The 2013 Tuna Festival schedule released! (updated)

Finally, with just three weeks to go, the local government of General Santos announced officially that the much-awaited annual festival commemorating the City’s Charterhood is pushing through this year!

Yes, dear readers.  The 15th TUNA FESTIVAL is on and it’s happening from September 5 – 9, 2013.

This 2013 Tuna Festival, just like last year will be handled by the Philippine Fish Port Development Authority, Inc..  They will be working closely with the new administration of Mayor Ronnel Rivera to ensure that despite the short period of preparations, the generals should expect a festive celebration of the city’s 45th Charter Anniversary.

Incidentally, the 2013 Tuna Festival will adapt a carnival theme; hence, it will be called the TUNA FESTIVAL CARNIVALE.

Here below is the artwork of the official log of the 2013 Tuna Festival…

As you can see, instead of lions jumping through hoops, we have what looks like yellow-fin tuna doing the acrobatic feat themselves.  😀

With that, we are sharing the official 2013 Tuna Festival Calendar of Events below.

2013 Tuna Festival Schedule of Events

The Grand Opening of the 2013 Tuna Festival falls on the Charter Day itself, September 5, 2013, a Thursday.  There is no time indicated for this event yet and hopefully, the PFDA could supply it to us this week.   The TUNA FLOAT PARADE happens on this day too.  But whether this will be declared a special non-working holiday for the locals, still remains to be seen since the culmination of this year’s celebration which will feature the STREETDANCING COMPETITION will be held on a Monday, September 9, 2013.  Wild guess, the administration could transfer the holiday here.

If you notice, there is no mention whatsoever of the 15th National Tuna Congress in the Official Schedule of the Tuna Festival.  Last I heard from unconfirmed reports, the people behind the congress will be holding their own mini-Tuna Festival of sorts.   (UPDATE: According to a commenter below, this is completely false.)

Meanwhile, let’s be glad that the 2013 Tuna Festival will finally happen, thanks to the broad-mindedntuess of the new administration.   It’s such a pity that the Festival that the Pinoys know as the only Tuna Festival in the country and in the world and which the generals have prided themselves upon for fifteen years, could have become a victim of petty politics.

UPDATE Aug 14th:  Below is the updated and more complete TUNA FESTIVAL 2013 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITES, including the anchor event, the NATIONAL TUNA CONGRESS.