Think about it
Going big time in bangus industry?
By Jun Velasco
IT seems, despite our loud claims about our local bangus’ supremacy in the market, the sad fact remains that we are not even up to par in supplying our local needs of this staple aquatic specie.
We raise this issue in light of the city government’s seriousness in cleaning up our river systems — demolition of the mushrooming fish pens, dredging and putting up of a processing plant — and the recent organization of the city’s fishpond operators association led by our friend, Alfredo Dawana, BSL’s one-peso-a-year consultant on marine life.
Last we heard from Mayor Benjie Lim, undisputed father of the Dagupan’s invasion of the Guinness Book of Record through our local bangus, was his plan to group all the fish pen operators in the city and embark on a grand marketing program worldwide.
That could be a smart strategy to preempt the notorious illegal operators who are corroding the city’s reputation as bangus leader.
Big deal! But first, we want to see if we have a wholistic bangus development plan including a complete data on what percentage in the public is really consuming our local bangus. Have we also factored in the needs of nearby Central and Northern Luzon? Our information is that rival Saranggani as “bangus center of the world” has designed a more scientific and comprehensive development program.
It seems the city’s meteoric fame in bangus lacks a deliberate, research-based and serious effort in making a go of it. Fact is we want to envision Dagupan as capable of designing an honest-to-goodness bangus development program, that will never be found wanting.
Mayor Lim has shown an acumen that, we suggest, if he has not done yet, would include scientific research in propagating the best bangus variety, how to preserve it through a giant cold storage, a national marketing plan that will surpass what he has done at the Duty Free Philippines and and an honest-to-goodness program that will involve the people and literally carve a name for the city as bangus leader of the world.
In the meantime, we wish to see the entire city officialdom fully supporting the program, undisturbed by petty politics and, what many deplore, as business rivalry. The gap between Mayor Lim and Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez due to their private business interests could derail or spur the city’s attainment of its development goals. The rivalry could work either way because, inspired by patriotism and love of Dagupan, it could launch the city to heights of progress Dagupan folk have never dreamed of before.
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NOTES: A short chat with Vice Governor Ferdie Calimlim gave us an idea of his partnership with Governor Spines that goes beyond the practical and immediate. The province is the lucky beneficiary of their brotherly tandem….. Guv’nor Spines was a great showman during nanay’s birthday celebration at the Capitol Resort Hotel. Not to be left behind were Ser Ashok Vasandani and our Korean friends who superbly rendered Filipino ditties amazing the audience….. Mayor Ayoy Resuello is proving to be a real son of the father in terms of political governance. Birthday greetings to his younger brod, Vice Mayor Bogs last Thursday.
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