Lingayen’s Bagoong, Bocayo, Bangus and Beach Festival

By Eva C. Visperas

THIS capital town of Pangasinan is preparing for its 4B Festival – Bagooong, Bocayo, Bangus and Beach – representing its famous products and potentials.

At the same time, Mayor Ernesto Castañeda told The PUNCH news group that the town, which is the seat of the provincial government, is also preparing for its cityhood status.

He said that since time immemorial, bagoong (fermented anchovies paste) has been produced in barangay Pangapisan Sur here. “Mention to any Pangasinense the product bagoong and nothing else comes to mind than Lingayen,” Castañeda said.

Himself a bagoong factory owner, the mayor said that this is now a multi-million peso industry here.

Because of high demand for bagoong, largely used for cooking or as a  dip (mixed with calamansi and sili), and many others, the anchovies used  for it have to be bought from as far as Bicol, Quezon, Zambales, Cavite andVisayas. Pangasinan, Castañeda said, can hardly cope with the great volume of demand.

On the other hand, bocayo (sweetened grated mature coconut) produced in barangays  Pangapisan and Maniboc this town has long been acknowledged  as the best.

These two products are already being exported abroad and sold locally  in many parts of the country successfully even without advertisements but  only through word-of-mouth and endorsements by those who have tasted their quality. But the packagings of the two have to be improved, if I may suggest.

While the two are popular and in great demand, there is not enough support from government to further boost their popularity and to sustain their production, the mayor added.

Castañeda said like Dagupan City and Binmaley, his town is also a big producer of bangus (milkfish), considered as the national fish of the country.

And one of its greatest tourism assets, the historic Lingayen beach where the forces of Americans led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur landed to liberate the country from the Japanese forces during wartime, is equally famous for its serenity and beauty.

In fact, the town’s long long beach line extends through barangays Libsong East, Libsong West, Poblacion, Maniboc, Pangapisan, Capandanan,  Malimpuec, Estanza, and Sabangan.

The Pista’y Dayat (Sea Festival) is an annual summer event celebrated by thousands of Pangasinenses who troop to the beach here every May 1.

“Tourism revenues generated by our beach is a great source of income if properly tapped and harnessed,” Castañeda said.

He said that they are also planning to invite natives of this town residing or working abroad, to come home next year to witness this historic festival which first unfolds in their next town fiesta celebration in January in time for the Feast of the Three Kings.

If   you haven’t visited Lingayen for a long time, try doing it now.

There have been a lot of improvements since.

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(You can also read this writer’s other stories at http://businessblog.prepys.com.)

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