The province of Pangasinan will showcase its bangus (milkfish), mangoes, bagoong (salted fish) and bucayo (coconut candy) in the Private Schools Athletic Association PRISAA) national games which reels off  Feb 6 to 12.

Dr. Gonzalo Duque, president of the national PRISAA and of the Dagupan-based Lyceum-Northwestern University, said the national meet offers the Pangasinenses opportunities to promote their native products to the 4,500 athletes and their coaches from 16 regions throughout the country.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will keynote the opening of the week-long meet during a program at 10:00 a.m. at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen.

As host, the Pangasinenses will reap most of the benefits because they will not only show their God-given talents in sports but also their ability to organize and manage such a big event, Duque said.

He said the province will get a lot of many learning experience by hosting the PRISAA meet which it is doing for the first time since this was launched 53 years ago.

With the PRISAA national games, the provincial government renovated the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen while the Dagupan City government revived its long moth-balled Olympic-size swimming pool.

Duque said all the officials of Pangasinan, including House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., have lent their helping hand in order to make the PRISAA national games successful.

“With everybody in the province cooperating I think we will have a very successful PRISAA national games,” he said.  (PNA)