Christian Bernard A. Melendez, Senior Shrine Curator,
Museo ng Katipunan – Pinaglabanan Memorial Shrine
Introduction
Mention the name Andres Bonifacio, foremost member of the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK), and it is immediately associated with virtues like bravery and patriotism. He is the epitome of the revolution and the prominent historical figure for fighting. He has been identified as such ever since. Perhaps due to the scarcity of resources, we are unable to dig deeper into the identity and character of Andres Bonifacio. What we have are testimonies of his contemporaries which may or may not have biases for or against him. Nonetheless, the Bonifacio of their time is still the Bonifacio that we can look up to, even today.
Despite the unavailability of resources, we may surmise that Bonifacio can still be a role model for those sharing the same situation with him.
Bonifacio as a breadwinner.
Santiago Bonifacio and Catalina de Castro, father, and mother to Andres Bonifacio, died while Andres Bonifacio was in his youth. As the eldest among the Bonifacio siblings, he was obliged to take care of the younger ones. To do this, he led them in producing canes and fans, selling it around Tondo and Binondo. Other than this, Andres Bonifacio worked at Fleming & Company, a British firm, as messenger who covers the areas of Binondo, San Nicolas, and Tondo. Later, he worked at Fressel & Company, this time, as a warehouse keeper. This resolve of Andres Bonifacio survived him and his siblings. His hard work put food on their table and fostered dignity for his younger siblings. Bonifacio was the breadwinner of the family.
Likewise, breadwinners of today can relate to Andres Bonifacio. Those who juggle between studies and work, and those managing their time between taking great care of their families and a bit of themselves. For them, Bonifacio serves as a reminder that all will be well too, in the end, given that everyone in the family cooperates and shares responsibility with the breadwinner. Just like Bonifacio, breadwinners are family heroes whose tasks and sacrifices are prearranged, and sometimes even at a young age.
Bonifacio’s endurance and grit in facing life’s challenges.
Since Bonifacio and his siblings were orphaned, he endured all the sacrifices for the family in being the breadwinner. As the eldest, Bonifacio was determined to bridge his family’s needs through his willpower. To do this, he never surrendered and waivered. We can see how committed Bonifacio was with how he raised his siblings and later, in the fight for freedom. Bonifacio was willing to forego his personal needs and wants. His satisfaction and ambitions are the realization of the satisfaction and ambitions of others.
Having said that, individuals who sacrifice their own happiness for their loved ones can be considered as disciples of Andres Bonifacio. For every struggle and challenge, determination is the answer to surpass this. For Bonifacio and those who share this mindset, giving up is not an option.
A mentor-less Bonifacio in the pursuit of knowledge.
Rizal had a lot of mentors on his journey in acquiring knowledge from his childhood until his death. His mother, Teodora Alonso, taught him the basics of the alphabet. His elder brother, Paciano, provided for his tuition and other expenses while abroad. In the schools he attended, he was mentored by numerous teachers and professors he met. From the Jesuit priests in Ateneo to Pastor Ullmer in Germany, Rizal has had gained so much from his mentors.
Bonifacio’s case, however, was different. When his parents were still alive, he received formal schooling and was taught under the wing of Guillermo Osmeña. That was the only recorded education of Bonifacio. But when his parents died, his formal schooling stopped and he was obliged to learn on his own. According to his peers, his education comes from reading numerous books like The Wandering Jew by Eugene Sue, The Lives of US Presidents, Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal, Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, books about International Law, the Penal and Civil Codes, Ruins of Palmyra, and about the French Revolution. These books that made up his library, were unfortunately burnt down along with his other belongings. He was also able to develop his talents, perhaps, with a little supervision. He was one of the founders of Teatro Porvenir wherein he acted and played the role of the legendary Bernardo Carpio on stage.
From the pages of the books he read, Bonifacio became a learned man and at the same time , a man with a mission to free his nation. This was evident through his writings. Within the Katipunan, he wrote Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga Tagalog, Dekalogo ng Katipunan, and Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan. These writings, derived from his informal and self-learned education, were instrumental in the propagation of the idea of nationhood.
Today, there are still many who struggle to find mentors along with proper education. Adapting Bonifacio’s determination, those who pursue to learn more despite financial challenges can still do it with the availability of information, especially on the internet or world wide web. Those who want to learn how to cook, paint, and develop other skills can watch tutorials from YouTube videos. Free online books can be read and downloaded. Those who are interested in carpentry, carving, and sculpting may look anywhere in the internet. Information is readily available, everywhere.
Bonifacio as the role model for those working without recognition.
It has been problematic for historians and students of history to paint an image of Bonifacio with the very limited information about him. Unlike Rizal, Aguinaldo, Mabini amongst others, who left memorabilia, correspondence, and writings which we can study, Bonifacio left us with very little to study and evaluate. Partly due to the fire that occurred in their home in Tondo in 1896, and perhaps due to his revolutionary activities that leaving anything traceable is dangerous on his part. His only portrait was a faded photograph of him wearing a coat and tie. Today, what we have are written accounts sourced from Bonifacio’s contemporaries. These may or may not be with biases given the political nature of the situation. To say the least, Andres Bonifacio gave his all for the country – acknowledged yet without solid foundation of his identity.
Similarly, in today’s world, there are the likes of Andres Bonifacio who work without being given proper acknowledgement. These are the workers who tirelessly commit their selves and yet they are either overworked or underpaid. Those in the education and health sector – the teachers and the nurses. Whose lives are at stake in the performance of their duties. They are required to be intelligent, emotionally stable, and physically strong yet their salary is meager. Like Bonifacio, they too, need the proper acknowledgement they deserve.
Bonifacio is more than a revolutionary role model.
In this time of temporary peace, Filipinos can still relate to Andres Bonifacio without being identified as someone plotting against the status quo. More than being a revolutionary, Bonifacio can still be looked up to by the masses, especially those struggling to live a decent life. Like Bonifacio, they have an assurance that everything may be fine if they embrace the ideals, motivation, grit, and endurance Bonifacio had shown. If Bonifacio is the face of the struggle for freedom, Bonifacio is also the face of the everyday struggling Filipino in surviving their own specific ordeals.
Sources:
Villanueva Jr, Alejo. Bonifacio’s Unfinished Revolution. Quezon City, New Day Publishers. 1989
Richardson, Jim. The Light of Liberty: Documents and Studies on the Katipunan, 1892-1897. Quezon City, Ateneo de Manila University Press. 2013
May, Glenn Anthony. Inventing a Hero: The Posthumous Re-Creation of Andres Bonifacio. Quezon City, New Day Publishers. 1997
Agoncillo, Teodoro A. The Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan, Second Edition. Quezon City, The University of the Philippines Press. 2002