GENERAL SANTOS AIRPORT ASSISTANCE

History General Santos International Airport

In 1993, the airport, which, at the time, would be the largest airport in Mindanao, was built mainly on a fund granted by the United States Government amounting to US$47.6 million through its United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Philippine Government, through the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), has co-shared 25% of the total project cost of the airport. It is strategically situated on a 5,994,577-square-meter (599.4577 hectares) plot of high-altitude, government-owned and formerly leased pasture land in Barangay Fatima approximately 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) away from the central business district of General Santos.

It was rumored that the construction of the airport was part of a forward strategy of the US Military forces in the Philippine Islands in an, accordingly, apparent attempt to reestablish their presence in Southeast Asia.This allegation came out a few years later after the Americans' eviction from their installations at Subic Naval Base, Olongapo, and Clark Air Base, Pampanga in 1992. Both the U.S. and the Philippine governments denied the allegation.

Upon the opening of the new airport in 1996, it has since gotten hold of the record as the biggest airport facility in the island of Mindanao, which has then become a very promising addition to the potential of the city in its bid to become a "Boom Town"—which means rapidly developing urban center—as it was indeed dubbed as is during the time. All flights, in small aircraft, to and from Iloilo and Cebu cities by the national flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) that were previously operating in the old and smaller Buayan Airport has since then landed and departed in this new and far better airport facility. On the first few weeks of operation of the new airport, PAL has initially deployed its Boeing 737-300 aircraft to serve its special direct flights to and from the capital to serve the travel needs for the ongoing Palarong Pambansa sports event being held during the time. As before there were no direct flights going to and from the capital of Manila to General Santos as PAL could not utilize its wider body and long range aircraft to safely land and take off in the city's old and smaller Buayan Airport. During then, there were only two options for air travelers to get to Manila by air from General Santos and vice versa. One, is to take and wait for a connecting flight to Manila upon arrival in Mactan–Cebu International Airport in Cebu, and second, is to take a tiresome and lengthy 4-hour land travel by land to Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City to catch a direct flight to Manila and vice versa.

Runway General Santos International Airport

General Santos International Airport has a single 3,227-meter (10,587 ft) runway with a width of 45 meters (148 ft), designated as runway 17/35. Made entirely of reinforced concrete and macadam, the airport's runway is the third-longest runway in the Philippines, after Runway 06/24 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport (3,737 meters, 12,260 ft) and Runway 04/22 of Mactan–Cebu International Airport (3,300 meters, 10,800 ft) respectively and is capable of handling the Airbus A380. It is the first airport in Mindanao to have accommodated the landing and takeoff of Boeing 747 aircraft.

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