INTRODUCTION
Ngayong taon ng ating mga bayani, binibigyang-parangal natin ang kagitingan ng ating lahi.

Sa darating na Agosto, ipagdiriwang natin ang ika-sandaang taon ng Pagsiklab ng Himagsikan, sa pamumuno ni Andres Bonifacio, na naging hagdan tungo sa ating kalayaan. At sa Disyembre naman ay gugunitain natin ang ika-sandaang taon ng pagbaril kay Dr. Jose Rizal sa Bagumbayan na pumukaw sa damdaming makabayan ng mga kapwa niya Pilipino.

Bago ang lahat ng ito, ginugunita natin ngayon ang ika-sandaang taon ng pagkamatay ni Marcelo H. del Pilar (Plaridel), ang dakilang Bulakenyo, na maihahanay natin ang kagitingan kina Rizal at Bonifacio.

Marcelo del Pilar is regarded by many scholars as a national figure of equal footing and stature with dr. Jose Rizal. Several comparisons and paradoxes have been made of del Pilar and Rizal: on who the “idealist” versus the “realist” was — who was the more astute politician, who had the greater mind, who better represented separatist ideals.

But of course comparing two great men simply cannot be done. Del Pilar in his own right was a great hero whose self-sacrificing love of country consumed him to the last days of his life.

Early on in his student days, del pilar rebelled against the harsh and abusive ways of the Spanish friars and officials.
A LIFE OF PRINCIPLED RESISTANCE
Then a young law student at the University of Santo Tomas, del pilar once stood as sponsor in the baptism of a townmate’s child in a church in the suburb of what is now called Quiapo, Manila. He saw that the others were charged two reales for the baptism while he was asked to pay double because the child came from a different locality. Upon payment of the four reales, del Pilar protested, noticing that the schedule of baptismal fees did not authorize fees other than a candle at the will of the sponsor. The priest learned of del Pilar’s criticism and admonished him, but the young man vowed never to stand again as a sponsor in the same church.

This incident was reported by the friar to the civil governor of Manila, a Señor Diaz, who denounced del pilar as an anti-Spanish filibustero. Del pilar was subsequently ordered arrested. To avoid further vexation, del pilar presented himself before the judge of first instance of Quiapo.

Del Pilar did not only suffer thirty days in jail for the incident. The imprisonment presaged a later misfortune: he was also suspended from the university.

Before this incident, his elder brother, a Filipino priest, Fr. Toribio del Pilar, was banished to the Marianas, although it could very well have been Marcelo del Pilar banished in Fr. Toribio’s place, since Marcelo used to meet fr. Jose burgos regularly.

Thus, from his youth to his maturity, del pilar led a life of principled resistance to colonial abuse. It was, of course, his work for La Solidaridad for which we remember Marcelo H. del Pilar the best. In this capacity, del pilar provided a shining example for all Filipino journalists to emulate.
ISANG DAKILANG BULAKEÑO
Sa hanay ng ating mga magigiting na pambansang bayani na pinangungunahan ni Gat. Jose Rizal ay hindi mapag-aalinlangan ang antas ng taas ni Marcelo H. del Pilar. Siya’y isang henyong propagandista na naglayong pukawin ang damdaming makabayan laban sa mapangabusong mananakop. Sa paggamit niya ng bayan ng malolos bilang lunsaran ng kanyang makabayang pagtataguyod, ang lalawigang Bulakan ay kinatakutan ng kastilang opisyales bilang isang nag-uumang na panganib kahintulad sa kaguluhan sa lalawigang Kabite.

Nguni’t sa kabila nito ay waring napakalaki ang ating pagkukulang sa pagdakila at pag-aalaala kay marcelo del pilar kung ihahambing sa mga naiukol na literatura sa iba pa nating bayani. Ang mga nasulat na talambuhay at iba pa hinggil kay Dr. Jose Rizal ay lubhang napakarami na. Marami na ring nalathala tungkol kay Heneral Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario Mabini, Antonio Luna, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, Graciano Lopez-Jaena at iba pa nating dakilang bayani. Nguni’t ang mga pagtatala at paglathala kay Marcelo del Pilar ay kaunti lamang.

Noong Huwebes ng gabi, napanood ko ang preview ng pelikulang “Tirad Pass”, The Last Stand of General Gregorio del Pilar. Binabati ko si direktor at prodyuser Carlo Caparas na taga-Hagonoy, Bulacan at Pozorrubio, Pangasinan at ang kanyang butihing maybahay, si Donna Villa, sa pangkasaysayang obra maestra na ito.

Binabati ko rin ang mga negosyanteng taga-bulacan na bumubuo ng uni films sa kanilang pag co-produce ng “Tirad Pass”. Pati na rin si Gobernador Obet Pagdanganan sa kanyang cameo role sa pelikulang ito bilang Supremo ng Katipunan. Sinasabi ni Obet na kaya niyang tinanggap ang papel na ito ay dahil sa hangaring marating ang nakahihigit na tao — lalo na ang mga kabataan, sa pagtatanghal ng kagitingan ng mga bayaning Pilipino.

I hope producers Carlo Caparas and Donna Villa have set a trend in responsible and significant filmmaking with the movie Tirad Pass. We should have more movies about the historical legacy of this country, our heroes and our rich culture.
AN ARTISTIC TRIBUTE
As we commemorate today the centennial of Marcelo H. del Pilar, it is but fitting that we look back to the significance of his life, his works, his death and their relevance to our times. Let our poets, artists, and musicians celebrate his example and his ideals. In this respect, let me quote from another true son of Bulacan, “Hari ng Balagtasan” Huseng Batute in his tribute to Marcelo H. del Pilar:

“At nang siya’y mapalayo, sa ibayo ng pampangin; hindi rin niya dinamdam ang kawalan ng pagkain; pag ang puso ay talagang iniluwal na magiting; pagkain ng kaluluwa ang pataba sa damdamin!
CLOSING
Nawa ay magkaisa tayong mga pilipino sa pagdakila at pagbubunyi ng kagitingan at pagpapakasakit ng ating mga bayani. Ating purihin at ibandila sa buong sandaigdigan ang kanilang kadakilaan; kilalanin natin at huwag kalimutan ang ating malaking utang na loob sa kanilang pagpapakasakit sa dambana ng inang bayan.

May the spirit of Marcelo H. del Pilar live on in our hearts, in our times, and in the great future yet ahead of us.

Thank you.