A 2nd World Record for Bayambang

by Resty S. Odon

BAYAMBANG, PANGASINAN -- "Bayambang, you're now officially awesome!"

Guinness World Records adjudicator Swapnil Dangarikar exclaimed in jubilation after he announced that the town of Bayambang made a new world record -- that of the tallest bamboo sculpture (supported), and one measuring 50.23 meters and depicting the town's patron saint, Vincent Ferrer, in a modernist, 3D-modeling-aided design.

"It is a new category," Dangarikar clarified, unlike the one this central Pangasinan town made in 2014 which broke the record for the world's longest barbecue by snatching it from Turkey.

The new world record category set by "the Philippines' fifth capital" is a colossal structure made of engineered bamboo supported by a steel frame. It is meant to be a gift of the incumbent mayor, Dr. Cezar T. Quiambao, to the townspeople on the occasion of the 400th founding anniversary of the local Catholic church, or the St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, and the 600th death anniversary of the patron saint worldwide. The idea of having the tallest statue was conceived by the mayor's wife, Niña Jose-Quiambao, together with Dr. Henry and Julie Fernandez, Fr. Carmelo Carreon, Ayen Garcia, Jimmy Siybauco and the mayor himself over a dinner on December 2017. 

The building process took more than 600 workers to build over 10 months, 22,626 bamboo panels, 3,470  polygons, and 60 tons of bamboo panels to create a remarkable wooden icon.

The project's team leader, Architect Jerry Suratos, said that the sculptural feat is a superstructure, meaning it can stand an intensity 10 earthquake and  typhoon. "The engineered bamboo will last for at least 25 years," he said.

The project contractor is FEISCO, the builder of Manila's first-ever skyway.

"This is our gift to the you, people of Bayambang!" exulted the former Pinoy Big Brother star-turned-actress, during a superb opening ceremony at what will soon be the St. Vincent Ferrer Prayer Park, in which the brown behemoth is the centerpiece.

Prior to the program, which featured the talented LED dance group Buganda and local balladeer Erik Santos, the crowd of thousands which flocked to the construction site attended a thanksgiving mass at 3:00 PM at the old church presided over by Bishop Elmer Macalinao. They then joined a 3.2-kilometer-long procession to Barangay Bani behind 42 carrozas or carriages, 39 from barangay chapels and three from the parishes of Carungay, Sapang, and Wawa under the auspices of the St. Vincent Ferrer Parish church, plus three floats from "Balon Bayambang" or the local government unit, Kasama Kita sa Barangay Foundation, Inc., and Rotary Club of Bayambang.

Mayor Quiambao, known to be a philanthropist and a successful businessman, credited the intercession of the patron saint known to work miracles for his decision to return from abroad in order to serve his people at home. He could not hide his elation on the occasion of a dream -- in fact, a shot in the dark -- that actually hit the mark and came true. With characteristic terseness in speech and joined by his entire clan on the stage, he said, "Use it. Benefit from it. Share it to the world."

The Vincentian devotee ended his message with a prayer: "May God, through St. Vincent Ferrer, help us become the kind of people He wants us to be."  

          (Photos by Eddxer Valenzuela)