Mention Andres Bonifacio and many Filipinos will tell you that he is the first President of the Philippines, but some 2nd and 3rd generation Filipino Canadian Children seldom understand the movement he started which garnered the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule.
Born on 30 November 1863, Andres Bonifacio was a nationalist and the founder of the Katipunan. He conceptualized the movement for independence from Spain through the Katipunan. He is also known as the father of the Philippines Revolution. He was a founding member of La Liga Filipina, which pushed for political reforms in the Philippines. Bonifacio became the Katipunan’s military leader and the president of the revolutionary government, which makes Bonifacio the first president of the Philippine Republic.
On this day, Filipinos celebrate the birthday of Andres Bonifacio, unlike other celebratory days, Bonifacio Day is celebrated on his day of birth, rather than the death date. This day is also a paid holiday in the Philippines where many people would visit the monument of Andres Bonifacio to honor him. November 30th was first declared as Bonifacio Day through Philippine Legislature Act No. 2946. It was signed by then- Governor General Francis Burton Harrison in 1921.
Andres Bonifacio’s dedication to our country served as a catalyst to fight for our freedom. That is why National Heroes day was initially celebrated on Andres Bonifacio’s Birthday as a tribute to him. These inspiring facts make it hard for Filipinos to resist celebrating Bonifacio Day. After all the things he did for our country, celebrating the day is the least we can do to show our gratitude to the Father of the Philippine Revolution. The father of Katipunan has a penchant for writing poems-poems brimming with professed love of country, Andres Bonifacio’s life and death is shrouded in mystery and myths making it a joy whenever you stumble upon new facts or discoveries that debunk commonly held perception about Filipino heroes.
Many Filipino families would watch movies about Andres Bonifacio together to better understand, remember and also rekindle the desire to help fellow Filipinos and uplift the country through random acts of kindness which Bonifacio always advocated.