General Santos

Summary data
Typecity (highly urbanized)
Island groupMindanao
RegionSOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)
Barangay count26
Postal code9500
Coastal/Landlockedcoastal
Marine waterbodiesSarangani Bay [Celebes Sea]
Philippine major island(s)Mindanao
Area (2013)492.86 km2 (190.29 sq mi)
Population (2020)697,315
Density (2020)1,415 / km2 (3,664 / sq mi)
Coordinates6° 7' North, 125° 10' East (6.1139, 125.1717)
Estimated elevation above sea level18.0 meters (59.1 feet)

General Santos, formerly known as Dadiangas, is a coastal highly urbanized city in the SOCCSKSARGEN region. Although administratively independent due to its distinction as highly urbanized city, General Santos is commonly grouped with the province of South Cotabato.

The city has a land area of 492.86 square kilometers or 190.29 square miles. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 697,315. This represented 14.23% of the total population of the SOCCSKSARGEN region. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 1,415 inhabitants per square kilometer or 3,664 inhabitants per square mile.

Barangays

General Santos has 26 barangays as shown in the following table.

Demographic profile of barangays
Local government units of General Santos
BarangayPopulation percentage (2020)Population (2020)Population (2015)Change (2015‑2020)Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020)
Apopong8.36%58,31446,38425.72%4.94%
Baluan1.70%11,8617,61155.84%9.79%
Batomelong0.43%2,9673,235-8.28%-1.80%
Buayan1.65%11,48711,1962.60%0.54%
Bula4.42%30,84531,363-1.65%-0.35%
Calumpang12.58%87,71875,34216.43%3.25%
City Heights3.49%24,34324,0141.37%0.29%
Conel2.28%15,93111,16442.70%7.77%
Dadiangas East0.49%3,3874,746-28.63%-6.85%
Dadiangas North0.98%6,8018,056-15.58%-3.50%
Dadiangas South0.69%4,8156,199-22.33%-5.18%
Dadiangas West1.88%13,09013,827-5.33%-1.15%
Fatima10.41%72,61366,4609.26%1.88%
Katangawan2.49%17,35513,94824.43%4.71%
Labangal11.05%77,05261,71324.86%4.78%
Lagao7.70%53,70650,7895.74%1.18%
Ligaya0.96%6,6885,29826.24%5.03%
Mabuhay5.40%37,62928,28833.02%6.19%
Olympog0.64%4,4553,35232.91%6.17%
San Isidro9.32%64,95852,83222.95%4.45%
San Jose1.94%13,50411,33319.16%3.76%
Siguel2.25%15,68712,75722.97%4.45%
Sinawal2.65%18,46713,28539.01%7.18%
Tambler4.52%31,53921,47446.87%8.43%
Tinagacan1.20%8,3446,32231.98%6.02%
Upper Labay0.54%3,7593,4588.70%1.77%
General Santos Total697,315594,44617.31%3.42%

Economy

The annual regular revenue of General Santos for the fiscal year of 2016 was 1,824,588,811.32.

details
Annual regular income of General Santos (2009‑2016)
Fiscal YearAnnual Regular IncomeChange
20091,073,923,206.94
20101,193,501,286.7111.13%
20111,306,489,382.409.47%
20121,238,426,981.47-5.21%
20131,315,486,245.296.22%
20141,476,322,412.3112.23%
20151,602,993,740.078.58%
20161,824,588,811.3213.82%

End notes:

  • Annual Regular Income = Locally Sourced Revenue + Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) Current Year + Other Shares from National Tax Collection
  • Locally Sourced Revenue = Real Property Tax (General Fund) + Tax on Business + Other Taxes + Regulatory Fees + Service/User Charges + Receipts from Economic Enterprises

Demographics

Households

The household population of General Santos in the 2015 Census was 592,884 broken down into 144,340 households or an average of 4.11 members per household.

details
Number of households in General Santos (1990‑2015)
Census dateHousehold populationNumber of householdsAverage household size
249,67846,1445.41
325,28965,5094.97
410,84886,5954.74
528,011111,9274.72
536,566125,3684.28
592,884144,3404.11

Population by age group

According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in General Santos is 15 to 19, with 61,928 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 2,738 individuals.

details
Population of General Santos by age group (2015 census)
Age groupPopulation (2015)Age group percentage
Under 114,3992.42%
1 to 454,4699.16%
5 to 960,37810.16%
10 to 1458,1019.77%
15 to 1961,92810.42%
20 to 2460,90910.25%
25 to 2953,4418.99%
30 to 3445,1717.60%
35 to 3940,6416.84%
40 to 4435,7626.02%
45 to 4931,4795.30%
50 to 5424,9264.19%
55 to 5919,1103.21%
60 to 6413,9022.34%
65 to 698,6901.46%
70 to 745,0310.85%
75 to 793,3710.57%
80 and over2,7380.46%
Total594,446100.00%
  • Youth Dependency Ratio: 48.38
  • Old Age Dependency Ratio: 5.12
  • Total Dependency Ratio: 53.5
  • Median Age: 23.94

Historical population

The population of General Santos grew from 85,861 in 1970 to 697,315 in 2020, an increase of 611,454 people over the course of 50 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive growth rate of 3.42%, or an increase of 102,869 people, from the previous population of 594,446 in 2015.

details
Population of General Santos (1903‑2020)
Census datePopulationGrowth rate
85,861
91,1541.21%
149,39610.38%
250,3895.30%
327,1735.14%
411,8225.06%
529,5423.53%
538,0860.58%
594,4461.91%
697,3153.42%

The total number of registered voters or electorate in General Santos for the year 2019 was 301,106, broken down into 139,872 males and 161,234 females.

Location

The city center of General Santos is situated at approximately 6° 7' North, 125° 10' East, in the island of Mindanao. Elevation at these coordinates is estimated at 18.0 meters or 59.1 feet above mean sea level.

Distances

Based on the great-circle distance (the shortest distance between two points over the surface of the Earth), the cities closest to General Santos are Koronadal, South Cotabato, Digos, Davao del Sur, Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat, Kidapawan, Cotabato, Davao City, and Samal, Davao del Norte. The nearest municipalities are Alabel, Sarangani, Polomolok, South Cotabato, Malapatan, Sarangani, Malungon, Sarangani, Glan, Sarangani, and Maasim, Sarangani. Its distance from the national capital is 1,043.78 kilometers (648.57 miles). The following list delineates such distance measurements.

great-circle distance

Nearest towns

Nearest cities

Distance from Manila: 1,043.78 kilometers (648.57 miles) to the North‑Northwest (N26°W)

Notes

  1. Unless otherwise specified, population count (excluding percentages), household data, and land area figures are derived from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
  2. Data on registered voters is from the Commission on Elections.
  3. Data on annual regular income is from the Bureau of Local Government Finance, Department of Finance
  4. Postal code information is from the Philippine Postal Corporation.
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