By Eva C. Visperas

 

I thought I went to a wrong venue, somewhere in a Dreamland.

But it was real. It was the Balon Bayambang Events Center adorned with white flowers as venue for Mayor Niña Jose-Quiambao’s State of the Municipality Address 2023 held on July 5.

Mayor Niña herself was one beautiful princess in her gown, escorted by her loving Prince and King of her heart, former Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao (CTQ). As usual, she was a standout in the crowd because of her beauty queen and artista look.

I’ve been covering Bayambang for 30 years or so since the administrations of then Mayor Calixto Camacho up to Mayor CTQ. I’ve seen its progress and growth.

Wednesday’s invitation to me was my first for the current administration of Mayora Niña. My early morning visit to the place to avoid traffic and to get a nice parking space made me nostalgic. Three decades that passed by so quickly, yet it seemed like it was only yesterday.

Everything was perfect, from the speech, the crowd, the venue except the nasty power interruption that made us a bit grumpy.

In her speech, she said the 2022 elections was a historic one for Bayambang because for the first time, Bayambangueños elected two women to steer their town towards continuous progress and development. For the first time, our Pinablin Balon Bayambang is led by two mothers “whose love encompasses all, runs deep, and comforts the people,” she said.

She as the mayor and Ian Camille Sabangan as the vice mayor.

She enumerated her administration’s initial accomplishments in different aspects of leadership: poverty alleviation, education, livelihood, health care, employment, infrastructure, fiscal management, among others, to name a few.

What sets Bayambang apart from other towns/cities in Pangasinan is the kind of unity that the town officials have. Nagkaka-isa sila para sa bayan! And it works wonders for the town and its people.

In fact, watching the Bayambang LGU employees over Facebook livestream for their Monday flag raising ceremony, I could only sigh and wish that other LGUs can adopt that positive energy radiating from the mayor down to the lowliest employee.

No hate, no anger, just pure love and happiness. Ang saya-saya nila! Sana ol.

So, when I attended her SOMA, it was no surprise that I’d feel the same positivity.

Three things were retained in my mind from the many good news Mayora Niña shared to her constituents in her SOMA.

First is the construction of a permanent Carlos P. Romulo Bridge. Thanks to 3rd District Congresswoman Rachel Arenas who sourced the funds to end travelers’ woes following the collapse of that bridge last year. A bailey bridge is being used temporarily.

Second, the Julius K. Quiambao Medical and Wellness Center, The Medical City-managed hospital located near the St. Vincent Prayer Park, will be officially opened to the public in January 2024. It’s a dream of the Quiambao family headed by former Mayor CTQ to establish a 100% privately owned world-class healthcare facility in the region. The facility is dedicated to the loving memory of Mayor Quiambao’s first-born son, Julius.

Third, is the groundbreaking ceremony of the 67-hectare new township development project starting with the Bayambang Promenade comparable to those in developed cities where people can come together with their families.

Despite these, of course, there are still some naysayers but Mayora Niña nailed it when she said: “They say that to be loved is to be changed. And it may be hard for some of us to accept these new developments, but change is something that is constant – it is something that we cannot help. Let’s be glad that we are all working together to help Bayambang change for the better.”

Go for it, Sweet Princess.  Make your kingdom Bayambang really a place where beautiful things happen.

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