Filipinos marked the 158th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio through artworks and witty birthday greetings to the Filipino hero on November 30.
The name “Andres Bonifacio” was also among the dominating topics on Twitter Philippines with over 6,700 tweets under its belt.
Bonifacio, the father of the Philippine Revolution, was born on November 30, 1863.
President Rodrigo Duterte declared his birthday also known as Bonifacio Day as a regular holiday through Proclamation 1107 on February 26.
A youth organization named E-Kwento Philippines released a simple puzzle artwork that challenged users to look for an animal named after Bonifacio.
“In celebration of the 158th birthday of the Father of the Philippine Revolution, Gat Andres Bonifacio, can you spot from all these amazing animals the one that was named after him? Save this photo, encircle your answer, and attach it to the comment section, then let’s see if you got it right!” E-Kwento said.
“Share this with your friends and challenge them to look for this mysterious animal too!” it added.
In 2014, Filipino scientists named a species of leaf insect Phyllium bonifacioi in honor of Bonifacio.
Concerned Artists of the Philippines, an organization of Filipino artists from various disciplines, also shared an artwork about Bonifacio.
The meaning behind it was more critical of pressing national concerns.
“What persists since Bonifacio lead the revolt up to this day are new faces of indignity, sprouting like pests during the bloom of society. We cannot win against them only by voting, they fear conviction and the daunting presence of our solidarity in the streets,” CAP said.
The social media channels of American basketball team the Portland Trail Blazers also joined in the celebration.
It edited a photo of one of its players Damian Lillard wearing a red handkerchief, a popular imagery of the revolutionary hero.
In the caption, it cited lines from Bonifacio’s “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa.”
“Aling pag-ibig pa ang hihigit kaya sa pagkadalisay at pagkadakila. Gaya ng pag-ibig sa tinubuang lupa. Aling pag-ibig pa? Wala na nga wala.” – Andrés Bonifacio pic.twitter.com/nmmDgvS9ly
— Portland Trail Blazers Philippines (@trailblazersph) November 30, 2021
Some Filipinos sent their birthday messages to the late revolutionary leader, while commenting on today’s social situation.
“Happy Birthday po sa lahat na ang pangalan ay Andres, Andrea, Boni, Bonny, Bonifacio, Bonifacia,” pharmacist Arshie Larga said.
“Modern-day Andres Bonifacios would surely have been red-tagged by the Mr. Emilio Aguinaldos. And executed the same cowardly way like what happened in the mountains. Happy birthday po, Supremo,” Dr. Leonard Pascual said.
Earlier, Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo have issued separate statements for Bonifacio Day.
In his address, the chief executive emphasized the importance of remembering Bonifacio’s heroism.
“The bravery and patriotism of Gat Andres Bonifacio and many of our forebears who fought against foreign dominators must serve as our guiding post in beating the odds that hinder our progress as a people and as a nation,” he said.
Robredo, meanwhile, encouraged the public to stand up for justice the same way Bonifacio did before.
“Tumindig si Bonifacio, at nagsilbi itong inspirasyon sa pagtindig ng marami pang iba. Nagsisilbi siyang inspirasyon hanggang sa ngayon: Binabalikan natin ang kanyang halimbawa sa tuwing kailangan nating itaya ang lahat sa ngalan ng katarungan at makataong lipunan,” she said.
