General Santos is a city in the province of South Cotabato, on the island of Mindanao, Philippines. Located on the shores of Sarangani Bay. Population – 529 542 people. (according to the 2007 census).

Geography and climate
General Santos is located in the south of the island of Mindanao, in the northern part of the Gulf of Sarangani. The area around the city is mostly flat. The climate is characterized by a large amount of precipitation, which favors agriculture.

History
The first mention of this place dates back to the 15th century, when missionaries arrived in the area from Arabia to preach Islam. The power of Muslim rulers continued under Spanish rule and was interrupted only at the end of the 19th century, when the Philippines passed into the hands of the Americans.

In 1914, the first Christians appeared here. In 1920, the Ilok community appeared. In 1938, the vast lands and rich marine resources of these places attracted the attention of Major General Paulino Santos (English) Russian, who later helped the head of the Philippines, Manuel Quezon, to develop a program to support farmers. Being appointed to manage South Cotabato, he did a lot for its development.
In 1939, Paulino Santos led the first batch of settlers who arrived on the shores of Sarangani Bay. 62 settlers, most of whom were from the most industrialized island of Luzon, arrived in what was then a purely agricultural region.

In 1948, Bayan County (as this area was called at that time) received the status of an independent municipality and the rights of a small city (English town). Six years later, in June 1954, Bayan was renamed General Santos in honor of its founder.
Between 1963 and 1967, under Mayor Lucio A. Velajo, the city’s economy experienced a major growth thanks to the support and development of the agricultural industry. On July 8, 1968, General Santos, according to the decree of the country’s leadership, received the status of a city.

Economy
Fishing is one of the main income sources of the city budget. Among all types of commercial fish, tuna is caught the most. Back in 1970, the city received the unofficial name of the “tuna capital” of the Philippines. There are 7 tuna processing plants in the city. Also in the vicinity of the city, pineapples are grown in large quantities, cassava, rice, maize, coconuts and bananas.
The port of the city is one of the largest in the country and the largest in the south of the island. Through it, trade is carried out with a number of countries, such as, for example, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, USA, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, as well as with other countries and regions of the world.
The city also has an airport (English) Russian, operating flights to Manila, Cebu and Zamboanga.

Ecology and urban development
The city is an ecologically clean city, despite the presence of industrial enterprises. This circumstance has been repeatedly noted by the leadership of the Philippines; General Santos won various awards several times, including the “most competitive city” according to the Asian Institute of Management, etc.

Culture
The city has a number of attractions and architectural monuments. Various cultural events are regularly held, including the Kalilangan festival.