Recently, Malacañang Palace decided to move the declaration of a national holiday for Bonifacio Day from November 30 (the date of Andres Bonifacio’s birth) to November 27.
The move was ostensibly brought by the so-called “holiday economics” – the policy of the government to move public holidays to the nearest weekend to enable the public to enjoy longer breaks from work and school.
However, the move sparked concerns by some sectors who believe that this renders the entire idea of commemorating our national heroes meaningless.
Like, ano pa ba ang silbi ng pag-alaala natin sa ating mga bayani kung ang mismong petsa ay binabago natin?
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As I discussed in my column some months ago, there’s a growing concern among historians in our country about how many historical facts are now being “distorted.”
To be clear once again, I side with those who would rather use the word “distortion” rather than “revision” when updating historical facts.
There’s nothing wrong with revising facts per se, especially if research discovers additional evidence that may agree with or contradict already accepted facts.
One example of this is the National Historical Commission of the Philippines’ (NHCP) declaration earlier this year that the Spanish-era painter Juan Luna was born on October 25, 1857, not October 23 as most historians had previously accepted.
However, it’s when dates or facts are changed to suit the whims of an individual or a group that it becomes “historical distortion.”
And by opting to change the date of the commemoration of Bonifacio Day to suit the practice of giving people the perks of “long holidays,” some have charged, aren’t we making Filipinos – especially the youth – to forget, even disregard, why are we honoring Bonifacio’s gallantry?
It’s a double slap in the face for most Bonifacio supporters who had lamented that his death in 1897 came at the hands not of the Spanish colonizers but of his fellow Filipinos who were allegedly jealous of his stature as the founder of the Katipunan.
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And by the way, some (including historian Xiao Chua) have quipped that by moving the commemoration of Bonifacio Day to November 27, the Marcos administration may have unwittingly honored another important figure in the country’s history.
November 27, it turned out, is the birthday of “Marcial Bonifacio” – the alias used by the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. when he went home (only to be assassinated at the airport that now bears his name) in 1983.
What an irony that the son of Ninoy’s biggest political nemesis would (inadvertently) treat his birthday as a holiday, especially when the anniversary of the popular revolt that drove the Marcoses from power in 1986 wasn’t even declared a holiday this year!
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