The binibini is now a lakambini

Behind the success of every man is a woman — most likely nagging the husband what to do next.

I don’t know about our Filipino heroes, but even the fiercest and most courageous among them always had their wives standing beside them. Diego Silang had his wife Maria Josefa Gabriela bravely taking over his battle against Spanish rule after his assassination.

Jose Rizal had Josephine Bracken — although supposedly there was a power struggle between la dulce estranjera and Rizal sisters.

Andres Bonifacio, of course, had Gregoria de Jesus and she will always be looked up to as one of the most loved, admired and respected women in Philippine history.

Born to a wealthy and prominent family — her father was a gobernadorcillo — Gregoria enjoyed the good life before she married Andres and became the Lakambini of the Katipunan.

She was only 18 when they wed at the Binondo Church in March of 1893. The week after they got married, Gregoria officially joined the Katipunan her husband had founded.

No, the Lakambini tag was not a beauty contest title. With that came responsibilities — foremost of which is being the official keeper of the Katipunan records. Alongside with that, she also fought the Spaniards together with her husband and the other revolutionaries. And now, women of today complain about having to do multi-tasking chores.

In the jungles, she had to bear with no food the whole day, sleep on the ground, drink murky water or the bitter sap from vines.

But unlike Gabriela Silang who was hanged after being captured by the enemies, Gregoria at least enjoyed the peaceful life with the end of the revolution against Spain. After she got widowed she married a second time — to Julio Nakpil, the katipunero musician tasked by Bonifacio to compose what could have been the Philippine national anthem, Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan.

She bore Nakpil eight children and one of them grew up to be the great architect Juan.

On a lighter note, aside from being skilled with handling arms Gregoria also knew her way around the kitchen. She was said to be the type of kitchen wiz who could tell if a dish still cooking on the stove needed more salt by just smelling it. She simply was just Aling Oriang by then.

I doubt, of course, if Mario O’Hara, who directs Ang Paglilitis ni Bonifacio still included such details in this historical movie that is part of the ongoing Cinemalaya. The film topbills Alfred Vargas as Bonifacio — with Lance Raymundo as Emilio Aguinaldo.

The role of Gregoria de Jesus is played by Danielle Castaño, 2008 Binibining Pilipinas-World.

Although her mother appeared in a number of Viva movies in the mid-‘80s — using the screen name Eppie Muriel — Danielle never entertained dreams of becoming an actress as a child. Originally, she wanted to be a nurse, except that the beauty contest opened opportunities for her to be part of showbiz.

No, she didn’t expect roles to just land on her lap — all because she’s a titled beauty. During the auditions for roles in the various Cinemalaya projects, she went to the CCP to try out parts.

On her way out, she was spotted by O’Hara, who happened to be at the CCP for another business. He had her summoned. After taking a good look at her features and an interview on how she manages her emotional crises, the director asked her again if she really wanted to try it out as an actress.

After a few days, she was asked by O’Hara to audition for the part of Gregoria — and report without makeup. She was made to read lines from the script and they exchanged dialogues. Obviously, O’Hara liked her and shortly after, she was playing Gregoria.

But first the balikbayan beauty had to brush up on Philippine history. Although she and her family returned to the Philippines when she was eight and spent elementary at Assumption in Antipolo, she eventually had to continue with her studies at Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, California when they flew back to the US when she was 13.

Doing her first film role was no easy task, especially since she had to play a historical character and she had to show the strong side of Gregoria de Jesus. But Alfred Vargas, she says, was there to support her all the time.

To her surprise, O’Hara became a father figure to her on the set and she found no reason to get scared of him at all — after she kept hearing that “he was a terror.”

Danielle isn’t sure yet if she will continue acting in the movies because there are also modeling jobs to consider in Indonesia.

As of the moment she is just grateful that she had earned another title for herself aside from being Binibining Pilipinas-World. Yes, she prides herself in being Lakambini ng Katipunan — at least, on film.