General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos;

Maguindanao Maguindanao (, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a province of the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). From 2014 ...

: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas''; Filipino: ''Lungsod ng Heneral Santos'' and abbreviated as GenSan, is a 1st class

highly urbanized city A city ( fil, lungsod/siyudad) is one of the units of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities ( fil, nakakartang lungsod), whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own ...

in the

region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...

Soccsksargen Soccsksargen (officially stylized in all caps; ), formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the regi ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 697,315 people. It is located on the island of

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

, it is the

southernmost The most southerly geographical features of various types are listed here. Cities and settlements Geography Islands Berkner Island is further south than any of these, but its bedrock lies entirely below sea level, with only its ice cov ...

and 15th-most populous city in the Philippines. It is the regional center for commerce and industry of the

region, and is geographically located within the province of

South Cotabato South Cotabato ( hil, Bagatnan Cotabato; ceb, Habagatang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pagabagatan Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤاڬابڬتن كوتاواتو; tl, Timog Cotabato), officially the Province of South Cotabato, is a province in the Philippine ...

but administered independently of it. Formerly known as Dadiangas, the city was named after Gen.

Paulino Santos Paulino Torres Santos Sr. (June 22, 1890 – August 29, 1945) was a military officer who became the Commanding General of the Philippine Army from May 6 to December 31, 1936. Upon his retirement, he served as a civilian administrator under Pre ...

, a former

Commanding General of the Philippine Army The Commanding General of the Philippine Army (CGPA) is the overall commander and senior general of the Philippine Army, the ground warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is normally held by a three-star rank of Lieutenant Gener ...

and the settlement's leading pioneer.

History

The nomadic

Blaan people The Blaan people, are one of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mindanao in the Philippines. Their name could have derived from "bla" meaning "opponent" and the suffix "an" meaning "people". According to a 2021 genetic study, the Blaan people als ...

are the original inhabitants of General Santos, and traces of their early settlement of the area are found in the city's place names, which are derived from their vocabulary. Their name for the city, ''Dadiangas'', is from the thorny ''

Ziziphus spina-christi ''Ziziphus spina-christi'', known as the Christ's thorn jujube, is an evergreen tree or plant native to northern and tropical Africa, Southern and Western Asia. It is native to the Levant, East Africa, Mesopotamia and some tropical countries. Fr ...

'' tree that was once abundant in the area and is now a protected species under Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Right Act of 2007. The B'laan tribe now lives alongside the city's new generation of settlers and other immigrants. Beforehand, the Blaan people would then be forced to move to the hills after the Muslims settle in the area under the rule of the Sultanate of Maguindanao. After the fall of Maguindanao as a great power in Mindanao, Datu Uto of Buayan expanded his domain towards Sarangani Bay. Dadiangas would fall under the Sultanate of Buayan until the American era.

Waves of migration

Organized under the National Land Settlement Administration (NLSA) of the

Commonwealth Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...

headed by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Manuel L. Quezon, General

led the relocation of 62 Christian settlers from Luzon to the shores of Sarangani Bay aboard the

steam ship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

“Basilan” of ''Compañia Maritima'' on February 27, 1939. The 62 pioneers, mostly agricultural and trade graduates, were the first large batch of settlers to land in the area with the mission to industriously cultivate the region. After this first influx of pioneers, thousands more Christians from the

Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands ( Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. Located in the central part of the archipelago, ...

and

Luzon Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...

have subsequently moved into the area, gradually driving some of the resident B'laan to the mountains, who have lost their livelihood and somewhat displaced Maguindanaon living in the area. In March 1939, the first formal settlement in the city was established in Alagao, which is now known as Barangay Lagao. Lagao district was known then as the "Municipal District of Buayan" under the jurisdiction of the deputy governor of the Municipal District of Glan. Until it officially became an independent Municipal District of Buayan on October 1, 1940, appointing Datu Sharif Zainal Abedin—an Arab ''

mestizo (; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturally European even though thei ...

'' married to a daughter of a very influential ''

datu ''Datu'' is a title which denotes the rulers (variously described in historical accounts as chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs) of numerous indigenous peoples throughout the Philippine archipelago. The title is still used today, especial ...

'' of lower Buayan—as the first district municipal mayor.

Second World War

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the Municipal District of Buayan become one of the last frontiers between the combined American and Filipino forces and troops from the

Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent form ...

. Retreating Imperial Japanese forces made Klaja Karsts Land their last ground for defence, constructing round cement bunkers and tunnels. These bunkers can still be seen at Sitio Guadalupe; most of the tunnels, however, have since been damaged and even destroyed by treasure hunters and land developers.

Renaming and elevation to city status

A year after the Philippines regained full sovereignty from the United States on July 4, 1946, the Municipality of Buayan became a 4th class regular municipality by virtue of the Executive Order Number 82, dated August 18, 1947, by President

Manuel Roxas Manuel Acuña Roxas (born Manuel Roxas y Acuña; ; January 1, 1892 – April 15, 1948) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fifth president of the Philippines, who served from 1946 until his death due to heart attacks in 19 ...

, absorbing the Municipal District of Glan, whose low income bracket at the time disqualified it for the honour. Dadiangas was the seat of government for the Municipality of Buayan electing Irineo Santiago as its first Municipal Mayor on a local election that was held on November 11, 1947. Mayor Santiago was formally inducted on January 1, 1948. Six years later, in June 1954, the Municipality of Buayan was renamed General Santos as a tribute to the leading pioneer via Act No. 1107 authored by Congressman Luminog Mangelen of Cotabato Province. From 1963 to 1967, the municipality's economy experienced a boom under Mayor Lucio A. Velayo, as several large agri-based and multinational firms such as Dole Philippines, General Milling Corporation and UDAGRI expanded into the area. Although it was then qualified to become a fourth class city from being a municipality, the residents rejected a move by Congressman Salipada Pendatun to convert the Municipality of Buayan into a city and to rename it ’’Rajah Buayan’’. On July 8, 1968, the Municipality of General Santos was converted into a city upon the approval of Republic Act No. 5412, authored by Congressman James L. Chiongbian. It was inaugurated on September 5 of that year, with Antonio C. Acharon became the new city's first mayor. On September 5, 1988, a decade after its inauguration as a chartered city, GenSan was declared a highly urbanized city of South Cotabato. Even after becoming a

independent from South Cotabato in 1988, General Santos remained part of the province's congressional representation. The city only gained a separate representative with the passage of Republic Act No. 11243 on March 11, 2019, which segregated General Santos from the first congressional district of

to be its 3rd congressional district. On September 15, 2021, House Bill No. 10021 authored by Representative Ferdinand Hernandez, that officially mandate General Santos as a lone district, separate from South Cotabato was passed on third and final reading.

Geography

General Santos City lies at the southern part of the Philippines. The city is southeast of Manila, southeast of Cebu and southwest of Davao. The city is bounded by municipalities of

Sarangani Province Sarangani, officially the Province of Sarangani ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sarangani; hil, Kapuoran sang Sarangani; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sarangani'', Jawi: دايرت نو سارڠني; fil, Lalawigan ng Sarangani), is a province in the Philipp ...

, namely

Alabel Alabel, officially the Municipality of Alabel ( Cebuano: Lungsod sa Alabel; Filipino: Bayan ng Alabel; Maguindanao: Inged nu Alabil), is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Sarangani, Philippines. According to the 2020 census ...

in the east, and

Maasim Maasim, officially the Municipality of Maasim ( ceb, Lungsod sa Maasim; tl, Bayan ng Maasim; mdh, Inged nu Maasim, Jawi: ايڠايد نو معسيم), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Sarangani, Philippines. According to 2020 cen ...

in the south. General Santos is likewise bounded by the

municipality of Polomolok and

municipality of Malungon in the north, and the municipality of

T'boli The Tboli people () are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Philippines, indigenous peoples of South Cotabato in southern Mindanao. In the body of ethnographic and linguistic literature on Mindanao, their name is variously spelt Tboli, T'boli, ...

in the west.

Climate

General Santos City has a

tropical wet and dry climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of p ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

). With an average annual rainfall of less than , it is one of the driest places in the Philippines.

Barangays

General Santos City is politically subdivided into 26

barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolita ...

s. * Apopong * Baluan * Batomelong * Buayan * Bula * Calumpang * City Heights * Conel * Dadiangas East * Dadiangas North * Dadiangas South * Dadiangas West *

Fatima Fāṭima bint Muḥammad ( ar, فَاطِمَة ٱبْنَت مُحَمَّد}, 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fāṭima al-Zahrāʾ (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, ...

* Katangawan * Labangal * Lagao (1st & 3rd) * Ligaya * Mabuhay * Olympog * San Isidro (Lagao 2nd) * San Jose * Siguel * Sinawal * Tambler * Tinagacan * Upper Labay

Demographics

There are two major languages spoken in the city, with Cebuano being widely spoken and being used by the local media outlets in the city (television, radio, and newspapers), followed by Hiligaynon, which is used mainly by settlers who came from the provinces of

Sultan Kudarat Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat ( hil, Kapuoran sang Sultan Kudarat; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi: دايرت نو سلطان كودرت; ceb, Lalawigan sa Sultan Kudarat; tl, Lalawigan ng Sul ...

North Cotabato Cotabato or North Cotabato ( hil, Aminhan Cotabato; ceb, Amihanang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pangutaran Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤڠوترن كوتاواتو; fil, Hilagang Cotabato), officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in ...

and

, as well as immigrants from the provinces of

Negros Occidental Negros Occidental ( hil, Nakatungdang Negros; tl, Kanlurang Negros), officially the Province of Negros Occidental, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region. ...

Iloilo Iloilo (), officially the Province of Iloilo ( hil, Kapuoran sang Iloilo; krj, Kapuoran kang Iloilo; tl, Lalawigan ng Iloilo), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the ...

and

Guimaras Guimaras , officially the Province of Guimaras ( hil, Kapuoran sang Guimaras; tl, Lalawigan ng Guimaras), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Jordan while its largest local government ...

. Other languages spoken within the city include Blaan, Tboli, Maguindanao, Ilocano, and Kapampangan.

Religion

The predominant religion in the city is

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global popula ...

, with the largest denomination being the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

, comprising almost 90% of the population. About 9% of the population belongs to

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

, mostly

Sunnites Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word ''Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagree ...

Economy

The city's major economic activity is primarily anchored in two sectors namely the agro-industry and

fishing industry The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products. It is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization as including ...

. *Agro-industry: Endowed with rich volcanic soil, ample and well distributed rainfall all throughout the year and a typhoon-free climate, General Santos City produces export quality high valued crops such as

corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The ...

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family (Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the f ...

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuri ...

asparagus Asparagus, or garden asparagus, folk name sparrow grass, scientific name ''Asparagus officinalis'', is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus '' Asparagus''. Its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. It was once classified in ...

banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", disting ...

and

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

. It also yields quality exotic fruits, vegetables and cut flowers. The city is also a top producer and exporter of quality livestock such as

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, qu ...

, hogs, and

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...

. But with the continuing growth in population and economy in the passing of time, a number of the city's agricultural lands have gradually been converted into built up areas in order to address the relatively growing need of dwelling and viable spaces. Gen Santos city 5

*Fishing industry: General Santos City is the largest producer of

sashimi is a Japanese delicacy consisting of fresh raw fish or meat sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce. Origin The word ''sashimi'' means "pierced body", i.e. " 刺身" = ''sashimi'', where 刺し = ''sashi'' (pierced, stu ...

-grade

tuna A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: ...

in the Philippines. Thus, as early as 1970, it was nicknamed "Tuna Capital of the Philippines". GenSan also accounts for the second-largest daily total catch of

fish Fish are Aquatic animal, aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack Limb (anatomy), limbs with Digit (anatomy), digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous and bony fish as we ...

in the country after

Navotas Navotas, officially the City of Navotas ( fil, Lungsod ng Navotas), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 247,543 people. It is known as the ...

in the

National Capital Region A capital region, also called a capital district or capital territory, is a region or district surrounding a capital city. It is not always the official term for the region, but may sometimes be used as an informal synonym. Capital regions can exis ...

. Locals in the city boast that fishes and seafoods do not come fresher than what is found in their locality. The

in GenSan yields a total daily capacity of 750 metric tons of fish catch, and employs about 7,800 workers. General Santos City is home to seven tuna processing plants. The Fishport Complex in Barangay Tambler has a quay and a wharf for 2,000 GT reefer carriers. The fishport is equipped with modern facilities that comply with international standards on fish catch handling. General Santos City registered 1,365 new medium to large enterprises in 2011. An aggregate investment involved is estimated PHP 1.202 billion. Top industry for new investment in 2011 was as follows: Hotel and Restaurant-31%; Wholesale & Retail Trade-20%; Repair of Motor Vehicles, Motorcycles and Personal & Household Goods, Real Estate & Renting Business Activities-17%; Other Community, Social & Personal Services-8%; Financial Intermediation-5%; Manufacturing-5%; Fishing-3%; ICT-3 % As of 2000, there are 59 banks serving the city. This composed of 46 commercial banks, 5 savings banks, 7 rural banks and 1 cooperative bank. Aside from this, there are 48 lending institutions as well as 49 pawnshops providing emergency loan assistance.

Shopping

General Santos City is the shopping capital of the Soccksargen region. Residents from nearby towns and provinces visit the city to do shopping and enjoy life and leisure activities. There are several huge shopping malls in the city, notable ones are KCC Mall of Gensan,

SM City General Santos SM City General Santos is a large shopping mall in General Santos, South Cotabato. It is the 45th shopping mall by SM Prime Holdings, the Philippines' largest shopping mall and retail operator. Making it the largest mall in Soccsksargen Socc ...

, Robinsons Place GenSan, Gaisano Mall of GenSan, RD Plaza (Fitmart), Veranza Mall, and the newest addition to the city which is RD City Mall located at Barangay Mabuhay, Unitop Shopping Mall in Barangay Dadingas West and AllHome (soon in Barangay Katangawan, Circumferential Road). SM Savemore has two branches in the city and another branch will be built within the downtown area. There are also news about building an Ayala Mall and Puregold. These malls are home to both national and international brands of retail merchandises as well as restaurants and cafes. There are many merchandise and large groceries owned by local and foreign Chinese, Taiwanese and Korean businessmen in the city.

Infrastructure

;Communication Modern and state-of-the-art communication facilities at par with global standards are readily available and are provided in General Santos City by major telecommunication companies in the country. These include voice, data, internet and network solutions, among others, in both wired and mobile forms.

Transportation

GenSan and the whole of Soccsksargen can be reached by air, land, or sea. ;Air transportation GES Tarmac

The

General Santos International Airport General Santos International Airport ( ceb, Tugpahanang Pangkalibutan sa Heneral Santos; fil, Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Heneral Santos; hil, Pangkalibutan nga Hulugpaan sang Heneral Santos; ), also known as Tambler Airport, is an alternate inte ...

is the largest airport in

. It has a 3,227-metre concrete runway capable of handling wide-bodied jets like

Airbus A340 The Airbus A340 is a long-range, wide-body passenger airliner that was developed and produced by Airbus. In the mid-1970s, Airbus conceived several derivatives of the A300, its first airliner, and developed the A340 quadjet in parallel wit ...

and

Boeing 747 The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2022. After introducing the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet times its size, ...

. It was also called Rajah Buayan Airport in the 1990s, and Tambler Airport in 2008, before being renamed to its current name. Flights to and from

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...

, and

Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 16 ...

are currently being operated in the airport by

Philippine Airlines Philippine Airlines (PAL), a trade name of PAL Holdings, Inc. (Philippine Stock Exchange, PSEPAL (Philippine Air Lines until 1970), is the flag carrier airline of the Philippines. Headquartered at the Philippine National Bank, PNB Financial Cen ...

and

Cebu Pacific Cebu Air, Inc., operating as Cebu Pacific (), is a low-cost airline of the Philippines. Founded in 1988, it is Asia's oldest low-cost airline. It offers scheduled flights to both domestic and international destinations. The airline operates fl ...

. General Santos International Airport is the second busiest airport in Mindanao and 9th busiest airport in the Philippines. ;Sea transportation Aerial view of port of general santos

The

Makar Wharf The Port of General Santos ( fil, Pantalan ng General Santos), also known as the Makar Port, is a seaport in General Santos in the Philippines. The port is used to transport cargo in and out of General Santos, serving the wider Soccsksargen reg ...

is the main international sea port of the city and is one of the finest sea ports in the country. It is located in Barangay Labangal, away from the central business district. With a docking length and a width, the wharf can accommodate up to nine ship berthing positions all at the same time. The port is replete with modern facilities such as container yards, storage and weighing bridges. Several shipping companies operate regular inter-island ferry service to and from other major ports in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Negros Navigation Negros Navigation Co., Inc. (NENACO) was one of the oldest domestic shipping companies in the Philippines. It was also one of the largest companies in the passenger transport business in the Philippines. Its main hub was the renowned Pier 2 in M ...

, SuperFerry and

Sulpicio Lines Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation (PSACC), formerly branded as Sulpicio Lines, Inc. (SLI, ), is a major shipping line in the Philippines. PSACC is one of the largest domestic shipping and container companies in the Philippines in terms o ...

provide these inter-island shipping routes while numerous

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...

n shipping lines operate international ferry service between General Santos City and neighboring ports in

carrying both passenger and cargo loads. ;Land transportation Commuting in and around General Santos City is a fast and convenient ride. More than 400 passenger

buses A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...

, public utility vans and

jeepneys Jeepneys (), sometimes called jeeps (), are minibus-like public utility vehicles, serving as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They are known for their crowded seating and kitsch decorations, which have become ...

wield routes within the city and neighboring provinces like in

Koronadal Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Koronadal; ceb, Dakbayan sa Koronadal; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Koronadal'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: كوتا نو كورونادال; fil, Lungsod ng Koronadal) ...

Cotabato Cotabato or North Cotabato ( hil, Aminhan Cotabato; ceb, Amihanang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pangutaran Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤڠوترن كوتاواتو; fil, Hilagang Cotabato), officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in ...

, Davao,

Tacurong Tacurong, officially the City of Tacurong ( hil, Dakbanwa sang Tacurong; fil, Lungsod ng Tacurong; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Takurung'', Jawi: كوتا نو تاكوروڠ), is a 4th class component city in the province of Sultan Kudarat, Phi ...

Pagadian Pagadian, officially the City of Pagadian ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Pagadian; fil, Lungsod ng Pagadian; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Pagadian'', Jawi: كوتا نو ڤاڬاديان; Iranun: ''Bandar a Pagadian'', بندر ا ڤاڬاديان; Chavacano ...

Cagayan de Oro Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...

and others. Three-wheeled motorized cabs known as

tricycle A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle. Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes ...

s are the city's main mode of public transport and have been on the road since the pioneering times. Air-conditioned

taxi A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choic ...

s also ply the city streets offering commuters a choice of a more comfortable mode of transportation. Maintained by the City Engineers' Office, the city's major road networks are paved and endowed with safety road marks, signs and signals to ensure a secure and efficient traffic flow within the city. The

Pan-Philippine Highway The Pan-Philippine Highway, also known as the Maharlika Highway ( tl, Daang Maharlika; ceb, Dalang Halangdon), is a network of roads, expressways, bridges, and ferry services that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao in t ...

links the city by land to other major cities in Mindanao and to the rest of the country. The General Santos City Terminal—popularly known as Bulaong Terminal; located in Barangay Dadiangas North is the city's main integrated land transport terminal. The terminal serves as the city's gateway for land travelers.

Bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...

es and other forms of public mass transportation—to and from various parts of Mindanao such as

, Davao,

Kidapawan Kidapawan, officially the City of Kidapawan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Kidapawan; hil, Dakbanwa sang Kidapawan; Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kidapawan'', Jawi: كوتا نو كيدڤاوان; Obo Monuvu: ''Ingod to Kidapawan''), is a 3rd class component c ...

Digos Digos, officially the City of Digos ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Digos; fil, Lungsod ng Digos), is a 2nd class component city and capital of the province of Davao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 188,376 peopl ...

, and

Utilities

;Power: Majority of the city's power supply is being serviced by the second district of South Cotabato Electric Cooperative ''(SOCOTECO-II)''. The said power distributor acquires the majority of its power needs for the city's consumption from the

National Transmission Corporation The National Transmission Corporation (TransCo) is a Philippine government-owned and controlled corporation created in 2001 by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Republic Act 9136) and a corporate entity wholly owned by the Power Sector Ass ...

(TransCo) while other sources are drawn from various Independent Power Producers ''(IPP)'' from nearby power plants and barges. ;Water: Majority of the households and other entities in the city are provided and serviced with clean, safe and potable water supply from deep well sources by General Santos City Water District (GSCWD). Potable water sources in other far flung and remote parts of the city where cannot be reached by the local water utility service are being served by their individual Barangay Water And Sanitation systems. ;Waste management: In a bid to achieve an efficient and sustainable management of non-hazardous waste the city produces every single day, the finalization and construction of the city's waste water treatment facility is currently underway at the corner of P. Acharon and I. Santiago Boulevards. The said location is adjacent to the city public market and is the former site of the city's ''Fish Landing''. The facility will include settling ponds and anaerobic reactors, among others. :Likewise is the finalization stage for the construction of a multi-million peso solid waste management and disposal system in Barangay Sinawal. The new and modern solid waste management facility will replace the existing city dumpsite in Barangay Siguel.

Security and civil defense

The Philippine National Police, a military task force has been formed to protect the city from terrorist attacks and other crime. Task Force GenSan is affiliated with the Philippine Army and headed by an army colonel. 8 Police Stations are built on each barangay to keep the safeness and a peaceful order in city. Agencies and Organizations are forming a good and peaceful will to group an order in a city.

Health services

The average life expectancy of Gensanon is 70 for females and 65 for males. There are 19 hospitals, with more than 2,200 beds in the city including General Santos Doctors Hospital, St. Elizabeth Hospita

SOCSARGEN County Hospital, Mindanao Medical Center, R.O Diagan Cooperative Hospital, GenSan Medical Center, Sarangani Bay Specialists Medical Center, General Santos City District Hospital and the newly inaugurated Dadiangas Medical Center servicing a care for the people. In addition, there is an ongoing construction of ACE Medical Center to add more hospital bed capacity and medical services in the city.

Education

Aside from more than 50 Private Schools, such as The Quantum Academy, and more than 100 public schools, General Santos City hosts three universities. These are the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, Mindanao State University – General Santos City and New Era University – General Santos Branch. It also houses colleges such as the Doña Lourdes Institute of Technology. Soon, the General Santos campus of the country's oldest academic institution,

University of Santo Tomas The University of Santo Tomas (also known as UST and officially as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila) is a private, Catholic research university in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Migue ...

, will rise in Barangay Ligaya.

Media

Notable media publications in the city are the SusStar General Santos, Periodiko Banat, Sapol, and other local newspapers. Brigada Newspaper General Santos is the most popular newspaper company in the city. There are several television stations in the city that are owned and operated by broadcasting networks— ABS-CBN 3 Soccsksargen, GMA 8 Soccsksargen, TV5 Channel 12 Gensan, GMA News TV 26, ABS-CBN Sports+Action Channel 36, Brigada News TV 39. Most of these television networks reaches as far as Davao Region and Northern Mindanao; and caters the whole

Soccsksargen Region Soccsksargen (officially stylized in all caps; ), formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the region ...

. Major and other minor cable and satellite television companies are also operating in the city. Most of the FM and AM radio stations are operating in the city 24 hours a day such as MOR 92.7 General Santos, 89.5 Brigada News FM, iFM 91.9, 94.3 Yes! FM General Santos, Radyo5 97.5 News FM, K101.5 Love Radio GenSan, Barangay 102.3 GenSan and others. There are three local newscasts programs in General Santos: '' TV Patrol Socsksargen ( ABS-CBN 3 Soccsksargen), GMA Soccsksargen Flash Bulletin (GMA 8 Soccsksargen), Balita38 (EGTV Channel 46) and Ronda Brigada ( Brigada News TV channel 39).''

Notable personalities

* Sebastian Benedict (Baeby Baste) of ''

Eat Bulaga! ''Eat Bulaga!'' (), formerly ''Eat... Bulaga!'', is a noontime Philippine television variety show broadcast by GMA Network. Produced by TAPE Inc., it is the longest running variety show in the Philippines with over 13,000 episodes. Originally ...

'', child actor *

Gerald Anderson Gerald Randolph Opsima Anderson Jr. (born March 7, 1989) is a Filipino-American actor. He is managed and under contract to Star Magic, ABS-CBN's home based talent agency. Recognized as the "Action-Drama Prince" of Philippine industry, He is o ...

, actor *

Ethel Booba Ethyl Gabison-Salazar (born December 17, 1976), also known by her stage name Ethel Booba, is a Filipina TV personality, author, singer, and comedienne. She has also worked in the recording industry. She was the first been crowned as the celebr ...

, TV personality *

Melai Cantiveros Melisa "Melai" Bunayog Cantiveros Francisco (; born April 6, 1988) is a Filipino actress, comedian, and host. She came to prominence in 2009, after winning '' Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up''. In 2015, she won the first season of the Filipino ...

, actress *

Nonito Donaire Nonito Gonzales Donaire Jr. (; ; born November 16, 1982) is a Filipino American professional boxer. He has held multiple world championships in four weight classes from flyweight to featherweight, and is the oldest boxer in history to win a ...

, professional boxer *

Rolando Navarrete Rolando Navarrete (born February 14, 1957) is a Filipino former professional boxer who competed from 1973 to 1991. He held the WBC super-featherweight title between August 1981 and May 1982. Fighting style A fine boxer, Navarrete had a good ta ...

, professional boxer *

Jinkee Pacquiao Maria Geraldine Capeña Jamora Pacquiao (née Jamora; born January 12, 1979), more known as Jinkee Pacquiao is a Filipina socialite, media personality, occasional film producer and former politician who served as a vice governor of Sarangani, Min ...

, politician *

Manny Pacquiao Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Phil ...

, professional boxer *

Bo Perasol Dolreich "Bo" Perasol (born November 30, 1971) is a Filipino basketball coach. He coaches in both collegiate and professional leagues. He is the former head coach of the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the UP Fighting Maroons. Career Bo Perasol was a for ...

, head coach UAAP basketball of

Ateneo de Manila University , mottoeng = Light in the Lord , type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution , established = December 10, 1859 , religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic ( Jesuits) , academic ...

Blue Eagles *

Shamcey Supsup Shamcey Gurrea Supsup-Lee (; born May 16, 1986) is a Filipino architect, beauty pageant titleholder and pageant director. She was crowned as Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2011. She represented her country at the Miss Universe 2011 pageant in ...

Miss Universe 2011 Miss Universe 2011 was the 60th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Credicard Hall in São Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. At the end of the event, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico crowned Leila Lopes of Angola as Miss Universe 2011. It is the ...

Pageant 3rd Runner-up and National Director of Miss Universe Philippines * Zendee Rose Tenerefe, singer,

YouTube personality A YouTuber is an online personality and/or influencer who produces videos on the video-sharing platform YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006. Influence Influen ...

* Racso Jugarap, international artist *

XB Gensan ''It's Showtime'' is a Philippine noontime variety show produced by ABS-CBN Entertainment that premiered on October 24, 2009, at the former ABS-CBN television network. The program formerly aired on ABS-CBN until May 5, 2020, when the network w ...

, dance group, Grand Champion, Showtime Season 1

Sister cities

Local

Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...

, since October 12, 1994 *

Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo ( hil, Siyudad/Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; fil, Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on the island of Panay. It is the capital city of ...

* Naga City, Camarines Sur *

Cotabato City Cotabato City, officially the City of Cotabato ( Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kutawatu'', Jawi: كوتا نو كوتاواتو; Iranun: ''Bandar a Kotawato'', بندر ا كوتاواتو; fil, Lungsod ng Cotabato), is a third class independent c ...

International

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

, Australia *

Jersey City Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark. *

Monterrey Monterrey ( , ) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León, Mexico, and the third largest city in Mexico behind Guadalajara and Mexico City. Located at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the city is ancho ...

, Mexico *

Hadano, Kanagawa is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 163,787 and a population density of 1600 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Hadano is located in the foothills of the Tanzawa Mountains ...

, Japan

Gallery

File:City Hall, General Santos City, Philippines.JPG, GenSan City Hall File:Amandari Cove lake - panoramio.jpg, Amarandi Cove Lake File:KCC Mall of Gensan - panoramio.jpg, KCC Mall of GenSan File:Gen Santos city 4.jpg, Pioneer Avenue File:Lagao, General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines - panoramio.jpg, SM City General Santos

Notes

References

External links

*
General Santos Profile at the DTI Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index
*

Philippine Standard Geographic Code The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

{{Authority control Cities in South Cotabato Highly urbanized cities in the Philippines Port cities and towns in the Philippines Planned cities in the Philippines Populated places established in 1939 1939 establishments in the Philippines

History

Waves of migration

Second World War

Renaming and elevation to city status

Geography

Climate

Barangays

Demographics

Religion

Economy

Shopping

Infrastructure

Transportation

Utilities

Security and civil defense

Health services

Education

Media

Notable personalities

Sister cities

Local

International

Gallery

See also

Notes

References

External links