River cruise revived

DAGUPAN CITY—After its inaugural more than a year ago, the popular river cruise has been revived by the Dagupan government, this time featuring the city’s thriving aquaculture industry.

The soft launch on Dec. 22 of what is now called the “Islands Tour” is directed at balikbayan, who have come home for the month-long city fiesta celebration that ends today.

Mayor Belen Fernandez said the tour is awaiting a proposed ordinance regulating its operation, management and manner of collecting fees, which is pending at the city council.

The tour begins at the dock along the Pantal River, just outside the Star Plaza Hotel, where tourists board three specially-designed boats that take them to the city’s scenic island villages of Salapingao, Pugaro, Calmay and Carael.

Each boat has a floor area of 40 square meters and can accommodate 25 passengers.

“But what the city wants to highlight eventually are Dagupan’s [aquaculture] products, such as bangus (milkfish), oysters, and high value fish that our small fishermen are now growing in cages,” Fernandez said.