ANDRES Bonifacio was born 159 years ago, but the contribution of the Father of the Philippine Revolution to the country is not lost on the young.

Several Gen Z students interviewed by republicasia shared their thoughts on Bonifacio and remembered him as a courageous fighter who stood up for the Philippines. 

They also recognized the monumental role he played in the country’s history. 

This is what Gen Zs have to say about Bonifacio:

Gerald said that for him, Andres Bonifacio is the “real definition of a hero.”

“Bonifacio started a revolution. Instead of credit-grabbing, he chose to fight,” Gerald said.

For Ashley, Bonifacio is somebody she has looked up to since she was young because he braved challenges to fight for the country.

“Hindi siya nagtatago sa kahit anumang kinakatakutan niya po. Nagpursige po siya na ipaglaban ang ating bansa po,” she said.

Another student, Shane, said Bonifacio should be considered the country’s national hero because of what he did. 

“Siya yung physically lumaban para sa bansa natin, sa bayan natin,” she said.

Wesley said Bonifacio could have been the country’s first president, had he not been killed.

“Basta ano po siya, matapang na bayani,” he added.

Coleen, another student, said she salutes Bonifacio for his accomplishments.

“Grabe din yung naimbag niya sa bansa natin. Naging parte siya ng kasaysayan natin. Kung wala siya, wala tayo ngayon,” she said.

Bonifacio was born in Manila and died at the age of 33 in Cavite,

He is considered the Father of the Philippine Revolution and founded the Katipunan to fight for Philippine independence against Spanish colonial rule.

The Philippines observes Bonifacio Day every November 30, his birth date, and it is a non-working holiday.

There have been calls to declare Bonifacio a national hero for not just writing about the oppression and exploitation of Filipinos under colonial rule, but also taking action against it.

Do Filipino students need to learn more about Bonifacio?

There is a pending bill in the House of Representatives, filed last July, seeking to include the life works, and ideals of Bonifacio in the curricula of all secondary schools, colleges, and universities. 

Kabataan party list Rep. Raoul Manuel, who filed the measure, told republicasia that his proposed legislation intends to give the spotlight to Bonifacio and address the fact that what is taught in the current curriculum is too little to show the extent of what Bonifacio accomplished. 

A more extensive discussion would teach students about how a hero’s accomplishments are not achieved alone but are a result of people coming together to achieve the goal of fighting for the country’s freedom, he said.

Once Bonifacio is included in the curriculum, classroom discussions could even delve into other issues concerning him, such as whether he should be declared a national hero or considered the first Philippine president, he noted. 

He also said introducing a course on Bonifacio in high school and college would strengthen the values of nationalism and socialism.

“Lessons on national independence, collective action, civic consciousness, and patriotism will be inculcated among the students and transform the youth into catalysts for the change needed for personal, community, and national development,” he said in his explanatory note.