The 2010 Tuna Festival Month of September that is being handled by the Tuna Festival Council headed by Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio and the GenSan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (GSCCCII) started on a high note last week.
Guided by the theme “Go Global GenSan: We Are Ready for the World”, the jam packed month-long GTx (GenSan Tunafest experience) kicked off on September 2-4, 2010 with the conduct of the 12th National Tuna Congress which broke records in terms of the # of attendees and exhibitors at its Tuna Congress Exhibit held at Family Country Convention Center.
On September 3, 2010, former Senator Mar Roxas came in behalf of Keynote Speaker President Noynoy Aquino to inspire the participants consisting of local and international tuna and fishing industry leaders and stakeholders.
GenSan's TunaFest Experience 2010
The annual Karagatan Awards that honored the year’s outstanding handline fishmermen were given to the awardees at the Closing Dinner that same night at the Isla Parilla Resort in Alabel, Sarangani.
Then on Sunday, the whole city commemorated the 42nd Charter Day Anniversary with a mass at the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Parish Church and an Ecumenical Prayer and short program at the Gen. Paulino Santos Shrine inside the Plaza Heneral Santos. This was attended by the city’s business and soci-civic leaders, government workers and officials led by Congressman Jun Acharon, Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio, Sarangani Vice-Governor Steve Chiongbian-Solon, the city councilors, among other personages.
Mardi Gras at the TunaFest
An “Almusal Alay sa Kapwa” followed afterwards which offered free breakfast to the city’s local folks.
For the 2nd weekend of the month, on September 10, 2010, the much-awaited concert of the ASAP Sessionistas will happen at Mindanao’s largest indoor air-conditioned gymnasium, the GenSan Gym in Barangay Lagao. This is one of the city’s biggest gathering of famous performers from Manila and tickets are selling briskly especially now that the concert date is getting near.
The major highlights of the GTx will occur during the week of September 18-26, 2010.
Expect these crowd-drawing beauty and talent search events to dazzle the generals and visitors alike:
Search for Ginang Bariles on Sept 22
Search for Ms. GenSan 2010 on Sept 25
Searh for Mr. GenSan 2010 (new event!) on Sept 25
Gaisano Mall’s Search for Munting Mutya ng GenSan 2010 on Sept 26
Then there are these youth-powered dance and singing competitions:
Pasiklaban Cheer Dance Competition on Sept 18
Campus Radio’s Sayaw Sa Baybay-Kids Edition on Sept 21
Search for GenSan Pop Idol Year 6 on Sept 22
GenSan Pop Star Kids Competiion on Sept 23
Fishdance Hip-Hop Dance Competition on Sept 24
Search for GenSan Band Idol on Sept 24
The GTx Month is also filled with exciting sports competitions:
Tuna Motorbike Competition
Beach Volleyball Competition
Robinsons’ 1st TunaBodis Body-Building Competition
National Skim Boarding Competition
HRM Mini-Skills Competition
Robinsons’ Inter-Tribe Tuna Cookfest
Bombo Radyo’s Bancarera
On its own, the FishFest sa Fishport will also have its own set of events for the fishermen on September 22nd:
Langoy-Bugsay Marathon Challenge
1st Lawihan Street Dancing Competition
To enliven the GTx more, there are the parties and concerts!
Kapamilya Caravan featuring ABS-CBN stars @ KCC on Sept 18 (new!)
Kapuso Night featuring GMA stars @ KCC on Sept 24 (new!)
Robinsons’ Praize Xtreme Concert on Sept 19
Foam Parties @ East Asia Royale Hotel Arcade Parking Lot on Sept 24-25
Robinsons’ Al Fresco Sashimi Night featuring the Best of GenSan Bands on Sept 25
SMART Communications Concert @ Oval Plaza Stage on Sept 25
GLOBE Telecoms Concert @ Oval Plaza Stage on Sept 26
San Miguel Beer Concert @ the Junction on Sept 26
And not to forget the must-see Major Highlights on Culmination Day (Sept 26, 2010):
Tuna Float Parade Competition @ 9am
GTX Mardi-Gras Competition (Street Dancing) @ 9m
Splash in the Sky Fireworks Display @ 7pm
And for three weeks, these attractions will be featured at the City Oval Plaza, the main activity center:
Tinda-Tinda sa GTx (Flea Market)
Tuna Food Plaza
Tuna Fiesta Carnival
Plantuna Garden Show
San Miguel Beer Barkada Zone
Don't miss the Miss GSC Competition!
For this year’s Tuna Festival Month celebration, a new Tuna Festival Theme song will be launched. Entitled “WHOA GENSAN!”, this catchy and lively festival theme song commissioned by TunaFest Director and GSCCCII VP Orman Manansala, is composed by GenSan’s very own “Centerpoint Band” who will first perform it LIVE to the public during the “ASAP Sessionistas Live in Concert” on September 10, 2001 where they will serve as the front act.
With all these events, activities and new attractions in store for GTX festival revelers, expect the Tuna Festival Celebration to upgrade its reputation as the 2nd Best Festival in the Philippines, an award given to the Tuna Capital by the the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) in 2009.
Because for sure, this will be the best GenSan Tuna Festival Experience for the generals and their visitors ever making the city truly MAGANDANG GENSAN!
