Dagupan’s “Binyagan Bayan” hosts 800 kids
ABOUT 800 children from poor families in Dagupan were baptized during the “Binyagang Bayan”, a mass baptism ceremony, held at CSI Stadia on December 21 as part of the city’s fiesta celebration.
Dagupan-Lingayen Archbishop Socrates Villegas and seven priests officiated the baptism rites individually to each child.
Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. and Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez stood as ‘ninong’ and ‘ninang’ to the newly baptized children.
Villegas said the annual event is a significant initiative by the city government as baptism is one of the most important rites for Catholics.
The archbishop also dished out an advice to the parents of the baptized children: “Ang mga bata ay hindi na nakikinig sa mga matatanda. Ang mga bata ay palaging nakatingin sa matatanda.”
All the parents received a basket of food items from Vice Mayor Fernandez as part of the baptism gift.
Fernandez vowed to sponsor the mass baptism every year saying it is an endeavor that gives her a very special feeling.
“Imagine, when I make my rounds in the barangays, children whom I don’t even recognize reached out to my hand and place it on their foreheads as gesture of respect and call me ninang,” she said.
The mass baptism was witnessed by Councilors Karlos Reyna, hermano mayor of the Dagupan City Fiesta, Librada Reyna, Alfie Fernandez and Alfredo Quinto, former Councilor Alex de Venecia and businessman Jigs Seen.—LM
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