Historical background of Bonifacio Monument


In order to know the reason why Bonifacio monument has been created, it is important to know its background. On July 7, 1892, the day after Rizal’s deportation was announced, Bonifacio and others founded the Katipunan, or in full, Kataastaasang Kagalanggalang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan “Highest and Most Respected Society of the Sons of the Country”. The secret society sought independence from Spain through armed revolt. It was influenced by Freemasonry through its rituals and organization, and several members aside from Bonifacio were also Freemasons. Most of its members, called Katipuneros, came from the lower and middle classes, with many of its local leaders being prominent figures in their municipalities. At first exclusively male, membership was later extended to females, with Bonifacio’s wife Gregoria de Jesús as a leading member.


Within the society, Bonifacio developed a strong friendship with Emilio Jacinto who served as his adviser and confidant, as well as a member of the Supreme Council. Bonifacio adopted Jacinto’s Kartilla primer as the official teachings of the society in place of his own Decalogue which he judged as inferior. Bonifacio, Jacinto and Pio Valenzuela collaborated on the society’s organ Kalayaan Freedom, which had only one printed issue. Bonifacio wrote several pieces for the paper, including the poem Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupà roughly, “Love for the homeland under the pseudonym Agapito Bagumbayan. The publication of Kalayaan in March 1896 led to a great increase in membership. The Katipunan spread throughout Luzon, to Panay in the Visayas and even as far as Mindanao. From less than 300 members in January 1896,


The Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan City is noted by most Filipinos to be the greatest monument to valor and to love of freedom on earth honoring as it does the Philippines’ greatest revolutionary hero, Andres Bonifacio, as well as the brave band of selfless men and women who joined him in igniting the firestorm of the Philippine Revolution in August 1896.


The creartion of the monument was mandated by Act No. 2760 of the Philippine Legislature on February 23, 1918 to be a lasting monument to the memory of Gat Andres Bonifacio and to the Katipuneros he led in 1896 in Asia’s first national uprising against European colonial misrule. Act No. 2760 predated by three years the passage of Act No. 2946 by the Philippine Legislature on February 16, 1921 making November 30 of each year a legal holiday to honor and remember the birth of Andres Bonifacio. Aside from Dr. Jose Rizal, Bonifacio is the only national hero to have a legal holiday marked in his honor. The passage in 1918 of Act No. 2760 is that much more notable and amazing  and historic because, at that time, the Flag Law which forbade the display of the Philippine flag (and even emblems of the Katipunan) was still in effect and would be lifted only on October 22, 1919 when the Flag Law was repealed by Act No. 2871.


The Monumento World Heritage Global Campaign d this online petition signing effort are part of the year-long commemoration of the diamond jubilee (75th anniversary) of the Monumento which was completed by renowned Filipino national artist Guillermo Tolentino in 1933.  Today, the integrity of the Monumento, as the Bonifacio Monument is fondly called, is under threat with the closing of the loop of the LRT and MRT. It is ironic but the greatest monument to freedom faces the risk of being imprisoned by the light rail ring of concrete and steel that is steadily going up around it. Today, giant billboards have sprung up around the Bonifacio Monument thereby unduly diminishing its stature and importance.


Filipinos everywhere are called upon to appeal to the government of the Philippines and the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to save the Monumento from further desecration. The best way this can be done is by having the Monumento enshrined in its rightful place among the UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites. Andres Bonifacio gave us our freedom. The least that we can do is to defend the integrity of the monument that is the enduring symbol of our nation’s honor and dignity.



Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com


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