Home » Gigs and Events, History

GenSan’s Tuna Floats Now and the Floats of the 60s



10 September 2008 355 views 14 Comments

Bariles Republic was amazed at the entries to the recent Tuna Float Contest held during the culmination of the 10th Tuna Festival last September 5th.  Companies from the fishing, academic, private sectors tried to outdo each other in terms of coming up with the float that best represents their take on the festival theme which was: A Decade of FISHtivities and OpporTUNAties.

Here then are the non-winning but equally notable entries.  You may click on each image for a larger view.

But did you know that Float Parades in GenSan did not only occur during the onset of the Tuna Festival? During the 60s and up to the 70s each Civic Military Parade also comes with FLOATS courtesy of a civic organization, a school or just about anybody.

Here are two samples from the BAUL of my late mother.

This float with a paper-mache lion up front belongs to the Mt. Matutum Lions Club with seven lovely Lionesses (wives of Lions) in their yellow gowns.  My mother is the one directly behind the man trying to raise the banderitas strung up across the streets.

The Lioness at the center is the prettiest,  Tita Elsie Golingan. The rest of the ladies I recognize are Mrs. Chayong Enojado (SLN, owner of Matutum Hotel), Tita Rose Malayang, and Tita Sonia Yumang, (SLN, wife of then City Engineer).

This float belongs to what was then the Notre Dame of Dadiangas Girls Department in Beatiles Street, now known as Notre Dame of Gen. Santos City (in Barangay San Isidro). This was taken in 1969 when I was in Kindergarten. I should know because that’s me, the little Bariles in Barong Tagalogup there as consort of the Princess, the late Marilou Onorio, one of the many times we were paired in events like this one.

One of the other girls in front of the float (extreme left) wearing her Damean uniform is Councilor Meggie Santos, who was then in Grade 1. Now you already know our ages!!!! :)

The building at the back is the old structure presently still standing beside Sarangani Rural Bank along the junction of Pioneer Avenue and Morrow Boulevard (now Pedro Acharon Boulevard).  Check out how it looks now in this picture below.

Amazing lessons in history, right?  Who could have owned that building then and who owns it now?

More HISTORY LESSONS like this coming up, only here at BARILES REPUBLIC.

If you like this post, why don’t you just subscribe to this blog then?



If you like this article, please help Bariles buy a Laptop this Christmas!



Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

14 Comments »

  • gensanite said:

    hahaha… ang lupet ng photos nung 60’s… blast from the past!!! courtesy of BARILES REPUBLIC… :D

    you’re one of a kind din TUNA MAN… mura pud diay ka ug “celebrity sa una kay you actively take part in these activities… it’s like you’re one of the city’s “little big stars” back in the day… :)

    cheers!!!

    Reply - Quote
    - 10 September 2008 at 9:10 pm
  • bariles (author) said:

    @gensanite - Aw! Hehehe! Ambot uy! Maybe because of the fact that my dad was a tailor and he immediately agrees to any request that they need me to dress up as konsorte during those days. It could be in Barong, Prince Charming attire, and my most hated Amerikana (coat & tie) because the cloths then were sooooo itchy. Just thinking about those uncomfortable cloths on my neck make my hair stand up now. Yaiiikkksss!!!

    And imagine, standing on the float for more than an hour without even given a chance to sit… same goes during coronation nights. No sir Bariles, no chair for you. I always go home sooo pissed off that I vowed never to be a consort again.

    And the rest, as they say, is history. Hehehe ;)

    Reply - Quote
    - 10 September 2008 at 9:24 pm
  • Jinky said:

    Yeah, you’re right sir vel. . . it’s history. It’s history na worth retelling to the younger generation and the generations to come.

    Those were the days, kasama ka pala dun sa pinapanood namin noon.

    Those were the days na excited kami ng lola ko na “maglugsong sa Diangas” to watch parade and oogle sa mga majorettes and floats. . . It’s a luxury na sa amin noon na “makalugsong” he he

    Nakaka miss . . .

    Reply - Quote
    - 11 September 2008 at 8:43 am
  • allan said:

    wow naman kuya I like the comparison. . . kita natin ang kaibahan. Very educational (?) glad that you have those antique pic. Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply - Quote
    - 11 September 2008 at 7:33 pm
  • Toinks said:

    Wish ko lang po sana Mr. Bariles Republic na magkaroon ikaw ng parang photo exhibit dito sa blog mo ng mga areas or points within Gensan which is parang comparison ng noon at ngayon. For example picture ng Pioneer ave. in 1960’s, 1980’s, 1990’s and today. Parang ine-emphasize ba yong naging transition ng developments sa isang lugar…nakakatuwa yong ganoon diba? Tsaka it will help your visitors and subscribers from all over the world to know General Santos City better. :)

    Reply - Quote
    - 12 September 2008 at 3:59 am
  • archmykel said:

    Hi Bariles,

    Can somebody document the floats through the years? sayang kasi na after the parade dismantled na sila. the effor of design and constructing the float was not given justice.

    we can start by asking our constituents to provide us pictures of floats of the past just like the one you posted bariles. What do you think?

    We can exhibit that once our city museum opens. :)

    Reply - Quote
    - 13 September 2008 at 7:57 am
  • gensanite said:

    @Toinks -

    nice one, TOINKS…

    gensan history through photos…

    calling allt he professional ang amateur photographers in gensan and all over the world… :D

    Reply - Quote
    - 15 September 2008 at 7:56 am
  • orman said:

    waaaa…. i miss my mom!

    Reply - Quote
    - 16 September 2008 at 1:39 pm
  • Tom Ramberg said:

    Hi Bariles

    My wife Marie and I have a home in Silway 7 but are presently living in the US. We have been reading blogs from Mindinao because we are a bit homesick. Since I am a kano; I also want to learn more about the place that will be my home. So far I have enjoyed your blog because you seem to have a true affection and pride for your home. Thank you for your contribution. I will be sure to bookmark your site.

    Tom and Marie Ramberg

    Reply - Quote
    - 24 September 2008 at 7:46 am
  • bariles (author) said:

    Originally Posted By Jinky
    Yeah, you’re right sir vel. . . it’s history. It’s history na worth retelling to the younger generation and the generations to come.

    Those were the days, kasama ka pala dun sa pinapanood namin noon.

    Those were the days na excited kami ng lola ko na “maglugsong sa Diangas” to watch parade and oogle sa mga majorettes and floats. . . It’s a luxury na sa amin noon na “makalugsong” he he

    Nakaka miss . . .

    Hi Jinky! It’s a big big event for us kida before. Even if all we see are high school kids in military uniform, it doesn’t matter because our dad used to buy us balloons and cotton candies and other goodies during the parade.

    I never really liked riding on floats. Super hooooTTTTTT weather and itchy amerikano!

    Reply - Quote
    - 26 September 2008 at 9:57 am
  • bariles (author) said:

    Originally Posted By allan
    wow naman kuya I like the comparison. . . kita natin ang kaibahan. Very educational (?) glad that you have those antique pic. Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Thanks Allan. Antique man gyud? Hehehe! :)

    Reply - Quote
    - 26 September 2008 at 10:00 am
  • bariles (author) said:

    Originally Posted By Toinks
    Wish ko lang po sana Mr. Bariles Republic na magkaroon ikaw ng parang photo exhibit dito sa blog mo ng mga areas or points within Gensan which is parang comparison ng noon at ngayon. For example picture ng Pioneer ave. in 1960’s, 1980’s, 1990’s and today. Parang ine-emphasize ba yong naging transition ng developments sa isang lugar…nakakatuwa yong ganoon diba? Tsaka it will help your visitors and subscribers from all over the world to know General Santos City better. :)

    Toinks, maka-toinks man gyud ta sa imong proposal uy! Pero I like it actually. I just hope other readers can send me OLD PICS that they have featuring in the background, the LANDMARKS of yesteryears.

    Good idea huh? Thanks Toinks! :)

    Reply - Quote
    - 26 September 2008 at 10:02 am
  • bariles (author) said:

    Originally Posted By archmykel
    Hi Bariles,

    Can somebody document the floats through the years? sayang kasi na after the parade dismantled na sila. the effor of design and constructing the float was not given justice.

    we can start by asking our constituents to provide us pictures of floats of the past just like the one you posted bariles. What do you think?

    We can exhibit that once our city museum opens. :)

    archmykel,why not?

    Will makea post about it soon. But as of the moment, if anyone could read this, please send us your old photos of the floats of the past. We will feature them here and credit them to your names. :)

    Reply - Quote
    - 26 September 2008 at 10:04 am
  • bariles (author) said:

    Originally Posted By Tom Ramberg
    Hi Bariles

    My wife Marie and I have a home in Silway 7 but are presently living in the US. We have been reading blogs from Mindinao because we are a bit homesick. Since I am a kano; I also want to learn more about the place that will be my home. So far I have enjoyed your blog because you seem to have a true affection and pride for your home. Thank you for your contribution. I will be sure to bookmark your site.

    Tom and Marie Ramberg

    Salamat Tom and Marie. Anything to ease your homesickness. :)
    And while you’re at it, please click on the google ads on my front page every time you are here to fund for my bandwidth upgrade.

    Hehehehe! :) Ciao!

    Reply - Quote
    - 26 September 2008 at 10:07 am

Leave your response!

Add your comment below, or trackback from your own site. You can also subscribe to these comments via RSS.

Be nice. Keep it clean. Stay on topic. No spam.

You can use these tags:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

This is a Gravatar-enabled weblog. To get your own globally-recognized-avatar, please register at Gravatar.

Related Posts from the Past:



Tags:
Separate individual tags by commas