Bonifacio Day
Next: November 30, 2026
A fan seller who started a revolution.
The story
Where it comes from
Bonifacio Day marks the birth of Andrés Bonifacio in Tondo, Manila, on 30 November 1863. As the eldest child, he helped provide for his younger siblings by making and selling paper fans and wooden canes; he also worked as a messenger and warehouseman, and educated himself through reading. In July 1892 he helped found the Katipunan, the secret society that launched the Philippine Revolution of 1896, and became its Supremo. The Philippine Legislature made 30 November a legal holiday in 1921, and it remains a regular national holiday.
How it's celebrated
The national commemoration is held at the Bonifacio National Monument in Caloocan, where the President or a representative leads flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Simultaneous rites are held at monuments across the country, and members of the Bonifacio family have joined the ceremony in Caloocan.
Did you know
- Bonifacio was born on the feast of Saint Andrew and was named after the saint.
- The Bonifacio Monument by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino was unveiled on 30 November 1933, and the area around it is still known simply as 'Monumento'.
- Bonifacio Day is the Philippines' second-oldest history-based national holiday, after Rizal Day.
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