The journey kicked off at the foundation site of the KKK in Recto“Biyaheng Bonifacio: Biyaheng Bayani ng Bayan” is a tourism heritage promotional campaign of the Department of Tourism in partnership with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

According to the organizers, this Bonifacio project seeks to encourage the public, particularly the youth, to rediscover and revisit 16 sites in Luzon associated with the life of the working-class hero and promote domestic tourism at the same time. For each venue visited, the participant must take a photo of himself as evidence and paste the photos on the free “Byaheng Bonifacio” brochure.

My mom and I went to Tutuban so she could buy some stuff. For me, it was a grand opportunity to be photographed at the first two sites listed in the brochure: the KKK Foundation Site at the corner of Elcano St. and Recto Ave. and the Bonifacio Monument near Tutuban Mall.

One of my former officemates was also interested to visit the Bonifacio-related sites. I decided that our next sites on Day 2 would be the farthest areas—the northwestern part of Cavite.

The third site, Bonifacio Trial House along Col. Riel St. in Maragondon, was where the Bonifacio brothers, Andres and Procopio, were sentenced to death on May 6, 1897.

The fourth stop was Mt. Nagpatong, particularly the site where the Bonifacio brothers were believed to have been executed on May 10, 1897.

The tricycle driver said he could take us to our next destination, Naic. Site number five, Casa Hacienda de Naic, is presently Naic Elementary School. The building was where Bonifacio stayed after the Tejeros Convention and signed the Naic Military Agreement. This was also where he and Procopio were imprisoned on April 29, 1897.

We then headed to Rosario via bus, alighting at the intersection of Antero Soriano Highway and Gen. Trias Drive.

We arrived at the Tejeros Convention Site, our sixth stop, near the boundary marker of Gen. Trias and Rosario. This was where the Tejeros Convention was held on March 22, 1897. The meeting brought together the members of the Magdalo and Magdiwang factions of the Katipunan. This was considered the first presidential and vice presidential election in the history of the Philippines.

We then rode a tricycle to site number 7, Noveleta, where the Noveleta Tribunal was located. Here, Bonifacio, Pio Valenzuela, Emilio Jacinto and Pantaleon Torres established a provincial council of the Katipunan known as Magdiwang.

On Day 3 a couple of days later, we made our second trip to Cavite—Indang and Imus, to be specific.

The trip started with an LRT ride to the Baclaran station, where we caught a bus. Before the bus turned right to AlfonsoIndang Road from Indang-Trece Martires Road, we alighted and rode a tricycle to Pinagbarilan Shrine, the eighth site, in Brgy. Limbon.

From the shrine, we rode a tricycle to the Indang town proper. Right beside the municipal hall compound were the Lawtonbound buses that would pass Imus. We alighted at the intersection of Emilio Aguinaldo Highway and Nueno Ave. and boarded a tricycle to the town.

We then headed to our ninth Bonifacio-related site, Imus Plaza. On December 28, 1896, the councils of Magdiwang and Magdalo met at the friar estate house in Imus to discuss the framing of the constitution and the possibility of merging the two councils.

Hopping on a tricycle back to Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, we rode a bus back to Manila and then a jeep to Binondo Church. Now called the Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz, this church was where Bonifacio and Gregoria de Jesus were married in March 1893. This was site number 10.

For Day 4, which came after a few days’ hiatus, my goal was to visit site number 11—Cry of Pugad Lawin Shrine in Quezon City.

Somewhere in this area, over a thousand Katipuneros gathered at the warehouse of Melchora Aquino (Tandang Sora) on August 23, 1896 and tore up their cedula (community tax certificate).

The next day—our fifth and last day—we trekked to Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal before going to Pamitinan Cave, the 12th site.

It was in this cave where Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Restituto Javier, Guillermo Masangkay, Aurelio Tolentino, Faustino Mañalak, Pedro Zabala and other members conducted secret initiation rites and wrote “Viva la Independencia!” on the walls.

Back in the metro, we located the residence of Valentin Cruz, site number 13, in Pasig. Bonifacio had gathered Katipuneros for a meeting in the house of Cruz near the church.

We proceeded to the Hagdang Bato Barangay Center in Mandaluyong, where the Tatlong Bayani Monument was located. In this area, Bonifacio distributed guns procured by Genaro de los Reyes to the Katipuneros. Site number 14, check.

Traveling to San Juan, we made our penultimate stop at Pinaglabanan Shrine. The Battle of Pinaglabanan happened on August 30, 1896; this was the first major battle fought by the Katipuneros.

The 16th and last stop was Brgy. Krus na Ligas in Quezon City. The Krus na Ligas Parish is somehow connected to the Philippine Revolution as the place where the church stands used to be the camp of the Katipuneros.  Mission accomplished!

I submitted my completed brochure to the NHCP office and later returned for the awarding ceremony where we received certificates and gift bags. The momentous day capped a helluva byahe, one that’s full of education, excitement and even perspiration as I formally finished “Byaheng Bonifacio.” (Excerpted from http://larga-bista.blogspot.com)

The awardees, with NHCP personnel, wear the official scarves that signify they completed “Biyaheng Bonifacio”