‘No politics in Bangus Festival’s expansion’

DAGUPAN CITY — "Politics is definitely out."

Thus clarified Mayor Benjamin Lim about his decision to expand the city’s Bangus Festival this summer to include all the other municipalities in the fourth district.

"Some malicious minds think that way," Lim told The STAR, referring to allegations that the move was part of his plan to run for congressman, pitting himself against Speaker Jose de Venecia (JDV), in next year’s elections.

"I’m not fighting JDV per se. I’m just trying to feel the pulse of the people on many issues," he said.

As such, this year’s Bangus Festival will also cover the towns of Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto and Manaoag, all in the fourth district.

Among the activities lined up for the festival are the district-wide "Gaymes" basketball tournament to be participated in by gays on April 26; the search for the Bangus Fest King and Queen, a bikini contest, on April 27; the Bangus Fest Amazing Race, patterned after the popular reality show The Amazing Race, on April 23, where teams will outdo each other in challenges in San Fabian, Manaoag and this city.

In 2001, Lim, who was congressman from 1998 until that year, decided to give way to De Venecia and instead run for Dagupan mayor after influential leaders prevailed upon him.

But late last year, things turned sour between him and the Speaker due to "many reasons," as he put it.

"But to me, (the move) is a way of expanding the Bangus Festival because Mangaldan and San Fabian similarly produce bangus (milkfish) like Dagupan," he said.

The festival started five years ago under Lim’s administration. It has since earned for this city a Guinness record for the world’s longest barbeque during the Kalutan ed Dagupan (Grill in Dagupan).

The city has so far made three attempts for the longest barbeque using bangus. It failed during its first try but succeeded in the second.

Last year, Dagupeños tried to beat the new Guinness record established by Turkey, but the Guinness Book of World Records has yet to officially recognize their feat after almost a year.

This year, the Bangus Festival Committee chaired by councilor Nick Aquino did away with any new Guinness attempt, although there will be a grand reunion of all grill owners who took part in past Kalutan ed Dagupan events.

The grand reunion, dubbed Liket tan Gayaga ed Dalan (Happiness and Merriment in the Streets), will be the culminating activity of the Bangus Festival on April 30.