Author: Martie Gonzales

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – In the midst of the summer heat, Pangasinenses and tourists flocked to the Capitol Beachfront in Lingayen, Pangasinan to join the Provincial Government of Pangasinan, led by Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III, in celebrating the province’s beloved thanksgiving festival, the Pista’y Dayat on May 1, 2022.

The celebration of the Pista’y Dayat this 2022 was simple yet immensely significant since Pangasinan’s tourism industry had to take the backseat due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Known for its month-long festivities, the celebration of the Pista’y Dayat started with activities and events since the commemoration of the province’s Agew na Pangasinan last April 5, 2022. Activities such as the opening of the 13th Pangasinan Tourism and Trade Expo, the opening of the Abig Sining Visual Arts Exhibit, the weekly Konsyerto ed Gulpo on Fridays and Saturdays, Zumba (sponsored by LGU Lingayen) on early Saturday mornings, Orchestra Showdown, and the Konsyerto ed Baybay (sponsored by San Miguel Brewery Inc.) fittingly led up to the momentous May 1 event.

Konsyerto sa Baybay, sponsored by San Miguel Brewery Inc.

“There is life after difficulties. There is life in failures. There is life after challenges. We get through these because there is love,” Most Rev. Bishop Fidelis B. Layog imparted to the visitors who attended the Misa na Pisasalamat that officially started the Pista’y Dayat event proper. A timely message as Pangasinenses and tourists came together to pay tribute to Pangasinan’s bountiful seas and hardworking fishing communities, reflected at the same time through a performance by the Belyaw Street Dancers from Mangaldan and the Pandaragupan Drum Beaters of Dagupan City after the mass.

The evening of the grand thanksgiving festival was spent with Pangasinan’s local talents: Insiyong Tamayo, Arah Mae and Renz Ruther Robosa, Boyz Impact, Dynamic Duo, Ela Banana Band, Joe Caranto Orchestra, and the United Alliance Hiphop Dancers. Renowned Filipino rock band The Itchyworms joined the celebration as they performed favorite OPM songs that concert-goers joyfully sang and danced to.

Local executives and their respective staff as well as groups of Pangasinenses returned to the Capitol Beachfront in Lingayen for a coastal clean-up activity after the festivities.

While COVID-19 cases slowly but surely continue to lessen in the recent weeks, locals and tourism workers are optimistic that the celebration of this year’s Pista’y Dayat is a sign for the strong comeback of Pangasinan’s tourism industry after two years of uncertainty amidst the pandemic.

The Pista’y Dayat was made possible by the following sponsors:

/MCDG

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The announcement and awarding of winners of the Provincial Government of Pangasinan’s ABIG SINING Visual Arts Competition took place at the Casa Real in Lingayen. The exhibit was subsequently opened as part of the 442nd Agew na Pangasinan celebration in the afternoon of April 5, 2022.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed as a major hindrance to the creative endeavors by Pangasinan’s visual artists. The ABIG SINING Visual Arts Competition, wherein the Pangasinan word abig  means healing, betterment, goodness, wellness, prosperity, beauty, and welfare, aimed to be a platform for the province’s visual artists to continuously enrich and showcase their art and creativity amidst the pandemic. These artworks breathe and reflect the bared thoughts and souls of Pangasinan’s artists in their respective journeys to heal amidst these trying times, as well as their outlook for the future post-pandemic.

At the ceremony, First District Board Member and Committee Chair on Tourism, Arts and Culture Margielou Orange Humilde-Verzosa represented Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III as she welcomed the guests and shared how, although she could not call herself an expert of the arts, she appreciates and understands how art and its various expressions is a source of comfort, inspiration and strength. Pangasinan Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Officer Maria Luisa Amor-Elduayan then introduced the board of judges that comprised renowned artists: painter and University of the Philippines Diliman Professor Emeritus Nestor Vinluan; sculptor and painter and University of the Philippines Diliman assistant professor Toym Imao; street muralist and painter and Sining Eskinita Founder and visual anthropreneur Venazir Martinez; Arts Administrator, co-founder of Art Fair Philippines and Head of the National Committee on Visual Arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Geraldine “Dindin” Araneta; and Dagupan City-born painter and sculptor, and 2012 ASNA Awardee for Visual Arts Joe Datuin.

The ABIG SINING Visual Arts Competition was launched last February in celebration of the 2022 National Arts Month. Submission of entries began on March 15, 2022 and the deadline was extended until March 31, 2022. The judging and deliberation took place at the Casa Real on April 4, 2022, where the board of judges reviewed a total of 49 paintings and 11 sculptures.

“Hilum sa Bahay-bahayan” by Clyde Aedriel T. Rafael from the eastern Pangasinan town of Natividad won first place in the competition’s Painting Category, followed by “Ang Tatlong Puting Ibon” by Joshua R. Carajay and “Retrospection” by John Ray A. Dizon, both artists from the town of Alcala. Special citations were also given to Jeffrey “Domeng” Dela Cruz of Bugallon for his work entitled, “Hiding Place” and to James B. Ison of Alaminos City for his work, “Edukasyon. Pangarap. Pag-asa.”

“Estudyante sa Panahon ng Pandemya” by Lingayen resident Bonifacio G. De Guzman, Jr. took home first place for the Sculpture Category while Bolinao sculptors Marco Dispo Cañas and Wenny P. Licuanan won 2nd and 3rd place for their works, “Hope” and “Angkas Tungo sa Pangarap” respectively.

The ABIG SINING Visual Arts Exhibit at the ground floor of the Casa Real in Lingayen is open for public viewing on Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

*In observance of Holy Week, the exhibit will be closed from April 14 to 17, 2022. It will be reopened on April 19, 2022.

/MCDG

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The Provincial Government of Pangasinan, led by Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III, celebrated the 442nd founding anniversary of the province of Pangasinan and officially opened the 13th Pangasinan Tourism and Trade Expo at the Capitol Beachfront on April 5, 2022.

With the word “asin” at the heart of its name, the province of Pangasinan is known to be one of the top producers of salt in the Philippines. This significant commodity embodies the identity of Pangasinan and Pangasinenses as Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan emphasized in his homily during the Misa na Pisasalamat held at the historical Sison Auditorium in Lingayen.

“Our forefathers preserved Pangasinan by the salt of sacrifices,” Archbishop Villegas shared. “Salt is a component of contracts, of promises, and of word of honor. Our forefathers exchanged salt in agreement. This is because salt is constant. Salt does not change.

“Let us preserve what we have received from our forefathers, be responsible for future generations, add flavor to our tasteless and bland lives, and to stand and honor our word,” Archbishop Villegas imparted to the guests present at the Sison Auditorium as he ended his homily.

After the Misa na Pisasalamat, Governor Espino was joined by Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo N. Bataoil, Board Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Provincial Government department heads and employees, and local tourism officers as they took part in a parade led by the University of Luzon Drum and Bugle Corps en route to the Capitol Beachfront where Fr. Yannix Liguid blessed the grounds of the 13th Pangasinan Tourism and Trade Expo.

“We try our best para masaya ang kabababayan natin,” Governor Espino said shortly after the blessing of the Expo grounds. “The booth space here in the Capitol Beachfront is free. We invited our local entrepreneurs, our MSMEs so that they could promote and sell their products.”

As part of the Provincial Government’s commitment to a unified tourism recovery plan for Pangasinan amidst the industry’s new normal, the return of the Pangasinan Tourism and Trade Expo has been a long awaited event as the province’s tourism industry had to take a backseat amidst the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last March 2020. This meant that several tourism workers and MSMEs had to adjust in order to keep their businesses going. One of the initiatives that the Provincial Government implemented in order to help local MSMEs was the Pamanang Yaman, Produktong Pangasinan project wherein the Provincial Government purchased products of local MSMEs and travelled around the province in order to promote and sell these.

The opening of the Pangasinan Tourism and Trade Expo also coincides with the beginning of the Pistay Dayat festivities. Included in this year’s activities is the opening of the Abig Sining Visual Arts Exhibit at the Casa Real and the Konsyerto ëd Expo at the Capitol Beachfront.

/MCDG

The Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) joins the nation in celebrating National Arts Month this February with the theme, “Sining ng Pag-asa.”

According to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the theme this year is to recognize art as a medium and expression of hope reflecting our creative ways of responding to the effects of pandemics, disasters, and other social realities, as well as the role of art in improving our lives in the community as Filipinos.

In line with this celebration, the PTCAO will be conducting the 2022 ABIG SINING: Visual Arts Competition from February 4 to March 25, 2022 with the theme, “ABIG: Healing in Art.”

Read on to know the contest guidelines.

You may download the entry form here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1whLGyh_LtUqBEX127kZ6lv1jcg2U9nm5/view?usp=sharing 

For more information and submission of entries, please see the Secretariat, Cultural Affairs Division-Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office, 1st Floor Malong Building, Capitol Complex, Lingayen, Pangasinan. You may also contact us at (075) 542-6853 or 09998839740.

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Lingayen, Pangasinan – The Provincial Government of Pangasinan commemorated the 77th Lingayen Gulf Landings anniversary as well as the 15th Pangasinan Veterans Day today, January 9, 2022 at the Veterans Memorial Park located within the Capitol Complex in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

The program started with a mass presided by Msgr. Manuel S. Bravo Jr., followed by the ceremonial wreath laying by Mr. Floro Fabia Castro and Ms. Marlyn Pizarras Bautista (representatives from the Veterans Federation of the Philippines Sons and Daughters Association, Inc.), PCol. Richmond L. Tadina (PNP Provincial Director of Pangasinan) and Governor Amado I. Espino III.

The Lingayen Gulf Landings anniversary and the Pangasinan Veterans Day are celebrated annually on January 9 to commemorate the heroic services and sacrifices that our Pangasinense soldiers rendered during World War II to ensure the freedom and bright future of our beloved Philippines and the future generations.

/MCDG

Photos courtesy of PTCAO-Special Events Division

In partnership with the Mabini Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office, the Pangasinan Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office conducted a two-day seminar-workshop for tourism frontliners in Mabini entitled, “MAGNAYON! Pangasinan Tourism Frontliner Seminar-Workshop” last December 27 and December 29, 2021. The seminar-workshop focused on various topics, mainly: tourism, personality development, effective customer service, and communication and basic tour guiding techniques.

The program was designed to develop and sustain a tourism workforce that can readily provide quality standards of service to visitors traveling to and within the province of Pangasinan. A total of 31 participants benefited from the two-day seminar-workshop and were subsequently awarded certificates of completion on December 29, 2021.

On November 4, 2021, the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) conducted a meeting with Anda tourism stakeholders at 828 Gems Beach Resort, Tondol, Anda, Pangasinan.

Provincial Tourism Officer Maria Luisa Amor-Elduayan, alongside the PTCAO Technical Support Service Division staff, met with Tourism Officer Mr. Daryll Celeste and accommodation establishment owners in the area to gauge LGU tourism activity in light of fewer travel restrictions mandated by the provincial and national government. Alongside the general updating and monitoring of Anda’s application and use of the Tara Na Online Visitors’ Registration System (OVRS), Ms. Amor-Elduayan and Mr. Celeste held an open forum to address the concerns of the local tourism stakeholders. Issues on DOT accreditation application, implementation of environmental fees, rollout of vaccinations, water filter systems, and seagrass accumulation are some of the key concerns raised by the Accommodation Establishment Owners’ Association and subsequently addressed by Ms. Amor-Elduayan and Mr. Celeste.

As part of the activity, Ms. Amor-Elduayan, with the PTCAO Technical Support Service Division, inspected six accommodation establishments; namely, Pertible Beach Resort, Zhora’s Room Rental Food and Resort, Tondol White Beach Resort, S&C Resort and Villas, and Sarmiento Beach House.

/RAD

On October 19, 2021, Pangasinan Provincial Governor Amado I. Espino III, alongside Provincial Tourism Officer Maria Luisa Amor-Elduayan, awarded 19 local Tourism Officers with laptop computers at the Capitol Resort in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Starting 8:30 AM, the program began with a brief introduction by Provincial Tourism Officer Malu Elduayan followed by a short speech by Gov. Espino III, encouraging the attendees to be patient as he assured everyone that the Provincial Government will continuously strive for a comprehensive solution to the problems brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The provision of laptop computers itself is part of the Pangasinan tourism recovery program as an assistance of the Provincial Government to LGUs for their partnership with the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office in managing the Pangasinan Tara Na Online Visitors’ Registration System (OVRS).

Provincial Tourism Officer Malu Elduayan likewise took time to explain the future programs concerning the province’s tourism officers. Pangasinan Tourism Officers Association President Cromwell M. Hernandez also addressed the issues and concerns raised by his fellow tourism officers regarding routine meetings and workshops, as well as future projects by the association.

/RAD