President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo was presented today the scale models of the monument and ship of Spanish priest Andres de Urdaneta that will be mounted in December at the P 7-million “Urdaneta Park”.
The mounting of Fray Urdaneta’s ship and monument will be the highlight of the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Spanish friar.
National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCAA) Chairman and Department of Education Undersecretary Vilma Labrador and NCAA Executive Director Cecille Alvarez, together with two of the four national artists---National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva and National Artist for Architecture and Allied Arts Ildefonso Paez Santos, Jr., who will work on the park and its commemorative amenities, proudly presented to the President the scale model of the park that will be named after the Augustinian friar.
National Artist for Literature Dr. Alejandro Roces and National Artist for Visual Arts Dr. Abdulmari Asia Imao were not present. Both are now confined in the hospital.
“Our honor,” the President said when she saw Abueva, who was in a wheelchair, and Santos.
Abueva informed the President that the monument he will work on will be nine feet tall while the son of Imao said the galleon on which the Urdaneta monument will be mounted and will be executed by his father, will be about 12 feet high.
Alvarez said the galleon will be “multi-purpose” as it will have a chapel and exhibit hall.
Santos will do the plans for the park while Roces will do the text of the inscriptions on the galleon in English, Spanish, Basque, and Filipino.
This year is designated as the Year of Urdaneta, marking the fifth centenary of Fray Urdaneta who was born on November 30, 1498 in Northern Spain’s Basque province of Ordizia.
In line with this celebration, the President signed last year Proclamation 1423 creating a committee that will “augment knowledge on Urdaneta’s exploits in the Philippines.”
The President officially declared last December 6, 2007, the start of the “Year of Urdaneta,” when she visited Ordizia, Fray Urdaneta’s birthplace.
She unveiled the Commemorative Plaque at the Palacio Barrena that signaled the beginning of a year-long celebration and recognition of the Spanish friar’s achievements.
Urdaneta was the navigator of Miguel de Legaspi when they conducted an expedition from Spain to the Philippines to establish the route taken by Ferdinand Magellan.
In Manila, Legaspi established the first colony of Spain in Intramuros.
Urdaneta later went back to Spain. He became an Agustinian priest at the age of 46.
Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr. said the concept of the 2,000 square meter park, to be located in front of the new Urdaneta City Hall in Barangay Anonas, is something where passersby or travelers could drop by and see as it is located along the national highway.
The town of Urdaneta, Pangasinan was established in 1858 by Father Manzano. He named it after Urdaneta, in recognition of his exploits as a sailor, navigator and scholar.
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