BIG IDEAS. BIG PROJECTS –  Things are now all falling into place in Pangasinan and Dagupan City. Imagine, a Chinese company is exploring the possibility of building a commercial railway that will connect all cities in Pangasinan, and Dagupan City was recently named an economic zone in the country.

All these were made possible because we have an excellent peace and order situation, something we can truly be proud of. It distinguishes us from other places, like those in Mindanao where peace still remains an elusive dream.

This bodes well for the Pangasinenses who will be the first to reap the benefits of modernization and industrialization as our province and city are in fact now headed in that direction.

Potential investors and business leaders see the real potentials of both Pangasinan and Dagupan given the dynamism of our people, especially our political leaders

A railway exclusively for Pangasinan is truly something big and will definitely be a big boon to our three million people and must, therefore, be welcomed by all of us.

Governor “Pogi” must exert all efforts to have this project realized since it provides mass transit system that all regions need.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez himself sounded the need for the revival of the railway from Manila to the north and vice versa when he dropped by Pangasinan, together with other congressmen.

Our officials of Pangasinan must have read the mind of Speaker Alvarez because the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Pangasainan was already talking about the need for a memorandum of understanding between Governor Espino, the Philippine National Railways and the Chinese company on the proposed railway project.

In the case of the status of Dagupan City as an economic zone, it was about three months ago when Boss Ermin texted me to relay to Mayor Belen that Mr. Manny S. D. Lopez, a consultant from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), was coming to Dagupan to see if the city can meet the requirements and possesses the necessary attributes to become an economic zone.

Since Mayor Belen was tied up with a pressing commitment in Manila, she delegated the matter of welcoming Mr. Lopez and discussing the prospect to City Administrator Farah Decano, City Engineer Virginia Rosario and Romy Rosario of the local Investment Board.

Mr. Lopez considered Dagupan because of the presence of many colleges and universities whose graduates can be drawn to the pool of workers that will see the day to day operation of the economic zone soon.

At that time, the approval of the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board was still pending. And when it was finally approved, that boosted Dagupan’s chances to earn the status as an economic zone

We can not afford to lose these good opportunities coming our way and neither should our people allow these to be derailed by dirty politics. – Leonardo Micua   

DEPICTING FREEDOM AND HISTORY – Before the Philippine Independence Day celebration, I was invited to see the centerpieces of SM City Rosales and SM City Tarlac.

It was an opportunity to learn more about history and a chance to admire how SM, through the two malls, teaches patriotism to its shoppers.

SM City Tarlac unveiled the first and the biggest Philippine flag-inspired thread art centerpiece.  During their program, SM City Tarlac Marketing Manager Christina Mugot explained the significance and meaning behind the iconic thread art centerpiece that wowed the crowd with its splendor and intrinsic nationalistic appeal.

Mugot said the thread art centerpiece was crafted by 10 artists that took 10 days to finish. It stood at 16’ by 8’ which consisted of more than 8,000 meters of colored threads representing the intricacy and beauty of the Philippines, from its spectacular tourist destinations to the warmth of its people and its richness of culture.

She said each thread signifies the diverse cultures and beliefs of every Filipino, yet a hero in his or her own ways. Together we are bounded by our love for country which was represented by the centerpiece’s guiding nails. Indeed, Filipinos can reach greater heights for the nation’s greater pride.

The flag that shows color blue as the dominant color conveys the notion that despite these tough times our nation is having right now, our strong will and firm hope for the conservation of goodwill and peace still prevails, Mugot said.

The iconic thread art centerpiece significantly promotes #PinoyPrideAtSM.

Thank you Diosa Soriano, SM City Tarlac’s PRO, for inviting us.

Meanwhile, SM City Rosales’ centerpiece dwelled on nationalism that focused on the making of the Philippine flag.

“This centerpiece showcases our independence and the impeccable talent of Pangasinan people, as well as the versatility of the raw materials in the province,” said Kristine Santiago, public relations officer of SM City Rosales.

She added that the larger-than-life centerpiece mainly used rattan and bamboo, raw materials that are abundant in Pangasinan.

Around 27,000 feet of rattan and 25,000 feet of bamboo strips were manually weaved together to form the display. Abaca and water lily ropes as well as buri were also used to add details to the display.

Santiago said the display was inspired by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo’s famous portrait—The making of the Philippine flag, depicting a scene where the Philippine flag was being hand-sewn by Doña Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo with the help of her daughter Lorenzana along with Delfina Herbosa de Natividad in Hong Kong.

Above the masterpiece are giant rosal-shaped backdrops that symbolize the origin of the town’s name, Rosales. The three ladies represent Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Santiago said they chose the theme in their centerpiece because the history and significance of the flag are connected to the freedom we have today.

SM malls nationwide choose their own centerpiece during the Independence Day celebration. There’s always something to look forward to.

Why am I talking about these? I love how SM educates people, especially during Independence Day celebration, in historic and artistic ways.

Through these, SM awakens our pride and nationalism. I hope others would emulate them. Not by merely displaying the Philippine flag but by going the extra mile, to do such a presentation.

We are Filipinos and we must be proud to be one.— Eva Visperas

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