Today is supposed to be a holiday celebrating the life, achievements, and death of the Filipino hero, Andres Bonifacio. However, because of the government policy of so-called holiday economics, the holiday was celebrated on November 27, apparently so Filipinos can enjoy another three-day weekend.
As there seem to have been no Bonifacio day rites commemorated on the 27th, perhaps today, some government officials might at least lay a wreath at the Bonifacio monument in Caloocan. However, if they don’t, then as Filipinos, we should at least take a few moments to reflect upon this particular national hero.
Andres Bonifacio, also known as “The Father of the Philippine Revolution” was born on November 30, 1863, and in 1892, became one of the founding members of Jose Rizal’s La Liga Filipina, an organization that called for political reforms in Spain’s colonial government of the Philippines. After La Liga disbanded with Rizal’s arrest and deportation to Dapitan, he was among those who officially founded the Katipunan, a secret society that sought independence from Spain through armed revolt.
When Spanish authorities confirmed the existence of the Katipunan in 1896, hundreds of Filipinos were arrested and imprisoned for treason. Bonifacio eluded a manhunt and was able to gather its members in Caloocan, where they decided to start their uprising. The event, marked by the tearing of cedulas, was later called the “Cry of Balintawak” and the Supreme Council declared a nationwide armed revolution against Spain. The Katipunan was then reorganized by Bonifacio into an open de facto revolutionary government with him as Supremo of the rebel army and the Supreme Council as his cabinet.
As war broke out between Filipinos and Spain, an internal power struggle among the revolutionaries led to the command shifting to Emilio Aguinaldo at the Tejeros Convention, where another new government was formed. Refusing to recognize the new government, Bonifacio was executed by his own compatriots, on the basis of committing sedition and treason against the government.
Historians have pushed for the recognition of Bonifacio as the country’s first president, as he was not only the leader of the Katipunan, but also established and headed a revolutionary government through it from 1896 to 1897, before the revolutionary government headed by Aguinaldo was formed. Such is his impact on our nation’s history.
Today, on what should be Bonifacio Day, let us spare a few moments to remember the heroism of Filipinos like Andres Bonifacio, a hero who who was not willing to compromise his ideals as he fought for his beloved country’s future, against invaders and oppressors, all while dealing with threats from within his own ranks.
May we continue to find inspiration to continue fighting for what is right and good, and not succumb to the temptations that often come with traditional politics and compromise, which can offer easy and often lucrative solutions to the problems that plague Filipino society.*
