Think about it
Authentic development of bangus needed
By Jun Velasco
“From Binalatongan to San Carlos City – – tracing the heroic stand of a people against Spanish rule, one of the first open, mass rebellions that led to the early form of Philippine independence” – Pacebook
BEHIND the veneer of Pangasinan’s Annual sea festival and Dagupan’s celebrated bangus fiesta is a tale of woes.
Yesterday, we were a captive listener to a heart-breaking accounts by local fish raisers for continually being sidelined, meaning they are not being heard vis a vis what they have painstakingly researched and bound consisting of 11 or 14 proposals that would upgrade bangus development.
The fishers group quotes neighbor columnist Gonzalo Duque’s classic line, “Bangus pista kilan bangus pista, kakaramot met so nasisigay!” (You’re always celebrating Dagupan bangus feast but too few are actually being fished!)
It would do well our action-oriented chief executive (mayor Benjie Lim who has already succeeded in making a dent in the city’s eco-tourism landscape) to heed Alfrefo Dawana’s group which has brought to the fore, to the mayor’s attention particularly carefully studied how-to’s to make that wild claim of Dagupan as Bangus Center of the World an authentic rallying shout.
Let’s not put the supremacy of Dagupan bangus in the business book only; put it where it matters most, in the stomach, and in genuine bank books of Dagupan bangus raisers. After all, this Gulf-rimmed and river-ribboned city is nothing without its overly celebrated bangus.
Time to go back to basics.
* * * *
If truth be told, the most “pro-Filipino” community, the nationalists, in Pangasinan since the Spanish period is not Lingayen nor Dagupan, but San Carlos City. No, not in its present character though but in the revolutionary skin of Binalatongan, home of Pangasinan’s foremost heroes Andres malong and Juan dela Cruz Palaris.
Read the full account of Binalatongan, its heroic saga in Pacebook’s April issue, which places in perspective the true Pangasinenses’ “non-compliant” character while they were vassals or subjects of Spain.
It was established that residents outside Apuiti Layag Country or Binalatongan would rather kiss the asses of the Spanish conquistadors while rebellious Binalatongan stood its ground fighting to the end. As a result, thousands of Carlenians were mercilessly maimed and kicked by the colonizers. Palaris linked up with Diego Silang – – La Union’s great rebel from the town of Caba, then a Pangasinan town, to enlarge their battle arena against Spain.
When he was alive, we asked Adrian Cristobal why Pangasinan was not in the 8 stars comprising the 8 provinces who fought the Spaniards in the Philippine Flag. This despite the Pangasinan natives’ unyielding, never-say-die stance against Spain.
Adrian merely joked, “wala pang magaling na P.R. and probinsya nyo noon.”
Mayor Julier “Ayoy” Resuello, surely an able heir to his late brave father, is reviving Binalatongan’s golden era to show to the world what kind of stuff Carlenians are made of.
* * * *
Mark this: Joey de Venecia, the idealist son–namesake of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., is taking his second crack in the Senate.
We predict that this time, it would be a smooth-sailing journey to victory after a hairline near-win in his first attempt in 2010.
Well, maybe it’s “history repeating itself” just as Joey’s erpat missed the boat in his first try – – who ran for Congress as an independent –in 1965. We and Alex de Veneia were JDV’s youth coordinators then.
By the way, beauteous cousin Claudette de Venecia Dalusong called up to say that Joey will guest at the Globe Youth Summit 2012 at the People’s Astrodome on April 26 starting at 9 a.m.
The forum is a feature of the Dagupan Bangus Festival, says Joey Mendoza.
As secretary-general of PDP-Laban, Joey de V already has an edge over the others. We expect him to slug it out for the Top Five finishers.
Aside from the genius genes from his father, Joey is the grandson of another illustrious House Speaker, the late Eugenio Perez of Binalatongan-San Carlos City who, like son-in-law JDV, almost became president of the Republic.
Politics, business leadership, service and charisma run in his family’s blood.
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