Think about it
Can’t Dagupan revive its shipbuilding trade?
By Jun Velasco
HISTORIANS in the mold of Fr. Horacio dela Costa have it that in 1780, several boat makers from Pangasinan had an appetite in shipbuilding at the Spanish naval base in Cavite.
After gaining skill, they returned to Pangasinan to put up their own shipyard.
Fr. Dela Costa, the Jesuit priest, wrote in 1781 that a frigate turned out by the Pangasinan shipwrights was commissioned by the Spanish navy for service in European waters.
It was learned later in 1856, Sir John Bowning, the British consul in Hong Kong, visited the Philippines to survey the economic potentials of the country. He noted that shipbuilding is an important industry along the Agno River.
In 1972, there was a shipyard in Dagupan near Calmay, with two carpenters Jose Sales of Pantal and Onofre Maneclang of Bugallon.
The shipyard or sailboat trade, brought Ilocanos to Dagupan, hence, we have Ilocano communities in Calmay and Pantal.
Dagupan families sired by the sailboat trade included the Arzadons, who married into the Llamases, Reynas and the Villamils.
Roman Arzadon, son of Don Francisco, was a grandpa of Colegio de Dagupan president Voltaire Arzadon, a long-time pal of this columnist.
Whatever happened to the shipbuilding business in Dagupan? Now, we only have motorized boat making! This episode should be a wake-up call to Dagupenos in order to hammer into their heads that the city has a great past.
We couldn’t help recalling this as the city marks its 68th founding anniversary, yesterday, June 20. How about that Mayor Belen Fernandez?
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Before he motored to Dagupan to give a speech on the City’s Foundation, brod Dante, former DOTC Usec, told us how lucky Dagupenos are for having dedicated leaders the likes of Mayor Belen T. Fernandez and his patriotic Sangguniang Panlungsod. We told him Dagupenos are themselves the City’s major source of wealth. Mabuhay Dagupan City!
On Rizal’s birthday, on June 19, we take the liberty of reprinting a poem he wrote in — believe it or not — the Pangasinan Language (talagang genius, ano?)!
The poem, originally gifted by Ramon Santillan was bequeathed by his late father, Don Alejandro Mercado Santillan, originally from Bugallon town. Here’s the poem:
Say Inka too
“Say toon niyanak ed maong ya inkabangat,
Duka may pitooan, mabintan miarap,
Et aleg ton gawaen so gawan unkaniwas,
Diad asna ton simpit, pian panbaingan lawas”
“Anggan arapat mo so pantok na penel,
Alipos kay yaman alimbos kay silew,
Et no pasang tan kinon so amtam ya agamilen,
Araw-rawid sikay panangaroy baley”
The poem, says Ramon, has a 3rd stanza, but old age has interfered with his memory (sorry, dear readers).
This tribute underscores anew Rizal’s genius who beat most Pangasinan writers in their native tongue.
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It’s on record that FOOFADCI founding Chairman Alfredo Dawana was the first to develop “tahong” (mussel) culture in Dagupan City. We know, because we accompanied him to Mayor Belen Fernandez in 2013 to discuss how to culture the precious mussel which he abundantly shows in his fishfarm in Sitio Tocok in Barangay Lucao in Dagupan.
The following year, Alfred sought the support of the Mayor, City Agriculturist Emma Molina and Dr. Westly Rosario as a “follow through” for tahong’s development. Nothing has come out of it up to now. Alfred has been left to himself like the Lone Ranger.
Dawana, by the way, went to the BFAR to test the water quality of Dagupan’s rivers, which shows how devoted Dawana is in his self-imposed vow to guard the river from pollution and poison for the welfare of Dagupenos, a virtue that is something mis-interpreted by certain quarters.
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NOTES: Novelist turned publisher Mita S. Duque of the President Hotel in Lingayen has designated a new operations manager in lieu of Tessie Fajardo. The hotel, located beside former President Fidel V. Ramos’ house was so named to honor the well-loved former President.
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