2015 a bright phase for GenSan’s Booming Economy

GENERAL SANTOS CITY…. The year 2015 marked a bright phase for this city as seen with its resiliency amid various critical challenges, notably in the socio economic front.

           The city’s agriculture sector slowed down during the first few months of the year mainly due to the impact of a long dry spell trigged by the mild El Nino phenomenon but it was eventually offset by the significant gains in the trade and investment scene.

           With the long brownouts that previously plagued the city and the neighboring localities now practically history business expansions and public infrastructure developments were again in high gear, sustaining trend that started about four years ago.

           Topping the list are the entry of fresh industrial ventures and the opening of the major fast food chains, prime and economy hotels as well as resorts.

           The usual distractions - - - natural calamities and security—related problems - - came but hardly made a dent to these gains.

           Proof of this is the city’s successful hosting of several international and national conferences, conventions as well as local festivities that drew thousands of visitors anew to the area.

          These indicators showed that the area’s socio-economic foundations are now well in place, heralding much better runs in the years ahead.

          The city which is considered as Region 12’s commercial and trading center, showed a relatively strong economic performance in the last 11 months as shown by the continuing expansions in the area’s industry and services sectors.

           In fact, the National Economic and development Authority (NEDA) in Region 12 noted that the city remained a bright spot of the region economy wise in the last two years.

           Arturo Valero NEDA Region 12 director said the city thriving industrial sector, which is mainly anchored on the tuna industry, practically kept the region’s economy afloat after a noted slowdown in overall economic growth in 2014.

           Following a record of 8.4 percent in 2013 the region’s economic growth which is measured through the Gross Regional Domestic Product, slowed down to 6.4 percent in 2014.

          The city’s blooming economy could be seen with the continuing growth in its property sector, especially in housing, hotels and resorts.

           Early this year, Davao-based mass housing developer 8990 Holdings Incorporated announced its planned expansion to the city with an initial investment of P1.1 billion.

           The company is currently developing its flagship Deca Homes GenSan Bay-view project, which involves 1,271 houses and lots with an area of 80-150 square meters.

          The 67.53-hectare housing project will feature various modern amenities like parks, playground, among others.

           Homegrown firm RD Group of Companies also signified to push through with its shopping mall project in Barangay Calumpang here that was earlier projected to cost over a billion pesos.

          In November, a group of investors from Manila announced that it would soon start the development of a modern hospital in the city.

           The facility, which will be called the Sarangani Bay Specialist Medical Center, will be managed and financed by Manila based doctors, said city Mayor Ronnel Rivera.

           The planned hospital will be constructed at the corner of the Makar-HADANO JUNCTION AND THE National Highway in Barangay Apopong specifically in a 5,000 square meter property.

          Under its 2015 infrastructure program, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in region 12 allotted around P636.13 million for the city and areas under South Cotabato’s second engineering district.

     

           In 2014, the agency released a total of P484.78 million for the area’s various priority infrastructure projects which includes the expansion and concreting a primary and secondary road networks.

           for 2016, it allotted an additional P1.029 billion for the road upgrading and concreting , road widening and concreting, and the construction of bridges, flood control and drainage structures.

           Reynaldo Tamayo sr., DPWH Region 12 director, said part of the funds will be utilized for the completion of the remaining sections of the P1.135 billion city circumferential road project. 

     

           “We’re targeting to complete this project before the end of President Aquino’s term,” the official assured.

           The DPWH in coordination with the Department of Transportation and Communication, also started the preparatory works earlier this year for the planned P959 million city airport industrial complex or aerotropolis

           The project, which is among priorities set under the government corridors strategy is mainly aimed to position the city as a major international gateway in Mindanao.

           The proposed aerotropolis will cover around 200 hectares of land surrounding the city airport that would be developed into an integrated complex which will feature business parks, amusements parks, hotels, an integrated food terminal, food processing and manufacturing plants and shopping malls.

            Based on its projections, NEDA-12 noted that the manifestation or abundance of tuna catch during the fourth quarter of 2014 would continue this year.

           “This would mean that there would be intensified commercial fishing, as well as tuna canning/manufacturing activities in General Santos City,” Valero said.

           A report released by the Philippine Exporters (PhilExport) in Region 12 showed that tuna export receipts from January to August this year already reached USD 183,369,383.26

           Last year the Bureau of Customs listed the total Tuna exports from the area at USD 261,218,813.35

           The monthly receipts from tuna exports slightly increase to an average value of USD 22,921,172.91 or up by USD 1,152,938.46 from last year’s USD 21,768,234.45.

           The city is top producer and exporter of fresh chilled tuna which mainly goes to major markets in the European Union and the United States.

           Dubbed the “tuna Capital of the Philippines” the city hosts six of the country’s seven tuna canneries and various related industries.

           In July the city was officially recognized the Guinness World Records for setting a record for the world’s largest fish display.

           Guinness approved the city’s display of around 25.5 metric tons (MT) of tuna that was made on Sept. 11, 2014.as a new world record.

           The record bid was the highlight of the 2014 or 16^th Tuna Festival, which was co-organized by the city government and the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority General Santos Fish Port Complex.

           The world record was achieved by fish port workers who were able to display and weigh around 33.610 kilogram or 33.61 MT in about 15 minutes. (PNA)

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