Anecdotes on Gen. Santos "The Man"

March 27, 2010, I got the chance to visit Capas National Shrine for the second time. During the first visit, we were not able to make a stop over at the museum they have at the parkland. I was kind of sad since I wanted to see what’s inside.

But after 2 months, I was very excited since I was able to come back. This time, Sherwin and I made our second stop at the museum, the first one at the Death March Boxcars, I had goose bumps and got teary-eyed but that’s another story.

Anyways, we made our way inside the museum (Gen. Francisco Hall), went around looking at very old pictures and reading at very old manuscripts and I was very surprised to see a picture of Gen. Paulino Santos. I only have vague information with this particular general since I’m not that into history.

Gen. Paulino Santos led the first settlers mostly from Luzon on a boatload via M/V Basilan of the Compania Maritima on the 27th of February year 1939. They tilled the land for the longest time and improved its condition for living.

Apparently, their arrival have driven the B'laans who has been inhabiting the place although nomadic in nature, into the mountains.

Today, Gensan is a renowned city wherein a few well-known individuals had came from..

Before Gensan...it was Dadiangas!

(A plant used to be named after Gensan)

Some 71 years ago, February 27, 1939 to be exact, before Gen. Paulino Santos led the first 69 settlers in the city of General Santos popularly known today as Gensan, it has once been named as Dadiangas. Back then, it was a barrio in which dadiangas trees? can be seen all over the place.

As a general, who have been born and raised in Dadiangas, I often asked and wonder why it was called as such. I’ve gotten a few answers of course… “it has been named after a tree which abounds the whole area..” and when I got to the part of asking “have you seen one?” mostly would say, “it has thorns all over and its huge but I have not seen it, they say you can find one in the plaza!”

Eventually, 30 years after I was born… (Thank you very much to Bariles Republic!)

"a dadiangas shrub!"

It wasn’t a tree after all, but it was a shrub! And it’s there just across the City Hall, nearly beside the monument of Rizal. But it has thorns all over, has yellow tiny flowers and fruits the size of a marble. And guess what? it’s known to be a good source of firewood, maybe the sole reason for its extinction.

I have passed along that spot so many times before and I have probably seen it but took no notice of that plant since I was for the longest time been looking for a tree with thorns!

My heart goes to that shrub, many people did not know including me that one particle of GenSan’s history can be found right there at the heart of the city. No marker has been put to recognize its importance. Many would say, it’s just a shrub… I guess so… but before Gensan, it was DADIANGAS.

I was sad for a while, looking at the only dadiangas shrub in Gensan Park now Plaza Heneral Santos. So little I know of important things about my hometown. When I grow old, maybe have some kids… I would love to tell them about that plant which was used to be named after GenSan…”

Now, I’ve had a good deal of first streak history lesson. One down many more to go!

(and i'm glad i was able to share this with my bebe..)