Posts Tagged ‘Andres Bonifacio’

The Misrepresented Hero

Last November 30, the Philippines celebrate again what they call “Bonifacio day” commemorating the heroism of Andres Bonifacio and labeling him the “Hero of the Filipino Mass”. But some adept historians persistently ask “Where are the Filipino masses?”, signifying that the title “Hero of the Filipino Mass” is amiss depiction of the real Andres Bonifacio. Moreover, the dress get up depiction of Andres Bonifacio which most Filipinos were accustomed to depict Andres Bonifacio wearing a white camisa de chino with red neckerchief and red drawstring pants,as well as holding a bolo knife in an angry mood shouting “Sugod mga kapatid!”(Charge!) just like the statue we saw formerly at Balintawak and now relocated at UP Diliman ground, is absolutely wrong and that the real Andres Bonifacio depicted on historical photos and documents like the one in the July 14, 1911 issue of “Renacimiento Filipino”, wherein the Andres Bonifacio there is wearing a coat and tie, just like the other Filipino heroes like Jose Rizal, Antonio Luna, Juan Luna, and others.

Wrong Depiction of Andres Bonifacio

Andres Bonifacio is not seem to be the illiterate poor guy as the mainstream Philippine history try to convince and indoctrinate Filipino masses. He has some wealth, and if he will fight an enemy he will use a gun instead, rather than a bolo knife. Therefore, he is not really the “Hero of the Filipino Mass”.

Right Depiction of Andres Bonifacio

Actually, the statue which we formerly saw at Balintawak which erroneously presented by some to the public as Andres Bonifacio himself have a plaque on it saying “Ala-ala ng Bayang Pilipino sa mga Bayani ng ‘96”(A memorial of the Filipino People to the Heroes of 1896) and not “Andres Bonifacio”; which clearly says that the statue is and was not Andres Bonifacio. Moreover, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas never depicts Andres Bonifacio with what the Filipinos have accustomed represent Andres rather they depict Andres in a more dignified one. However the UP Diliman has dubiously re-labeled the plaque on its relocation on its compound saying the statue is and was Andres Bonifacio himself which only intensifies confusion to the Filipino masses. But as we all know the UP Diliman is a Christian school, so expect Christian’s erroneous way of depicting history.

Actually, the statue which was misrepresented to be Andres Bonifacio was the work of the Filipino artist Ramon Martinez.

Therefore, the man holding a bolo knife shouting “sugod mga kapatid!”(Charge!) wearing a white camiso de chino with red neckerchief and red drawstring pants was just a mere boner or silly blunder to depict Andres Bonifacio and it is just mere work of fiction by the creative mind of Guillermo E. Tolentino. Yes, it was Guillermo E. Tolentino who has coined this image, however, he is now changing what he have coined he now suggesting Andres Bonifacio to be wearing a barong tagalong instead.

There are actually two type of Andres Bonifacio that Filipino people knew but the one that marks into the public consciousness among Filipinos and the one considered to be the real Andres Bonifacio is the one holding a bolo wearing a white camisa de chino with red neckerchief and red drawstring pants and shouting “Charge!” than the one who is dignitary in attire which most of the Spaniards depict Andres Bonifacio then. The one most Filipino people aware of about Andres Bonifacio is actually wrong historically and logically and was just a mere imagination of graphic artists which never knew historical facts. For if the real Andres Bonifacio is the one who wears a white camisa de chino with red neckerchief and red drawstring pants and shouting “Charge!” holding a big Knife or bolo knife, why would the Spaniards depict Andres Bonificio as a dignitary person wearing a coat and tie than wearing a white camisa de chino with red neckerchief and red drawstring pants and shouting “Charge!” holding a big knife or bolo knife?

Continual Religious Hegemony in the Philippines

Religion in the Philippines become like a bread and butter in terms of morality. However, is the predominant religion in the Philippines which is Catholicism/Christianity a homegrown belief system in the Philippines?

Any Pilipino historian would say, it is Not, as well as the Philippines’ National heroes like Dr. Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio who have a non-catholic/non-Christian religion will utterly deny that Catholicism/ Christianity is the homegrown religion of the Philippines.

Actually, Philippine’s National heroes –Dr. Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio- fought against the hegemonic rule of Catholicism/Christianity during the Spanish times. Moreover, the Catholics/Christians during the Spanish times even snatch without mercy the native lands of the “Pilipino Katutubos” at that time. Just like what the Spanish priest missionaries were doing on remote areas in the world not only in the Philippines during the Middle times.

Up until now, the Spanish religion still has hegemony over the majority of the Pilipinos and trying to meddle again on the moral and political affairs of the Philippines. The most recent is the use of condom to prevent sexually transmitted disease which the Catholic Church have opposed and trying to impose her own power over it.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines or the CBCP is the seat of the continuing proof of religious hegemony in the Philippines that tries to intervene and meddle in the Philippine affairs.

The current national Philippine flag today is just a mere derivative flag from the Philippine flags that precedes it. Long before it was wave on General Emilio Aguinaldo’s balcony on 1898, its predecessors already made a mark to some Filipinos who love their countries.

The very first Flag of the Philippines that has been created is said to be the flag of Andres Bonifacio. It is the flag of their Secret Society named Katipunan, which has an acronym of three Ks or KKK. These three Ks stands for Kataas-taasang Kagalang-galang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or in English word Highest and Most Honorable Society of the Sons of the Nation.

This very first Philippine flag is in full red color with the three Ks on white color on the center of the red flag. You can google the image of this flag to see for yourself what it looks like. This KKK flag was made by Andres Bonifacio’s wife Gregoria De Jesus and Benita Rodriguez.

This Flag of the Philippines have variations that is some put the three Ks in a horizontal position, some in triangular form and some one large K only.

Another distinct variation of this flag is the flag of General Mariano Llanera. His version is of black background with one K on the left side and a skull above a two cross bones on the right.

This first Philippine flag has gone many revisions, variations and versions until it reach the present day flag of the Philippines.

There are variations with the three Ks but with an image of a sun above them but with red as background; there is a version with a white triangle lying down horizontally on the left corner or an equilateral triangle and within this white triangle are the three Ks spread on the three corners of the triangle, while on its center is the image of a rising sun behind a mountain, this version was said to be created by General Pio del Pilar; some version of the Philippine flag is the one called the Sun of Liberty of the Naic Assembly whose only image on the red flag is the image of a sun with a face on it without the three Ks.

Another variation is the Magdalo flag. This flag has only an image of the sun on the center which one letter K at the center of the sun. The letter K here is written on the ancient Filipino alphabet.

However, on the Battle of Tirad Pass and Pasong Balite, General Gregorio Del Pilar introduce a new flag with a striking resemblance of a Cuban flag. But this flag of General Gregorio Del Pilar was not at all sensationalized by Filipinos because of it resemblance to a Cuban flag.

But on 1898, while on exile at Hong Kong, Emilio Aguinaldo made another banner flag. This time the flag have a freemasonry triangle symbol with three stars on the corners and a sun with a face or a mythical sun on the center, Which according to him, the eight rays of the sun represents the eight provinces that revolted against the Spanish ruling, namely Manila Philippines, Pampanga Philippines, Cavite Philippines, Bulacan Philippines, Nueva Ecija Philippines, Bataan Philippines, Laguna Philippines, and Batangas Philippines. While the three stars represents: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

And this flag was wave at General Emilio Aguinaldo’s balcony, and also this flag of the Philippines was revised by former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon by removing the face on the sun. Thus revised version has now become the current flag of the Philippines. It is now the accepted Philippine flag.