The colorful city of Pangasinan came from the root word “panag-asinan,” which means “the place where salt is made,” is where the name “Pangasinan” comes from. And Pangasinan is full of salt, as aquaculture and agriculture continue to be significant source of money for the people who live there. Because of this, the district is thought to be one of the richest in Region I.
Also Read: 7 Best Reasons to Retire in Tarlac
But even though the land in Pangasinan is known to be very salty, the people there are very sweet and friendly. It also has a lot of natural beauty and interesting things to see, like famous white beaches, breathtaking mountain views, sparkling waterfalls, interesting caves, historical places like churches and statues, and much more. Read on to find out more reasons why you should retire in this beautiful city!
1. Gorgeous beaches
Pangasinan is known for its beautiful beaches, like the famous Hundred Islands National Park, which has over a hundred small islands surrounded by clear blue water. Because of this, the province has a lot of tools and history to share. Pangasinan is known for its fishing, but it also has beautiful beaches like Lingayen beach, which is a great place to swim and take pictures of the sunset. If you want more excitement, you can hike its mountains, hills, caves, rock formations, and rivers.
2. Rich in history and culture
Pangasinan has a long past that goes back to before it became a part of the Philippines. There are many historical places and museums in the province that show off its culture and history. Two examples are the Bolinao Museum and Library and the Lingayen Gulf Landing Memorial.
There are a lot of natural wonders in Pangasinan, which has four towns and 44 municipalities. It is also surrounded on all sides by places that are both beautiful and full of resources, such as the Lingayen Gulf, Benguet, and La Union in the north. If you go northeast, you’ll reach the edge of Nueva Vizcaya. On its east is Nueva Ecija, on its south is Tarlac, and on its west is Zambales and the West Philippine Sea.
The Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos, Balingasay River, Bolinao falls with three waterfalls, Enchanted Cave, and the Cape Bolinao Lighthouse in Bolinao are all places to visit in the province. You can also visit the Cabongaoan Beach or the Death Pool in Burgos, the Tondol Beach in Anda, the Sunflower Eco Park in Tayug, and the Daang Kalikasan in Mangatarem.
The Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag is another well-known place you should see. Every year, thousands of Filipino Catholics go there to feel the spirituality of the church. In the town of Bayambang is the Saint Vicent Ferrer Statue, which is the largest bamboo building in the world. All of these great places in the province can’t be seen in a week. Good quality of life:
3: Pangasinan has a low cost of living
This means that you can have a good quality of life without going broke. The infrastructure in the area is also good. There are hospitals, schools, and public transportation. The best thing about Pangasinan is that everything costs less than in the city. For example, living in San Carlos, Pangasinan puts you in the top 17% of the world’s least expensive towns. That means it will cost less to eat out, rent a place, use utilities, get around, buy food, pay taxes, use power, and even get a mortgage.
Most things are much cheaper, and you can even get fresh foods for less than they cost in the city. If you are creative, work hard, and love vegetables, you can feed your family every day for less than 100 pesos, or maybe even less if you have a yard patch.
4. Rich in greenery and great quality of life
If you like nature, you will enjoy the province’s natural wonders, such as its beautiful scenery, lush landscapes, and green hills. After a long day at work, these can help you rest and relax.
Pangasinan has clean air, less pollution, green areas, and a setting that isn’t stressful. When you live in the province, that’s the neighborhood you’ll come home to. Most residential lots here are bigger than those in the city, so you have plenty of room to grow veggies and trees that bear fruit.
5. Plenty of festivals and events
Pangasinan has many lively festivals and events all year long, such as the Pista’y Dayat (Feast of the Sea), the Bangus Festival (Milkfish Festival), and the Pistay Sining. (Arts Festival). Every year, there are celebrations in the Province of Pangasinan. In its old Hispanic churches, you can see and learn about important customs and a rich history. Also, its lively and exciting events show that it has a wide range of cultures.
Some of these are the Talong Festival in Villasis and the Galicayo Festival in honor of Pangasinan’s patron saint. Pangasinenses also respect and enjoy Our Lady of Manaoag, Dagupan City’s famous Bangus Festival, and Urdaneta City’s Dumayo Festival. The Pistay Dayat or Sea Festival is held in Lingayen, the Puto Festival is held in Calasiao, and the Patupat Festival is held in Pozorrubio.
6. People who are friendly
Pangasinan is known for its warm and welcoming people, who are always happy to meet new people. This is a great deciding factor for retirees who want to have friends a great community in the place.
7. Food that is mouthwatering
The best part of going is eating the food from the place you are visiting. You can’t get a good feel for a place until you try some of its best foods. Pangasinan is known for having the freshest and best-tasting Bangus or milkfish in the country. You could also try pigar-pigar, kaleskes, papaitan, kakanin or rice cake-like puto, bagoong isda, alamang or shrimp paste, and a wide range of fish dishes.
8. Accessible commute and plenty of transportation mode
Now, it is so much easier to get to and from Pangasinan. Here are the new road projects from the DPWH that will help thousands of drivers daily.
Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Expressway
The Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) is a four-lane highway that goes from the southern end in Tarlac City to the northern end in Rosario, La Union. It is 88.5 km long. If you want to go to La Union or Baguio, it will be much faster now that the journey time has been cut. For example, if you’re coming from Manila and want to go to Baguio, it used to take you six hours to get there, but now it only takes you three to four hours on the TPLEX.
Urdaneta Bypass Road
The Urdaneta Bypass Road is 7.17 kilometers long and goes through eight barangays: Nancayasan, Sto. Domingo, Sta. Lucia, Nancamaliran East, Mabanogbog, San Vicente, Camantiles, and Anonas. If traffic is bad on Manila North Road, Urdaneta-Dagupan Road, Urdaneta-Manaoag Road, or the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La-Union Expressway, the Uradenta Bypass Road is a good option. With the Urdaneta Bypass Road, it takes only 30 minutes to get from Villasis to Binalonan instead of an hour.