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

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.
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 Tagalogin 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.