Bisected Binmaley Plaza
Last week we visited Dagupan, Pangasinan. Today, we continue with our series on Philippine plazas, this time featuring a town plaza that has been cut up over time.
Binmaley is just a stone’s throw away from Dagupan and share the same context of flat land, fishponds and views of Lingayen Bay nearby.
Binmaley got its name, according to general historical literature, from the Pangasinan term “nanmaliw ya baley.” Translated this means a site that was converted into a town separating from its original urban center of Binalatongan (today’s San Carlos City).
Like Dagupan and the rest of the province, the town is known for bangus (milkfish). Milkfish production has reportedly been waning because of siltation of ponds due to mine tailing coming from the uplands. Reliance on artificial fish feed has also led to fishkills. Because of these issues, operators have been pressured into converting ponds to real estate and other commercial functions.
The stats on Binmaley, which is classified today as a first-class municipality of the province of Pangasinan, show that it hosts a population of about 80,000. It is a not-so small town with a small town feel, but it has a strong center in its heritage church.
Binmaley’s large town plaza is defined by a beautiful Baroque cathedral, which dates back to the 17th century. Local parish history traces the genesis of the parish of Nuestra Señora dela Purification in Binmaley to 1627. That year, the Dominicans assigned Vicar Father Tomas Gutierrez to the town. The church construction began shortly and construction completed by a Fr. Barrozo, OP in 1754.
The town’s municipal complex defined the other side of the large two-hectare plaza, which was rectangular in shape. It held this geometry apparently until the Second World War, which saw the church and the town heavily damaged. This was because in 1945 liberation forces landed on nearby beaches.
Post-war construction saw the church rebuilt. Its belfry has survived centuries, even the earthquake of 1990. Vegetation however is seen growing on the structure. Although it may look romantic to many, the plants indicate that moisture is present in the structure’s walls and its structural integrity may be compromised.
The Fifties and Sixties also saw construction of highway infrastructure as trucks and buses replaced the trains as the primary mode of transport. This led to the cutting up of the Binmaley Plaza to accommodate a forked road. One side leads to Lingayen and the other to the town’s inner districts.
Today, the plaza is a bisected (actually a trisected) space that separates the church’s parvis, the cityhall complex and a park, which also has a landmark water tower. The city hall complex is fronted by a large paved multi-purpose yard hosting play courts and a bandstand. The church and park is accessible from this via wide expanses of asphalt. The curvature of the roads makes for fast traffic but creates a pedestrian-unfriendly place.
The plaza is obviously much used despite this. Binmaley is also famous for its Sigay Festival. I’d like to see how the fiesta uses this space for its celebrations. I’d give the Binmaley Plaza a rating of six out of 10. It could re-consolidate the space and make it more pedestrian-focused. More trees for shade is another improvement that could enhance the side of the City Hall complex.
The historical lessons from Binmaley, in terms of urban design, is not to succumb to pressures of vehicular infrastructure. Our heritage — civic spaces like plazas — is constantly being eroded by the tyranny of the car and truck. We should actively find ways to conserve our pubic realm or bring it back from oblivion. Plazas are for people and not for infrastructure.
* * *
Feedback is welcome. Please email the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com.
