Pantabangan Sunken Town declared Heritage Soul

PANTABANGAN, Nueva Ecija — The Sangguniang Bayan of Pantabangan has declared the Old Pantabangan Townsite or the Sunken Town as a “Heritage Soul” as part of the Heritage Month celebration.

Pantabangan Tourism officer Emisonia Gante and the Provincial Tourism Office led by Atty. Jose San Pedro conducted the declaration during the ocular visit at the Sunken Town.

According to Gante, the declaration of the Sunken Town into a Heritage Soul is to preserve the history of the old town.

She said that after 50 years, the Sunken Town appeared to the public that used to include Barangay East Poblacion, West Poblacion, Villa Rica, Liberty, San Juan, Marikit, Napon Napon and Barangay Cadaclan that are now located at the new municipality of Pantabangan.

She added that after the appearance of the Sunken Town, the number of tourist arrivals has increased by 30 percent in Pantabangan. The tourism office is currently brainstorming on how to preserve the Sunken Town.

The tourism office is also looking for former residents of the Sunken Town, gathering information and records such as experiences from when they were living in the Old Pantabangan Town.

Provincial Tourism Officer San Pedro said that the Sunken Town will possibly descend again this coming wet season, prompting them to cooperate with the Municipal Tourism Office to create programs through stories and narratives that can entice more tourists to come to Pantabangan and create records that can be passed down for future generations.