Chapter 2: Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary Sources in Philippine History PDF

## Chapter 2: Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary Sources in Philippine History ### The Kartilya ng Katipunan **Or Status** - In the context of Spanish colonial era where indios were treated as inferior of the white Europeans, the Katipunan saw to it that the alternative order that...

## Chapter 2: Content and Contextual Analysis of Selected Primary Sources in Philippine History ### The Kartilya ng Katipunan **Or Status** - In the context of Spanish colonial era where indios were treated as inferior of the white Europeans, the Katipunan saw to it that the alternative order that they wished to promulgate through their revolution necessarily destroyed this kind of unjust hierarchy **Values Uphold** - The values upheld in the document as consistent with the burgeoning rational and liberal ideals in the eighteenth and nineteenth century - Equality, tolerance, freedom and liberty were values throughout Europe and reached the educated class of the colonies **Victorian & Chivalrous Values** - The teaching of the Katipunan on how women should be treated with honor and respect, while positive in many respects, and certainly a significant stride from the practice of raping and physically abusing women, can still be telling of the Katipunan's secondary regard for women in relation to men. - For example, in the tenth rule, the document specifically stated that men should be the guide of women and children and that he should set a good example, otherwise the women and the children would be guided in the path of evil. - Nevertheless, the same document stated that women should be treated as companions by men and not as playthings that can be exploited for their pleasure. **Contemporary Eyes** - The Katipunan can be criticized because of these provisions. - However, one must not forget the context where the organization was born. Not even in Europe or in the whole of the West at that juncture recognized the problem of gender inequality. - Indeed, it can be argued that Katipunan's recognition of women as important partners in the struggle as reflected not just in *Kartilya* but also in the organizational structure of the fraternity where a women's unit was established is an endeavor advanced for its time. - Aside from Rizal's known Letter to the Women of Malolos, no same effort by the supposed cosmopolitan Propaganda Movement was achieved until the movement's event disintegration in the latter part of the 1890s. **Instructions** - The *Kartilya* was not just of the Katipunan's conduct toward people but also for the members' development as individuals in their own rights. - Generally speaking, the rules in the *Kartilya* can be classified as either directed to how one should treat his neighbor or to how one should develop and conduct one’s self. - Both are essential to the understanding of the Katipunan's ideals. ### The KKK and the “Kartilya ng Katipunan - The *Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK)* or Katipunan is arguable the most important organization formed in the Philippine History. - While anti-colonial movements, efforts and organizations had already been established centuries prior to the foundation of the Katipunan, it was only this organization that envisioned (1) a united Filipino nation that would revolt against the Spaniards for (2) the total independence of the country from Spain. - Previous armed revolts had already occurred before the foundation of the Katipunan, but none of them envisioned a unified Filipino nation revolting against the colonizers. - For example, Diego Silang was known as an Ilocano who took up his arms and led one of the longest running revolts in the country. - Silang, however, was mainly concerned about his locality and referred to himself as *El Rey de Ilocos* (The King of Ilocos). - The imagination of the nation was largely absent in the aspirations of the local revolts before Katipunan. - On the other hand, the propaganda movements led by the ilustrados like Marcelo H. del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Jose Rizal did not envision a total separation of the Philippines from Spain but only demanded equal rights, representation, and protection from the abuses of the friars. **Katipunan Structure** - In the conduct of their struggle, Katipunan created a complex structure and a defined value system that would guide the organization as a collective aspiring for a single goal. - One of the most important Katipunan documents was the *Kartilya ng Katipunan*. - The original title of the document was "Manga [sic] Aral Nang [sic] 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. - He was a law student at Universidad de Santo Tomas. - Despite his youth, Bonifacio recognized the value and intellect of Jacinto that upon seeing that Jacinto’s *Kartilya* was much better than the Decalogue that wrote, he willingly favored that the *Kartilya* be distributed to their fellow Katipuneros. - Jacinto became the secretary of the organization and took charge of the short-lived printing press of the Katipunan. - On 15 April 1897, Bonifacio appointed Jacintogs a commander of the Katipunan in Northern Luzon. - Jacinto was 22 years old. - Bonifacio appointed Jacinto as a commander of the Katipunan at a young age of 24 in the town of Magdalena, Laguna. - The *Kartilya* can be treated as the Katipunan’s code of conduct. - It contains fourteen rules that instruct the way a Katipunero should behave and which specific values should he uphold. - Generally, the rules stated in the *Kartilya* can be classified into two. - The first group contains the rules that will make the member an upright individual and the second group contains the rules that will guide the way he treats his fellow men. **The Katipunan Rules** - The life that is not consecrated to a lofty and reasonable purpose is a tree without a shade, if not a poisonous weed. - To do good for personal gain and not for its own sake is not virtue. - 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. - 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 by nature. - The honorable man prefers honor to personal gain; the scoundrel, gain to honor. - To the honorable man, his word is sacred. - Do not waste thy time: wealth can be recovered but not time lost. - Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor before the law or in the field. - The prudent man is sparing in words and faithful in keeping secrets. - 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. - 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 remind thee of the mother who bore thee and reared thee. - What thou dost not desire done unto thy wife, children, brothers and sisters, that do not unto the wife, children, brothers and sisters of thy neighbor. - 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, is 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 and know no tongue but his own - When these rules of conduct shall be known to all, the longed-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. ### Analysis of the "Kartilya ng Katipunan” - Similar to what we have done to the accounts of Pigafetta, this primary source also needs to be analyzed in terms of content and context. - As a document written for a fraternity whose main purpose is to overthrow a colonial regime, we can explain the content and provisions of the Kartilya as a reaction and response to certain value systems that they found despicable in the present state of things that they struggled against with. - For example, the fourth and the thirteenth rules in the Kartilya are an invocation of the inherent equality between and among men regardless of race, occupation, or status. - In the context of the Spanish colonial era where the indios were treated as the inferior of the white Europeans, the Katipunan saw to it that the alternative order that they wished to promulgate through their revolution necessarily destroyed this kind of unjust hierarchy. ### The Chronicle of Pigafetta - The chronicle of Pigafetta was one of the most cited documents by historians who wished to study the precolonial Philippines. - As one of the earliest written accounts, Pigafetta was seen as a credible source for a period, which was prior unchronicled and undocumented. - Moreover, being the earliest detailed documentation, it was believed that Pigafetta’s writings account for the “purest” precolonial society. - Indeed, Pigafetta’s work is of great importance in the study and writing of Philippine history. - Nevertheless, there needs to have a more nuanced reading of the source within a contextual backdrop. - A student of history should recognize certain biases accompanying the author and his identity, loyalties, and the circumstances that he was in and how it affected the text that he produced. - In the case of Pigafetta, the reader needs to understand that he was a chronicler commissioned by the King of Spain to accompany and document a voyage intended to expand the Spanish empire. - He was a noble of respectable descent who came from a rich family in Italy. - These attributes influenced his approach and choice of details to be included in the text, his characterization of the people and of the species that he encountered, and his interpretation and retelling of the events. - Being a scholar of cartography and geography, Pigafetta was able to give details on geography and climate of the places that their voyage had reached. - In reading Pigafetta’s description of the people, one has to keep in mind that he was coming from a sixteenth century European perspective. - Hence, the reader might notice how Pigafetta, whether implicitly or explicitly, regarded the indigenous belief systems and way of life as inferior to that of Christianity and of the Europeans. - He would always remark on the nakedness of the natives or how he was fascinated by their exotic culture. - Pigafetta also noticeably emphasized the natives’ amazement and illiteracy to the European artillery, merchandise, and other goods in the same way that Pigafetta repeatedly mentioned the abundance of spices like ginger and of precious metals like gold. - His observations and assessments of the indigenous cultures employed the European standards. - Hence, when they saw the indigenous attires of the natives, Pigafetta saw them as being naked because from the European standpoint, they were wearing fewer clothes indeed. - Pigafetta’s perspective was too narrow to realize that such attire was only appropriate to the tropical climate of the islands. - The same was true for materials that the natives used for their houses like palm and bamboo. - These materials would let more air come through the house and compensate for the hot climate in the islands. - It should be understood that such observations were rooted from the context of Pigafetta and of his era. - Europe, for example, was dominated by the Holy Roman Empire whose loyalty and purpose was the domination of the Catholic Church all over the world. - Hence, other belief systems different from that of Christianity were perceived to be blasphemous and barbaric, even demonic. - Aside from this, the sixteenth century European economy was mercantilist. - Such systems measures the wealth of kingdoms based on their accumulation of bullions or precious metals like gold and silver. - It was not surprising therefore that Pigafetta would always mention the abundance of gold in the islands as shown in his description of leaders wearing gold rings and golden daggers, and of the rich gold mines. - An empire like that of the Spain would indeed search for new lands where they could acquire more gold and wealth to be on top of all the European nations. - The obsession with spices might be odd for Filipinos because of its ordinariness in the Philippines, but understanding the context would reveal that spices were scarce in Europe and hence were seen as prestige goods. - In that era, Spain and Portugal coveted the control of Spice Islands because it would have led to a certain increase in wealth, influence, and power. These contexts should be used and understood in order to have a more qualified reading of Pigafetta’s account. ### Cory Aquino's Speech - Cory Aquino’s speech was an important event in the political and diplomatic history of the country because it has arguably cemented the legitimacy of the EDSA government in the international arena. - The speech talks of her family background, especially her relationship with her late husband, Ninoy Aquino. - It is well known that it was Ninoy who served as the real leading figure of the opposition at that time. - Indeed, Ninoy’s eloquence and charisma could very well compete with that of Marcos. - In her speech, Cory talked at length about Ninoy’s toil and suffering at the hands of the dictatorship that he resisted. - Even when she proceeded talking about her new government, she still went back to Ninoy’s legacies and lessons. - Moreover, her attribution of the revolution to Ninoy’s death demonstrates not only Cory’s personal perception on the revolution, but since she was the president, it also represents what the dominant discourse was at that point in our history. **The Ideology** - The ideology or the principles of the new democratic government can also be seen in the same speech. - Aquino was able to draw the sharp contrast between her government and of her predecessor by expressing her commitment to a democratic constitution drafted by an independent commission. - She claimed that such constitution upholds and adheres to the rights and liberty of the Filipino people. - Cory also hoisted herself as the reconciliatory agent after more than two decades of a polarizing authoritarian politics. - For example, Cory saw the blown-up communist insurgency as a product of a repressive and corrupt government. - Her response to this insurgency rooted from her diametric opposition of the dictator, i.e., initiating reintegration of communist rebels to the mainstream Philippine society. - Cory claimed that her main approach to this problem was through peace and not through the sword of war. - Despite Cory’s efforts to hoist herself as the exact opposite of Marcos, her speech still revealed certain parallelisms between her and the Marcos’s government. - This is seen in terms of continuing the alliance between the Philippines and the United States despite the known affinity between the said world super power and Marcos. - The Aquino regime, as seen in Cory’s acceptance of the invitation to address the U.S. Congress and to the content of the speech, decided to build and continue with the alliance between the Philippines and the United States and effectively implemented an essentially similar foreign policy to that of the dictatorship. - For example, Cory recognized that the large sum of foreign debts incurred by the Marcos regime never benefitted the Filipino people. - Nevertheless, Cory expressed her intention to pay off those debts. - Unknown to many Filipinos was the fact that there was a choice of waiving the said debt because those were the debt of the dictator and not of the country. - Cory’s decision is an indicator of her government’s intention to carry on a debt-driven economy. - Reading through Aquino’s speech, we can already take cues, not just on Cory’s individual ideas and aspirations, but also the guiding principles and framework of the government that she represented. - whose benefit the Filipino people never received.” Cory then asked a rather compelling question to the U.S. Congress: “Has there been a greater test of national commitment to the ideals you hold dear than that my people have gone through? You have spent many lives and much treasure to bring freedom to many lands that were reluctant to receive it. And here, you have a people who want it by themselves and need only the help to preserve it.” - Cory ended her speech by thanking America for serving as home to her family for what she referred to as the “three happiest years of our lives together.” - She enjoined America in building the Philippines as a new home for democracy and in turning the country as a “shining testament of our two nations’ commitment to freedom.” ### Analysis of "Proclamation of the Philippine Independence" - As mentioned earlier, a re-examination of the document on the declaration of independence can reveal some often overlooked historical truths about this important event in Philippine history. - Aside from this, the document reflects the general revolutionary sentiment of that period. - For example, the abuses specifically mentioned in the proclamation like friar abuse, racial discrimination, and inequality before the law reflect the most compelling sentiments represented by the revolutionary leadership. - However, no mention was made about the more serious problem that affected the masses more profoundly (i.e., the land and agrarian crisis felt by the numerous Filipino peasants in the nineteenth century). - This is ironic especially when renowned Philippine Revolution historian, Teodoro Agoncillo, stated that the Philippine Revolution was an agrarian revolution. - The common revolutionary soldiers fought in the revolution for the hope of owning the lands that they were tilling once the friar estates in different provinces like Batangas and Laguna dissolve, if and when the revolution succeeded. - Such aspects and realities of the revolutionary struggle were either unfamiliar to the middle class revolutionary leaders like Emilio Aguinaldo, Ambrosio Rianzares-Bautista, and Felipe Buencamino, or were intentionally left out because they were landholders themselves.