Bangus street party attracts 600,000
CELEBRATING A GOOD YEAR
A CLEAR evening sky welcomed some 600,000 revelers who joined the Bangusan Street Party last April 30 in Dagupan, capping off this year’s Bangus Festival with a feel-good mood in the city.
The street party, held along the 3.7-kilometer stretch of the Jose R. de Venecia Expressway, was initially threatened by a slight drizzle in the afternoon, and while it rained cats and dogs in other parts of Pangasinan in the evening, it was dry in Dagupan.
It was still drizzling in the city late afternoon when Senator Bam Aquino, Fourth District Rep.. Gina de Venecia and Mayor Belen Fernandez led the ceremonial lighting of the grills in the eastern end of the highway in Barangay Pantal.
“It’s a God’ blessing that it did not rain,” an elated Mayor Fernandez said after monitoring the street party where people started grilling milkfish, tilapia, catfish oysters, eggplants and even hot dog.
More than 15 popular bands from Manila performed on stages set up on vacant lots along the highway.
Among the thousands of visitors were from the capital Manila and other parts of Pangasinan.
Amy Ferrer, manager of PBCom in Dagupan, said bank officials from their main office in Manila came to join them in feasting on grilled bangus, oysters, eggplants, and prawns.
Jing Bautisa of Binmaley town and his wife said the street party felt like “people were one in celebrating like one, big, happy family”.
Meanwhile, Aquino, in a talk to newsmen, said such a big activity like the Bangus Festival not only boosts tourism but also to provides income opportunities to various sectors.
The city initially planned to put up only 1,000 grills but this was increased to 1,500 to accommodate late registrants.
The grills were sold at P2,500 each, including five kilos of milkfish, charcoal, apron, chef’s hat and salt.
Supt. Christopher Abrahano, Dagupan chief of police of Dagupan, said except for the arrest of seven pickpockets, no major untoward incident happened despite the big number of people that attended the event and stayed on until the early morning hours of May 1.
FESTIVALS OF THE NORTH
Earlier in the week, Dagupan’s own Bangus Festival contingent was adjudged overall champion in the Festivals of the North Street Dancing Competition held April 27.
The street dancers from Barangay Pantal, the city’s official representative to the competition, bested 19 other champion street dancing groups from different towns and cities in northern and central Luzon.
The Dagupan street dancers bagged the P400, 000 grand prize and another P20,000 for the special award in Best in Choreography.
Another Pangasinan group, the Corn Festival of Sto. Tomas, won P20,000 for Best in Costume.
Other winners were: 1st runner-up -Mango Festival (Masinloc, Zambales); 2nd-runner up – Guling-Guling Festival (Paoay, IlocosNorte); 3rd runner-up- Corn Festival (Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan) and 4th runner-up -Pamulinawen Festival (Laoag, Ilocos Norte).
All the judges were professionals from other regions.
Other participants in the Festivals of the North were: Pindangan Festival (San Fernando City, La Union), Tobacco Festival (Candon City, Ilocos Sur), Bado-Badoc Milagrosa (Badoc, Ilocos Norte) Abrenian Kawayan Festival (Bangued, Abra), Basi Festival (Naguillan, La Union), Ani Festival (Dingras, Ilocos Norte), Kannawidan Ylocos Festival (Caoayan, Ilocos Sur), Goat Festival (Balungao), Mango Bamboo Festival (San Carlos City) Abacca-Bamboo Festival (Basista), Malangsi Festival (Bayambang), Adivay Festival (Kabayan, Benguet), Panagbenga Festival (Baguio City, Benguet), Fiesta Republika Ng Bulakan Festival (Guiguinto, Bulacan); and Bagoong Festival (Lingayen,).
Cultural dance presentations from Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City and GMA7 Kapuso celebrities added color to the event.
BANGUSINE
At the first Bangus Festival Bangusine held at the CSI Stadia on April 28, participants from the foreign community in Pangasinan prepared 45 different delicacies using Dagupan bangus.
The event was graced by Mrs. Herath Mudivansela Mendis, Charge d’ Affaires at the Embassy of Sri Lanka, and chefs from Japan, South Korea and India.
Local celebrity chef and host of GMA Kapuso’s cooking show ‘Kusina Master’ Boy Logro, meanwhile, wowed his audience with his “yum yum yum” recipes of Bangus Cheese in Roll and Bangus Burger.
Atty. Gonzalo Duque, chair of the event, said the recipes introduced in the Bangusine will be compiled into a book and will be distributed to the different embassies in the country as a way to promote Dagupan as the home of the tastiest milkfish in the world.
The mayor said that after the festival, the city government will focus on the development of the bangus industry.
“The festival is useless if we cannot improve the demand for Dagupan bangus,” Fernandez said.—LVM with reports from Tita Roces and CIO
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
