He grew up to be one of the greatest propagandists who sought Philippine freedom through his pen. In 1882, he became editor of the newspaper Diariong Tagalog which strongly criticized the way the Spaniards ran the government and treated the people. Using his pen name, Plaridel, he wrote satires against the Spanish friars, notably "Dasalan at Tuksuhan" and "Kaiingat Kayo."

In Spain, he took the place of Graciano Lopez Jaena as Editor of the La Solidaridad, the mouthpiece of the propagandists working for reforms for the Filipinos. But illness kept his from holding the position for a long time. Soon tuberculosis weakened him. He died on July 4, 1896 in Barcelona, Spain, away from his family.