General Santos City, over the years has positioned itself as one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Lying between latitudes 5 58' and 6 20 North and between longitudes 125 1 and 125 17' East, the city is around 1050 radial kilometers southeast of Manila, 485 radial kilometers southeast of Cebu and 150 radial kilometers southwest of Davao.

This port city is bounded in the south by the magnificent Sarangani Bay and Mt. Matutum, the highest peak in South Cotabato, towering at 2,293 meters above sea level, in the far north.

General Santos City's ideal geographic location with access to the rich fishing grounds of the south and the fertile valleys of Cotabato, makes the city undeniably the center of tripolar activities of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Davao del Sur. Moreover, agriculture and marine products of these provinces find access to the national and international markets through the city's premier port, the Makar Wharf which is one of the most modern installations in the country.

Because of the city's good weather, with its typhoon-free location and evenly distributed rainfall, the city and surrounding areas have enormous economic and development investment potentials. It is now the center of three major regional improvements for the integrated transport system in Southern Mindanao including an international airport, highway facilities and the modernization and expansion of Makar seaport. There are also large rivers, numerous streams innundating the land and making the soil very rich, giving credence to Mindanao's monicker, "Land of Promise."

The City of General Santos also boasts its great potential for tourism development due to its geographical location, transportation facilities and distinctive cultural heritage. Beaches and natural spring resorts are its major tourists attractions while its tribal festivities remain to be very much attended and participated events.

At the rate everything is going, South Cotabato's only chartered city may indeed turn out to be the next major trading center in Southern Mindanao after Davao, the current pacesetter in the region's development. And the people of General Santos City are seriously working on it.

Now the city is positioning itself to be an investor's haven in Mindanao, and the expansive role of the port of General Santos in the city's ascent as one of the major investment and agro-processing centers of Region XI is highly recognized. Considering its strategic location within the southeast Asian economic zone and its proximity to its Asean neighbors like Singapore, Malaysia, Borneo, New Guinea and Australia, General Santos is indeed a Gateway to the Asean economic zone (Port District Southern Mindanao, 1994).

More about General Santos City
About SOCSARGEN (South Cotabato, Sarangani & General Santos City)
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