Katipunan

Set in the Philippine Revolution, this eight-part series shows the rise and fall of Katipunan's founder and  the father of the revolution, Andres Bonifacio. Katipunan follows two main story lines. A young woman's death opens a series of atrocities committed by a new cleric in a small town. Pacquing and Sebastian, Teresa's friends, want retribution for her death but they are powerless. They had to flee and along the way met Andres Bonifacio, who became a friend and mentor to the two young men.

Andres Bonifacio

When Jose Rizal was arrested and later exiled to Dapitan, Bonifacio and colleagues decided to organize the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Katipunan). The recruitment process alone was tedious. Katipunan was hard-put in convincing some of the ilustrados to support them; some people also snubbed them thinking the revolution will never succeed. The Spanish colonizers are too powerful; while the Filipinos lack the arms and the guts to rise up. However, this is only the beginning of challenges for Bonifacio and wife Gregoria de Jesus or Oriang. Later Bonifacio would have to deal with the bickering factions of the Magdalo and Magdiwang. Moreover, his leadership would be questioned and overturned, finally resulting to Bonifacio's murder.

Oriang and Andres

Andres Bonifacio is often portrayed as an illiterate and passionate revolutionary screaming and waving a bolo. This historical drama however shows an indeed passionate yet well-mannered and educated man. Most historical adaptations tend to drown in detail leaving little room for characterization; the lead character often reduced to an almost fictional god-like icon difficult for the audience to identify with. The series was not a victim of that trend and the first half didn't disappoint. His role in the second half was slightly reduced however as new characters were introduced. Neither Rizal nor Emilio Aguinaldo took the spotlight, an accomplishment in itself.

Bloody and dark, Katipunan did not sugarcoat the Philippine revolution. There are plenty of action scenes beautifully done. This attention to the fight scenes is also seen in the preparation for the costumes, setting, and even the choice of cast.

Although the series does not intentionally support one theory of Bonifacio's downfall, it leaves the audience to ponder on the possibilities. Both Aguinaldo and Rizal have had their spotlight. This long-deserving tribute to the man who had the guts to start the revolution, gives information not usually found in textbooks. Whether there is an attempt to overturn Bonifacio's reputation as the antagonist to Aguinaldo's rise to power, that is for the audience to decide.

What is clear however is Bonifacio's intention to free the country from the colonizers knowing that their chance of success is slim. Anyone without brains for organization and strategy would not have accomplished  the task of recruitment alone. So why is his image of an uneducated, hot-headed man still persistent? Whatever the revolutionaries accomplished, it is clouded by their avarice and longing for power, no matter how insignificant. A power the Magdalo, and later the other factions, thought were theirs by gaining only one province. They not only failed to protect that acquisition but also forgot what they were fighting for. 

Despite the unnecessary death of Bonifacio, the usurpers (for lack of a better word) did not gain anything at all because of intrigue, betrayal, and plain lack of goals and ability to strategize and govern. Whether Aguinaldo's presidency was legitimate or not, hiding the proof of the other party does not change history. The Philippines did not gain independence from the Spaniards because of the revolutionaries. 

The country was doomed from the start. Founded on politicking and in-fighting among factions is not so different from the current government.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Cast:

Sid Lucero as Andres Bonifacio

Glaiza de Castro as Gloria de Jesus

Roi Vinzon as Padre Villalon

Benjamin Alves as Sebastian

Dominic Roco as Pacquing

Written by Ian Victoriano

Directed by King Mark Baco

Executive Producer Jayson Bernard Santos

Aired on October 19, 2013 – December 28, 2013; GMA Network

Photos taken from gmanetwork.com