BAYAMBANG: Where Good Things Happen

Bayambang Municipal Plaza

Bayambang Municipal Hall

Statue of Former President Emilio Aguinaldo

Only two towns in the Philippines has former President Emilio Aguinaldo’s statue on their municipal hall, the hero’s hometown in Kawit, Cavite, and Bayambang in Pangasinan, where he declared as the Fifth Capital of the Philippine Revolutionary Republic. Across the century-old municipal hall is the two-hectare public plaza with the four-feet signage “Balong Bayambang” (New Bayambang), where tourist may take their photo. A walk through Bayambang’s rich history and attraction may be accessed through a mini-gallery inside the park.

Saint Vincent Statue

Saint Vincent Ferrer Statue at Bani, Bayambang, Pangasinan

Statue of Saint Vincent Ferrer in Bayambang is world's tallest bamboo sculpture.The carved image of the town's patron saint stands over 100 feet tall at Brgy. Bani. I amsure that this park wil make you amazed at the sight of the enormous sculpture that was displayed at the Saint Vincent Prayer Park.The statue could well be a new destination for those who would like to meditate in the upcoming observance of the Holy Week.

Buro Bayambang

Buro

Buro is a type of strong smelling fish sauce that’s an acquired taste. A trip to Bayambang, Pangasinan will not be complete without a taste of its infamous buro - a mix of fermented rice and fish. Buro-making is no a walk in the park even if it has only three ingredients: salt, rice, and fish. It is a very delicate process that takes about three weeks. The fish used - dalag, tilapia, or gurami - are all sourced locally. Shellflex Food Products showcases a modern day buro-making process with the help from the Pangasinan State University. Modernizing their buro is not just about new equipment. Shellflex learned how to make the buro less pungent while maintaining its flavor. The secret, they said, was removing the fish head in the process. Sauteed buro is best served as side dish of steamed vegetables and fried fish.

Bayambang makes for a short but interesting stop if you’re on your way to the Pangasinan coast. There are limited tourism distractions but the town is on its way up the urbanization ladder. On the urban design and planning side, it could do with looking at conserving its open space, greening it up a bit more and looking at the river and riverside as features and component of progress.