Jet Lee S.

Olimberio

September 20, 2016

Yvonne C. Urbano
Kevin T. Zabala
Lit 1-F

Analysis of Andres Bonifacios Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa

Andres Bonifacio was more of a warrior than a poet. But, in Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa, he was
able to make a literary masterpiece in honor of his beloved country. It was first published in 1896 on the
first issue of Kalayaan, the official gazette of the Philippine revolutionary society known as Katipunan
which was co-founded by Bonifacio during the Spanish colonial period. In an effort to exhort the Filipino
people to unite and engage in the crusade for Philippine Independence, Bonifacio courageously wrote the
poem, together with other literary pieces such as Huling Hibik ng Pilipinas, amidst all the cruelty towards
the rebels during those times.
From the title alone, one can immediately see the major theme of the poem which is the authors
love for his country. Bonifacio, who was the persona of the poem, was exploring the idea of nationalism
in by describing the many levels and emotions that are involved in loving and caring for his motherland.
He was speaking in the point of view of a second person, with the voice provided by the poet himself.
This may be because he wanted to express his thoughts and intense feelings directly to his target
audience, his fellow countrymen. The intensity of the poem was already evident in the first stanza as the
author instantaneously proclaimed that there is no love greater than the love for the land of your birth. By
opening the poem in this way, the author is actually trying to encourage the Filipinos in finding that same
scorching fire in their hearts that he was feeling. The subsequent stanzas relate to the first as they narrate
the many forms and the vastness that this kind of love encompasses. For an instance, the author describe
love that can transform people in the third stanza which said,
Imbit taong-gubat, maralitat mangmang,
Nagiging dakila at iginagalang.
He also wrote about love that transcends death in the fourteenth stanza by saying,
Pati ng magdusat sampung kamatayan
Wari ay masarap kung dahil sa Bayan.
The author also personified his descriptions of the Philippines to give it the ideal motherly characteristics
that may help entice the Filipinos to join the uprising for justice and freedom for their nation. The
personification can be seen in lines such as Bayang nagkupkop, nagbigay init sa lunong katawan,
and sa kaniyay utang ang unang pagtanggap ng simoy ng hangin. The capitalization of the first letters
of Bayan or Inang Bayan was very notable. This kind of inscription is commonly used when writing
about God. To make such similarity between the two very different entities adds to the intensity of the
poem by looking at the country as something so divine and important. This kind of passion was not

evident in Bonifacios another literary work entitled Huling Hibik ng Pilipinas. In said poem, Spain was
implied to be the mother. However, the mother being described was the total opposite of the mother in
Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa. Spain was pronounced as abusive, dominating, and unloving to the Filipinos
while the Philippines in Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa was demonstrated as ideal, compassionate, and
worth dying for.
On the other hand, the poem can also be seen as a mirror that reflects the events of the time of its
writing. It depicted the hardships encountered by the archipelago and the Filipinos as well under the
Spanish colonization. It contributed to the history of the country by immortalizing a very important and
tragic part of our tale as a nation. However, Bonifacio did not refer to the Filipinos as a whole. He was
always emphasizing the Tagalogs which can also be observed in his Huling Hibik ng Pilipinas. This form
of regionalism can be attributed to his consciousness of and loyalty to his home region which had been
reflected on his works. Also, during the Spanish regime, there was a language barrier among Filipinos due
to the lack of a lengua franca. Bonifacio might have thought that since only the Tagalogs would
understand his writings, it would be better to address to them directly. Nevertheless, his message clearly
concerns all Filipinos.
Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa was not just an instrument used for unity and patriotism. It was a
symbol of hope and freedom for the Filipinos.