and civil codes, and novels such

as Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, Eugène Sue's Le

Juif errant and José Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El

Filibusterismo.

Bonifacio was married twice.

First wife: a certain person named Monica who died of

leprosy.

Second wife: Gregoria de Jesús (Aling Oriang) of

Caloocan, whom he married in 1893. They had one son,

christened Andrés, who died in infancy.

Gregoria de Jesús

(Aling Oriang)

Kataastaasang Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan

The KatipunanA Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-

Spanish Filipinos on July 7, 1892

With his two friends Ladislao Diwa and Teodoro Plata, he

formed the first triangle of a secret society which bore

the initials K.K.K.

Kataastaasang Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga

Anak ng Bayan ("Highest and Most Respected Society of

the Children of the Country").

Katipunan was a secret organization until its discovery in

1896 that led to the outbreak of Philippine Revolution.

Within the society Bonifacio used the pseudonym May pag-

asa ("There is Hope").

For a time, Bonifacio worked with both

the Katipunan and La Liga Filipina.

From Manila, the Katipunan expanded into several

provinces,

including Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan,Pampanga,

and Nueva Ecija.

Most of its members, called Katipuneros, came from the

lower and middle classes, with many of its local leaders

being prominent figures in their municipalities.

At first exclusively male, membership was later extended

to females, with Bonifacio's wife Gregoria de Jesús as a

leading member.

Bonifacio was a member and eventually head of

theKatipunan Supreme Council.

Bonifacio developed a strong friendship with Emilio

Jacinto who served as his adviser and confidant, as

well as a member of the Supreme Council.

Bonifacio wrote several pieces for the paper,

including the poem Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang

Lupà (roughly, "Love for the homeland”) under the

pseudonym Agapito Bagumbayan.

The publication of Kalayaan in March 1896 led to a

great increase in membership.

Bonifacio, Jacinto and Pio Valenzuela collaborated

on the society's organ Kalayaan (Freedom), which

had only one printed issue.

The Katipunan spread throughout Luzon,

to Panay in the Visayas and even as far

as Mindanao. From less than 300 members in

January 1896, it had about 30,000 to 40,000 by

August.

The Katipunan had three aims:

First, it wanted to free the Philippines from Spain, by force of arms if necessary. Its members, called Katipuneros, were taught to make and use weapons.

Second is the the moral, or spiritual, aim. The Katipunan saw all men, rich or poor, as equals.

Third, the Katipuneros were taught to care for one another in times of sickness and need. The society took care of its sick. If a member died, the Katipunan helped to pay the cost of a simple funeral.

Death of Bonifacio

May 10, 1897

Sealed order was received by Maj. Lazaro Makapagal from

General Noriel.

The latter further ordered Makapagal to take four soldiers

and escort the Bonifacio brothers to Mount Buntis.

At the foot of the mountain, Andres Bonifacio asked

Makapagal to open the sealed order.

After reading the content, the Bonifacio brothers were shot

and buried in a shallow grave marked only by a few twigs

and leaves.

Bonifacio as a Hero

Andrés Bonifacio, along with José Rizal, is one of

only two implied national heroes of the

Philippines.

Bonifacio and Rizal are given the implied

recognition of being national heroes because they

both have national holidays in their

honor: Bonifacio Day on November 30, and Rizal

Day on December 30.

Notable Contributions to the World of Colonial Literature

Bonifacio wrote poetry, and was a moro-moro actor

- very typical of great communicators.

Bonifacio was probably one of the greatest

motivational writers and speakers of his

generation.

Using his native language, Bonifacio wrote with

full passion and compassion.

Bonifacio also wrote about how the Filipinos were

tortured by the Spaniards.

Interesting Facts

Bonifacio kept himself busy with other productive

endeavors.

He became a member of a Tagalog dramatic

society, both as an actor and organizer of plays.

In 1887, he and his friends established the

Teatro Porvenir and staged moro-moros in Tondo.

Bonifacio was also a freemason and a member of

the Taliba Lodge.

Poems and Works

Katapusang Hibik Ng Pilipinas (The Last Appeal

of the Philippines)

Pag-ibig Sa Tinubuang Lupa

Tapunan ng Lingap

Ang mga Cazadores 

Huling Paalam ni Dr. Jose Rizal (Salin ng Mi

Ultimo Adios ni Gat Andres Bonifacio)

The Decalogue, a ten-point addressed to “sons of

the country” and how they should behave

Emilio Jacinto

Emilio Jacinto

Born: December 15, 1875 in Trozo, Tondo Manila

Filipino Revolutionary known as the Brains of the

Katipunan.

Father: Mariano Jacinto (died shortly after Emilio

was born).

Mother: Josefa Dizon

It was his sad experiences with his Spanish

classmates and sensitivity to the plight of the

Filipinos as caused by the injustices of the Spaniards

that led Emilio Jacinto to become a Katipunero.

Jacinto's early education was supported by his

widowed mother who worked as a midwife.

Later, his uncle enrolled him at the San Juan

Letran College after which he took Law at the

University of Santo Tomas.

Jacinto was fluent in both Spanish and Tagalog,

but preferred to speak in Spanish.

Although poor in appearance, he was gifted

with brains and good character.

The Katipunan

He did not finish college and, at the age of 19, he joined the

secret society called Katipunan.

At that young age, he became one of the ablest leaders of the

movement.

He became the advisor on fiscal matters and secretary

to Andrés Bonifacio.

His enthusiasm, ideals and spirit soon guided the course of

the secret revolutionary society.

He wrote the Kartilya ng Katipunan (Primer of the

Katipunan), and the oath of membership, which served as

guiding principles of the Katipuneros.

Jacinto also wrote for the Katipunan newspaper

called Kalayaan. He wrote in the newspaper under

the pen name Dimasilaw, and used the

alias Pingkian in the Katipunan.

Some of the teachings of the Katipunan as written

by Jacinto were deeply appreciated by the

Katipuneros.

Life which is not consecrated to a lofty and just purpose is like a tree which cause no shadow – a

poisonous weed.

To do good for some personal motive and not because of a true desire to do good is not a virtue.

All men are equal, be the color of their skin black or white. One may be superior to another in wisdom, appearance, or wealth, but they are equal as men.

He whose sentiments are noble prefers honor to personal aggrandizement; he whose sentiments are perverse prefers personal desires to honor.

To a man of honor, his word is his oath. Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor. He who is intelligent is cautious in speech and knows how

to keep secrets which must be guarded. Think not of woman as a thing with which to merely pass

the time, but as a helper and a partner in hardships. Respect her and think only of your mother and took care of you in childhood.

Great and noble is he who loves and looks after the welfare of his country.

Notable Contributions to the World of

Colonial Literature

His greatest poem was A La Patria, which he

composed under the coconut palms of Santa Cruz,

Laguna.

He composed this poem, which was inspired by Dr.

Jose Rizal's "Mi Ultimo Adios," under the pen name of

Dimas Law.

Bonifacio recognized Jacinto’s talents and patriotism,

and appointed him in various capacities, as secretary,

editor, and later general of the Katipunan.

Death of JacintoApril 16, 1899.

In February, 1897, Jacinto fought the Spanish

cazadores (riflemen) in Magdalena, Laguna.

He was wounded in the thigh, and was taken as a

prisoner to the church of Santa Cruz.

Returned to Laguna and established the secret

headquarters in the hills of Majayjay.

He contracted malignant malaria and died.

1. Andres Bonifacio’s full name is “Andrés

Bonifacio y de Castro”.

2. Bonifacio was born on November 30, 1863.

3. The second wife of Bonifacio is Monica de Jesús.

4. Kataastaasang Kagalanggalangang Katipunan

ng mga Anak ng Bayan means “Highest and

Most Respected Society of the Children of the

Country”.

5. Bonifacio died on May 10, 1890.

Quiz: True or False

6. Emilio Jacinto was born on December 15, 1885

7. Jacinto was known as the “Brains of the

Katipunan”.

8. Jacinto joined the Katipunan at the age of 21.

9. Jacinto’s greatest poem was “Mi Ultimo

Adios”.

10.The cause of Jacinto’s death was malignant

malaria.

Quiz: True or False