From a simple hobby, Aling Rebecca is now running her family business, the famous Rebecca’s cassava cake. She started the business in 1985.

Other finalists in the event were Pasasalamat Festival of La Carlota City, Dinagsa Festival of Cadiz City and HugyawKansilay Festival of Silay City, all in the province of Negros Occidental.

The finalists were adjudged on the following criteria:  event’s achievement, 25 percent; involvement, participation and cooperation of general stakeholders, 25 percent; continuity and sustainability, 25 percent; and contribution to the community, 25 percent.

The winners were announced at the Awarding Ceremony of the 13th ATOP National Convention last October 4 at Dakak Beach Resort, Dapitan City in Zamboangadel Norte. Rose Mary Teng Mejia, city tourism officer, received the award in behalf of the city.

Kenneth Benignos, chair of the Committee on Awards of the 13th ATOP Convention awards committee, said that the ‘Pearl Award’ is designed to honor creative works and exceptional services of the people in the tourism industry.

Bangus Festival gained public exposure in the year 2002 as a result of a citywide visioning exercise conducted by Mayor Benjamin Saplan Lim during his first term as city mayor  to promote the city’s bangus industry and increase its sales and production.

The festival created awareness in the global market affirming the status of  Dagupan  as the home of the tastiest milkfish and  as an alternative destination and venue for business, seminar, congress and other tourism- related events. (CIO courtesy of Joseph Bacani)

City Tourism Officer Rose Mary Teng-Mejia receives the award for Dagupan City which recognizes the Bangus Festival as the Best Tourism Event: Festival Category (City Level) after a nationwide search conducted by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) and the Department of Tourism (DOT). The Awarding Ceremony was held during the 13th ATOP National Convention last October 4 at Dakak Beach Resort, Dapitan City in Zamboanga del Norte. Also in photo are (from left): Dagupan Tourism employees Grace Decano and Maria Lenny Alcaide ATOP President Miguel Sison,Grace Marzan of DOT, Pangasinan Tourism Officer Maria Luisa Elduayan and ATOP VP for Visayas Ma. Cora Cenas-Tito.

The poster-making in mixed media and Junk Art group/collaborative competitions were held last September 18 at the BSL Hall of the Schools Division Office participated in by 15 contenders from different public high schools in Dagupan.

After the two activities, awarding ceremonies immediately followed where winners received cash prizes and certificates.

Winning the mixed-media poster-making tilt was Reynaldo Lising Jr. from Carael National High School (CNHS), Janelle Estrada from Dagupan City National High School coming at second place and Kevin Abalos, also from CNHS, ranking third

Reynaldo Lising from Carael National High School was proclaimed winner in the mixed-media poster making competition conducted by the Dagupan City Tourism Office on September 18 in line with the 2012 World Tourism Week. The awarding ceremony was led by Mayor Benjamin Lim, along with City Tourism Officer Rose Mary Teng- Mejia and City Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Alma Ruby Torio.

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In the junk art contest, art professor Rommel Embuido’s entry was adjudged the first while the entry of Bonuan Boquig National High School students placed second.

Mayor Benjamin Lim, along with Schools Division Supt. Alma Ruby Torio and Tourism Officer Rose Mary Teng-Mejia, led the awarding ceremonies.

In his message, Mayor Lim encouraged the participants to patronize the city’s tourist spots, protect the environment and continue to implore reliance on sustainable energy through their creativity as reflected on their masterpieces and works of art.

Another important activity conducted is the first ever Tourism and Hospitality Congress held at the People’s Astrodome from September 14-16.  The event anchored on the theme “Creating Opportunities, Building Lasting Capabilities” featured tourism industry experts who discussed about the current trends and  effective promotion strategies  to help increase tourist arrivals in Dagupan City.

Among the dignitaries who graced the event include: Philippine National Red Cross Chairman and former Department of Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon, DOT Region 1 Director Martin Valera, Commission on Higher Education Region 1 Director Caridad Abuan, UP Diliman Professor Ivan Henares, Charie Villa of ABS-CBN’s Choose Philippines, Maximo Tan of the city’s Community Development Office, and Dr. Carmelo John Vidal of the University of Luzon’s research and extension services.

We sat there, listening to Pastor Daniel, and we could not help but notice how inspired he was. As a matter of fact, we began to realize that this prayer meeting was special, because it was directed towards the leadership and how each one of us, no matter how insignificant we might feel, at some point in our lives, no matter how difficult the situation might be, have to acknowledge that “we were born for this!” Indeed, this is the mark of a true leader. To take on the challenge and say to one’s self,      “I WAS BORN FOR THIS!”

You could almost feel the reverence in the inspired voices of everyone as we sang the song ‘GOD of this City’.  Ptra. Paz S. Garcia then proceeded to pray for the eight pillars of the city followed by a prayer for the city leaders by Ptr. Ricardo A. Victoria. Truly, this prayer meeting is a testament of affirmation for our beloved city mayor, Benjamin Saplan Lim. It is an overwhelming show of support, almost a plea raised up to the heavens for guidance, strength and fortitude, dedicated to Mayor Lim, that he may continue to remain strong, determined and selfless in his mandate for Dagupan, the city that we all love and its constituents.

As Mayor Lim received his plaque and a compilation of best wishes and messages bound into a booklet as a token to mark this occasion and his birthday month, the dam broke and the real Benjamin Saplan Lim that we know and look up to emerged. Much of the proceedings have definitely touched him.  Surely, all the love and well wishes struck a chord in his heart and welled up to his eyes. He apologized as he paused for a few seconds to muster enough strength and composure before he began his response.

“Let me first confess to you that I feel blessed because I now realize, especially today, especially this morning, because now I am more determined to work for our city. It is said, that to those who are more blessed, more is expected from them. Indeed, if there is one thing that I’d like to see happen is to see a better life for our people. Whenever I give speeches, I always say that a city is like a small republic. All a leader wants to see is that the quality of life of its people improve. But I always tell  myself, If I do it all by myself, then it is impossible!

“From the beginning, we, together with my son, Brian, would always say that we’d like each Dagupeno to realize that the task to develop a city does not lie on one shoulder alone. It has to be shared by people and believe that everybody can contribute, Of course, it is easier said than done, but this has to start from the leader himself.

“I am happy that a prayer breakfast fellowship happens once a month because it gives us space to look back and think of what we can do for our people, space to ask the Lord what needs to be done. I confess that each night before I go to bed, I ask God, please tell me what else I could do.  Please help me to serve you by serving my brethren. But each morning, when I get up and see all the problems around us, sometimes, I want to give up! Honestly, isn’t it better to be in private life? Not seeing all the problems around us? But, as our pastor said, “We are born for this!”

“Now, I think as we, together, commit ourselves to do something positive, there is nothing impossible! Little things that we do today, add up to better things tomorrow. So I wish, I really wish, that we work together, because if we work together, God will always help us!
“God has great plans for our city. We will go there, we will be there. We will achieve greatness together, not for ourselves, but for the glory of our Lord. At the end of the day, we should always remember, we are our own government!
“Thank you and good morning to everyone!”

The hall resounded with applause, and it brought us back to the first week in office of Mayor Lim, as we sat beside him after the celebration of the Holy Mass at the One Stop Business Center, saying, “You know, I really do not know what I got myself into again! But you see, I have to, for the good of Dagupan!”  – Rose Mary Teng-Mejia

Dagupan City – “This river cruise represents our cruising towards a better future.”

This was stressed by former President Fidel V. Ramos when he visited the city last Friday to  enjoy a  Dawel River Cruise ride before the launching of his new book entitled 111111-111 Fidel V. Ramos Words of Wisdom (FVR WOW) at the Sison Auditorium in Lingayen.

Ramos called  for unity and solidarity among the city’s leaders and residents so that the river cruise could  be at par with the same floating resto pioneered by Bohol.

“If we  are united in purpose, solid in  values of hard work, honesty, responsibility, love of God, country, and people and  work as a team, this river cruise will have a better future,” he said.

From a scale of one being the lowest and 10 being the highest, Ramos gave the Dawel River Cruise a 9.4 percent rating.

“They (the cruise projects) are not perfect yet, but they are almost close to 100 percent. There is a need to have a big marketing drive,”  he added.

He said that there  should probably  be three or more stops along the way, where the passengers can buy souvenirs, have pictures, meet the natives or go fishing.

Ramos, however,  lamented that politics is rearing its ugly head  in this side of the country.

“Ang mahirap, dahil sa matinding politika dito, kahit na boung-bou yung barko, dito eh binubutasan. Hindi dapat ganun. If the boat sinks, we will all get drown,” he asserted.

Upon his arrival in the Daungan ed Dawel, the former President was serenaded with Pangasinan songs by the University of Luzon Chamber of Chorus under the baton of Gerry Domingo.

He was welcomed by City Administrator Vladimir T. Mata, Management Consultant Emy Bamba, City Tourism Officer  Rose Teng Mejia,  City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina, City Police Chief Romeo Caramat. CIO– Joseph C. Bacani

The official docking site of the “Dawel River Cruise” dubbed as “Daungan sa Dawel” will formally serve its purpose on July 1 less than three months after Mayor Benjamin S. Lim launched the river tourism attraction last April this year.

The “daungan” is located at the foot of the Dawel Bridge in front of the San Marino place in Bonuan Catacdang with an approximate area of 600 square meters while its docking area is 50 square meters.

Aside from the river cruise, it will also serve as the docking area for “kayaks and canoes with a floating pier’. It has a multi-purpose covered area with a tension membrane structure, which can be rented out for parties and other social functions.

It also has air-conditioned restrooms, a multi-purpose mini-stage with waterfall in a tropical landscape setting, a visitor parking area and a friendly pedestrian lane and a ramp for persons with disabilities.

It is the first river cruise dock in Pangasinan and the first tension membrane tent structure to be erected in the province.

Part of the tour package is a journey to a fishing area where enthusiasts can stop by and experience the joy of feeding bangus in a fishpond. (CIO – Joseph C. Bacani)

Promotion of tourism in Dagupan City has been put to a higher level with the use of the internet.