LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Exactly one year after he assumed his post, the provincial Capitol building was inaugurated with new and elegant looks, similar to the interior design of Malacañang Palace.
Gov. Amado Espino Jr. led the soft opening and inauguration yesterday of the neo-classical Capitol Building, which is said to be one of the most, if not the most elegant Capitol buildings in the country.
“I hope this will serve as a lasting legacy for future generations and make every Pangasinense proud of his province,” Espino said.
The building stands majestically in front of the historic Lingayen Gulf.
Espino Jr. said for the first time, all the elected provincial officials, from him and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members led by the vice governor, will now be housed in the same building.
“That gives us an ambience of belonging and working together as one family,” he said.
“I thought I was in Malacañang,” said Police Superintendent Harris Fama who was present during the inauguration.
The province has already spent P35 million which also includes the rehabilitation of other buildings within the Capitol complex.
Espino also broke tradition when he now holds office at the Provincial Capitol Building, instead of the adjacent Urduja House where past governors held office. He said the Urduja House is the official residence of the governor and it’s right and fitting that he holds office daily at the refurbished Capitol building.
The Capitol building was erected in 1918 by the provincial board led by Gov. Daniel Maramba, Segundo Estaris and Victor Tomelden as members, J.W. Crow as treasurer, Chas Dandors as district engineer and Ralph Harrington Doane as consulting architect.
It was reconstructed in 1949 by the provincial board led by Gov. Enrique Braganza, Vicente Soliven and Miguel de Vera as members. A.F. Buenaventura as provincial treasurer and V.B. Oledan as district engineer.
Espino’s predecessor, then governor Victor Agbayani, also had it rehabilitated but Espino decided to refurbish it in a way befitting its grandeur and its great heritage value.
Also, Espino said there were some structural defects like leaking roofs.
“We wanted it to be like little Malacañang or the old Congress. Its craftsmanship is excellent,” he said.