Macanlalay Wants Puto Stalls Return to Former Venue

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

CALASIAO, Pangasinan – To reinvigorate the crown sized puto (steamed cake) industry in this first class town, its mayor is actively looking for funds to return the puto vendors in their former stalls along the highway in the Poblacion area. They are presently located at the public plaza that is not conducive to vehicle owners to make a stopover and patronize their product.

THE VAUNTED PUTO (crown sized steamed cake) stalls (top photo) in Calasiao, Pangasinan. The puto in this town is the most popular local delicacy that is not only patronized by Pangasinenses but people as far as the Ilocos Region and Metro Manila. Photo below is the thriving town’s mayor Kevin Roy Macanlalay.

“Hinahanapan natin ng pondo pati sa Senado,” Mayor Kevin Roy Macanlalay told Northern Watch Newspaper.

Aside from the stalls that would be reconstructed in the former venue, they need to encroach inside the Central Elementary School because their former venue was occupied by the widening of the national highway by the Department of Public Works & Highway.

“Bago natin gawin iyan may tatamaan na mga classrooms, kailangan nating palitan,” he said about the available location inside the government owned primary school.

Macanlalay led the reconstruction of the roof of the present puto stalls after it fell due to sloppy construction in the eve of the start of the Holy Week last April. The present spruced up stalls were constructed under the administration of former Mayor Joseph Bauzon.

“Less than 24 hours inayos natin overtime mga tao natin inabot sila hanggang alas dose' ng madaling araw tapos balik na naman ng umaga”.

The personnel of the local government unit here frantically repaired it because the mayor wanted it to be presentable before the eyes of the devotees and pilgrims who visit the Saints Peter and Paul Parish Church and the miraculous Señor Divino Tesoro Shrine.

“Iyan ang panahon na talagang makabawi naman ang mga puto vendors,” he said how the Corona Virus Disease-19 pandemic scourged the vendors and their livelihood for years.