Bengson-Yuson House opens as P’sinan Heritage Center
CAPITOL NEWS
Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. led the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Bengson-Yuson House that will lodge the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission and the Center for Pangasinan Studies is joined by former congressman Antonio E. Bengson III (left), on behalf of the property’s donee Bengson clan, Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. (3rd from left) and University of the Philippines Vice Pres. for Public Affairs Prospero De Vera (right). Not in the photo is Second District Representative Leopoldo Bataoil, who also graced the event./MVSadim
GOVERNOR Amado T. Espino, Jr. led the opening rites of the newly-restored edifice that houses the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission (PHCC) and the Center for Pangasinan Studies (CPS), as part of the 436th Agew na Pangasinan celebration.
In his message, Espino thanked the Bengson clan for their generosity in donating to the government the property in support of the province’s cultural revival program.
Speaking on behalf of the clan, former congressman Antonio Bengson said that the donation was a gesture of their family’s confidence in the leadership of the governor to preserve historical and cultural resources.
Situated at the corner of Bengson Street in the Poblacion area town, the building has undergone restoration as part of the current administration’s efforts to preserve local cultural sites, with the technical aid of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
Formed in 2010, PHCC is the province’s institutional research and study group that paved way for the accurate dating of Pangasinan’s founding date as it is feted now and the penning of the comprehensive provincial history book.
CPS, on the other hand, was established by the Espino administration, with technical assistance from the University of the Philippines (UP) and the PHCC, supported by a consortium of five tertiary education institutions in the province, namely: University of Pangasinan-PHINMA, University of Luzon, Lyceum Northwestern University, Virgen Milagrosa University-Foundation and Colegio de Dagupan.
It will serve as a repository of documents, researches, artifacts and media materials on Pangasinan.
As its initial offering, the center also unveiled “Pangasinan Ed Pusok” solo art exhibit by internationally renowned Pangasinense visual artist Maestro Romeo MananQuil.
The collection comprised 13 oil canvases depicting filial bond, life, ways and landscape, with some of the works reflecting touches of his homecomings to the province, and the six currency designs approved by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Some of the pieces displayed are shown to the public for the first time.
Mananquil said that he is putting his works for sale exclusively for this exhibit’s run only, thinking that those who will buy them will keep them as an heirloom for their posterity.
The artist’s Pangasinense roots traces back to his mother Gloria Malicdem-Castillo, who hails from the town of Binmaley here.
Also gracing the event are Second District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr., Board Member and Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial President Amado “Pogi” Espino III, PHCC Chair Dr. Gonzalo T. Duque, and UP Vice Pres. for Public Affairs Prospero de Vera, who appears in place of Pres. Alfredo Pascual, and university presidents and representatives in the province. /RCL
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