BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Provincial officials led by Gov. Carlos Padilla have formally opened the Provincial Museum and Library in this town.
The National Museum has recently declared the PML as one of the “Important Cultural Properties” in the country.
The building has been repaired and developed through the initiative of former governor Ruth Padilla, who allocated funds for its improvement and facilitated its declaration as an ICP.
Gov. Carlos Padilla said he will issue an executive order this week encouraging the province’s 15 towns to share their cultural and historical artifacts to the PML.
“This will make our provincial museum more informative and educational, considering there are relevant artifacts that can be contributed by our municipalities,” he said.
The building was the seat of local governance in the province even before the Second World War. It was preserved and transformed into a museum and library in the late 1990s by then-governor Rodolfo Agbayani.
Officially called the People’s Museum and Library, it stands beside the Saint Dominic Cathedral, which is at the heart of the town and it boasts of having the best sounding church bells in the country.
Saint Dominic is made of brick and rare church antiques. It is also near the Capitol Park, considered as the “Luneta of the North.”
Near both structures is Bayombong Children’s Park, and further away is Bangan Hill, a historic landmark and cultural treasure. It is the site of the annual “Stations of the Cross” staged by the local Catholic Church during the Lenten season, using live actors depicting the last moments leading to Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. The hill is great for hiking enthusiasts.
