Andres Bonifacio
November 30, 1863 – May 10, 1897
El Supremo
Place of birth:	Tondo, Manila
Place of death:	Maragondon, Cavite

This article is about the person Andrés Bonifacio. For other uses, see Bonifacio (disambiguation).

Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (November 30, 1863 – May 10, 1897) was one of the chief leaders of the revolution of the Philippines against Spanish colonial rule, the first revolution in Asia against European colonial rule. November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days remaining. ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Originally uploaded by User:Mkr From http://www. ... A tondo is also a circular painting or relief carving. ... Manila (Filipino: Maynila) is the capital of the Philippines. ... Maragondon is a 4th class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. ... Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. ... Bonifacio can refer to: Bonifacio, a town in France Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental, a municipality in the Philippines Andres Bonifacio, Philippine revolutionary leader This is a disambiguation page — a list of topics associated with the same title. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days remaining. ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The Philippine Revolution (1896—1898) is a conflict between the native Katipuneros and Spanish colonizers in the Philippines. ... The flag of New Spain, one of the Viceroyalties of the Spanish Empire. ... World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of Earth; the term continent here referring to a cultural and political distinction, rather than a physiographic one, thus leading to various perspectives about Europes precise borders. ... See colony and colonisation for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism. ...

Early life

He was born to an indio (native) father and a Spanish mestiza mother in Tondo, Manila. Though his father was a cabeza de barangay (leading barangay official), he was orphaned at a young age. According to some stories, he peddled canes and fans to support his family. Mestizo (Brazil Portuguese. ... A tondo is also a circular painting or relief carving. ...

Later, he worked as a clerk in foreign firms. He married twice - his first wife was Monica, but she died of leprosy. According to some stories, he read books about the French Revolution, Les Miserables, and the novels of local reformist and future national hero Jose Rizal, among others. He was a Freemason. He also joined Rizal's La Liga Filipina (Philippine League), a society that called for reforms in Spanish rule. However, the Liga proved ineffective and Rizal was arrested and deported to the island of Dapitan. Les Misérables is an 1862 novel by the famous French novelist Victor Hugo, set in the Parisian underworld. ... José Rizal José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda (June 19, 1861 - December 30, 1896) is the national hero of the Philippines. ... American Square & Compasses Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal organization. ... La Liga Filipina was an organization created by Dr. Jose Rizal in the Philippines. ... Dapitan City is a 2nd class city in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. ...

The Katipunan

On the night of July 7, 1892 (the eve of Rizal's arrest, in fact), Bonifacio founded the Katipunan, a revolutionary secret society which would later spark the Philippine Revolution of 1896 against Spanish rule. In this period, he met his second wife, Gregoria de Jesus, who became a rebel leader in her own right. His right-hand man was Emilio Jacinto. Within the society, Bonifacio's codename or nom de guerre was Maypagasa (He who hopes). The Katipunan was a secret society founded in the Philippines by Andrés Bonifacio aimed towards liberating the country from the Spanish colonizers. ... The Philippine Revolution (1896—1898) is a conflict between the native Katipuneros and Spanish colonizers in the Philippines. ... Emilio Jacinto(December 15,1875-April 16,1899)The Brains of the Katipunan He was born in Trozo, Manila. ...

With the establishment of the Katipunan, Andrés Bonifacio became popularly known as the Father of the Revolution. In the organization, he eventually held the title of Supremo.

He wrote the patriotic poem, Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa (loosely, Love for the Motherland), which saw print in the first and only issue of the Katipunan periodical, Kalayaan (Freedom), edited by Jacinto. Allegedly, he also made the first translation of Jose Rizal's final poem, Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell) into Tagalog. ... Tagalog (pronunciation: ) is one of the major languages of the Republic of the Philippines. ...

Just before the Revolution broke out, he formed a revolutionary government called the Republika ng Katagalugan (Tagalog Republic), with him as President and the members of the Katipunan high council as his cabinet. "Tagalog", in this sense, was a term used to refer to the Philippines as a whole, not the ethnic group.

Downfall

While Bonifacio's personal campaigns were less than successful, the revolutionaries in Cavite had greater success, led by officers coming from the upper classes, including the celebrated Emilio Aguinaldo. Thus, they sent out a manifesto calling for a revolutionary government of their own, disregarding Bonifacio's leadership. Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (March 22, 1869—February 6, 1964) was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. ...

A council comprising of Bonifacio's men and the Magdalo and the Magdiwang, two locally-based rival Katipunan factions, held a convention in Tejeros, Cavite to establish a unified front and settle the issue of leadership of the revolutionary movement. The Magdalo faction was led by Baldomero Aguinaldo, cousin to Emilio Aguinaldo. In the elections, the Cavitenos voted their own Emilio Aguinaldo President. Bonifacio, due to the lack of a power base in the province, was voted Director of the Interior.

However, a member of the Magdalo faction, Daniel Tirona, questioned Bonifacio's qualifications for high office, declaring him uneducated and unfit for the position. Bonifacio was slighted, all the more so since he had previously asked that the results of the election be respected by all. Invoking his authority as Supremo, he declared the results of the Tejeros Convention as null and void and left in a rage. Later, he wrote to Jacinto about his misgivings about the whole matter, as he suspected Tirona of spreading black propaganda against him and fixing the ballots (as some other leaders also suspected).

Regrouping his forces, he attempted to return to the province of Morong (now Rizal), where he had a strong base and support. Tried by a moot court 'in absentia' by the Aguinaldo faction, he was condemned as a traitor to the Revolution and given the death penalty. An arresting party of Magdalo soldiers caught up with Bonifacio in the town of Indang and a skirmish ensued, in which Bonifacio was wounded and his brother Ciriaco killed. He and his other brother, Procopio, were captured and were subsequently executed by firing squad on May 10, 1897 at Mt. Nagpatong. Co-patriots of the Revolution regarded this an ugly blot laid at Aguinaldo's door, though in fairness Aguinaldo originally wanted them banished instead. Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, especially in times of war. ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

After many years, Bonifacio's remains were exhumed, but were believed destroyed during World War II.

Controversy

In Philippine historiography, there are many different views of Bonifacio. Some, like Renato Constantino, see him as a champion of the masses (though he himself belonged to the lower middle class) who was slighted by ambitious members of the upper class. Others like Gregorio Zaide, favor Aguinaldo and company over him. Glenn May even holds that his role as a national hero was largely invented. Also, there is debate whether he should be considered the first Philippine President instead of Aguinaldo and the national hero instead of Rizal. Renato Constantino (March 10, 1919 - September 15, 1999) is a famous Filipino historian. ...

Today

Andrés Bonifacio (right) on the 10-peso bill

Bonifacio's birthday on November 30 is celebrated as Bonifacio Day (Filipino: Kaarawan ni Bonifacio) and is a public holiday in the Philippines. Download high resolution version (947x386, 68 KB)Front side of the 10-Philippine peso bill. ... Download high resolution version (947x386, 68 KB)Front side of the 10-Philippine peso bill. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days remaining. ...

There are many monuments to Bonifacio across the nation, with the most famous being two sculptures, one by Napoleon Abueva and the other by Guillermo Tolentino, both National Artists. Napoleon V. Abueva is the Philippines National Artist for Sculpture. ... A National Artist of the Philippines is a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts, namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Broadcast Arts, Fashion Design and Architecture and Allied Arts. ... A National Artist of the Philippines is a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts, namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts. ...

In current Philippine currency, he is depicted in the 10-peso bill (currently out of production) and 10-peso coin, along with fellow patriot and Aguinaldo man Apolinario Mabini. The Philippine peso (Filipino: piso) is the official currency of the Philippines. ... Apolinario Mabini Apolinario Mabini (July 23, 1864—May 13, 1903) was a Filipino theoretician who wrote the constitution for the first Philippine republic of 1899-1901, and served as its first premier in 1899. ...

In film

Bonifacio was portrayed by Julio Diaz in Bayani (Hero), a feature film loosely based on his life directed by experimental auteur Raymond Red, and an educational television series also named Bayani. In Jose Rizal, a film about the national hero, he was portrayed by Gardo Verzosa.

References

• Zaide, Gregorio F. (1984). Philippine History and Government. National Bookstore Printing Press.
• Ocampo, Ambeth. Bones of Contention: The Bonifacio Lectures
• Agoncillo, Teodoro. The Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan
• Constantino, Renato. The Philippines: a Past Revisited

Further reading

• Cruz, Isagani A. (November 27 2005). "The Tragedy Of Andres Bonifacio". Philippine Daily Inquirer: 14.
• Clair, Francis St. (1902). The Katipunan: Or, The Rise and Fall of the Filipino Commune. Francis St. Clair.Full book on Google
• Quezon III, Manuel L. (November 21 2005). "The Supremo Lives". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
• Lazaro, Roberto (November 29 2005). "Thinking Aloud Dead Ends Need Not Be Dead". Manila Times.
• Ramos, Marlon (December 9 2004). "Bonifacio: The Neglected Hero". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
• Ocampo, Ambeth R. (December 1 2004). "Where Are the Bones of Bonifacio?". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
• San Luis, Fr. Bel R. (November 29 2004). "Bonifacio & our changing notion of 'hero'". Opinion & Editorial Manila Bulletin.
• (November 2004). "Cavite to Unviel Bonifacio Mural Inquirer". Philippine Daily.
• De Vera, Ellalyn B. (November 27 2004). "Andres Bonifacio: The Katipunan Supremo". Manila Bulletin.

External links

• Book Review Inventing a Hero by Glenn May