Dagupan fest street party set with 20-K bangus grill

BANGUSAN STREET PARTY -- Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez announces they are set to the Bangusan Street Party this Sunday, April 30. They street party is part of the Bangus Festival. 

By Hilda Austria 

DAGUPAN CITY – Some 20,000 bangus (milkfish) are set to be grilled during the Bangusan Street Party along the De Venecia Highway Extension here today, April 30 as the highlight of the Bangus Festival 2023.
    “I met with our Bangus Festival sponsors this morning. We are all very excited because we are at the final stage of the preparation for the Bangusan Street Party Kalutan ed Dalan on Sunday,” Mayor Belen Fernandez posted on her Facebook account on Tuesday.
    For PHP3,800, revelers get to have their own one-meter grills where they can cook five kilograms of bangus.
    The package also comes with carbonated drinks and other materials for grilling like charcoal, salt, plastic bags, and tongs, among other freebies.
    Partygoers also get to enjoy a fun-filled night with bands and artists, like Ely Buendia, Sponge Cola, Gigi De Lana and the GG Vibes, and DJ Loonyo, among others.
    A bus that will offer free rides will also be available.
    The Bangus Festival kicked off on April 14 with the Gilon ed Baley Street Dance Competition participated in by the 31 barangays.
    The cluster of Barangays Bonuan Gueset, Bonuan Binloc, and Bonuan Boquig won the competion, according to the City Information Office (CIO).
    Another part of the Bangus Festival is the Gilon-Gilon, a thanksgiving event in honor of Dagupan City’s patron,     St. John the Evangelist, who was a fisherman. One of the events of the Gilon-Gilon was the Bangus Rodeo on April 19.
    Named the fastest bangus classifier was Melicio Melendez of Pugaro with a speed of 1 minute and 36.06 seconds; fastest bangus deboner was Jeffrey Bandera of Pantal at 1:15.95 sec; and Jaime Bucao Jr. won as fastest bangus eater.
    Winners received PHP5,000 (champion), PHP3,000 (second place), and PHP2,000 (third place) with medals.
    The heaviest bangus weighed 7.87 kilograms which was an entry of Kim John Flores of Barangay Pugaro; the longest bangus measured 92 centimeters, which was an entry of Jay Jhon Flores of Barangay Pugaro; and the "prettiest" bangus was owned by Timothy Quemerista of Barangay Calmay.
    The heaviest and longest bangus winners received P15,000, P10,000, and P5,000 plus medals for the champion, second place, and third place, respectively.
    The prettiest bangus top three took home P7,000, P5,000, and P3,000, with medals.
    The events of the festival inlcluded the Bangusine (cuisine showcase) on April 26, and beach volleyball and other sporting events at Tondaligan Blue Beach from April 29 to May 1. -- PNA