LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Governor Ramon V. Guico’s dream to redevelop the Capitol Complex will eventually transform Lingayen into ‘Singapore and Japan of the North’, with the establishment of the Reflecting Pool and Interactive Fountain as a showroom of lush vegetation and a burst of pink trumpet blooms.
This was disclosed during the second public consultation meeting for the redevelopment of Capitol Complex, which was attended by some members of the provincial board and some department heads on March 14 at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center (PTDC).
Provincial Housing and Urban Development Officer Alvin Bigay said planting native trees is considered by the provincial government as the best alternative or replacement for the trees that were and will be cut. “For every tree, na puputulin ay papalitan ng 50 seedlings. ‘Yong pwedeng i-earthball ay ating gagawin para ma-preserve ang mga puno, then pwedeng ilagay natin saEco-Park sa Bugallon,” he stated.
As planned, Tabebuia rosea, which resembles Japan’s cherry blossom, will be planted in the area. Native trees will also be planted to achieve a verdant view and to become the sanctuary of birds and fireflies at sundown.
In the public consultation, Celso Salazar, former CENRO-Dagupan City chief and now president of Pangasinan Native Trees Enthusiasts, Inc., discussed the significance of planting native trees and plants like dillenia or katmon, narra, and ylang-ylang. All species are ideal for urban landscaping and greening.
Salazar, on the other hand, discouraged the public from planting invasive trees like mahogany and ipil-ipil. Mahogany, he said, releases chemicals that can harm its environment.
Expressing support for the project, Salazar cited that most of the 64 trees that were previously cut at the Capitol complex were invasive trees. Invasive trees affect habitats and bioregions, causing environmental and ecological damage.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel Soriano, chairman of the FADZ+Casanova Design Team, assured the public that all factors were considered in the redevelopment of the Capitol Complex. “All factors are considered, even the accessibility of the PWD (persons with disabilities) and the elders (senior citizens), for them to enjoy the facilities,” he said.
In addition, Soriano assured that the water feature to be developed would not cause harm to the environment. “May mga makabagong pamamaraan na para mai-address ng epektibo ang pangangailangan ng resources natin—tubig, kuryente, etcetera. When it comes to energy or building systems, marami pong paraan at asahan ninyo na ‘yong sistema ay kontrolado ng building official natin,” he said, adding that part of development is responsibility.
Speaking for the provincial government, Atty. Geronimo S. Abad said that solar energy will be utilized for the project. He also stated that the provincial government will strictly implement proper waste management to ensure that the project will be environmentally friendly and adhere to the Solid Waste Management Act.
Enr. Bigay added that flooding within the Capitol Complex premises will also be addressed by the redevelopment.
Lingayen barangay captains Hipolito Caronongan(Libsong West) and Hiram Hidalgo (Poblacion), along with some 189 barangay residents, attended the public consultation.
It can be recalled that the first public consultation was held on October 21, 2023. (Ruby R. Bernardino/PIMRO
