Facing the Lingayen Gulf, there lays Dagupan City, an independent city of the Province of Pangasinan situated in the island of the northern part of Luzon. Long before Dagupan was officially declared as city on June 20, 1947, for many centuries, this city is being regarded as a Regional Market Center for Commerce and Industry, as described in the Pangasinense language “Pandaragupan” or termed as “Gathering place” since many of the countries known banking/ financial institutions, foods industry, clothing shops and everything there is, just name it and they have it. Amazing for a small city like Dagupan, but this is very brave and courageous enough in stepping-up to make business flourish over the years.
Indeed, Dagupan City, with its remarkable reputation in having it involved with commerce and industry, this city is also known as the Milkfish (Bangus) Capital of the Philippines. That’s why every year, for the whole month of April, the province of Pangasinan celebrates Pista’yDayat or termed as “Sea Festival” as thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest and abundant fishing from the sea. Because of this festival, many tourists and visitors are ;ured to join and witness the said celebration. Then sometime in 2002, as part of the Pista’yDayat celebration, the first Bangus Festival was being launched to pave the way in marketing the world’s tastiest milkfish, in which, until today is a success! Dagupan City is very proud to have reached their 10th year in celebrating Bangus Festival.
Last April 30, 2012, city streets of Dagupan were adorned with colorful streamers and the presence of large billboard ads were visually displayed to welcome the visiting guests and tourists. The City Government of Dagupan was really prepared to make the celebration a grand one because there were lots of free street concerts that were made possible by GMA and the dazzling performances by their GMA talents, and then there were shopping markets selling city’s local goods supported by LGU and the most awaited event was the grilled milkfish, a good long stretch of 10,000 pieces, more or less, of milkfish as its scent wlowly wafted in the air, good enough to make everybody’s mouths water and go about feasting on every grilled milkfish there is.
