As promised, Palafox Associates led by its founder Architect Felino A. Palafox Jr. came back to Bayambang January 16 for the Second Public Consultation scheduled for the formulation and update of the municipality’s Comprehensive Land Use Program and Zoning Ordinance (CLUPZO).

In the same venue, Balon Bayambang Events Center, the various stakeholders once again gathered and were assigned to groups according to sector: LGU officials and key personnel, Punong Barangays, heads and representatives of Bayambang-based national agencies including PNP-Bayambang’s PSupt. Roland L. Sacyat, DILG officials led by Regional Director Agnes de Leon, NEDA officials, farmers’ groups, MSME leaders, religious led by St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Church rector Fr. Allen Romero, educators, students, senior citizens, and NGO/CSO representatives.

In his opening remarks, Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao noted the presence of an old friend Atty. Saviniano Perez, who is now with Palafox as consultant. He said we owe the roadways toll development in the Philippines to the likes of Atty. Perez who used to be a member of the Toll Regulatory Board.

He then pointed out the importance of the second meeting. “Napakaimportante ang CLUPZO because this will be the bible of the socioeconomic development of our town in 5, 10, 20, even 50 years. After this, we have trust and peace of mind na maganda ang ating development plan.” … “Through CLUP, sana ang aking panaginip para sa ating bayan ay matupad: a 67-hectare new township, a light industrial economic zone, a big entertainment center dahil uhaw na uhaw sa entertainment ang mga tao dito sa Northern Luzon, diversion road including a bridge going to Pantol, USD6M worth of irrigation in the northeastern part of town, agro-industrial complex, and seven 10-hectare swine breeder farms worth P1.5B.

Why plan at all? As discussed by Palafox Associates’ Environmental Planner Sharmaine Andres, “the answer is because we all desire good governance, balanced development, a sense of ownership, successful implementation of projects, and to comply with and even go beyond our national government’s development code.” The specific aim of the second consultation, she continued, is four-fold: (1) to confirm the data gathered during the First Public Consultation and get more data, if any, (2) to evaluate the development options using a set of criteria, (3) to choose the most applicable development strategy for the town,
and (4) to list down the priority plans, programs, and projects according to the chosen development framework.

Monica Alfante next revealed eye-opening details about the town in her “Sectoral Studies” presentation. For example, according to her research, the town has a total of 71 schools, and that PSU-Bayambang has the highest number of enrollees among the universities in Northern Luzon, making Bayambang the area’s educational center. Alfante also revealed that only 43 out of Bayambang’s 77 barangays have water connection.

John Michael Elritz Gallo explored planning possibilities in his talk “Projection of Future Scenarios,” and among the topics he opened are the latest development trends, land use analysis, mixed-use development, the concept of new urbanism, traffic management plan, and zero waste management plan. Bea Camemo described three development frameworks that they consider most fitting for an agricultural town and educational center with a booming center: Agri-Tourism Development, Circumferential and and Radial Development Corridors, and Smart and Self-Sustaining Districts.

Open forum

Before lunch, an open forum was held, and among the issues brought up were the following: whether the Agno River is part of the plan (asked by agriculturist Fernando Quijalvo), whether development strategies can be combined (tourism officer Rafael Saygo), the possibility of building an instant city in three years via the commercial route instead of the agricultural (Rotary Club president Rene Villanueva), plans for aquaculture (a Bayambang National High School student), converting the old PNR tracks into a path that leads to Agno’s riverside for tourism (history, arts and culture consultant Gloria de Vera), making Bayambang the gateway to Pangasinan culture and heritage (MSME representative Rene Calantuan), how to ensure the major utilities which are outside LGU-Bayambang’s jurisdiction will correspondingly level up with the local development plan (public information officer Resty Odon), whether we can convert the ensuing waste of economic progress into energy (CENPELCO officer Engr. Jaby Aragon), how senior citizens’ welfare will be factored in (an OSCA rep), and the three documents that DILG requires in relation to CLUPZO (DILG Region I’s Agnes de Leon).

After lunch, in “Urban Futures for Bayambang,” Arch. Palafox showed a glimpse of the town’s future through his well-applauded “postcards from the future” side by side shots of current streetscapes.

The second part of the meeting was devoted to two workshops facilitated by Environmental Planner Abbey Bravo. Here, each sector selected its preferred framework strategy with Bayambang’s official vision statement in mind, then identified the priority plans, programs and projects spread out for the short term and long term.

Monica Alfante returned to remind the participants what the next steps will be in formulating the CLUPZO. She said that, first, it will require the crafting of a new ordinance by the Sangguniang Bayan.

In another open forum moderated by SB Secretary Joel Camacho, Mr. Calantuan returned to the microphone to ask whether we should incorporate a research and development team as the development plan is, after all, just a plan and subject to changes according to the challenges of the times. Arch. Palafox responded by saying that they plan to leave behind strategists to be groomed for the purpose of continual consultation according to future exigencies.

In his closing remarks, MCTQ said, “I hope that we are now proceeding as expected for a well-mastered Comprehensive Land Use Plan. This must be submitted by March 31. It’s so exciting that we can dream, plan and develop this town. I am happy to say that the initial master plan is within our vision of Bayambang becoming an entertainment center of the north and so on.”

According to the meeting organizers, the Municipal Planning and Development Office headed by OIC Ma-lene S. Torio, the first Public Consultation Meeting was able to gather 132 attendees, while the second one had 156 official participants plus 54 students on work immersion (OJT).

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Quotes:

“Development is not worthy of its name unless it is spread evenly like butter on a bread.” – Felino A. Palafox Jr.

“You might say that our plan for 2019 and beyond is an impossible dream. Don’t say impossible.” – MCTQ