"Bring out your cedulas and tear them to pieces!" Bonifacio challenged his members. The katipuneros tore up their cedulas and shouted, "Long live the Philippines." The cry at Pugadlawin signaled the start of the Philippine Revolution.
Andres Bonifacio, is considered as the “Father of the Philippine Revolution”. He is the founder and “Supremo” (leader) of the independence movement against Spain, the Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan nang nga Anak ng Bayan (KKK), or simply known as the Katipunan.
The first “unofficial” President of the Philippines. Which was then called “Tagalog Republic”. But during that time, Spaniards were still in control of the country, so he is not recognized as such. Making Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo the first official President to be elected while Bonifacio was elected as Secretary of the Interior. Since he did not have a good educational background, his qualifications were questioned he was offended by this so he then moved to Cavite to create his own government.
A difficult childhood gave Andres the strength to face all odds with great courage and determination. Though he is poor and stopped going to school, Bonifacio continued reading novels and studying about international law and French Revolution. In later years, he too began to write about what the Filipino should know to appreciate the desire and the need to be free. He was considered by his political rivals as a huge threat to the leadership of Gen. Aguinaldo. He established Katipunan to fight for Spaniards but ended up being killed by fellow Filipinos.
Bonifacio Day is celebrated on his birthday, unlike other heroes’ who are often remembered for their execution or death date than their birth. He was very controversial, that it came a point that Bonifacio Day was renamed National Heroes Day. The move was recognized by some as an official downgrading of Bonifacio by making him share the holiday with all the other national heroes. But it was settled when National Heroes Day was set on the last Sunday of August. Now Andres Bonifacio rightly has a national holiday all to himself on Nov. 30.
The Andres Bonifacio Act of 2011 / House Bill 4353 is being proposed by Cong. Palatino of Kabataan Partylist. Including in our educational system a more comprehensive teaching of the life, works, theories and praxis of Andres Bonifacio. But that is a different story.
It is very visible that even hundred years ago, Filipinos tried to create their own system of governance. So, they ended up killing each other. Everyone wants to be on top and would even kill any rivals who might threaten his leadership.
For me, Andres Bonifacio’s personal and political life experiences are representative of the experiences of the majority of the population of the country, then and now.
I cannot thank him enough for being an inspiration. We are humbled by how Bonifacio and the Katipunan revolution struggled to free us from colonial domination. Being a self-taught warrior. His own way to express and fight for his hunger for individual liberty.I am Andres. Any of us can become Andres.
photo by: Senor Enrique.
