DAPITAN CITY — It was more than just food! It was celebration of blessings and life as people queued along this city’s Sunset Boulevard to celebrate this year’s 59th “Bangus Festival”
The city government and the people feasted the grilled 1.4 tons of Bangus “Milk Fish” shared by different fish cages operators.
Visitors shared the grilled milkfish through a boodle fight.
Kenneth john Dabbracio, a foreign guest who joined the festival described “Absolutely it’s wonderful! I love Mindanao. This is wonderful! Oh my goodness it’s wonderful!”
Like Dabbracio, Hansel Magsayo, a government employee said “I am very happy we again meet and join friends this time as we celebrate the Bangus festival since the pandemic.”
Isidro Pelayo, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) -IX explained that the city and its climate “Is very conducive for Bangus farming both in the ponds and marine culture.
Last year, Pelayo said, the city was able “To ship out 600,000 kilos of bangus to Cebu City, Negros and all over Mindanao.”
For the whole Zambonga Peninsula, Dapitan is the top producer of milkfish, as reason why BFAR is urging the government to support the fish pond operators to reduce the fish importation from other countries.-Dynah Diesto
