General Paulino Santos: The Pioneer Behind the City's Name
GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Few historical figures are more closely connected to General Santos City than General Paulino Santos. On February 27, 1939, he led the first large group of settlers organized under the National Land Settlement Administration to the shores of Sarangani Bay. The settlement program helped establish communities in the area, including Lagao. In 1954, the former Municipality of Buayan was renamed General Santos in his honor. His role in the settlement program eventually became deeply connected with the city's identity, although the area's history also includes the Blaan and Moro communities who were already part of the region.
The Leaders Who Helped Turn a Settlement Into a City
The city's transformation did not end with its pioneering years. Ireneo I. Santiago became the first mayor of the municipality after Buayan became a municipality in 1948, while Pedro Acharon Sr. later oversaw projects involving roads, water facilities, Makar Wharf, and the rehabilitation of the Buayan airport. Mayor Lucio A. Velayo's 1963–1967 administration coincided with significant agricultural and commercial expansion, including the arrival or growth of major agri-based companies. These developments helped create the economic foundation for the community's next chapter.
James Chiongbian and the Road to Cityhood
Another important name is Congressman James L. Chiongbian, who worked for the legislation that converted the municipality into a city without changing its name. Republic Act No. 5412 was approved on July 8, 1968, creating the City of General Santos. Antonio C. Acharon then became the city's first mayor, and the city's official history credits his administration from 1968 to 1986 with helping GenSan progress from a Third Class City to First Class A while agriculture and fishing expanded. Remembering these figures gives today's residents a chance to see that General Santos was built through many chapters—and by people working in very different ways.
