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Giving General Santos City Its Soul: Why a Historical Council Matters

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In 2039, General Santos City will mark its 100th year since its civil foundation. For many communities, a centennial is more than a number—it is a defining milestone, a chance to reflect on origins, to honor pioneers, and to pass on a shared story to future generations. Yet, if we look closely at General Santos City today, we find a sobering truth: the city, despite its dynamism, has no official historical council, no city-funded museum, and not even a public art gallery. For a bustling metropolis of nearly a million people, this absence is striking. Many say General Santos has no “soul,” and in the cultural sense, they are not wrong. The Missing Story of a City General Santos is often recognized for its economic growth, its role in tuna and agribusiness, and the colorful energy of its residents. But beyond commerce and industry, what makes a city truly thrive is its story—how it remembers its past and uses that memory to shape its identity. The city has one public library, serving ...
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A Grab E-Trike in Dumaguete and the Transport Lessons for General Santos City

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When a renowned lawyer landed in Dumaguete City past nine in the evening, he braced for the familiar frustration: no taxis, no jeepneys, and no obvious way out of the airport. But then something remarkable happened—he found himself hopping onto a Grab E-Trike. What could have been a long, inconvenient night turned into a lighthearted, almost funny story about how a simple, sustainable transport innovation saved the day. Coming from General Santos City, where transportation has long been a pressing challenge, his experience in Dumaguete provides more than comic relief—it offers a glimpse of practical solutions we can adopt. Transportation in General Santos is often marked by insufficient routes, the lack of modernized public vehicles, and poor integration across different modes of mobility. But Dumaguete’s embrace of E-Trikes, supported by ride-hailing technology, shows how cities can creatively respond to mobility needs. The Transport Struggle in GenSan General Santos has grown rapi...
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Reimagining Old Airports for Economic Growth

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Airports, by their very nature, are built with vast tracts of land, extensive infrastructure, and prime locations near urban centers. When they are replaced by newer facilities, the old airstrips are often left idle or underutilized—wasted opportunities in cities that urgently need new growth corridors. Around the world, progressive governments have reimagined old airports as thriving economic zones, blending business, culture, and technology. In the Philippines, this conversation is long overdue, and nowhere is the potential greater than in General Santos City with its old Buayan Airport. The example of Iloilo is particularly instructive. After the opening of a new airport in Cabatuan in 2007, the old Mandurriao airport was redeveloped into Iloilo Business Park, now a booming commercial and financial hub. The transformation did not only generate thousands of jobs but also attracted global investors, expanded tourism, and spurred allied industries from retail to real estate. What was o...
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A to Z of General Santos City

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General Santos City—more fondly called GenSan —is more than just the Tuna Capital of the Philippines. It is a city of contrasts and convergence, where migrants and indigenous peoples, industry and culture, tradition and innovation come together. To truly understand this vibrant southern hub, let’s take a journey through its identity, from A to Z. A – Alsons Business has long been in the blood of GenSan, and few names carry as much weight as Alsons . The Alcantara family’s conglomerate was among the pioneers who recognized the potential of the city, investing in fishing, aquaculture, and energy. Their legacy helped lay the foundation for GenSan’s economic rise. B – Boxing Capital The word boxing is synonymous with GenSan. Here, makeshift gyms and open-air rings are part of the landscape, producing champions (Rolando Navarette, Manny Pacquiao, etc) who dream of emulating the city’s most famous fighter. For the "Generals", the sport is not just entertainment but a metaphor ...
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Cultivating Culture: A Call to Enrich the Soul of General Santos City

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  General Santos City is a vibrant economic hub, well-known for its bustling port, thriving tuna industry, and entrepreneurial spirit. With a population approaching one million, it stands as one of the most progressive cities in Mindanao. Yet, amid its economic strides, an essential dimension of its identity remains undernourished: its cultural life. Beyond the colorful costumes and celebratory tones of the annual Kalilangan Festival, cultural infrastructure in the city is painfully sparse. There is only one public library—ill-equipped to serve a digitally connected youth—and just two modest museums housed within Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU) and Mindanao State University (MSU) Tambler. These institutions, though founded on noble aspirations, suffer from chronic underfunding and underutilization. Art galleries are non-existent, cultural workshops rare, and heritage preservation efforts minimal. Culture is not a luxury; it is an essential driver of civic pride, social ...
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Building an Educational Innovation Precinct in General Santos City

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General Santos City has long been recognized for its entrepreneurial energy, thriving fisheries industry, and strategic location in Mindanao. Yet, beyond commerce and agriculture, the city holds an untapped potential to become a knowledge and innovation hub (Pendatun and Roxas Avenues, and Jose P. Laurel Avenue)—already home to two universities - Mindanao State University and Notre Dame of Dadiangas University - with colleges of medicine, nursing, and robust graduate schools—represent the beginnings of what could be transformed into a full-fledged educational innovation precinct. Educational innovation precincts are strategic clusters where universities, industries, and communities intersect to create and commercialize knowledge, train a future-ready workforce, and stimulate inclusive economic growth. With deliberate planning and investment, General Santos City can join the growing ranks of cities that leverage knowledge precincts to diversify their economies and position themselves f...
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Maximizing Public Value: The Case for Better Utilization of Local Government-Owned Sports and Cultural Facilities

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Across cities and municipalities in the Philippines, sports and cultural facilities built by local government units (LGUs) stand as powerful symbols of public investment. In General Santos City, prime examples include the 6,000-seat Lagao Gymnasium , the historic Pedro Acharon Sports Complex , and a variety of barangay-owned entertainment and cultural venues scattered throughout communities. These facilities, constructed with taxpayer funds, hold immense potential not only as venues for recreation and sports but also as hubs for community development, youth engagement, and even local tourism. However, their impact remains largely untapped due to underutilization, poor maintenance, and the lack of strategic programming. Sports and cultural facilities serve more than just their immediate purpose. They foster community pride, promote healthy lifestyles, engage youth in productive activities, and offer spaces for collective expression and cultural preservation. The Lagao Gymnasium, for i...
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