Eduardo Pontaoe
10 Oct 2007

 

 

“May tunay na bangus may bangus bangusan”.

The labeling of what’s what in the real sense of a true Bonuan bangus (milkfish) or the alien ones from the barren wasteland of Mars has just started.

On orders from Mayor Al market supervisor Aguedo Sta. Maria started sorting fishes to separate the super Bonuan bangus from the adulterated pretenders to the throne. This idea came forth from the fertile brain of a mayor whose purpose is to clean up Dagupan from some thievish fish brokers who always look to make an easy buck on the expense of the glassy-eyed consumer.

But, the assumption that the consumer is not smart enough is a delusion. The Pangasinense has been eating bangus since he popped out from the womb. And to pretend he needed help to know what he is buying is an insult to the knowledgeable bangus aficionado. It has been a practice transferred from generation to generation to ascertain which bangus is maablir or lasang gilik.

To see the Bonuan pride is to check the caudal fin which is shorter . . . the head is small . . . and the back is rounded.

To recognize if smell-like-mud free . . . is to open the operculum and smell it. It will tell you right away that fish is not from Bonuan but from some dishonorable fishponds.

The consumer is smarter than what Mayor Al is thinking about. It could be admirable if this program got teeth.

The drawback in this undertaking is how to impose it. It would create a commercial disparity on Dagupan’s fish farmers because how do you classify pricing on the merchandise?

 What’s the price per kilo of Dagupan’s compared to those coming from western Pangasinan and those “aliens” from Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal and Zambales?

Not all fishes coming from these towns and provinces are not bad at all, I think, however, how can you stop people buying the cheaper fish other than Dagupan’s. ? It would put Dagupan out of business.

Now, the dessert after the feast. Never has been encountered that discrimination exist in the fish kingdom. We don’t know yet, if this clandestine move of Sta. Maria is sanctioned by the Hall.

Labeling the fish coming inside Pangasinan but not those coming from adjacent provinces is not only preposterous but prejudicial. Why the preference to these people? What happened to Aguedo Sta. Maria, the market overlord? Looks like his hands are cuffed-up with heavy dollop of grease.

Nothing changes in Dagupan?