Emilio Jacinto
Born: December 15, 1875
Died: April 16, 1899
Recognized as the Brain of the Katipunan and the Revolution. First adviser of Bonifacio.
Si Emilio Jacinto ay ipinanganak sa Trozo, Maynila noong ika-15 ng Disyembre ng 1875. Ang kaniyang ama ay si Mariano Jacinto at ang kaniya namang ina ay si Josefa Dizon.
Dahil sa kaniyang kahirapan, si Jacinto ay madalas na ipinanghihingi lamang ng kaniyang ina ng damit sa ilang may kayang kamag-anak o dili kaya'y sa mga hinilot niya. Ang kaniyang ina ay isang mahusay na hilot.
Maliit pa si Jacinto ay nagpakilala nang may malaking pag-ibig sa ating bayan. Siya ay tahimik sa loob ng paaralan ngunit ipinakikilala niya ang kaniyang katapangan kailanma't dumarating ang mga sandaling ito'y kinakailangan.
Ang pag-aaral ni Jacinto ay natigil dahil sa pagkakaroon ng himagsikan. May dalampung taon lamang siya nang mapasama sa Katipunan. Ang ugali niyang mahinahon at mapag-isip, ngunit mapusok sa inaakalang matuwid ang kinalugdan ni Andres Bonifacio.
Mula sa unang pakikilaban sa Balintawak at Pasong Tamo ay inihalal na si Jacinto ni Bonifacio bilang punong hukbo sa hilaga. Sakop niya ang mga lalawigan ng Rizal, Bulakan, Nueva Ecija at Maynila.
Bago masapi si Jacinto sa Katipunan ay garil siya sa pagsasalita ng Tagalog dahil sa Kastila ang nakaugalian nilang gamitin sa bahay. Dahil sa mahigpit na pamamalakad ng Katipunan na ang sino mang kasapi ay hindi maaaring gumamit ng ibang wika maliban sa Tagalog sa alin mang pagtatalo, usapan, liham o patalastas, si Jacinto ay natutong magsalita at sumulat ng Tagalog.
Si Dr. Rizal ang uliran ni Jacinto sa kabutihang-asal at sa panulat samantalang si Marcelo H. del Pilar naman ang kaniyang idolong pulitiko. Dahil dito ang kaniyang mga sinulat ay nagkaroon ng ibang tatak na siyang hinangaan nang marami. Naging isa siyang mahusay na manunulat. Marami ang nagpatunay na nilampasan pa niya ang kaniyang gurong si Bonifacio. Sa katunayan ang kaniyang Kartilya ng Katipunan at hindi ang Dekalogo ni Bonifacio ang ginamit ng Katipunan. Ang pahayagang Kalayaan ang siyang pinaglathalaan ng kaniyang lalong mahusay na akda. Sa pahayagang ito'y ginamit siya ang sagisag na Dimasilaw. Pingkian namang ang kaniyang sagisag sa Katipunan.
Kinilalang Utak ng Katipunan at Himagsikan si Jacinto sapagkat siya ang naghanda at sumulat ng mga palatastas, saligang-batas, kartilya at iba pang kautusan ng Katipunan. Siya rin ang pangunang sanggunian ni Bonifacio. Ang mga mungkahi niya'y lubos na pinahahalagahan ni Bonifacio.
Ang katangian ni Jacinto ay hindi lamang nasa pagkamabuting sundalo at manunulat kundi sa kasanayan din sa iba't ibang karunungan tulad ng pagtunaw ng bakal at patalim at paggawa ng pulbura at dinamita. Ang kaniyang mga ginawa ay siyang ginamit ng mga katipunero sa pakikilaban sa mga Kastila.
Si Emilio Jacinto ay namatay sa Mahayhay, Laguna noong ika-16 ng Abril ng 1899. Ang kaniyang mga buto ay nalalagak ngayon sa sariling libingan ng mga beterano sa "Cementerio del Norte" sa Maynila.
Kabilang sa mga mahahalagang aral sa mga sinulat ni Emilio Jacinto ang mga sumusunod:
Ang gawang magaling na nagbubuhat sa pagpipita sarili ay di talagang nasang gumawa ng kabutihan ay di kabaitan.
Ang tunay na kabanalan ay ang pagkakawanggawa, ang pag-ibig sa kapuwa at ang pagbabatay sa bawat kilos, bawat pangungusap sa talagang katuwiran.
Sa taong may hiya, ang salita'y panunumpa.
Huwag mong sayangin ang panahon. Ang yamang nawala'y mangyayaring magbalik, ngunit ang panahong nagdaan na'y di na muli pang magdaraan.
Ipagtanggol mo ang inaapi at kabakahin ang umaapi.
Ang kamahalan ng tao'y wala sa mataas na kalagayan sa balat ng lupa. Wagas at tunay na mahal na tao, kahit laking gubat at walang nababatid kundi ang sariling wika, yaong may magandang asal, may isang pangungusap, may puri at dangal.
Emilio Jacinto was born in Trozo, Manila, on December 15, 1875. Mariano Jacinto was his father and Josefa Dizon was his mother. The mother was a good midwife or hilot.
Because of poverty, Jacinto's mother often asked her well-off relatives to give Jacinto some clothing. Sometimes she used to ask people for whom she worked as a midwife, some clothing too.
While still young, it was evident that Jacinto had a great love for his country. He was quiet in school, but used to show his bravery whenever it was needed.
Jacinto's studies were interrupted when the revolt broke out. He was only about twenty years old when he joined the Katipunan. He was always thinking and prudent but vehement or furious whenever he thought he was in the right. This quality of his was admired by Andres Bonifacio.
From his first battle at Balintawak and Pasong Tamo, Jacinto was elected leader of the north by Bonifacio. His assignment included the provinces of Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Manila.
Before Jacinto joined the Katipunan, he had difficulty in speaking Tagalog as their customary language in the home was Spanish. Because of the strict regulation of the Katipunan that every member could use no other language byt Tagalog in debates, in conversation, in letters and notices, Jacinto was forced to speak and write in Tagalog.
Dr. Rizal was his model in good manners and in writing, while Marcelo H. Del Pilar was his political idol. For this reason his writings had a different style which was admired by many. He became a fine writer. Many said that he already surpassed his teacher Bonifacio. As a proof his Kartilya of the Katipunan and not Bonifacio's Decalogue was used by the Katipunan. The newspaper Kalayaan was the one he used in having his good works published. In this newspaper he used the Nom de Plume Dimasilaw. In the Katipunan, however, he used the name Pingkian.
He was recognized by many as Brain of the Katipunan and Revolution because it was he who prepared and wrote the many notices, the constitution, the Kartilya and other rules of the Katipunan. He was also the first adviser of Bonifacio and his suggestions were admired by him.
Jacinto's exceptional ability was shown not only as a brave soldier, a good writer, but also in his knowledge to dissolve iron and make swords, to make powder and dynamites. The things he did were the ones used by the Katipuneros in fighting the Spaniards.
Emilio Jacinto died in Mahayhay, Laguna, on April 16, 1899. His bones were kept in the cemetery of the Veterans in the North Cemetery in Manila.
Among the important teachings written by Jacinto were:
A good deed coming from oneself for the good of himself and not the desire to do good for all, is not a real virtue.
The real virtue is doing charitable works, showing love for others and basing actions, deeds, and words upon real reason.
To a man with shame, a word is an oath.
Do not waste your time. Wealth that is lost may come back but not time wasted.
Defend those who are offended and dishonored, and fight those who offend.
The greatness of a man is not in the high position that he holds on earth. A sincere and really great man although raised in the forest and knows nothing but his own tongue, is he who has good manners, has one word, has a word of honor and good reputation.