 The award is named after Marcelo H. del Pilar ("nom de plume", Plaridel), the selfless propagandist whose stewardship of the reformist newspaper "La Solidaridad" from 1889 to 1895 helped crystallize nationalist sentiments and ignite libertarian ideas, mainly through his 150 essays and 66 editorials published under the nom de plume Plaridel.A crusading journalist, this native of Bulacan served as editor of the vernacular section of the Diariong Tagalog (Tagalog Newspaper), the first Philippine bilingual newspaper, in 1882.Among his major publications were "Dasalan at Tocsohan" (Prayerbook and Teasing Game), "Pasyong Dapat Ipag-alab nang Puso nang Tauong Babasa" (Passion That Should Inflame the Heart of the Reader), and "La Soberania Monacal en Filipinas" (Monastic Supremacy in the Philippines), all published in 1889.