Textbook history records the rivalry between two Cavite factions of the Katipunan. “Magdalo” was headed by Emilio Aguinaldo, who chose his nom de guerre Magdalo in honor of Mary Magdalene, the patron saint of Kawit.
Last year we celebrated the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of Jose Rizal. Next year it will be another birth sesquicentennial, this time for Andres Bonifacio and Mariano Ponce. In 2014 it will be Isabelo de los Reyes’ turn. All these revolutionaries were about the same age, joining the revolt against Spain in their late 20s.
Heroes are different from statesmen because while statesmen acquire their authority from political decisions, that of heroes comes from public esteem. Heroes become the exemplars of civic virtue because they consecrate their lives to the pursuit of the common good. For them, the purpose of politics is to form citizens who have the will and the capability to work for the future of an entire community. Statesmen are often drawn from the ranks of heroes, but what ultimately sets them apart is not their heroic quality but their adeptness in the ways of modern politics.
ONCE UPON a time, Teodoro A. Agoncillo, in response to persistent requests for historical markers relative to Jose Rizal, growled, “Aba! Pati ba naman eskinitang inihian ni Rizal ibig lagyan ng marker!?” I remembered Agoncillo as we celebrated Rizal’s 150th birthday with many different activities and I am glad that most, if not all, Rizal [...]
AS A student of history, I wish to register my humble objection to the trivialization of KKK (Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan) by giving it new meanings (Kaibigan, Kaklase at Kabarilan) with derogatory slant. While many of us have reason to disapprove of President Aquino’s choice of appointees, we should not go [...]
