Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Mayor cites Yaman Gensan gains By Nelson C. Bagaforo
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The 6th Yaman Gensan 2008, a month-long business event that will be concluded on July 25, formally opened Monday with the Entrepreneurship Fair at KCC Mall Convention Center here.
More than a hundred SMEs from Socsksargen (South Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos City) joined the fair, showcasing products that have been identified as their respective area's One Town One Product (Otop). The fair was sponsored by Globe Telecom and ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation.
In his message read by Vice Mayor Florentina Congson, City Mayor Pedro Acharon cited the gains achieved by Yaman Gensan, saying it "has come to recognize other riches of the city, to include its most valuable resource - the human resource and its limitless potentials."
"The collective 'Yaman' of Gensan cannot be restricted to the value of money, but to the value of its entrepreneurs in their business dealings and dedication and commitment for excellence in service, craftsmanship, ingenuity and innovation," Acharon said in his message at the opening ceremonies.
He said Yaman Gensan was conceptualized as the city's business month celebration to showcase "the numerous innovations, skills and successes "of the city in various entrepreneurial fields.
"We hope to serve an invitation to prospective investors to come and invest in Gensan and to show that Gensan provides a healthy environment for investments," he said.
Yaman GenSan was institutionalized through City Council resolution 169 in 2003.
Last year, the month-long business activity infused an estimated P50 million in new cash circulation in the city local Trade department data showed.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Central Mindanao said at least 40 activities are slated until the culmination of the event on July 25.
It includes trade fairs, trainings, technical sessions, technological demonstrations, seminars and business matching.
"All of these are geared towards developing and improving entrepreneurial skills for micro, small, and medium enterprises," said Ma. Theresa Pacheco, president of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council Inc. (Smedci) in General Santos City.
She said the month-long celebration include eight exhibits, 21 seminars and trainings, 16 forums and conferences, and the Yaman Awards night.
This year's staging of Yaman Gensan, hosted by Smedci with the coordination of DTI, has entered new concepts on showcasing the products and services of entrepreneurs.
Three new major activities include the 1st Livestock Conference, which will also conduct Lechon Competition; the Food and Technology Fair, which is intended for the suppliers of food packaging materials and equipments; and match with the processors.
YG Reverse Trade Fair is another new concept of YG activity. "The companies will not exhibit their finished products but the raw or semi-processed materials they require that are either imported or sourced out from other parts of the country," said DTI assistant regional director Dorecita Delima.
She said the objective of the activity is for large companies to source out their requirement from local suppliers in General Santos City or from the neighboring cities/provinces that will redound to the creation of new enterprises in a bid to generate more jobs.
Pacheco said activities lined up this year are industry cluster focused and company-centered, offering more opportunities for entrepreneurs. Several trainings, seminars await interested participants or investors who are willing to venture in ICT industry, food industry (aqua-marine and fruits), handicrafts, and livestock industry.
