GENERAL SANTOS
The famous fish port complex in Barangay Tambler has a 750-meter quay and a 300-meter wharf for
2,000 GT reefer carriers, equipped with modern facilities that comply with international standards for fish
catch handling.
BY LEONILA R. GARCIA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TEDDY PELAEZ
The fishing industry in GenSan yields a total daily capacity of 750 metric tons of fish and employs
about 7,800 workers, which is why General Santos City is home to seven tuna processing plants
in the country. Locals in the city boast that fish and seafood do not come fresher than what are found
in their locality.
Fish were transported from the boat to the port, weighed and measured, graded, then laid out on tables to be checked by discerning buyers. The port also serves as venue for the marketing of fish and other seafood which are much cheaper there than in local markets.
Formerly known as Dadiangas, the city of GenSan was named after Gen. Paulino Santos, a
former Commanding General of the Philippine Army, and the settlement’s leading pioneer.
Since the ‘70s, GenSan has been known as “The Tuna Capital of the Philippines,” being the largest
producer of sashimi-grade tuna in the country.
