Young Roots
Pangasinan tourism makes headway
By Johanne Margarette R. Macob
THE already famous Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag in Manaoag town, was recently honored as a “Minor Basilica” of the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Francis, he who is set to visit the Philippines January 15 to 19 next year.
Most locals know that the shrine is an established pilgrim site for the Lady of Manaoag’s devotees with the shared belief that the image performs miracles. As a “Minor Basilica” with special ecclesiastical privileges, the image will definitely attract more devotees regularly for the spiritual benefits promised for visiting it.
The 1989 Vatican document Domus Ecclesiae declares, “Minor, or lesser, basilicas are significant churches in Rome and elsewhere in the world that meet certain criteria and are given special ecclesiastical privileges.” Further, “Minor basilicas are traditionally named because of their antiquity, dignity, historical value, architectural and artistic worth, and/or significance as centers of worship. A basilica must “stand out as a center of active and pastoral liturgy”.”
Meanwhile, the only national historical landmark in the province-, Casa Real, located beside the Lingayen Municipal Hall and Provincial Jail, is now being restored. As such, it is the second- highest recognition the National Historical Institute can bestow, next to “National Cultural Treasure.” Constructed in the 1840s, Casa Real became the station of the Spanish soldiers and their native recruits who helped fight the Katipuneros during the revolutionary war against the Spanish rule.
It is noteworthy to see the Espino administration continuously seeking to restore, preserve and promote the province’s rich heritage. Every December, it holds the Balitok A Tawir, the official Pangasinan culture and arts festival. I have witnessed the second and third celebrations, and I was amazed at the richness of our folk music. With this amazement, of course, came my admiration for the Pangasinan talent. No wonder, the event has been cited twice by the Department of Tourism.
Then we have the Pangasinan culture particularly its places, delicacies and other products piercing man’s senses worldwide. My pride as a Pangasinan went a notch higher when I saw young ambassadors of goodwill- probably of my age- having their photos taken alongside the Capitol Building, and other structures in the Capitol complex. Those pictures depicting the beauty of our beloved province will be shown to the rest of the southeast Asian region.
And, just few days ago, the Pangasinan delegation that joined the International Street Fair and Diversity Festival held in the City of Artesia, California returned home jubilant and confident about exporting our local products to other countries.
All these recent feats enabled our province to make headway in promoting our tourism, which augurs well for cultural preservation, economic progress, and most importantly, in inspiring each Pangasinan to do more and better. I could go on with my list but this space may never be enough. As I see it, we are on the right path. Keep up, dear province! I love Pangasinan!
P.S. I’ve recently learned that ‘Pangasinan’ pertains to people while ‘Pangasinense’ refers to the language. All the while, I was using the words interchangeably. Anyway, we should be allowed to use ‘Pangasinan’ to mean the place, the people, and the language.
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