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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

General Santos International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

General Santos, South Cotabato Province (Philippines)

IATA: GES ICAO: RPMR

Longest Active Runway

10,587 ft

3,227 meters

Field Elevation

505 ft

154 m MSL

Runway Inventory

1 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

6.0572°, 125.0962°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#438 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#703 of 7558

Top 9.3% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Philippines)

#3 of 4 in PH

#3 of 60 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+5.9%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 GES in numbers: 10,587 ft longest runway · #438 of 650 published · #703 of 7,558 worldwide (top 9.3%) · #3 in Philippines.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: General Santos International Airport (GES)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

General Santos International Airport is Mindanao's premier heavy air-freight portal. Its 10,600 ft runway easily accommodates Boeing 747 and 777 widebody transports. Located 505 ft above sea level in the Sarangani Bay basin, GES enjoys relatively stable weather protected from the severe typhoon belts that ravage the northern Philippines, making it an indispensable national aviation asset.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Single paved Runway 17/35 (10,600 ft / 3,231 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in 1996 with grant funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to catalyze agro-industrial export growth across southern Mindanao.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Longest active runway in Mindanao, outstripping regional neighbor Davao Francisco Bangoy (DVO, 66 NM northeast).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Engineered with heavy pavement classification numbers to support widebody cargo charters carrying fresh yellowfin tuna and agricultural produce directly to East Asian and US markets.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Philippines National Civil Aviation Authority · State Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) & ICAO Annex 14 Standards

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

GES lies at 154 m (505 ft), #273 of 650 published airports by elevation and 51.9 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 225 ft above the Philippines median (280 ft, 4 airports) and the highest published airport in the country.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

No published neighbour with a paved runway of 5,000 ft or more within 100 NM of GES. Nearest published airport: Mactan Cebu International Airport (CEB), 264 NM, 10,860 ft (273 ft longer than GES); none other within 250 NM.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 10,587 ft (3,227 m)

GES runway: 17/35 10,587 × 148 ft concrete (con). National standing: #3 of 4 in Philippines; MNL leads by 1,674 ft (12,261 ft). +5.9% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
17/35	10,587 ft (3227 m / 3.227 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →