Marcelo H. del Pilar

Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitán (August 30, 1850 - July 4, 1896), also known as Marcelo H. del Pilar, was a Filipino writer, lawyer, journalist, and freemason. Del Pilar, along with José Rizal and Graciano López Jaena, rose to prominence as the leaders of Spain's Reform Movement.

Del Pilar was born in and raised in Bulakan, Bulacan. In 1869, he was suspended from the Universidad de Santo Tomás and imprisoned after a disagreement with the parish priest over exorbitant baptismal fees. He expanded his anti-friar movement from Malolos to Manila in the 1880s. He fled to Spain in 1888 after a banishment order was issued against him. He succeeded López Jaena as editor of La Solidaridad twelve months after his arrival in Barcelona (Solidarity). Due to a lack of funds, publication of the newspaper ceased in 1895. He became more supportive of a revolution against Spain after losing faith in reforms. In 1896, he was on his way home when he contracted tuberculosis in Barcelona. He died in a public hospital and was laid to rest in a pauper's grave.

On November 15, 1995, the Technical Committee of the National Heroes Committee, established by former President Fidel V. Ramos through Executive Order No. 5, recommended del Pilar, along with eight other Filipino historical figures, as National Heroes. On November 22, 1995, the recommendations were delivered to Department of Education Secretary Ricardo T. Gloria. There has been no action taken in the case of these recommended historical figures. This issue was revisited in one of the 14th Congress' proceedings in 2009.