If other urban cities can have their own “Chinatown”, why not in Dagupan?

This is the proposition put forward by the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Dagupan to recognize and honor the contributions of Filipino-Chinese businessmen to the city’s economy.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, herself of Chinese descent, said the chamber, currently headed by Edison Co, has asked Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. about the project, which involves converting Rizal Street in the central business district into a Chinatown.

VM Fernandez, whose grandfather was one of the five pioneering Chinese businessmen who came to the city by boat, said the site being proposed is apt since it is an area where many Filipino-Chinese traders operate.

There are also two Chinese schools on Rizal St. and a Chinese temple is currently under construction.

There is an estimated 5,000 Filipino-Chinese population in Dagupan.

VM Fernandez added that the proposal is in line with City Planning and Development Officer Romeo Rosario’s plan for an “urban renewal” wherein the Chinese community is being asked to restore their old buildings with corresponding tax rebates.

She added that to boost tourism, the Fil-Chinese community can have only kalesas (horse-drawn carriage) on the street. #

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