Brgy Pogo Grande ends 17-year tradition
NO EXPLOSIONS ON HIGH NOON
HIGH noon struck and went January 1, 2017, no firecracker explosions were heard in Barangay Pogo Grande in Dagupan City.
Complying with the national government’s anti-firecracker campaign for the new year, residents of Barangay Pogo Grande, the village in the city known for simultaneously lighting up firecrackers at 12 noon on the first day of every year, finally broke its 17-year old tradition.
The barangay folk of Pogo Grande, a firecracker-producing village, did not string up thousands of firecrackers like fiesta-buntings like they used to along the main road, to comply with the police and health department’s campaign on ’Iwas Paputok’.
The barangay council led by Chairman George Galvan had decided to cancel the yearly spectacle to comply with the directive of the city police.
Earlier, P/Supt. Neil Miro, chief of the Dagupan City police, said in a press conference that the intensified campaign against the use of big-sized firecrackers will not excuse anyone, even a tradition, to ensure the safety and good health of everybody.
The tradition started 17 years ago with just a few hundreds of unsold firecrackers. Residents consider firecracker manufacturing as a seasonal livelihood.
As years passed, residents both here and abroad contributed cash to buy more firecrackers for the revelry. Soon, residents and visitors from other barangays began to flock to Pogo Grande to witness the crescendo of explosion.
The spectacle soon gained some following in neighboring villages Malued and Bacayao Norte and began their own versions.
This 2017, the village was unusually quiet. (VHS/PIA-Pangasinan)
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