Despite reports on
dwindling harvest of tuna, which is a native delicacy of General Santos City;
residents are still celebrating this festival of bountiful harvest. Apparently, fisher folks are no longer
harvesting this fish in nearby waters but they travel as far as water borders
of Papua New Guinea just to earn their a living and provide the country with
the much needed dollar earnings to sustain the economy. This festivity is
celebrated during the last week of August until the first week of September. However, 2014 Tuna Festival will have a longer
celebration as it started August 15 and will end on Sept 15, 2014.
The
highlight of the affair is the parade of tuna along the major thoroughfare of
General Santos City. During the month
long celebration, various activities are also held such as culinary
competitions in which tuna is the main ingredient, fun run and marathon, the
usual beer fest in the city quadrangle, trade and market exhibit, boxing
competition sponsored by Manny Pacquiao, Mutya ng Gensan, little Miss
Gensan, and a host of other activities sponsored by major corporations and
brands. The biggest highlight of the 2014
Tuna Festival will be an attempt for Guinness Book of World Records on Word’s
Largest Fish Display.
History of the Tuna Festival
History of the Tuna Festival
The history of this
event is quite unique compared with other festivals in the Philippines. According to several verbal documentations, the
festival was a spontaneous idea and not a planned concept. During the celebration of 30th
City Charter Anniversary, the GSCTA or General Santos City Tourism Association,
a social organization which is composed of restaurants, resorts, travel
agencies, hotels, and other tourism or travel related establishments or institutions staged for the first time a culinary competition focusing on the
tuna. From thereon, more events were
included as years went by like “Parada
sa Dagat”, “Bancarera,” and “Pamahaw sa City Hall” (Breakfast in City Hall)
which is a thanksgiving mass and celebration.
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Tuna
Festival is a celebration regardless if the year is bountiful in harvest or
not. It is all about continuing a tradition and promoting the legacy this fish
has given to the city. It is about
thanksgiving on the wealth that tuna has given not only for the city but to the
entire commerce and trade of the country.
It is also about recognizing the Filipino spirit that nothing can break him even
in times of dwindling harvest.
Contributed by Alden I. Bula who maintains two blogs: www.aldenbula.wordpress.com and www.denal.wordpress.com.
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