Andres Bonifacio, founder of the Katipunan, was born on November 30, 1863. As we celebrate his 162nd birth anniversary, I think about what he would do if he were alive today.
Bonifacio is the “Father of the Philippine Revolution,” the leader of the first anti-colonial revolution in Asia against the Spanish empire. He was only 29 years old when he started the Katipunan.
It may be the 21st century now but some conditions and patterns during Bonifacio’s time have remained the same in the Philippines.
During Bonifacio’s time, there was no Filipino self-rule. Spain exercised absolute political control through the Spanish Governor-General. Today, the Philippines is considered an independent republic, but its foreign policy and military posture are heavily influenced by the United States (US) through treaties like the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). These allow for a rotating but persistent US military presence which compromises absolute sovereignty.
Under Spainish rule, the country’s economy was designed to benefit Spain through the Galleon Trade and later, the opening of ports. The encomienda system and monopolies led to the exploitation of Filipino labor and resources. Today, the Philippine economy is characterized by neoliberal economic dominance. The US remains a major trade partner and source of foreign investment. Many key industries and utilities have significant American corporate interest. There is continued reliance on exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, and polices that favor foreign corporations over local industries.
Culturally and psychologically, during Bonifacio’s time the primary tool of control was the Catholic Church. It controlled education, promoted Spanish as the language of prestige, and instilled a colonial mentality where Spanish culture was superior to the “indio.” Today, the Philippines is quite “Americanized” where the primary tool of US influence is cultural soft power. American media (news, movies, and television shows), fast-food chains, the English language, and social media platforms dominate. This creates a modern colonial mentality where American culture, lifestyle, and political models are often seen as the “ideal” or “default.”
As for the collaborating elite class, it was the Principalia (a class of local elites led by the gobernadorcillos and cabeza de barangay) who was co-opted by the Spanish to administer the colony, They enjoyed privileges for maintaining the status quo, often at the expense of the masses. Today in the Philippines, the modern political and economic elite class, mostly educated in the US or Western models, often governs the country. Their business and political interests are frequently aligned with global (primarily US-led) capital, leading to policies that can prioritize foreign investment and stability over radical wealth redistribution or nationalist economic policies.
If Bonifacio were to observe the modern Philippine society, he might acknowledge its formal independence but would be fiercely critical of these lingering influences. He would see the VFA and EDCA as a form of modern-day military occupation by consent, and the economic policies as a 21st century version of economic exploitation. His advice would undoubtedly be a call to cultivate a truly independent national identity, an economy that serves Filipinos first, and a foreign policy free from the shadow of any foreign power.
If we study our history, based on the documented writings, actions, and the Kartilya (the ethical guide of the Katipunan), Bonifacio’s advice to the Filipino youth would be a powerful call to action, centered on sovereign love of country, critical awareness, and collective empowerment.
He would not advise passive hope or waiting for heroes. He would urge the youth to become the heroes the times demand.
Bonifacio was a self-taught man who understood that knowledge is power. He would emphasize knowing our true history and honor the sacrifices of the past. He would be appalled by historical distortion or forgetfulness. He would urge us to read beyond the textbooks and understand the true struggles of our ancestors — not just the dates and names, but the reasons they fought. He would want us to know that our sovereignty was paid for in blood. He would not let anyone, foreign or Filipino, erase or rewrite that history for their own ends. It is because by understanding the past, we will see the patterns of the present.
For Bonifacio, love of country (“pag-ibig sa tinubuang lupa”) was not sentimental; it was active, demanding, and sacrificial. He would urge Filipinos to show our love for our country not just by posting about it online but by showing it in our actions. Fighting against plunderers, standing up for its sovereignty against bullies, and choosing to support fellow Filipinos. This profound love must be the compass for all our decisions — from the work we do to the leaders we elect.
Bonifacio was a man of the people, not of the elite. He distrusted leaders who were disconnected from the suffering of the masses. True leadership for him is service (“paglilingkod”) and he would want our leaders to come from those who know the smell of the soil and the struggles of the ordinary Filipino. He would want us and our leaders to live a life of integrity (“marangal”) where our actions match our words and values.
Most of all, Bonifacio would want us to not wait for change but to seize it. His entire life was a testament to overcoming the trap of hopelessness and apathy. He was a young man when he led the revolution. So he did not look at the youth as the “future of the nation” but the present. He would therefore urge young people to organize and mobilize — to use the tools they have like their voice, their votes, their art, their technology to bring about change. He showed that young people during the Spanish colonial rule did not just complain when they saw the system was broken, they worked with their fellow youth to build a new one. They built the Katipunan.
I believe Bonifacio’s message would be that the Katipunan is not a relic of the past but a spirit that lives in every Filipino. So let us not beg for reforms. Let us not wait for a savior. Let us organize, educate, and liberate.
If Bonifacio were alive today, he would be on the front lines, demanding accountability and transparency from those in power. So if he is truly our national hero, we would continue his legacy and we would not be a silent observer but a vocal catalyst for change, mobilizing our fellow Filipinos to defend the nation’s sovereignty and integrity. ###
