LINGAYEN–The late Governor Aguedo Agbayani, the province’s longest serving governor, has been honored with a permanent and lasting tribute through the erection of a monument fronting the provincial Capitol.

The monument was unveiled Thursday by his family, friends and supporters, led by the late governor’s wife Teresita, and Aguedo’s son, outgoing Governor Victor Agbayani who has been elected congressman of the Second District.

The late Agbayani was elected in 1971 and served until 1986 and again from 1992-1995 or a total of 18 years. Son, Victor, carried on and was elected governor for three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2007.

Agbayani’s wife, Dr. Jaime Eloise Agbayani, ran for the same post but lost in this year’s election.

“May this monument that celebrates (Papang) Aguedo’s life and achievements and what he stood for, teach the young and remind the old of the ideals of hard work and integrity, selfless service, compassion for the less fortunate, and genuine love of country,” said the outgoing governor.

Meanwhile, Sixth District Board Member-elect Alfonso Bince Jr., who was among the original members of the provincial board when Agbayani was first elected, said, “Only the great leaders are honored with a monument. Governor Aguedo Agbayani was a leader every Pangasinense should beproud of.”

For his part, House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr, considered political ally of the late governor, described Agbayani as “not an ordinary politician, he was the quintessential democrat a centrist politician, committed to liberal democracy”.

The park where Agbayani’s monument now stands was also named after him by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan few years ago.

This is part of the provincial government’s plans to transform the capital town of Lingayen into a premier heritage site and tourism destination.

Born in Pangapisan North this town, the lateAgbayani, who died on October 23, 2003, was the son of a carpenter, a hardworking scholar, law professor and author and was first elected into public office in 1957 as congressman of the First District of Pangapisan and re-elected consecutively in 1961, 1965 and 1969. He was married to Teresita Agbayani.

In his first inaugural in 1971, then Governor Agbayani pledged that he would direct the province with “a leadership that conceives of public office as a trust, not a privilege; as a duty not as power; as a responsibility not authority; and as an instrument of service to the people not for self aggrandizement”.—EVA

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