30/11/2025
ANDRES BONIFACIO (Nov. 30, 1863 - May 10, 1897)
Andres Bonifacio was a Philippine patriot, founder and leader of the nationalist Katipunan society, who instigated the revolt of August 1896 against the Spanish.
Unlike the nationalist poet and novelist Josรฉ Rizal, who wanted to reform Spanish rule in the Philippines, Bonifacio advocated complete independence from Spain. In 1892 he founded the Katipunan in Manila, modelling its organization and ceremony on that of the Masonic order. Its members were mostly workers and peasants; the urban middle class supported reform rather than revolution.
In August 1896 Bonifacio led the long-planned insurrection on Luzon; but his forces were defeated by Spanish troops, and he was forced to retreat to Montalban in the north. In March 1897, a convention at Tejeros named Emilio Aguinaldo, rather than Bonifacio, president of a new Philippine republic. Refusing to recognize the convention, Bonifacio tried to establish his own rebel government. In April 1897 Aguinaldo had Bonifacio arrested and tried for treason; he was executed by a firing squad. (Britannica, 2025)
Andres Bonifacio's story embodies the DeMolay's 7th Cardinal Virtue, Patriotism. His undying fidelity to his mother land and his defiance against the Spanish oppression, along with his courage and tenacity as a leader, despite all odds being against him, is an example of which leaders from this generation must follow. He was the definition of a true citizen, a leader, and a man. His courage and vision continue to inspire modern Filipinos to act with integrity, love their country, and contribute meaningfully to society.
โFOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY, FOR DEMOLAYโ
ANDRES BONIFACIO DAY
November 30, 2025