City of Whales No More

by John Jonathan N. Normandia

Cadiz City, the City of Whales as what they want to call it. But at times I
disagree. In 1967, more than ten whales docked on the shores of the proud town;
and fifty years later they still call it the City of Whales – fifty years later. I think they
may change their branding to a much realistic and authentic condition of the the
place.
There are two things that makes Cadiz City one of the riches City in Negros
Occidental. One that majority of its jobs are offered by the local government. So they
can call it the City of the City. I think it gives more chime to it. Here, if you are a
public school teacher or one works at the City Hall, the masses finds you lucky –
lucky that you have a stable job and pays much better than working at the local
slipper and shoe store or turn tables at the miniscule Jollibee, Mang Inasal and the
sub-par food stand at the SM Savemore. I think people here are afraid to take risk
and take it all. They are very much hide themselves of being at the safe side.
A number of locals work an hour away from the city; some of them work at
the BPO or the BPO, but still end of the day, they go home to their humble City of
Whales – branded fifty years ago. However, on the brighter side, this may also give
a different point of view on how people want to live on the simple side, while carrying
a big screened cellphone crossing the small streets letting people know that they can
afford one, even risking their life on the process.
But it is important to note that Cadiz City is not famous because of its long
dead whales. The City is well-known because of its precious dried fish. So what makes
Cadiz’s product more special than others. As what buyers say most of the time, that
it is not too salty and it’s always fresh. I personally believe that instead of the obsolete
branding, Cadiz City must be called the City of Dried Fish.
One may not agree of the change but it totally makes sense. If you have the
chance to visit the city shoreline, one can see that it is dominated with strips of
bamboo where fish is dried. Each week multiple of trucks load leaves for the delivery
to other towns, cities or provinces. Even asking neighboring towns, they will definitely
can attest that dried fish makes the Cadiz City know and grow.
However, it is puzzling why the locals are not open for the change. It is an
identity. It gives money, gives a bad smell when they spill fish fluids, it gives work,
it gives the future of the community. So what is wrong? Whales vs. Dried fish –
obvious enough the name says it all. The name “Whale” has a better cling to it the
“Dried Fish”. The whale signifies luck in many culture, but stated earlier, that it was
fifty years ago. Dried fish has arrived, has been docking on the shores of the City.
Yes, it is filthy to make, but it is a new and genuine identity. So, why not?
Dried fish is the real source of luck among the natives – locals. So, why not?
Yes, history suggests who we are, but still we can change history if it does not apply
to the present. The present say not the whales, but it says Cadiz City is not the City
of Whales no more – the City of Dried Fish it is.