Monday, March 31, 2008 City marks Bangusfest Rodeo
THE "best" bangus (milkfish) among those being cultured by bangus growers in Dagupan City and other parts of Pangasinan will be known on April 29.
The event known as Bangusfest Rodeo is one of the activities during this year's Dagupan City Bangus Festival. It will present the best bangus in the city.
Dagupan Councilor Lino Fernandez, Bangusfest Rodeo chairman, said there would be a search for the biggest bangus, longest bangus, and prettiest bangus, with cash prizes at stake per category.
There will also be a contest for fastest bangus classifier, bangus deboner, and grilled bangus eater.
Fernandez said competition will start at 6 a.m. at the Malimgas Market area in Galvan Street and will be covered live by ABS-CBN program Umagang Kayganda.
He said bangus growers are only allowed to submit one entry per category in the search for the biggest, longest, and prettiest bangus.
Fernandez, himself a bangus grower, said the weight of the winning bangus in the biggest category during the first holding of Bangusfest Rodeo was 1.8 kilogram. Last year, the winner weighed 7.2 kilogram. He said some entries today could be as heavy as 8 kilograms.
The cash prizes in the biggest and longest bangus is pegged at P15,000 for the winner; and P10,000 and P5,000 for the first and second runners-up, respectively.
Accordingly, there are bangus growers who cultured bangus at their fishponds since the Bangusfest Rodeo was started years ago.
Fernandez cited a certain Mr. Caning who had donated some of his 500 cultured bangus to the hatcheries in Bolinao and Sual and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) in Bonuan Binloc.
Meanwhile, the Bangusan Street Party committee is preparing more than 20,000 pieces of bangus to be grilled on April 30.
Fernandez said the city will not bid for any Guinness World Record, however, just like in the past years, grills will be set up along A.B. Fernandez Avenue from the Café Du Marc area down to city plaza area.
A one-meter grill costs P2,500 inclusive of 25 pieces of bangus, charcoal, apron, and a grill thong.
The councilor said he will propose to Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, Bangus Festival chairman, that grilled bangus selling areas be set up as visitors and barangay folks who come to join the merriment would also buy the product.
The Bangusan Street Party will be full of entertainment.
There will be seven platforms strategically located along A.B. Fernandez Avenue.
In addition, seven famous bands will simultaneously perform on the party including Spongecola, Bamboo, Parokya ni Edgar, Kamikazee, Blackdyak, ABS-CBN One Team, and GMA Kapuso. (LCMY/Sunnex)
