General Santos City, popularly abbreviated as GenSan, is the most populous city in the Philippines. It is known as the Tuna Capital of the Philippines and takes pride in its several notable personalities, particularly Manny Pacquiao, a professional boxer known all over the world and recognized as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time.
Located in SOCCSKSARGEN, GenSan is the center of commerce and industry in the region. There are more than 60 banks serving the city, it is the shopping mecca in the region with all those big shopping malls, and there are several hotels, restaurants, and many other businesses keeping the city’s economy flourishing. Of course, the top two major industries are fishing and agriculture but tourism has been steadily growing in the city.
GenSan has hills and mountains, beaches, eco parks, caves, and many other interesting spots for tourists to explore.
This brief guide to General Santos City will help you plan your trip. It contains information on what to do, eat, and drink as well as the must-see spots and the best hotels.
Geography
General Santos City lies at the southern part of the Philippines. It is located at 6°7'N 125°10'E latitude. The city is southeast of Manila, southeast of Cebu and southwest of Davao.
The city is bounded by municipalities of Sarangani Province namely Alabel in the east, and Maasim in the south. General Santos is likewise bounded by the South Cotabato municipality of Polomolok and Sarangani Province municipality of Malungon in the north, and the municipality of T'boli in the west.
Business and Banking
General Santos City is the commercial and entertainment center of the SOCCSKSARGEN region. It has all the amenities of an urban center. Christians and Muslims living here enjoy the peace and progress of the city. Most of the shops open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. but there are convenient stores which operate until the wee hours.
Private or government offices as well as the regional offices of different government agencies are open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday. There are almost 50 commercial banks operating without noon break and with ATMs 24/7. Nightlife is vibrant with bars closing at 3:00 a.m. the following day. Favorite hang-outs are Phayahay, Veranza, Veranda, Top 7, V Bar, McDonalds Highway, Jollibee National Highway, JMP Complex City Heights, Sarangani Highlands, JMP Complex, San Pedro Barbeque Avenue, Robinson’s Place and many more new cafés and burger stations.
For fine dining, you can go to Grab-a-Crab, Bigbys, Big Ben, Red Trellis and Sydney Hotel. People shop and unwind at SM GenSan, Gaisano Mall of Gensan, KCC Mall and Robinson’s Place with state of the art cinemas. Vista Land (Camella Homes) and Sta. Lucia’s (Colinas Verdes), two of the largest real estate developers in the country, have started their construction of an upscale subdivision projects. More low-cost and medium-end housing projects are sprouting in the outskirts of the city evident of the city’s strong market. Several fast-food chains from Manila have their own outlets here.
There are numerous internet cafes charging as low as P10 per hour while Wi-Fi ready establishments are available. Telecommunication providers Sun, Globe, DITO and Smart are fortifying their presence here while major car dealers like Mitsubishi, Foton, Honda, Toyota, Ford, Hyundai, Isuzu, and Chevrolet are operating vigorously here with numerous SUVs bearing their brands crisscrossing the busy streets of the city.
Educational Institutions
General Santos City is the cultural and educational center of the region. Notre Dame of Dadiangas University and Mindanao Polytechnic College are producing topnotchers in nursing, and marine engineering board examinations, respectively while the Mindanao State University, is among the top schools in the country in mechanical, electrical and agricultural engineering producing topnotchers in its board exam. NDDU is listed as among the top 40 colleges/universities in the country by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) with autonomous status. Most of the private and public schools of the city are already k-12 ready, giving the quality education for the future generation.
Convention Facilities / Hotel Accommodations
General Santos has hotels with complete amenities and convention facilities which can accommodate between 50 to 2,000 people. Prominent of these are the GreenLeaf Hotel, Microtel, Mt. Sabrina, London Beach and Resort, Sarangani Highlands, Family Country Hotel and Convention Center, GSC Lagao Gymnasium, NDDU Bro. McKnight Auditorium, KCC Convention Center, Microtel, East Asia Royale Hotel, ABC Stars Convention Center, Venue 88, Phela Grande Hotel and Convention Center, NFA Conference Hall and MSU Graduate School Center. Numerous regional and Mindanao-wide conventions were held here as well as national conventions.
How To Get There
Via Air
• The General Santos Alternative International Airport can accommodate Airbuses and Boeing planes. Daily flights from General Santos City to Cebu and Manila are being served by Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines. The airport is one of the few airports in the country according to the Air Transportation Office that can accommodate wide-bodied planes.
Via Sea
• General Santos is easily accessible by boat from Manila, Cebu, and Iloilo via the Port of Makar, 6 kms. from city proper. A trip from Manila takes 26 hours. Fares vary according to accommodations. Bananas, and other agricultural products are transported to Manila and Cebu. The city is also accessible by boat from Sarangani and Jose Abad Santos towns (Davao del Sur)
Via Land
• Tricycles are common in General Santos and they are all painted sky blue for uniformity. They go around and even outside the city proper. Jeepneys, e-Jeep and Modern Bus are used in the main city streets. Cars for rent are available upon request in most hotels and at the airport. Buses ply the routes from General Santos to other cities and provinces of Mindanao.
Airline Ticketing Office
Available Airlines Ticket at City Art Enterprises or C-Art Travel & Tours Infront of SM City, General Santos City, Mindanao, Philippines
Contact No.: 0910 095 5980
Email Address: cityart_ads@yahoo.com
