LINGAYEN – Former Gov. Aguedo Ferrer Agbayani, the longest serving governor of Pangasinan, was finally given due recognition and a place in the heart of the more than two million people of the province when a bronze life-size statue of his was unveiled Thursday at the Capitol grounds which was made into a park named after him.

Agbayani’s statue was unveiled during a ceremony presided by his son, outgoing Governor Victor Agbayani, the main architect of the beautification of the Governor Aguedo F. Agbayani Park in front of the provincial capitol, and the adjoining areas.

The late governor served as Pangasinan governor for 17 years starting in 1971 till 1986, then from 1992 to 1995. Before that, he was congressman of the first district of Pangasinan for 14 long years from 1957 to 1971.

House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., a close friend and political ally of the Agbayani patriarch, took time out from his busy schedule in Manila where he is campaigning for a fifth unprecedented term as Speaker of the House of Representatives to join the Agbayani family in unveiling the statue.

They were led by the late Pangasinan governor’s widow, Teresita, her other sons, and daughters, as well as her grand children.

De Venecia, a colleague of the then Rep. Aguedo Agbayani from 1969 to 1971 when the former was still a neophyte congressman, said the Agbayani patriarch cast a giant shadow in Congress, earning much respect from his peers, friends and foes alike.

He said they and the late Rep. Antonio Villar Sr. formed the original triumvirate from Pangasinan that pushed for vital legislations that redounded to the benefit of the nation and Pangasinan.

De Venecia expressed hope that outgoing Governor Victor Agbayani will carry on the tradition of his late father when he begins his reign as congressman of the second district of Pangasinan in the 14th Congress.

Lawyer Alfonso Bince Jr. remembers the late Aguedo Agbayani as his mentor in public service. Bince was among three provincial board members of Pangasinan when the elder Agbayani started his reign as governor of Pangasinan in 1971.

The vice governor at the time was the late law dean Porfirio V. Sison who became justice of the Court of Appeals while the two other provincial board members were Agerico Rosario and Arturo Padua.

A memorabilia and photo exhibit extolling the late governor as a scholar, law professor, author, legislator and governor was opened at the ground floor of the provincial capitol.
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The elder Agbayani’s books in commercial law and negotiable instruments, which are still much in use today by law students, are on display in the Agbayani memorabilia. (PNA)