Andres Bonifacio Facts: Know His Contribution In Philippine Revolution

The Philippine revolution is a critical event in the history of the Philippines.

Andres Bonifacio was one of the prominent leaders and founders of the nationalist Katipunan society. Bonifacio led the attack on the Spanish and was active in many revolutionary events, which together contributed to the Philippine revolution.

Andres Bonifacio Life history

Born in a middle-class family, Andres Bonifacio had an interesting childhood. Here are some facts about his early days.

1. Andres Bonifacio y de Castro was the eldest of six children. He was born in Tondo, Manila, on November 30, 1863.

2. His parents were Catalina de Castro a panish mestiza, and Santiago Bonifacio, an alkalde of Tondo.

3. He studied English while working as a clerk-messenger in a British firm.

4. Bonifacio was skilled in crafts and visual arts.

5. He created canes and paper fans that he and his other siblings sold. He even made posters for business firms.

6. Selling canes and fans became their family's thriving source of income, which continued even when he worked for private and government agencies.

7. Bonifacio worked as a mandatario (agent) for the British trading firm named Fleming and Company. He got promoted to corredor (broker) of tar, rattan, and other goods.

8. He also worked as a bodeguero (storehouse keeper) in charge of the warehouse inventory at Fressel and Company, a German trading firm.

9. Bonifacio played the role of Bernardo Carpio, a fictional character in Tagalog myths for a theater where he acted.

10. He did not finish school but continued studying self-education. He was a voracious reader. His reading list includes 'The history of the French Revolution', and Victor Hugo's 'Les Miserables', and more.

11. He was multi-lingual. He could speak Tagalog, English, and Spanish.

12. Bonifacio learnt how to read and write with the help of a tutor.

13. In the very early years of his life, he was introduced to local politicians to rebel against the current Spanish troops occupying the Philippines then. Bonifacio started his journey by joining an organization led by Jose Rizal, who later became Bonifacio's good friend.

Facts About Andres Bonifacio's Political Involvement

An influential figure in the Filipino revolution, Bonifacio's political involvement has left a massive mark on the Philippines' history. Here are a few facts about his political ideologies.

14. In 1892, Bonifacio was among the members of Jose Rizal's La Liga Filipina. A society for political reforms in Spain's colonial government in the Philippines.

15. During Spanish rule, leading anti-government meetings or parties was considered illegal. Due to this, the group secretly organized its parties and gatherings.

16. Jose Rizal was arrested and quickly deported to another place. He was charged with treason against the Spanish government.

17. On the night of July 7, 1892, Bonifacio and his colleagues "founded" the Katipunan. It was the day after Rizal got deported. 

18. The Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan translated means "Highest and Most Respected Society of the Country's Children". It was commonly known as the Katipunan.

19. This secret society sought independence and freedom from Spain. Through an armed uprising instigated by the Freemasonry.

20. Within the Katipunan, Bonifacio used the pen name May pag-asa ("There is Hope").

21. La Liga Filipina split because some members, including Bonifacio, thought peaceful reform would not solve anything.

22. The more conservative and wealthy members set up the 'Cuerpo de Compromisarios'. This pledged continued support to the reformists in Spain.

23. The Katipunan had branches in several provinces like Batangas, Laguna, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, and Nueva Ecija.

24. Most members in the Katipuneros, were local leaders and well-known figures in their municipalities.

25. British historian Jim Richardson discovered that  Katipuneros, –including Andres Bonifacio–were primarily white-collar employees.

26. Initially, the Katipunan was an exclusively male society. With Bonifacio's wife Gregoria leading the group, the membership was later extended to females.

27. Bonifacio was among the chief Katipunan officers, though he only became its Supremo (supreme leader) or Presidente Supremo (supreme president) in 1895.

28. He acted as the organization's comptroller and 'fiscal' (advocate/procurator).

29. Bonifacio called for a general assembly of the Katipunan leaders in Pasig on May 3,. During this assembly they argued when to start the revolution.

30. On August 19, 1896, Spanish troops confirmed the existence of the Katipunan. Hundreds of innocent and guilty Filipino suspects were arrested and jailed for treason.

31. Bonifacio gathered thousands of Katipuneros in Caloocan to elude the manhunt. This is where they decided to start the revolution.

32. This revolution was marked by the tearing of personal identity documents, known as cedulas. This event is popularly known as the "Cry of Balintawak" or "Cry of Pugad Lawin".

33. Bonifacio had also declared independence inside the Pamitinan Cave in the Montalban, Morong province (now Rodriguez, Rizal) more than a year ago. This declaration was solemn, simple, and restrained.

34. The Supreme Council of the Katipunan agreed on a nationwide armed revolution on August 29. They called for a simultaneous and coordinated siege on the capital of Manila.

35. Bonifacio created the Katipunan open de facto revolutionary government, and named the nation and its government Haring Bayang Katagalugan. He was as the president and commander-in-chief of this rebel army. 

36. On March 22, 1897, revolutionary leaders met at Friar Estate Residence at Tejeros. 

37. This meeting was headed by Emilio Aguinaldo's cousin Baldomero Aguinaldo, for the Magdalo. Mariano Alvarez, uncle of Bonifacio's wife spoke for the Magdiwang.

38. The meeting was also held to settle the conflict of governance through an election.

39. Bonifacio firmly stated that Katipunan should be a republic. He believed that all Katipuneros should serve under liberty, equality, and fraternity.  

40. The Magdalo forces elected Emilio Aguinaldo as their president. He was absent from the elections, as he was a part of the battle of Perez Dasmariñas.

41. The Republic of Biak-na-Bato, as this government was called, referred to itself as the Philippine Republic and lasted for only a month.

42. A government, was later established on January 23, 1899, with Aguinaldo inaugurated as president. This was reffered to as the 'First Philippine Republic'. 

43. Bonifacio got the second-highest count of votes for president.

44. Mariano Trias, was elected as the vice president. Andres Bonifacio was elected as the 'Director of the Interior'.

45. Daniel Tirona protested, suggesting that someone should occupy the position with a lawyer's diploma. Insulted and angered by this comment, Bonifacio demanded an apology, since they agreed to respect the results.

Bonifacio's demand was ignored. This made Bonifacio draw his gun and aim it at Tirona. Tirona was restrained by Artemio Ricarte of the Magdiwang, who was elected as Captain-General.

46. Aguinaldo took his oath of office as President on March 23, 1897.

47. According to Gen. Santiago Alvarez, guards were on standby outside the chapel where Aguinaldo was taking the oath. They had a strict instruction to not to let any member of the Magdiwang into the building. 

Facts About Bonifacio's Arrest and Death

The death of Bonifacio has numerous accounts. Some say it was a bullet, while others say he was hit with a Bolo. Here are the facts regarding his arrest and death.

48. Aguinaldo's government ordered Bonifacio's arrest after he got a letter which claimed that Bonifacio had burned down a village.

49. On April 25, Major Jose Ignacio Paua and Colonel Agapito Bonzon raided Bonifacio at his camp in barrio Limbon, Indang. 

50. However, Bonifacio refused to fight against "fellow Tagalogs".  

51. Bonifacio was stabbed in the neck by Paua and shot in the arm by Bonzon. 

52. Bonifacio's brother Ciriaco was shot dead, while his brother Procopio was beaten.

53. From Indang, the wounded Bonifacio was brought to Naic, which had become Aguinaldo's headquarters.

54. on May 5, 1897 Bonifacio and Procopio were brought to Maragondon, Cavite, from Naic. They were charged with sedition and treason against Aguinaldo's government with conspiracies of murder. 

55. The Bonifacio brothers were executed on May 10, 1897.  

56. Aguinaldo readily confessed to having ordered Bonifacio's execution.

57. On March 22, 1948 (the day before his birthday), Aguinaldo released a letter. In this letter he admitted to ordering the execution of Bonifacio and Procopio. The letter was certified authentic by Teodoro Agoncillo and published in his book 'Revolt of the Masses'.

58. One of Makapagal's men admitted that Procopio was shot to death and, Andres Bonifacio was stabbed using a bolo (large Filipino machete).

Facts About Katipunan

The organization spread like fire, and was a part of every home in Phillipines during the revolution. Here are a few interesting facts about it.

59. After the arrest of one of the named leaders of Katipunan, Bonifacio revived this organization with the help of his friends.

60. The party's goal was to demolish the Spanish power in the Philippines and give the country and the people its independence.

61. The publication of the paper Kalayaan (Freedom) in March 1896 catapulted its popularity, which spread throughout Phillipine and places like Luzon, Panay, Visayas, and even Mindanao.

62. In January 1896, the Katipunan had 300 members. This grew to 30,000 to 40,000 by August 1896.

63. There was only one issue of Kalyaan to be ever published.

64. Bonifacio and his friend tried their ways to make Rizal escape prison, Rizal however, disagreed after which he was executed.

65. His execution aggravated the revolution. This lead to the attack of Manila, where Spanish troops held Bonifacio's army for long enough.

66. Although the Katipunan members outnumbered the Spanish troops, the reinforcement by the Spanish government caused heavy causalities, which led to many deaths of Katipunan members.

67. By the end of this revolt, the fire which started by Bonifacio was spread all across the country, and one revolt gave birth to a hundred other revolts.

68. The other attacks, which Aguinaldo led were very successful. The attacks gave fruitful results and helped them gain control over numeral tows.

69. When Bonifacio disagreed with Aguinaldo and his ways, he was charged with treason and as a result, he was arrested.

Facts About Andres Bonifacio's Personal Life

Here are some intriguing facts about the personal life of this Philippine hero.

70. Bonifacio was married twice

71. He married Monica of Palomar, Tondo, who was to be his neighbor.

72. She died of leprosy and had no children with him.

73. Bonifacio met Gregoria de Jesus through his friend and her cousin, Teodoro Plata in 1892. 

74. Gregoria's parents initially disapproved first of their relationship since Andres was a freemason. 

75. In March 1893 or 1894, the couple got married through a Catholic ceremony at Binondo Church.

76. The couple also got married through the Katipunan rites in a friend's house at Santa Cruz, Manila.

77. In early 1896, they had a son who died of smallpox.

78. Within the Katipunan, Bonifacio has a strong friendship with Emilio Jacinto and Pio Valenzuela. The three worked together on the society's paper, Kalayaan (Freedom).  

79. A lot about Santiago Bonifacio is also written, Jose Rizal is the biographer of Emilio Aguinaldo, who was a very close friend of Santiago Bonifacio.

Fun Facts About Andres Bonifacio

80. It is argued that Bonifacio is a better writer than Rizal because his works "akdang Katipunero" were easier to understand for the masses.

81. This is why Bonifacio is known as the father of the revolution, or in other words, he is known as the father of the Philippines revolution.

82. Following his selfless contribution, Bonifacio is respected nationwide in the Philippines and has a Bonifacio shrine after his name.

83. According to Milagros S. Enriquez's 'Kasaysayan ng Kaluto ng Bayan', Bonifacio's favorite home-cooked meal was 'nilitsong manok sa zaha.'

84. There is only one photograph of Andres Bonifacio. He wears a coat and a tie.

85. Andres Bonifacio was about to pass through a Guardia Civil checkpoint in Balintawak. To conceal his identity, he decided to wear woman's clothes.

86. Bonifacio preferred to fight with a revolver. There is a rumor that he used a bolo, but there is no proof which shows this.

87. One of the Supremo's best works is 'Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan (Love of Fatherland).' It is a compelling poem about one's love for the nation.

88. Bonifacio wrote 'Tapunan ng Lingap (Care a Little) and 'Ang Dapat Mabatid ng Mga Tagalog' (What the Filipinos Should Know) 

89. Andres Bonifacio Day is a national public holiday in the Philippines. It is celebrated on 30th of November annualy to commomerate the birth of the country's greatest heroes, Andres Bonifacio.

90. Bonifacio's State of the Katipunan Address is shrouded in mystery. As Katipunan national council president—allegedly recalled the Katipunan's achievements from its founding in 1892 until the start of the Revolution in August 1896.

Philippine Revolution Facts

91. The era of Spanish sovereignty over the Philippines saw many uprisings and protests, but none possessed sufficient coordination to oust the Europeans.

92. During the 19th century, the educated middle class generation emerged and got involved in the Philippine Revolution.

93. The uprisings before 1872 were primarily confined to the Filipino clergy. They resented the Spanish monopoly of power within the Roman Catholic Church in the islands.

94. The abortive Cavite Mutiny was a brief uprising against the Spanish in 1872. 

95. The martyrdom of three Filipino priests—José Burgos, Mariano Gómez, and Jacinto Zamora - for conspiring with the rebels sparked a wave of anti-Spanish sentiment.

96. Many Filipinos took refuge in Europe. Here, they continued a literary campaign known as the Propaganda Movement.

97. Dr. José Rizal quickly emerged as the leading Propagandist.

98. His novel Noli me tángere (1886; The Social Cancer, 1912) exposed the corruption of Manila Spanish society and stimulated the independence movement.

99. Katipunan membership grew to an estimated 100,000 by August 1896, when the Spaniards discovered its existence.

100. On December 15, 1897, the pact of Biak-na-Bato was proclaimed. Though its precise terms have been a matter of passionate debate since the pact brought a temporary end to the Philippine Revolution.