LINGAYEN–The fiesta fever is on.

So how about one for celebrating bagoong and bucayo?

A festival revolution continues to catch fire in Pangasinan after the very successful staging of the Dagupan Bangus Festival and the Puto Festival in Calasiao.

Refusing to be left out, capital town Lingayen is now planning to hold its ‘Bagoong and Bucayo Festival’ during its fiesta celebration in January next year.

Other towns are also set to revive their old festivals, which they allowed to mothball in the past for lack of funds.

In the case of Lingayen, Mayor Ernesto Castañeda said plans are now being mapped out for the holding of the ‘Bagoong and Bucayo Festival’ to focus on the two popular industries in his town.

Lingayen is known for its bagoong-making and it is generally believed that bagoong was introduced in the town by early Chinese settlers

The mayor said it is about time Lingayen promotes its bagoong industry to the world in order to create bigger demands for the commodity.

‘Lingayen Bagoong’ is already being exported to the United States, Saudi Arabia and some parts of Europe countries where Filipino communities thrive.

Castañeda, who comes from a family that makes bagoong, said not even one from the original houses that manufactures bagoong had closed shop, proof that the industry is stable and a viable investment prospect.

Nonetheless, like all industries, bagoong is also beset by challenges, the biggest of which is the dwindling supply of fish.

“Did you know that the bulk of fish being made into bagoong are now coming all the way from Bicol, Quezon and Navotas and only a little comes from Pangasinan and other provinces in Region 1,” Castañeda said.

He said there is a big demand for bagoong but the supply has been limited.

BUCAYO

In the case of bucayo, Castañeda admitted this home industry is now on the decline because of the shortage of coconuts.

He said he intends to revive this age-old industry in Lingayen by initiating the massive planting of coconuts in any available land, including the beaches so the bucayo industry can be sustained.

Aside from bucayo, Lingayen is also famous for native cakes like the ‘talamis,’ Castañeda said—LM

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