House OKs bill seeking to rename NLEX to Marcelo H. Del Pilar Expressway

The House of Representatives has approved a measure seeking to rename the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to Marcelo H. del Pilar Expressway (MHDPEX), according to a report on GMA News’ 24 Oras on Friday.

House Bill 8958 is pushing for the name change in honor of the Bulacan-born and raised writer, lawyer, journalist, and editor of revolutionary paper La Solidaridad.

The bill, authored by Bulacan First District Representative Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado, still has no version at the Senate.

Prior to editing La Solidaridad, Del Pilar , who went by the pen name Plaridel — an anagram of his surname, founded the nationalist newspaper Diariong Tagalog in 1882.

"Ayon du'n sa panukala mag-i-issue ang Department of Public Works and Highways ng [Implementing Rules and Regulations] kung paano ito isasakatuparan. So siyempre aantayin natin ang pagkakataong 'yon para alam natin activities na gagawin natin," said NLEX Corporation Senior Vice President for Communication and Stakeholder Management Romulo Quimbo Jr.

The TV report interviewed some Bulacan residents who were excited about the prospect of naming the highway after their fellow Bulaceño. Others, however, were opposed to the proposal, and asked why the road should be named after someone from a specific province when it runs across several provinces.

Apart from Bulacan, the NLEX also runs across several cities in Metro Manila and several towns in Pampanga. — MDM, GMA News