Pangasinan celebrates Pistay Dayat for sea bounty

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—An array of fun-filled and crowd-drawing

 activities had been lined up for this year’s Pistay

 Dayat (Sea Festival) in Pangasinan.

Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa De Guzman, provincial health officer and Pistay Dayat

executive chair, said this year’s festivity, which culminates on

May 4, features an amateur singing contest, the annual

street dancing competition, water sports,

indigenous games, concerts,

a trade fair, cultural

shows.

Provincial administrator Rafael Baraan said Pistay Dayat began in the 1960s

as the local fishing community’s simple thanksgiving celebration

 for the bounty of Lingayen Gulf.

“Fishing is one of the major livelihood

 activities of the people in our province. That is why

 the festivity is centered along the shorelines and it coincides

 with the Labor Day celebration on May 1,” Baraan said.Gov. Amado

Espino Jr., who opened the festival at the capitol beach front here on April 19,

 said Pistay Dayat has been one of the events that attracted tourists to this province.

Pangasinan has become the leading tourist destination in the Ilocos in the last

two years, overtaking Ilocos Norte, which until 2010 had the most

number of tourist arrivals in the region.

Next to the Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine in Manaoag town, the provincial capitol

and its surrounding historic buildings have been in the itinerary of day

 tours here. Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon

TRADE EXPO

A fiesta atmosphere filled the air as a musical treat (part of nightly activities at the

followed immediately after the opening of the photo exhibit,

with live entertainment provided by Insiong

Tamayo and Banda ni ATE.

Blessing of expo booths was conducted along with the ceremonial ribbon-cutting

where Espino was joined by his wife Prescilla, after which the “Dakep

tan Dayew na Pangasinan” photography exhibit opened at

the PTDC, featuring the photographs

of the Pangasinan View Finder

Photographers.