BONIFACIO’S VALUES SHOULD INSPIRE FILIPINOS, SAYS PRESIDENT DUTERTE

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte joined the Filipino nation Monday in commemorating the 157th birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio, urging the public to relive the values that the hero fought for more than a century ago. “Today, we honor Bonifacio’s legacy of sparking the fires of a revolution that awakened our national consciousness and served as the foundation of this Republic,” President Duterte said in a video message. “His love of country --- which aroused our ancestors to fight for our freedom and secure our rightful place in the community of nations ---- is very vital now, more than ever, as we overcome the challenges of COVID -19 pandemic,” the President said. “As we remember his life and deeds, may the values he fought for, inspire us all to become worthy heirs of the just, progressive, and inclusive society that he envisioned more than a century ago,” he added. With Bonifacio’s extraordinary courage and determination in mind, the President encouraged Filipinos to come together in overcoming challenges ahead in order for the nation to secure a much better and brighter future for every citizen. Bonifacio was born to a poor family in Tondo, Manila, on Nov. 30, 1863. A humble and patriotic man, he saw the oppression his fellowmen endured under Spain’s colonial rule. He joined Dr. Jose Rizal’s La Liga Filipina and later founded the Kataastaasan Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK or Katipunan). Katipunan is a secret society, which spearheaded the uprising against Spanish colonizers and laid the groundwork for the establishment of a revolutionary government. This year’s commemorative program, led by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), has for its theme: “Bonifacio 2020: Tapang at Kaligtasan Tungo sa Malayang Lipunan”. PND