165th Birthday of Marcelo H. Del Pilar Marks the Very First National Press Freedom Day

             Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas attending Marcelo H. Del Pilar’s 165^th Birth Anniversary

August 30, 2015- Bulakenyos disperse around the locality of Bulakan, Bulacan as they celebrate the 165^th birthday of the late propagandist Marcelo H. Del Pilar who is well known for his pen name “Plaridel”.

Early morning of August 30 (Sunday), locals of Bulakan, Bulacan gathered around the Our Lady of Assumption Parish Church to start the celebration of Plaridel’s birthday. The once quiet and peaceful town of Bulakan became loud and deafening as they garnered and start a parade at around 7:00 am. Different barangays, schools, young and young at hearts consolidated in the said parade. And a program having a theme of “Gat Marcelo H. del Pilar: Bayaning Bulakenyo, Huwaran ng Lahing Pilipino” was then held at Marcelo H. Del Pilar shrine in Cupang San. Nicolas, Bulakan where the remains of Plaridel was.

Secretary of Interior and Local Government Manuel “Mar” Roxas amalgamated in the said event as a guest of honor together with mayor Patrick Neil Meneses (the town’s mayor), Gov. Wilhelmino Sy- Alvarado (Governor of the Province of Bulacan), Daniel Fernando (Vice Governor of the Province of Bulacan) and National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) Executive Director Ludovico Badoy.

The National Press Club of the Philippines also joined the in the occasion as they declared the birth of Plaridel the National Media Press Freedom Day. They’d launched a petition regarding this in partnership with NHCP during the 1^st Plaridel Media Camp that took place in Gen. Gregorio Del Pilar Elementary School last August 29, 2015, a day before the 165^th anniversary of Plaridel’s birthday.

First National Press Freedom Day and 1st Plaridel Media Camp

“At kagabi po ang hamon ni Rizal ay tinupad namin mayroon po siyang hamon noong araw “Kailangan natin ng isang daang Plaridel para lalong rumangal ang bansa” at kagabi po ay mahigit kaming isang daan na dumating sa 1^st Plaridel Media Camp, mga Metro Manila Journalist, mga mamahayag sa Nueva Ecija, mga mamahayag sa marami pang lugar. Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon po dahil ang balak po namin kapag nadeklarang araw ng kalayaan ng mga mamahayag ng buong bansa ang araw ni Gat Plaridel ito (Bulakan,Bulacan) po ang gagawin naming Mecca ng iba pang mga mamahayag. Dapat pumunta kami sakaniya(Marcelo) taun-taon at magpugay.” stated by NPC President Joel Sy-Egco.

Plaridel is also well roundly known as the “Father of Philippine Journalism” and it’s certain to find that Cupang San. Nicolas Bulakan, Bulacan his hometown will be the Mecca where the pilgrimage of the nation’s journalists will be held yearly.

Plaridel descent into extreme poverty during his last years; He often missed his meals and kept himself warm by smoking discarded cigarette butts he picked up in the streets. However poverty didn’t stop him in publishing the newspaper La Solidaridad for his people.

He died in Barcelona, Spain year 1896 because of tuberculosis, few days before the Cry of Pugad Lawin which marks the first revolution of Filipinos towards the Spanish empire.