The Propaganda Movement, La Liga Filipina, and Katipunan

Copyright © 2013-present by Jensen DG. Mañebog

Dr. Jose P. Rizal (1861-1896) is widely recognized as Philippine’s national hero. In his country today, college students are required to take an academic subject about his life, works, and writings.

The La Liga Filipina objectives do not necessarily promote the Katipunan. But La Liga, of course, is historically related to both KKK and Propaganda Movement.

Learn how.

Because of the advent of contemporary films focusing on some specific Filipino heroes, many now wonder about Rizal’s relation or collaboration with other Filipino patriots in his time.

Through the various Filipino patriotic organizations and societies that Jose Rizal either formed himself or joined in, the national hero had active collaborations with other Filipino patriots and heroes.

Let us start by introducing the Propaganda Movement, which is older than La Liga and Katipunan.

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The Propaganda Movement 

Propaganda was a patriotic socio-political organization founded in 1872 by Filipinos who had settled in Europe. Its members were mainly the Filipino liberals exiled in 1872 and the Filipino students studying in Europe’s universities at the time.

Also considered a cultural and literary organization, the Propaganda had a principal publication, the ‘La Solidaridad’.

The Propaganda primarily aimed to bring to Spain’s attention the real needs of its colony, the Philippines. Among other things, the Propagandists specifically advocated the following:

(1) the recognition of the Philippines as a province of Spain and its (Philippines) representation in the Spanish parliament (Cortes Generales);

(2) the secularization of the Philippine parishes and clergy;

(3) the equality between the Spanish and the Filipino, especially in entering government service;

(4) the establishment of government-funded schools not run by the friars;

(5) the abolition of the ‘polo’ (forced labor) and ‘vandala’ (forced sale of local products to the government); and

(6) the recognition of human rights and freedom, especially the freedoms of speech and association.

Renowned members of the Propaganda were Marcelo H. del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena (publisher of La Solidaridad), Jose Rizal, and Mariano Ponce.

Rizal’s numerous brave essays which promote patriotism were published by the organization through its organ, La Solidaridad. (Read: Jose Rizal’s Collaborations with Other Heroes by Jensen DG. Mañebog)

La Liga Filipina 

Jose Rizal established this civic association in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco at Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila on July 3, 1892.

Though it was Jose Ma. Basa who conceived the establishment of ‘La Liga Filipina’ (The Philippine League), his friend and namesake Jose Rizal was the one who wrote its constitution in Hong Kong and actually founded it upon his return in the Philippines in 1892.

Considered an indirect upshot and subsidiary of the Propaganda, the La Liga aimed to directly involve the patriotic Filipinos, especially those based in the country, in the reform movement.

Intending to uplift the life of the Filipinos, the society would promote mutual aids through projects like establishing cooperatives to provide supports like legal assistance, scholarship grants, and economic loans.

The La Liga aspired, among others, to:

(1) unite the whole archipelago into one strong and united organization;

(2) have mutual protection in every need and want;

(3) serve as a defense against all violence and injustices;

(4) encourage education, agriculture, and commerce; and

(5) study the application of reforms.

The meeting in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco was attended by at least 20 Filipinos, including Andres Bonifacio and Apolinario Mabini. Rizal explained the aims of the ‘La Liga Filipina’ and officers were afterward elected, having Ambrosio Salvador as the president and Deodato Arellano as secretary.

Three days after the meeting though, Rizal was arrested, imprisoned, and later deported to Dapitan. The society thus became inactive, but was immediately reorganized through the active efforts of Andres Bonifacio and Domingo Franco.

Read: Jose Rizal: The First Filipino Phenom by Jensen DG. Mañebog

The revived organization expressed its support for the Propaganda Movement and its cause and vowed to raise funds for its operations.

However, disagreements on how reform should be attained soon emerged as some members wanted armed revolution whereas others wanted to preserve La Liga’s principle of a peaceful reform. The La Liga was thus dissolved before long and its membership split into two groups:

(1) the ‘Cuerpo de Compromisarios’ which comprised the conservatives who aimed to continue supporting the La Solidaridad, and,

(2) the ‘Katipunan’ which consisted of the radicals led by Bonifacio. The ‘Cuerpo’ ultimately died out while the Katipunan attracted many Filipinos. Historically therefore, Rizal’s La Liga gave birth to Bonifacio’s Katipunan.

The Katipunan 

Officially named Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan’’(Highest and Most Honorable Society of the Children of the Nation) or KKK, the Katipunan was a revolutionary society formed by patriotic Filipinos in Manila in 1892.

The word ‘katipunan’comes from the Tagalog root word ‘tipon’ which means “to gather together”. The term ‘katipunan’ thus means ‘association’ or ‘society’.

Initiated by former La Liga members like Andres Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, and Ladislao Diwa, the organization mainly aimed to gain independence from Spain through revolt.

Some consider July 7, 1892—when Jose Rizal was in the Fort Santiago prison and was to be exiled to Dapitan—to be the exact date of Katipunan’s foundation.

At first, the Katipunan was a secret society, discreetly recruiting members and preparing for an uprising, until its discovery by the Spanish government in 1896 which forced the Katipuneros to launch the Philippine revolution.

Andres Bonifacio decided to establish the Katipunan, sensing that associations like the La Liga Filipina would only be suppressed by the Spanish authorities. Assisted by Plata, Diwa, and other compatriots Valentin Diaz and Deodato Arellano, Bonifacio thus officially founded the Katipunan along Azcarraga Street (now Claro M. Recto Avenue) near Elcano St. in Tondo, Manila.

Considerably influenced by Jose Rizal’s nationalistic ideals, they named him (Rizal) “honorary president” even without his knowledge. The Katipuneros moreover used the term ‘Rizal’ as one of their passwords.

In a Katipunan meeting on May 2, 1896 at a little river called Bitukang Manok near Pasig, the leaders had agreed that carrying out revolt had to be sanctioned first by Rizal. The Katipunero doctor Pio Valenzuela was thus sent to Dapitan. Rizal however politely refused to approve the uprising, believing that premature flow of Filipino blood should be prevented.

Holding that a revolution would be unsuccessful without arms and monetary support from wealthy Filipinos, Rizal nonetheless recommended that if the Katipunan were to start a revolution, it had to ask for the support of rich and educated Filipinos.

Read: Jose Rizal’s Collaborations with Other Heroes by Jensen DG. Mañebog

While Rizal was inside a ship docked in Manila Bay, the Katipunan started the Philippine Revolution onAugust 26, 1896. The powerful people whose animosity Rizal had provoked took the opportunity to implicate him. After a trial in a kangaroo court, he was convicted of rebellion and sentenced to death by firing squad at Bagumbayan Field (now Luneta).

After Rizal’s execution, his martyrdom all the more inspired the Katipunan in launching continuous attacks, with the members shouting the battle cries, Mabuhay ang Katagalugan! Mabuhay si Dr. José Rizal! (Long Live Katagalugan [that is, the Philippines]! Long Live Dr. Jose Rizal!). (Read: Jose Rizal: The First Filipino Phenom by Jensen DG. Mañebog)

Initially a society for men only, Katipunan later formed a section for women. Rizal’s sisters Josefa and Trinidad, and his nieces Angelica Lopez and Delfina Herbosa Natividad became members of this section. Rizal’s common-law wife Josephine Bracken and brother Paciano also joined the Katipunan after Jose’s martyrdom.

Other organizations

As a prominent figure among Filipinos in his time, Rizal also became either the founder or leader of some other Filipino organizations like the Kidlat Club, a temporary social club which brought together Filipinos witnessing the Paris exposition in 1889.

He also organized the Indios Bravos’, an association which envisioned Filipinos being recognized for their admirable skills in many fields. Rizal also formed the mysterious Redencion de los Malayos (Redemption of the Malays) which aimed to propagate useful knowledge.

In varying degrees and intensities, these various societies aimed to attain reforms in the Spanish colonial system and clerical powers in the Philippines and fought for human rights for the natives … continue reading

*If you want to know more about Rizal or history (e.g. the relationship between Bonifacio and Rizal), search here:

Copyright © 2013-present by Jensen DG. Mañebog; @jensenismo; [email protected]

Check out: Jose Rizal’s Collaborations with Other Heroes by Jensen DG. Mañebog

Related: The ‘Love-and-Hate’ Relationship of Jose Rizal And Marcelo Del Pilar

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