A great PR idea for BSL

By Gonzalo Duque

THE Duques are humbled by Manong Resty Basa’s revelation that the Pistay Dayat yearly event had its origin during my father, then Governor Paco’s time at the Capitol.

Manong  Resty, the city’s present  foremost historian, told me and a group of newsmen that Governor Duque thought of the sea festival as a gesture of thanks giving to the Almighty  for the bounty of the sea and to promote Pangasinan tourism.

Manong Resty who was already a newsman then (anggapo ni kuno balet ray pitpit nen saman) was a member of the governor-created committee that planned the Pistay Dayat. I hope some articles would be written specially for this fact. Ako po’y tuwang tuwa sa totoo lang.

Go to any place in the country and some parts anywhere in the world, and when people hear about Pangasinan and Dagupan and the other coastal towns like San Fabian, Binmaley, Lingayen, Labrador, Sual, Alaminos, Bolinao and others, the Pistay Dayat event is always a favorite and lively topic. Because of it, Dagupan City was included in the Guinness Book of Record.

 Now, if you are reading this, Mayor Benjie Lim, alam mo na kung saan ka magmamano ha?

There’s no doubt that the mayor, a confirmed marketing genius, has succeeded in putting Dagupan in the world map because of  the famous Kalutan, a Pistay Dayat highlight in Bangus City. I am so happy that my beloved father had a hand in it, and a historic one at that.

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Last Wednesday, the Regional Medical Center headed by Dr. Jess Canto, hospital director, held a simple but meaningful rites to acknowledge the Lyceum Northwestern University’s donation that paved the way for the construction of a new conference hall which has been named after my father, Dr. Francisco Q. Duque Jr., and my mother, Mrs. Florencia T. Duque, both  now in the life hereafter.

The Philippine Medical Ass’n of Georgia thru my sister, Dr. Grace Duque-Dizon has started donating equipment to the RMC1 preparatory to their medical missions that will be held in January or February 2007 with about 80 surgeons and compliments coming in to Pangasinan for the medical mission.

In behalf of the family, I thank Director Canto for the opportunity to expand our area of service. As you well know, my father, who also served as health secretary, and my mother, who was the second president of Lyceum Northwestern in its initial years (the first president being Dr. Paco) and president of the Philippine Medical Auxiliary Association were mostly in public service, which my brothers and I have been into. And yes, even my sisters, too.

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All this coliform talk has affected Mayor Benjie Lim badly, I was told.

I really commiserate with him because the news flew all over his face at the height of Kalutan when he needed total support from the community. But we cannot also blame the media for dramatizing the coliform news because it’s real, and we really ought to be careful and do something about it.

There was this recent assurance though that the danger raised was a bit exaggerated. And so Dagupeños and Pangasinenses, be appeased and have a sound sleep.

If I were Benjie, I would invite Ermin and other Punch people to fish some bangus from the Bonuan waters, have them grilled and hold an eating rite. The Revilla father and son in Cavite did this with dramatic effect by eating tahong in full view of people and the TV when the red tide knocked down their tahong business. Biglang nawala ang intriga as a result!

But this is not to say we should not address the problem. I gave a warning about this problem in my past columns.

 I am sincerely proposing this idea to Mayor Lim because the nasty stories do not seem to stop, and some people are already scared of eating the city’s culinary delicacy. Why don’t you try the idea, eh, Benjie? I am sure, this PR coup will be a whooping success, and don’t hesitate to send me the talent fee later. Aksyon ang kailangan. Mahirap magjustify especially so Mr. Westly Rosario said that our rivers have high level content of coliform. 

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