The Solidarity 1

La Solidaridad was the name of a society of Filipino intellectuals (Ilustrados) in Spain who sought to create adequate representation for the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes (parliament). La solidaridad was also the name of the newspaper that they published. It was founded on December 13, 1888. Its president was Galicano Apacible, José Rizal's cousin. Among the other officers were Graciano López Jaena, vice-president, and Mariano Ponce, treasurer. Rizal, in London at the time, was named Honorary President. Despite the group's name, which means "the solidarity", the society suffered disunity and anarchy. It took the prestige of Rizal and the political wisdom of Del Pilar to unite the Filipinos in Spain and to coordinate their efforts. The publication of the same name unified their efforts further and became the principal organ of the propaganda movement from February 15, 1889 to November 15, 1895. The fund-raising efforts of local committees and masonic lodges and the clandestine attempts to distribute these materials involved more individuals in the campaign for reforms