A belen-making contest, designed to add glitter to the 2007 Dagupan City Fiesta and the yuletide season, was launched Tuesday with the support of the 31 barangays in the city.

Belen, the Filipino term for Bethlehem, refers to the depiction of the nativity scene when Jesus Christ was born in a manger.

Belen is also the first name of Vice Mayor Fernandez who is bankrolling the contest.

Each barangay will be put up its own Belen. The top winner of the contest will receive P30,000, the runner-up, P20,000 and first runner-up, P15,000.

Under the rules, the belen should be set up near the barangay hall or in any visible place in the village, and the materials must be inexpensive and indigenous.

The vice mayor gave each barangay P5,000 seed money for the sourcing of their materials.

The belen-making contest will compliment the yearly parol-making contest, region-wide Christmas caroling contest and salad-making contest for mother and daughter or father and son.

Balikbayans are expected in Dagupan during the city fiesta in December under the “Pawil Dagupan” program.

The launching of the contest at Gloria Maris Restaurant was presided over by the vice mayor and Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo, hermano mayor of the Dagupan City fiesta.

In attendance were Councilors Librada Reynaand Alfredo Quinto and Dagupan City Nutrition Officer Leah Aquino who helped draft the mechanics of the contest.

Final judging of the entries will be on December 16, start of the Dagupan City fiesta.

Feeding program

Meanwhile, the feeding program in Dagupan being undertaken by the city government with the support of private companies and civic organizations continues.

Fernandez, who is actively promoting the feeding program of the administration of Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., said the CSI Group of Companies, is undertaking feeding project in all 31 barangays as part of its obligations to the Dagupenos in coordination with the City Nutrition Office.

“Feeding malnourished children is part of our social obligation as a responsible business corporation that cares for the welfare of people in the community where we operate, said Fernandez, speaking for CSI.

She said her company will continue its feeding projects as well as its sponsorship of various day care centers for as long as there are malnourished children around.

The city government through the nutrition office, the City Social Welfare Office, and other departments are also conducting a continuing education drive to teach the parents of malnourished children to prepare affordable, nutritious food.

Active partners from the private sector are Rotary Club of Uptown Dagupan headed by Dr. Lucy Honrado and Edna Torio Gonzales. ABS-CBN and the Soroptimist Club are now also doing their respective feeding projects in the barangays that they had adopted.

The vice mayor challenged all other businesses operating in Dagupan to also undertake feeding programs in the barangays in coordination with the city government.—LM

 

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