Pangasinan seeks DENR permit for reclaimed Capitol lands

Pangasinan Provincial Capitol in Lingayen (Photo by Willie O. Lomibao)

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The provincial government is applying for a Gratuitous Special Use Permit (GSUP) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to secure portions of reclaimed land behind the Provincial Capitol.

Two resolutions have been filed authorizing Governor Ramon Guico III to apply for the permit covering two reclaimed parcels totaling nearly 20 hectares.

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Major development projects are already underway in the area, including an 11-storey government center, a reflecting pool, a convention center, and the Veterans Park.

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Vice Governor Mark Lambino said one parcel, measuring about 10 hectares, includes open green spaces in front of the Capitol Resort, the tourism rest area, portions of the reflecting pool and Veterans Park, and the site where a new convention center is being built.

The second parcel, covering about 9.7 hectares, extends northward toward the beachfront beyond the Bay Walk area.

Lambino said the first 10-hectare property is currently covered by a Special Land Use Permit (SLUP), for which the province pays about P10 million annually to the DENR.

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“Should the GSUP be granted, the province would no longer need to pay the annual P10-million fee, freeing up funds for other public services and development projects,” he said.

He added that once the GSUP is approved, the next step is to secure a presidential proclamation transferring ownership of the property to the provincial government.

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“The goal is for these lands to eventually be placed under the name of the provincial government, just like the existing Capitol Complex,” Lambino said.

He noted that decades ago, the Lingayen shoreline extended much farther inland, reaching what is now the middle of the reflecting pool area. Over time, natural sedimentation and land accretion gradually pushed the shoreline outward, creating new land that now hosts key government and public facilities.

“The provincial government wants to ensure that these lands—long occupied and developed—are legally and permanently placed under its stewardship,” he said.

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The Capitol Complex, which includes the Provincial Capitol building, the Malong Building, the Palaris Building, and the Urduja House, is already titled under the provincial government. INQ