Three of the nation’s boxing champions—Manny Pacquiao, Rolando Navarette and Nonito Donaire—hail from General Santos City. Their career trajectories profoundly illustrate how the GenSan local, whatever the odds, can overcome any obstacle that impedes his growth.
The same goes with the city itself. GenSan has long been the Tuna Capital of the Philippines since it has been successful at supplying the whole world with high-grade yellow-fin tuna. The City is just as successful in exporting sweetened fruit.
The people of GenSan now hope to thrive in other areas, such as in supply chain management systems, particularly sea and air logistics. Once operational, a larger, more accessible airport, initially dubbed the Aerotropolis, is expected to create efficiencies for all of the City’s industries requiring the speedy transport of goods and people. This is particularly relevant to tuna which is best shipped by air overnight to maintain absolute freshness.
In time, GenSan will come to be known not just for delivering tuna—but also for its secondary, but by all means just as important—products all over the Philippines and around the globe. It is a future the residents of this expansive industrial port city look forward to seeing.
Mary Jade T. Roxas-Divinagracia, CFA, CVA
Deals and Corporate Finance Managing Partner, PwC Philippines
Tel: +63 (2) 8845 2728