A guilty holiday feeling!

I thank Andres Bonifacio for being a hero. And because of this, everyone in the country enjoyed a long holiday weekend.

I have always written about how our country has too many national holidays and fiestas throughout the year. I’m not a hypocrite to say that I don’t indulge in them. My mind has actually been conditioned since birth that at least once a month we will either get a good break – that is from a public holiday or because of a storm heading our way. Now that I am older I surely devour every break but at the back of my mind I know there are just too many. Holidays can add injury to government work, to schools, to businesses, to construction projects, to banks – hurting the economy in so many ways.

But that is not why I feel guilty. The guilt kicks in when everyone who looks forward to celebrating the holiday doesn’t even know why we have it. Every time we observe a holiday, we must know its significance to make it more meaningful. I made a small survey asking people around what public holiday we are commemorating and only 4 out of 10 people were able to give me the name of Andres Bonifacio. I then asked another group of people coming from different sectors, age groups and strata who Andres Bonifacio was. I got different responses: (1) He is a hero; (2) I really don’t know; (3) He fought in the revolution; (4) He is the owner of Fort Bonifacio; (5) He founded The Fort. I know these may sound shallow but ask your friends, your drivers, the security guards around even the children around you and you will surely get similar responses.

When a government observes a national/ public holiday shouldn’t it make sure that the people are one with them in celebrating the occasion? There are many ways each government department can do to fulfill the objectives or meet the goal of the event. Or maybe no objectives have been set – it has just been a tradition that must be practiced. Wow! This was such a waste of time, letting the day pass without leaving a memory of the special day behind. Hoisting a flag and singing to the statue of the hero is not enough. More creative things using all forms of media we have around must be done.

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Who was Andres Bonifacio? The most important contribution he made was that he led the Philippine Revolution of 1896. Records from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines showed that Andres Bonifacio was barely 14 years old when he was orphaned. He assumed the responsibility of raising his younger siblings. He peddled paper fans and wooden canes just to meet the family’s daily needs. Since he could not afford a formal education for himself, he gained knowledge by reading during his free time. Bonifacio wanted to go to school but could not afford.

When Bonifacio worked as a clerk for Fleming and Company, he also worked as a poster maker to augment his income. Later in 1896, he moved to another English company known as Fressels Company where he worked as an agent.

Like any other Indio of his time, Bonifacio felt the social malaise as a result of oppressive Spanish colonial administration (today this oppression is subtly felt from our modern day politicos). To make people aware of this condition, he sold revolutionary leaflets near UST. He also joined La Liga Filipina which was founded by Rizal.

With strong patriotism and love for the mother tongue, he wrote essays for the Kalayaan, the official organ of the Katipunan in Tagalog.

Although his detractors thought of him as an arrogant man, he showed humility when he withdrew the Decalogue he wrote that contained the teachings of the Katipunan to give way to Emilio Jacinto’s, Mga Aral ng Katipunan which he found more superior to his own.

These are the values that characterize the identity of Bonifacio. He may have been regarded as a fiery, hot-tempered, impatient rebel, but the truth is he had a deep sense of sincerity and truthfulness in his heart.

Fast forward: Is there anyone amongst our leaders today who can stand up to the kind of man Bonifacio was? I doubt it. We have more hoodlums than heroes in government today. Many of our public servants are tyrants, people enveloped with envy and greed whose leadership mean nothing and can be sold to the highest bidder. God help us!

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Can the President afford to be sick? Presidents around the world are the hardest working individuals, so they say. Well, if they aren’t they should. They campaigned for the position and knew that this is the most challenging work in the world.

That said, every President must learn to cope with the hard work and demands of the job by taking care of himself and assuring the public who voted for him that he is in tip top shape – meaning healthy in body, mind, heart and spirit. They must eat the healthiest food, exercise regularly and have a good night sleep. Not to mention – stop smoking!

It is quite obvious that our President has not been spared from this concern and issue. When I see P-Noy coughing during his speeches to the point of almost chocking – I feel sorry for him but also embarrassed. And the more the Palace talks to save him from the petty talks about his health, the sadder the situation becomes.

It was such a pity to see our President leave a gala dinner for Asian heads of state and other world leaders in Cambodia during the 21st ASEAN Summit due to a health issue. What was even more disappointing was when he had to cancel an appointment with the International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde during his visit to Australia and New Zealand due to a bum stomach. I know people get sick but our President cannot afford to get sick – our country needs him. If we continue to have a sick president what will happen to us?

Last week, Secretary of Health, Ona suggested that the President take a “sick” leave for seemingly being overworked. Susmariosep! I’m not quite sure if this statement has done good or more harm to the President’s image. One thing is for sure – it has alarmed the public all the more. Sanamagan!

I pray for your good health sir, but please take care of yourself – sacrifices have to be made in order to become a healthier President. You have the most important work in the land. We need you to be healthy in the same way we need healthy government officials and civilian workers to do the job and get things done!