P2Billion Robinsons Gen. Santos Mall begins construction

06/20/2008 by bariles in Landmarks with 302 Comments - 16,609 Views

After years and years of speculation, the wait is finally over!

Robinsons has just begun the construction of what should be one of the biggest investment projects in the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, General Santos City in years!

This project, a first-class shopping center reportedly costing P2 billion pesos and to be known as Robinsons General Santos, is under the Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), a JG Summit Company headed by Chairman Emeritus, John Gokongwei, Jr.

Situated in an 8.5 hectare property acquired by the Gokongwei’s in the late 80s along the corner of Jose Catolico Avenue, National Highway and the Bula-Lagao Road, this proposed edifice is about 500 meters away from the KCC Mall and the Gaisano Mall.

Clearing of the land has began almost a week ago after a series of meetings between RLC people and the local authorities including GenSan Mayor Pedro Acharon, Jr. It will be remembered that years ago, before a series of bombings rocked the city, they were supposedly set on starting this project back then and have even applied for a building permit. Eventually due to the barbaric terroristic incidents, they held off….. until now.

The Robinsons Gen. Santos site at corner J. Catolico Avenue (going right) and Bula-Lagao road (going left)

And so with Robinsons’ impending move to go ahead with their project, the city government will be awarding them incentives in form of tax breaks. “Mall operations” is one of the top “investment priority areas” under the city’s New Investment Code.

Robinsons Gen. Santos will be a two-storey mall which will house the company’s flagship stores- Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Appliances, Handyman Do It Center plus four Robinsons’ cinemas.

Aside from that is a Bingo center, an Amusement center and lots and lots of rentable spaces for retail shops and boutiques, restaurants and dining establishments.

More than 500 workers will be hired for the construction of the biggest of all of the Gensan malls and about 700 personnel will be employed once it becomes operational. I learned that the Robinson’s management has pledged that 80% of their new hires will all be locals which redounds well for the benefit of the city’s new graduates and unemployed but skilled workforce.

Bula-Lagao Road

Meanwhile, according to a very reliable source, the SM group for its part is now on its final talks with the owners of a prime 8-hectare property along Santiago Boulevard which they have optioned to lease for their own mall.

And with NCCC of Davao recently opening its warehouse outlet at Kimball Plaza‘s old bodega at Leon Llido Street, signs may be pointing to their eventual entry into the Mall business in GenSan considering that they also have a four-hectare property along the National Highway.

Wow! All these only mean one thing – more and more investors are now seeing Gen. Santos city in a new light and are beginning to realize the truth in the Tuna Capital of the Philippines being named twice as the Most Competitive Mid-Sized City in the country.

Robinsons Gen. Santos is scheduled to open during the 2nd quarter of 2009. Check back here for regular updates.

Updates: More photos of the mall site…

The Robinsons Lot now with its new fence.

A grader doing ground clearing inside the Robinsons lot.

Tagged City Investment Code, GAisano Mall, gensan mall, JG Summit, John Gokongwei Jr., KCC Mall, Kimball Plaza, Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr., Robinsons Land Corporation, Robinsons Malls

302 Comments

gensanfanatic10/11/2008 at 3:36 PMReply

hago jud….jeje! hago na pud ta ani suroy sa mall….of course my supermarket tlga yan ang robinson’s gensan….

hago kay ang sm murag naa ko naagap na di matuloy….sad to hear that…
naj10/12/2008 at 10:47 AMReply

nakz.. b4 ako umalis.. wala pa yan ah.. ngayon mlapit na matapos… xited na ako umuwi ng gensan… ahahhhahaa^^
Toinks10/12/2008 at 10:51 AMReply

@gensanfanatic – I won’t be surprised at all if SM will defer their mall here in Gensan…that may be due to global economic crisis we are going through right now plus the impending rise of construction materials specially imported ones…so sad indeed.
rodner/pixar/rodney10/12/2008 at 11:02 AMReply

sus may iba pang mga pictures? pra makakta sad ang iba kung unsa ang update sa mall… especially sa mga lagyong lugar..
TISOY10/14/2008 at 12:56 PMReply

baw kagwapo sa GENSAN karon atbang sa CITY HALL GenSan City park to undergo P22.5-M makeover
charity10/15/2008 at 8:54 AMReply

Maayo eh kon magadto mi dha daghan na mi laagan nga mall kay nag sige lang mi og balik balik sa duha ka mall. see yah in 2010.
jasper012710/15/2008 at 3:04 PMReply

@charity – tama ka talaga charity pag uwi nyo sa 2010 2 na ka mall ang madagdag mamili nalang kayo kung saan mamasyal
jan10/16/2008 at 6:30 PMReply

sana pag bukas ng robinsons wag nyong kalimutan ang kcc at gaisano
gianna bernadine10/17/2008 at 12:45 PMReply

sasarap lalo ang shopping sa gensan! is it true na mgoopen ang starbucks sa gensan? o chismis lng?

-gianna-Singapore
jasper012710/17/2008 at 4:40 PMReply

possible na may starbucks sa rob wag lang kayong mag alala darating din tayo dyan anyways marami namang coffee shop dito sa gensan.
epm10/20/2008 at 8:51 PMReply

May starbucks na ba sa Davao? Coz kung wala pa it’s going to be a long shot pa sa Gensan…
nida10/21/2008 at 1:37 AMReply

@epm – Bawal pala mauna ang Gensan sa Davao magkaroon ng Starbucks coffee???…
jasper012710/21/2008 at 1:19 PMReply

Actually meron ng starbucks ang davao at cagayan de oro kung magkaroon na sa Gensan pangatlo tayo sa Mindanao na may starbucks
epm10/21/2008 at 5:58 PMReply

Originally Posted By nida @epm – Bawal pala mauna ang Gensan sa Davao magkaroon ng Starbucks coffee???…

^It’s not really bawal… Hopefully there will be one the soonest possible time. Having a starbucks would really be a bragging rights for every General!
nida10/21/2008 at 7:57 PMReply

@jasper0127 – diha??? asa sa dabaw og cagayan ang ilang starbucks? as in jud?? kasi ang alam ko lang na provincial outlets ng starbuck ay sa may batangas, baguio and cebu po. sana meron na sa Gensan…:-)
jasper012710/22/2008 at 8:33 AMReply

@nida – one month palang sa Davao text ko muna friend ko di ko alam ang exact location, sa CDO sa may Limketkai Center actually di pa sila nag open still on going pa ila renovation siguro mga mid of November open na sila.
jasper012710/22/2008 at 8:41 AMReply

what a big deal of starbucks? almost the same lang yan sa coffee dream and orange bistro diba?
TISOY10/22/2008 at 3:24 PMReply

GOOD NEWS!!! sa mga LAGAWENYO soon to open Mercury Drugs located at J.Catolico Avenue corner San pedro street.hayan garantisado ang gamot niyo baka 24 hours open hehehehhee!!
TISOY10/22/2008 at 3:31 PMReply

@BERNS – gawas sa imong pugaran para kita ka ug tinuud na development sa gensan…basig nang itum na imong mata sa kamukmuk sa balay ninyo…heheheheh!! joke
TISOY10/22/2008 at 3:34 PMReply

@nida – mas duul pa gani kcc ug gaisano naay jollibee…lols
jasper012710/24/2008 at 4:41 PMReply

When magstart and construction ng Robinsons Cybergate Davao?
jasper012710/24/2008 at 4:43 PMReply

Bakit 13,000 sq m. lang ang floor area ng robinsons davao compare sa Gensan na 85,000 plus?
jasper012710/24/2008 at 4:45 PMReply

Sana may ayala center rin tayo like davao and cebu.
busyjay10/24/2008 at 9:17 PMReply

@jasper0127 – uhmmm, naka-focus kasi sa call center ang davao… wala silang robinson’s mall
nida10/25/2008 at 2:16 AMReply

@busyjay – Hindi ah, ang Robinson’s Cybergate Davao ay isang mall pa rin pero may facilities ito to accomodate call centers…sana meron din ang Robinson’s Place GenSan…Hindi lang Hotel kundi pati Call centers na rin sana
rodner/pixar/rodney10/25/2008 at 9:40 AMReply

.nag sisimula na na construction ang rob cybergate davao mas uuna pa clang mag open compare to gensan..
jasper012710/25/2008 at 11:20 AMReply

@busyjay – thanks for the info ganon ba I thought may rob mall at the same time call center anyway its okay marami namang naglalakihang malls ang davao.
dezz10/30/2008 at 4:39 AMReply

I saw this when were there on vacation last month. This must be huge mall in the city!

dezzs last blog post..Get Rid Of Your Pesky Extra Pounds
Pacnoy10/31/2008 at 5:55 PMReply

abaw..puro n lng kamo storya…waay plano ba!!!kamo n lng mag plano kung may billion kamo…ti,murag kamo may kwarta pangshopping man lng…hekhekhek
TISOY10/31/2008 at 7:43 PMReply

@jasper0127 – dili man gyud 85,000 hectare ang magamit apil na ang parking lot kaya sa davao maliit space pero pataas ang style ng mall nila..
TISOY10/31/2008 at 7:45 PMReply

@jan – pag huma mo maayo taga koronadal para magka SM pud ug Robinson dehaa..hehehheheh! peace…
Pacnoy11/01/2008 at 12:09 PMReply

nganga lng kmo pag may mall na…hekhekhek..hago!!
Pacnoy11/01/2008 at 12:14 PMReply

adikkkkk…..puro lng storya! la nmn latest dha!..
TISOY11/01/2008 at 2:38 PMReply

@jasper0127 – ayala center yung left side ng SocSarGen Hospital….
nida11/01/2008 at 6:46 PMReply

@Pacnoy – @Pacnoy – noy dali di bla anay, may ihambal lang ako simo…”lakat, puli to barrio n’yo.”
upsilonians_193511/01/2008 at 7:41 PMReply

kanus.a ba jud matindog ang rb mall.. og ang grocery nila? naga hire naba sila ug diser? pls answer
upsilonians_193511/01/2008 at 7:47 PMReply

muzta na man ka hago.. i miz u
ad jai ti banger.. hapi halwen pala sayo..
hago kau duay matapos ang mall sa gensan
sa tanang u.p.s i love u all
i love ups 11935
and hago too,,,,
upsilonians_193511/01/2008 at 7:48 PMReply

pila ba ang rate sa rb? ang casual nila pila angrate.. apply tani ko ug DJAS sa ilaha
gensanfanatic11/01/2008 at 11:27 PMReply

hmmmmmp!!!!! just looking around here what’s the latest comment…hago na mag comments… magbabasa nlng ako sa comments nyo…

the best ang ROB gensan….!
orman11/02/2008 at 5:58 AMReply

Originally Posted By jansana pag bukas ng robinsons wag nyong kalimutan ang kcc at gaisano

<a href=’#comment-4566′
i agree ! we should continue to support our local malls pa rin…

ormans last blog post..no caption
TALAKITALK11/03/2008 at 4:34 PMReply

Unta makatrabaho na ako nito…wahehehehhe
sakhie11/04/2008 at 10:58 AMReply

wow! it’s good news for the people in general santos city.. i’ve seen the development of the bulding.. if we want to apply how and where can we give or email our resume
sakhie11/04/2008 at 11:02 AMReply

asa man ta magpasa ug resume ani?
Ice 9 Web11/05/2008 at 3:36 PMReply

Robinson!
talaga spreding sila sa Mindanao ha! kasi they are also here in Davao City pero hindi pa tapos (^_^)
tanya11/15/2008 at 12:01 AMReply

oops! cud i join? (newbie here..)

so, it really is true huh.i was in cebu when this news came out. yipee!
that’s definitely good news for us fresh grads. we now have a shot into landing a job where we no longer have to be far from our dear `ol gensan.

and oh, did i read it right? 4 hectares of land. wow! thats big. bigger than cebu’s robi.

nice!

magkaka GO NUTS! na..
m1k311/20/2008 at 11:14 AMReply

Originally Posted By tanyaoops! cud i join? (newbie here..)

so, it really is true huh.i was in cebu when this news came out. yipee!
that’s definitely good news for us fresh grads. we now have a shot into landing a job where we no longer have to be far from our dear `ol gensan.

and oh, did i read it right? 4 hectares of land. wow! thats big. bigger than cebu’s robi.

nice!

magkaka GO NUTS! na..

8.5 hec po.
Emperor Green11/20/2008 at 9:42 PMReply

Originally Posted By m1k3

Originally Posted By tanyaoops! cud i join? (newbie here..)

so, it really is true huh.i was in cebu when this news came out. yipee!
that’s definitely good news for us fresh grads. we now have a shot into landing a job where we no longer have to be far from our dear `ol gensan.

and oh, did i read it right? 4 hectares of land. wow! thats big. bigger than cebu’s robi.

nice!

magkaka GO NUTS! na..

8.5 hec po.

4/3 hectres lang po ang mall ang remaining hectare ay optional lamang
Jay11/25/2008 at 4:49 PMReply

After Gensan was a Tuna Capital of Asia, Boom Town in year 2000 and now becoming Shopping Capital of the Philippines. Good luck…Go Gensan Go. Go For Gold
- bariles11/25/2008 at 5:17 PMReplyAuthor
  
  @Jay -
  hi! Thanks for commenting here. Welcome to Bariles Republic. Where are you from? Where are you now?
Jon_kw11/28/2008 at 12:22 PMReply

I missed Gensan, naging part din kunti sa syudad sa mga activities way back before.

Any updates sa Robinson and SM.. Tamang tama uuwi ko end of 1st quarter next year. Hope madami na ko galaan jan sa atin.
To help sa tourism natin, i encourage my friends here abroad to visit Tuna Capital even browsing this site nor gensan site but i think,
this is updated news and even than the government web site.

Everyday,routine ko na to open this site to read and check any updates – progress ng Gensan.

Sana po post nyo ‘yong Tuna Fest 2008 gigs and even na mga Pixs..
or email na lang po…

regards,
- bariles11/28/2008 at 2:05 PMReplyAuthor
  
  @Jon_kw – hello! Everything that you’re looking for, have been featured here already. Check out the ARCHIVES page or use the SEARCH Box on the header for anything that you’re searching here, from updates on SM to Tuna Fest 2008 pictures. Thanks for being a regular reader.
  
  You might want to subscribe here so that you won’t miss anything and will be reminded via your email that there is a new post/article.
  
  Regards din.
Jon_kw11/28/2008 at 2:57 PMReply

@bariles –

thanks for the warm welcome. i’ve already subscribed. Yes, i read those…