Getting up, Lingayen!

By Johanne Margarette R. Macob

I WAS born and raised in the capital town of our province. I finished grade school and high school here but earned my degree somewhere else. Nonetheless, there was not a weekend during my college days that was not spent in my hometown. I’ve seen its people, its different corners, its growth somewhat and somehow.

That above was the opening paragraph of an article I wrote more than a year ago. I just felt like the paragraph is still apt to start out another article. To add, I still live in this very town.

Yes, I am a native of Lingayen, the capital of our beloved Pangasinan. Just like anyone else living in the town, there’s not a day I dream of seeing it rise to success, to stability and in all aspects that matter.

However, for some reason, some worthy projects remain pending when it should already be benefiting us. For one, the touted first class new wet market and new slaughterhouse have remained anything but “lip service,” existing but not serving any good. At least, not yet. I understand there are things, such as the market code, that have to be finalized first before people start using the two facilities. The question remains: So when…?

On the other hand, at least, it seems something’s moving for tourism. Just last week our town celebrated its town fiesta, and the celebration went well. Personally though, I am more excited about the holding of this year’s Bagoong Festival soon. For the first time, the festival will be celebrated separately from the town fiesta and more activities, not to mention more participants, are lined up this year.

The most anticipated activity about Bagoong Festival 2015 is the plan to introduce landmarks for the town. As we heard and read already, the two giant bagoong jars which will be unveiled during the festivity will be the town’s landmarks.

As the event chairman, Coun. Judy Vargas, mentioned the town doesn’t have much to speak of landmarks, except for the Capitol. Landmarks are significant tourism icons. Paris’s Eiffel Tower or Marikina’s Big Shoe, among others, prove that. We have the best-tasting bagoong but we don’t have a good marketing plan to promote it. The festival will very well serve this purpose.

In addition, this year points to at least two big tourism projects in the town. The restoration of the Casa Real, a national historical landmark and the expansion of the Lingayen baywalk, a favorite hangout, will all happen this 2015.

Eventually, we will have our provincial museum and an alternate coastal road. These are all through the joint efforts of the provincial government under Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and the office of the second congressional district under Cong. Leopoldo Bataoil.

Lingayen is a beautiful town. Thanks to the presence of the scenic Provincial Capitol Complex housing the best Capitol and the best Cultural Center in the Philippines, and the best place for promenade in the province. I believe this town of ours has all the potentials to be even lovelier and more progressive. Let us do our share.

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments