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PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Sky Garden project in Santa Maria, Pangasinan, expressing hope it would attract more visitors and spur economic growth across the province.
In his speech, Marcos lauded Pangasinan's people and public officials for taking the initiative to construct the Sky Garden, which he said would help boost tourism and the local economy.
The President also acknowledged the province's signature products such as Alaminos longganisa, bangus and bagoong, along with its award-winning tourism efforts, including being named Best Province in Local Tourism Planning during the 2024 Region 1 Tourism Summit.
He said that Pangasinan has always been one of the country's most popular summer destinations, especially because of the famed Hundred Islands National Park.
"It's not just the Sky Garden, we will also have additional projects to increase the number of visitors to Alaminos, which is 500,000," Marcos said.
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"Let us make it 1 million before we finish so that the economy would improve not only in Alaminos, not only in the district, but in the entire province and even nearby provinces," he added.
The President then ordered the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) to make sure that the Sky Garden Project will be "senior-friendly."
"They should not have a difficult time climbing so they could enjoy the gardens. To Tieza, please help the city government of Alaminos to expedite and organize its construction. It must be senior-friendly," he said.
Funded by the Tieza, the Sky Garden Project features elevated green spaces, walkways, seating areas and interactive zones.
It will also include parking facilities, a shopping center, a multipurpose hall and viewing decks offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
The project is expected to complement Alaminos City's tourism, particularly around the pilgrimage islands of the Hundred Islands National Park.
The Sky Garden will also enable visitors to enjoy enhanced culinary experiences, scenic overlooks of the sun and sea, and improved access to the nearby 8-hectare mangrove eco-park.
It will also provide entrepreneurs space to set up cafés, souvenir shops and eco-friendly tour services.
The plan is projected to support about 30 concessionaires and generate approximately 200 jobs for the community.
With P249.8 million in funding from Tieza, the Sky Garden Project is expected to be completed by March 15, 2026.
