In search of San Fabian’s identity

By Marifi Jara

MY town’s fiesta has once again come and gone.

It was the usual routine. Some program and ballroom dancing in the evenings, catered to various groups – barangay officials, the market community, balikbayans, civic organizations. Then there’s the perya at the huge vacant lot across the church. It is surrounded by stalls peddling all sorts of dry goods (so many products flooding in from China!) and food (so many of them selling tupig and cheap hamburger!), and along the side facing the highway, a line of makeshift joints for videoke singing. And what Filipino fiesta would be complete without the crowning of the queen and her court, with of course the subsequent parade around town.

I am sure a most everyone in San Fabian enjoyed the celebration. The town center area had been very busy and crowded, especially in the evenings.

I would have loved to hang out and join in the revelry. I was quite tempted to take a ride in the Octopus at the perya. Just one round. Maybe twice. I have such thrilling memories of it from the annual school fairs when I was in elementary and high school. It was a time when my friends and I felt so free to shout our lungs out and laugh our souls loud without fear of being reprimanded by the dear madres who kept watch over us in school, making sure we would grow into prim and proper Filipinas.

But I chose to stay away from the festivities. Our fiesta saddened me because I felt it highlighted the lack of a cultural identity in San Fabian.

Sto. Tomas is proud of its corn and is, in fact, gearing up for some world exposure by taking  a shot at the Guinness Record for the longest grill  in February; Villasis, whose town fiesta coincides with ours, puts on centerstage its talong; Dagupan, of course, is widely known for its bangus; Calasiao with its sweet puto (and if I may add, its kambing and their lovely old church with colonial architecture); Manaoag has its Lady; San Carlos its mangoes; and Alaminos City  the Hundred Islands.

  The sad part really is that San Fabian is in no way wanting in beautiful assets. It is blessed with a lovely beach within a gorgeous cove where the Marcoses, who freely had access to the country’s prime spots, built a holiday mansion. The sea, despite decades of abuse now, somehow remains a source of livelihood for coastal barangays.  On the eastern side, there are wide farm areas and hilly regions with a track ideal for some bicycle challenge. A number of plant-garden-landscaping enterprises are located here. And the San Fabian church, now painted in pristine white, could very well be among the country’s list of charming Spanish-era structures.

Our officials have yet to come around to molding something that will characterize   San Fabian, something that will stand as its unique identity, that something  that will be the highlight of  the annual fiesta celebration, the date of which is grounded on the feast day of the town’s patron, San Fabian.

The Spanish legacy of town fiestas being rooted   in honoring its patron has been overridden in recent years by celebrations, not just in Pangasinan but around the country, highlighting cultural or economic pride.

A  San Fabian identity could prove to be the lasting heritage that Mayor Mojamito Libunao Jr., who is now on his last term as mayor, and his team could bequeath to the townspeople.

And perhaps we can keep the annual perya. Love those Octopus rides.

(Readers may reach columnist at marifijara@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/roots/
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