LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Preparations for the month-long celebration here of Pistay Dayat are now in full blast.

Governor Victor E. Agbayani has organized the Pistay Dayat Executive Committee and technical working group tasked to undertake preparations for this year’s celebration of Pangasinan’s grandest sea festival.

The weeklong celebration has for its theme: “Say Dayat Bilay” (The Sea as a Source of Life) stressing anew Gov. Agbayani’s thrust to save Lingayen Gulf from further degradation.

Provincial Administrator Virgilio Q. Solis, Jr., over all festival coordinator, said the executive committee has lined up colourful and meaningful activities for almost month long festivities which starts from April 9 with the opening of the Panangidayew Trade, Tourism, Food and Garden Fair or the “Baratillo sa Capitolyo” to culminate on May 1.

Solis said the sea festival’s usual  highlight, the pageant and coronation night for the Limgas na Dayat 2007 (Muse of the Sea), will be held on April 30 starting at 8:00 p.m. at the Capitol grounds.

Also, one of the major activities is the presentation of awards to the winners of the Search for the Cleanest Coastal Muncipality which has been on-going for several years now.

Pistay Dayat, aside from being occasion for thanksgiving for the bounties derived by the people from the sea, is also Pangasinan’s top crowd drawer during the summer months, enticing guests and visitors from all over the country and even some parts of the world.

The other major features include a tourism exhibit, beach sports tournaments, sand sculpting competition, kite-flying competition, coastal law enforcement forum, and Bali-Balin Pangasinan which is a cultural presentation of Pangasinan songs and dances. (Donna F. Domagas/PIO)