Bangus Festival 2009 preparations in full swing

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez has started preparing for the staging of the mother of all festivals in Pangasinan, the Dagupan Bangus Festival.

It was learned that the vice mayor was again designated by Mayor Al Fernandez as chairperson of the festivity.

“My deepest appreciation for giving me your valued trust and it is with great sense of pride and honor to chair this year’s Bangus Festival for the second time around,” Fernandez said.

In connection with the preparations of the festival celebration, the festival chairperson said she started meeting with the chairpersons of various events committee, department heads, barangay captains and some city hall officials immediately after her appointment on January 26.

On the third week of February, the vice mayor is bound for Manila to meet with the different festival sponsors.

Members of the organizing committee include: liga ng mga barangay,the city engineer’s office, nutrition office, city health office, public order and safety office, Dagupan City Police Station, waste management division, Department of Education, PANDA and the Pangasinan Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Aside from promoting Dagupan as a prime tourist destination in Northern Luzon, the festival also aims to further boost business opportunities in the city and for the Dagupan bangus (milkfish) to be marketed to the rest of the country.

The vice mayor said that she hopes to equal if not surpass last year’s success.

The festival will run for two weeks starting April 15 up to May 1. (Leziel T. Cayabyab)