DAGUPAN CITY – A new MacArthur Park will soon rise Bonuan Tondaligan to constantly remind the present and new generations of the landing of the Allied liberation forces in the beaches of the Lingayen Gulf on that fateful day on January 9, 1945 to finally begin the liberation of Luzon from the occupation forces.
Mayor Belen T. Fernandez disclosed that the construction of the park, which features a replica of the landing of MacArthuir in the shores of Bonuan along with his staff officers, among others, will start on the second quarter of the year.
She made the announcement when she conducted an ocular inspection of the site where the park will be built in Tondaligan on February 2.
The park will be constructed on the site where the old water reservoir of the Dagupan City Water District is positioned.
Meanwhile, Councilor Jeslito C. Seen, chairperson, Committee on Arts, Culture and Heritage of the Sanguuniang Panlungsod said he is seeking professional help from the NHCP for a list of officially and unofficially declared pieces of historical legacies, structures, relics and artifacts h are associated in the history of Dagupan to be ultimately declared as significant in the city’s history.
NHCP Executive Director Ludovico D. Badoy wrote Seen on November 17, 2017 that the only historical structure and site listed in the book “Historical Markers” were the old Church of Dagupan and the Luzon Landing in Bonuan Blue Beach.
There are other structures identified as historically significant but were not yet installed with historical markers. These are the Dagupan City Light Station, Paaralang Elementarya ng West Central 1 and the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital.
There is at present a marker of the Luzon Landing with a monument of Gen. MacArthur in Bonuan Gueset but the lot which it stands is private owned..
The transfer of the marker and the monument to Tondaligan would therefore give the youth a better access to the park, said Seen.
The city, at present, is undertaking a citywide cultural mapping.
According to Seen there are at least 500 items/sites of historical significance in the city which will soon be submitted to the commission for approval.
Once approved these items/sites of historical significance will complete the production of the city’s official coffee book next year said Seen. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/Feb. 2, 2018)