RAIN or shine, the show must go on.

This is the battlecry raised by Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. as rains hit many parts of the country, including Dagupan, last week, which is one week into the Dagupan Bangus Festival 2009 with another week to go.

The Bangus Festival, considered as Dagupan’s mother of all festivals, fired off April 15 with 18 events already successfully held despite last week’s unexpected rains almost every afternoon in this summer month of April.

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, chairman of the Dagupan Bangus Festival committee, counted her blessings that they had not been forced to cancel any of the events despite the inclement weather.

The Halo-Halo, Samalamig Festival at the Senior Citizens Park pushed through as the rains have stopped by the afternoon of Thursday, just in time for the event’s opening.

“God is with us,” said Vice Mayor Fernandez just after she and the mayor presided over the Bangus Rodeo at the Magsaysay Fish Market where the heaviest, longest and most beautiful bangus, as well as the fastest bangus deboner as well as classifier, were selected.

“It is so far, so good”, said Mayor Fernandez when asked about his personal assessment of the ongoing festival.

The Food Strip on Galvan Street consisting of eateries serving evening snacks, among others, instantly drew patrons back soon as the rains stopped.

In case the awaited Festivals of the North street dancing competition on April 27 will be rained out, Mayor Fernandez said the event will push through and adjustments on the sequence of the competition will simply be made.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geo-Sciences Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecasts an improvement in the weather this week.

The Festivals of the North, one of the biggest events of the Bangus Festival, will feature street dancers from various parts of the Philippines as competitors or guest performers.

The mayor and vice mayor said the Bangus Festival has so far been successful and contributing significantly to the Dagupan economy with hotels and inns fully booked, and the shops busy with the big number of tourists coming in.—LM

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