Philippine History -- Plaridel: Marcelo H. del Pilar

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Hero of the Philippine Revolution
Marcelo H. del Pilar

popularly known as Plaridel

leading propagandist for reforms in the Philippines

editor and co-publisher of La Solidaridad

born August 30, 1850 in Cupang, San Nicolas, Bulacan to Julian del Pilar and Blasa Gatmaytan

died July 4, 1896 of tuberculosis, in Barcelona, Spain

Marcelo H. del Pilar's reputation as a propagandist was already established before an order for his arrest forced him to flee the country in 1880. Gifted with the common touch, he found ready audiences in the cockpits, the plazas, and the corner tiendas of his native Bulacan. Unlike Rizal who wrote his novels in Spanish, a fact which cut him off from most Filipinos who did not know the language, del Pilar wrote his propaganda pamphlets in simple Tagalog -- lucid, direct and forceful. His parodies of the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Apostle's Creed, the Ten Commandments and the catechism published in pamphlets which simulated the format and size of the novenas were highly effective propaganda.

The Philippines: A Past Revisited. Renato Constantino

Said the Spanish newspaper La Politica de España en Filipinas, the organ of the friars, as homage to del Pilar in 1896;

Marcelo del Pilar was the greatest journalist produced by the purely Filipino race.
We did not consider him an artful filibuster; at times we saw in him the calculating conspirator, the journalist gone astray, who had no real hatred for the sovereign country, through he showed he had it for the state of affairs prevailing in the Philippines.

Marcelo H. del Pilar started school in the College of Mr. Jose Flores. He transferred to the College of San Jose in Manila. He finished law in 1880. Marcelo H. del Pilar was more popularly known as Plaridel. Multi-talented Plaridel played the violin, the piano and the flute. He was good in fencing. He used to sing in serenades and played beautiful pieces on the violin during Flores de Mayo.

He later married his cousin Marciana del Pilar in 1878. They had seven children.

Plaridel established the Diariong Tagalog in 1882 to publish observations and criticisms on how the Spanish government in the Philippines was run.

Pedro Serrano Laktaw helped him in publishing "Dasalan at Tuksuhan" and the "Pasyong Dapat Ipa-alab ng Puso ng Taong Bayan".

In Spain, he and Graciano Lopez-Jaena published the "La Solidaridad" which was the organ which contained their desires in improving the Philippine Government. He succeeded Lopez-Jaena as editor of the La Solidaridad.

He died a poor man on July 4, 1896 in Barcelona, Spain.

Excerpts from Talambuhay ng mga Bayani by Rene Alba