It’s not every day that a stage play brings an entire audience to tears—but that’s exactly what happened during the 187th performance of Bonifacio: Ang Supremo, Isang Musikal on October 20, 2025, at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila.
Written, directed, and headlined by lawyer-playwright Vincent Tañada, the musical revisits the life and death of Andres Bonifacio—the revolutionary leader often called the true first President of the Philippines. But more than a historical retelling, it’s a mirror held up to the nation’s present-day turmoil, echoing the same cries for truth, unity, and justice that Bonifacio once shouted from the mountains of Cavite.
The production has traveled across Luzon, drawing crowds in cities from Bulacan to Pampanga, Zambales, and Pangasinan. Tañada and his cast, by this point, have performed the play more than 180 times, fine-tuning every scene, lyric, and emotion. That maturity shows.
The October 20 staging was particularly emotional—perhaps because the country is once again grappling with corruption scandals and political division, reminiscent of the betrayals that led to Bonifacio’s execution by his fellow revolutionaries in 1897. “Bonifacio was not killed by the Spaniards,” Tañada told the audience after the performance. “He was killed by Filipinos—because of politics and corruption. And sadly, that story is still happening today.”
The audience, composed mostly of grade school students, fell silent before bursting into applause.
Revisiting the past to understand the present
The timing of the musical feels uncanny. Just days before, Jericho Rosales’ historical biopic Quezon premiered in theaters, depicting another chapter of the nation’s struggle for leadership and independence. Both Bonifacio and Quezon tell stories of leaders who wrestled with the moral costs of power—one betrayed by his own comrades, the other burdened by the compromises of politics.
“Sometimes,” Tañada reflected, “art reminds us that history is not just about the past—it’s about what we choose to repeat or finally change.”
In a brief talk after the curtain call, Tañada shared how friends abroad once urged him to bring Les Misérables or Phantom of the Opera to Manila. His response was firm: “We don’t need to copy Broadway. We need to build our own.”
That philosophy has guided his career. Through Bonifacio: Ang Supremo, he champions a distinctly Filipino identity in musical theater—rooted in our own heroes, our own tragedies, and our own resilience.
The play’s cast includes a mix of veterans and young actors, among them Joseph Tañada, Fidel Redado, and Lance Cabradiola as Emilio Aguinaldo; Johnrey Rivas and Ken Intano as Emilio Jacinto; and Yvonne Ensomo and Abbey Romero as Gregoria de Jesús. Their powerful performances blur the line between historical reenactment and national reawakening.
Lessons for the youth
Tañada’s message to the young audience was clear and sobering: “Being young is not an excuse to be complacent. You must know your history. Because one day, you will decide who will lead this country—and I hope you choose better than we did.”
His words drew a thunderous “Yes!” from the students—a response that, for once, sounded less like polite agreement and more like a promise.
Bonifacio: Ang Supremo, Isang Musikal runs until April 2026, but its message feels timeless. In every song and speech, it reminds Filipinos that the revolution never truly ended—it simply waits for the next generation to carry it forward.
In a time when politics often feels like theater, it’s moving to see theater become a form of politics—one that, instead of deceiving, enlightens.