While there is no section in the address focusing on culture and the arts, there are significant developments in this field, highlighted by the library and the newly established provincial museum, as mentioned in the second State of the Province Address (SOPA) of Pangasinan governor Ramon “Mon-Mon” V. Guico III, delivered on 5 April, which was also the Agew na Pangasinan or Pangasinan Day, celebrating the 444th founding anniversary of the northwestern Luzon province.

A fittingly formal affair, the SOPA, which highlighted the achievements of his administration in the past year, was held at the Provincial Capitol Plaza in Lingayen with the all-white Provincial Capitol building serving as an august backdrop, and was attended by local government officials and representatives and employees from different local and national government agencies.

Being a writer, artist, filmmaker, cultural worker and heritage advocate, I welcomed the mention of the library and the museum because cultural development is integral to the progress of a community, and it is rare for government officials to take notice of this.

The importance of the provincial library

The library was mentioned as part of the service to the constituency, which comprises 3.1 million Pangasinan residents.

“We believe in the tremendous significance of library services to our people. Our provincial library is the hallmark of knowledge dissemination within its hallowed walls as well as the bookmark of wisdom in its field services,” Guico said in the first part of his address, which also included the province’s vision and mission. “I am happy to inform you that our provincial library is always full of students. In fact, in 2023, we had 49,591 reading room attendees, 5,864 public information service clients, providing 9,235 information materials. Indeed, our provincial library is the hub passionate learners in our capital town.”

The Pangasinan Provincial Library is located within the beautiful expanse of the provincial capitol complex, overlooking the historic Lingayen Gulf. Hopefully, this will be developed into a modern complex that fully takes advantage of its surroundings and the view, with more amenities including cafés and venues for cultural events as well as well-designed spaces to be itself an attraction, conducive for reading and discourse.

Aside from the library, Guico provided details on incentives for local government workers, scholarships for the youth, employment generation, enhancing cooperatives, housing, security, law enforcement, health, social welfare and environment. He also emphasized enabling participatory governance.

The first provincial museum

A cultural milestone for the province is the establishment of its first museum, the Banáan Pangasinan Provincial Museum, housed in the rehabilitated heritage building of casa real and was formally opened on 8 September 2023.

“The first museum of the province was renovated with a budget of P35,016,800. Banaan means ‘meeting place.’ It is the convergence of the multicultural and diverse ethnolinguistic heritage and history of Pangasinan. In its magnificent 11 galleries, we will be thrilled with the colorful convergence of our glorious past, our challenging present and our hopeful future. We invite all history buffs, archivists, social scientists and all who love Pangasinan to learn and have fun in the Banaan Museum,” the governor said.

The museum is considered as one of the “big-ticket” projects of Guico’s administration, which came into fruition. These are described as “unique initiatives and special projects.”

“These are not just campaign promises in 2022. They will be our legacy for many generations after us. No, they are not short-term projects. They will endure for decades beyond our lifetime. They are indelible marks of excellence for all posterity in Pangasinan,” he stated.

Pangasinan Link Expressway

Another big-ticket project of the province is the construction of the Pangasinan Link Expressway or PLEX, one of the biggest infrastructure ventures of the province. A groundbreaking was held last 21 March in the town of Loaoc.

It takes time to go around Pangasinan, being one of the large provinces in the Philippines, especially going to the western part. An expressway connecting the eastern and western parts of the province has been in planning and development by different provincial administrations, and it culminated on 19 October 2023 with the sealing of a partnership for the implementation of PLEX project between the provincial government and San Miguel Corporation.

“This 42.76-kilometer project will be built at no cost for the province of Pangasinan. Phase 1 will begin from at the TPLEX Exit in Binalonan and end in Lingayen. Phase 2 will continue from Lingayen to Alaminos City,” Guico explained.

He has earlier described the project as “game-changer” that will facilitate “inland connectivity to facilitate the movement of people, goods and services” and will be “also our answer to the problem of traffic congestion.”

“This is because it is envisioned to reinvent the transportation and enrich the tourism landscape, prioritizing accessibility of citizens to major towns and cities, magnifying business and livelihood opportunities, multiplying economic activities, building more infrastructures, facilitating province-wide travel and protecting our environmental resources,” he explained during the memorandum signing.

Tourism

With PLEX seen to increase tourism in the province, tourism has also seen positive developments, according to Guico as they intensified efforts “to make Pangasinan as the province of choice for local tourists and foreign visitors.”

“From January to December 2023, overnight tourist arrivals based on accommodation establishments peaked at 663,680. Meanwhile, we had 8,401,897 tourist arrivals based on tourist destination. For a total of 9,065,577, tourist arrivals in 2023 increased by 51.78 percent in comparison with the 2022 record of 5,972,629,” he divulged. “The Capitol itself attracted 1,947 visitors in 2023. Facing the iconic Capitol building will be the first reflecting pool of the Capitol Compound. We fully support the 819 accommodation establishments and 1,067 other tourism-related enterprises in our province. Pangasinan will welcome more tourists by building a new airport in Bolinao and providing more amenities to our church pilgrims who visit Manaoag!”

Pangasinan Polytechnic College

A big-ticket project is in the field of education — the establishment of the Pangasinan Polytechnic College, which just opened last 14 February with the inauguration of its Center for Life-long Learning or CELL, offering TESDA courses, such as Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II, Automotive Servicing NC 1, Driving NC II and Driving NC III.

“Meanwhile, for academic year 2024-2025, PPC will offer the following baccalaureate degree programs: Bachelor of Multi-Media Arts, Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness, Bachelor of Public Administration Major in Local Governance, Bachelor of Special Needs Education. In addition, Microcredentials like Dairy Production Principles, Clinical Skills for Community Health Workers, Videography and Barangay Governance will also be offered,” the governor elaborated. “Pangasinan Polytechnic College will also expand into the field of Medicine and Allied Health Professions. Pangasinan will be the fourth and the last province of Region 1 that will offer the Doctor of Medicine degree in its local university or college.”

Pangasinan Salt Farm

The province has historically been a salt-making area that it is the meaning of its name. Thus, it is apt that Pangasinan should lead in the production of salt, especially with the signing of Philippine Salt Industry Development Act or Republic Act 11985 last 11 March. The Pangasinan Salt Farm, another big-ticket project, is being developed to increase salt production.

“We need to drastically reduce our dependency on imported salt and produce 100 percent of our consumption needs. We must even think of becoming a net exporter of salt in the future. We have taken over the Foreshore Lease Agreement of the former Pacific Salt Farm in Barangay Zaragoza, Bolinao, Pangasinan. The Pangasinan Salt Farm has an area of 473 hectares,” Guico said. “We have improved the road networks, systems of production and built processing facilities, warehouses, administrative offices. We conducted the ceremonial harvesting of salt last 21 December 2023.”

According to him, the Pangasinan Salt Farm is producing 60,000 kilos daily and is projected to produce 3,500 metric tons by 5 April.

Syzygy

Guico capped his address by underscoring the importance of collaboration and cooperation as well as the alignment of these project, which he calls “syzygy.”

According to the Pangasinan Public Information Office, “The governor’s State of the Province Address for 2024 consistently followed and creatively amplified the essential goals stated in the Societal Impact of the Strategic Plan of the Province. This was developed under his leadership by our provincial government officials and stakeholders.”

“When he consolidated the ‘marks of excellence’ that reflect the performance of the province of Pangasinan, he dovetailed the accomplishments of his administration in such a way that they are coherent in their alignment to the Strategic Plan,” they further stated. “Anchored on the performance record of the province, we can truly validate a powerful and purpose-driven alignment. The Governor has chosen that the defining character of such alignment can be described in terms of ‘syzygy.’”