Tuna Gets a Shelf-Ready Makeover
GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Tuna remains one of the clearest signatures of General Santos City, but local entrepreneurs are finding ways to bring the city’s seafood identity into convenient, packaged products. The Department of Agriculture reported that VL Food Products of General Santos City showcased premium frozen tuna products and chicharon at THAIFEX ANUGA ASIA 2026 in Bangkok. The international exhibition gave these GenSan-made products an opportunity to be presented alongside food products from across the region and beyond. For shoppers looking for something distinctly connected to the city, processed tuna offers a practical way to take a taste of GenSan home.
Local Flavors Find New Forms
The city’s product range extends into food items that make use of agricultural ingredients sourced within SOCCSKSARGEN. A 2026 Philippine Information Agency feature highlighted Zamora’s healthy blend coffee, a GenSan product made with ingredients including moringa, turmeric, mangosteen, and purple corn sourced from farmers around Region 12. Meanwhile, General Santos City’s OTOP program continues creating spaces where MSMEs can display and sell native products and pasalubong. In August 2026, DTI General Santos City launched its fifth OTOP kiosk at the Salinda Native Products and Pasalubong Center in Barangay Lagao, expanding another convenient place for shoppers to discover local creations.
A Pasalubong List With Plenty of Personality
For visitors, discovering GenSan products can be part of the fun of exploring the city because the choices extend beyond a single signature item. The city’s official tourism website currently highlights local destinations such as Kablon Farm Pasalubong, Ellyne’s Pasalubong Market, and Kayaman ni Juan, which offer locally sourced delicacies, souvenirs, and handcrafted products. Together with the OTOP kiosks and internationally showcased food products, these outlets show how GenSan’s entrepreneurial scene is giving familiar ingredients fresh identities. Whether the goal is a seafood treat, a regional coffee blend, or a locally crafted souvenir, the city offers plenty of products with a distinctly GenSan story.
