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Filipinos mark Bonifacio’s 148th birthday
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Posted on Nov 30 2011
Filipinos all over the world yesterday paid tribute to revolutionary hero and nationalist Andres Bonifacio on his 148th birth anniversary.
Bonifacio was one of the several founders and served as the supremo or supreme leader of the Kataastaasang Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or simply the Katipunan movement that sought the independence and freedom of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule through armed struggle.
Nov. 30 was declared a national holiday on Feb. 16, 1921, when the Philippine Legislature passed Act No. 2946 to commemorate Bonifacio’s birth.
“Bonifacio never lived to see the fruits of his work but he remains admired and revered for his critical role in Philippine history,” said Philippine Consul General Medardo Macaraig.
Macaraig urged Filipinos in the CNMI to commemorate Bonifacio’s martyrdom by living his ideals as outlined in his celebrated poem, Pag-Ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa (Love for the Homeland), the first stanza of which reads:
Aling pag-ibig pa ang hihigit kaya
Sa pagkadalisay at pagkadakila
Gaya ng pag-ibig sa tinubuang lupa,
Aling pag-ibig pa? Wala na nga, wala.
(No other love is purer and greater than the love for one’s country.)
Labor representative Carmelina F. Velasquez described Bonifacio as “a symbol of courage and bravery” and is among the leading heroes of the Philippines.
Bonifacio’s significance, Velasquez said, is manifested through House Bill 4353, known as the Andres Bonifacio Act of 2011, which seeks to include in the college curriculum a course focusing on Bonifacio’s life, works, and ideals.
“That’s how important Bonifacio is,” Velasquez told Saipan Tribune. “We should fully recognize his heroism.”
Velasquez added, “I just hope that although we’re here in the CNMI, we should not forget the great courage of our heroes, and Bonifacio is one of them. Even if we’re away from home, Bonifacio should still remain in our hearts and minds.”
