21 November 2005
EDITORIAL: Our bloodbrothers
THERE’S something the Chinese-Filipinos – “Tsinoys” -- in Dagupan City have done here that the natural-born Dagupeno would never have the conscience to dispute or deny – that they have helped protect the city from fires.
This the Dagupan Filipino-Chinese Community Association (DFCCA) has successfully achieved thru its organization of the Panda Volunteer Fire Brigade that has seen action in many a big fire in the city. If verbal efforts to promote amity between the native Dagupenos and the Tsinoys have somehow been spotty, the deeds of the Panda firemen has bridge any gap there is or may have been in the area of brotherhood.
All on their own, pooling their own resources and manpower together, the Dagupan Tsinoys have formed what is now a formidable, dependable and most of all, volunteer fire unit comparable to the best volunteer fire brigades in the region and nationwide – if there are any such brigades around to date.
DFCCA-Panda Fire Brigade observed its 25th year yesterday, the torch of responsibility for managing the association and the fire brigade’s day to-day- operations passing from Guanson Lo to Bernabe F. Dy, Jr. As always, Panda has kept pretty much to itself, keeping its feats and achievements in stock without letting the rest of the city know about it. Only when the fire alarms are sounded and its apple-green firetrucks zoom to the fire scene, its young crew of firefighters responding to their self-imposed duty with grit and skill, will we native Dagupenos remember and again feel that their fairer complexions notwithstanding, these Tsinoys really our bloodbrothers.
They have cast their lot with us, in fair times or foul, and the least we Dagupenos can do is to give them a pat on the back for a job well done – and a goodwill extended beyond words.
This the Dagupan Filipino-Chinese Community Association (DFCCA) has successfully achieved thru its organization of the Panda Volunteer Fire Brigade that has seen action in many a big fire in the city. If verbal efforts to promote amity between the native Dagupenos and the Tsinoys have somehow been spotty, the deeds of the Panda firemen has bridge any gap there is or may have been in the area of brotherhood.
All on their own, pooling their own resources and manpower together, the Dagupan Tsinoys have formed what is now a formidable, dependable and most of all, volunteer fire unit comparable to the best volunteer fire brigades in the region and nationwide – if there are any such brigades around to date.
DFCCA-Panda Fire Brigade observed its 25th year yesterday, the torch of responsibility for managing the association and the fire brigade’s day to-day- operations passing from Guanson Lo to Bernabe F. Dy, Jr. As always, Panda has kept pretty much to itself, keeping its feats and achievements in stock without letting the rest of the city know about it. Only when the fire alarms are sounded and its apple-green firetrucks zoom to the fire scene, its young crew of firefighters responding to their self-imposed duty with grit and skill, will we native Dagupenos remember and again feel that their fairer complexions notwithstanding, these Tsinoys really our bloodbrothers.
They have cast their lot with us, in fair times or foul, and the least we Dagupenos can do is to give them a pat on the back for a job well done – and a goodwill extended beyond words.
