When Loving One’s Homeland Means Jumping into the Abyss
A Bonifacio Day Reflection
This Bonifacio Day, Filipinos were urged to emulate the heroism of Andrés Bonifacio, with President Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte delivering messages of unity and patriotism. Marcos spoke of addressing hunger and corruption, while Duterte called for a renewed love for country. Yet, these calls for action seemed detached from the stark realities of a nation grappling with systemic corruption, social inequality, a mendicant foreign policy, and a crisis of collective responsibility.
Bonifacio’s life and struggles provide a more complex and sobering understanding of what it means to love one’s country. His decision to lead a rebellion against Spanish colonial rule was not born of convenience but desperation. The rebellion, fraught with internal strife and betrayal, nearly collapsed under the weight of its own divisions. His strong disapproval of Emilio Aguinaldo and his clique led to the ultimate tragedy of his life—betrayed and killed (or disappeared) in the mountains of Magpatong, Buntis, and Tala.
But despite the tragic end of his life, Bonifacio’s humanity and his powerful call for solidarity endure. His writings, born of anguish and conviction, continue to resonate with the same urgency today. He wrote:
“Reason teaches us that we must be united in will, united in thought, and that we might have strength to search out the reigning evil in our Nation. This is the time for the light of truth to surface; this is the time for us to show that we have our own sentiments, have honour, have shame, and have solidarity.”
These are not the lofty ideals of a detached leader but the urgent plea of a man who had seen his country suffer under the weight of colonial oppression. Bonifacio’s love for his homeland was not a passive sentiment or mere rhetoric—it was a radical call to action. His proximity to the struggles of the common people, his rejection of false promises, and his commitment to collective strength defined his vision of patriotism.
In another striking passage, Bonifacio reminds us of the cost of complacency:
“Reason teaches us that we cannot expect anything but more suffering, more treachery, more insults, and more slavery. Reason teaches us not to waste time hoping for the promised prosperity that will never come and never materialise… Reason teaches us to be united in will, united in thought, and united in purpose and that we might have strength to combat the prevailing evil in our Nation.”
These words are a reminder that patriotism is not an aesthetic to be trotted out during commemorations. It is not a shield to hide behind or a soothing balm for the nation’s wounds. True patriotism, as Bonifacio understood, is a dangerous and demanding path. It is a leap into the abyss, an act of defiance against the reigning evils of society, and a commitment to unity in the face of despair.
As the Philippines continues to struggle with corruption, inequality, and crises of leadership, Bonifacio’s message remains painfully relevant. Loving one’s homeland requires more than rhetoric—it requires action. It calls for confronting systemic injustices, rejecting empty promises, and building a nation based on collective resolve and solidarity.
This Bonifacio Day, the challenge is not simply to remember his heroism but to learn from his humanity. Bonifacio’s life was marked by struggle, betrayal, and sacrifice, but it was also guided by an unshakable belief in the power of truth, honor, and unity. To honor him is to take up his call—not as a distant ideal, but as a living mandate to fight for the nation he loved.