It used to be that November 30 was known as "Bonifacio Day," a public holiday.

Today, that has been declared as "National Heroes Day" to commemorate the heroism, gallantry and nationalism of our heroes from Lapulapu to Ninoy Aquino.

Even Ninoy Aquino, as indeed he should, has a National holiday to celebrate what he stood for. Even as the great Dr. Jose Rizal does - on December 30 - Rizal Day, a public holiday for decades now.

Why was the Bonifacio Day - to honor the "Father of the Philippine Revolution" - taken away from the Great Plebeian who had initiated the first organized revolution against oppressive Spain by tearing their cedulas in August 1896 in Pugadlawin in Kalookan (Caloocan City now).

It must not be lost on Filipinos that all struggles against oppression from foreign and local despotic rules had their peaceful and armed components - against Spain, America, Japan and the Marcos dictatorship in 1986 EDSA Revolution. It has always been an accepted dictum that when institutionalized and actual violence is imposed on a people, the outside resistance cannot but have a military armed component.

Andres Bonifacio saw this when his compatriot (Jose Rizal) at La Liga Filipina, an organization aimed at forcing Spain to do reforms in the governance of the Philippine Islands was instead exiled to Dapitan in Mindanao. The "Supremo" of the revolutionary armed group called the Katipunan believed Spain will never give away freedom and democracy to the Filipinos on a silver platter.

Bonifacio's historic founding of the Katipunan where the members displayed solidarity by signing an oath drawn from blood out of their left arms signaled the beginning of the end of the three and a half centuries of Spanish rule. He certainly carved an important niche in the nation's history of struggle for independence.

Andres Bonifacio born in Tondo to Santiago (boatman) and Catalina de Castro (teacher), is an example of a true man of the masses. Though he did not finish high school, he was astute and intelligent. He knew Spanish and a little English but it was in the native tongue (Tagalog) that Andres truly became the man of the masses who articulated the sentiments of the poor Filipino common folk.

He educated himself by night reading - that included the two books of Rizal, La Solidaridad, The History of the French Revolution, Lives of the Presidents of the United States and Les Miserables. Time and again he reminded people that the president after the French Revolution was a mere blacksmith and that he as a porter could also become president of a free Filipino republic.

Orphaned at early childhood and being eldest of siblings of six, Andres learned to cope with hardship that armed him to develop great leadership and resourcefulness. Andres Bonifacio became a great letter writer, likewise adept in falsification of signatures and seals. He was an old-fashion Mafia type operator. As a Mason, Bonifacio also had spies all over religious corporations, convents, printing houses, government and even in his own Masonic lodgers.

He had great artistic skills in painting posters and acted on stage with his brothers in moro moro shows in Palomar Tondo. He helped his orphaned family by making paper fans, walking canes and native hats in the evening while he moved from port (stevedore) to clerk and sales agent of a British company.

Bonifacio knew the hardships faced by the proletariat - he grew in Tondo where 26,000 poor Filipinos tried to eke out a living while 10,000 Spaniards and their house helps comforted themselves within the walls of Intramuros. They were so poor, his parents died of tuberculosis and his only son - another Andres - died of smallpox.

Andres Bonifacio became a legend in his own time - defeating many Spaniards in bloody battles especially along the streets of San Juan. However, a rival group headed by another revolutionary named Emilio Aguinaldo rose in prominence in Cavite and later declared himself president of the Philippine Revolutionary Government.

History accounts point to the intense political rivalry between the two groups that led to the assassination of the KKK Supreme in Cavite in the hands of his own Filipino countrymen. Andres Bonifacio was killed at the young age of 34.

The ideals of his Katipunan remain an emblem of nationhood and anti-imperialism. The three goals of the KKK were (1) to resist Spain, with arms if necessary (2) to treat men as equals rich or poor (3) to care for each member and families in times of sickness and need. It is still a useful guide for any armed struggle in the 21st century.

It is ironic that unlike all heroes whose anniversaries are marked during their time of their deaths, Bonifacio Day then was remembered during his date of birth (Nov. 30) - since historians say he was killed by his own countrymen. That is a fallacy since Ninoy Aquino, as we all know, was assassinated at the Manila airport tarmac also by Filipino men under instructions from you know who (definitely a Filipino).

Thus, unless there are too many holidays, the Philippines should always remember May 20 (Bonifacio's death) as Andres Bonifacio Day.

Remembering him separately from other heroes on National Heroes Day (Nov. 30) is the least we can do.

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