This year’s commemoration of the 159th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio Day should be taken as an opportunity to re-learn and live out our people’s history — that the struggle for national independence and against all forms of oppression by foreign powers and the local ruling classes is a struggle for human rights and dignity of the Filipino people.
Bonifacio pushed for national unity, the genuine unity which forged together the strength of the Filipino masses, through the formation of the Katipunan. It was the kind of unity that sought to assert national freedom and independence, and for Filipinos to benefit from all their toil and hardships.
This year’s commemoration of the 159th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio Day should be taken as an opportunity to re-learn and live out our people’s history — that the struggle for national independence and against all forms of oppression by foreign powers and the local ruling classes is a struggle for human rights and dignity of the Filipino people.
Bonifacio pushed for national unity, the genuine unity which forged together the strength of the Filipino masses, through the formation of the Katipunan. It was the kind of unity that sought to assert national freedom and independence, and for Filipinos to benefit from all their toil and hardships.
However, at present, the poor majority face greater challenges and struggles amidst high prices of basic commodities and poverty. Peasants remain landless and are unable to afford expensive farm inputs without sufficient support and subsidy from the government. Workers are slaves of their meager wages and without social protection, while millions are forced to work outside the country. There is a large army of unemployed and under-employed, who at times rely on the informal economy to enable their families’ subsistence.
The Marcos II regime is indifferent to the sufferings of the poor, as it refuses to substantially address this crisis. Amid public clamor to control prices and address the deepening poverty and crisis, the current administration is in a constant dog show before the international community, claiming to attract foreign investors, only to showcase the Marcoses and their lifetime goal to beautify their name.
Our heroes of the past definitely aspired for a better situation than this, for the future generations. And Bonifacio taught us that to rebel against an unjust system is justified, even when the people’s revolutionary movement was branded as bandits, hooligans or terrorists. Throughout Philippine history, only those in power, who are afraid of the people’s power, has called those who struggle for rights and basic freedoms as bandits, hooligans, terrorists. A state that has fed on terror-tagging of critics and opposition, are the real threats to the people’s realization of our rights, including our right to development.
Let us unite and live by Bonifacio’s example, today and the coming days. Armed with these historical lessons, let us push to uphold the people’s welfare: Sahod Itaas, Presyo Ibaba! Let us fight attacks against our rights to organize, assert our freedom to protest, and resist repression in any form: Stop the killings! Justice for all victims of rights violations! Free all political prisoners! Let us fight for genuine independence from threats anew to national sovereignty and independence: Atin ang Pinas, US China layas!
It is our turn now to actively work and struggle for people’s rights, justice, and freedom. Let us dare to live out the spirit of Bonifacio and the Katipunan today: Makibaka huwag matakot!