"Living up the Bonifacio spirit to resist tyranny."

"Living up the Bonifacio spirit to resist tyranny."

(Or how President Duterte's Bonifacio day message
also means taking back from tyranny)

In a message marking the 153rd birth anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio, President Duterte, facing the cameras and mediamen said:

 "May this occasion serve as a reminder for us to live up to the spirit of Bonifacio, whose spirit remains patriotic unfettered and independent."

"Every waking day is an invitation to dedicate our lives to a worthy cause; to uplift the quality of life of our countrymen; and to bring back the pride and honor in our identity as a people," he added.

The President's statement may sound idealistic any other patriot, as he appeals to his constituents that everyday should be in a contributative manner so as to "bring back the country's long lost legacies" such as its "pride and sacred honour."

However, that appeal he extorted from that holiday speech does not stop the people from opposing his controversial moves like the recent burial of the late dictator at the "Heroes' Cemetery". And several days ago everyone heard how the president stated that no one before him did create provisions barring the late dictator to be buried as well as telling that there are requirements that made him be buried as any other soldier and as a president in that "sacred plot."

That perhaps also made everyone in disgust to think that how come the dictator Marcos was buried as a hero while the plebeian Bonifacio was killed as a criminal? There were attempts which Bonifacio be given a symbolic burial at Monumento (despite having his ashes long lost after the war) but the government trumps it out of the events leading to his execution at Cavity such as "conspiracy to overthrow Aguinaldo", while Marcos, whose crimes been trumped down by the Judges and its apologetics, end buried in a sacred plot that ironically buried some corrupt soldiers whose crimes end mysteriously dismissed by some corrupted magistrates.

Anyway, back to the topic, the situation makes it clear that everyone is trying to awake from their slumber or trying to get out from their pampered zones. And despite agreeable how President Duterte speaks about the need for unity and dedication to service, what kind of unity and dedication to service is he talking about? Is it unity in pursuit of attaining justice and freedom or plain simple conformity to an order based from fear and deception? Is dedication to service beyond politics or just plain simple old school affirmation of patronage?

After all, Since the time everyone hears controversies related to his life, of seeing his machismo moves and spewing statements from his arsenic mouth, people disregards it altogether for his "populism", as being emphasised, meant swift imposition of justice if not efficient distribution of welfare.

And in it makes it appeared that it had united everyone from all walks of life, and willing to dedicate their services like their chosen leader "all for the country's good, right or wrong." 

And despite seeing its numerous results such as in making efficiencies in government service be it welfare or making passports, his administration it is still marred by his personal flaws or even the reality that he still represents the old order everyone abhorred over. Also to think that with the appointment of left wingers in the cabinet did helped in trying to realise some basic calls such as land reform or social welfare, as well as the willingness to have a dialogue with the underground left in pursuit of unity, yet does not translate to silencing the left from opposing his moves related to human rights and its alignment towards neoliberal interests.

And this time with the issue of having the late dictator being buried, isn't it that obvious how the President who afforded to talk with the left has made the latter disgusted? They all dedicated their lives to a worthy cause that even he himself did babble about like social justice and national redemption, but to have a tyrant and a puppet be buried in what everyone thinks as "hollowed ground for heroes" instead of abiding by the tyrant's promise to "be buried beside his mother" means rubbing salt to the wounds of those who are physically if not emotionally tortured by the system all because of its belief and its struggle what this person stated in this post.

As shown by the recent protests, one would say that reconciliation will never happen without justice, and moving on is actually telling everyone to forget the horrors if not to disregard the fact how the rotten order has left a trail of blood and debt amidst numerous public works to those of bulgur wheat, nutribun, or Kadiwa. 

Anyway, despite all the situations, the President's statement urging people to live up the Bonifacio spirit is to be observed, for reality has urged everyone to bombard the headquarters of those who slander and repress the people, and to usher a new hope knowing that another world is possible.