Exotic tea rose marbles to be used on Plaridel's monument?

MALOLOS CITY—Finally, the P1.5-Million nine-foot monument of the great propagandist Marcelo H. Del Pilar is re-installed and is now standing in front of the Bulacan provincial capitol building.

However, there is no schedule yet for its inauguration as its base and floor remain unfinished.

Sources said that the provincial government is considering to wrap the base with sliced marbles and the floors will be laid with tiles.

But local residents here suggested that confiscated tea rose marble blocks from the Biak-na-Bato National Park should be used.

They noted that said blocks, when sliced into slabs, will be the best material to wrap the base and used on the floor.

Others agreed nothing that it will also showcase the rich mineral resources of the province.

“It’s a good idea, but we have to check legal concerns on the tear rose blocks,” Ceasar Villanueva, the chief of staff of Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado said.

Villanueva is also the project manager of the construction and installation of the nine-foot monument made from cast bronze.

Villanueva explained that there are claimants on the exotic tea rose marble blocks which were confiscated sometime in 2008.

Others suggested that the flood of the monument be lined with different shades of marble blocks mined in Bulacan.

Based on earlier information gathered by Businessweek, Bulacan is home to at least five shades of marbles.

It includes ivory marble which is pure white and resembles an ivory; and there are marbles with shades of blue, green, beige and brown.

In the past years, issues concerning marble mining in Bulacan became contentious, but it was primarily focused on the exotic tea rose marbles which were mined within the mineral reservation are3a of the Biak-na-Bato National Park in Donya Remedios Trinidad town.

The monument of Del Pilar was erected at the center island of the provincial capitol here based on the provisions of the New Provincial Administrative Code of Bulacan whist recognized the great propagandist as “provincial hero” of Bulacan.

The monument was made by sculptor Jose Dionas Roces who also sculpted the tallest monument of Dr. Jose Rizal in Calamba City in Laguna, and the monument of the late actors Fernando Poe Jr.,and Dolphy Quizon in Manila.  Dino Balabo