All systems go for Bangus Festival 08

THIS year’s Bangus Festival will not just be a tourism spectacle but a big business promotion event.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, chairman of this year’s celebration, told local newsmen that the line-up of events had been finalized, all of which are geared towards providing entertainment and showcasing the city as a prime business and tourist destination.

Fernandez said the festival opens on April 16 with a “big bang” through the Gilon Gilon ed Baley street dancing competition highlighting the bangus as the city’s most well-known product.

The annual street dancing competition this year will have two levels: one for local participants with about 25 groups from different schools and barangays on April 16, and the other on April 26, dubbed the Festivals of the North Street Dancing Competition, where the best from various towns and cities in northern Luzon will take part.

According to her, this year will be the first time that two giant television networks will have their own separate live shows here, GMA 7’s SOP on April 20 and ABS-CBN’s ASAP on April 27.

Also, this will be the first time that seven national popular big bands including Bamboo, Parokya ni Edgar, Kamikaze, Blak Jack, Spongecola among others will perform in one concert that will be staged along A.B. Fernandez Avenue for the Bangusan Street Party on April 30.

It will be on this same day that the famous bangus grill, which won Dagupan a Guinness Book of World Records in 2004, will be held but no longer to bid for the longest grill title.

Dagupan businessmen will also have the chance to showcase their wares with big discounts and giveaways to their patrons in the citywide Great Dagupan Day Sale from April 16-30, Fernandez said.

Sporting events, beauty competitions and other attractions such as a dog show, bangus rodeo, cookfest, kundiman contest, sand castle making contest, beer drinking, visual arts festival are also scheduled.

“We promise to give our visitors and guests a festival worth remembering and we hope to maintain Dagupan’s image as the best producer of the tastiest bangus in the whole world through this festival,” Fernandez said.

The festival will officially close on May 4 with badminton and golf tournaments.#

(News from our favorite publicatio, the Sunday Punch; pic by Cesar Ramirez)

Sali na sa Bangus Rodeo 2008

Hinikayat ni Dagupan City Councilor Lino Fernandez and mga bangus raisers sa iba’t-ibang lugar sa Pangasinan na sumali sa Bangus Rodeo sa Abril 29 sa Malimgas Market sa Dagupan at manalo ng naglalakihang papremyo.

Ayon kay Fernandez, tampok sa patimpalak ang Heaviest, Most Beautiful at Longest Bangus ganun din ang Fastest Bangus Eater, Fastest Classifier at Fastest Deboner.

Sinabi pa ni Councilor Lino Fernandez na todo suporta and ibinibigay nina Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, ang over-all chairman ng Bangus Festival 2008 at si Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., para makapagbigay ng mga mas bongga at mas masayang tampok sa festival na ito na magsisimula sa Abril 16 hanggang Mayo 4.

Para sa Bangus Rodeo, may inilaang mula limang-libo, sampung-libo at labinlimang-libong piso para sa mga magwawagi. Ang mga mechanics ay kasalukuyang inihahanda ng City Agriculturist Office sa pamamagitan ni Madam Emma Molina.

Isa lamang ang maaring manalo ng bangus raiser o fishpond operator sa mga naturang kategorya upang mabigyan ng patas na pagkakataon ang mga gustong sumali ayon kay Councilor Fernandez.

Dagdag pa nito na palaki ng palaki at pabigta ng pabigat ang mga winning entries habang tumatagal ang Bangus Rodeo na naging tampok na ng taunang Bangus Festival. Ito ay bukas sa lahat, ayon pa kay Councilor Lino Fernandez (EV).

Bigger and Better

The Dagupan City government has revved up the annual celebration of Bangus Festival this summer as it put together big and new events to attract more visiors as well as perk up business here which is known as the Bangus Capital.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, chairman of this year's celebration, told local newsmen that the events had been finalized which are aimed to provide entertainment and showcase the city as prime business and tourist destination as well.

It was through the Bangus Festival that placed this city in the map of Guinness Book of World Records when it captured the title for the longest barbeque using its famous product, bangus (milkfish) few years ago.

Fernandez said the festival opens on April 16 with a big bang through the Gilon Gilon ed Baley street dancing competition depicting bangus harvest with special guest artists from a top television network.

The famous street dancing competition will have two versions, one for local participants with about 25 groups participating from different schools and barangays on April 16 and the other one on April 26 with the Festivals of the North Street Dancing Competition where the best from various towns and cities will give their best dancing feet forward in their colorful uniforms.

Dr. Vicki Belo, a renowned cosmetic surgeon in the Philippines , will also grace the Bangus Festival 2008 through a beauty talk on April 16 at 3:00 p.m. at the CSI Atrium, Lucao District, Dagupan City. Her significant other, Dr. Hayden Kho, who is also making waves in his own field and is a regular television guest, will host the festival queen coronation night on April 16.

Fernandez said this year is also the first time that two giant television networks will have their own separate live shows here, GMA 7's SOP on April 20 and ABS-CBN's ASAP on April 27.

Also, this will be the first time that seven national popular big bands like Bamboo, Parokya ni Edgar, Kamikaze, Black Jack, Spongecola among others will perform in one night of big show in seven stages at A.B. Fernandez Avenue for the Bangusan Street Party on April 30.

It will be on this same day that the famous bangus grill will be held but nolonger to bid for the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest grill as it had already captured once the crown. It will be a mere merriment where people will grill bangus to be partaken by our vistors, she said.

Dagupan businessmen will also have the chance to showcase their wares with big discounts and giveaways to their patrons in the citywide Great Dagupan Day Sale from

April 16-30, Fernandez said.

More exciting events are scheduled daily like dance and singing competitions, coronation of the 2008 Dagupan Bangus Festival Queen, battle of the bands, sports events like billiards challenge, cycling classic, bowling and badminton cups, dogshow/pitbull competition, taekwondo open, dragon boat, bangus rodeo, body fest, cookfest, kundiman contest, boxing, mud wrestling, parasailing, sand castle making contest, beer drinking, beach volleyball, visual arts festival, among others.

Also, there will be two separate cookfests, one on April 20 where cooking aficionados including restaurateurs will come up with new recipes using bangus and the other, on April 25 with parents and child tandem.

"We promise to give our visitors and guests a festival worth remembering and we hope to maintain Dagupan's image as the best producer of the tastiest bangus in the whole world through this festival," Fernandez said.

The festival will end on May 4 with a badminton and golf tournament

A Night with Hayden Kho

It's inevitable that where Vicky Belo goes, Dr. Hayden Kho won't be too far behind. Kho will be one of the many celebrity guests trooping to this year's Dagupan Bangus Festival 2008 with hosting duties for the coronation ceremonies for the Bangus Festival Queen on April 16.

Would he sing to this year's bevy of aspiring beauty queens? For those hankering to hear more of the voice that captured the public's imagination in "Celebrity Duets", the only way to find out is to, well, attend the coronation night...

(Photo by Nonie Reyes, Business Mirror)

Vicky Belo talks about beauty at the Bangus Festival

Want to feel young and look good?

Here’s your rare chance to see and hear in person, Dr. Vicki Belo, a renowned cosmetic surgeon in the Philippines , as she graces the Bangus Festival 2008 through a beauty talk on April 16 at 3:00 p.m. at the CSI Atrium, Lucao District, Dagupan City.

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, chairman of the Bangus Festival 2008, said that Belo who is famous for having performed dermatological services on high-profile members of the Philippine showbiz, as well as the rich and famous in the country, will share beauty secrets to interested beauty enthusiasts who are both males and females, young and old alike as well.

With her skills and trainings abroad that made her the leading name in cosmetic surgery and a beauty expert, the participants will surely gain important knowledge from Belo’s presentation, Fernandez added.

The talk which is open to the public will enable the participants to unravel the various ways of looking and feeling good as well as in staying young and healthy.

“This is a rare opportunity that shouldn’t be missed,” Fernandez said.

Belo’s significant other, Dr. Hayden Kho, will host the festival queen coronation night also on April 16 which is one of the highlights of the Pista’y Dayat celebration of Dagupan.

Kho is also gaining fast popularity in his field and has also become a regular television guest (EV).

2008 BANGUS FESTIVAL PROMO GOES TO the USA!

City Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez and Councilor Alfie Fernandez, chair and co-chair respectively of this year’s Bangus Festival made a whirlwind tour of cities in the United States to bring the good news to the US-based Dagupenos about the latest events in the city and the exciting 2008 Bangus Festival, now a regional celebration, set on April 16 to May 4

The city’s ambassadors were enthusiastically welcomed wherever they went. The infectious excitement of Dagupenos in the city as expressed by VM Fernandez and Councilor Fernandez quickly connected them to home.

The invitation extended to the overseas Dagupenos reverberated across the states and expressions of support poured in to ensure its success.

While in the U.S., the two city officials met officers and members of the Dagupan Association of San Diego, Dagupan Association of San Francisco, Dagupan Association of Southern California, Dagupan Association of America and others.

IN those meetings, the development thrusts of the administration of Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr., particularly the goal to make Dagupan a child-friendly and character city, were applauded.

The presentation included documentary films showing what Dagupan is like today, showing among others the expected completion of the four-kilometer Dawel-Pantal-Lucao Road and set to be inaugurated sometime in April.

In sum, the new highway represents a new bundle of development opportunities for the city, particularly the establishment of eco-tourism projects and new commercial areas. LM

(From the Sunday Punch)