Wazzup Pilipinas!
"Love your country next to God, your honor, and most of all, yourself."
Today we commemorate the patriotism and bravery of one of our heroes. Mabuhay ang nag-iisang Supremo sa kanyang kaarawan ngayong araw.
Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a secret society which led the uprising against the Spanish and laid the groundwork for the first Philippine Republic.
In 1896, Andres Bonifacio penned "Pag-Ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa" as a call for Filipinos to join the struggle for genuine independence from Spanish colonial rule.
Also known as "The Father of the Philippine Revolution." he was among the Philippine heroes who richly contributed to the country’s colorful history.
Bonifacio is a person of bravery and tenacity that has left his mark into the heart and minds of history, Our Supreme- Andres Bonifacio.
I really adore him after I read the Kartilya ng Katipunan, despite of what happened in the Tejeros Convention. We need more Andres in our country, and even in other countries.
Bonifacio is one of the heroes that youths look up to, an inspiration and an icon of change and leadership.
But apart from what we read in textbooks, what else do we really know about him?
While we vividly remember him as one of our greatest heroes who led the Cry of Balintawak in Pugad Lawin, we barely knew that the supremo himself made his first declaration of independence inside Pamitinan Cave in Montalban, Morong (now known as Rodriguez, Rizal). This was over a year before the actual outbreak of the revolution.
It is said that those who write history are the current governing officials who may have commissioned authors or historians to write positively of them and of their allies, just as what is happening today where we are bombarded with fake news designed to manipulate our mindset, thinking and perception.
Nevertheless, let us give honor to the Father of the Philippine Revolution. May his life inspire us to be the change our country needs.
Today, we celebrate his 157th birthday. They national celebration of Bonifacio Day is a regular holiday.
The National Historical Commission of the Philppines will lead the commemoration of at the Bonifacio national monument in Caloocan. Simultaneous flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies will be held in all prominent Bonifacio monuments to commemorate this historical event.
Duterte and Robredo both call on Filipinos to emulate Andres Bonifacio's courage and determination amid the pandemic crisis.
President Duterte delivers a taped message during the Bonifacio Day rites. Again, with only a taped presence? Is he still sleeping in his Davao home? Going only to Malacañang for special occasions?
'Today we honor Bonifacio's legacy of sparking the fires of a revolution that awakened our national consciousness and served as foundation of this Republic.
His love for country which aroused our ancestors to fight for our freedom and secure our rightful place in the community of nations is very vital.
Now more than ever as we overcome the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic, as we remember his life and deeds may the values he fought for inspire us all to become worthy heirs of a just and inclusive society that he envisioned more than a century ago.
Fueled by Bonifacio's extraordinary courage and determination, let surmount the many challenges ahead and secure a much better, brighter future for every Filipino. Mabuhay si Gat Andres Bonifacio at ating Inang Bayan."
Meanwhile, Robredo was available for an official statement. She noted that “what Bonifacio exemplifies is not the cosmetic courage of bluster, or power, or brute strength” but rather the “courage of compassion.”
If Andres Bonifacio had a Twitter account today, how would his tweets read? What would he say about the COVID-19 pandemic and the pressing issues hounding the nation?
The abuse of power is still present in our country, only the oppressors have changed.
Would Bonifacio even dare remained seated infront of the computer and become among the keyboard warriors, or would he still physically raise arms against the oppressive government?
Maybe he'll be also actively swiping and finger tapping on his mobile phone, but still be going against the similar oppression.
This Bonifacio Day, let us remember the heroism of the masses as they fought together with Andres Bonifacio for national liberation.
As we face this climate crisis, we should stand in solidarity with the Filipino people as we struggle for accountability from our government for their inaction - not just in fixing our climate policies, but also the criminal negligence during the times that our nation is devastated by typhoons.
Disaster risk reduction and management, relief and rescue operations, climate change adaptation and mitigation measures - these are just basic demands we are asking for from the government in these trying times.
Yet even these basic measures to ensure the safety of their citizens have not been implemented at the scale and rate needed.
How can we push for more ambitious actions when basic ones can't be met?
How can we ensure a safe and livable environment for the future generations when we have a leader, at a very critical time in the climate movement, who has little to no care about the actual implications of the climate crisis.
Aside from spewing hypocritical statements at international summits?
This is the time for a green new leadership, one that will act and face the climate crisis as it is - a crisis.
Join us in calling for a better response from the government. Demand accountability!
Various labor groups amplify their sector's grievances as they march to different significant spots around the Metro in commemoration of Bonifacio Day.
The Philippines is known to be a luxurious place to relax, but beforehand it was full of power. We were known for our Fierce people and how we fought off the multiple countries who tried to steal us. We celebrate a great leader who led us to freedom!
As we celebrate his heroism, may we also strive to embody the revolutionary Bonifacio’s unwavering love for country.
Let this day be a reminder that the birth of our nation was marred by in-fighting, politics and ambition.
We should learn from their mistakes and do better.
“Bear always in mind that the true love of God is love of country, love which is also true love of man” - Andrés Bonifacio
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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