General Santos City, twice awarded as the Most Competitive City by the Asian Institute of Management because of its competitive economic advantages, is not just an economic haven. It is also environmentally sensitive. Having been awarded the Grand Prize – Highly Urbanized City Category for 2004 by GPK or GAWAD Pangulo sa Kapaligiran (Kaunlaran ng mga Pamahalaang Lokal sa Kalinisan at Kapaligirang Luntian), is a substantiation.

On May 18, 2005, at the Rizal Hall, Malacañang Palace, Her Excellency Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo herself and DILG Secretary Angelo T. Reyes handed who handed the award to the Honorable City Mayor Pedro B. Acharon, Jr. and the First Lady Dr. Rosalinda A. Acharon, in a simple awarding ceremony. It should be recalled that General Santos City landed second to Olangapo in 2003. The latter slid down to the third post this year with Davao City in second post.

GPK is an annual award-giving initiative of the Office of the President and DILG to encourage all local government units to stage programs, projects and efforts towards preserving and protecting the environment. In response, the city intensified its strategies and approaches by amplifying its campaign to the community beginning from the grassroots level, alongside strengthening its executive policies.

As a result, a more spirited ad driven team of stakeholders in the environmental programs of the city emerged. City society, private and business sectors, the academe, religious sector, barangay communities, and the local government, converged all its energies, initiatives, and resources to build a city with a “green” soul. Spearheaded by Kagandahan Gensan, an environmental initiative headed by the First Lady of the City, Dr. Rosalinda Acharon, the efforts on protecting nature and preserving life has paid off.

The city scored very high in the areas of government support system, urban space greening, well maintained public facilities, maintenance of built-up areas. But one thing that really impressed the team of national assessors is the evidence of community participation.

No plant can thrive without the nurturing essentials. This, the city not only has established support systems, but has made an institution whereby environment protection is a way of life of its constituents. As the Mayor said, “Ang Kusog sa Kagamhanan, Naga-gikan sa Katawhan” (The strength of governance is derived from the Governed). So apt a leadership philosophy for a city thriving on a green soil, imbued with a green soul.