The Katipunan

On June 21, 1896. Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Bonifacio’s emissary, visited Rizal in Dapitan and informed him of the plan of the Katipunan to launch a revolution. Rizal objected to Bonifacio’s bold project stating that such would be a veritable suicide. Rizal stressed that the Katipunan leaders should do everything possible to prevent premature flow of native blood. Valenzuela, however, warned Rizal that the Revolution will inevitably break out if the Katipunan would be discovered.

Sensing that the revolutionary leaders were dead set on launching their audacious project, Rizal instructed Valenzuela that it would be for the best interests of the Katipunan to get first the support of the rich and influential people of Manila to strengthen their cause. He further suggested that Antonio Luna with his knowledge of military science and tactics, be made to direct the military operations of the Revolution.

The Katipunan, like the Masonic lodges, had secret passwords and ceremonies, and its members were organized into ranks or degrees, each having different colored hoods, special passwords, and secret formulas. New members went through a rigorous initiation, which concluded with the pacto de Sangre, or blood compact.

From its origins in the Tondo district of Manila, the Katipunan spread gradually to the provinces and by August 1896 – on the eve of the revolt against Spain – it had about 30,000 members, both men and women. Most of them were members of the lower-and lower-middle-income strata, including peasants. The nationalist movement had effectively moved from the closed circle of prosperous ilustrados to a truly popular base of support.

The organization grew very rapidly because the insolent and provocative way in which the friars carried out their campaign against reforms had annoyed the masses. It perhaps too grew so well, because the organization of political associations was prohibitted on the archipelago and thus the middle class, which was the most educated and influential, not being able to move freely, could not support openly die Liga Filipina, since that class was more in favour of the Liga's program, even after having endured most cruel sufferings.