BALANGA CITY – The Plaza Mayor de Balanga in Bataan has become a regular promenade every day for students, children and the old folk seeking relaxation late afternoon until nightfall like on Thursday.
“Enjoy po kami, maganda, parang nasa ibang bansa,” said students sipping drinks. Children and adults are either seated on steel benches around the plaza or just walking about, enjoying the scenes like the passing of a replica of a “trambia.” At a certain portion of the plaza is a mini-playground for children.
“Malaki ang ipinagbago ng plaza. Magandang pasyalan at palipasan ng oras,” 69-year old Sergio Lozagay of Camacho, Balanga City said. He was with his 5-year-old grandchild. The old man recalled that adjacent to the old plaza then were small stores and the public market.
The new Plaza Mayor de Balanga is sandwiched between the tall Galeria Victoria of Jerry Acuzar, Aquino Building, Center Plaza Mall/Jollibee of former Consul Eduardo de Guzman, Balanga City Hall/Library and the magnifi cent St. Joseph Cathedral.
The buildings except the cathedral have the same structural façade and color. City Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III said the plaza is patterned after that in Salamanca, Spain. “Maganda ang unipormadong kulay, parang nasa colonial period sa Europa,” Lozagay said.
The old man said even those eating in fastfood chains and food stalls nearby enjoy the beautiful transformation of the plaza. “Habang kumakain sila at nakadungaw ay siyang- siya sila sa kanilang paligid.”
Nearby are Jollibee, Greenwich, Chowking, Max’s, KFC, Inasal, among some other food stalls. At about 5:45 in the afternoon, the surroundings begin to be fl ooded with beautiful lights as church bells from the St. Joseph Cathedral ring.
At exactly 6 p.m., traffic and people temporarily stop as the Angelus from the cathedral is prayed. This also signals the opening of the multi-colored dancing fountain much to the enjoyment of children and adults.
