BULAKAN, Bulacan — “Like Plaridel, Filipinos must not be afraid to use their voice and intellect to fight for what is right and for the welfare of the majority. Through his writings, Del Pilar showed how the pursuit of freedom and independence could be advanced.”
This was the message from Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, who led the 175th Birth Anniversary commemoration of Gat Marcelo H. Del Pilar with the theme “Inspirasyon ng Kabataan sa Matatag na Kinabukasan” held at the Marcelo H. Del Pilar Shrine in San Nicolas, Bulakan, Bulacan.
Secretary Lazaro, along with Governor Daniel R. Fernando, Bulakan Mayor Vergel C. Meneses, Del Pilar’s relatives, and officials from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and Sangguniang Bayan of Bulakan, as well as the Bulacan Press Club, laid a wreath at Del Pilar’s monument.
In his address, Governor Fernando urged the youth to continue Del Pilar’s legacy. He emphasized that their role today isn’t to wage a revolution with a pen, but to champion progress, truth, and good governance.
“Hindi ito ang dapat manahin ng mga kabataan sa atin—ang kultura ng katiwalian, ang pagpapabaya, at ang paglilinlang. Ang dapat matimo sa kanilang isipan ay kung paano tayo kumilos, tumindig, at magsama-sama upang labanan ang katiwalian at igiit ang katotohanan,” the governor said.
He also called on Bulakenyos to follow Del Pilar’s example by building a Bulacan that is free from corruption and ghost projects, known instead for honesty, compassion, and genuine public service.
Born on August 30, 1850, in Bulakan, Bulacan, Marcelo H. Del Pilar was a lawyer, journalist, and reformist. He led the Propaganda Movement in Spain as the editor of La Solidaridad, fearlessly exposing injustices and advocating for reforms under the pen name Plaridel, and his work paved the way for the Filipinos’ struggle for independence. (UnliNews Online)
