By Ian John M. Lagare
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (01 April 2014) – City Mayor Ronnel Rivera launched the first Gensan Summerfest on Monday (March 31) at Robinsons Place.
“Gensan Summerfest: The First Youth Festival” was devised by Mayor Rivera to improve the erstwhile annual Summerkadahan.
“Summerkadahan is very lacking as a youth activity because it only highlights basketball and volleyball tournaments,” Rivera said.
“Now is the time to change it so that we can involve more of our youth sector in our activities,” he added.
According to the Youth Affairs Division Office (YADO), the Gensan Summerfest is envisioned by the local government and Mayor Rivera to help the youth of the city be socially active, productive and become partners in development.
It is in keeping up with the mayor’s banner program “CLEAN GenSan” (Creating a Livable Environment towards All Generals towards Nation-building).
The GenSan Tourism Council (GTC) headed by first lady Jane Gollon - Rivera will lead the event.
Marjorie Cartojano, GTC member, said that “to sell the city as one of the premier cities in the Philippines, the participation of the youth is critical.”
She emphasized that the activities integrated in the Gensan Summerfest can help boost tourism in the city, as the youth can show why GenSan is an interesting place to visit.
Gensan Summerfest is a one and half months-long activity starting this April up to May. It will involve youth participants of 13-22 years old. It has an allocated budget of P1.6 million.
According to Lady Manalo of YADO, they have already included various sport activities in Gensan Summersfest such as volleyball, beach volleyball, boxing, lawn tennis, checkers or “dama” and chess; softball, baseball, sepak takraw and football.
The games have three categories: Inter-Barangay, Inter-School and Open category.
“The Youth in Performing Arts”, a four-events competition that will be held on May 11 at SM Gensan, were added in the line of activities to elevate the field of performing arts as one of the areas in which the youth of General Santos can perform.
Performing arts events are cheer dance, hip-hop dance, beatboxing, and freestyle rap.
Two big symposiums, namely “Youth Conference” and “Youth Coverage” will also take place on April 7 and April 9, respectively. These symposiums are a strategic opportunity to inculcate to the youth about their significance in gearing the city towards development.
The two events are expected to attract more than 3,000 youths from the city. (GENSAN CPIO/Ian John M. Lagare)
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