Pangasinan celebrates founding day with focus on heritage

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—The tranquil atmosphere around the capitol compound here turned festive on Wednesday when the province marked its 432nd founding anniversary.

At daybreak that day, hundreds of schoolchildren clad in colorful costumes lingered around the capitol to prepare for the street-dancing competition in the grand cultural parade.

“It was a day of excitement and a real cultural treat for Pangasinenses,” said Orpheus Velasco, the provincial information officer.

The floats depicted the history and culture of participating local governments and showcased their best products as street dancers performed to showcase the festivals of their respective towns.

“Agew na Pangasinan” (Pangasinan Day) was supposed to be celebrated on April 5. But since April 5 fell on Maundy Thursday, the provincial government postponed its celebration to April 11.

Governor Amado Espino Jr. said the provincial government’s research and study committee, headed by former Vice Governor Gonzalo Duque, established April 5, 1580, to be officially designated as the most historically acceptable date of the founding of Pangasinan.

“We are now celebrating Agew na Pangasinan every year with greater confidence in its historical significance and with deeper appreciation of our heritage and distinct identity as a people,” he said.

In the past, Pangasinenses mistakenly celebrated Pangasinan Day on November 13, which was actually the birth date of the late Speaker Eugenio Perez.

“And, I am happy to say that our initial efforts have branched out into other significant developments,” Espino said.

Among these, he said, was the launch in September of the Pangasinan Culture and Arts Festival, officially known as “Balitok a Tawir” (Golden Heritage), the first intertown competition in Pangasinan folk songs and dances, including the zarzuela.

This year, the Pangasinan Historical and Cultural Commission embarked on a research to establish a continuing and accurate account of Pangasinan history.

The research group headed by Dr. Perla Legaspi, the former director of the University of the Philippines (UP) Center for Local and Regional Governance and later vice chancellor of UP Diliman, presented the research output, “A Research Study on Pangasinan History, Culture and Development.”

Espino said it would serve as the basis for the development of an instructional material on Pangasinan history, which the province would recommend to be included in the curriculum for all elementary and secondary schools in the province.—Gabriel Cardinoza