By DANNY O. SAGUN

MUNICIPAL halls - municipio or presidencia as locals call such buildings - in Pangasinan have transformed from small two-storey wooden edifices to imposing concrete multi-storey buildings.

This we noticed in our trips around the province as we conducted interviews with local officials being our respondents for an academic research study. Only about six town halls we visited have remained in their original state. Some are either entirely new buildings, while the others underwent full renovation.

The Mabini town hall looks practically the same as it did decades ago –only that an extension building was constructed on the right side to house the sangguniang bayan and other offices. The presidencia in Mangatarem is the same old building where the mayor holds office at the second floor, but nearby are the new legislative and PNP buildings. Mapandan has yet to abandon its old town hall although at the back is a concrete building where majority of offices like the mayor’s office are located. On the left side of the old hall is the new PNP building.

San Jacinto has remodeled its hall to make way for extensions at the wings and at the back although it practically looks the same as the old presidencia we used to see during our grade school days. A new PNP building was recently opened. Sta. Maria also maintains the old municipio. Built nearby are new buildings to accommodate some offices.

The Malasiqui town hall is the same edifice we saw a decade ago. Ditto with the Basista hall although that building was built a few decades back being a young town. That one in Bayambang already saw some renovations although it practically looks the same as it was several years ago.

The facade of the Aguilar town hall was maintained but extensions at the back portion and on the left front were made. Market stalls occupy the ground floor of the left wing extension while government offices including the sangguniang bayan occupy the second floor. Urbiztondo has a new imposing municipal hall built during the time of Mayor Arambulo who
unfortunately lost his re-election try. But the facade looks like the old building. A separate legislative hall was built on its left.

In Manaoag, the hall was renovated to accomodate an extension at the left side. Nearby is the new PNP building. Urdaneta has a huge city hall far away from the poblacion. Mayor Amadeo Perez decided however to hold office at the old building most of the time for his constituents to readily reach him. The collection unit of the treasury office also holds office at the old building. The city police has also remained at a building at the back of the Mayor’s Park adjacent to the old hall.

The old town hall in Alaminos underwent major renovation although the facade was also maintained. The police is now housed in a new building far from the city hall. The sangguniang panlungsod has its separate building across the city hall. Binmaley recently renovated its old hall but maintained the original look and structure. Only that the name Presidencia was covered from view by an extension right infront.

The old hall in Mangaldan was also preserved where it still houses the mayor’s office. The new building on the right is home to many other offices. The sangguniang bayan is located some distance away at the gymnasium beside the public plaza.

We saw a totally-different looking town hall in Pozorrubio - a three storey glass structure. It was so entirely different from the old town hall we used to see. The police however continues to occupy an old building at the side.

Other municipalities with new town halls which no longer look like the old presidencia are Villasis (like a MacDo outlet according to former Secretary Mike Defensor when he came over early last year to inaugurate the building apparently due to the bright colors), Asingan, Rosales, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Bani, Agno, Bugallon and Sual.

We have yet to visit a few towns left. Next time please