LINGAYEN–The provincial government will help the municipal government of San Nicolas develop its upland barangay of Malicu as the second summer capital of the Philippines, after Baguio.

This was bared by Luisa A. Elduayan, chief of the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office, noting the determination of San Nicolas Mayor Alicia Primicias to develop Malicu as a top tourist destination.

Elduayan told the Talakayan sa Kapitolyo on September 17, that an inventory of possible tourism sites in Pangasinan identified Villaverde Trail in Malicu as having the potential to be developed for adventure trail as a tourist activity and the climate in Malicu is similar to Baguio’s.

Mayor Primicias earlier asked the Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Martin Valera to help the municipality draw up plans to make Malicu as a tourist destination.

“It is good to know that the mayor of San Nicolas had requested the DOT to help her in this venture. Napakahalaga po yon. Alam po ni mayor kung anong gusto niyang mangyari sa bayan niya,” Elduayan said.

Mayor Primicias said Malicu is a village located in the highest peak of the Caraballo mountains, close to both Nueva Vizcaya and Benguet.

Governor Amado Espino III visited Malicu last August when he led the I Love Pangasinan Kalusugan Karavan to the village, populated by some 200 residents, most of them indigenous tribal people.  

Once the construction of the Villaverde Trail from San Nicolas to Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya by the Department of Public Works and Highways is already completed,   it will serve as the shortcut road from Pangasinan to Nueva Vizcaya and the Cagayan Valley.

The Villaverde Trail was first carved by the Filipino and American Forces, the Red Arrow Division of the U.S. Army, before the end of World War II when they pursued the Japanese forces led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita in the hinterlands of the mountain provinces, ending at  Kiangan, Ifugao.   

Elduayan said Malicu is where the indigenous people of San Nicolas live, who are part of Pangasinan’s history and culture and should be a part and to be included to benefit in tourism development.

She said the San Nicolas government should first decide what kind of tourism development it wants before the provincial government can step tn. (Leonardo Micua)

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