Thoughts & Afterthoughts

By August 12, 2013Archives

‘Tayug…my home, my pride’

Noel Cabobos

By Noel Cabobos

 

AS I am observing the way of life of the Tayugueños or the people of Tayug, in fact, I’ve been into this state of mind for a couple of weeks now shortly after I arrived here for a well-deserved break.

Well, sometimes, to be just an observer is a blessing because it insulates you against boredom and stress and requires you to think…as it made me think a bit more than I used to. But even it worked wonders for me in the past weeks and although thinking at this moment is as essential to me as swimming is essential to the shark, I wouldn’t recommend thinking too much. It’s not just quite right to be thinking too much.

Tayug, on a personal note, is close to my heart being born here even though I grew up afar after some relocation that forced my parents due to work related concerns back when I was 3 years old. Which is also the reason why I still giggle on the thought that a “brother” or a “sister” is “kabsat” in the local dialect. The term always elicits a laugh because, to me, it doesn’t only sound so dangerous but spelt and delivered by the locals equally dangerous too. But definitely not as dangerous as the atomic bomb that hit Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

Going back, it will only surprise one (or perhaps disappoint) to notice that while the town of Tayug lies at the heart of the 6th District of Pangasinan comprising 10 municipalities, it still is classified as a “Third Class” Municipality.

Tayug is a prosperous town and prosperity is there for its people, waiting to be embraced. Tayugueños should realize that. It has all the natural elements and making of a First Class Municipality, and as its population further blooms, perhaps a City. But it makes me wonder what keeps it into stagnation. Third Class?!!! Indeed, regardless of how prosperous a town can be, there will be no degree of prosperity can be sufficient if the people don’t realize them…and if the people don’t know how to make use of them.

Because of its strategic location, the town is just too ripe to be developed as the center of education of the 6th District and truly, the government’s center of Eastern Pangasinan providing opportunities for everyone especially the working sector and the graduates. Tayug, in fact, can even be the center for tourism development of the Eastern part of this province by maximizing the potentials of the other nine towns encircling it. The 6th District, particularly Tayug, has so much to offer but it pains to think that after College, most of its graduates would still prioritize to go somewhere else in search for a greener pasture for lack of opportunities when their own town can provide the same, provided however with some transformation and development initiatives.

Perhaps, this is also the reason why Tayug–in the brochure published by the provincial government–cannot boast of anything but “commercial crops, livestocks and poultry” while other towns in the province have continued to reap accolades for the “best” that they have and which they continue to nurture. Besides, I do believe that even these particular industries (I mean, commercial crops, livestocks and poultry) have not been fully maximized yet.

Now, the town has a new mayor in the person of lawyer Tyrone Agabas whose wife, Congresswoman Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, is the current Representative of the 6th District where Tayug belongs. The situation, I may say, has put the configuration of Tayug politics into a mode of so much “thrill and excitement” if not “inspiring collaboration”.

Well, thrills and excitements can always offer to be special ingredients in anything or to anything that matters actually. And they are applicable not only in politics but also in love, in work, and basically in life or even in death. Some motorists here, in fact, would even wanted to experience the excitement of courting death by speeding their motorcycle sans protective gears in a busy perimeter of the Tayug public plaza especially at nighttime and even right under the noses of barangay tanods and police operatives. Yes, perhaps, they are excited and dyingly thrilled to be featured the next morning at the popular morning program of Station Manager Romeo Umipig of dwRX Radyo Ng Bayan-Tayug with their brains out and their innards splattered on the street.

I just wish something can be done to address this, or at least minimize the propensity of some motorists to continue with their wild motoring and misplaced acrobatic tendencies for their own sake and for the sake of the passersby in the area.

And on top of it all, I wish the freshly-installed Mayor of Tayug and his wife, the come-backing Representative of the 6th District, good luck and success for they really have so much working to do to keep with the pace of development needed to turn Tayug and the 6th District of Pangasinan in the realm of progress and fruitful transformation. May, under their term, the long overdue flowering of the town of Tayug into a First Class Municipality, and eventually into a City, will finally come into fruition.

How I dream that one day, people here will consider Tayug, not only their home, but also their pride.

Let’s embrace the prosperity that our beloved town has to offer. And together, let’s make Tayug, not only our home, but also our pride.

*          *          *          *

AFTERTHOUGHTS. Although wedding events aren’t only fun but also inspiring, I normally refuse invitations for some personal reasons. But, with the prodding of a dear friend, I got into it again four years ago.  And when asked what could be best as a wedding note for her would-be hubby, I shared this: “Don’t lie, cheat or steal. But if you would lie, lie in bed with me on a Saturday morning. But if you would cheat, cheat on your time to go on a big date with me. But if you would steal, steal a minute or an hour from your responsibilities and give it to me.”

She loved it and emotionally delivered it during the ceremony. (Comments are welcome at noelcabobos@yahoo.com)

Back to Homepage

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments