Plaridel

Understand

Plaridel was founded by the Spanish in 1581 along the banks of the Angat River and used to be known as Quingua. Through most of the Spanish period, its territory encompassed much of northeastern Bulacan as far as Angat and Norzagaray. In 1899, it became the site of a bloody battle during the Philippine-American War, in which Filipino forces managed to kill an American colonel. The town was renamed Plaridel in 1936 in honor of Marcelo H. del Pilar, an anti-Spanish writer from Bulacan whose pen name was Plaridel, an anagram of his surname. It is home to about 121,000 people (census, 1 July 2024)

Getting there

Plaridel lies along the Pan-Philippine Highway (Maharlika Highway/Cagayan Valley Road). From Metro Manila, take the Santa Rita exit of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in neighboring Guiguinto and turn northwards along Maharlika Highway. A less congested alternative is to take the NLEX Balagtas exit and drive along Plaridel Bypass Road. From SM North EDSA and Trinoma in Quezon City, point-to-point buses link Plaridel with Metro Manila every 30 minutes from 5AM to 9:30PM, with a one-way fare of ₱100. Plaridel is also connected to other cities of Bulacan such as Baliwag, Malolos and Meycauayan via jeepney. The barangay of Tabang, just off the Santa Rita Exit of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), is the southern terminus of a jeepney route originating from Gapan in Nueva Ecija. Plaridel also has its own airport, but is only open for chartered flights and hosts multiple aviation schools.

1 Plaridel Airport, P. Reyes Street, Lumang Bayan. (updated May 2026)

Getting around

Tricycles are the main form of transportation between barangays.

See

1 Plaridel Church (Santiago Apostol Church), Tabang Local Road, Poblacion. Plaridel's main Roman Catholic Church, built in its current state by the Spanish in the 18th century in a Baroque style. (updated May 2026) 2 Simborio Chapel, Poblacion (take the alley from Garcia Street). A rare 19th-century octagonal chapel. Built on the former municipal cemetery beside the church, it now lies in the middle of a residential block after the cemetery was moved to outside downtown for hygienic reasons. (updated May 2026) 3 Battle of Quingua Memorial, Governor Padilla Road, Agnaya. A memorial to the 1899 battle set inside a small, tree-lined park featuring a mural depicting the event. (updated May 2026)

Buy

1 WalterMart Plaridel, Maharlika Highway, Banga I. (updated May 2026) 2 Primark Center Plaridel, Maharlika Highway, Banga I (just before the Plaridel-Pulilan Bridge). Has the bus terminal going to SM North EDSA and Trinoma. (updated Jun 2026) 3 Plaridel Public Market, Maharlika Highway, Banga I. (updated May 2026)

Sleep

1 Aerostop Hotel & Restaurant, P. Reyes Street, Lumang Bayan (beside Plaridel Airport), ☏ +63 905 044 4091, [email protected]. (updated May 2026) 2 Tres Marias Private Pool And Events Place, 0395 Purok 5, Lipana Street, Parulan, ☏ +63925 602 5882, [email protected]. (updated May 2026)