Bulakan marks 171st birth anniversary of Marcelo H. Del Pilar

Officials and journalists in the province of Bulacan hold a wreath-laying ceremony at the Marcelo H. Del Pilar Shrine in Sitio Cupang, Barangay San Nicolas, Bulakan to pay tribute to the Bulakan-born hero on his 171st birth anniversary. (Contributed photo)

BULAKAN, Bulacan — Officials in this province on Monday marked the 171st birth anniversary of journalist and nationalist Marcelo H. Del Pilar with a wreath-laying ceremony at his shrine in Barangay San Nicolas here.

It was the second time that occasion was observed with scaled-down activities due to the ongoing pandemic.

Gov. Daniel Fernando, who led the event, said the annual grand civic parade to honor the Bulacan-born hero has been dropped again to avoid large crowds.

The Bulacan State University said it will be offering a program on Del Pilar’s “Life and Writings” to its journalism students for the third time as tribute to the “Father of Philippine Journalism.”

Del Pilar was born in this town in 1850 and became the beacon in the Philippine propaganda movement against Spain.

He finished law at the University of Santo Tomas in 1880 and used the pen name Plaridel in satirizing corrupt officials and friars. INQ