The legacy of Emilio Jacinto, the “Brains of the Katipunan,” was honored today as his descendants took part in the official wreath-laying ceremonies marking his 150th birth anniversary at the Kartilya ng Katipunan monument in Manila.
Real Florido, a descendant of Emilio Jacinto, honored Jacinto’s longstanding legacy at the Kartilya ng Katipunan monument in Manila
Held amid the bustle of Old Manila’s streets, the commemoration brought together history keepers, government leaders, and Jacinto’s living descendants in a symbolic reminder of a hero whose ideas helped shape the Philippine Revolution. Present at the ceremony were acclaimed filmmaker and writer Real Florido, a descendant of Jacinto, alongside Jeff Jacinto, representing the Jacinto family during the rites.
The event was hosted by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), represented by Alvin Alcid, in partnership with the City of Manila, led by Mayor Isko Moreno and Vice Mayor Chi Atienza. The Manila ceremony forms part of a three-point commemoration honoring Jacinto’s life and legacy, with parallel activities held in Quezon City and Magdalena, Laguna, where Melissa Galauran Dona represented the Jacinto-Galauran lineage.
For Florido, the moment carried both public and deeply personal meaning. In his reflective essay, “Emilio Jacinto: I Don’t Just Inherit His Name,” he wrote of how easy it is for history to fade into the background of everyday life, even on an anniversary as significant as Jacinto’s 150th.
“Flowers are laid, speeches are delivered, music fills the air,” Florido noted, “but Jacinto did not fight, write, and sacrifice for flowers or ceremonies. His courage demanded attention, action, and reflection.”
Florido only recently came to fully understand his connection to Jacinto through his father’s Galauran clan, tracing their shared roots to Francisco Blas Jacinto, Emilio Jacinto’s grandfather. He credits Melissa Galauran Dona for carefully preserving their family history and connecting present-day descendants to a lineage deeply intertwined with the Katipunan.
An award-winning filmmaker, writer, and producer, Florido is known for works that interrogate Filipino identity, values, and social realities. His reflection on Jacinto’s writings—particularly the Kartilya ng Katipunan and essays in Kalayaan—has led him to question his own role as a storyteller. “Storytelling is never neutral,” Florido wrote. “It educates, motivates, and transforms. Jacinto wrote to shape conscience, not just to inspire rebellion.”
The commemoration underscored Jacinto’s enduring relevance, especially to today’s youth. While Jacinto joined the Katipunan at 19 and became its youngest general, Florido draws parallels to the present generation facing battles against disinformation, corruption, and political dynasties. “The revolution today looks less like gunfire and more like sustained courage,” he reflected.
As descendants laid wreaths before the monument, the ceremony served not only as remembrance but as a call to action. “History will not ask if we remembered Jacinto,” Florido writes, “but if we acted like him.”
The 150th birth anniversary of Emilio Jacinto stands as a reminder that his revolution is unfinished—and that its next chapters depend on the courage of those who choose to live by the values he fought for.
