It is one of the cleanest and most progressive cities in the country, home to a world-class indigenous culture, gateway to SOCSARGEN
(South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Saranggani, and General Santos City), and now the tuna capital of the world.
In only 40 years since its cityhood, General Santos City, with a population of 350,000, has already surpassed dozens of cities established half a century earlier in almost every aspect of development.
A large part of this development has taken place and continues to bloom under the leadership of Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr and Congresswoman Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who are partners in progress of Gensan.
Tuna, the tasty pink-fleshed ocean-dwelling fish, is one of the world’s most important commercial fish and has caught the attention of tourists and businesspersons around the world, particularly in the United States, Australia, and Europe.
Its majestic wilderness, sea, great food, resorts, and natural scenery plus its yearly Tuna Festivals make General Santos among the leading tourist and business destinations in Mindanao.
In recent years, the world has seen the dramatic growth in the tuna industry in General Santos City. It is home to seven of the biggest tuna processing firms in the Philippines with a combined canning capacity of 570 metric tons a day.
Despite a formidable output for tuna distributed to the world, the Philippine position in the international tuna industry has much room for improvement. The industry continues to be vulnerable to price fluctuations in the world market, stiff competition from existing and emerging tuna producing countries, trade discrimination in some importing countries, limited access to fishing grounds, increasing costs, and operational inefficiencies within the industry.
Of late, however, these has been a genuine recognition among the tuna industry players and development partners of the urgent need to address obstacles to industry’s growth, and the industry is now taking firm steps to do just that.
The Philippines ranks 7th among the top tuna producing countries in the world, both in terms of fresh, frozen, and canned tuna.
These plus its huge export of high-value, sashimi-grade tuna to Japan, the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong make General Santos City the tuna capital of the world.
To emphasize this, General Santos City recently celebrated the 10th Tuna Festival.
The two-week festival was marked by tuna float parades; dance, music, cheering, and beauty contests; gourmet and market treats focusing on tuna; and awards like Ms. Gensan, Sashimi Night, The Body Fest, The Culinary Expo and The Karagatan Awards.
"The Tuna Festival is a hidden treasure of the country’s festival experience. We will showcase this festival in our international promotions to bring it out [of] obscurity and turn it into a treasure for everyone to enjoy," said Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr.
At the Tuna Congress, the Tuna Float Parade greatly delighted visitors and locals.
Taxis, tricycles, vendors, small bars, and restaurants have greatly benefited from the said event. The "Disco sa Oval" jampacked the downtown area despite the absence of Manila celebrities.
First time visitors discovered through Gensan’s thriving global tuna business the pleasures and treasures of this progressive city, something the city wants them to enjoy and share with the rest of the world.
That is what Gensan’s Tuna Festival is all about.
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