PUROK 5 IN FATIMA, GENERAL SANTOS CITY: ITS CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT

This research aims to provide the information on how Purok 5 in Barangay Fatima, General Santos City as created. The actual landscape and experiences of the place and of the pioneering settlers, respectively, are also discussed. The former pasture land was settled by primarily informal settlers of the City and then followed by people coming from other places who found jobs in the booming local economy. The original Purok 5 in Barangay Fatima, General Santos City also known as Labus is at present divided further into three, namely: Purok 14, Purok 15 and Purok 37th IB as per decision of the City Planning and Housing.as a response to the rapidly increasing number of migrants. The making of Purok 5 and its subdivision was marked with constant battle between inhospitable frontier and the relentless character and resilient spirit of the people. What it becomes today is a testament of the victory of man over nature. Barangay Fatima was formerly part of Barangay Tambler and during those times, the place was very hot and dry due to less precipitation, less accessible roads and far from source of water supply but the determination of the City Officials and the resolve of the pioneering settlers turned around the even the biggest highly urbanized Barangay in the City of General Santos. The researcher had conducted preliminary surveys on the geographical description of the place, conducted background studies on the people and then finally made data gathering work using interview with identified Key Informants (Kls) like Mrs. Cecilia Largo who exemplified the people's determination to forge a home in this side of the City.