URDANETA CITY–Don Pedro Maria Sison Jr., the first Pangasinense senator, was honored here, in his hometown, on January 18 by unveiling a bust and renaming a balikbayan park after him.

“It is but fitting and proper that the Balikbayan Park be renamed after the late great senator as an undying gratitude of the city government and the people of Urdaneta City to the family of a native son, a statesman par excellence, a former brilliant senator and a philanthropist rolled into one,” reads the resolution passed by the city council on January 14.

Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr. told The PUNCH that the present site of the park and substantial portions of the city market were actually donated by the family of Sison, who served in the Senate from 1912-1916.

The resolution renaming the park located within the Doña Gracia Village was jointly authored by Councilors Higinio Agsalud and Onofre Gorospe.

The resolution indicated that the late senator’s legislative work benefited Urdaneta, Pangasinan and the entire country as well.

The mayor, a grandson of the late senator, and other city officials joined Gracia Ayers, youngest daughter of the late senator, in unveiling the bust.

Ayers, 82, one of two surviving children of Sison, thanked the city government here for honoring her late father.

The unveiling of the bust coincided with the 123rd birth anniversary of the late senator.

Sison was born here on January 18, 1885 and died on June 12, 1938.

Lawyer Luis Sison, grandson of the late senator, said his grandfather “at the early age of 11, already showed his intense love for country by joining his father in fighting the Spaniards.”

“When the American took over, Lolo Pedro— then in his teens— again joined his father in restoring peace and order in Binalonan and Urdaneta towns,” said Luis.—CSR

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