Bonifacio Day greeted with observance, protests

CEBUANOS remembered Filipino revolutionary and hero Andres Bonifacio on his 158th birth anniversary on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021 not just through a solemn celebration but also through protests.

At 8 a.m., the Cebu City Government held a wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of the Filipino revolutionary at Plaza Independencia.

The activity was spearheaded by the Cebu City Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (CHAC) and attended by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Vice Mayor and CHAC Chairman Donaldo Hontiveros and City Councilor Joel Garganera.

In his speech, Hontiveros urged Cebuanos to remember Bonifacio and his fight for freedom by continuously fighting the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rama said with Covid-19 vaccines now available and in abundance, he urged Cebuanos to avail of them as a way to finally break free from the pandemic’s grasp.

“Covid-19 remains our biggest fight yet. Like Andres Bonifacio and the members of the Katipunan, I call on you to join this new revolution. We ask that you shed blood just like in any revolution. But this will only be a small drop from a needle’s insertion,” Hontiveros added.

Rama and Garganera also stressed the importance of getting vaccinated as a way to protect others from getting infected.

But as city officials reminisced on Bonifacio’s legacy at the Plaza Independencia, various cause-oriented groups gathered in different parts of Cebu to remember the Filipino revolutionary’s life through rallies.

In downtown Cebu City, members of Bayan Cebu, AMA-Sugbo-KMU, Kabataan Partylist and other progressive groups assembled on Colon Street to voice out their sentiments about different societal issues.

During their demonstration, the protesters expressed their dismay against the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and his policies.

Police officers were able to disperse the demonstrators after giving them a few minutes to carry out their protests.

In Mandaue City, members of Sanlakas, Partido Lakas ng Masa, Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino and women’s group Oriang were supposed to stage a protest in front of the Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City, but police officers warned them against it since they had not secured a permit from the local government of Mandaue.

After minutes of negotiation, Police Lieutenant Kerwin Bejer of the Mandaue City Police Office allowed them to have a pictorial and face the members of the media to air their concerns.

Sanlakas Cebu Secretary-General Teodorico Navea told reporters that they gathered during Bonifacio Day to call on the government to give aid during the pandemic and more job opportunities to Filipinos, and to improve health services.