About What's Up Dagupan

This page chronicles what's Hip and Hot in Dagupan City. It is a compendium of the news, events, culture, food, arts, language and music of Region I's "Pandaragupan" or gathering place, the Longest Grill World Record Breaker and the Bangus Capital of the World - Dagupan City!

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Beng-beng, Pigar-Pigar and Imbaliktad

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EACH dish has a story… Eating outside a public market stall in Mangaldan led me to a delicious meal and a local cuisine history lesson about “beng-beng”. Beng-beng is Mangaldan’s version and the precursor of the more popular street food Dagupan Pigar Pigar, which is deep fried carabao meat seasoned with salt and pepper and garnished with onions. The difference between bengbeng and pigar pigar is how the meat is cooked. The bengbeng is initially cooked in its own fat and water before oil is added and brought to boil. For pigar pigar, the carabeef is dropped to an already boiling oil. When the meat is cooked cabbage and onions are added The stall owner and cook who prepared my meal turned out to be the originator of beng-beng, Belen Aquino of JR Bengbengan. According to her, beng-beng is a Pangasinan word for the meat in the abdomen near the ribs of the cow or carabao. The meat trimmings were once given “free” to the matadors/ butchers of Mangaldan who had them cooked by her ...
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A Look Back to July 16, 1990 Earthquake

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The July 16, 1990 Earthquake was a devastating episode for Dagupeños and other people affected by it. But it was also a time for resilience, community collaboration and positive will to rise from the crumbles of devastation. In effect, a new Dagupan was born. Here are images from that fateful day:  It has been 20 years. We, as a city should look back to not how painful and scary the July 16, 1990 earthquake was. Instead, we should remember the lessons learned, the sacrifices and the concerted efforts we made to uplift and make Dagupan great again. Are we now equipped and prepared to handle such emergencies? Can we minimize adverse effects in case (God forbid) such disaster happens again? Can we harness the spirit of genuine concern and voluntarism? Can we become one Dagupan again? Photos from Sunday Punch .
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Bangus Harvest in Dagupan City

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Gilon gilon ed pukok (Bangus harvest in a fishpond in Dagupan City)  During bangus harvest, water in the fishpond is slowly and partially drained by opening the pond gate. This usually happens during low tide. Schools of milkfish are pushed to the harvest net through kalukor (seine fishing) where nets tied to bamboo poles are held by men from end to end as they slowly walk from the far end of the fishpond towards the harvest net. It is important that the schools of milkfish are slowly sent to the harvest net to weaken them in order to avoid injuring them otherwise we would get bloodied and limp bangus. The bangus in the harvest nest is then scooped with the use of a ringed net and transferred to a motorboat filled with crushed ice to ensure that the milkfish remains fresh as they are brought to the fish market.  ...
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