General Santos - Infrastructure and Access

Infrastructure and Access

The city is the gateway to the opportunities, sights, sounds and culture of SOCCSKSARGEN region. Backed with world class infrastructure today, GenSan and the whole of SOCCSKSARGEN region can be reached by air, land, sea or even via the most advanced form of technology from virtually any part of the world.

• 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.

• Air

The General Santos International Airport is the largest airport in Mindanao. It has a 3,227-metre concrete runway capable of handling wide-bodied jets like Airbus A340 and Boeing 747-400. Flights to and from Manila, Iloilo and Cebu cities are currently being operated in the airport, by Philippine Airlines, Airphil Express and Cebu Pacific Air, servicing an ever increasing demand in the volume of both passenger and cargo traffic to and from the city and SOCCSKSARGEN region.

• Sea

The Makar Wharf is the main international port of the city and is one of the finest ports in the country. It is located approximately 2 km away from the central business district. With a 740 metres (2,430 ft) docking length and a 19 metres (62 ft) width, the wharf can accommodate up to nine (9) ship berthing positions all at the same time. The port is complete with modern facilities like container yards, storage and weighing bridges to name a few. Several shipping companies operate regular inter-island ferry service to and from other major ports in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Negros Navigation, SuperFerry and Sulpicio Lines provide these inter-island shipping routes while numerous Indonesian shipping lines operate international ferry service between General Santos City and neighboring ports in Indonesia carrying both passenger and cargo loads.

• Land

Commuting in and around General Santos City is a fast and convenient ride. More than 400 passenger buses and jeepneys wield routes within the city and neighboring provinces. Three-wheeled motorized cabs known as tricycles are the city's main mode of public transport and have been on the road since the pioneering times. Air-conditioned taxis 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 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. Buses and other forms of public mass transportation—to and from various parts of Mindanao and the country—are being stationed at the said terminal. A proposed Laoag-Manila-General Santos City and vice versa bus route may soon be operational by Partas, a mass transport company based in Cubao, Quezon City.