SAN CARLOS CITY – The Pangasinan Festival of Culture and the Arts, was held at the University of the Philippines Faculty Center in Diliman, Quezon City recently with San Carlos City Mayor Julier Resuello as guest of honor and speaker.

The festival, the first of its kind ever held at the state university, exhibited works of Pangasinense literary and visual artists.

Highlight of the festival was the launching of the book “Caravans of Ancient Caboloan”, published by the National Historical Institute and authored by Dr. Ma. Crisanta ‘Marot” Nelmida-Flores, a professor and director of the U.P.

The author is a daughter of Dr. Perla Samson Nelmida and the late Atty. Salvamar Cayabyab Nelmida of San Carlos City in Pangasinan.

Caboloan was the ancient name of what is now known as the province of Pangasinan.

Caboloan’s bastion of heroism and culture was Binalatongan, the ancient name of San Carlos City.

From Binalatongan emerged two great heroes, Juan dela Cruz Palaris and Andress Malong, who revolted against Spanish rule.

Resuello was introduced at the opening ceremonies by San Carlos City Information Officer Rachel Nelmida Sapigao, an alumna of U.P. and elder sister of the book author.

Sapigao said the front cover of the book is a photograph of a cattle caravan of San Carlos City. She recalled that in the 1980’s, a national magazine also featured on its front cover a picture of the cattle caravan of San Carlos that was laden with the famous handicraft and mangoes of San Carlos City.

Cited as among the illustrious names in San Carlos City are Speaker Eugenio Perez, Fernando Poe Sr. who was the model of the U.P. oblation sculpture, the late movie icon Fernando Poe Jr., Ryan Cayabyab whose father hails from San Carlos City, book authors Dr. Rosario Mendoza Cortes and Dr. Perla Samson Nelmida, gifted children Bryan and Omar Sapigao.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during her visit to the city in 1998, said that her grandmother on her mother side was from barrio Guelew of San Carlos.

The festival’s display of art works of Pangasinan artists was supervised by painter Norma Liongoren.

Present at the festival and book launching were officials of U.P. National Commission on Culture and the Arts, national artist Virgilio Almario, former senator Letecia Ramos Shahani, Pangasinense poets and literary writers, members of the Binalatongan, Historical and Cultural Foundation headed by Engr. Marcelo Casillian, and some visiting professors from America.