ABS-CBN TV 5 Socsksargen was gracious enough to tag us on a video documentary which they aired very recently.

This was their “GENSAN AT 75: Sulyap sa Nakaraan”, The Kalilangan Festival 2014 TV Special”.

Please note that General Santos City is currently celebrating its 75th Foundation Anniversary commemorating the time in 1939 when General Paulino Santos, then the General Manager of the National Land Settlement Authority and the first batch of “settlers” from Luzon landed on the shores of what was then known as Buayan to begin a government-funded settlement here.

old gensan, lagao settlement
THE LAGAO SETTLEMENT IN THE 1940s. PHOTO COURTESY OF CARMEN ROYECA.

The city now celebrates this annual milestone through the holding of the Kalilangan Festival which aims to honor not only the pioneering group of migrants but also the other tribes who have made Dadiangas their home.

Now to orient you on the history of General Santos City and give you snippets of the recent festivity celebrating its 75th Foundation, here is the video: “GenSan at 75: Sulyap sa Nakaraan” – The Kalilangan 2014 TV Special. Noteworthy mentionig is the timely fact that hosting it is a great grand daughter of General Paulino Santos, ABS-CBN news reporter, Beverly Anne Santos.

Thanks to ABS-CBN TV 5 Socsksargen for producing this, especially Team Magandang Umaga Socsksargen.  We urge everyone to share this gem of a video to others and find out how the little dusty prairie settlement that survived all odds came to be the success story of a city that it is now.