BF08 off to a great start

The first day of the Dagupan Bangus Festival 2008 proved to be the grandest and the merriest ever as it set the right festive mood where people crowded around the city plaza to witness the opening ceremonies marked with fireworks, release of yellow and green balloons, band playing the jolly festival theme song and dancers in their colorful costumes dancing gaily.

Led by no less than Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., the people enjoyed watching 26 groups of street dancers from different barangays who tried to give their best performances to bring home the crown for the street dancing competition.

Fernandez said the Gilon Gilon street dancing competition was started 11 years ago when the city celebrated its golden anniversary and it has since become a big crowd drawer and adopted as one of the main attractions of the Bangus Festival. He recalled that the Golden Anniversary of the city in 1997 was chaired by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, then a councilor, who introduced the Gilon Gilon street dancing.

He said the Gilon Gilon is a tribute to the aquaculture industry of the city and to the forefathers who have engaged in the bangus industry for a long time. He said this has contributed to the progress of Dagupan where its famous product, the bangus (milkfish) has conquered even the international market and is now known as the tastiest bangus in the world.

He commended the festival committee led by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez for the success of the event.

He said Dagupan is a city of one vision and one action where the officials and the department heads are fully supportive towards attaining the same goal.

Vice Mayor Fernandez said this year’s festival is dedicated to Dagupeños and their visitors who come here to enjoy the place, the food and the people and make the city their second home.

She said the activities display the many facets of life in Dagupan.