LINGAYEN, Pangasinan- Love for the province deepened furthermore and gained a bigger heart among Pangasinenses with the launching of the “I Love Pangasinan” Movement where thousands of the local folks—young and old—attended and volunteered to institute behavioral change in every Pangasinense.
The launching of the movement held recently at the Sison Auditorium here, is a multi-sectoral project spearheaded by Dr. Perla Legaspi, former UP Vice Chancellor.
Legaspi posted a challenge to all volunteers to join hands together in introducing change and reforms to move the province to greater heights.
She stressed that pro-active reforms must be instituted to achieve social behavioral change which must be started individually through simple and basic things like paying taxes and sharing resources.
Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., on the other hand, also called on the various sectors to unite and take ‘collective efforts’ for the success of the project.
The governor said his administration has endeavored through the years to provide the people with programs that will help uplift their lives. He cited health program as one of the frontline services that the provincial government offers to the sick and poor Pangasinenses who most need to feel loved and cared for.
Meanwhile, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who officiated the mass before the main program, further called on Pangasinenses in his homily to brace together and work hand-in-hand to promote more programs that will benefit the Pangasinense youth, the poor, and those who lose sight of their identity.
The provincial government, he said, has designed programs that specifically address the needs of the youth, the poor, and those who have lost sight of loving the province.
Gov. Espino said that through the movement, the people, young and old alike, will be able to instill further in their consciousness the true value of being a Pangasinense.
The church leader said the province should get rid of people he dubbed, “walang pakialam, walang pakirandam, and walang hiya” (people who doesn’t care, no concern, and no shame) for the movement to succeed.
I Love Pangasinan Movement is an aggregation of volunteer individuals or groups engaged in various fields like business, agriculture, tourism, culture and arts, academe, medical or health, religious, public service and other organizations, that seeks to instill love of God, of one’s roots, and family.
Activities related to the movement cover programs on health, trainings, livelihoods, environment, tourism, and spiritual.
The movement also helps promote sports development, nutrition, education, and other simple activities that require community participation.
Training is another component where activities will primarily concentrate on education or scholarships for the youth and the less privilege sector while livelihood component will cater on livelihood trainings, credit surety fund, product development, product marketing and promotions or basic community activities like backyard planting.
For environment, the movement shall cater to clean and green activities, coastal clean-up, mangrove and tree planting, waste management and other related endeavors.
Tourism and culture will also be taken into consideration through promotion of local dialect, songs, dances, arts, and history while spiritual endeavors will cater to activities related to church and other religious sectors undertakings.
Highlights of the program included the proclamation of the movement’s pledge of commitment followed by the ceremonial affixing of signatures.
The five sectoral components were introduced by five speakers as follows: Healthy Body- Dr. Lilibeth Fermin, Healthy Pocket- Luz Muego, Healthy Environment- PPDO chief Benita Pizarro, Healthy Government- Judge Ulysses R. Butuyan, and Healthy Heart and Mind that Value the Family, adore God, and Love Pangasinan- Rev. Fr. Mario Dominique Sanchez.
By Dexter A. See
