Tourism, culture and heritage make lasting strides in Pangasinan

Notable achievements in tourism, culture and heritage as well as in other fields, many of which are considered “historic firsts” in Pangasinan, were revealed by Ramon V. Guico III, governor of the province in northwest Luzon, during his third State of the Province Address (SOPA) on 5 April at the Sison Auditorium in the Pangasinan Capitol Complex in the provincial capital of Lingayen.

Serving as a highlight of Agew na Pangasinan (Pangasinan Day), which celebrated the 445th founding anniversary of the province, the SOPA, titled “Era of First Times, Era of Lasting Accomplishments,” mentioned accomplishments in Guico’s first tenure as governor including key programs in tourism, agriculture, public health, education, peace and order, governance, infrastructure, environment, livelihood, investment, employment, social services, and disaster risk reduction, which Guico deemed as legacy to the province. Also included were developments in culture and the arts, which are rarely prioritized by local government

Cultural projects

The banner project in Pangasinan’s cultural development is the establishment of Banaan Pangasinan Provincial Museum, which is the first museum of the province. The old casa real was transformed into a museum, inaugurated on 11 September 2023, and completed at the cost of P35 million.

Since its inauguration until December 2024, the museum welcomed 17,498 visitors. In 2024, tourists from the United States, Denmark, South Korea, Indonesia, France, Japan, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Britain, Thailand, Malaysia, Samoa and Germany came to visit. Visitors from other parts of the country also came to visit.

The museum was able to generate P676,270 in entrance fees and P761,065 from sales in its souvenir shop, empowering 27 micro, small and medium enterprises.

Under the auspices of the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office, led Maria Luisa Elduayan, the Banaan Museum also now offers workshops, lecture series, and cultural festivals, aside from guided tours.

Another cultural institution often neglected by local governments, and even the national government, is the library, which plays an integral role in the community.

In 2024, the Pangasinan Provincial Library, under provincial librarian Maria Cynthia Vila, continued to provide regular and outreach services and welcomed 44,012 guests in its Reading Room and provided public information service to 5,982 people. Additionally, it provided 7,505 information materials that had been transferred onsite, outdoor and online.

“For the first time, the Pangasinan Provincial Library successfully hosted the eighth International Conference for Children and Young Adult Librarianship attended by 245 delegates from the National Library of the Philippines, public and school libraries from all over the country,” Guico said.

“For the first time, the Pangasinan Provincial Library conducted the PPLiwawa Community Outreach Service for 2,367 students from secondary institutions in Binmaley, Pozorrubio, and San Jacinto. Young people are made aware of current issue that they face and the government services provided by different Pangasinan provincial government agencies,” he added.

Another pioneering development is the planned establishment of LibCafe for the Pangasinan Provincial Library and another LibCafe for the Pangasinan Polytechnic College Library in partnership with the LGU-owned Capitol Resort Hotel, which ventured into a diversified business in 2024 for the first time.

The governor also congratulated the Pangasinan Provincial Library for celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2024.

A related agency is the archives. Pangasinan embarked on modernizing its records management and historical documentation at its Provincial Archives and Records Center (PARC). For 2022 to 2024, PARC is said to have been able to digitize 6,536 critical government records, acquisition and systematic preservation of 725 digital records; secure storage of 237 digital records on CDs/DVDs for long term archiving; dispose 16,403 kilograms of valueless records from 15 provincial offices and 13 hospitals; and strengthen “its role as the custodian of Pangasinan’s historical and legal documents with the transfer of 4,592 archival records from ten key provincial offices.”

“Indeed, from 2022 to 2024, the Provincial Archives and Records Center established record-breaking digitization efforts, the highest recorded volume of synchronized records disposal, and the strengthening of Pangasinan’s archival repository,” Guico said.

Other cultural projects of the province were the PangaSINE Film Festival, the Asinan Music and Arts Festival, and the Gawad F. Sionil Jose Literary Writing Contest, all held for the first.

Strengthening the heritage in salt-making

The provincial government is also bolstering its heritage industry of salt-making.

“For the first time, the government of Pangasinan reclaimed the historic significance of who we are, people who live in the place where salt is made—“Pang-asinan.” No other governor has taken up the cudgels for the salt-making industry in order to liberate ourselves from dependence on imported salt that is draining our dollar resources,” Guico said.

The Pangasinan Salt Center was established with the approval of Provincial Ordinance No. 323-2024 or An Ordinance Establishing/Creating the Pangasinan Salt Center and Appropriating Funds Thereof, putting salt production in Zaragoza, Bolinao, within alegal framework as an investment and economic development project of the province.

“With the foreshore lease agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2022, we made sure that Pacific Farms is no longer idle and it is reborn as the new Pangasinan Salt Center. We also created jobs for 142 salt makers!” Guico shared.

“In 2024, the Pangasinan Salt Center produced 6,400 metric tons. Its total sales skyrocketed to P10 million,” he enthused, adding that “[w]e intend to decrease our dependence on imported salt, which is 93 percent of the country’s need and equivalent to 550,000 metric tons.”

Tourism and infrastructures

Pangasinan has long been a tourist destination. But in recent years, it has been overlooked, but the province still promises of more places to explore.

Guico said that many of his projects will benefit Pangasinan’s tourism industry. A legacy project is the transformation of the Provincial Capitol Complex in Lingayen.

“For the first time, a major redevelopment of the Capitol Complex will be implemented through the 11-story Pangasinan Government Tower and the new Pangasinan Convention Center, in addition to the Pangasinan Reflecting Pool and Dancing Fountain, alongside the new World War II Memorial and Tourist Rest Area,” he said.

He elaborated: “No other reflecting pool and dancing fountain in the Philippines today even comes close to the what we are about to unveil in Pangasinan. The Baywalk Area and the Capitol Complex will become even more attractive to Pangsinenses and tourists with the newest iconic landmark, our very own reflecting pool and dancing fountain. And for the first time, right in the midst of all these developments is the new DOT standard Tourist Rest Area for your health, comfort and convenience.”

The Pangasinan Government Tower costs P1,988,860,748.73, while the Pangasinan Reflecting Pool and Dancing Fountain costs P96,292,089.52. The provincial government was able to secure a P10 million grant from the Department of Tourism for the construction of its first Tourism Rest Area at the Capitol Beach Front and Lingayen Baywalk.

“Complimenting the Pangasinan Government Tower is the Pangasinan Convention Center, designed to accommodate as many as 1,500 delegates. With this facility, in addition to the Sison Auditorium and the Provincial Training Center, the Capitol Complex in our capital town of Lingayen is destined to become the ‘Conference Capital’ of Region 1!” he further said.

“As you all can see, there is a big difference between excellence and mediocrity as well as progress and stagnation. Fifteen years is a long period when things are left undone, when new visons are not articulated, and old ways are not changed. Fifteen years is a short period when enduring changes are put in place, new visions are realized, and new ways enable us are practiced to march forward. Moral courage and political will converge to make all these things happen,” Guico divulged.

“It is tragic when, right under your nose, you did not see the changes that the people need to reinvent the Capitol Complex. But you and I, in the spirit of our era, decided that right under our nose, this must be done. The ground-breaking is finished, one legacy project is almost completed, soon to be inaugurated this year, and we needed less than three years. Fifteen years from now, your children will know the comparison, the big difference!” he further said.

Another legacy project is the Pangasinan Link Expressway (PLEX), a project worth P34 billion, but the Provincial Government “will not spend a single centavo!”

“Our generous partner in the PLEX project, San Miguel Corporation, will shell out P34 billion. PLEX will be an income-generating superhighway that will yield a province revenue share equivalent to five percent in the toll revenues and commercial development revenues. In addition, the Pangasinan will earn a province earnings share equivalent to 30 percent of the ‘earnings’ before taxes after San Miguel Corporation exceeds a project internal rate of return of 10 percent. When the internal rate of return exceeds 12 percent for SMC, the province earnings share will be adjusted to 70 percent of ‘earnings’ before tax,” the governor explained.

The PLEX is expected to reduce travel time from 30 percent to 40 percent, and to hasten tourism and socio-economic development in the towns between Binalonan to Lingayen where Phase 1 of PLEX will traverse.

Additionally, the provincial government spent P76,674,465.85 for the repair and improvement of road network to and construction of eco-tourism site and pilgrimage area in the sitio of Lubas in Santa Catalina, Binalonan.

“This will become the newest tourism attraction of the Province comparable to the Our Lady of Manaoag Pilgrimage and the Hundred Islands,” Guico beamed.

He also revealed that he is planning for the further development of the town of Manaoag, where the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, a popular pilgrimage site, is located.

The governor also boasted of the awards that the province won for the first time at the 2024 ATOP (Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines) Pearl Awards—first runner-up in Best Tourism Souvenirs for the Banaan Museum souvenirs; second runner-up in Best Sports Tourism Event for the Philippine Beach Games of Pista’y Dayat; and second runner-up in Best International Event Hosting for the Second International Conference on Pangasinan and Bulosan Studies.

Other accomplishments

Aside from cultural and tourism projects, Guico cited other significant firsts including launching of corporate farming; active support for micro, small, and medium enterprises; establishment of the Pangasinan Polytechnic College; transformation of the Pangasinan Provincial Jail; launching of the Green Canopy Project; the establishment of the Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office; and establishment of the One Response Command Center in Malico, San Nicolas.

Milestones were also marked in public health and education.

“There is so much more that needs to be done. We will continue raising the bar of excellence with our present achievements. And we have more legacy projects and programs that will benefit many generations of Pangasinenses long after we are gone. Three years are really too short, but they are nevertheless loaded with outstanding performance from our Pangasinan Ang Galing Team! You and I—all of us—belong to this team!” Guico concluded his address.