Dagupan hymn, Balon Dagupan March to be officially adopted

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=7&rid=834753
• Saturday, December 5, 2015

(PNA), RMA/LVM/RMA/PJN

DAGUPAN CITY, Dec. 5 (PNA) -- The city council here has proposed an ordinance officially adopting the Dagupan Hymn now being sang in every flag ceremony in the city as well as the newly written Balon Dagupan March entitled "Balon Kabuasan" (New Dawn) as parts of the city's heritage.

The two songs were both written Rex Catubig, a member of Class 1965 of the Dagupan City High School (DCHS) whose batch is holding its jubilee celebration coinciding with the city fiesta, now based in Southern California.

Catubig presented the two songs when he and Epe Rafanan, who came from Northern California, were invited by the Dagupan City Council thru Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo, hermano mayor of the Dagupan City Fiesta 2015, on Dec. 1 as official guests.

It was in tne city council where Catubig said that the Dagupan Hymn as well as the Dagupan March are his gifts to the people of Dagupan.

Councilor Tamayo said the Dagupan Hymn was already being sang in the city during the terms of then mayors Alipio Fernandez Jr. and Benjamin Lim spanning more than 20 years though no ordinance was passed officially adopting it.

It is only during the current administration of Mayor Belen Fernandez that the Dagupan Hymn as well as the Balon Kabuasan March are being adopted to become parts and parcels of the rich culture and history of Dagupan.

The Dagupan Hymn was written by Catubig before he migrated to the U.S. sometime in the 80s. He wrote the lyrics of the Dagupan March (Balon Kabuasan) in California where he is now staying.

He brought this home to Dagupan in time for the observance of golden jubilee of his Class 1965 of the Dagupan City High School.

"As a jubilarian of the Dagupan City High School, we have thought of giving back to the city and our school the Balon Kabuasan March which I would like to present to the good people of Dagupan," Catubig said before the SP presided by Vice Mayor Brian Lim.

He also said, "It is often said that commerce and industry determine a city's progress. But it is the culture that determines the quality of city's progress."

It is in these two songs, he said, that they (members of DCHS Class 1965) would like to contribute their share to the quintessential identity of the city.

The city council's committee on cuture and sports headed by Councilor Jeslito Seen will conduct a committee hearing before passing the ordinance officially adopting the two songs.