Vice Mayor Bañas-Nograles opens tournament

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (27 March 2015) – Vice Mayor Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles (4th from right) and City Councilor Mario Empal (3rd from right) make the ceremonial toss for a friendly match in inter-LGU sports tournament on May 22 at the Oval Covered Court.(Gensan CPIO/ Jan Rey Libunao)

Gensan hosts inter-LGU sports tournament

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (27 May 2015) – City Vice Mayor Shirlyn Bañas- Nograles (left) and City Councilor Mario Empal (right) light the torch to open the inter-LGU sports tournament at the Oval Covered Court on May 22 participated in by Tacurong, Polomolok, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sarangani, Alabel and General Santos local government units (LGUs).  (Gensan CPIO/ Jan Rey Libunao)

Gensan Summer Youth Fest pits Bula vs San Isidro

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (27 May 2015) – Barangay Bula and Barangay San Isidro play the championship game of the Gensan Summer Youth Fest Summerlympics at Oval Covered Court on May 20.  The game ended 109- 98 in favor of Barangay Bula. (Gensan CPIO/ Jan Rey Libunao)

Officials, residents watch Pacquiao at Lagao gym

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (6 May 2015) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera (2nd from left) and other city officials watch the fight of boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Sunday, May 3, in Lagao Gymnasium where more than 5,000 spectators cheered the Sarangani congressman.  (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Mayor Rivera backs Region 12 delegation to Palarong Pambansa

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (5 May 2015) – City Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Region 12 was prepared to vie at the Palarong Pambansa, the annual multi-sports competition for Filipino athlete-students.

It is primarily organized by the Department of Education.

In its 58th year, the Palarong Pambansa is being held in Tagum City from May 3 to May 9.

The city government has already extended its support to the SOCCSKSARGEN Region delegates—including financial, trainings, and security.

“We here in Gensan have been actively supporting sports activities here in the city. Perhaps this is the reason why Gensan is the champion for the SOCCSKSARGEN Regional Athletic Association (SRAA) meet for three-consecutive years already,” Mayor Rivera said.

“And I hope that the support we extended to them will also yield the same output,” the mayor said.

He elaborated the programs and initiatives the local government was doing to encourage the youth and children to be active in sports and other civic activities.

One of these is the coming Gensan Summer Youth Fest on May 11-30 which will include various events such as athletics, literary, musical, and civic seminars.

“Since I assumed office, I always give my support to these kind of activities. We innovate whatever interventions the LGU (local government unit) can come up so that we can develop our youth, and divert them away from drugs and vices,” Mayor Rivera explained.

He said those who will excel in the Palarong Pambansa will receive incentives from the city government.

“I want them to do their best. There is no pressure. We wanted them to enjoy and appreciate the Palarong Pambansa since they are still kids. Bagging the prizes is just the secondary goal,” Mayor Rivera said. (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John Lagare)

View Pacquiao vs. Mayweather bout free at Lagao gym

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (2 May 2015) – Gensan will have free live viewing of the highly anticipated Pacquiao vs Mayweather fight on May 3 at Lagao gym, City Mayor Ronnel Rivera said.

The city government allotted 600 tickets for the court area and 800 tickets for the lower box.

These tickets have been distributed equally to the 26 barangays of the city.

There will be no tickets needed in the upper box.

“Hosting a live stream for the Mayweather – Pacquiao fight is a way of showing support to our People’s Champ,” Mayor Rivera emphasized.

Mayor Rivera and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao are close friends and strong political allies.

In Alabel, Sarangani, the Capitol gym will also offer free viewing of the fight.  (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John Lagare)

Boxing champ arrives

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (30 April 2015) - Gensan's newest boxing champ Froilan Saludar is feted by City Mayor Ronnel Rivera  when he returned home to the city Wednesday, April 29, after winning the vacant WBO Intercontinental title against Faris Nenggo in their bout last April 25. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Gensan fetes new boxing champ

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (30 April 2015) – Another boxing champ has emerged from the ranks of the “Generals”.

Froilan Saludar, 26, a resident of Silway, Barangay West won the vacant WBO Intercontinental Flyweight Belt on April 25 in Haikou, China against Indonesian boxer Faris Nenngo via TKO on the 5th round.

Days after his victory, Saludar flew home to Gensan and was feted by the city government.

  

City Mayor Ronnel Rivera met Saludar and commended him for bringing honor and glory to the city.

“It is really a surprise for me to be celebrated by the local government of Gensan. I’ve been fighting for quite a time now but it is only this time that I receive a treatment like a superstar,” Saludar said.

“It is like a birthday gift for me,” said Saludar who celebrated his birthday on April 26.

Saludar, now with a record of (22-1-1, 14KO), is now holding five belts. He also holds the WBO Asia Pacific Youth title, WBO Asia Pacific title, Interim WBO Oriental Flyweight title, and WBO Youth title.

For Mayor Rivera, celebrating the victory of the residents of Gensan is a way of promoting the city as the wellspring of winners.

“We have to acknowledge the achievement of our people. The local government will do its best to give honor those who honor the city,” the mayor said.

Mayor Rivera and Saludar also stressed their support to Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao in his coming fight against Floyd Mayweather. (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John Lagare)

PBA Legends play in Gensan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (20 March 2015) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera makes the ceremonial toss for a friendly match between the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Legends and a team composed of TESDA vocational students Wednesday, March 18, in Lagao Gymnasium as part of the "Shoot for your Dream." TESDA Secretary Joey Villanueva played with the PBA Legends team. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Gensan is SRAA Meet overall champion

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (22 February 2015) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera congratulates Gensan's athletes after bagging the first place overall in the recently concluded SOCCSKSARGEN Region Athletic Association (SRAA) Meet in closing ceremonies on February 20. With this, Gensan achieved a grand slam in the competition hosted by the Department of Education. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Gensan is SRAA 2015 overall champ

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (23 February 2015) – Gensan went on a winning spree at the SOCCSKSARGEN Region Athletic Association (SRAA) Meet last week, sweeping out other competing regions for the grand prize.

Delegates from Gensan - the host city - reigned supreme in the SRAA Meet by taking the overall champion spot in a grand slam fashion. The athletic meet was hosted by the Department of Education.

SRAA 2015 was participated in by primary and secondary student athletes from Cotabato City, Cotabato Province, Kidapawan City, Koronadal City, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Tacurong, and General Santos City.

Out of the four categories (Elementary Boys, Elementary Girls, Secondary Boys, and Secondary Girls), General Santos secured three overall first places.

Gensan got third place in the Elementary Boys category which was dominated by Cotabato Province (2nd) and South Cotabato (1st).

Events like sprint, boxing, basketball and volleyball were ruled by Gensan.

In the overall ranking, South Cotabato came next to Gensan, followed by Cotabato Province, and Koronadal Province, respectively.

City Mayor Ronnel Rivera has never been so happy for the success that Gensan has seized this SRAA Meet.

“I received a call telling me that Gensan grand slammed the SRAA 2015. I was very happy that moment for the success we just earned,” the mayor said.

Under the administration of Mayor Rivera, various efforts were rendered to support Gensan athletes—professional or non-professional.

New breed of champions like Marvin Sonsona (boxing) and Jean Pierre Sabido (taekwondo) gained their momentum through the support from the city government.

In addition, young athletes like Reynaldo Templado (table tennis) has been given the opportunity to vie in competitions as prestigious as the South East Asian Games.

As for the victors of SRAA 2015, Mayor Rivera, together with DepEd Gensan, has already expressed continuous support especially in their upcoming participation in the Palarong Pambansa 2015.

Palarong Pambansa 2015 will be taking place in Tagum, Davao Del Norte this coming May.

The city government has financially supported the athletes with P3.4 million allotted by Mayor Rivera for the hosting of SRAA that benefited not only players of the city, but from other participating municipalities and regions as well.

For SRAA participants, an additional P300,000 was given for their training.

“It is money well-spent. Supporting the people who give Gensan pride is something money can’t compensate,” Mayor Rivera said. (Gensan CPIO/Ian John M. Lagare)

World 10 Ball Championship in Gensan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (19 February 2015)  - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera welcomes some 100 billiard players of the Manny Pacquiao's Cup World 10 Ball Championship on February 17 at SM Mall Gensan. Participants are coming from 30 countries including the United States, Canada, China, Korea, Italy and the Philippines. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Gensan school receives sports equipment from Korea

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (05 December 2014) - Prof. Henry Daut of Mindanao State University (3rd from left) and Dr. Won-Kang Cho (4th from left) and Dr. Yong Koo Noh (5th from left) of Korea Institute of Sports Science (KISS) hand over sports equipment worth P20,000 to City Mayor Ronnel Rivera (6th from left) for the Lagao Central Elementary School Thursday, December 4. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Hero’s welcome for Pacquiao

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (26 November 2014) - The "People's Champ" Manny Pacquiao lands in General Santos City Airport at around 5pm Monday, November 24,  together with City Mayor Ronnel Rivera in which he was received with a hero's welcome. Thousands of "Generals" went outside and waited in the streets to congratulate Pacquiao for his dominating victory over Christopher Algieri on November 23 at Cotai Arena, Macau. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Gensan all set to welcome the People’s Champ

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (24 November 2014) – All “Generals” are now waiting for the arrival of the “People’s Champ” Sarangani Congressman Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao after his overwhelming victory over Christopher Algieri last Sunday (November 23) at Cotai Arena, Macau.

City Mayor Ronnel Rivera has ordered the local government unit of General Santos City (LGU-GSC) to prepare a hero’s welcome for Pacquiao days prior to the fight, whether he wins or loses.

According to Rivera, “Pacquiao is worth celebrating. We will give him the support that he needs, that he deserves.”

Pacquiao, together with his team, is expected to arrive here in Gensan around 4pm. – 5pm today, November 24, aboard two chartered planes.

The LGU-GSC has already set the route for the convoy of Pacquiao where his fellow “Generals” can meet and greet him.

The parade will end in the City Hall Lobby where a short press conference will be held.

During the day of the fight, the LGU-GSC also gave a free Pay-Per-View (PPV) at the Lagao Gymnasium which catered to thousands of people.  

To show his support to the fighting congressman, who is also his close friend, Rivera accompanied Pacquiao to  Macau to watch his fight.

Pacquiao won the brawl over the younger but taller Algieri via unanimous decision, with the scores of 119-103, 119-103 and 120-102.

During the entire twelve rounds, Algieri was knocked down to the canvass six times by Pacquiao—a statement that the former is still not talented enough to face one of the best boxers of his era.

“That was an amazing fight. If you can see it up close, you can really feel the intensity and speed of Manny. I was really amazed how the fight transpired,” the mayor said. (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John M. Lagare)

World Taekwondo champ is from Gensan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (13 November 2014) – City Mayor Ronnel Rivera welcomes Gensan's new sports champ Jean Pierre Sabido Wednesday, November 12. Sabido, a resident of Barangay Sinawal, bagged two gold medals in the recent 9th World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships held in Aguascalientes, Mexico from October 30 to November 02. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Pacquiao, Rivera host international pool competition

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (15 September 2014) – Professional pool players all over the world have gathered here in Gensan to vie in an international billiards competition organized by Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao and City Mayor Ronnel Rivera.

Topnotch billiards players from countries like Germany, China, Taiwan, and the United States gathered for the first Manny Pacquiao Tuna Festival International Open 10-Ball Competition that started last September 2.

Billiards legends Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante also participated in the competition.

The 10-Ball competition is divided in to two divisions. For the singles, there were 92 participants and 52 for the doubles.

Three-time World Billiards Champion Thorsten “The Hitman” Hohmann outplayed other cueists in the singles division bagging the $13,000 cash prize.

Everyone is now waiting who will grab the doubles championship which started last September 10.

Reyes and Bustamante have teamed up in the doubles category.

According to Pacquiao, there are a lot of billiards players in Mindanao that show great promise in the ball-and-cue game.

In his speech, Mayor Rivera expressed his intent to support the competition and to all the local players whom have joined in the event.

He also thanked Congressman Pacquiao for hosting a world-class event in Gensan to support the 16th Tuna Festival of the city, which started last September 5 up to September 13. (Gensan CPIO/ Ian John M. Lagare)

Top pool players in Gensan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (11 September 2014) - City Mayor Ronnel Rivera (center) and Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao (left of mayor) take a pose with the 52 professional pool players of the first Manny Pacquiao Tuna Festival International Open 10 Ball Competition Wednesday, September 10, at SM Mall of Gensan.The Philippine's very own top-notch cueists also participated in the competition such as Efren Bata Reyes and Francisco Django Bustamante. (Gensan CPIO/ Russell Delvo)

Petalcorin is Gensan’s newest boxing pride

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (31 August 2014) – City Mayor Ronnel Rivera congratulates  Gensan's new boxing champion Randy Petalcorin who won the WBA Interim Junior Flyweight belt from Panamanian Walter Tello on August 26, at Mercedez Benz Arena, Shanghai, in China. (Gensan CPIO/
Russell Delvo)

GenSan’s newest boxing pride returns home

By Ian John M. Lagare

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (13 June 2014) – After successfully regaining the North America Boxing Federation (NABF) featherweight title, Marvin Sonsona has returned to his hometown General Santos City on Wednesday (June 11) to the welcome of City Mayor Ronnel Rivera.

In his recent 10-round match in Madison Square Garden, New York last Sunday (June 8), Sonsona won in a split decision against former tormentor, Wilfredo Vasquez Jr..

Vasquez dealt Sonsona his only loss in his professional boxing career last 2010.

With a 19-1-1 (15 KOs) boxing record, Sonsona is now both the NABF Featherweight Champion and World Boxing Organization (WBO) International Featherweight Champion.

Sonsona, 24, is a resident of Alunan, Barangay Bula, General Santos City.

Upon on his arrival at General Santos City International Airport, he was warmly welcomed by Mayor Rivera along with the Sonsona family.

Mayor Rivera also organized a “hero’s welcome” for the newest boxing pride of General Santos City.

“Just like Manny Pacquiao, we should fete our other constituents who have given pride to the city. Sonsona did well in his last fight and we should acknowledge it,” the mayor said.

The welcome float ended up in the City Hall grounds where a press conference was waiting for him.

In the press conference, Sonsona narrated the travails he experienced before and during the fight against Vasquez.

“It was hard for me”, Sonsona stated in vernacular. “I had so much little time to adjust to the temperature in New York. It was really cold there. We stayed in San Francisco for seven days and another five days in New York. It was really hard.”

“I trained hard but the fight is much harder. Vasquez’s punches are very painful. I scored a knock down on the first round, but after that, I couldn’t score another one so i just played safe in the succeeding rounds.”

Despite his victory, Sonsona admitted his disappointment on his last fight.

“I don’t like my fight. I could have shown more but I failed to. It goes to show that I have a long way to go”.

When asked if he would follow the footsteps of Cong. Manny Pacquiao to the world of politics, Sonsona just shook his hands and said, “that is not for me”.

Sonsona is expected to have his next fight this coming September.

Before the press conference ended, Sonsona thanked Mayor Rivera for supporting him in his fight.

“I am really thankful to mayor and to the constituents of General Santos to the support you have given me. I know I have not shown my very best but I’ll train hard next time so that I can give you a good fight,” Sonsona said.

In response, Mayor Rivera affirmed the statement of Sonsona. “I am thankful to people like Sonsona who work hard to give honor to our city. That’s why in my term, we are doing our best to support these individuals. The recently concluded Summerfest 2014 is a proof that we are showcasing the talents here in our city, not only in the line of sports but also in performing arts and other fields.” Mayor Rivera emphasized. (GENSAN CPIO/Ian John M. Lagare)