Lingayen celebrates its OTOP product
1st BAGOONG FESTIVAL
TO THE uninitiated, the smell could be daunting. To the arthritic, the salt content could be hazardous. But for the many who love bagoong, it’s simply a taste of heaven.
And Lingayen, the capital of Pangasinan, is banking on bagoong – fermented fish sauce/paste popularly used as a dip or to flavor dishes – to help boost its economy by appointing it as the municipality’s official merchandise under the “One Town One Product” program of the Department of Trade and Industry.
As part of the promotional campaign, Lingayen celebrated last January 20 the first municipality-wide Bagoong Festival alongside the annual town fiesta.
In April last year, the first Bagoong Festival was held but only in barangay Pangapisan North participated in by Barangay Maniboc, the two villages known as the main producers of bagoong.
Councilor Judy Vargas, who authored the resolution naming bagoong as Lingayen’s OTOP, said the initial festivity in 2011 was aimed to give recognition to the two barangays, particularly the industriousness of the people behind the industry.
Bagoong-making has long been an important industry in Lingayen, with some of the produce going to the export market.
Another of the town’s popular product, bucayo, candy made with coconut, was also considered for OTOP but Vargas said it was dropped due to the dwindling number of coconut trees.
Mayor Ernesto Castaneda Jr. said the town-wide festival is a way of honoring bagoong for its economic contribution not just to Lingayen but Pangasinan as a whole.
Several events were lined up, including a streetdance competition, participated in by groups representing either schools or barangays, highlighting the movements in the bagoong-making process.
Stakeholders vowed during the event to find ways to further develop the bagoong industry.-Johanne Macob, UPB
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