‘Our being Filipino, stems from us being Pangasinan…’ Gov. Espino
CAPITOL NEWS
AGEW NA PANGASINAN PROGRAM
LINGAYEN- -“Our being Filipino, stems from our being Pangasinan, and if we are able to stand wherever we are, we will be able to promote our identity, and stand proud as Filipinos anywhere in the world.”
This was the message conveyed by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. to all Pangasinense in the commemorative program of the 435th Agew na Pangasinan celebration on April 10 at the Capitol grandstand here.
The province’s founding date is normally celebrated on April 5 but because the Easter Sunday coincided on that day, the event was postponed.
The governor said that for more than seven years, Pangasinan has proven its excellence in so many areas of endeavor thus earning awards in various fields to include the most coveted distinction as Regional Hall of Famer in six out of eight major areas in local governance because of the strong support of the people who have shown great love for Pangasinan.
Aside from the garnered accomplishments, Gov. Espino disclosed that his administration ventured harder to dig deeper into the historical and cultural roots of the province in partnership with the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission (PHCC) thus the founding date was established.
Various projects followed starting off with the research study on Pangasinan History, Culture and Development which was prepared in 2011 by a research group headed by Dr. Perla E. Legaspi, former director of the UP Center for Local and Regional Governance and later Vice-Chancellor of UP Diliman.
The study, according to the governor, served as basis for the writing of the Pangasinan history book entitled ‘Pinablin Dalin’ which was prepared and edited by another group of local writers and researchers led by Virginia Pasalo, executive director of Women in Development.
Literary Contest Winners. Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. (6th from right) and Father Jerry Orbos (6th from left) lead the awarding of Pangasinan History, Pangasinan Orthography and Kurit Panlunggaring books to winners of “Kurit Panlunggaring” (Literary Contest)-Youth Division during the commemorative program of Agew na Pangasinan at the Capitol Plaza in Lingayen on April 10. Witnessing the awarding are (from left): Poet and ASNA Awardee Santiago Villafania, Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr., Cong. Leopoldo Bataoil and Board Members Danilo Uy, Raul Sison and Nestor Reyes. /MVSadim
The book, will serve as the basic reference for mandatory classes in Pangasinan History in all elementary and secondary schools in the province.
Another major breakthrough was the formulation of the orthography of the Pangasinan language which serves as the formal system of spelling and correct usage of words in a particular language.
No-less than the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) chairman Jose Laderas announced that Pangasinan is the first province in the entire country to have its own local language orthography.
Continued efforts to keep the local language alive led to the launching of Kurit Panlunggaring (the province’s rightful answer to the Palanca Literary Awards) which aimed to inspire budding young artists to use the Pangasinan dialect as medium of literary expression.
Another first-time endeavor launched under Espino administration was the establishment of ASNA Awards, an elite award-giving body intended to give credit to the most revered Pangasinenses who excelled in their respective fields of endeavor.
All hard work, Gov. Espino said, were finally compensated through people’s acceptance and support which is proven through the recent launching of I Love Pangasinan movement, a multi-sectoral movement that aimed to establish a deeper sense expressing adoration to the province.
Rev. Fr. Agerico “Jerry” Orbos, who is one of this year’s nine ASNA awardees, commended the present administration for bringing remarkable progress for Pangasinan.
Fr. Orbos, who hails from Bani town and younger brother of former Pangasinan governor Oscar M. Orbos, likened the love of ones roots with that of a piece of matchbox which foretells a story about a family that lives under one shared roof.
Each piece of a match being kept in the box, he said, is looking for that one single ray of light outside when in fact, the flame is already inside them.
This, the priest disclosed, is so much like a Pangasinense who has the ability to ignite and make things happen. /RBernardino
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