LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN—Governor Ramon V. Guico III expressed full support to the national government’s call to revitalize the country’s coconut industry by planting around 20 to 25 million seedlings throughout the country within a year.
The governor stated that Pangasinan will likewise benefit from the program, as this can help revive the dying local industry of producing what used to be the best-tasting “bucayo” in the country.
Bucayo is a native dessert that originated from the capital town of Lingayen. It is made by simmering shredded bits of young coconut in water and’sinakob.’ It can also be mixed with ‘politipot’ or sugarcane.
Sinakob, which is the best sweetener for kakanin (made of glutinous rice and coconut milk), is another famous dessert in Pangasinan.
Sometimes called ‘panocha or mollases,’ sinakob are produced in some central and eastern towns like Pozorrubio and Balungao. Panocha is a Spanish term for “sangkaka,” a traditional native jaggery or unrefined brown sugar made in halved coconut shells.
Traditionally, Pangasinan is known for its 3Bs, or ‘Bangus, Bagoong, and Bocayo.’ In fact, Dagupan City produces the best-tasting bangus or milkfish not just in the country but worldwide.
“So ngayon, siyempre, mag-identify po tayo. Sinabi ko po sa mga namumuno dito sa Lingayen. Saan ba yung mga historically, yung mga plantation diyan ng mga coconut trees at saka saan yung gumagawa ng bukayo,” Gov. Guico stated in an interview.
Before reviving the bucayo industry, the provincial chief executive cited the need for massive planting of coconut trees. This, he stated, will be in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).
Gov. Guico disclosed that the provincial government intends to propagate more coconut seedlings as an initial step toward the plan.
“So may plano po kami doon. Binigay po natin sa kanila ang ilang area doon sa OPAg, sa Santa Barbara, upang doon po sila mag-propagate ng seedlings po ng coconut trees at doon din po sila mag-imbak ng mga puno, mga seedlings na nakukuha nila,” he added.
On August 28, Provincial Administrator Melicio F. Patague II led employees, chiefs of offices, chiefs of hospitals, and department heads in planting 200 coconut tree seedlings in the sprawling Eco-Tourism Park located at Brgy. Estanza, Lingayen Pangasinan.
The activity is in support of the PCA’s nationwide simultaneous planting.
The provincial government is targeting about 39,325 seedlings to be planted in the 275-hectare eco-tourism park. (Ruby F. Rayat, Orlan Llemos/PIMRO)
