Pangasinan’s Provincial Capitol, declared by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as among the eight Architectural Treasures of the Philippines and the Arts, marks the centennial anniversary of its completion this year.
With the theme “Stronger Heritage, Stronger Pangasinan,” commemorative rites are set on Dec. 15 with a Thanksgiving Mass, an Anticipated Simbang Gabi, and a concert and variety show, followed by the Kidiyam 3D projection of the Capitol Building History and a fireworks display.
Other key events include a concert by the Kundirana all-male choir of De La Salle Greenhills on Dec. 16 and the launch of the centennial commemorative stamp by the Philippine Postal Corporation and the opening of the photo exhibit on Dec. 17.
Celebrations continue with the observance of the 74th Lingayen Gulf Landings on Jan. 9 and the centennial of its inauguration on Feb. 11, 2019.
Gov. Amado Espino III said the observance is a source of pride for the province.
The provincial Capitol’s overall design was influenced by the city masterplan of renowned 20th-century American architect and urban planner Daniel Burnham and implemented by Arch. William Parson under the direct supervision of Arch. Ralph Harrington Doane during the term of Daniel Maramba, seventh governor of Pangasinan.
Located in Lingayen town, construction started with the cornerstone laying on April 21, 1917 and completed in December 1918 with a P300,000 budget, but with a final cost of P411,942. It was inaugurated on Feb. 11, 1919 marked by a nine-day provincial fair and exposition.
Its neoclassical architecture and materials of concrete with limestone on the exterior to display its warm color made it the most impressive public structure during that period.
The building’s main portion is rectangular and set on a podium of several steps. The structure is characterized by the use of imposing columns, entablatures, and pediments with spacious rooms, high ceilings, and large windows arranged along wide corridors.
After World War II broke out in the Pacific in December 1941, bombings brought heavy damages on the Capitol before the Allied Forces under Gen. Douglas McArthur landed in Lingayen on Jan. 9, 1945.
The edifice was rebuilt and restored to its pre-war grandeur through the Philippine Rehabilitation Act passed by the US Congress in 1946. It underwent a major facelift and rehabilitation works from August 2007 to December 2008 under former governor Amado Espino, Jr.
Because of its beautiful landscape, the Capitol has become one of Pangasinan’s top three must-see tourist destinations.
