Guillermo Tolentino's Supremo Bonifacio Monument

On February 23, 1918, an Act was passed to build a national monument for Supremo Andres Bonifacio, known as Father of Philippine Revolution for picking up his gun and bolo fighting for the total independence of Haring Bayang Katagalugan against the Spanish colonizers. Act No. 2760 was passed by the Philippine Legislature, of which former Katipuneros, specially Supremo's friend and comrade, Guillermo Masangkay led the move to build the national monument. Inaugurated on the 70th birth anniversary of Bonifacio (November 30, 1933), the monument demonstrates National Artist Guillermo Tolentino's philosophy that a megalith should be factual and symbolical. Tolentino painstakingly researched and interviewed people who had known Andres Bonifacio, going so far as to even consult a "espiritista" (spirit medium) to discern the true likeness and character of the Supremo.

Supremo Bonifacio wears a "Balintawak Costume" white camisa de chino and red pants, Tolentino basing it on the yearly fiesta of San Bartolome of Malabon, the patron saint of knives and bolos, the only time Tagalogs were allowed by the Spanish Cortes to carry knives and bolos to be bless during the fiesta wearing their "Balintawak" costume . And on this occasion the Supremo took advantage of the fiesta to stage the "First Cry of the Revolution" at Balintawak, the place where devotees passed on the way to Malabon.

The massive structure with figures and design symbolizing the causes of the Philippine Revolution:
# ...Supremo is facing Tondo the place of his birth
# ...octagonal base with an eight-rayed sun symbolized the first eight provinces placed under martial law for revolting against Spain
# ...45-foot tall pylon bearing the winged figure of Victory
# ...pylon or obelisk is composed of five parts corresponding to the five aspects of the society, Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan
# ...the base is an octagon, the eight sides standing for the first eight provinces to rise against Spain
# ...the base rises in three steps, each step alluding to each century of Spanish rule
# ...the very pools of water that surround the central obelisk were a nod to Rizal's comparison of the Filipino temper to water vital, its mien ever-changing, raging when provoked, an "elemental force," which was among the motifs used in his El Filibusterismo: "That water is very mild and can be drunk, but that it drowns out the wine and beer and puts out the fire, that heated it becomes steam, and that ruffled it is the ocean, that it once destroyed mankind and made the earth tremble to its foundations!"
...Tolentino modelled the figure's bone structure after Bonifacio's surviving younger sister Espiridiona. Tolentino's sacred classical realist aesthetic has, perhaps, given us a Bonifacio so unlike the volatile man of action that has bled into our collective psyche but was nonetheless the best approximation of the man so few could ever define so accurately.
- ka tony
- the 23 of November, '14

Kaunting Bato, Kaunting Semento Monumento at Ano Ang Sagisag Nito?

Nais kong bigyan ng pagpuna ang bantayog na dinesenyo ng maestro Guillermo Tolentino para sa Supremo Bonifacio na punong-puno ng kahulugan. Nais ko rin ihambing ang bantayog ng Supremo na ang tanging layunin ay para sa buong kalayaan ng Haring Bayang Katagalugan, sa monumento ni Rizal na ang hangarin ay reporma sa abusadong mga prayle ng simbahang Katoliko at sa pamamalakad ng Kastilang cortes.

# ...maestro Guillermo Tolentino, lokal na eskulptor ang siyang nagdesenyo ng bantayog ng Supremo Bonifacio. Isang naman istranhero Suwisong esculptor, Richard Kissing ang nagdesenyo sa monumento ng ilustradong Rizal.
# ...punong-puno ng kahulugan ang bawat sulok ang bantayog ng Supremo. Kompara naman sa wala ni ano mang kahulugan ang monumentong "“Motto Stella (Guiding Star) ni Rizal bukod sa tatlong tala na sumasagisag ng Luzon, Bisayas at Mindanao.
# ...ang imahen ng Supremo ay inihulma ng maestro Tolentino sa mukha ni Espiridiona Bonifacio, taging nabubuhay na kapatid ng Supremo noon. Bilang isang esperitista, si maestro Tolentino ay tinawag ang espirito ng Supremo upang bigyan siya ng pahintulot at maalinaw ang kaanyuhan ng bayani. Ang imahen ni Rizal ay itinulad ng eskulptor na Richard Kissing sa napakaraming mga larawan ng sikat na ilustradong Rizal.
# ...sa bantayog ng Supremo siya ay may hawak na baril at tabak na nagsasagisag na taging armadong himagsikan lamang matatamo ang kabuoang kalayaan ng ating bayan laban sa kolonyalismo. Si Rizal ay ipinakitang may hawak na dalawang aklat na kaniyang sinulat at ibinunyag ang pagaabusong at kalupitang ginawa ng mga prayle at pamahalang cortes.
# ...ang namuno upang maitayo ang bantayog ng Supremo ay ang kasamang Katipunero at tapat na kaibigan niyang Guillermo Masangkay. Ang humiling na magtayo ng monumento ni Rizal ay ang United States Philippine Commission at ginawa naman itong batas Act No. 243 ni Governor-General William Howard Taft.
# ...ang bantayog ng Supremo ay nasa masang lugar ng Balintawak na kung saan ang daanan araw-araw ng mga manggagawa na pumapasok sa kanikanilang pinagtatrabahuhan. Ang pinagtirikan ng bantayog ng Supremo sa Balintawak ay isa sa pinaniniwalaan na kung saan ginanap ang "Unang Sigaw" bilang simula ng armadong himagsikan para sa ating kabuoang kalayaan. Ang pinagtatayuan ng monumento ni Rizal ay isang parke na pangturista, na dati'y napakaraming makabayan, bayani ang pinatay at nagbuwis ng kanilang buhay, Bagumbayan o Luneta subalit ang lugar na ito'y ipinangalan na Rizal Park, alay sa pangunahing bayani na pinili ng mga kolonyalistang Amerikano para sa atin. Dito rin inilipat, inilibing ang labi ni Rizal at dito rin ginaganap ang taon-taong selebrasyon ng ating pekeng kalayaang deneklara ng taksil na Aquinaldo.
# ...ang imahen ng Supremo sa kaniyang bantayog ay nakatingin sa pinagmulan niyang masang Tondo, na tila naghihintay sa kung sino ang magpapatuloy sa kaniyang naputol na masang himagsikan. Ang imahen ni Rizal sa kaniyang monumento ay nakaharap at nakatingin sa malayong dagat na tila nais na muling maglakbay at iwanan, talikuran na muli ang bayang punong-puno ng suliranin, kaya siguro mayroong nagbabantay na sundalo sa kaniyang monumento.

...taong 2011 ang Rizal Park ay lalong pinaganda at muling binigyan ng panibagong pangaalaga ng National Parks Development Committee, tulad ng Dancing Fountain, Flower Clock, ang Noli Me Tangere Garden at ang Luzviminda Boardwalk, para sa ika-150 selebrasyon ng kapanganakan ni Jose Rizal. Kamakailan ay binigyan ng malaking pagpuna ng media at mga mamamayan tungkol sa isang mataas na gusaling itinatayo na nakakasira raw sa paningin sa monumento ni Rizal.

Ang bantayog ng Supremo Bonifacio sa Balintawak ay tila uling sa dumi dahil sa makakapal at malagis na usok ng mga nagdadaanang sasakyang pampubliko. Ito'y napapaligiran ng malalaswa at bayolenteng mga nagtataasang billboard ng mga sinehan. Natatakpan pa ito ng napakataas at napakaingay na LRT, tuloy hindi na makita ng Supremo ang kaniyang pinagmulang masang Tondo. Kaawa-awang Supremo, inagawan na ng liderato, pinatay ng pataksil ng mga mapulitikong Magdalo, inaagawan pa ng mga kabayanihang titolo! Subalit tulad mo, hihintayin namin ang susunod na "Bonifacio" upang ipagpatuloy ang naputol mong masang himagsikan na iyong sinimulan. Mabuhay ka aming Supremo Bonifacio!!!
- ka tony
ika-23 ng Nobiyembre '14
para sa ika-151 kaarawan ng Supremo Bonifacio 

The Virgin of Thousand Miracles and the Patroness of the Galleons

Every month of November an icon is borne across Manila Bay to honor this patroness of the galleons - "Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga" or commonly known as Our Lady of Porta Vaga, is the patroness of Cavite province. She is titled as "Reina de Cavite," "La Excelsa Patrona y La Celestial Guardiana y Protectora de la Provincia de Cavite y su Puerto" is one of the most reverent Marian images in the Philippines. She witnessed galleons built at Sangley Point and blessed hundreds of galleons sailed and returned of the 250 years of the infamous Manila/Acapulco Galleon Trade.

Her feast is celebrated every second Sunday of November in Cavite City, where She is honored as the Patroness of the entire city. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga is also celebrated during Lenten rites as well as the customary observance of All Saints/All Souls Day, where she's referred to as "Inang Magkakandila," the image is given a Pontifical high mass at Binondo Church (Minor Basilica of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz). In 1892, the Philippine National Anthem composer Julian Felipe, composed a hymn called "Reina de Cavite" on her honor.

On March 16, 1984, the icon was stolen, after months of search it was recovered on August, 1984, the icon was stripped off all its original gold decorations and precious stones. Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga - the patroness of the galleons was re-enshrined in her altar by devotees include OFWs and other foreign nationals who flock Manila Bay and Cavite to join the Porta Vaga Festival.
- ka tony
**photo courtesy of our good friend Jing Lo Puertollano