Gov. Ramon Guico III

 

Catapulting Pangasinan into a major hub in North Luzon

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte 

"By 2031, Pangasinan will be a great province of socio-economic growth." This is what Gov. Ramon "Monmon" Guico III told his constituents, when he spoke before them on the occasion of Pangasinan's 444th charter day celebration. Indeed, he has focused his platforms into making the province an economic hub in North Luzon.

At his inauguration as a re-elected chief executive of the province, the Commission of Higher Education awarded the Pangasinan Polytechnic College (PPC) the Certificate of Compliance for its four flagship programs. Since his first term in 2022, he has lobbied for Education for under-served families. "This is a validation of our efforts than mere accreditation," Gov. Monmon said in his speech, after receiving the plaque from CHED.

"The PPC will have a satellite campus in Umingan and Bugallon. A School of Medicine & Allied Sciences in San Carlos City is in the pipeline; as this is where the provincial hospital is located. In the future, we will have Law and Engineering degrees."

Gov Monmon is also a champion of healthcare and good governance. Under his administration, the province received the distinction as a Healthy Community Awardee in 2024 from among 149 local government units (LGUs) in the country. The province also received the DILG Seal of Good Governance in 2024.

"We have the new Umingan Community Hospital and another in Alcala, bringing the total number of hospitals to 14. And there will be a training hospital in San Carlos City. Republic Act 11223, the Universal Healthcare Act, provides for the expanded provision of medicines for our senior citizens."

One of his driving tools for progress is the tourism wheel that has helped shape the province's stature. As a transformative and visionary leader, he, likewise, advocates for climate change initiatives. Something that's seriously campaigned by the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Provincial Capitol Complex will be the center of tourism. The soon-to-rise 11-storey edifice will complement its existing sites like Our Lady of Manaoag Parish and the Hundred Islands of Alaminos.

"The comprehensive master plan will answer and address challenges of the capitol building's structure. When completed, the capitol complex will have a Veterans Memorial Park, a 1000-seater convention center, as well as a pool and lagoon near the Lingayen Beach.

"There will also be tourist rest areas for visitors, concert grounds, recreational parks, wider sidewalks, plus traffic and street lights to guide pedestrians. Our Green Canopy Project will plant 400,00 mangroves and other trees for reforestation. 

"And to support local enterprise, 2482 micro/small/medium enterprises (SMEs) will showcase their products. These products have also done the rounds of fairs like Manila FAME and iFLEX for promotion," shared Gov. Monmon during his inaugural speech.

The Provincial Government signed a memorandum of agreement with the Pangasinan Salt Center, wherein they'll augment its production under the Salt Law - in keeping with its history and legacy. The province was awarded 473 hectares of salt beds in Barangay Zaragoza in Bolinao. Also in Bolinao is the Punta Piedra Lighthouse, a testament to the once-burgeoning Acapulco Trade, between Mexico and the Philippines. 

In Bolinao, too, can be found the Balingasay River that has been touted the cleanest river in Luzon, as reported by the DENR. Its river cruise echoes that of Bohol's ecotourism. The cruise traipses through a third of the river's entire length of about seven-and-a-half kilometers. The boodle-type food bundle that goes with the cruise, for a group of ten or more, is ample and well-prepared.

There are also assigned picnic and camping areas along the riverbank for those who want to enjoy the environs for a day or two, where they could pitch their tents or park their camper vans.

With the rehabilitation, too, of the Bolinao Bangus Hatchery, this undertaking drumbeats Pangasinan as the biggest milk fish producer in the entire country. While nearby Alaminos City still beckons to tourists with their spellbinding Hundred Island tours.

Gov. Monmon's deep love for culture and the arts is showcased in the Banaan Provincial Museum, a repository of the province's colored history. The Church of Manaoag gathers six million pilgrims and devotees each year, with the numbers continually rising.

With all the programs and projects in place, together with those in the pipeline, Gov. Monmon is clearly charting a beautiful legacy for Pangasinan. "During my first term in office, we have already established my long-term projects for the province," enthused Gov. Monmon.