A provincial ordinance was finally passed on Feb. 5 declaring and citing April 5, 1580 as the official foundation day of Pangasinan.
Provincial Ordinance No. 30-2010, approved on unanimous motion of all members of the provincial board, paved the way for the holding of a grand celebration on April 5 this year, to mark the 430th foundation of the province.
The board, headed by Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias Agabas, presiding officer, made a 10-minute recess in its regular session to personally witness the signing of the ordinance by Governor Amado Espino Jr.
It was Espino who created the research and study committee headed by Dr. Gonzalo T. Duque, president of Lyceum-Northwestern University.
After signing the provincial ordinance, Espino named Duque the chairman of the first-ever Pangasinan foundation day on April 5 this year.
The committee worked in tandem with Board Members Alfonso Bince Jr,. Von Mark Mendoza and Charissma Go in determinating the exact day, month and year when Pangasinan was founded.
The date April 5, 1580 was determined by the committee following research in various libraries and National Historical Institute. The committee even made series of communications with institutions in Madrid, Spain for them to shed light as to the day, month and year the province was founded.
The research and study committee was composed of representatives of the provincial government, historical and cultural organizations, academe and media.
The committee found out that it was on April 5, 1572 when Pangasinan was made an encomienda by the Spanish royal crown to receive instructions on the Catholic faith.
This means that Pangasinan was organized under one leadership and had identity of its own before the Spanish royal court.
Eight years later, in 1580, Pangasinan was organized into a political unit under an alcalde mayor who, at that time, has authority as head of province or provincial government with judicial function indicating that Pangasinan has become a province.
The research and study committee unanimously recommended April 5 as the day when Pangasinan became an encomienda in 1572, and when it became a province in 1580. (PNA)
RMA/Lvm/lvmicua/1700/rma
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