DOT, NHCP's 'Byaheng Bonifacio' contest takes tourists on history trip

Published July 30, 2013 5:06pm

(Updated 1:47 p.m., 1 August 2013) One hundred and fifty years ago, the man who would become one of the pillars of the fight for our country's independence was born to a tailor and a factory worker in Tondo.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the Department of Tourism (DOT) will be honoring the birth anniversary of Andres Bonifacio with a slate of events in August, which is History Month, and for the rest of the year.

Collectively called “Bonifacio@150, Dangal at Kabayanihan,” the events include a race to visit important sites where important events in Bonifacio's life occurred.

At a press conference highlighted by rousing performances from the Andres Bonifacio Choir, a panel from the NHCP announced the schedule of events, which includes:

stagings of "Rock Supremo," a “ballet of rock music” on Sept. 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' (CCP) Little Theater and on November 29 in Bonifacio Global City;
performances of “San Andres B”: an opera with a libretto by National Artist Virgilio Almario and music by Chino Toledo, directed by Floy Quintos;
"Knowing Lolo Andres through his grandson," a lecture and open discussion to be held on August 10 at the Pinaglabanan Memorial Shrine in San Juan;
the opening of the Museo ng Katipunan on August 27, also at the Pinaglabanan shrine;
the Alay at Laya international conference on Bonifacio and Apolinario Mabini (who will be celebrating his 150th birth anniversary next year), from April 17 to 19, 2014;
"Bonifacio para sa kabataan," a multi-arts learning tour for schoolchildren to be held in Cebu City and General Santos City;
flag-raising and wreath-laying rites at sites associated with Bonifacio on November 30; and
Bonifacio chronology timeline exhibit featuring the important events in Bonifacio's life to be mounted in various Philippine consulates and embassies abroad.

NHCP head Dr. Serena Diokno (second from right) and other members of the historical commission announced the events honoring Bonifacio to be held this year. Photo by Barbara Marchadesch

'Byaheng Bonifacio'

"Byaheng Bonifacio: Byaheng Bayani ng Bayan" is a contest for domestic and international tourists and requires the participants to visit 16 sites in Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Rizal and Cavite.

They must take a photo of themselves at each site, paste the photo in a brochure provided by the NHCP, and submit the completed brochure to the NHCP.

The first 100 participants to finish the route and submit the brochure will receive a token and a certificate from the NHCP.

The participants may get their Byaheng Bonifacio brochures at the NHCP building on T.M. Kalaw Street, Manila.

They will shoulder all the costs incurred in completing the contest requirements, and present the brochure and a valid ID to an authorized NHCP representative.

The sites to visit

Tutuban (Tutuban Mall, C.M. Recto Ave., Manila), where Andres Bonifacio was born;
The K.K.K. foundation site at El Cano cor. Recto Ave., Manila;
Binondo Church at Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz, Binondo, Manila, where Bonifacio and Gregoria de Jesus were married in 1893;
The site of the Cry of Pugad Lawin: Seminary Road, Brgy. Bahay Toro, Quezon City;
Krus na Ligas, Quezon City, a site where Bonifacio rested;
Pinaglabanan Shrine, Pinaglabanan St., San Juan City, where the siege of San Juan del Monte occurred;
Hagdang Bato (Hagdang Bato Barangay Center, A. Bonifacio St., Mandaluyong City), where Bonifacio distributed guns to Katipuneros;
Pasig Catholic Church/Valentin Cruz residence (Caruncho Ave., M.H. Del Pilar St., Pasig City), where Bonifacio and Katipuneros met at the house of fellow Katipunero Valentin Cruz near the church;
Imus Plaza (Tirona St., Poblacion, Imus, Cavite), where the Magdiwang and Magdalo factions met to discuss the framing of the constitution in 1896;
The site of the tribunal (Gen. Antonio St., Poblacio, Noveleta, Cavite) where Bonifacio established the Magdiwang provincial council;
The site of the Tejeros Convention: Gen. Trias Drive, Brgy. Tejeros, Rosario, Cavite;
12. Pinagbarilan (Brgy. Limbon, Indang, Cavite), where Bonifacio was shot and captured by Aguinaldo's men and his brother Ciriaco killed;
Casa Hacienda de Naic (Brgy. C. Nazareno, Poblacion, Naic, Cavite), where Nonifacio was imprisoned after being captured in Indang;
The trial house on Col. Riel St., Maragondon, Cavite, where Bonifacio and his brother Procopio were tried;
The Bonifacio execution site at Brgy. Pinagsanhan, Maragondon, Cavite; and
Pamitinan Cave, Sitio Wawa, Brgy. San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal, where Bonifacio and other Katipunan members held their society's secret initiation rites and wrote “Viva la Independencia!” on the walls of the cave.

The contest, say the organizers, gives the public the chance "to rediscover and visit the sites associated with Bonifacio's life." — Barbara Marchadesch/VC, GMA News

To get the Byaheng Bonifacio: Byaheng Bayani ng Bayan brochure, contact the Historic Sites and Education Division of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines on T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila at 254-7482 local 131 or 523-1019, or email hsed@nhcp.gov.ph

For more information, visit the the Department of Tourism and the NHCP's websites, or the NHCP's Facebook page.

Tags: bonifacio, andresbonifacio, nhcp, tourism, departmentoftourism