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| Museo ng Katipunan (Image Source: Facebook/Batangas Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office) |
The city of Lipa, known by local travelers as the City For All Seasons
for its cool climate and the Little Rome of the Philippines due to its number
of churches and religious establishments and the Lipeños' undaunting faith and
commitment, has a little piece of Philippine history that residents and
tourists reminisce and it is found downtown at Casa Da Segunda, the ancestral
home of the Katigbak family which happens to be the home of Philippine national
hero Dr. Jose Rizal's first love interest Segunda Katigbak. Little did we know,
however, is that the city holds another piece of local history and it can be found
eight kilometers from the city proper.
Enter the Museo ng Katipunan in Barangay Bulaklakan, Lipa City. Owned
and operated by the Legion de Veteranos y Hijos dela Revolucion, the museum houses
some of the most important items and documents during the 1896 Philippine
Revolution. Among them is the flag of the Katipunan which was used by the
movement's founder Gat Andres Bonifacio and first waived in Balintawak on August
26, 1896 which marked the start of the said revolution.
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| (Image Source: Facebook/Batangas Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office) |
The flag was sewn by Gregoria de Jesus and Benita Rodriguez at the
request of Bonifacio himself and would eventually be brought to Barangay
Bulaklakan in May 1973 by Flaviano D. Lunar who was the President or Supremo of
Legion de Veteranos dela Revolucion at the time. The original flag of the
Katipunan, the catalysts of the 1896 Philippine Revolution that aims to end the
300-year rule of the Spanish occupation, is made from red cloth which was then known
as kundiman. The rectangular-shaped flag is 57 meters long and 38 meters wide and
has twelve triangles facing each other on opposite sides with the sun on
center. Under it are three white-colored letter K's which symbolize honesty, purity
and courage.
The Museo Ng Katipunan opened its doors to the public on November 30,
1995 and its opening was graced by relatives of those who were part of the 1896
revolution collectively known as the Katipuneros, World War II veterans,
historians, Department of Education officials, provincial and local government
officials and representatives from different sectors of society. The event was
documented and published in the January 20, 1996 issue of the Manila Bulletin.
The National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) included the museum in the
National Calendar of Art and Cultural Events in October 1996.
Those who are visiting the city of Lipa may need to go to Barangay
Bulaklakan through public transportation and check out the museum even though
it is not part of anyone's itinerary. Just prepare Php20 as an entrance fee
since it will be gradually used for the museum's continuing improvement. For
more details about the Museo ng Katipunan, call or text 0907 341 2204 or 0995 224
1121.
