By DANNY O. SAGUN

RAINS spoiled what could have been a grand street party last Wednesday night, the Kalutan or Bangusan as this year’s organizers called it, at Dagupan’s main thoroughfare. There was no record to break unlike in the time of former hizzoner Benjie Lim so that there was less worry whether rains would spoil the event or not but it could have been merrier and drew more people considering that big names in the local rock/pop industry were invited.

Whether Lim grinned or not when heavy downpour played KJ (kill joy) to the fun and disappointed the city administration, the people, and the visitors no end, we nevetheless congratulate Mayor Al Fernandez and this year’s Bangus festival chair, Vice-Mayor Belen Fernandez, for staging the festival that made Dagupan famous not only in the Philippines but in the world.

It only showed that they put partisan politics aside and thought about the welfare of the city. A good program or project must be pursued even if it was started by a political enemy.
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We are therefore watching with keen interest how the city officials treat other projects started by the previous administration. One is the idle Mac Adore building which the city purchased for P50 million from the national government. Another is the building construction project just across city hall. And of course the losing Malimgas market which was built out of a bank loan to the tune of some P300 million.

The former five-star hotel was supposed to become a government center that would house some national government offices.

Perhaps Mayor Al was not keen on the plan so that up to this time, the building is kept idle and deteriorating. Or there is no money to renovate it. We think there are bright boys at City Hall however who can devise ways to make the edifice alive again as it was decades ago.

By the way what happened to the plan to accommodate SSS and Philhealth there? Those two income-generating agencies can readily pay whatever rent the city may impose.

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Too bad construction of the building project at the former Magsaysay (Bugnay) market was still on going when the new administration took over. Immediately upon assumption of Mayor Al, the city engineer ordered construction to stop purportedly due to the owner’s failure to secure a building permit. Of course, as building official engineer Virginia Rosario had all the right to do so.

Interestingly, she waited for the new administration to come to perform her function. She did not dare doing it when Lim was still around. We really don’t know if she was pricked by pride and vengeance when she padlocked the premises. We all know how she fared during Benjie’s time.

Still, the city government can make that area productive. We do not think it is sound management to let that place as it is till Kingdom come. The city is losing much money both from those idle properties.

For the Malimgas market, we also believe that there are many ways to make it an earning entity. The city has to move fast on its plan to convert the upper floors for other commercial uses.

People are watching what Dagupan may become in the next two years.