Bonifacio Day
Bonifacio Day is a national holiday in the Philippines, commemorating Andrés Bonifacio, one of the country's national heroes. He was the founder and eventual Supremo of the Katipunan, a secret society that triggered the Philippine Revolution of 1896 against the Spanish Empire. It is celebrated every November 30, the birth anniversary of Bonifacio.
| Bonifacio Day | |
|---|---|
| Observed by | Philippines |
| Type | National |
| Significance | Commemoration of the life of Andrés Bonifacio |
| Date | November 30 |
| 2023 date | November 27 |
| Frequency | annual |
History
Since 1901, Bonifacio's birthday has been celebrated by civic organizations. By 1920, Senator Lope K. Santos filed a bill to declare November 30 a holiday. In 1921, the governor general approved the bill as Act No. 2946.[1] The law did not name Bonifacio and added November 30 to the list of holidays listed at Act No. 2711. In time, it became a holiday to commemorate all Filipino heroes; this persisted even when a separate National Heroes' Day holiday was declared in 1931. In 1942, November 30 was declared as National Heroes' Day. In 1952 (the Philippines by this time now independent), president Elpidio Quirino separated National Heroes' Day and Bonifacio Day by an executive order.[2] Quirino explained in a speech at the National Teachers College that the "change has become necessary because of the interest from different sectors of our country to celebrate each hero's anniversary in order to perpetuate his name."[3]
Unlike Rizal Day which is held on the death anniversary of José Rizal, Bonifacio Day is celebrated on his birth date. This is because of the controversial events on which Bonifacio was executed by his fellow revolutionaries during time of the Philippine Revolution.[4]
Bonifacio Day in 2023 would be celebrated on November 27 instead of November 30, by virtue of Proclamation 90 under President Bongbong Marcos.[5] The holiday was included in the "holiday economics," adjusting the observance of the holiday to the nearest Monday for a longer weekend.[6]
Ceremonies
Bonifacio Day ceremonies are usually held at the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan, and is usually led by the incumbent president.[7] It is also held at places with significance to Bonifacio, especially other monuments of him.[8][9][10][11]
Bonifacio Days in history
In November 30, 1941, days before the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, president Manuel L. Quezon warned of the impending war against the Japanese in a speech at the University of the Philippines Manila.[12]
References
- ^ Act No. 2946 (February 15, 1921), AN ACT MAKING THE THIRTIETH OF NOVEMBER OF EACH YEAR A LEGAL HOLIDAY, retrieved January 1, 2023
- ^ "100 YEARS OF BONIFACIO DAY". National Historical Commission of the Philippines. November 29, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ Custodio, Arlo (August 30, 2021). "A special day honoring countless anonymous valiant Filipinos". The Manila Times. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ Caliwan, Christopher Lloyd. "1K cops deployed metro-wide for Bonifacio Day". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ Presidential Proclamation No. 90, s. 2022 (November 16, 2022), Amending Proclamation No. 42, S. 2022, declaring the regular holidays and special (non-working) days for the year 2023, retrieved January 1, 2023
- ^ Parrocha, Azer (November 16, 2022). "Palace updates list of holidays for 2023 with more long weekends". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- ^ "Duterte skips Bonifacio Day ceremony". Philstar.com. November 30, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ "Ceremonial Wreath-Laying for the 152nd Birth Anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio". Taguig City Government. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- ^ Bordey, Hana (November 30, 2021). "Isko leads Manila's remembrance of Andres Bonifacio's 158th birth anniversary". GMA News. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- ^ Tan, Ivan Rey (November 30, 2022). "Cebu City celebrates Andres Bonifacio Day; groups hold protest march". Yahoo! News. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- ^ "Duterte leads Bonifacio Day rites". CNN Philippines. November 30, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- ^ "National Heroes Day". Official Gazette (Philippines).