Biography of Andres Bonifacio
Difficulties and hardships in life should not be a hindrance in loving our country.
Difficulties and hardships in life could be a stepping stone to reach our success. This was the principle of the late Andres Bonifacio. He was born poor and needy but had done his best in honestly loving the Philippines his county and that was his gateway to patriotism.
Andres was born at Tondo, Manila Philippines last November 30, 1863. His father was Santiago Bonifacio who was a tailor while his mother Catalina de Castro was a hardworking housewife. At the age of 14 Andres lost his parents and was forced to stop his study because as elder, he need to take good care of his siblings. He needed to work to sustain the needs of his 5 siblings who were all depending on their parents and which responsibilities were forwarded to him.
Together with his siblings Ciriaco, Procopio, Troadio, Espiridiona and Maxima, they handcrafted bamboo staff and paper fan and sold it to the market so they can have something to it. Their income was not enough and so Andres applied a job and was accepted as clerk-messenger in a company named Fleming & Company but then it turns out that still his salary is not enough to support the needs of his brothers and sisters, he decided to leave the company and looked for another job in the other company named Freeshell & Company.
Even though Andres was only at elementary level, he tried to shape his own mind. He tried to understand the political situation around the community through reading books and newspapers. At his younger age, he already managed to read and understood the book which tells the history of "France Revolution." He managed to collect books and have read and understood every one of them. Among his collection of books was "Noli Me Tangere," "El Filibusterismo," "The Wandering Jew" and "Les Miserables."
His broad knowledge on war could be the possible reason why he engage in a patriotic act against the Spaniards. Together with Deodato Arellano, Ladislaw Diwa, Teodoro Plata, Valentin Diaz, and Jose Dizon, Andres built the "Katipunan" at 72 Street Azcaraga last July 7, 1892.
To give justice on the oppressed Filipino people, Andres and his comrades planned to unite all the Filipino in becoming one nation to obtain freedom by way of war. In this endeavour of life, his wife Gregoria de Jesus was always with him.
Andres showed his courage as leader of the "Katipunan" in the war against the oppressor.
Due to the friction in the political organization after the "Katipunan" was revealed, Emilio Aguinaldo was elected as president and the conquest of Andres Bonifacio as revolutionist was in vain. Due to his upset, he planned to go back to Montalban. Later, he was arrested in the order of the newly elected president and was brought to military court. He was convicted and was sentenced to death.
When the case of Andres was reopen for consideration, it was agreed that instead of killing him, he will just be exiled to a place far away. But due to the worries of the other political figures that Andres might build a new government, the death sentence was implemented.
Last May 10, 1897, Andres was taken out from his prison and were killed at Mt. Buntis in Marigondon, Cavite. He was shoot dead by the soldiers under the supervision of Col. Lazaro Macapagal.
The name Andres and "Katipunan" are one. No "KKK" if there was no Andres Bonifacio. The thoughts of freedom were created by the true revolutionist in the brave personality of the one and only Andres Bonifacio.
Source: Wikipedia
