9th Tuna Skills Olympics
The Tuna Skills Olympics sponsored by the Goldenstate College Inc. is one of the highlights of the annual Tuna Festival celebrated in General Santos City, The Tuna Capital of the Philippines. This series of competitions provides schools from all over Mindanao a competitive space to showcase their talents in various areas related to the hospitality industry.
The ultimate mission of the Tuna Skills Olympics is to afford all schools a fun, yet challenging atmosphere where they can demonstrate and expand their knowledge of Hospitality. The competition was guided by highly qualified panel of judges that helped competitors exceed their creative and technical limits in the various fields of competition. Every participating high school and college exemplified dedication and sportsmanship in what turned out to be a fun and exciting event for all.
Under the theme “Pyestang Karagatan Pyestang Lawihan ng Magandang Gensan” (Feast of the Seas, Feast of the Fish for the Beautiful City of General Santos), the Tuna Skills Olympics coordinates events related to the hospitality industry, including Tuna Bread making, Tuna Pasta, Table setting, Bread and Cake decorating, Flower Arranging and Bar and Flare tending.
History
In September 2006, through the leadership of Goldenstate College Inc. Chief Executive Officer George Warren A. Manilay, MNSA and the chairmanship of College President Miss Josie Y. Tirador the Tuna Skills Olympics came to life. Held at the KCC Convention Centre, the inaugural event featured students from Golden State College and various high schools from throughout General Santos City.
In 2007, at the suggestion of Mr. Bebot Haw, the Tuna Skills Olympics became part of the annual Tuna Festival Celebration; General Santos City would consequently shoulder the expenses for the event. It was also during this year that Goldenstate started inviting other colleges. The first colleges to participate were from Digos and Marbel.
It was on 2008 that Tuna Skills Olympics became officially sanctioned by the Tuna Council making it a formally and permanently celebrated event for the city.
The Tuna Skills Olympics is in its ninth year and hosts a vast number of participating schools from througout South Cotabato and as far as the Davao Region.
PARTICIPATION
The Tuna Skills Olympics is an annual event organized and hosted by Goldenstate College General Santos City that brings together various high schools and colleges to compete in events testing skills and expertise in fields and disciplines related to the hospitality industry.
High School participants for this event are from different schools from around the South Cotabato area. They were Alabel Central Integrated School, Malandag National High School, Christian School Of Polomolok, New Era University of General Santos, Genereal Santos City National Secondary of Arts and Trade, Lagao National High School, Holy Trinity College High School Department, Notre Dame Integrated Basic Education and Hope Christian School.
The collegiate participants were the University of Mindanao, University of Immaculate Concepcion, Davao Merchant Marine Academy, Davao Doctors College, Brokenshire College of Davao, B.E.S.T College of Polomolok, St. Marys College of Bansalan, Villamor College of Arts and Business, Assumption College of Davao, STI College of Davao, Philippine Millennium College, Kidapawan Doctors College, Assumption Technical Vocational Institute, Notre Dame of Tacurong College, Southpoint College of Gensan and Holy Cross College Davao.
The winners for each category are as follows:
High School Level
Tuna Bread Competition
1st – New Era University GenSan
2nd – Malandag National High School Team A
3rd – General Santos City National Secondary of Arts And Trade
Table Napkin Folding
1st – B.E.S.T College of Polomolok
2nd – Lagao Integrated Arts and Trade (SPED) School
3rd – General Santos City National Secondary of Arts And Trade
Cake Decorating
1st – New Era University of GenSan Team A
2nd – HOPE Christian School
3rd – New Era University of GenSan Team B
Table Skirting
1st – Malandag National High School Team A
2nd – Malandag National High School Team B
3rd – HOPE Christian School
Market Basket Competition
1st – Christian School of Polomolok
2nd – HOPE Christian School
3rd – Notre Dame IBED
Tuna Sashimi Decorating
1st – Alabel Central Integrated Center
2nd – New Era University Team A
3rd – Alabel Central Integrated Center
Flower Arranging Competition
1st – HOPE Christian School
2nd – General Santos City National Secondary of Arts and Trade
3rd – Silway 8 National High School
College Level
Tuna Bread Competition
1st – University of Mindanao Team B
2nd – University of Mindanao Team A
3rd – Saint Mary’s College of Bansalan
Table Napkin Folding Competition
1st – Holy Cross of Davao
2nd – SouthPoint College of Gensan
3rd – University of Mindanao Team B
Table Setting Competition
1st – Villamor College of GenSan
2nd – Saint Mary’s College of Bansalan
3rd – Assumption College of Davao
Tuna Sashimi Competition
1st – Assumption College of Davao Team A
2nd – Davao Doctor’s College
3rd – University of Mindanao Team B
Market Basket Competition
1st – Notre Dame of Tacurong College
2nd – Assumption College of Davao Team A
3rd – Assumption Technical Vocational Institute
Extreme Flare Tending Competition
1st – Holy Cross of Davao
2nd – Philippine Millennium College Team A
3rd – Villamor College of GenSan
Cake Décor Competition
1st – Davao Doctor’s College Team A
2nd – Davao Merchant Marine Academy Team A
3rd – University of Immaculate Concepcion
Flower Arrangement Competition
1st – BEST College of Polomolok Team A
2nd – Villamor College of Business Team A
3rd – University of Mindanao Team B
Table Skirting Competition
1st – Villamor College of Business Team A
2nd _ University of Mindanao Team A
3rd – Davao Merchant Marine Academy Team A
Bread Display Competition
1st – Assumption Technical Vocational Institute
2nd – University of Immaculate Concepcion
3rd – Davao Merchant Marine Academy Team A
Grand Champions
High School Level – Malandag National High School
College Level – University of Mindanao
Sponsorship
The Tuna Skills Olympics would like to thank the following sponsors: Dole Philippines, Philippine Foremost Milling Corporation, KCC Malls, Grab A Crab Restaurant, Petron Gasul, Universal Robina Corporation, Philippine Fisheries Development Authorities, AVON Cosmetics and Globe Telecom.
All of the major sponsors contributed products and prizes for the event. KCC Malls provided the venue.
The Competition
General Santos was declared the Tuna Capital of the Philippines in September 1999. Each year, the Tuna Festival honors what is the city’s primary economic resource.
In 2006, Goldenstate College, a local leader in the provision of expert manpower to the hospitality industry, established the first Tuna Skills Olympics. The annual event hosts numerous high schools and colleges participating in competitions meant to demonstrate their skills in several fields related to the service industry.
Carrying the theme “Piyestang Karagatan Piyestang Lawihan sa Magandang Gensan” ( Feast Of the Seas in The Beautiful City of General Santos), the 9th Annual Tuna Skills Olympics was hosted in the KCC Convention Centre, KCC Mall of Gensan from September 10 to 11, 2014.
Summaries of Selected Events
Table Setup
Every participant exerted their best effort to win, creating marvellous table setup commensurate with fine dining while evoking the feel of an underwater experience. The 3rd place went to Assumption College of Davao, 2nd place was St. Mary’s College of Bansalan and Grand winner was Villamor College of Arts and Business.
The Tuna Bread Contest
The Tuna Bread Event was held on the campus of Goldenstate College General Santos in a separate event on September 9, 2014, a day before the official start of the Tuna Skills Olympics. For the High School category, The General Santos City National Secondary of Arts and Trades got the 3rd place, Malandag National High School won the 2nd place, and New Era University claimed 1st place. For the college category, St. Mary’s College of Bansalan won 3rd place honors, while 2nd and 1st place were respectively awarded to University of Mindanao teams A and B.
THE FIRST-PLACE WINNER OF THE COLLEGE TUNA BREAD COMPETITION.
THE FIRST-PLACE WINNER OF THE HIGH SCHOOL CAKE-DECORATING COMPETITION.
STUDENTS PREPARE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL MARKET BASKET COMPETITION.