The city’s Bangus FISHtival

By Gerry Garcia

THE celebration of the Bangus Festival, which reeled off last Wednesday, the 16th of this month, was a rousing start headed by the city’s Mayor Al Fernandez at the city plaza in the morning.

Street dancers who were in the parade following the opening ceremony at the city square were an initial phase of the opening day. The second phase of this street dancing is open to everyone on April 26 as, after all, it will signify the city’s festivals of the North Street Dancing Competition.
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Ancient poems sparkle

By Jun Velasco

ASIDE from the food shortage, which economists say is a global phenomenon, the US presidential race is the favorite topic in conversation circles pushing aside the self-punishing corruption tales that have brought shame to the country.

Last week, an uncle, Erning Martinez, lent us a book, “Unlimited Access,” written by a former FBI agent, Gary Aldrich, who worked at the White House with no love lost, as the book glaringly shows, between him and the Clintons.
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Dr. Lucio Tan Day in Dagupan

By Gonzalo Duque

LT (not Lorna Tolentino but the business tycoon Dr. Lucio Tan) took Pangasinan, especially Dagupan City by storm, so to speak, last Wednesday.

He came to receive a doctorate honoris causa in business management and entrepreneurship from our school, Lyceum Northwestern University, which was long overdue, a first he received in North Luzon, which delighted no end his lovely and self-effacing wife Carmen   and 80 members of his staff and personal friends from Manila, that made LNU’s graduation rites a China Day of sorts.
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My ‘Deep Throat’ in Pacquiao Team

By Al S. Mendoza

NOW it can be told.

The reason why Doug Flescher was replaced by Tom Miller as one of the three judges in the recent Pacquiao-Marquez fight was through the instigation of a genuine Filipino boxing lover.

I cannot divulge his character here, lest I incur the ire of the guy himself and tells his friends at the US embassy to revoke my five-year I Visa (Journalist Visa) ASAP.
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Public investments needed in improving rice productivity: II

By Sosimo Ma. Pablico

Dr. Castillo’s arithmetic calculations also showed that only 25 of the 97 released varieties ranked among the top 10 in popularity among farmers (1991-2002) over three wet seasons and three dry seasons. 

Among the most popular top 10 varieties, 14 are from IRRI (IR64, IR60, PSB Rc10, PSB Rc18, IR36, PSB Rc4, PSB Rc28, PSB Rc82, IR72, PSB Rc2, PSB Rc80, IR68, IR5, and IR70).  In like manner, two are from PhilRice (PSB Rc42 and PSB Rc66); three from UPLB (PSB Rc74, PSB Rc14, and PSB Rc12); one from BPI (BPI Rc1); and five are traditional varieties (Masipag, Burdagol, PSB Rc36, Pino and Bugos).
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Kudos

By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.

I WOULD like to congratulate our Region 1 athletes especially our basketball team that bagged the bronze medal in the just concluded 2008 National Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) Games held in Zamboanga City from April 6 to 14.

They made history by placing third, since we joined this annual meet four decades ago the highest position we’ve gained.

Coached by well-known Pangasinan tactician Renato “Jack” Vidal, our Region 1 quintet was composed of only 10 dribblers from the University of Luzon (UL) and Lyceum Northwestern University (LNU).
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Arts scene

By Marifi Jara

AT a time when we are bombarded everyday by news of rising prices, rice shortage, political bickering arising from deep-seated corruption, and crimes both petty and grave, it is difficult to think about the arts.

The arts, after all, is traditionally associated with the elite and customarily thought of as a luxury — something that can be indulged in only if you have plenty of time and money to burn.
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A ghosting promise

By Emmanuelle

The young can sometimes lay it on thicker than thick. To them, old is ancient. If so, how ancient can ancient be? Antique! They squeal! How antique? Prehistoric! Primordial! They squeak out, laughter in between.

I ask the question idly while the niece and nieces on summer vacation are sprawled about in different languid poses in Grandma’s room. It is the biggest in the old family house, but that is not what attracts the kids like bees to the honeycomb. Grandma has the widest telly screen!
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2.7 MILLION PANGASINENSES DARED

LINGAYEN—Be tourists in your own province.

This was the exhortation made by Gov. Amado Espino Jr. to the 2.7 million Pangasinenses in a bid to spur tourism in Pangasinan.

Espino made the call when he spoke before mayors and heads of different government agencies in the first-ever meeting and strategic planning session of the Provincial Development Council (PDC).

“We are 2.7 million Pangasinenses and with our numbers, we can keep tourism alive in our province,” Espino said.
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SO far, so good.

This was the assessment of Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, executive chairperson of this year’s Dagupan Bangus Festival, two days into the 19-day festivities, which will last until May 4.

Fernandez hailed the huge crowd that lined up the streets even under the blazing sun to watch the “Gilon-Gilon ed Baley” Street Dancing on Monday afternoon.
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