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The region

Designated as Region IX, Zamboanga Peninsula consists of three provinces, namely, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay. The region of Zamboanga Peninsula was previously known as Western Mindanao before the enactment of Executive Order No. 36 on September 19, 2001.

Zamboanga History

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(2000 pop. 603,000). Located at the tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula in the Mindanao Island group in the Philippines, the City of Zamboanga is a chartered city independent of the province of Zamboanga del Sur in terms of funding, administration, and so on. The early Malay settlers known as Subanons ("people of the river") named the place Jambangan or Tambangan ("land of flowers"), and the city is still known for its many species of flowers, especially orchids. The Samal and Badjao ethnic groups who came to the city in their vintas or native boats called it Samboangan, referring to the wood poles they used to dock their boats.

The Spanish established a small garrison on the site in 1596, but they failed to hold it in the face of repeated attacks by the Moros, various Muslim ethnic groups of Malay descent who had dominated the area from the 1400s. In 1636, the Spanish reestablished themselves in what is now known as Fort Pilar, which remained the center of Spanish rule in the southern Philippines for three hundred years. A testimony to this long Spanish presence is the use of Chavacano, the chief local dialect, which is based on Spanish.

When the Americans came in 1898, the city became the capital of Moro province, which encompassed all of Mindanao and Sulu Islands. Zamboanga City attained its cityhood status on 12 October 1936 under Commonwealth Act 9 and was formally inaugurated as the City of Zamboanga on 26 February 1937. The city became a headquarters for the Japanese during World War II but was retaken by U.S. troops in March 1945.

Today the city is a trade center and port for the southern Philippine products of copra, hemp, timber, and fish. It is also a center for Moro brass and bronze ware and a collection point for the many varieties of shells found locally. In terms of religious background, the population of Zamboanga City is 75 percent Christian and 25 percent Muslim. It is considered a Christian enclave in the heart of the Muslim region of the Philippines.

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For almost three centuries, the Spaniards held the City of Zamboanga with Fort Pilar as the center of settlement. The presence of the Spaniards amidst many Filipino ethnic groups resulted in the development of a unique dialect – chavacano – a mixture of Spanish and the native dialects which is still the predominant medium of communication in the city today.

Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival or the popurlay known as Fiesta Pilar, is held in honor of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pilar at the legendary Fort Pilar. The people of Zamboanga fervently believe that the lady has served as their unifying cultural and historical symbol. In commemoration of her feast day, Zamboanga displays its devotion and enthusiasm with a nine-night procession, fireworks, an ethnic parade, a cultural show, a regatta, and the Miss Zamboanga parade. This festival runs from October 1 to 12.

http://www.zamboanga.com/images/Zamboanga_Peninsula_MAP.gif

We're proud to bring to all the Zamboangueños around the world and in our beloved City of Zamboanga, a special gift from a very special woman who helped witness the Presidential Charter creating the City of Zamboanga in 1936 - Mayor Caling Lobregat, and her city hall crew. Muchas gracias con ustedes todo.


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This memorial photo belongs in all our hearts & homes. This is our story. This is our history. Long live our City of Flowers!

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IN THE FAR SOUTH is a place bursting with life. It is a place imbued with a dizzying array of ethnic ingenuity, a home filled with delightful discoveries.

Come to the place where colorful vintas meet the sunset.
Come to the place where the call of the rolling sea reverberates.
Come to the place where the green is superfluous.
Come to the place where the most succulent of dishes can be found.
Come to the place where the Spanish legacy is met with unique dances, pilgrimages to the Shrine.
Come to the place of friendly smiles and grins of the little children

Come to the place that is Zamboanga.
Come and join us in celebrating our FIESTA PILAR!!!

"REGATTA de ZAMBOANGA 2002" witness the colorful vinta's on display

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"CULTURAL STREET DANCING" Reviving the glorious past through dances and colorful costumes.

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at last, a thread dedicated to zamboanga. bravo!

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In addition to the main land territory of Zamboanga City, which encompasses 1,681 kilometers (645 square mile), there are (officially) 29 islands that are part of its principality, and all of them are now named. The most popular of these islands is the Great Santa Cruz Island, and most deservedly so. Its tantalizingly beautiful scenery encompasses the rare "pink sand" (a coloration effect of white sand mixed with red coral sand), crystal clear blue water, and the symphony of varied living corals, abundant colorful tropical sea life, and island vegetation. It is truly a wonderland.

at last, a thread dedicated to zamboanga. bravo!

http://www.pilmap.com.ph/PILMAP%20(Romantic%20Destination)/images/Hermosa_Festival_04.gif

Thanks, Im trying to learn more about my grandfather's provincial roots! :)

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Cawa-cawa Boulevard at Dusk, Zamboanga City


Zamboanga City is located on the western most peninsula of the big island of Mindanao, the Philippines. It is a busy international port strategically located on the Basilan Straight.

The city has long been a bastion of Spanish intelligentsia, and is home to some of the finest educational institutions in the country and around Asia. The literacy rate of the region, and of the country in general, is one of the highest in all of Asia.

The Spanish culture influences the way of life of the Zamboangueños. The culture blends harmoniously with Moorish and western influence.

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Regatta de Zamboanga

Zamboanga City's Art history spans a period of over 500 years, with heavy influence coming from the Malay and Spanish culture early on, and the West more recently. Countless, and quite priceless, artefacts dating back to over a thousand years have been excavated in the early 1900s by American archaeologists during their occupation of the Philippines in the vicinities of Zamboanga and Mindanao. Many of these artefacts are currently housed in "vaults" of some major U.S. universities, inaccessible to the general public.

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Moro School Zamboanga, Mindanao, P.I.

Zamboanga City is also a centre for Moro brassware and bronze ware, and a collecting point for numerous varieties of shells, which are exported or used locally for button manufacture and many other products and souvenirs. The Philippine Archipelago is home to over a third of the world's known sea shells, and Zamboanga's Great Santa Cruz Island is home to many shells and corals, and the pristine "pink" sand - a coloration effect of the white sand and red coral sand mixed together.

http://www.lakbaypilipinas.com/images/mindanao_zamboanga_fort_pilar.jpg

Fort Pilar with its world-renowned religious shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar, was built in the 17th century by the Spanish soldiers, along with their Jesuit counterparts, for the protection of Christian settlers against Moro (Muslim) pirates, and other marauding invaders from nearby Chinese and Dutch outposts. It now houses the Fort Pilar Museum, one the few national historic museum chain that houses cultural artefacts of the region, and a wealthy display of its surrounding rich marine and natural life.

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Rio Hondo, Taluksangay, and Campo Muslim are nearby Muslim villages built on stilts over water. Indigenous peoples include the Tau Sugs, Samals, and Yakans. The colourful Bajau, or sea gypsies, ply the waters of the Basilan Straight for fish, coral, and shells; they live on board their multi-hued vintas (sailboats) and take temporary shelter in stilt-raised homes during storms.

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Valderosa St. is just beside the City Hall, walking thru this street gives you a feeling like you're in a time warp. Old houses and palm trees still stands along the street, it gives you a glimpse of the past. This street will lead you to Bayot Hotel now known as Lantaka Hotel by the sea.

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http://www.jetlink.com.ph/~zambo/Images/vianda2.gif

Zamboanga cuisine is like its exotic Chabacano: basically Spanish with an admixture of local tongues, thus endowing it with a delectable gastronomical flavor that provides a rich cultural experience as well. This was especially true in the old days when Castilian influence rubbed off quite thickly on the people of that little Spanish town, now revered in prose as "un glorioso pedaza del corazon de Castilla" (a glorious piece of the heart of Spain).

Most Zamboanga dishes are Spanish in origin. Others, like bagon de gata, tamales, and those with heavy dependence on gata (coconut cream/milk) are distinctly indigenous. Yet, even the most native of local foods, namely the sinigang, Spanish influence is evident in the use of herbal spices, such as tanglad (lemon grass), and bambawing (a "weed" which seems to be peculiar to Zamboanga, and looks and smells like a "wild" member of the basil family). Olive oil is often used for some fish preparations.

Following are some popular old Zamboanga recipes contributed by Mrs. Anacleta Garcia-Orendain who, by consanguinity and affinity, comes from two old families well known in the culinary art. Like most traditional cooks, Mrs. Orendain has not methodically documented her recipes into precise or standard kitchen directions. Thus her descriptions of how to cook the following dishes may have what has been called a "stream of consciousness" quality about it.

We therefore advise the adventurous cook to proceed with caution in trying to follow these loving recipes, understanding what every good cook knows: that feel and intuition, rather than scientific precision, play the more important role in great cuisine. (Zamboanga Hermosa, 1984)

-oOo-

MENU UNO - VIANDA

CALLOS DE ANDALUCIA, PESCAO EN BLANCO, COCIDO OR POCHERO
ROPA VIEJA, CHICKEN PESA, NANGKA SALAD
BACALAO A LA VIZCAYNA, COCRETA DE PATATAS, GALANTINA
GATA DE NANGKA OR CAMANSE; PICKLED CAMIAS, FISH SINIGANG
BOPES, BAGON DE GATA

-oOo-

MENU DOS - POSTRE

AMBROSIA SALAD, TAMALES ZAMBOANGA, MAJA BLANCA (DURUL)
SAGUING REBOSAO, FLAN CON MERENGUE, SARIALA, SOPA BORRACHO

Recipe Links: http://www.jetlink.com.ph/~zambo/cuisine.htm

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Fort of "Nuestra Señora del Pilar" in Zamboanga, as it was in 1719. ( Juan de Ciscara. 1719. AGI )

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The San José Fort in Zamboanga - later renamed "Nuestra Señora del Pilar"- was built in 1635 and was the most important on the island of Mindanao. It was demolished in the 17th century and rebuilt in 1718 as part of the defense system of the Visayan islands and other Spanish posts.

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Over the past many decades, there has never been made a detailed pictorial representation of the venerable fort of the fabled City of Zamboanga, the place they refer to as "The City of Flowers." It is unfortunate that many people do not have the capacity or the interest to present this pictorial of the historic Fort Pilar, the "Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragosa."

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/rv_estardo/Zamboanga_City_Fort_Pilar_flower.jpg

A pictorial history is being unfolded herein, and it is possible to picture former and present-day life in the fort through the architectural details and design of this sturdy fort that has never lost sight of its purpose of protecting its citizens.

iBienvenidos!

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Our Lady of the Pilar Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragosa City of Zamboanga Patron Saint

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wow g'leng Animo, im very very proud of what you did :applause: i'll post some pics of Zamboanga, i kept when i had it for city vs. city

The gray stonewalls of Fort Pilar are the only surviving physical manifestation of the founding and early history of the town of Zamboanga. The Fort is the oldest reminder of the Spanish presence. The historical antecedents of Fort Pilar are to be found in Spanish attempts to extend their military and missionary activities during the 16th century into the southernmost parts of the Philippines, as well as in Borneo.

The building of the fort was a strategy and measure of defense against piratical attacks. Governor Juan Cerezo de Salamanca decided to establish a military base in Zamboanga. On April 16, 1635, the building of the Fort began under the supervision of Padre Melchor de Vera, a famous Jesuit missionary engineer. It was on June 23, 1635 that the cornerstones were officially laid marking a historical milestone in the founding of Zamboanga.

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Concelebration of the Mass during the Hermosa Festival at the Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragosa at the Fort

The Fort was known then as “Real Fuerza de San Jose”, from the date of the construction up to the year 1718; It went through some reconstruction and was renamed “Real Fuerza De Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza” maintaining this name up to the time when the Americans came in 1898; Simply it was called as "Fort Pilar”

The Statue of Our Lady of the Pilar of Zaragoza, was embossed on the east wall of the stone fort in January 1734, was originally used as a frontispiece atop the main entrance was sealed, as mentioned in the account of the Spanish Jesuit, Father Creves, who visited Zamboanga that year.

The celebration of the Feast of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar ushered in one of the many highlights bringing together thousands of Zamboangueños to celebrate life and unity and making the religious event as the culminating highlight for the weeklong festivities of arts, culture, and traditional reverence, the celebration of the Fiesta Pilar in Zamboanga City every October 12 is also being observed in the district of Santa Cruz, Manila and in Zaragoza, Spain where Our Lady Pilar is the Patroness. It is observed too, throughout Spain as “Dia de la Hispanidad” or “Dia de la Raza”, as a legal holiday in most Latin American countries, and the West Indies – where it is known as “Columbus Day” or “Discovery Day” for it was on October 12, 1492, that Christopher Columbus discovered America.

Many Zamboangueños abroad unite and celebrate this day with religious fervor and reverence as they live in memory of their provenance; The many accounts of the miracles of the Lady of the Pilar as manifested in the Foiled attempt to attack the Fort by hundreds of Muslim raiders, the beautiful legend of the “Sentry and our Lady of the Pilar” is woven around an actual historical event that occurred on December 6, 1734, when the leader of the armed band from Tawi-Tawi landed at Zamboanga and tried to capture the Fort by surprise; the story of the Earthquake – tidal wave in 1897 and the killer quake – tidal waves of 1976 and the miraculous intercession of the Lady Pilar as the Protector and Patroness of Zamboanga. Thousands will find their way to pay homage to the Virgin, as they venerate her with ardent prayers, with candles and offerings of flowers making the shrine as the focal point of the festivities.

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The Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragosa at the Fort

Today as we celebrate the Fiesta Pilar, many visitors will visit the Fort Pilar as the center for our religious traditions, and as a remnant of our colorful historical past and as an veritable landmark of our heritage, our passion and religion; as it is the evidence of European military engineering and architecture conceptualized and built as a defensive outpost to check Muslim raids and as a center for evangelization, and also it came to be the enclave of Spanish military naval stopover for further campaigns and provisions.

Today it is a historical landmark and a museum of Zamboanga’s diverse material culture that is on permanent exhibit and that includes the Subanen, Sama Badjao, Yakan tribes.

It is also the showcase of the retrieved artifacts of the shipwreck “Griffin” a trade ship owned by the British East India Company, which sank off the coast of Basilan in January 20, 1761 during a storm at sea.

On the left wing ground level is the experiential exhibit of the flora and fauna of western Mindanao and the marine exhibits.

The Fort Pilar has surpassed itself not only as a bastion and citadel for defensive warfare, but as a center for the arts, culture and traditions, but it is serves as a repository of the artifacts of the history and culture of western Mindanao.

bien hecho! i didnt know you were from zamboanga, animo?

:applause: Parati niya ngang binabangit! Wow at last, a Zamboanga thread!

doc, las 5 de la madrugada na dyan, no duermes nunca? :P

Congratulations @animo for this thread! :applause:

Just a question, when was the province ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY formed? :?

Manana el mundo, hoy Zamboanga!

:applause: So you speak Chavacano Animo? Hey add some pics of those long variety mangoes. My uncle once brought some from Zamboanga and it was the best.

oops, wrong thread, delete post :D

:applause: So you speak Chavacano Animo? Hey add some pics of those long variety mangoes. My uncle once brought some from Zamboanga and it was the best.

I don't speak it but I guess had some influence. My great grandparents are from Zamboanga (my family ancestry are also from Bohol and Cebu) and some of my relatives still uses words that are Chabacano or Spanish in origin (which I thought was native, before I took Spanish classes). Their side of my family are still popular in the area because they have a great political history.

Zamboanga es una sitio preciosa!

ZAMBOANGA

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i used these pics once in ct vs ct

Christian Filipino and Muslim Filipino in one city

http://p.vtourist.com/1637243-City_Hall_Spanish_colonial_style-Zamboanga_City.jpg

Contrary to international and national press reports, Zamboanga is not a dangerous area. Muslim and Christian Filipinos here have a working multi-cultural relationship, with a notable amount of intermarriage. Undeniably there are altercations between Muslim separatists and the national government. There are certain areas where as a foreigner it is not wise to go alone, which can also be said for Los Angeles or for Berlin. In the downtown and scenic points the juxtaposition of Muslim Filipino culture and Christian Filipino culture abounds. The different ethnic settlements are interesting and accessible, from the Spanish architecture of old-time Zamboangeno families (see picture) to the Badjao sea gypsy village out over the water.

http://p.vtourist.com/1640401-Mosque_in_Taluksangay-Zamboanga_City.jpg

Zamboanga lies outside the typhoon belt, so that other than the rainy season it is not subjected to nature's wrath that visits the northern Philippines (including Manila).

Beyond the urban city proper there are great seascapes and rural landscapes, including rice fields, corn fields, fish ponds, extensive stands of coconut palms, tucked-away rural chapels and mosques, and roadside markets. The Tausug who once controlled the entire Sultanate of Sulu occupy districts such as Campo Islam while the Samal, called the peaceable people of Sulu, can be found in villages like Taluksangay. This is a fishing community and site of the oldest mosque in Western Mindanao (see picture). Residents don't mind photos or visitors.

http://p.vtourist.com/1640564-Malingkat_Flora_and_fauna-Zamboanga_City.jpg

Zamboanga is a bouquet of languages. One hears the fascinating Chavacano, a Spanish Creole spoken by Zamboanga natives. The Chavacano greeting is "Buenas Dias" and the phrase for "women" is "el maga mujer." The Tausug language is reminiscent of market Malay. Cebuano speakers from the Visayas have settled here--Cebuano is the de facto lengua franca for the Central and Southern Philippines. In addition one hears Filipino/Tagalog, the national language. In the towns almost everyone speaks some English. Peninsular Spanish is rarely spoken today.

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Aerial View of Zamboanga's Port

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Valderosa Street

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The Plaza Pershing

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Port of Zamboanga

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Old Shops

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Fort Pilar

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City Hall by Night

so is the Chavacano dialect nowadays getting endangered?

so is the Chavacano dialect nowadays getting endangered?

I read not in Mindanao but in Luzon.

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Posted by manileño

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Felices Pascuas y Prospero Año Nuevo (Zamboanga City Hall)

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Campaign banner

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Valderosa Street



bien hermosa gale el ciudad de Zamboanga! gracias contigo Animo. :)
ansina ba deberasan el maga arbol na ese ciudad? bien bonito gat, como na LA no? onde pa na Pilipinas chene akel? jeje

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Fort Pilar, Zamboanga

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How many forts did the Spanish build in the Philippines by the way? 3?
Fort Santiago, Manila
Fort San Pedro, Cebu
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga

anywhere else?

Welcome to Chavacano Speak!

Introducing the unique Chavacano de Zamboanga language in a more usual environment where it is generally used - in daily conversation.

The Chavacano speech will be presented in a normal, daily talking encounter. This will be your survival guide to conversing with the locals in a familiar voice. Let us begin.

ACQUAINTANCE

Greetings:

Chavacano:

Buenas!
Buenas dias!
Buenas Tardes!
Buenas Noches!
Bienvenidos!
Quetal?
Como esta usted?
Quetal man uste?

English:

Hello!; Hi!
Good day!; Good Morning!
Good Afternoon!
Good Evening!; Good Night!
Welcome!
Howdy!
How do you do?
How are you?

Replies:

Chavacano:

Muy bien, gracias!
or: Buenamente man, gracias!
Bueno man, a Dios gracias!
Y uste, quetal man?
Igualmente bien, gracias!; Tambien!
Bueno-bueno, man!

English:

Very well, thank you!
Quite well, thank God!
And how are you?; And you, how goes it?
Equally well, thanks!; Same!
Oh, so-so!
Okey man yo!; Okey lang!
I am okay!

buenas dias animo.. :D

nice one..........wish ko lang makapunta dito.......lot of relatives here.

Fort Pilar, Zamboanga

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a328/nomdeusuario/zamboanga.jpg
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How many forts did the Spanish build in the Philippines by the way? 3?
Fort Santiago, Manila
Fort San Pedro, Cebu
Fort Pilar, Zamboanga

anywhere else?


I guess these three are the remaining intact spanish forts in the country? Because there's also a Fort San Pedro in Ilo-ilo but leveled down already. There's also a fort I guess in Subic?

I guess these three are the remaining intact spanish forts in the country? Because there's also a Fort San Pedro in Ilo-ilo but leveled down already. There's also a fort I guess in Subic?

what happened to Iloilo's fort? Who destroyed it?
I dont think there is a fuerza in Subic but just a lighthouse.

I guess these three are the remaining intact spanish forts in the country? Because there's also a Fort San Pedro in Ilo-ilo but leveled down already. There's also a fort I guess in Subic?

There's also this really old fort called "Kota...something" in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.

ah yea, it's not just 3. i just learned that there are at least 3 more. They're in Palawan: Fort Culion built in 1740, Fort Cuyo in 1680, and Fort Labo in 1719, were all constructed by the Augustinians to ward off Muslim raiders.


This is Fort Cuyo:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a328/nomdeusuario/fortcuyo.jpg

Built during the early Spanish period, purposely to protect the people from their enemies, it is considered as one of the most ancient and unique forts in the Philippines. Within its walls are the church, the convent, and the only Perpetual Adoration chapel in Palawan. Cuyo, incidentally, became the second capital of Palawan from 1873 to 1903. Completed in 1680, the fort is a historical naval structure that was built during the early part of the Spanish colonial period. Three forts were constructed to protect its ancestors against the attacks of "" Moros"" which were prevalent during the 15th to 18th centuries. It is located in Poblacion, Cuyo, Palawan, an hour and 30 minutes by air and 24 hours by sea from Manila. Cuyo can be reached from Manila via the Air Pacific Airways. It is also accessible by sea from Puerto Princesa City and Iloilo province via MV Milagrosa, and from Manila, via MV Asuncion.

Good discovery eh?

fair lang siguro kulang pics eh:)

there is a website with lots of photos of zamboanga city (www.zamboangacity.com)

doc, las 5 de la madrugada na dyan, no duermes nunca? :P

es que bebi demasiado Red Bull ayer.....ayyyy! Now I'm feeling like a zombie - I slept 4.5 hours I think, which is nowhere near enough for me! :bash:

[QUOTE=Animo][CENTER]Christian Filipino and Muslim Filipino in one city

http://p.vtourist.com/1637243-City_Hall_Spanish_colonial_style-Zamboanga_City.jpg

Contrary to international and national press reports, Zamboanga is not a dangerous area. Muslim and Christian Filipinos here have a working multi-cultural relationship, with a notable amount of intermarriage. Undeniably there are altercations between Muslim separatists and the national government. There are certain areas where as a foreigner it is not wise to go alone, which can also be said for Los Angeles or for Berlin. In the downtown and scenic points the juxtaposition of Muslim Filipino culture and Christian Filipino culture abounds. The different ethnic settlements are interesting and accessible, from the Spanish architecture of old-time Zamboangeno families (see picture) to the Badjao sea gypsy village out over the water.

http://p.vtourist.com/1640401-Mosque_in_Taluksangay-Zamboanga_City.jpg

Zamboanga lies outside the typhoon belt, so that other than the rainy season it is not subjected to nature's wrath that visits the northern Philippines (including Manila).

Beyond the urban city proper there are great seascapes and rural landscapes, including rice fields, corn fields, fish ponds, extensive stands of coconut palms, tucked-away rural chapels and mosques, and roadside markets. The Tausug who once controlled the entire Sultanate of Sulu occupy districts such as Campo Islam while the Samal, called the peaceable people of Sulu, can be found in villages like Taluksangay. This is a fishing community and site of the oldest mosque in Western Mindanao (see picture). Residents don't mind photos or visitors.





Wow, muy hermosa indeed! I like the fusion of Christian and Islamic architecture. I'm a bit surprised by the pics of Zambuangenos...I thought the population was mainly mestizo/mestiza, in fact, they look just like other pinoys. :)

Welcome to Chavacano Speak! (continuation)

Note:

Chavacano:

(familiar, no regard to formality- singular) Quetal man evo(s)?
(familiar, no regard to formality- plural) Quetal man kamo?
(familiar and courteous - singular) Quetal man tu?
(familiar and courteous - plural) Quetal man vosotros?
(formal, and with respect, as with elders- singular) Quetal man uste?
(formal, and with respect, as with elders- plural) Quetal man ustedes?

English:

How are you?
How are you, guys?
How are you?
How are you, folks?
How are you?
How are you, (all, ladies, gentlemen, etc.)?

NOTE: Chavacano is peculiar in its emphasis on differentiating various forms of addressing someone, whether it be singular or plural, based on their level of familiarity to the speaker and how the speaker regards that person in the context of our society's mores, or simply by their mood at that moment.

Wow, muy hermosa indeed! I like the fusion of Christian and Islamic architecture. I'm a bit surprised by the pics of Zambuangenos...I thought the population was mainly mestizo/mestiza, in fact, they look just like other pinoys. :)

Well the place does have a bleed between Moorish and Spanish descents. I am not sure, but is their other places in the Philippines that have a clear mestizo population other than Manila and Zamboanga? (Cebu perhaps?)

Hi Animo:wave: My dad is Chavacano...From Pasonanca, Zamboanga City.

Hi Animo:wave: My dad is Chavacano...From Pasonanca, Zamboanga City.

:baeh3:... :jk: [waves back] :wave:

:colgate:

Chavacano lesson:

Cosa? = What?
Onde? = Where?
Quien? = Who?
Paquemodo?/Paquilaya? = How?
Quanto? = How much? How many?
Quando? = Where?

Cosa tu nombre? = What is your name?
Cosa le ta ace aqui na SSC? = What is he doing here in SSC?
Onde tu ta queda? = Where do you live?
Onde tu ya pari? = Where were you born?
Onde tu di studia? = Where will you study?
Quien ba el di tuyo maga parientes? = Who are your parents?
Quien man si Animo? = Who is Animo?
Paquemodo sila ya man post cun maga fotos de Zamboanga? = How did they post pictures of Zamboanga?
Paquilaya yo di anda na Cebu? = How will I go to Cebu?
Quanto ba este? = How much is this?
Quanto ba akel maga pescao? = How many fish are those?
Quando kita mira cun el cine? = When are we going to watch the movie?

gracias Animo & the forumers who posted some pix:colgate:

http://www.zamboanga.com/images/Zamboanga_airport2002.jpg

Zamboanga International Airport

http://www.zamboanga.com/images/Zamboanga_golf.jpg

Zamboanga City Golf Course

http://www.zamboanga.com/images/Zamboanga_fortpilar2002.jpg

Zamboanga City Fort Pilar

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/LabuanBeach.jpg

Labuan Beach

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/PortZamboanga.jpg

Port of Zamboanga

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/LantakaHotel.jpg

Lantaka Hotel

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/FishFarm.jpg

Local Fish Farm

Welcome to Chavacano Speak!

Personal Pronouns: (Pronouns used when referring to persons)

Chavacano:

Yo, Iyo
Uste, Tu, Evo(s)
El, Ele
Nosotros, Kita
Nosotros, Kamo
Ustedes, Vosotros, Kamo
Ellos, Sila

English:

I
You
He
We (including the person spoken to)
We (excluding the person spoken to)
You (plural)
They

Possessive Pronouns: (Pronouns used in denoting possession)

Chavacano:

Mi, Mio, Dimiyo
Di uste, Tuyo, Di tuyo, De vos
Suyo, Di suyo
Con nosotros, Kanaton
Con nosotros, Kanamon
Con Ustedes, Con Vosotros, Kaninyo
Con Ellos, Kanila

English:

My, Mine
Your, Yours
His, Hers
Our (including the person spoken to)
Us (excluding the person spoken to)
You (plural)
Them

Well the place does have a bleed between Moorish and Spanish descents. I am not sure, but is their other places in the Philippines that have a clear mestizo population other than Manila and Zamboanga? (Cebu perhaps?)

Bicol also has a significant mestizo population, especially in places like Naga where a lot of Spaniards settled - I'm sure Cebu has too.
Just an observation: I noticed that a lot of Cebuanos have Chinese lineage (Tsinoys) too, well judging from some of the pix.

That's interesting Animo, so they mix Spanish and Cebuano pronouns in Chavacano?

That's interesting Animo, so they mix Spanish and Cebuano pronouns in Chavacano?

I read somewhere that it used to be called Chavacano de Cebu from the settlers that defended Zamboanga from Visayas againsts the Moros. And then later on evolve into Chavacano de Zamboanga as Visayans as a language evolved into a mixture of Spanish and then Native too.

The Early History of Chavacano de Zamboanga (1635 - 1718):
http://www.zamboanga.com/html/history_Chavacano_de_Zamboanga.htm

The Cebuanos will inevitably take with them their primary language called Bisaya and their long-standing Spanish creole dialect we will refer to as Visayan Chavacano (VC). We reason that Cebu was the first island to be established by Spain under Miguel Lopez de Legaspi on April 27, 1565, and as a result the locals there have already been Christianized and schooled by the Spanish priests in the resultant VC, for the past seventy (70) years (1565-1635). VC was the common dialect that the Cebuanos and the Jesuit priests took with them to Zamboanga, along with their respective native tongues - Visayan and Spanish.

Although there is no trace of the Visayan Chavacano, it does not preclude its past existence. Since the Visayan language is the predominantly spoken language in the Philippines today (over fifteen million), it is our conclusion that the VC was absorbed very early on into the native Bisaya before or after the Spanish influence waned.

It is a known fact that anytime you combine two different types of people and their foreign languages, the prolonged evolutionary result will be an emergence of a cross-language (creole is the term linguists use to describe it today) that will be used to communicate between each other, and will eventually rise up to be the main language of both groups of people if everything between them are equal, and if not, the dominant language will prevail. Therefore, we consider VC to be the oldest form of Chavacano or Chabacano (another terminology used to describe the end result of a convergence of any language with Spanish) in the Philippines, albeit non-existent. However, we present that it has been totally absorbed into the modern-day Bisaya. Any trained linguist can readily find the existence of many Spanish root words in today's Visayan language, that resulted from ancient VC ( a creolized evolution that spans a remarkable four-hundred thirty-seven (437) years! ).

Oh i see - thanx for the clarification, Animo.

Well the place does have a bleed between Moorish and Spanish descents. I am not sure, but is their other places in the Philippines that have a clear mestizo population other than Manila and Zamboanga? (Cebu perhaps?)

Before the war, Cavite and Ermita had their own versions of Chavacano...but that's long since disrupted as was our culture of 400 years prior to 1941...

Hola

acabo de entrar en esta página de Zamboaga y me emociono al ver que todavía en Filipinas se sigue manteniendo viva la herencia cultural que los españoles dejamos ahí hace 300 años.

Espero que los que habláis chabacano, podáis entender lo que escribo aquí; he leído chabacano y es prácticamente español en un 80% de las palabras.

Me encantaría algún día poder ir a Zamboaga a conocerla y pasar un tiempo en ella. Debe ser preciosa.

Sin más me despido atentamente
Fernando Arenas
Madrid
España

http://www.pilmap.com.ph/PILMAP%20(Romantic%20Destination)/images/Hermosa_Festival_02.gif

Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival or the popurlay known as Fiesta Pilar, is held in honor of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pilar at the legendary Fort Pilar. The people of Zamboanga fervently believe that the lady has served as their unifying cultural and historical symbol. In commemoration of her feast day, Zamboanga displays its devotion and enthusiasm with a nine-night procession, fireworks, an ethnic parade, a cultural show, a regatta, and the Miss Zamboanga parade. This festival runs from October 1 to 12.

http://www.pilmap.com.ph/PILMAP%20(Romantic%20Destination)/images/Hermosa_Festival_01.gif

http://www.pilmap.com.ph/PILMAP%20(Romantic%20Destination)/images/Hermosa_Festival_03.gif

http://www.pilmap.com.ph/PILMAP%20(Romantic%20Destination)/images/Hermosa_Festival.gif

Hola

Sin más me despido atentamente
Fernando Arenas
Madrid
España


bueno fernando, algunos de nosotros hablamos el español y te entendemos. aqui tenemos un subforo en la lengua de Rizal. Bienvenido! (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=290454)

Welcome to Chavacano Speak! (Final Edition)

FORMAL

Usage: When addressing someone older or higher up in society's echelon, i.e.: a teacher, priest, doctor, city official, etc.

Pronouns:

Uste
Ustedes
Di uste
Di ustedes
Con uste
Con ustedes
Nosotros
Nuestro
Con Nosotros
Suyo
Con el
Con ellos
De ellos

FAMILIAR

Usage: When addressing someone who is acquainted or is of equal social status, and denotes courteousness, i.e.: co-worker or girlfriend / boyfriend.


Pronouns:

Tu
Vosotros
Tuyo, Di tuyo
De vosotros
Con tigo
Con Vosotros
Kita; Kame
Di aton; Di amon
Kan aton; Kan amon
Di suyo
Con ele
Kanila
Di ila

COMMON

Usage: When addressing someone who is acquainted or is of equal social status, with no regard to formality or courtesy, or one of lower ordinary class, and can imply crudeness, disrespect, or be derogatory.


Pronouns:

Evo(s); Vos
Kamo
De vos
Di inyo
Con vos
Kan inyo
Kita; Kame
Di aton; Di amon
Kan aton; Kan amon
Di suyo
Con ele
Kanila
Di ila

http://www.zamboanga.com/fun_in_the_sun/Photos/tourist_Zamboanga_International_Airport.jpg

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/air3.gif
An overall perspective of the Zamboanga International Airport. Here can be seen the Airport Terminal Building, and the parking area. Our airport is classified as "International".

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/air1.gif
This is the facade of, and entrance to, the airport Terminal Building. It houses the secured Pre-Departure Area and the Arrival Area, equipped with carousel baggage loader, and the Check-in Counters.

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/air2.gif
A view from the runway of the airport Terminal Building and apron.More data: Runway NR - 09/27, Runway Length - 2,610m.x46m. (cement concrete), Runway Strength - 125,000/4 kg/auw, Apron area - 30,000 sq.m. (cement concrete), Taxiway - 22m. (cement concrete), Facilities - VOR/DME/NDB/ FS/TWR/APP, and Operations - 24 hours.

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/ppa4.gif
There are nineteen Seaports or Wharves in Zamboanga City, twelve of which are privately owned. The biggest and most modern is the Zamboanga Port, which is operated by the Philippine Port Authority (PPA). It is located at the City's southern tip, and it's main entrance is on R.T. Lim Boulevard. It can hold 20 vessels at a time.

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/ppa1.gif
The Zamboanga Port has an impressive container yard, capable of handling small 20' containers and bigger 45' containers. Local drayage capacity is more than sufficient, and the port is the beginning/ending terminus of the Pan-Philippines National Highway, allowing delivery of goods to any point in the country. Stevedoring labor is skilled and plentiful.

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/dock.gif
There are twenty- five shipping lines calling in the Port of Zamboanga, which is the shipping hub of Southwestern Mindanao. In addition to all these facilities and to serve the needs of the shipping lines, there are four shipyards operating in the city.

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/ppa2.gif
Departing passengers are well accommodated in a spacious terminal building (right photo). The busy Port of Zamboanga handles inter-island and international fast ferries, and also occasional international cruise ships. In 2002, the Port of Zamboanga, inclusive of all area ports and Basilan, was ranked #1 in the entire Philippines and registered an astounding 5.57 million passengers, surpassing #2 Batangas by 1.3 million passengers, and #5 Manila by over 1.59 million passengers! This statistic is simply mind boggling for the Zamboanga region!!!

1) Abalone Seafood Restaurant
000 Mayor Jaldon Street
Tel. No. (62) 991-6806

2) Alavar Seafoods House
Barangay Tetuan
Tel. No. (62) 991-2483

3) Aristocrat Luncheonette
000 Mayor Climaco Avenue
Tel. No. (62) 991-4031

4) Bon Appetit
000 San Jose Road
Tel. No. (62) 993-1265

5) Bonn Apettit
000 San Jose Road
Tel. No. (62) 993-2806

6) Cafe de Zamboanga
Zamboanga International Airport
Tel. No. (62) 991-6297

7) Casa Ilongga
000 La Purisima Street
Tel. No. (62) 991-1384

8) Chisai Tokyo
000 Gov. Camins Avenue

9) Country Chicken and Mano-Mano
Barangay Pasonanca
Tel. No. (62) 991-1852

10) Country Chicken Restaurant
Barangay Pasonanca
Tel. No. (62) 991-1852

11) D' Chimang Cusina Chavacano
Barangay Tugbungan
Tel. No. (62) 991-7088

12) El Pueblo
Barangay Pasonanca
Tel. No. (62) 992-6570

13) Golden Ribbons Express
000 Mayor Climaco Avenue
Tel. No. (62) 993-1194

14) Hai San Seafood Market and Restaurant
000 San Jose Road
Tel. Nos. (62) 991-5506 / 992-1062

15) Highway 88
000 Tetuan Highway
Tel. No. (62) 991-0969

16) Jollibee
000 Gov. Camins Road
Tel. No. (62) 993-2504

17) J's Pad
Zamboanga International Airport
Tel. No. (62) 991-2419

18) La Casa Maria Pensione
000 Pasonanca Road
Tel. No. (62) 991-8230

19) Lotus (At the Grand Astoria Hotel)
000 Mayor Climaco Avenue
Tel. No. (062) 991-2510

20) Nana Rosa
000 Gov. Camins Avenue
Tel. No. (62) 991-3284

21) New Lejan Ice Cream House
Barangay Santa Maria
Tel. No. (062) 992-1790

22) Patio Palmeras
Barangay Santa Maria
Tel. No. (62) 991-3284

23) Savory
000 Mayor Jaldon Street
Tel. No. (62) 991-1298

24) Sonata de Zamboanga
000 Gov. Alvarez Avenue ext.
Tel. No. (62) 993-1194

25) St. Mary's Grill
000 Gov. Ramos Avenue
Tel. No. (62) 991-7607

26) Sunburst Fried Chicken
000 Corcuera Street
Tel. No. (62) 991-1095

27) Sunflower Food Center
000 Rizal Street
Tel. Nos. (62) 991-1897 / 991-5096 / 993-0147

28) The Grill
Upper Calarian
Tel. No. (62) 991-4490

29) Tropical Island Paradise
Barangay Tugbungan
Tel. No. (62) 991-0906

30) Village Restaurant
Barangay Tugbungan
Tel. No. (62) 991-6111

31) Whoopee Burger House
000 Pilar Street
Tel. No. (62) 991-0920

32) Zamboanga Seafood House
000 San Jose Road
Tel. No. (62) 991-1448

HOTELS

Argamel Hotel
Garden Orchid Hotel (http://www.hotelinformation.com/html/philippines/zamboanga/gardenorchid/)
G.C. Hotel
Grand Astoria Hotel
Hotel Paradise Inn
Hotel Perlita
Hotel Preciosa
Imperial Hotel
Lantaka by the Sea (http://www.regit.com/regitel/philipin/zamboang/lantaka/home.htm)
Mag-V Royal Inn
Marcian Garden Hotel
Pension Royale Hotel
Yang's Hotel
Zamboanga Hermosa Hotel

PENSIONS (Boarding Houses)

An-An's Pension House
Embassy Pension House
Josefina's Pension House
La Casa Maria Pensione
La Terraza Pension House
L'Mirage Pension House
Paradise Pension House
Platinum 21 Pension House
Viva Pension House
Zamboanga Garden Pension

http://www.zamboanga.com/Z-Food_recipes/Images/Z-Food_Curacha_crab_of_Zamboanga_small.jpg
Curacha!

(A local Chavacano name given to this sea crab species that is uniquely found in the waters around Zamboanga, and no where else in the world. It is popularly described as a highbred crustacean, with crossbreed characteristics of a large sea crab and the big spiny lobster. Thus, it is unusually large [reddish-pink in color] for a hybrid crab and quite meaty, and oh so delicious! A special Zamboanga City treat.)

Cooking Instructions:
Steam or boil in plain water, until cooked to desired level. Curacha is best experienced in its natural exotic flavor, cooked minimally so as to preserve its original taste.


***If you care to add a touch of local flavor to it, mix in some lemongrass and about 3-5 cups of coconut milk to sauce, and boil until done. Sauce topping could be enhanced with ginger, grated coconut meat, sea salt, pepper, red chilis, and choice vegetables.

Serve with: Steamed rice and fresh Latu (seaweed/sea grapes) or salad.

http://www.zamboanga.com/images/Z-Food3.jpg
Ensalada de Latu (seaweed salad)

1 kilo latu (seaweed)
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 medium onion, sliced
1 calamansi
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper

Wash the seaweed and discard the roots and wilted parts. Arrange latu in a salad bowl and garnish with tomato and onion.

Mix together the olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, fresh-squeezed calamansi juice, and pepper, then pour generously over the seaweed.

Serving note: If desired, top salad with red chili pepper or toasted coconut meat.

http://www.zamboanga.com/Z-Food_recipes/Images/cooking.jpg
Chicken or Pork Adobo

Ingredients:
One whole chicken cut up into small pieces, 3 tablespoons vinegar, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 1ripe tomato cut up into small pieces, salt and pepper, 7 cloves of garlic, 3 or 4 bay leaves.

Cooking Instructions:
Mix the chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, and cut up tomatoes in a pot. (For better taste let marinade stand for 30 min. to an hour and then cook). Add salt and pepper to taste. Add bay leaves. Cook in pot with lid for 40 or 45 minutes in medium heat.

Serve with: Steamed rice.

Zamboanga City is home to some of the finest schools in The Philippines and around Asia. Long a bastion of the Spanish intelligentsia, the local schools have produced many of today's top leaders in business & society, spanning the world with their brand of leadership borne within a peculiar place sentimentally called "The City of Flowers."

http://www.zamboanga.com/schools/schools_frame.html

AMA Computer Learning Center
Arena Blanco NHS - Arena Blanco
Ateneo de Zamboanga High School - La Purisima St.
Ateneo de Zamboanga University - La Purisima St.
Avalokitesvara High School
Ayala NHS - Ayala
Bolong NHS - Bolong
Brent Hospital School of Midwifery/College
Bunguiao NHS - Bunguiao
Cabaluay NHS - Cabaluay
Claret High School - San Jose Rd.
Culianan NHS - Culianan
Curuan NHS - Curuan
Don Pablo A. Lorenzo - Gov. Ramos Ave.
Don Ramon Enriquez - Labuan
Ebenezer Bible College and Seminary
Filipinas Technical Institute
Filipino Turkish Tolerance High School
Immaculate Conception Archdiocesan School- HS -Upper Calarian
Immaculate Conception Archdiocesan School- HS -La Purisima
Immaculate Conception Archdiocesan School- HS -Tetuan
ICAS-College -Tetuan
Immaculate Conception Archdiocesan School- HS -Sangali
Islamic Institute of the Philippines - Campo Muslim
J-Jireh Yello Beach HS - Suterville
Limpapa NHS - Limpapa
Manicahan NHS - Manicahan
Mercedes NHS
Mindanao Electronics Institute - San Jose Gusu
Pastor Bonus Seminary
Pilar College & High School
Regional Science HS - Pettit Baracks
Saint Joseph School
Sangali NHS
Santo Niño Village HS - Putik
Sinunuc NHS (So. com) - Upper Calarian
Southern City High School/College - Pilar Street
Tagasilay NHS
Talisayan NHS
Tuan Datu HJ. Abdulla NUÑO MHS-Taluksangay
Vitali NHS
Western Mindanao State University (Normal School)
Zamboanga A.E. College & High School
Zamboanga Chong Hua High School
Zamboanga City Alliance Evan. - Mayor Jaldon St.
Zamboanga City Academy - San Jose Rd.
Zamboanga City High School - Main- Pettit Barracks
Zamboanga City High School - Divisoria
Zamboanga City High School - West - R.t. Lim Blvd.
Zamboanga City Polytechnic High School - R.T. Lim Blvd.
Zamboanga General Hospital School of Nursing
Zamboanga School of Arts and Trades
Zamboanga State College of Marine Science and Tech
Zamboanga State CMST - Rio Hondo
Zamboanga Zion Avangelical School - Canelar Moret

Zamboanga City's Art history spans a period of over 500 years, with heavy influence coming from the Malay and Spanish culture early on, and the West more recently. Countless, and quite priceless, artifacts dating back to over a thousand years have been excavated in the early 1900s by American archaeologists during their occupation of the Philippines in the vicinities of Zamboanga and Mindanao. Many of these artifacts are currently housed in "vaults" of some major U.S. universities, inaccessible to the general public. Just recently, a few Filipino scholars stumbled upon some of these extracted art works at a U.S. university, and have been trying to gain more access and possible return of the pieces. Although that wish may be futile, we can start with what we have today. Let us not allow history to repeat itself. Each and everyone of us has the means to make a difference, no matter how small the contribution. We will present all relative entries we receive and others that we discover. Please contact us at: z-gallery@zamboanga.com

CHAVACANO (ZAMBOANGUEÑO, CHABAKANO) [CBK (http://www.ethnologue.com/) ] 280,000 (1981 SIL), including 155,000 Zamboangueño (1989 J. Holm), 27,841 Caviteño, 3,750 Ternateño (1975 census), 5,473 Cotabato Chavacano (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Zamboanga, Basilan, Kabasalan, Siay, Margosatubig, Ipil, Malangas, Lapuyan, Buug, Tungawa, Alicia, Isabela, Lamitan, Maluso, Malamawi, Cotabato city, Mindanao; Cavite, Ternate, and Ermita near Manila. The 1970 census listed speakers in 60 of the 66 provinces. Also one village in Sabah, Malaysia. Creole (http://www.ethnologue.com/) , Spanish based. Dialects: CAVITEÑO, TERNATEÑO (TERNATEÑO CHAVACANO), ERMITAÑO (ERMITEÑO), DAVAWENYO ZAMBOANGUENYO (ABAKAY SPANISH, DAVAO CHAVACANO, DAVAOEÑO, DAVAWEÑO), COTOBATO CHAVACANO, ZAMBOANGUEÑO (CHAVACANO). A creole with predominantly Spanish vocabulary and Philippine-type grammatical structure. Ermiteño is extinct, and Davaweño Zamboangueño may be. Nearly all Caviteño speak Tagalog, but many still speak Caviteño. The major language of Zamboanga city; used in radio, newspapers, and primary education. 80% literate. NT 1981. Bible portions 1977.

Source: Ethnologue, 13th Edition, Barbara F. Grimes, Editor. Copyright © 1996, Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc.

Gong:

http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/arts_c1.jpg

The gong is a percussion instrument found in music throughout Southeast Asia. In Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines, and Zamboanga City particularly, the gong is used in many folk dance routines reflecting the international flavor of its ancestry.

http://www.zamboanga.com/images/Gongs.jpg

When played, it is suspended from the rim and struck on the center piece, called a "boss," with a wooden beater that has a cork head. Changes in pitch are achieved by shaving down either the boss or the rim of the instrument.

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View of a tower and part of the village of ancient "Jambangan" by Fernando Brambila, from collection of drawings and engravings made on the Malaspina Expedition. The native Philippine house was characterized by a pitched roof with two or four angles, supported on a framework resting on four or more wooden pillars. It raised above the ground on a platform of earth.

Source: CEDEX ( Centro de Estudios y Experimentacion de Obras Publicas)

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Situated within the historic structures of Fort Pilar (http://www.zamboanga.com/html/history_zamboanga.htm#fort_pilar) , this museum was established by virtue of P.D. 260, declaring Fort Pilar a National Cultural Treasure. After the restoration of Structure II that was completed in 1985, the museum opened its doors to the public when it conducted special exhibitions one after the other.

The giant dioramas at the second floor depict approximately 400 species of marine life specimens collected from the vicinities of Zamboanga, Basilan, and Sulu archipelago. Structure IV displays the material culture of three distinct ethnic groups in the country: the Sama Dilaut of Tawi-tawi; the Subanon of Zamboanga del Sur and Norte and the Yakan of Basilan. A special feature in this building is the collection of traditional boats of the Sama Dilaut, with an actual Lepa, or houseboat. Another structure that has just been completely restored will showcase the Chavacano culture. This museum has been the city's favorite venue for art exhibition. It has a staff of eight (8).

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Icelle G. Borja is one of Zamboanga City's premiere artist, a true painter and sculptor, with a style that is as varied as her other talents. She is currently working as an executive assistant in the Office of The City Mayor, and is overlooking the City Hall restoration. She also writes a weekly arts column, and does extensive research in the arts & culture of Zamboanga. Below are some of her works of art. All art work herein belong to featured artist and are subject to their personal accountability and legal representation. We are honored to present Icelle's art work to you.

On a recent interview visit to Icelle's home and studio in barrio Tetuan, she played host to a personal display of her remaining art work and collection, and recounted her exciting experiences in studying, creating, presenting, and finally selling her other paintings for top value to, mostly, local patrons. She has done so much to bring attention to Zamboanga City's arts and its artists, wowing the patrons of the arts with a keen sense of artistry and salesmanship. Her hard work paid invaluable dividends to all those involved, and she continues to be an ardent advocate of the local art scene. Gracias!

View here: http://www.zamboanga.com/arts_and_culture/index.html

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Curacha!


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Chicken or Pork Adobo

Ingredients:
One whole chicken cut up into small pieces, 3 tablespoons vinegar, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 1ripe tomato cut up into small pieces, salt and pepper, 7 cloves of garlic, 3 or 4 bay leaves.

Cooking Instructions:
Mix the chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, and cut up tomatoes in a pot. (For better taste let marinade stand for 30 min. to an hour and then cook). Add salt and pepper to taste. Add bay leaves. Cook in pot with lid for 40 or 45 minutes in medium heat.

Serve with: Steamed rice.

Interesting...I didn't know Adobo came from Zamboanga. I always thought it was a typical Tagalog dish.

hehehe la curacha! la curacha! ya no puede caminar... porque le quiere porque le falta marijuana pa fumar. hehehe i pinch

what happened to Iloilo's fort? Who destroyed it?
I dont think there is a fuerza in Subic but just a lighthouse.

Iloilo's Fort San Pedro was pulverized by the americans ships when General Martin (who was responsible for defending Iloilo) did not allow the americans to come ashore.

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INDUCTION OF NEW OFFICERS. The new officers of Zamboanga Hermosa Canada, being sworn in by Consul General Alejandro Mosquera (far right) during their dinner dance last November 5 to celebrate the association’s 19th anniversary. From left to right: Ramon Barrios, president; Maria Clara Zamorano James, vice-president, Toronto; Floridel Arañez Manuel, auditor; Ella Doroja Solomon, secretary; Maribel Azcarraga, assistant treasurer; Augusto Reyes, treasurer; Jesus Concepcion, assistant secretary; Arturo de Vera, P.R.O.; Ben Bernardo, vice-president, Hamilton. Alberto Saavedra (not in the picture) is vice-president, Mississauga. The new president, Ramon Barrios, succeeds Aida Elago D’Orazio, LAZT Canada bureau chief, who had served the association for four years.

Greater Santa Cruz Island's "Pink Sand Beach":

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The Great and Little Santa Cruz Islands' respective Pink and White Sand Beaches are, arguably, this city's best beaches, and one of the country's best. In its ideal natural state, there is no comparison to the uniquely beautiful "pinkish" sand (a coloration effect of pulverized rare red Organ-pipe Coral ( tubipora musica ) from eons of surf erosion mixed in with the white sand) and colorful coral reef just a few feet away from the shore of the Great Santa Cruz Island. The "Pink Sand Beach" of Great Santa Cruz Island is rare, and is one of the very few found in the entire world. There is over three miles of this rare pink sand beach encircling the beautiful island, The nearby Little Santa Cruz Island has a beautiful white sand beach instead, and is a military installation. Snorkeling and scuba diving are excellent diversions for the sun worshipers with lots of colorful marine life to experience in excellent water visibility, depending on weather conditions. In the Great Santa Cruz Island, there are some covered huts around for picnicking (food and water can be brought in), and adequate bathroom facilities. The Great Santa Cruz Island has a big mangrove-laden lagoon with a small Badjao village and their increasingly larger burial ground nearby. The island interior is lushly covered with natural island vegetation and grass, with some flowering trees, providing a welcome shade from the near equatorial sunshine.

The rare red Organ-pipe Coral ( Tubipora musica ) of Santa Cruz Island's "Pink Sand Beach":

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This is what it looks like when alive, and available, for scuba dive viewing.

The rare red Organ-pipe Coral is an endangered species, and buying, using, gathering, possessing and/or transporting of these species are prohibited under Philippine laws (Republic Act No. 8550, Sec. 91, 92 and 97; Fisheries Administrative Order 202 and 208) and international treaty (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES).

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The Great Santa Cruz Island can be reached with any motorized vinta (outrigger) or boat from downtown in about 15-20 minutes, for about 800 pesos, depending on type of boat. All trips must be coordinated with the Philippine Tourist Authority located in the Lantaka Hotel front side. The water current of the adjacent Basilan Straight is strong, and swimmers should proceed with caution - there are no lifeguards on duty. The Basilan Straight acts as a channel between two vast seas (the Sulu Sea and the Celebes Sea) and a natural conduit for migrating fishes. The underwater scenery here can be spectacular.

Bolong Beach:

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If you like to jog or just simply walk in the early morning and see the sunrise, Bolong Beach is the place to be. It is a good 1.5 kilometers long. There are several huts with tables that are available for rent at 50 pesos per day. There are BBQ grills available so you may cook your own meal. You can also rent canoes from the nearby fishermen or late in the afternoon you can participate in the pulling of the wide net that covers about 800 square meters. This is fun because if the catch is plentiful you can get a little share. Bolong is about 33 kilometers from downtown Zamboanga City (about 45 minutes to 1 hour from downtown, depending on traffic). If you do not have your own transportation, you may rent a Jeepney. They are readily available for about 600 to 700 pesos per day. Tip: Stop by the barrio of Sangali to get your fresh fish.

1. Pitas Island Beach:

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Right across from Bolong Beach, one could almost swim towards it via the narrow channel dividing Pitas Island from the mainland of Zamboanga City. The island is sparsely inhabited by a few fishermen, and the white sand beach is better accessed via a local motorized vinta for a few hundred pesos (for the 11 Islands group) - most of the cost is fairly negotiable, depending on who you know. The crystal-clear water surrounding these Eleven Islands, as most are locally known by, belongs to the Moro Gulf. The water is teeming with fish, and snorkeling is a good option. Just as everything else, please be cautious and let your friends know your whereabouts.

It is hard to imagine that the City of Zamboanga has many beautiful beaches within its city limits, but nevertheless many people, including native Zamboanguenos themselves, are amazed that there are that many additional beaches within their reach that they have not heard or seen before, or may have heard of but not seen before. We at Zamboanga.com are working hard to enlighten all our readers about the many wondrous beaches that beckons their discovery or re-discovery, in hopes that you will get a chance to enjoy the numerous natural attractions the city has to offer its visitors.

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Right across from Bolong Beach, one could almost swim towards its white sand beach via the narrow channel dividing Pitas Island from the mainland of Zamboanga City. The island is sparsely inhabited by a few fishermen, and the white sand beach is better accessed via a local motorized vinta for a few hundred pesos (for the 11 Islands group) - most of the cost is fairly negotiable, depending on who you know. The crystal-clear water surrounding these Eleven Islands, as most are locally known by, belongs to the Moro Gulf. The water is teeming with fish, and snorkeling is a good option.

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Rizal monument.

2. Visa Island Beach:

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It is hard to imagine that the City of Zamboanga has many beautiful beaches within its city limits, but nevertheless many people, including native Zamboanguenos themselves, are amazed that there are that many additional beaches within their reach that they have not heard or seen before, or may have heard of but not seen before. We at Zamboanga.com are working hard to enlighten all our readers about the many wondrous beaches that beckons their discovery or re-discovery, in hopes that you will get a chance to enjoy the numerous natural attractions the city has to offer its visitors.

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It is a little farther up north of Pitas Island and Bolong Beach, but Visa Island Beach is reachable by a rented motorized vinta (see above for ride details). It is a little bit smaller than Pitas, and is not as inhabited. The beautiful white sand beach and crystal clear waters is your reward for the adventurous spirit of island hopping (11 of them if you so desire), just off the beautiful expansive beach of Bolong, in the peninsula city of flowers - Zamboanga City.

3. Baong Island Beach:

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Just north of Visa Island, Baong Island is visibly much bigger in size than Visa Island and has a substantially larger expanse of white sandy beach for visitors to frolic on. As with the other nearby islands, the water is teeming with fish and snorkeling is a good option. It is sparsely inhabited by local fishermen.

4. Bobo Island Beach:

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Also just north of Baong Island, Bobo Island is much bigger than its neighbor Baong Island but has about the same amount of white sand beach area. The same water characteristics pretty much holds true for most of these 11 islands as they are abundant with fish and other snorkeling activities, or scuba for that matter. The island has some inhabitants.

5. Caragasan Beach:

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A long-time favorite of Zamboanguenos, Caragasan Beach's white sand area has been diminished over the past many years and is now more rocky than sandy. The open view of the Basilan Straight water has increasingly been blocked by numerous street vendors on the beach side of the street, almost eliminating the still beautiful view of the water and beyond. The beach is still very popular with local area residents, and continues to attract throngs of people into its warm shallow waters. However, its beach has become dirty and polluted with garbage, left over by picnickers without any regard to preserving its environment. It is hopeful that the city and the barrio government will enact a much needed beach cleaning process in order to rectify a visual eye-sore, and establish zoning rules to keep vending stores located only on the opposite side of the street facing the beach.

6. Cawa-Cawa Beach:

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The only downtown public beach in Zamboanga City where decades of family fun were celebrated, up until recently when "Cawa-Cawa" Boulevard was widened and the beach, or a semblance of it, is only a distant memory. Beautiful sunsets may be the only legacy left for everyone to enjoy. Then, one can enjoy the Chavacano cuisine from nearby restaurants. A stroll, or "paseo" along the boulevard is a favorite pastime for the locals, and should be on your "to do" list.

7. Golf Course's Yellow Beach:

This is a private beach but the public is welcome for a fee of 10 pesos per person. It's about 1 kilometer long and dotted with trees, kiosks and restaurants with karaoke bars. There are also sari-sari stores where you can buy the items that you forgot. The place is open 24 hours a day. After your swim you can rinse out at the public dressing room areas. The beach is not as sandy. There are lots of stones and rocks.

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Thursday, August 28, 2003 (SunStar Zamboanga)
P15M for rehab of Calarian beach

THE Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) has allotted P15 million for the rehabilitation of the beach resort in Upper Calarian.

According to Carlitos R. Serrano, PTA regional manager for Mindanao, the amount will include the construction of a food court with 16 cubicles, rehabilitation of beach park and improvement of seaside.

"Actually, improvement of the seaside in the golf beach will start next month, and the truth is that the Golf Beach is still owned by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA)" Serrano said.

Serrano also said some Korean investors plan to build a hotel in the beach resort as he denied rumors that the Koreans already own the beach resort.

"We have no lease contract yet or no memorandum of agreement between the Korean investors and the Philippine Tourism Authority," he said.

He said the Korean investors are expected to come to the country anytime soon to finalize the contract for the hotel.

The PTA earns P150,000 to P200,000 monthly in entrance fees from the beach resort.

8. La Vista del Mar Beach Resort:

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It is now a favorite of city dwellers, offering them the many amenities they are wanting and the close proximity to downtown. The well manicured and lushly appointed garden grounds of this private beach resort provides a nice tropical welcome to the paying visitor. The beautiful view of the Basilan Straight water and Santa Cruz Islands in the distance, along with the cooling shade the giant acacia trees casts, are some of the special treats that keep paying visitors coming back for more. The beach itself is lacking in its content and visual appeal, but nevertheless remains popular with city residents and continues to attract throngs of people into its warm shallow waters.

Zamboanga Sibugay, the region's new province

The region has a new province — Zamboanga Sibugay.

Voters from 44 municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur and Pagadian City, voted in favor of the creation of Zamboanga Sibugay separate from Zamboanga del Sur during the plebiscite last week..

Lawyer Helen Flores Aguila, Commission on Elections regional director, announced that out of 200,000 voters registered in the different towns, 141,35 voted Yes against 60,332 who voted No.

The author of the bill creating the new province, Rep. George Hoffer of the third district of Zamboanga del Sur, said Zamboanga Sibugay is now a new province.

“I sincerely thank the people for supporting the creation of the new province,” Hoffer said in a radio interview adding that it was indeed a smooth, peaceful and orderly conduct of plebiscite.

Hoffer said the victory of the Yes votes will enable local candidates to file their certificates of candidacy for the position of governor, vice governor and board members for the new province before the Feb. 28 deadline.

The new province will comprise 16 municipalities, all belonging to the third district of Zamboanga del Sur, with Ipil as its capital town.

Sibugay refers to the vast track of land in Sibugay valley, also considered as the province’s rice granary.

Ping Lacson in love with Zambo City

If given the power or chance to be born again, former PNP chief and senatorial aspirant Panfilo Lacson would choose Zamboanga City as his place of birth.

This Lacson declared in his speech delivered during the program in yesterday’s celebration of “Dia de Zamboanga”.

Lacson, who recently vowed out from the police service, was the guest of honor and speaker in yesterday’s program of the 64th Charter Day Anniversary of Zamboanga City.

“What started 64 years ago as a beautiful city in the dreams of Mayor Nicasio Valderrosa is today an even more beautiful city under the watch of Mayor Maria Clara L. Lobregat,” said Lacscon who appeared to be very impressed with the fast progress and development of the city under the incumbent administration of the Lobregats.

“For 64 years now Zamboanga City has kept her beauty and the Zamboangueños have kept their valor and culture, their dignity and loyalty,” Lacson told thousands of people attending the program after the culmination of the civic parade at a stage outside City Hall.

Lacson pointed out that this year’s theme “Dia de Zamboanga La Bella; El Valiente Y Leal Villa de Antes: Preserva! Su Dignidad Y Cultura: Preserva!, is truly fitting for the celebration.

The guest of honor and speaker was introduced by Councilor Cesar Jimenez.

Lacson is considered as one of the strongest senatorial bets of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) party.

“I love public service more than I hate politics,” Lacson told newsmen during an interview yesterday.

As a former PNP Chief, Lacson was known for instituting various reforms in the police organization which led to the high approval rating of the public to the police.—Jemuel E. Mojica

Vitali gets P46.6M projects

Hundreds of residents of Vitali were elated and excited as Congressman Celso Lobregat and Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat inaugurated and turned over various projects worth more than P46.6 million last Friday.

The projects including farm-to-market-roads, rehabilitation of the police and fire stations, water system as well as the distribution of assorted medicines and giving away of airconditioners and generators.

The city and national officials first dropped by Mercedes National High School and turned over a generator set worth P31,777 which was purchased under the Congressioanl Initiative Fund.

The next beneficiaries were the Sangali and Bolong National High Schools which both received airconditioners each worth P16,600.

Congressman Lobregat and Mayor Lobregat proceeded to inaugurate the 8.5 kms. Vitali-Tagpangi-Mangusu barangay road worth P38 million. The money was appropriated from city funds.

Next inauguration was the 425 meters Vitali SPDA farm-to-market-road amounting to P1.3 million.

This was followed by the inauguration of the Vitali-Camino Nuevo farm-to-market road worth P1.4 million. The new concreted road is an access to the project of Congressman Lobregat which was inaugurated months ago amounting to P1 million.

Then the city and national officials turned over P30,000 worth of assorted medicines to the Vitali Health Center under Dr. Fernando Gestoso.

Twenty National Food Authority sari-sari store beneficiaries expressed elation as Congressman Lobregat inaugurated the 58th NFA store. The store will provide livelihood assistance to the poorest in that barangay.

Store manager Rica Maningo thanked Lobregat and NFA officials for the store.

Tictapul Health Center was also a beneficiary as both mother and son turned over P15,000 worth of assorted medicines to Dr. Fernando Gestoso.

The concerned officials also inaugurated the P1 million newly rehabilitated building housing the police and fire stations.

Finally they inaugurated the 59th NFA sari-sari store in Tictapul under barangay chairman Abdulyasin Abdurasid. Store manager Purificacion Limen together with the other beneficiaries expressed joy for the project.—Nonong Santiago GMA Super Radyo

City's HIV-Aids control program lauded

ZAMBOANGA City's HIV-AIDS control program for "Effective Partnership Towards AIDS-Free Zamboanga" that won for it the 2005 Gawad Galing Pook Award, is the country's role model.

The program is becoming the focal interest of many foreign nations and local government units that wish to replicate it in their respective places.

"They are sent here specifically to observe and get something out of our program on HlV-Aids and STD, so they'll also be able to replicate it there," City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos disclosed.

Delegates from Iran, composed mostly of physicians, arrived in the city for a two-day stay purposely to study and observe the city's effective program in the control of HIV, the virus that causes Aids.

Accompanied by Unicef representatives based in Manila, the Iranian visitors paid a call on Mayor Celso Lobregat and were briefed on the city's HIV-Aids control program and it impressed them.

"It's very good to know about the HIV-Aids control program of yours. I think this practice is very good," said Dr. Abbas Sedaghat of the National Aids-STI Program in Iran.

Dr. Sedaghat revealed that in his country, with 70 million population, the disease is getting serious. He said an estimated 10,000 people in Iran are living with the said disease.

He said these people acquired the deadly ailment not through sex, but through Intravenous Drugs Use (IDU).

"It's spreading (there), not through sex workers, but through IDU," explained the Iranian doctor. His delegation included Dr. Gholamreza Heidari and Dr. Hamid Reza Setayesh.

Japanese Ema Naito, of Unicef, said Zamboanga City is doing very well in the control of HIV-Aids.

"I think Zamboanga City is a very good example. You know, the mayor and the City Health Office and the civil society organization are working together to make sure that the city is ready to handle any possible cases of HIV. I think it's a very good example," said the young Japanese.

Agbulos said with the city's program on HIV-Aids, the number of cases reported here is very minimal compared to other places.

"What's very important here is the knowledge of the residents; they're already aware how transmission of HIV-Aids happens. They themselves are taking precautions," the city health officer said.

He revealed that the city has a total of seven confirmed HIV-Aids cases and that two of these are overseas Filipino workers. They are presently being monitored by the city, which is also facilitating their possible transfer to a Manila hospital for further observation.

City Mayor Celso Lobregat, in a separate interview, said: "More and more local governments and even other nations, like Iran, have their official delegations. They come here to see the program."

He said the program was started by her late mother, Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat, during her past administration.

"This started during the time of Ma'am Caling y ta continua quita este ahora (and we're continuing this)," the mayor said.

The Philippines has an estimated 11,200 HIV-Aids cases, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

The Unicef considers this estimate as not very alarming compared to other Asian countries, like China, India and Africa, where many people are dying of the dreaded illness.

Social services office sponsors two-day job fair

The City Social Services and Development (CSSD) office is sponsoring a two-day job fair at its extension office in Sta. Barbara, Zamboanga City.

A one-stop shop to help process documents of prospective applicants, including passports for those interested to work overseas, has been set up.

CSSD officer Francisco Barredo said they planned the job fair a month ago in line with the city's celebration of its annual Dia De Zamboanga on February 25 to mark the city's 69th Charter foundation day.

The job fair aims "to provide jobs to the unemployed or even employed, if interested to seek other jobs," according to Barredo.

He said most jobs are open to all qualified applicants from professionals down to domestic helpers.

The one-stop shop will avail of the services of government agencies concerned, like the Department of Labor and employment, National Bureau of Investigation, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, National Statistics Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and others, Barredo said.

Barredo said he went to Manila primarily to invite recruitment agencies there to come to the city, aside from the local recruitment agencies here in the city.

"They're here now, and we also have local government agencies and companies, like Universal Canning, also one in Recodo and others like MPC (Western Mindanao Power) Corp.," Barredo added.

Fiesta pillar in Zaragoza, Spain


Celebration of Fiesta Pillar in Zamboanga was a major envent in our beloved citty, many Zamboanguenos around the world have celebrated this fiesta in their own communities outside Zamboanga, we will be posting pictures of celebration in USA where devotees continually celbrates fiesta year after year. Meanwhile I would like to share the history of Del Plar , its origin Zaragoza, Spain.

Photo Panorama: http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen2/full48.html

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ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The City Council has authorized Mayor Celso Lobregat to enter into a sisterhood agreement or “hermanamiento” with Zaragoza City of Spain to foster strong cultural arts and educational exchanges as well as preserve richness of the culture and history of both cities.

This after Concepcion Lobregat, the mayor’s sister and this city’s honorary consul to Spain, asked the city council to pass a resolution expressing the city’s desire to enter into a sisterhood agreement with Zaragoza.

The resolution was approved during the city council’s regular session on Thursday.

Councilor Milabel Velasquez, who authored the resolution, said many Zamboangueños reside in Zaragoza.

Velasquez said the Zamboangueño residents there would organize activities for the Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar every October 12, the same day that residents here celebrate their Fiesta Pilar.

“We are giving our consent and affirmation for the city to enter into a sisterhood agreement with the city of Zaragoza,” the councilor said.

“We think that a sisterhood agreement will further foment strong cultural activities and educational exchanges between these two cities,” she added.

Vice Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco said this city, which is the last frontier of the Spanish occupation in the country, still maintains strong Castilian customs and traditions.

Tourism is now the name of the game in our country. It is not a secret that our government has done everything to promote our country, or should we say "sell' our country to prospect buyers -- the tourists.
Advertisements showing the beauty and splendor of the Philippines engross all broadcast and print media with one ultimate purpose -- to show to the world that Philippines is such a precious gift from God and should be enjoyed by the people.

We here, in the beautiful and peaceful city of flowers, Zamboanga Hermosa, are just waiting in less than few hours for the most celebrated fiesta in the history of this city. A fiesta worthy of attention as those of Kadayawan, Sinulog, Maskara festivals and the likes. A fiesta which has rooted from the faith of the Zamboangueños to the Holy Virgin... the celebration of the Fiesta de la Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar which is celebrated every 12th of October.

Brief history

One day, tradition tells us, the Apostle Saint James the Elder was praying by the bank of Ebro River, which crosses Logrono, Colahhora, Zaragoza and the province of Vascongadas, Castillo, Navarra, Aragon and Cataluna, Spain, emptying its waters at the cape of Tolosa into the Mediterranean Sea. While he was praying, angels appeared transporting the Virgin all the way from Palestine and placed her on a pillar. Upon looking up, he saw Mary, the Mother of Jesus in mortal flesh standing on a Pilar, hence the name of Our Lady of the Pillar (Nuestra Señora del Pilar). (The Legends of Our Lady of the Pillar by Adolfo Navarro, Sr., Printed in the Philippine Times, Oct. 18-24, 1982)

How Our Lady of the Pillar became the Patroness of Zamboanga City has a more interesting story as written by Adolfo C. Navarro, Sr.

Fort Pilar was then known as "Real Fuerza de san Jose" from the date of its construction in 1635 to 1718. It was renamed later as "Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora la Virgen del Pilar de Zaragoza" in 1719, maintaining it until 1899. The Americans simplified its name to "Fort Pilar" which is still remains up to now.

One of the many fascinating stories tells us of a legend called "The Sentry and our lady of the Pillar" which was woven during an actual Moro raid of the fort on December 6, 1734. A group of Moro bandits led by Rey Bigotillos with his 450 men landed on the shores of Zamboanga to capture the fort by surprise. The story says that when the bandits were scaling the walls of the fort by the seaside one dark night, the sentry who was supposed to stand watch discovered them and alerted all the soldiers in the fort.

Account says that the sentry was asleep when suddenly, he was awakened by a gentle touch on his shoulder and heard a voice whispering: "Despierta. Hay Moros en la costal." (Wake up. The Moros are coming by the sea". When he opened his eyes, he saw a "lovely lady clad in a flowing gown of shimmering white. Her hair was as black as the night and glowed with a wonderful light. Her feet were bare and pink against the cold bleak floor."

He stood up and was about to shoot the lady when the lady spoke to her and said that she was Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Recognizing his misdeed, the sentry asked for forgiveness and the figure disappeared. When he looked down the walls, he saw the moros landing on the shores. Before the bandits could climb up the wall, he has already alerted everyone in the fort thus defeating and forcing the moros to retreat. (Charter Day Golden Jubilee, p. 128, reprinted from Philippine Times, Oct. 18-24, 1982 by Adolfo C. Navarro, Sr.)

To this date, Zamboangueños far and wide never cease praying to Our Lady of the Pillar believing that she will always be the fortress of this beautiful city.

Even former President Corazon C. Aquino saw the importance of this event to the Zamboangueños that she approved Republic Act 7350, proclaiming October 12 of every year as non-working holiday in celebration of the "Fiesta Pilar." This was authored by then Congresswoman Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat.

Current celebration

This year's celebration is considered as the biggest and grandest celebration of the feast of Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar as the Department of Tourism is also holding for the first time, the WOW I Love Philippines, Biyahe Na! Zamboanga Peninsula Showcase here in the city.

The activity promises to be the grandest exhibit of all that are unique and beautiful in Zamboanga Peninsula, from the most intricate products to the most diverse and interesting culture in the region.

The Department of Tourism has lined up activities from October 8 to 16 assuring all guests and participants of a one-of-a-kind experience while staying here in the "City of Flowers".
Among these are the Eco-Tourism Tour which was held last October 8, the WOW! I Love Zamboanga Peninsula from October 8 to 15 at the National Museum, the WOW! Philippines ZamPen Isabela City Night last October 9, one of the main attractions of the celebration, the Sta. Cruz Island Tour which was also held yesterday, simultaneous with the Balikbayan Night, honoring Zamboanguenos who have traveled a long way just to attend the festivities while the Balikbayan Conference is scheduled today at the Marcian Garden Orchid Hotel.
Zamboanga Sibugay will be holding the Sibugay Night tomorrow night, October 11 National Museum starting at 6 PM with Pagadian City also to hold the Pagadian Night. Balikbayans will also be treated with the Balikbayan Shopping Tour from 8 am to 12 noon. Dependents of our Balikbayans will also share the spotlight with the Scholarship Night which will be held at the beautiful La Vista del Mar on the night of the 11th.

Sports enthusiasts will be given the time for fun and enjoyment as the City Tourism Office scheduled a Sport and Adventure Congress for the whole day of October 12, the day of the fiesta, at Zamboanga City Golf and Country Club. Zamboanga del Sur will be the star on the night of October 12 as they will be showcasing their best at the national museum, Zamboanga del Norte is scheduled on the 13th, Dapitan on the 14th and Dipolog on the 15th.

On the 16th will be the WOW! Philippines-ZamPen Travel Exchange which will be held in Lantaka Hotel from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon. Then it will be followed by the WOW! Philippines-ZamPen NCCA Night still at the Lantaka Hotel at 7 in the evening.

The opening of the WOW! Philippines, Biyahe Na! Zamboanga Peninsula Showcase was attended by DOT Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab as the keynote speaker and local government officials from all over Western Mindanao.

Even Undersecretary Palabyab was amazed at the preparations made by the government merging two gigantic and historic activities into one. Palabyab heaved praises to the local government units and the local Department of Tourism for successfully staging the WOW! Philippines Zamboanga Peninsula.

In his speech, Undersecretary Palabyab emphasized the potential of the region as a major tourism asset. "Zamboanga City alone has posted the most dramatic growth in tourist arrival this year. The city also serves as the Southern gateway to the BIMP-EAGA region which make it more potent as a tourist destination", he stressed.

Palabyab has also commended the City Government for conserving Fort Pilar, not just its structure which reminds us of the colonial past but also the atmosphere of the old Zamboanga Hermosa. "When you are in this place, it's like you are in a different time -- it's like going centuries back", Palabyab said.

Aside from the WOW! Philippines activities, the City Government of Zamboanga, spearheaded by the City Tourism Office, has also lined up activities for the whole month of October ranging from sports, to beauty pageants, to song and dance competitions featuring the Chabacano Song Festival showcasing the local talents of Zamboanga, historical exhibits, job fair and free medical clinic to name a few. The Philippine Nurses Week/National Convention will also be held for the first time here in Zamboanga on October 26 to 28.

The street dance competition, a traditional activity on every festival, will be held on the fiesta day as part of the formal opening of the celebration.

As most people are saying, this year's celebration is by far the grandest Fiesta Pilar celebration. But people can look forward to a grander Fiesta Pilar in the future as the city government has now slowly but surely succeeding in changing the image of a once feared Zamboanga City into a peaceful and better place for vacation.

Thanks to tourism, Zamboanga is reclaiming the glory that was almost robbed by lawlessness. But above all these successes, the Zamboangueños will always be thankful to the Mother who has been protecting and blessing the city as far as one can remember. 'Viva La Nuestra Señora del Pilar."

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Oct 3 Asia Pulse - Malaysian and Filipino investors are set to pour some P16.7 billion (US$298.3 million) investments in oil palm plantations in three provinces in Western Mindanao once the industry is fully operational. Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Regional Manager Antonio Bal Faustino said an investor has to spend P71,000 for each hectare planted to oil palm and P250 million for each oil mill.

The three investors will have a total of 129,520 hectares of oil palm plantation that would translate to P9.2 billion in investments.

The total investments would reach as high as P16.7 billion to include the P750 million that would be spent in putting up the three oil mills needed for the oil palm plantation.

The investors have identified some areas in the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte, which have available vast areas ideal for oil palm cultivation.

These are the Alpha and Firsha Properties Development Corporation, a Filipino-owned company based in Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur that has link with Malaysian-backed Tabung Haji-Janoub Philippines, that also engages in oil palm production. ADVERTISEMENT

Alpha and Firsha has so far started cultivating oil palm last year in the towns of Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur and Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay.

The second investor is Han Siew King, a Malaysian investor, who had served as an agronomist for eight years, from 1972 to 1980, at the former Sime Darby Plantation.

The third, which according to PCA officials is the most ambitious project, is the Filipino-owned Western Mindanao Agro-Forestry and Industrial Development Association, Inc. (WMAFID).

Faustino said in an interview Tuesday the Alpha and Firsha envisions to put up to 20,000 hectares oil palm plantation with an initial cultivation of 8,000 hectares.

He said that Alpha and Firsha have identified Lakewood town in Zamboanga del Sur as their first site of palm oil planting area.

However, the company later decided just to put up a two-hectare palm oil demo-farm in Lakewood and shifted their focus in Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay, where they have already planted five hectares of palm.

Faustino said King has identified the province of Zamboanga Sibugay as his plantation site that would encompass the towns of Tungawan and R.T. Lim.

The proposal of WMAFID was said to be the most ambitious project as the company envisions to put up to 107,520 hectares oil palm plantation.

Their areas of planting would cover all available areas in the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte.

All of their proposals are carefully being studied by us before we will approve it, Faustino said on King and WMAFID project proposals.

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Our Vision

To be a premier educational institution providing quality education, training and technological services that is accessible and relevant to all in support of regional and national development.

Our Mission

To turn out competent graduates imbued with desirable values acquired through a quality management system of instruction, research, community involvement and the use of information technologies.

History

On October 12, 1948, Engr. Arturo Eustaquio Sr. founded the Zamboanga Arturo Eustaquio Colleges. He was passionately driven by the dream of a school that embodies the ideals and aspirations of the youth, a school for everybody regardless of social standing, culture, religion, and political affiliation.

Inspired by his own life story as a once struggling UP scholar, he dreamt of building better lives through hard work and education.

The location of ZAEC in the heart of the culturally diverse city of Zamboanga makes the institution a focal point for peaceful coexistence, caring culture, and scholarship growth for a multi-ethnic student body.

Today, ZAEC gears up for greater heights and continues to strive for excellence as it lives up to its motto:

"Education for Service and for Everyone"

La Educacion es Libertad (http://www.uz.edu.ph/index.html)

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City Hall

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Abong-Abong Park

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Ateneo de Zamboanga

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Zamboanga Cathedral

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Fort Pilar

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Helmet of Unknown Soldier Monument

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Mcdonalds

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Tree House

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Mall

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Vinta

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Regatta de Zamboanga

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La Bella Zamboanga

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Vintas de Zamboanga

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Flores de Mayo en Zamboanga

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Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte

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Zamboanga Sunset

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Quezon Beach in Patikul, Jolo

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Sulu Provincial Capitol

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Santa Cruz, Zamboanga

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Lamitan, Basilan

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Santa Cruz, Zamboanga

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Bongao, Tawi-tawi

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Batu-batu, Tawi-tawi

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Tampilisan Falls: Extensive and comprehensive information for the Province of Zamboanga del Norte, the Cities of Dipolog and Dapitan, and 25 Municipalities.

The 2nd largest island in the Philippines is Mindanao, which is the southern most part of the archipelago. It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east; Celebes Sea to the south and to the west is Sulu Sea. The island of Mindanao is marked by a peninsulas and the largest of all is the ZAMBOANGA Peninsula.

It is a semi circular peninsula extending southwesterly towards the Sulu Archipelago and Borneo. The peninsula has an area of 14,500 sq. km. (5,600 sq. mile).

The ZAMBOANGA Peninsula was known as Sibugay or Sibuguey during the coming of the Spanish conquistadors. And later on was changed into Zamboanga from the capital town of the province which derived it's name from the Malay word Sambangan meaning a place where wild flowers grow. The Spanish colonialization of Mindanao was done by sending missionaries and one of the sites was Sambangan. As the years went by, the mispronunciation of Bisaya (North Borneo dialect) and Spanish words turned into what is now today Zamboanga. On June 23, 1635 the town was officially called Zamboanga. The boundary of the town of Zamboanga comprised half of the peninsula then. The entire peninsula was later called Zamboanga Peninsula although the easternmost part of the peninsula belong to the Province of Misamis.

Before the Philippines was ceded to the United States of America (Treaty of Paris), the peninsula was partly to the south where ZAMBOANGA city proper is the Provincia Mora and towards the North where Dipolog City is a part of the Provincia Misamis. Dapitan district which includes Dipolog was part of Provincia Misamis.

Each province has a governor and the whole Department of Mindanao and Sulu has also a governor. From 1903 to 1913 Zamboanga City was the capital of the Provincia Mora which comprise five district, namely ; Cotabato, Davao, Lanao, Zamboanga and Sulu .

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Map of the Philippine circa 1903 - Larger version here: http://zamboangadelnorte.com/1898_PI_map2.jpg

In 1903, Judge William Howard Taft, President of the Second Philippine Commission (Later on became the President of the United States of America) decreed Dapitan to be separated form Cagayan de Oro and annex to Provincia Mora, which later on 1913 became part of the Province of Zamboanga .

One day in the year 1910 the Provincial Governor of Zamboanga Province, Mr. Helper visited Dipolog on his way to Dapitan on horseback. He was asked by the Dipolog town people that Dipolog be separated from Dapitan. This was the beginning of the crusade to make Dipolog a Municipality.

On September 15,1911, the governing body of the Provincia Mora, the legislative council passed Act. No.272 converting the Municipality of Zamboanga into a city. The ceremony was held on January 1, 1912 with the appointment of American Christopher F. Bader as the first City Mayor.

Also at almost the same time created the provinces of Davao, Lanao, Sulu, Zamboanga, Cotabato, Surigao, Butuan (a subprovicne of Surigao), Agusan (a sub province of Davao), Malaybalay (now Bukidnon) and Misamis. Misamis was part of the Department of Cebu, Agusan and Surigao was District of Caraga during the Spanish era.

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General John J. Pershing, Governor of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu granted the petition to elevate Dipolog into a town. On July 1, 1913, amidst a solemn inspiring ceremony John J. Pershing pronounced Dipolog as a Municipality from the balcony of the brand new Dipolog Municipal Hall and the appointment of Pascual T. Martinez as the first Municipal Mayor (called president at that time).

In 1942 during the Second World War, Acting Governor Felipe B. Azcuna transferred the seat of the provincial government from ZAMBOANGA City to DIPOLOG. Thus making DIPOLOG the capital-in-fact of the ZAMBOANGA Province.

On June 5, 1952, a bill fathered by Roseller Lim became the republic act 711. It created the Province of Zamboanga del Sur with Pagadian as its capital and Province of Zamboanga del Norte and with Dipolog as the capital town.

I'm a bit surprised by the pics of Zambuangenos...I thought the population was mainly mestizo/mestiza, in fact, they look just like other pinoys. :)

Hmm, you can look at pictures of the typical mestizos (Zamboanga del Norte, Sur, y Sibugay) here:

http://zamboangadelnorte.com/epicture.htm

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In celebration of the “Dia de Zamboanga”, the Philippine Amateur Judo Association, Western Mindanao Chapter, will host the 1st Zamboanga Invitational Judo Championship on February 24, 2006 at the Multi-Purpose Covered Courts of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, starting at 7:30 in the morning.

In an interview with Mr. Rogelio G. Buenvenida, ADZU Athletics Director and concurrent Education & Coaching Director of PAJA WM, it has been ascertained that judokas from Iligan City, Isabela City, UP Los Baños, Pagadian City and host Zamboanga City will slug it out in the 8-weight category for both men and women and received the much-coveted Mayor Lobregat Championship Cup.

The tournament was conceived only last year to fulfill the need in the provincial level to develop aspiring judokas and to identify the best aspiring non-elite athletes in the grass-root level for possible inclusion in the national training pool as well as to build strong ties with participating cities and clubs.

Host Zamboanga City will be fielding its best judokas coming from the Ateneo Judo Club, Python Judo Club of Western Mindanao State University and Central Judo Club of Universidad de Zamboanga.

Mayor Celso L. Lobregat, an avid sportsman and enthusiast, is expected to award the championship trophies to the winning teams.

PAJA WM is headed by Councilor Kim Elago.

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Historical Background

The name of the Province was derived from the Malay word Jambangan, meaning a pot or place of flowers. Historically, Zamboanga was the capital of the Moro Province, which comprised of five (5) districts, namely: Cotabato, Davao, Sulu, Lanao and Zamboanga. In 1940, these districts became individual provinces. Zamboanga City became the capital of the Zamboanga Province. Soon after the Second World War, the provincial capital was transferred to Dipolog. After that, Molave was created as the provincial capital of the Province of Zamboanga by virtue of RA 286 dated June 16, 1948.

Zamboanga del Sur was carved out from the former Zamboanga Province that encompassed the entire peninsula in Southwestern Mindanao on September 17, 1952 by virtue of Republic Act 711. As the 52nd province of the Republic, it originally consisted of 11 towns, which later expanded into 42 municipalities and one city-Pagadian, its capital.

It was sub-divided into three (3) congressional districts with 11 municipalities and one (1) city in the first, 15 municipalities in the second, and 16 towns in the third. In 1990, Executive Order 429 reorganized the administrative set-up of Region IX and identified Pagadian City as the new regional center. The gradual transfer of regional offices of the national government agencies started in mid-2002. The Department of Agriculture (DA) with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) were the first that had transferred while other regional offices only established their field or extension office.

Political developments in February 2001 saw another major change in the territorial jurisdiction of Zamboanga del Sur. Its inhabitants voted to create a new province out of the Third Congressional District-named the Zamboanga Sibugay Province. Republic Act 8973 embodies the legal creation of the said province. The mother province is now left with 26 municipalities and one city with 681 barangays.

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The Vision

The Ateneo de Zamboanga University, an educational community forming Men and Women of God, Men and Women for Others and serving as an agent of change in bringing about peace and development in the city, the region, and the nation.

The Mission

The Ateneo de Zamboanga University believes that education is a process of formation that develops in the person the knowledge, skills, and orientation needed for a life of dedicated service. The university also believes that its institutional responsibility includes working for peace and progress particularly in Western Mindanao.

In the context of this general mission, the Ateneo commits itself:

• as a Filipino University - to deepen appreciation for our country's rich cultural and historical heritage and to help enhance the country's participation in an emerging global society;

• as a Catholic University - to foster Christ-like values so that they may govern every aspect of the life of the community and of the people it serves while engaging in a dialogue of life with others of different religious convictions or cultural traditions;

• as a Jesuit University - to instill in all who share its life St. Ignatius of Loyola's spirit of humble service to God's people and to continue a tradition of academic excellence animated by a faith that does justice.

PRO DEO ET PATRIA (http://www.adzu.edu.ph/index.php)
In the Service of God and Country

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Dia de Zamboanga La Bella; El Valiente Y Leal Villa de Antes: ¡Preserva! Su Dignidad Y Cultura: ¡Preserva!

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Chavacano is considered to be a Spanish creole because this Iberian language supplies Chavacano with most of its vocabulary although it has also got of words coming from Filipino languages such as Cebuano and Tagalog. On the left-side picture we can see a map of its area of influence in the Philipines: Zamboanga (http://chabacano.iespana.es/estadchabenglish.htm) , Basilan Island, Cotobato and Davao. However, we also find people who speak Chavacano in the province of Cavite (http://chabacano.iespana.es/cavitenglish.htm) , near Manila, in Luzon Island. Chavacano-speakers in Cavite are a very small minority with a very uncertain future unless a heavy and productive linguistic policy is put into practise by the authorities, nevertheless, in recent times, the mayors of Cavite, the provincial capital, have undertaken a major effort in order to keep this creole alive among future generations. Some other institutions are doing its best to achieve this goal, like the Chavacano Library in Cavite (http://cavitecitylibrary.home.ph/) , which is doing a remarkable task trying to preserve this language among the small group of chavacano-speakers in this town. Currently, there are about six hundred thousand speakers in the Philipines, most of them in the city of Zamboanga.

2.0 Introduction to PCS

It is expedient that a study in PCS must be precluded with a close look at creole languages. among present day linguists, David de Camp seems to have presented a comprehensive view of creole language in his introduction to "The Study of Pidgin and Creole Language" (In Hymes: 1971; 15-17). The following account is extracted from the section on the characteristics and definitions of creole languages.

Originally, the term creole was derived from Postuguese crioulo. It meant then, a white man of European descent, born and raised in a tropical or semi-tropical colony. Later, this meaning was extended to indigenous natives and others of non-European origin. Later still, the term was applied to certain languages spoken by creoles. From then on, the term was extended to other languages of similar types.

Creoles have been traditionally classed as a deviant dialect of a standard language. It is also often called 'mixed language' which merely suggests that it is only a potpourri with no uniform coherent structure of its own. However, De Camp considers it a genuine language in its own right and not just a macaronic blend or inter-lingual corruption of standard languages.

Most creoles are European-based. They have, therefore, derived most of their vocabularies from one or more European languages. Creole French and Creole English are most frequently traced in West Africa and the New World; whereas, Spanish, Dutch, and Postuguese creoles are found to be more common in other parts of the world.

Further investigations show that by no means is all of the vocabulary of creole shared with its corresponding European language. It has been found, moreover, that in both phonology and syntax, the difference between a creole and a standard language are usually so great as to make them mutually unintelligible. In most cases, a creole is considered inferior to its corresponding standard language, but this is true only in prestige and social status.

A creole is the native language of most of its speakers. As such its vocabulary and syntactic devices like those of any language, are sufficient to meet all the communication needs of its speakers.

2.1 Philippine Creole Spanish (PCS)

In a more recent study of the creole language in the Philippines, Molony (1973, 1974) mentions the existence of five or six dialects of Philippine Creole Spanish in the country. Reference to Chabacano is made as the commonly used cover term for all dialects of PCS.

The term PCS was first used by Frake (1972;223) in Creole literature. To him it "is not simply a Philippine language with unusually heavy Spanish lexical influence, nor is it Spanish with a large number of Philippine loan words".

Most Spanish dictionaries will define Chabacano as something 'coarse, unpolished, ill-finished, awkward, clumsy'. When referring to a language, it would mean a language characterized by a drastic simplification of its lexicon and syntax, a melange of languages in contact, an interlingual corruption of standard languages. It is pejoratively referred as a 'lenguaje de trapos' (loosely, 'a language of odds and ends'; 'of rags'), Chabacano, however, is the popular name given to the PCS dialects spoken by several communities in the Philippines as their mother tongue. (Frake, 1971:223)

The Chabacano spoken in Ternate, Cavite City and the one which was once spoken at Ermita, Manila are identified by Frake (1971) as Manila Bay Creole (MBC). Analogically, for purposes of this present study, this writer identifies the Chabacano spoken in Zamboanga and Cotabato as Southern Mindanao Creole (SMC).

The geographical areas in the Philippines where Chabacano is spoken show indications of the origin or history of the PCS in the country (Map 1). Inasmuch as creole is said to be the dramatic result of languages in contact (Molony, 1973), this chapter presents data on what might be the inception of Chabacano in the distinct areas of the Philippines where there are now existing language communities that speak the Chabacano. Thus, the background of PCS is here traced in order to see better the language situation of each area from their geographical and historical position.

In organizing this chapter, a fuller and lengthier treatment and background of Ct is given, the fact that it is the language which is presented here for the first time.²

Note: Tr=Ternate Chabacano Cv=Cavite Chabacano Zm=Zamboanga Chabacano Ct=Cotabato Chabacano

² The section on Ct in this chapter is derived from the paper presented by this researcher at the 1975 International Conferences on Pidgin and Creoles, entitled, "The Cotabato Chabacano Verb". (See Appendix E)

2.11 Ternate Chabacano

Information on research done on Ternate Chabacano (Whinnom, 1956 and Molony, 1873) provide some historical data from which the following account was derived.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Ternate was the most important of the Island of Moluccas, Indonesia. At that time, several of the colonizing countries of rope quarreled over their claim to get hold of the monopoly of the spice trade of the world. In 1655, however, the Spaniards had to withdraw from the Moluccas in order to concentrate their forces in Manila. This was to fortify themselves against the threatened attack of a Chinese warlord, Koxinga.

In moving out of the Moluccas, the Spanish missionary who went with the troops took along with him some 200 Christians, better known as Márdikas. To this band of 200 immigrants can be traced to entry of Chabacano into the Philippines.

The immigrants settled in Ermita, Manila for a short time. By 1700, they moved to the mouth of the river of the Tagalog town of Maragondon, Cavite. IT is a place about 50 miles south of Manila, opposite the island of Corregidor, right at the entry of Manila Bay. The immigrants called this new settlement, Ternate, after their own homeland in the Moluccas.

At the time of their coming, the Márdikas were known to have spoken their 'own language' as well as amixture of Tagalog and Spanish (Blair & Robertson 24: 41, 66, 237). Eventually, they are assumed to have come to speak PCS as their native tongue (Frake, 1971:224-225).

Except available data from preliminary investigation made by Molony (1973, 1974) on sound changes in Chabacano, it is not ascertained if these people invented the language that they speak now or if they adapted a Philippine military pidgin or a Postuguese Pidgin brought from the Moluccas.

IN her 1973 study, Molony claims that there are 8,000 inhabitants of the town of Ternate who speak Tr. They gain their living mostly by fishing. There income is supplemented by cultivation. They are also helped by relatives who have gone elsewhere, especially to Manila and the United States to seek employment.

Tr is the first language of almost all of the people of Ternate. It has been observed, however, that almost everyone is bilingual in Ternate and Tagalog, the basis of the national language of the Philippines.

2.12 Cavite Chabacano (Cv)

In 1641, the Spaniards established an important naval yard on the Cavite Peninsula which is considered the traditional navy yard of Manila. It is from this settlement that the City of Cavite grew. While Cavite became a major naval base and shipyard, Ternate and Corregidor guarded the entrance of Manila Bay against Moslem raiders.

Whinnom (1956:12) assumes that Cv is the modern descendant of Tr, traced from the socio-economic situation of the great influx of Ternateños to Cavite City to work in the dockyards.

Whinnom's paper states that there are some 5,000 people 40 years and above who claim Cv as their first language. The proximity to the City of Manila where people find more opportunities other than work connected with the navy and dockyards is the main reason why many Caviteños are scattered outside Cavite City. Practically all communicate in Tagalog today. Even native speakers of Cv who are younger than 40 would opt for a Tagalog word or term when faced with a choice.

2.13 Zamboanga Chabacano (Zm)

From the beginning of the 17th century to the end of the 19th, Zamboanga was the Spanish military base in the midst of Moslem territory, in the southern part of the Philippines. Being situated at the southern part of the country and having proved an unprofitable possession compared to the yield of the Spice Islands, the fort of Zamboanga was set up more for purposes of interdicting slaving raids and piratical attacks, which were common practice at the time. (Blair and Robertson 10:9)

When in 1636 Fort Pilar was built, it was garrisoned by three hundred Spandiards and one hundred 'Visayan' troops (de la Costa, 1961:325). However, with the withdrawal of the Spaniards from the Moluccas as mentioned earlier, the Zamboanga troops were likewise recalled to Manila for further security from threatened invasion of Koxinga.

It was not until 1718 that that abandoned fort was reestablished at the urging of the Jusuit missionaries. This time, the garrison was made up of Spanish officers and Mexican soldiers and reinforced by Tagalogs and Visayans. Such a common labor and work contact of people with no common language among them surely brought about the language situation of the people living within the garrison and facing one common enemy from the outside.

To date, no record has been found nor is there any tradition of native creole-speaking Márdikas who participiated in the resettlement of Zamboanga. Thus the Márdikas cannot be traced as responsible for a dialect of PCS in Southern Mindanao. Frake assumes that Zm represents an independent creolization of the same pidgin.

So far, the only reference found in historical materials written in Spanish with regard to what the people of Zamboanga spoke (mentioned by Frake, 1971; and by Forman, 1972) is a quotation from Montero y Vidal (1888: 37). "Los naturales de Zamboanga hablan todos, aunque imperfectamente español".

If MBS and SMC developed independently along parallel lines as data seem to point out, then the presence of similarities between the variants under study can be accounted for by one theory for another on the origin of pidgins and creoles.

One way of accounting for it is to say like Hall (In Todd, 1971: 31) that these language or dialects all derive from practically the same stock, that is from Spanish and from Philippine languages. On the other hand, it can also be accounted for by the possibility that there are universal patterns of linguistic behavior appropriate to contact situations (Todd 1971: 41).

2.2 Cotabato Chabacano (Ct)

To date, there has been no study made of Ct as a language identified with a speech community of its own. Except for a passing mention by Macansantos (1971) and Forman (1972) of Zamboanga Chabacano speakers in Cotabato, and Molony (1973, 1974) as Ct being possibly one of the five or six dialects of Philippine Creole Spanish, there is, so far, no documentation on Ct.

2.21 Native Ct Speakers

Those who claim to speak Ct are those who belong to the old families of the original capital of the Province of Cotabato which is now Cotabato City proper. What is considered as the speech community of Ct includes the immediate geographical environs which extend to Tamontaka, the river población and the first Christian settlement of the province (founded early 19th C) as well as the old bay poblaciones of Parang (1854) and its neighbor, Polloc Point, the old minor Spanish naval station.

It is difficult to ascertain the number of Ct speakers today. In the 1969 Philippine Census which claimed the total Cotabato population as 1,029,119, there were only 7,102 Chabacano speakers. In 1970, the total population rose to 1,136,007 with only 4,983 reported Chabacano speakers.³

In this connection, a rough estimate of three generations of typical Ct family was made.[4] Assuming that the first generation had 100% Ct speakers, the second had only 98.9%; and the thirst generation had an abrupt drop with only 20.92% Ct speakers. The third generation represents the children born within the period of the past twenty years.

Although the number of Ct speakers tapers to an evident reduction or near extinction, there are living informants between the ages of 73 and 80 who claim that Ct had always been their language at home. They further claim that they had always spoken Ct with their elders as far as they can remember.[5]

³ I believe that the methodology employed by the Bureau of Census and Statistics is not adequate to reflect the authentic statistical variables. In the more than 25 years as a Religious for instance, I never knew of any census team coming to the convent to gather such information and other pertinent data on what language the citizens speak. [get back]

[4] The study was made of my own family for a paper entitled, "The Segmental Phonemes of Ct" (Typescript, Manila, 1972-73)

The following is a table of the three-generation sampling. I belong to the second generation of Ct native speakers.

THREE GENERATION SAMPLING OF CT NATIVE SPEAKERS

Generation | Population | Ct Speaker | Percentage | Non-Ct Speakers | % | Total

First | 16 | 16 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 100%

Second | 43 | 39 | 98.9%| 4 | 1.1%| 100%

Third | 67 | 14 | 20.92% | 53 | 79.08%| 100%

[get back]

[5] This was a result of a series of personal interview made in August 1973 at Cotabato City and Tamontaka, Cotabato. Seven of the interviews were recorded. [ get back ]

2.22 The Socio-cultural background of Ct

There is always the open question of whether Ct is a distinct PCS variant or a mere transplant of Zm.

The summary of data which follows will trace the possible process of creolization that may have taken place in the formation of Ct. Significant data were extracted from Madigan and Cushner's (1961) entitled, 'Tamontaka Reduction: A Community Approach to Mission Work'.[6]

During the Spanish occupation of the Philippines in the latter nineteenth century, Tamontaka, a poplación some three miles south of the townsite of Cotabato (Cotabato City now) was the headquarters of a Spanish military garrison and center of Spanish authority over Central Mindanao.

In 1869, the Jesuit Superior of the Philippine Mission conceived the idea of a Catholic village community (referred to as reducción, patterned after the Jesuit project in Paraguay) which was to be composed of Muslim converts located in the heart of Muslim land. This community was conceived, would be made of exemplary Catholic men and woman who would win the Muslims to the Faith by sheer force of their example. Because the village would be situated in or near the center of the Muslim territory, they would be on familiar terms with the Muslim of their neighborhood.

It was not until 1872 that funds were solicited from generous benefactors from Manila and the project began to take shape. The Jesuit Fathers located the new institution at Tamontaka where ten years earlier they had set up a mission for the Tiruray, a pagan minority of the place.

With funds in their hands, the missionaries ransomed the first group of children from the slave market on September 9, 1872.[7] These became the nucleus of the ideal Christian village as envisioned in 1861. The ransoming of slaves was made possible because slavery was practiced among the Muslim chieftains, and slave children could be purchased at almost any desired age. By 1875, there were 100 boys and girls in the orphanage built for this purpose, with boys completely segregated from girls.

When the funds ran low, the Fathers decided to start a farm at Tamontaka to help solve the problem of sustenance. Along this line was the practice of providing a piece of land together with some basic farming implements and a beast of burden to the wards of the orphanage. This is done when those of marriageable age expressed their desire to marry. A good number of libertos (the liberated, as they were called) married the partners chosen for them by their spiritual guardians. The marriages in general, worked out well.

[6] There are available to this researcher, historical sources from works of Combes, Pastels, and Cartas Edificantes de los Misioneros de la Compaña de Jesus en Filipinas which are duly annotated in the Bibliography. However, for the purpose of summarizing pertinent data in this study, the English translation of the Madigan-Cushner paper was used. The latter drew heavily from the above-mentioned sources. [get back]

[7] The Mindanaos (as the natives were identified in historical documents) were known to be pirates who invaded and burned down coast towns and villages in Luzon and the Visayas. They also captured people. (Blair and Robertson 18:126) [get back]

It is this writer's assumption that among the children ransomed by the missionaries, there were those who were captured during piratical raids. If such were the case then the children brought into the Tamontaka Orphanage, aside from Muslims, were made up of native speakers of other Philippine languages. These languages were non-intelligible to each other and Spanish had to be the dominant and common language of communication. Therefore, the situation of languages in contact as a possible point of reference for an influencing factor in the formation of pidgin and/or creole was indeed present in the Tamontaka situation.

2.23 The socio-cultural situation

The children from this Christian village who were originally Muslim, were shielded from the Islamic religion and Islamic culture during their period of formation. As adults, however, the Christian culture of their community life at Tamontaka was expected to penetrate the Islamic culture of the surrounding areas without itself being weakened by the contact. The confines of the ideal village did not make it remote from the white man, because the institution needed the protection of the Spanish army and the children were educated by the Spanish priests in the Spanish language. Later in 1875, the first group of Filipino Sisters (now known as Religious of the Virgin Mary) arrived at Tamontaka to assist the Fathers in the formation of the children. Spanish continued to be taught. Thus the children were remote from the Muslim of the place, although their remoteness was cultural, not spatial.

In the Tamontaka situation, the Muslim child came into the institution was an isolated individual without group backing to support performances of the cultural patterns which he had preciously known. The child had his formation in the Muslim culture as a child. But he also possessed a child's plasticity to adapt to new social patterns. These circumstances greatly affected the resulting community culture and therefore, affected the language as well.

It was observed that the culture of the Tamontaka children seemed to have been basically Spanish Catholic, modified by Maguindanao customs and practices.

Another factor which contributed to the resulting culture is that there were a number of older children who were brought into the institution to become a steadying influence on the younger children. At the same time, there was need of adult help in the heavy physical labors of building and farming.

On the other hand, people living in the village outside the institution were not necessarily products of the institute. Aside from the Muslim, there were also Tiruray couples who were brought to Tamontaka for instruction and training in the Faith.

Under these circumstances, the child in the institution was brought up and formed. Aside from prayers and practices of devotion., the children were taught to work, read and write and how to spend leisure time properly and profitably.

The children were trained to speak Spanish inside the house be were encouraged to speak Maguindanao outside. This 'bilingual' situation was considered important for later contacts with the Muslim and in achieving the apostolic vision for which the village was organized. At this point, it was noted by the missionary chroniclers (referring to the Madigan-Cushner article) that the language that the children spoke was in fact less Maguindanao than Chabacano, a mixture of Spanish and Maguindanao words, expressions and grammar. (Underscoring mine.)

2.24 The Zamboanga Contact

By 1879, there were 127 boys and girls in the institution. In 1882, the number had increased to 148 boys and girls. However, not all these children were ransomed slaves. During a cholera epidemic in Zamboanga at about this time, many lives were claimed and many were left orphans. These Zamboanga orphans were sent to the Tamontaka orphanage bringing about an added language contact in the Tamontaka situation. Thus, by 1897, there were 250 children in the institution and more than 100 families made up the Tamontaka community.

With the withdrawal of the Spanish forces from Tamontaka at the advent of the Spanish-American War, the missionaries decided to bring to safety to Zamboanga the younger children, the nuns, and some sixty-old families totalling to about 400 people. After the war, some of these people chose to return to Tamontaka, while the rest remained and established themselves in Zamboanga. With the return of the evacuees, another wave of language contact took place.

2.25 The Creolization Situation

The socio-economic-cultural pressures inevitably imposed upon the initial Christian community of Tamontaka must have been the very environment which was responsible for the formation of a creolized language in the place.

That Zm had its role in the later development of Ct cannot be denied, but the Ct had its own separate point of incipience and growth is another fact.

The Ct language situation was further affected by the phenomenal population increase which was occasioned by the migration of homeseekers and settlers to the Province of Cotabato. This was brought about by the opening up of vast public lands which were converted into homesteads. Public highways and bridges were constructed and evidence of material progress drew more people from the different parts of the country.

Cotabato, otherwise known in the Philippines as the 'empire province', was thronged by homeseekers, agricultural pioneers, capitalists, and pioneering professionals. Later still, the American missionaries, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, took over the spiritual guidance and Christian education of the province. They contributed significantly to the cultural expansion of the province through schools, hospitals, press and radio. The waves of population invasion have likewise brought about a linguistic invasion into the language situation of Ct native speakers.

2.3 Summary

Linguistic investigations in the recent past (1956-74) seem to point out that the earliest evidence of the beginnings of PCS can be traced to the year 1700 as coming from Ternate, Moluccas. Molony (1973:43) states that 'Linguistic evidence for the transmission of Ternateño to the Philippines, occurs in the form of a few Indo-Pacific, Malay and Postugese terms used today mostly in the dialect of Chabacano spoken in Ternate, Philippines'. Whinnom, on the other hand, considers Cv as the modern descendant of Tr, its locale being Cavite City, a navy yard since the 17th century.

In general, PCS is categorized into two general classification, Manila Bay Creole (MBC) and Southern Mindanao Creole (SMC). In referring to Tr and Cv, Frake (1971, In Hymes: 228) claims that the two share enough distinctive differences from regular Spanish or regular Philippine usage that they must be considred historically related dialects of the same language. Tr and Cv, as well as the Chabacano formerly spoken in Ermita, Manila are identified as MBC.

On the other hand, Zm and Ct are identified as SMC. Both correspond more closely to the shape of the form in modern Spanish. The incipience of Zm goes back to the year 1718, the reoccupation and refortification of Fort Pilar in Zamboanga. Ct is traced to the late 19th century the year 1872 when the first Christian village community was organized in Tamontaka, Cotabato.

A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School Ateneo de Manila, by Sister Maria Isabelita O. Riego de Dios, R.V.M. 1976

THE US military had contracted a firm in the US to translate four pages of a document called “Special Travel Project” into Tausug and Spanish for use by their special forces in Basilan and Zamboanga – Spanish because it is nearest to Chabacano, one of the two dialects spoken there with Chabacano being the more predominant in both places. Chabacano is also spoken in Cotabato, in some towns in Cavite, and even among the old families in Ermita, Manila.

Now, here's a tip. In Zamboanga: Speak Chabacano to Mayor Caling Lobregat and you make her the happiest person in the world. For all her life she has been advocating the preservation of Chabacano not only in Zamboanga, but in all parts of the country where this dialect is still being spoken. Caling descended from Spanish ancestors. So she speaks Spanish, and Cebuano too, the latter most fluently among the native dialects she uses. But she loves Chabacano.

The translated Tausug and Spanish statements are "basics." They are to be said in emergency situations when needed for survival, such as while wounded or lost. I have not read that manual yet, but as reported in the paper, the untranslated English version reads:

"I am an American and do not speak your language. I will not harm you! I bear no malice toward your people. My friend, please provide me food, water, shelter and necessary medical attention. Also provide me safe passage to the nearest friendly forces of any country supporting the Americans or their allies. You will be rewarded for assisting me when you present this number to American authorities.

"The American soldiers speaking Spanish may not be readily understood by the Chabacano speaking Yakan or Muslim natives in Basilan. The Chabacano, those natives speak is not even the formal version spoken by the old-timer Chabacano speakers in Zamboanga. Many of the old-timers have gone, and the Chabacano of the present-day Zamboangueños is incorrect per Bernardino S. Camins, author of the "Chabacano Zamboanga Handbook and Chabacano-English-Spanish Dictionary."

Mr. Camins, forgive my Chabacano translation of the statements: "Yo es un Americano y no hablo tu lenguage. Hinde yo hace malo contigo. No ay yo mal entencion para contigo, Mi amigo, por favor dale conmigo comida, agua, techo y medicina para cura. Lleva conmigo na un con todo cerca lugar na no ay peligro, o nacion ta suporta con maga Americanos o su amigos. Por este ayuda de tuyo, dale contigo premio el otoridades Americanos si presenta tu este numero."

Instead of Spanish, the US soldiers could memorize and later utter the above Chabacano translation to nonTausug speaking inhabitants according to what their manual directs them to say in times of emergency in Basilan or Zamboanga. I remember what my Wikang Pambansa high school teacher, who is an Ilocana, said. She said Chabacano was the most beautiful dialect she had ever heard among dialects in the Philippines because of its Spanish-Visayan-Moro multi-mixture.

But not all in down South should be war-directed and combat-ready. The American soldiers could spend their leisure time to know people and visit places in Basilan, and especially Zamboanga where the señoritas abound, before they are shipped home six months from today. Mr. Camins's book has this Chabacano dialog about being introduced to a lady, which I trust some GI Joes may want to learn for whatever purpose - noble or otherwise:

1. What is your name? - Cosa tu nombre?

2. Are you acquainted with her? - Conoce ba tu conele?

3. Please introduce me. - Favor introduci conmigo.

4. Ms. Santos, this is Tom Roy. - Ms. Santos, este si Tom Roy.

5. He wants to meet you. - Quiere ele conoce contigo.

6. Are you married? - Casado ba tu?

7. No, I am still single. - No, soltero pa yo.

8. Where do you reside? - Donde tu ta queda?

9. Can I visit? - Puede yo visita?

10. What are your intentions? - Cosa tus intenciones?

11. I want to meet your elders. - Quiere yo conoce detuyo mayores.

De: Manila Bulletin, 02/09/2002

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PETER DIMAGUILA III: The first and only Zamboangueño in history to ever carry the Olympic Torch in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Before the start of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, Peter Dimaguila III (encircled, above photo) made history by becoming the first and only Zamboan-
gueño to carry the Olympic torch through Cape Girardeau, Missouri on May 27, 1996 Memorial Day. Peter is now L.A. Zamboanga Times' managing editor and
is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Peter was even featured in the local newspaper as a "Hometown Hero."

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This is a copy of the letter Peter received from William Porter Payne, President and CEO of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.

THE country's largest call center and outsourcing company has gone to Zamboanga City in search of call center agents to complement its expansion program in the Philippines, Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said Saturday.

In a statement, she said that representatives from the Cyber City Teleservices Limited (CCTL) have flown to Zamboanga City to recruit female call center agents to fill up additional manpower requirements for its outsourcing operations.

She said CCTL is a leading provider of customer relationship management (CRM) services and solutions including inbound and outbound offshore call center and business process outsourcing (BPO) services based in New Jersey and California, USA.

Sto. Tomas said CCTL is the largest CRM call center in the Philippines today, employing almost 5,000 agents for its operations at Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga and its affiliate G-Com Limited in Davao City.

The labor chief said that CCTL representatives interviewed applicants in Zamboanga City between January 18 and 20, 2006. Those who would pass the interview would be trained and sent either to their call centers in Pampanga and Davao. The recruitment was held at the Zamboanga City-based Public Employment Service Office (PESO).

Sto. Tomas added that the CCTL representatives planned to return to Zamboanga City in February and March to recruit more call center agents.

"This is an indication of the expanding call center industry in the country," she said.

Sto. Tomas said that amidst the ongoing political noise, the country remains a favorite destination of many American call center and outsourcing firms due to the Filipinos' affinity with the American English language and culture.

A study in 2004 said that the country ranked sixth in offshore location attractiveness index and the fourth choice location in Asia preceded by India, China, and Malaysia.

Currently, there are more than 50 contact center outsourcing providers in the Philippines. More call center and BPO firms are projected to set up operations in the country due to its cost-efficient, flexible, and trainable manpower.

http://news.inq7.net/breaking/index.php?index=2&story_id=63683

FOR reporters, Zamboanga City is one of the places you can’t help visit repeatedly. The port city hosts the military’s Southern Command. It’s al*so the natural gateway to Basilan, which still has a dangerous ring to it even if locals insist that it’s not as violent as it was during the Abu Sayyaf’s heydays. And, of course, there’s the curacha. And that’s about how deep into Zambo many of us non-Zamboangueños can know about the place.

Fortunately, in a recent trip, my cardboard impression of Zambo was corrected by the vivacious local historian Icelle Borja, who has devoted countless hours of personal time—and her husband’s money—to researching about the city. What really caught my interest was her story about Kenji Uchida, a photographer at the turn of the century who chronicled the prewar Zambo none of us knew. Pre-World War II, that is.

It seems easy to believe that Zambo is perennially at war since many of the correspondents covering the fighting across Mindanao are based in the city. Kenji’s story was one of epic proportions—a young adventurer docking in the port of Zamboanga and falling in love with a local lass, and starting a family. The young couple lived happily but, alas, not ever after.

Kenji disappeared during World War II, leaving his family at a loss not only about their future but their past as well. They assumed he was killed during the last days of the war, but they never recovered his body. The circumstances of his death weren’t the only riddle he left his wife and children. Kenji hadn’t told them anything about the family he left in Japan or why he came to the Philippines. They’re now trying to get into a Japanese government program that tries to connect second generation Japanese with their lost relatives in Japan.

The predicament the Uchida children were in wasn’t really unique. Many prewar Japanese settlers in Zamboanga hadn’t told their wives and children about their roots. What makes the story of Kenji stand out was because he didn’t seem to be an ordinary migrant. According to Icelle’s research, Kenji had been an innovative and successful farmer, a translator and a skilled photographer. His ways were that of the gentry. He had money, the source of which they couldn’t trace. All this led her to conclude that he was a spy for the Japanese military.

Icelle believes this would explain a lot of the gaps about Kenji—why he traveled to the Philippines, why he had so much money, why he was so interested in photographing the city. Kenji’s children disagree of course.

His two sons, Agustin and Felipe, explain that their father worked as a translator for the mayor so he was paid extra.

Icelle’s research is far from completed, but at least it’s helped the Uchida children learn more about their father, who was last seen in Davao just before the Americans arrived to free the country from the Japanese. Her research also recovered for the city several of the photographs Kenji took of the city before it became the Zambo we know now.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2005/nov/02/yehey/opinion/20051102opi6.html

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Quetal Ustedes? From the moment you hear those lifting words, you realize it’s true. Here indeed is a quaint pocket of history torn from mainland Spain. A place unlike any other in the Philippines.

While Spain’s three-century reign left its indelible imprint on the country, nowhere was its legacy perhaps so concentrated and embedded than in Zamboanga, which took for its native tongue, Chabacano, the delightful mix of 60% Español and 40% native words.

There is more to Zamboanga than this. As far back as the 13th and 14th centuries, it was already a trading center with a vibrant culture of its own, emblazoned against the horizon in the vivid colors of the native vinta sails that fluttered gaily off its shores. And when the Castillan flag of Spain first appeared in the horizon off Caldera Bay (now Recodo) in 1593, Zamboanga opened another epoch in its colorful heritage, one that would leave a legacy so rooted that from it would spring much of the city’s romance and allure.

The best recuerdo of la presencia de España in Zamboanga was and remains to be Fort Pilar, the coastal fort built in 1635 around which the city first grew. In time, it became a shrine to Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza, especially after miracles that are now part of legends and Zamboanga folklore.

It was in Zamboanga that Christianity gained a foothold in Mindanao. The Archdiocese of Zamboanga covered all of Mindanao, except Sulu where Islam and the Tausug culture proved every bit as dynamic as Spain’s influence.

GEOGRAPHY

Zamboanga City is located on the tip of the Zamboanga peninsula that juts out of the bottom of Mindanao island in Southern Philippines. It has about 142,000 hectares of sloping terrain from a surrounding shoreline of coral beaches to mineral-rich mountains in the center of the peninsula.

POLITICAL SUBDIVISION

Zamboanga City has at least 25 island communities and 98 barangays.
spacer spacerPOPULATION
Zamboanga’s population as of the 2000 census is 601,794.
spacer spacerLANGUAGE/DIALECT
Chabacano is the dominant language in Zamboanga City. Other dialects like Bisaya and the Muslim vernaculars are also spoken in certain communities in the city.

CLIMATE

Zamboanga City enjoys a location that is free from the typhoon belt area. March to May is hot and dry, with temperature at 22 degrees Celsius. June to October is rainy. November to February is cool, with temperatures ranging from 22 degrees Celsius to 28 degrees Celsius. Average humidity year-round is 77%.

INDUSTRIES

Zamboanga City is the center of Western Mindanao for commerce and trade, government and finance, transportation and communication. It has an international airport, a huge port area, and the Zamboanga Freeport and Economic Zone Authority.

It is known as the Sardine Capital of the Philippines because most of the sardine and canning factories are situated in Zamboanga City. It has been involved in the export of marine/aquaculture products, fruits, processed food, furniture/wood products, and many more.

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maganda animo :)

maganda animo :)

Chavacano: Gracias! :okay:

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During the era before the Spaniards found their way into the Philippines, Zamboanga City was a vast track of land and nameless. However, due to its proximity with the other islands in Southeast Asia, it became a barter trading post among the Chinese-Malays, the native Tausugs, Subanons, Samals, and the Badjaos. This barter trading took place as early as in the 13th and 14th centuries. Archeological findings of pottery proves of Chinese presence in the region. The inhabitants then were the Subanons along the river banks in the hinterlands, the Samals and Badjaos living in the coastal areas.

The origin of the word Zamboanga came from the early Malays who came to settle at the tip of the Zamboanga peninsula. These Malays discovered the place to be profusely blooming with flowers and called it “Jambangan” meaning “land or pot of flowers.” These Malays who built their settlements by the riverbanks were Subanons, meaning “People of the River.” Their chief, Saragan, lived with his family atop the legendary rock Mt. Pulumbato that lords over the city.

However, the early Badjaos and Samals who settled on and off the shorelines were confused with the name “Jambangan” and called the place “Samboangan” instead. The name “Samboangan” appeared on the 16th Century map of the Philippine Archipelago, and was said to have derived from the native word “Sabuan” meaning a wooden paddle.

Zamboanga City was founded by a Spanish Mission who sailed into the southern part of the Philippine Archipelago in 1635. The group landed at Caldera Bay, a fishing village along the west coast, now known as Recodo. The Spanish settlement at La Caldera later moved to the tip of the peninsula which they found to be strategically located, and a fort was built to ward off invading natives.

The Federal Government of the United States built the City Hall in Zamboanga in 1905, which was completed in 1907. It became the official residence of the Military Governor of Mindanao, which included Generals like Leonard O. Wood, Tasker H. Bliss, Ralph W. Hoyt, and John “Blackjack” Pershing of World War I fame. Today, it still serves as City Hall of Zamboanga City.

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Fort Pilar

The fort was built on June 23, 1635 by Father Melchor de Vera, a Jesuit Priest-Engineer, to ward off attacks from the moros and foreign invaders. Originally named the Real Fuerza de San Jose, it was renamed after it was rebuilt in 1719. The Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza, whose statue was embossed on the east wall in 1734 as a frontpiece atop the entrance, was eventually sealed when it became a shrine.
Fort Pilar is a fifteen-minute walk from City Hall, NS Valderrosa Street."

City Hall

The construction of this Hispanic building started in 1905 and was completed in 1907 by the Federal Government of the United States for the American Governors of the area, which included Leonard O. Wood, Tasker H. Bliss, Ralph W. Hoyt, and John Pershing of World War I fame. Today it serves as the City Hall of Zamboanga, where the City Mayor holds office. It is located right at the heart of Zamboanga City.

Regatta de Zamboanga

One of the many festivals of Zamboanga City, the Regatta de Zamboanga is a festival of colorful sailboats. It is usually held within the month-long activities of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival in October every year. The City Government of Zamboanga conducts the Regatta in the form of a race of colorful vintas, and fabulous prizes are given to winners.

Pettit Barracks

These barracks had been occupied by the American Forces under General C. Bates after their capture of the city on November 16, 1899. The site was named Pettit Barracks in honor of Colonel James S. Pettit, 31st Infantry US Forces Volunteer Commanding Officer of the Second Military District, who was later promoted to the rank of General and became the Inspector General and In-Charge of Civil Affairs of Zamboanga. Pettit Barracks is roughly a five-minute walk from City Hall.

Pasonanca Aviary

One of the newest interesting sites in Zamboanga City is the aviary at Pasonanca Park, located around 7.5 kilometers north of the city proper. It showcases different species of domestic and imported birds. It has become a favorite place for families and tourists. Pasonanca Park is roughly a 15-minute ride from City Hall.

Delicious Seafood

From outdoor and alfresco food centers to silver-service restaurants in plush settings, Zamboanga City offers the world on a plate at affordable and down-to-earth prices. Creole Spanish cuisine, as Zamboanga’s native cooking is known as, is basically Spanish with hefty dashes of local flavor, just like the Chabacano language spoken. Many dishes are Spanish in origin, with evocative names like arroz valenciana, callos de andalucia, pochero. Native dishes are heavily based on coconut cream or milk like bagon gata and tamales. The city’s multi-cultural makeup means native, Spanish, Chinese, Islamic, Japanese, other Asian as well as American dishes are available. And its proximity to the sea means an unending supply of fresh sea food at prices you won’t believe!

Pasonanca Park

Known throughout the world as a tourist attraction, it was named as the “Beautiful Park” in the past. It has become a popular site for youth citizenship training and for boys and girls scout jamborees. To those who come from the north, Pasonanca Park is known as the “Little Baguio” of the south due to its cleanliness, coolness, and wholesome atmosphere, and its being nestled on a height of 500 feet above sea level and surrounded by verdant hills and mountains. In the 1959 contest for parks, plazas, and gardens nationwide, Pasonanca Park won first prize as the number one garden of the Philippines. Construction of this park was begun in 1912 by General John “Blackjack” J. Pershing, military governor for Mindanao. The park is about 7.5 kilometers from city proper.

Cultural Dances and Songs

Zamboanga City is rich in cultural activities. Colorful songs and dances are performed during festivals in the streets and they become the center of attraction for tourists.

City of Flowers and Beautiful People

Zamboanga City was named the City of Flowers for two reasons: literally, for its profusion of flowers and, figuratively, for its beautiful people. The Zamboangueña is famed for her beauty and admired far and wide. Songs have been written and sung about her. Little wonder that she is beautiful as she is blessed with a mixture of races combined to produce mestizas of the Eurasian and Amerasian strains.

Beautiful Beaches

Zamboanga City is blessed with beautiful beaches where domestic and foreign tourists can come and enjoy. Among the famous beaches are Sta. Cruz Island with its pink coral-sand; the sandy Bolong beach; and the city’s most modern resort at La Vista del Mar.

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Cultural

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Delicious Seafood

From outdoor and alfresco food centers to silver-service restaurants in plush settings, Zamboanga City offers the world on a plate at affordable and down-to-earth prices. Creole Spanish cuisine, as Zamboanga’s native cooking is known as, is basically Spanish with hefty dashes of local flavor, just like the Chabacano language spoken. Many dishes are Spanish in origin, with evocative names like arroz valenciana, callos de andalucia, pochero. Native dishes are heavily based on coconut cream or milk like bagon gata and tamales. The city’s multi-cultural makeup means native, Spanish, Chinese, Islamic, Japanese, other Asian as well as American dishes are available. And its proximity to the sea means an unending supply of fresh sea food at prices you won’t believe!

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Cultural Dances and Songs

Zamboanga City is rich in cultural activities. Colorful songs and dances are performed during festivals in the streets and they become the center of attraction for tourists.

Natural

Pasonanca Park

Known throughout the world as a tourist attraction, it was named as the “Beautiful Park” in the past. It has become a popular site for youth citizenship training and for boys and girls scout jamborees. To those who come from the north, Pasonanca Park is known as the “Little Baguio” of the south due to its cleanliness, coolness, and wholesome atmosphere, and its being nestled on a height of 500 feet above sea level and surrounded by verdant hills and mountains. In the 1959 contest for parks, plazas, and gardens nationwide, Pasonanca Park won first prize as the number one garden of the Philippines. Construction of this park was begun in 1912 by General John “Blackjack” J. Pershing, military governor for Mindanao. The park is about 7.5 kilometers from city proper.

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Beautiful Beaches

Zamboanga City is blessed with beautiful beaches where domestic and foreign tourists can come and enjoy. Among the famous beaches are Sta. Cruz Island with its pink coral-sand; the sandy Bolong beach; and the city’s most modern resort at La Vista del Mar.

Man-Made

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Fort Pilar

The fort was built on June 23, 1635 by Father Melchor de Vera, a Jesuit Priest-Engineer, to ward off attacks from the moros and foreign invaders. Originally named the Real Fuerza de San Jose, it was renamed after it was rebuilt in 1719. The Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza, whose statue was embossed on the east wall in 1734 as a frontpiece atop the entrance, was eventually sealed when it became a shrine.
Fort Pilar is a fifteen-minute walk from City Hall, NS Valderrosa Street.

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City Hall

The construction of this Hispanic building started in 1905 and was completed in 1907 by the Federal Government of the United States for the American Governors of the area, which included Leonard O. Wood, Tasker H. Bliss, Ralph W. Hoyt, and John Pershing of World War I fame. Today it serves as the City Hall of Zamboanga, where the City Mayor holds office. It is located right at the heart of Zamboanga City.

Pettit Barracks

These barracks had been occupied by the American Forces under General C. Bates after their capture of the city on November 16, 1899. The site was named Pettit Barracks in honor of Colonel James S. Pettit, 31st Infantry US Forces Volunteer Commanding Officer of the Second Military District, who was later promoted to the rank of General and became the Inspector General and In-Charge of Civil Affairs of Zamboanga. Pettit Barracks is roughly a five-minute walk from City Hall.

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Pasonanca Aviary

One of the newest interesting sites in Zamboanga City is the aviary at Pasonanca Park, located around 7.5 kilometers north of the city proper. It showcases different species of domestic and imported birds. It has become a favorite place for families and tourists. Pasonanca Park is roughly a 15-minute ride from City Hall.

Festivals

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Regatta de Zamboanga

One of the many festivals of Zamboanga City, the Regatta de Zamboanga is a festival of colorful sailboats. It is usually held within the month-long activities of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival in October every year. The City Government of Zamboanga conducts the Regatta in the form of a race of colorful vintas, and fabulous prizes are given to winners.

Special Interest

City of Flowers and Beautiful People

Zamboanga City was named the City of Flowers for two reasons: literally, for its profusion of flowers and, figuratively, for its beautiful people. The Zamboangueña is famed for her beauty and admired far and wide. Songs have been written and sung about her. Little wonder that she is beautiful as she is blessed with a mixture of races combined to produce mestizas of the Eurasian and Amerasian strains.
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Medical Facilities

Zamboanga City Medical Center
Veterans Avenue

Labuan Emergency Hospital
Labuan (West Coast)


Quiniput Hospital
Quiniput (East Coast)

Vitali Emergency Hospital
Vitali (East Coast)

Mindanao Sanitarium
Pasobolong (East Coast)


Brent Hospital
RT Lim Boulevard 99913564, 9912990,9917647,9924447


Cabato Memorial Hospital
Tetuan Highway 9916776


Puericulture Maternity Lying In Hospital
"Brillantes Street 9911175"

Western Mindanao Medical Center
Veterans Avenue 9912506, 9931094


ZAEC Community Medical Center
San Jose Road 9911042,9930009"


Zamboanga Children’s Hospital
Pilar Street 9913870


Zamboanga Doctor’s Hospital
Veterans Avenue 9911929

Police

ZCPO Headquarters
Gov. Lim Avenue, Zamboanga City

ZCMG
Sta. Barbara, Zamboanga City


Police Station 1
Brgy. Vitali, Zamboanga City
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Police Station 2
Brgy. Curuan, Zamboanga City


Police Station 3
Brgy. Manicahan, Zamboanga City


Police Station 4
Brgy. Culianan, Zamboanga City


Police Station 5
Brgy. Tetuan, Zamboanga City


Police Station 6
Brgy. Tetuan, Zamboanga City


Police Station 7
Brgy. Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City


Police Station 8
Brgy. Sinunuc, Zamboanga City


Police Station 9
Brgy. Ayala, Zamboanga City

Police Station 10
Brgy. Labuan, Zamboanga City


Police Station 11
Brgy. Busay, Sacol Island, Zamboanga City

Fire Station

Zamboanga City Fire Deparment
"Mayor Cesar C. Climaco Avenue, Zamboanga City 160 , 9912267 , 9912835 , 9914422"


Vitali Fire Station
Vitali (East Coast)


Campo Islam Fire Station (West Coast)


Filipino-Chinese Fire Brigade
Nuñez Street, Zamboanga City

Tourist Information and Assistance

DOT Region IX
MR. RICARDO A. SAN JUAN, Regional Director
Lantaka Hotel By The Sea, Valderosa Street, Zamboanga City 700
Tel.: (6362) 991 0218
Fax: (6362) 993 0030
E-Mail: dotr9@jetlink.com.ph

Travel Agent

LA BELLA TRAVEL & TOURS INC
Address : GARDEN ORCHID HOTEL, ZAMBOANGA CITY
Tel. No. : (6362)9911930 Fax. No. :

Manager : NIXON T GO

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Client: Zamboanga Hermosa Development Corporation

Description:

Zamboanga is a medium sized city on the south western tip of the southern island of Mindanao. Regarded at one time as a jewel amongst the Spanish ruled colonial cities, the city has in recent times stagnated. The intent behind the project was to provide a much needed stimulus to the economy by embarking on a major infra-structure project.

A visual presentation was prepared with the intention of getting a viable Airport and Urban Redevelopment project underway. The premise was simple enough. The existing Airport divides the existing town into two and is located practically in the CBD of Zamboanga. This poses obvious safety problems and is limiting the growth of the city as well as creating a natural limit to the length of the runway thus restricting the type of aircraft that can land there. What is disadvantageous for the airport would be a boon for commercial and urban future of Zamboanga, should the airport be relocated.

Urban Renewal to stimulate Economic Growth

As well as concept plans. our proposals included sound suggestions for how the old airport site could be utilised for urban regeneration. Our ideas link urban planning with improving the efficiency of the delivery and sale of food produce coming in from the hinterland farms and orchards. Our concept is to generate regional economic growth by investing in improving the quality of urban life allied with creating a dynamic produce distribution network. The easier access to the new airport would also be a factor in creating greater opportunities for processing and export. A new model based on recovering the city's traditons would create new paradigms and provide working example for eventually renovating the entire city. With the city reunified with the integration of the old airport site, the site would be developed as a network of pedestrianised neighbourhoods focused on fresh produce markets, food stalls and town squares with mixed use buildings combining shop houses, offices and a mixture of housing units.

The urban plan would therefore be developed from the market stall as the cellular generating unit. The unit generating the market structure allied with eating stalls. From this a radiating pedestrian movement pattern would emerge. Shared parking stations would then service the need reconnect in some controlled way pedestrian movement with

The key event therefore in allowing the realisation of this potential is the construction of a new Airport. The proposal extended further the commercial feasibility of the Airport Relocation by proposing a concept plan to include a satellite commercial centre as part of a visionary urban strategy.

Role:

Urban Concepts and Airport Design Consultant

Duration:

6 months of discussion and planning in 1998.

Site Plan

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Zamboanga: More than other groups in the Philippines, the Zamboanguenos consider themselves to be rightful heirs of a particularly vibrant brand of Spanish culture.

Elements of a unique urban setting

From my reading of the splendid book “Zamboanga Hermosa”, an outline of a strategy for the future architectural development of Zamboanga has emerged. Instead of lamenting the passing of the good, sweet old days - the Zamboanga townsfolk have to realise that the past never “goes away” - it lives in them - lying dormant oppressed by the exigencies of modern society and the historical and political realities that has created the present. The past has to be not so much recreated nor respected as a relic but given back its reality and its persistent spirit given a place as a vital aspect of a life lived within a belief of its eternity.

The Philippines has a unique place in World history. It is the only Asian nation that has a real spiritual link to the Latin World as a result of its conquest and colonisation by Spain. Many Filipinos can trace their ancestry to Spanish blood. This gives the Philippines a certain worldly flavour and a degree of sophistication of public culture that cannot be found in other neighbouring Asian nations. In “Zamboanga Hermosa”, a fascinating story is told of a city that is born of this Historical adventure - its effect on both the illustrious and the ordinary people who embraced the complexities of creating a tropical society seduced by the generosity of Latin love.

When one is reading a book of this type, those who would be familiar with the town would be transported in their minds in reminiscence, once again imagining the town and its atmosphere as it once was. Memory would bring back faces and events. Those who are not familiar with the town would look at the photographs of people and places and events that resemble people carrying on an exotic lifestyle and draw the inevitable conclusions of romance and glamour. In each set of imaginings, what is presented as the unifying element of people, places and events is the architecture of the town. The architecture of the old town seems to accord with the way people are living. There is a real harmony of parts between physical setting, life experiences and events. Many modern urban settings on the contrary do not provide this vision of harmony. If anything modern architecture presents life as a desperate compromise between many unresolved, conflicting interests. Cities are places where truth is evident to a perceptive eye. They are places which are constructed according to the prevailing exigencies of a particular epoch. The topography and the physical dimensions of a city are exacting statements about the condition of a particular urban organism. Thus in a well made city, there is a natural equilibrium between desire and the means of fulfilling that desire, between belief and means of worshipping that belief. A natural way exists for both the individual and the community to travel the path from innocence to maturity rooted in the certainty of the stability of culture. A well made city is an orderly stage for shared human experiences adapted to the particularities of the location, history and culture of a group of people.

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My thesis is that the city is a natural and manageable cultural artifact of an intelligent organism of a particular time and place. It is no doubt a complex piece of design requiring a synthesis of the many different facets that would make it up. As a concrete creation of the human mind, it requires definitions. These definitions to have any meaning must emanate from the culture of the inhabitants of the town. It must emanate from the pores of their shared memory, their shared desires, their shared customs and sources of inspiration and recreation. It must provide them with work, hope and a will to civilise. It must give them mastery over their destiny unfettered and uncomplicated by external exigencies to fulfil their own definitions of what it means to be a modern, urbane, Latin-Asian city.

To design a city beginning from these angles would set up the parameters of discussion about its development in the light of what is in the best interest of the future of the city. If a city is seen as a community of souls, i.e. a spiritual entity, then one cannot leave out discussions about the sacred aspects of city building. If anything is to last beyond the scope of one or two generations of people, then we are talking about laying down the stones of the city for an unknowable distance in time where current secular interests may not necessarily prevail. This particular dynamic of city building does not seemed to have concerned city fathers of the past who were not given to thoughts of speculative profit making to the extent that we are experiencing in our generation, and built urban centres for expressions of civic power and communal life. It is my belief that a modern city which is comfortable and habitable for its inhabitants can be created to allow modern life to progress and prosper only by being clear about what makes life worth living.

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At the heart of my proposed strategy is a concerted study of the Zamboanga in all aspects of its being but above all it involves talking and listening to the inhabitants of the town. The lessons learnt will formulate a design strategy based solidly on what has made life worth living in the past and what makes life worth living now for the inhabitants of Zamboanga. The result of this kind of study is not necessarily scientific in character and can never be just for seeking practical solutions. The making of Architecture is also poetic in character. Good poetry requires the author to have a precise feeling for reality and often this type of instinctive perception can be the only means of comprehending human situations.

Town and Architectural plans are read through being familiar with a series of complex symbols and conventions composed as a design or a diagram. These symbols are not merely representational tools. They are also a powerful set of codes for a way of thinking. It is not a coincidence that western trained Asian professionals have not managed to create cities more suitable to the culture and climate of Asia. They have been taught to use the language of machine age myths with its reliance on calculations and empirical definitions. What needs to be reinvented is a graphic language, patterns and symbols which can be effectively used as a code for thinking and representing in a wholistic way, better suited to the eastern mind. My study would involve researching graphics techniques that communicate more fluidly and clearly the true and complete intentions of the authors of the Zamboanga project. An understanding of the Patterns and Symbols of the vernacular art of the region would imspire the creation of a new visual language, essential to germinatimg the idea of the need for a renaissance of oriental humanity.

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These guys were jammin' while seated on the back of a horse-drawn flatbed that pushed its way slowly through the crowded streets as part of a parade. The horse driver's contribution to wacky costume was to be wearing a motorcycle helmet.

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Men dressed in the traditional barong tagalog and women with the traditional "butterfly" sleeves of the terno perform dances dating from the time of Spanish colonization.

Zamboanga is situated at the southern end of the western arm of the island of Mindanao. The people of Zamboanga speak a variety of languages including Pilipino, English, Cebuano, Tausug, Samal and Chabacano (the local dialect which is a mixture of Spanish and Philippine languages).

The port bustles with the activities of passenger ships alongside cargo vessels and naval craft. The barter markets are filled with goods from a vibrant (and now legal) trade with Borneo to the southwest.

Each October, the city celebrates the Zamboanga Hermosa festival which lasts for nine days and then climaxes with Fiesta Pilar, which is dedicated to the patron saint of the city. These pictures were taken during the fiesta.

Songs and music constitute the most developed phase in the cultural life of the Zamboangueño. They have been known far and wide, and sung through memory by everyone in Zamboanga.

...Zamboanga...Hermosa...Orgullo de Mindanao (Zamboanga, a Beauty, Pride of Mindanao) ! These words come from one of the most popular songs of Zamboanga, expressing the Zamboangueño's pride in the beauty of Zamboanga and her women ... a pride that keeps on inspiring us in these web pages. "Zamboanga Hermosa" originated in the pre-war era, but it was only during the later part of the 1930's when it was made popular by Matias Ranillo Sr., Governor of Zamboanga Province. Later, a Cebuano Vod-a-vil show director, Borromeo Lou, popularized it. A Zamboangueño well-known local writet and poet in Spanish who wrote the lyrics was Vicente Orendain.

ZAMBOANGA HERMOSA

Zamboanga hermosa, preciosa perlita
Orgullo de Mindanao
Tus bellas dalagas son las que hermosean
Tu deliciosa ciudad.

Flores y amores que adornan tu jardin
Eres la imagen del bello eden
Zamboanga hermosa, preciosa perlita
Orgullo de Mindanao.

Another popular song is "NO TE VAYAS DE ZAMBOANGA". This was composed by Juan Cuadrado Sr., a Spaniard who decided to stay in Zamboanga after the Spanish troops left the country. He later married a Zamboangueña with whom he bore several children. According to the oldtimers of the city, this song was composed among the taverns which Cuadrado used to frequent. There was no real intention to write the song, for Cuadrado was not a musician. But when the heart wa full, then it was only music that could express its real feelings. The song was popularized when a Colonel Loving placed it down in music.

NO TE VAYAS DE ZAMBOANGA

No te vayas, no te vayas de Zamboanga,
Que me puedes, que me puedes olvidar,
No te vayas, no te vayas, ni me dejes,
Que yo sin ti, no puedo estar.

No llores, paloma mia
No llores que volvere
No llores que en cuando llegue
Paloma mia, te escribire.

Con un pluma de ave
Y un pedazo de papel
Con la sangre de mis venas
Paloma mia, te escribire.

There is an English version, unfortunately the translation is in the reverse: the singer asks his loved one not to go to, where the original speaks of not leaving from, Zamboanga.

Don't you go, don't you go to far Zamboanga
Where you may forget your darling far away
Don't you go, don't you go, for if you leave me
How can I, without you stay?

Oh weep not, my dear Paloma
Oh weep not, for I'll return
Oh weep not, my little darling
I shall remember, and I shall yearn.

With a feather of a bird
And a piece of paper
With the blood from my veins
My little darling, I shall write to you.

With the national government trying to rush the signing of the "peace agreement" with the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Malaysian officers and officials belonging to the "monitoring" group are here in Mindanao in full force.

The GMA government, kowtowing to the wishes of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), has welcomed the Malaysians as monitors and middlemen in resolving the "conflict", and invited Brunei Darrusalam to also send over "monitors" as well as other Muslim countries.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Just as the Americans cannot pose as honest brokers in the confrontation between Israel and the Palestinians, how can Muslim nations, particularly Malaysia (which used to train and help arm rebels from the original Moro National Liberation Front, or MNLF) be an honest broker in the negotiations between the MILF and the Philippine Government?

We’re the most naive, if not supine, nation on this planet if we think the Malaysian Bumiputras can be neutral and helpful in this matter.

Surely, La Presidenta, who’ off to Cebu tomorrow on another of her visitations to her favorite city, isn’t dreaming of winning the Nobel Peace Prize since that prize has already been awarded to a lady environmentalist from Kenya, so it’s mystifying why we’re hoping to quick-forge a peace in the central Mindanao area when it’s clear that Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist training camps have been operating in that MILF-controlled zone.

Terrorists taught bomb-making there were even "implicated" in the Jakarta bombing.

The only "reason" I can see for sucking up to the OIC and the Muslim world is that we’re scared stiff the Arabs may shut off the oil faucet, stop selling us oil (now surging in price way above the $50 per barrel mark), and compel us to go back to the bicycle, the man-powered pedicab, the calesa, dokar and carromata, and the oil lamp. No more fossil fuel for the NAPOCOR, to generate electricity in darkness, ruinously subsidized prices? Gee. We might be living in darkness, without air-conditioning, but we might be able to balance the budget.

* * *


But what’s this?

The Malaysian monitoring team the other week wanted to make Zamboanga City their "headquarters". Probably they preferred the civilized facilities, the romantic aspect, and the other attractions of Zamboanga Hermosa (beautiful Zambo, as the song goes).

The Malaysians reportedly said they could be guarded by both the Philippine military and MILF bodyguards. Zamboanga’s Mayor, former Congressman Celso Lobregat Jr., hit the roof at the very notion.

To begin with, Lobregat told the Malaysians, why locate yourselves in Zamboanga? He said that Zamboanga "is not a conflict area", and there’s no confrontation of any kind to "monitor" here. The MILF are not in Zamboanga, he reminded the Malaysians.

"If you bring any MILF cadres into Zamboanga," Lobregat warned, "we’ll disarm them immediately."

And arrest them, too, Mr. Mayor, it’s important to reiterate, for carrying illegal firearms.

As long as there are armed men (and women) in Mindanao, bearing illegal firearms – none of them belonging to our police and armed forces – there can never be "peace".

We must al commend Mayor Lobregat for his courageous position. Just like his mother, the late Mayor (also former Congresswoman) Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat.

"Caling" stood fast when former President Fidel V. Ramos tried to suck Zamboanga into the Muslim zone of his "Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development."

Imagine FVR and his "Surrender Gang" attempting to force Zamboanga City and other cities and provinces in Mindanao to be incorporated into the Muslim area of autonomy under the SPCD’s coverage. The late Congresswoman, later Mayor Caling led the opposition in bringing the matter to court. The Zamboangueños voted 99.3 percent against inclusion in the Muslim autonomous zone.

Caling was the daughter of Don Pablo Lorenzo, who had also been Mayor in Zamboanga as well as Zamboanga’s representative to the First Philippine Assembly and delegate to the Constitutional Convention.

She entered politics herself in 1971, three years after the death of her husband, businessman-entrepreneur Celso Lobregat in a plane crash in 1968. Her younger brother, my classmate at the Ateneo de Manila, the legendary basketball and soccer star, the late Luis "Moro" Lorenzo, was the father of former Agriculture Secretary Luis "Sito" Lorenzo Jr.

Caling had angrily reminded FVR and company that Zamboanga is a Catholic city, and was not involved in the Moro Wars. (Basilan province, which broke away from Zamboanga City years ago, was "involved" – and has voted to join the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, with the exception of its capital, Isabela.)

Last Monday, this writer was vividly reminded of this fact when we went to the Shrine of Zamboanga’s patron, La Virgen de Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Zaragoza, to celebrate her Feast Day – hundreds of thousands of Catholic devotees converge on this enchanting city from all the surrounding provinces, like Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and even Sulu, and from the cities of Dapitan, Ozamis, Pagadian, Dipolog, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Cotabato and Davao.

Contrary to popular misconception in Manila and Luzon, the vast majority of people in Mindanao are Christians, not Muslims.

Last Monday, Zamboanga was overflowing with Catholic pilgrims, lighting candles to our Blessed Mother on her feast day.

The Shrine at ancient Fort del Pilar (originally established by Melchor de Vera, a Jesuit priest, on June 23, 1635) was jampacked with worshippers, as the Bishop of Basilan and other prelates presided over a concelebrated Mass.

The fort itself was first named Real Fuerza de Sa Jose (royal fort of St. Joseph), but was renamed Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza in 1719 (Royal Fort of Our Lady of the Pillar of Zaragoza).

From that fortress, the Spaniards repulsed repeated Moro attacks for three centuries, until the Americans, in their drive to take over the Philippines, "captured" it on November 16, 1899.

* * *

Since I was young, Zamboanga was a city of dreams and romance.

We were brought up in our family to the lilting lyrics of that song – incorporated in the Rigodon, by the way, of the Commonwealth and postwar eras – no te vayas a Zamboanga! (The sexy senior citizens of our time will recall that catchy tune, and the words which warned: "Don’t you go, oh don’t you go to far Zamboanga!" The words purportedly came from a young lady named "dear Paloma" who didn’t want her boyfriend to go to far Zamboanga, "where you might forget your darling far away!" In short, the beauty of the Zamboanga girls was so renowned that the youthful lover might, poor Paloma rightly feared, be beguiled and seduced by those irresistible sirens. Naturally, all of us "boys" began to nurse the ambition of going to Zamboanga to find out whether this legend was true.

I first went to Zambo by freighter decades ago, and discovered it was true. In those days, Zambo was famous as "The City of Flowers", not all of them on the stem.

And it’s still true.

Monday night, we attended the "Lifestyle Zamboanga: Mascota Competition" in the Old Fort.

The mascota is the beautifully embroidered and elegant dress, derived from the Spanish gown, but uniquely Zamboangeña. By golly, I’m an ancient Mariner, but those gorgeous girls – who modeled those entrancing mascota gowns, so colorfully and tastefully a tribute to the local, very talented couturiers who designed and sewed them – were spectacular. Paloma should still worry if her lover were to come to "far Zamboanga", because they, indeed, might forget their darling far away.

All, except two of the contestants, were Christians, everyone a mestiza, lovely, but the winner was a statuesque and graceful Muslim beauty named Melanie Anjarani. She was a knock-out!

Tourism Secretary Joseph "Ace" Durano had come down with us in the private Learjet we had "borrowed", since he was the guest of honor and main speaker of the Zamboanga Hermosa ("Hola! Zamboanga!") celebration de Amistad y Esperanza.

Would you believe, it was Secretary Durano’s first visit to Zamboanga City, although he was a three-term Congressman in Cebu (Danao) not too far away. Ace was entranced by the Fiesta: the Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar coincides with, and is concelebrated with, the date of the inauguration of Zambo as a chartered city on October 12, 1936.

There were the competing high schools, including the Ateneo de Zamboanga (founded in 1916) and the Pilar College presenting dances and music in colorful attire, so redolent of Zambo’s Spanish and American traditions. My nephews, Father Luis Soliven David S.J., Ramon David, etc. all went to the Ateneo de Zamboanga.

"Ace" – calling on his "Spanish" – delivered a short and impromptu but eloquent speech on the theme of Amistad y Esperanza (Friendship and Hope).

For a first-time visitor, it’s amazing to discover that the native language of the Zambanguenos is Chabacano, a Castillian patois which is 70 percent Spanish and 30 percent "native" dialect. You’re greeted with Bienvenidos galore and Que tal usted? (How are you?). Spain’s three-century reign, in truth, left its indelible mark on the city – including the Castillian beauty which marks Zamboanga’s women, with admixtures of American, German, Swiss, and other European strains.

Yes, the Americans were here, too.

As long ago as the 13th and 14th centuries, Zamboanga was already a bustling trading center, where all Asia from the Chinese to the Malays came to trade. The colorful sail of the Moro vinta is one of the trademarks of the city, although most Muslims are in the Rio Hondo (Deep River) district near the Fort, and in Taluksangay where there is a big Mosque.

During the Spanish centuries, the fort and the shrine of Our Lady of del Pilar became a place of pilgrimage, owing to the miracles attributed to the Blessed Virgin.

* * *

The Americans for their part made Zamboanga the capital of the Moro Province from where they "governed" all of Mindanao. The famed General John J. ("Black Jack") Pershing, then a captain, lived in this city for four years as Governor of the Moro Province (he even established Pasonanca Park). Pershing – who’s honored in name by Pershing Square, the main plaza – went on to become the commanding general of the American Expeditionary Force sent to Europe to victoriously fight World War I.

It was during Pershing’s time that the .45 caliber pistol and later .45 caliber automatic were invented, designed to fire a bullet powerful enough to stop a Moro "suicide" attacker, called in those days a juramentado or amok.

The Americans also incorporated a word from our archipelago into the Webster dictionary: "boonducks", which in American slang became "boonies." It was derived from bundoks or mountains.

To return to Zamboanga (my last visit was five years ago to deliver a speech) is to fall in love with this wonderful city again.

And it’s not really "far Zamboanga". By private jet, it’s only 45 minutes from Manila. By Philippine Airlines, it’s about an hour and 15 minutes. Come to Zamboanga, I’d say!

It’s safe – well, comparatively. It’s still a Christian citadel, with maybe 18 percent of its 500,000 population Muslims. Mayor Lobregat is manfully striving to disarm the few Moro "bodyguards" of politicians from neighboring Muslim provinces who maintain homes, even palatial residences in sections of the city.

Many Muslim mayors and governors seem to prefer to locate their own families in Zamboanga City because it’s "safe".

In fact, the ARRM has been proposing to put some of its agencies here. Why? Aren’t they supposed to be the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao? So they must establish those offices and agencies in their own region.

Or perhaps put them in the Greenhills Shopping Center which is fast becoming a Moro enclave, with the Ortigas & Company’s General Manager Rex Drilon II (Datu Rex Abdurrahman he ought to be renamed – in Cebu City they call him other names) and Sultan "Rafa" Ortigas insisting on inaugurating a Muslim Mosque cum Prayer Room... perhaps this Friday. I guess the "conflict area" is not Zamboanga, but Greenhills nowadays.

Soon the Basilan Gang from Maluso – the homeland of the Abu Sayyaf (near my sister’s former plantation) – will be there, too, to.. well, pray of course. Weren’t those Abu Sayyaf the same deeply-religious fellows who blew up the SuperFerry, it’s now been revealed?

Donde tu anda? (Donde vas?) they exclaim in Chabacano. Where are you going? To Zamboanga, of course. That should be the tourist exclamation of the year. If you’ve never been to Zamboanga, you’re missing a lot – those wonderful tamales, empanadas, bagon gata, bacalao a la Vizcaya, cocretas de patatas, galantinas, la cucuracha (those tasty crabs cooked in heavy gata or coconut milk), callos de Andalucia, and the terrific pan de Zamboanga (pan de mongo, queso, or whatever) which we used to line up for close to midnight at the bakery and devour hot – and delicious.

And, of course, for most people (not me, alas) the juicy durian. It’s a fruit beloved of GMA, my wife, and many others, but too fragrant for this old Saluyot.

Truly, Zamboanga is called Preciosa Petita, Orgullo de Mindanao – the Precious Pearl, Pride of Mindanao. Bale Zamboanga! The tourist brochures are right: ". . . the waters murmur, the flowers whisper, the breezes sing." The Shrine of Our Lady beckons as un recuerdo de la presencia de España in our land.

For that matter, it was only in this city where the Spaniards formally "surrendered" to the Filipino revolucionarios, and yielded their flag in an official ceremony. Zamboangueños reminded me yesterday that their city was, in fact, an "independent Republic" for 60 days.

I’m glad they decided to remain within our Philippine Republic, where they proudly stand. A bastion, a beacon, a fortress of our Faith, steadfast in their belief in God, in Liberty – and in the happiness of a lifestyle which is gracious, generous and good.

Do I exaggerate? Ever since I was a young man, a century ago it seems, I’ve known that every hyperbole in Zamboanga falls far short in reality.

Leal y valiente, this city was called by Spain.

May it always be so.

http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/ht/ht004731.htm

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A dance originating from Zamboanga, displays steps with very strong Castillian influence, but using Philippine bamboo castanets held loosely. The woman in Jota de Paragua waves a shawl called Mantón de Manila.

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By Vincent Paul “VP” A. Elago

It’s five o’clock in the morning and, as always, I’m suddenly awakened by the “campanas” (bells) of the old Tetuan Church which is just right behind our home. On this day as the bells chime, I find myself thinking how lucky I am to be residing here in Zamboanga City, Philippines, instead of elsewhere in the vast world.

Here we get to see the sea and the mountains every day. For a leisurely getaway, there’s the pink sandy beach of Santa Cruz Island, La Vista del Mar and other beaches or the sprawling green hills of Pasonanca Park. There seems to be nothing too distant in this place. Almost everything is accessible within ten minutes from shopping centers, churches, government offices, schools, hospitals, restaurants and banks.

We may not have buses, trains or subways within the city, but we have the colorful jeeps and the reliable tricycles that will take you right at your doorsteps. Often, a chatty driver entertains you with the latest gossips in town, or you may meet up with friends on the way to the “pueblo” (downtown).

True enough when I was younger, I dreamt of living abroad especially in the U.S.A. or Canada where everything seemed so cool on television and movies. I thought of these countries as meccas of freedom and opportunities, and as places where one’s dreams can come true. Indeed for many of my relatives and friends, they did come true.

Why haven’t I followed their footsteps? Why didn’t I grab the opportunities offered to me several times to live abroad? Perhaps if I did, by this time I would be living quite comfortably in a mansion and maybe even own a Jaguar or a Porsche. Wow! That would have been a nice life! But there are things in this world that are much too precious to leave behind.

I like living on Crispin Atilano Street (formerly J.D. Cruz street) where most of my neighbors are my relatives. Because of our close proximity to each other’s homes, there seems to be no distinction between 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree cousins. Where gatherings are called reunions, here it’s a normal happening. Almost everyday we bump into each other and get to share pleasantries and even “chismis”. You’ll be surprised at the speed news and gossips travel here.

There’s never a lonely day in this community except when there’s a death among us. Considering that I have more than 300 1st and 2nd degree relatives from my father’s side alone makes news of death, birth, marriage, separation, etc., a common occurrence. There’s a lot of sharing and camaraderie among us that, sadly, has lost its meaning in the rest of the world.

Although we try to keep Zamboanga’s glorious past by preserving our historical landmarks and edifices, on the other hand, it’s heartening to see new developments mushrooming around town. Among these are new malls, much improved hospitals, hotels, high-standard universities, resorts, convention centers, huge coliseums, good restaurants and several hi-tech disco houses that can accommodate as much as a thousand people each. The once rocky and dusty roads leading to the west and east coasts of the city are now world-class highways after it had been recently expanded and paved with concrete.

Home sweet home, that’s what Zamboanga really is – a place uniquely famous for the Chavacano-speaking people, the Muslim presence, beautiful women and hospitality of its citizens. I feel so lucky to be here. Indeed there’s no place like home.

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more photos of zamboanga at (www.zamboangacity.com)

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Zamboanga

Oh, the monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga,
Oh, the monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga,
Oh, the monkeys have no tails,
They were bitten off by whales,
Oh, the monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga.


2
Oh, the carabao have no hair in Mindanao,
Oh, the carabao have no hair in Mindanao,
Oh, the carabao have no hair,
Holy smoke! But they are bare,
Oh, the carabao have no hair in Mindanao.

3
Oh, the birdies have no feet in Mariveles,
Oh, the birdies have no feet in Mariveles,
Oh, the birdies have no feet,
They were burned off by the heat,
Oh, the birdies have no feet in Mariveles.

4
Oh, we'll all go up to China in the spring time,
Oh, we'll all go up to China in the spring time,
Oh, we'll hop aboard a liner,
I can think of nothing finer,
Oh, we'll all go up to China in the spring time.

5
Ob, we'll all go down to Shanghai in the fall,
Ob, we'll all go down to Shanghai in the fall,
Oh, we'll all get down to Shanghai,
Those champagne corks will bang high,
Oh, we'll all go down to Shanghai in the fall.

6
Oh, we lived ten thousand years in old Chefoo.
Oh, we lived ten thousand years in old Chefoo.
And it didn't smell like roses,
So we had to hold our noses,
Oh, we lived ten thousand years in old Chefoo.

comments by: Frank Maletsky

I heard people singing this song when I was growing up in Zamboanga and I thought to myself, why?

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Then years later when I moved to the USA (70's), to my astonishment I heard Lee Marvin sing this song in the movie "Donavan's Reef" where he co-starred with John Wayne. My father-in-law gave me the video movie. He was a John "Duke" Wayne buff. He was stationed in Zamboanga during World War II. I was just dating my wife then when he talked about this little trivia.

Was this just clean fun? Jealousy perhaps because we can climb coconut trees and they can't?

Who originated this song? It sounds a little bit like "Don't you go".

Thursday, March 18, 2004
By Januar E.Yap / SunStar-Cebu

There’s this song entitled "Monkeys Have No Tails in Zamboanga" that US soldiers assigned in Zamboanga sang during World War II. Lee Marvin sang it in a John Wayne-starred ‘70s film entitled "Donovan’s Reef" set about the same period the song achieved notoriety among American troops in Southern Philippines.

Surfing the net, I discovered that there are two books bearing the same title, one by Wolfe Reese, published in 1959 by Henry Regnery Company. The other one was published earlier in 1935, by a colonel, a certain S.P. Meek, who chronicled a US soldier’s wartime adventures in the Far East, obviously all the way to Zamboanga.

"Oh, the monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga. They were bitten off by whales," goes the song, alluding to the natives who climbed up trees with simian skill to the amusement of American troops blushing in envy. Ron Shelton might as well shoot a sequel to "White Men Can’t Jump." But let’s leave it at that for now.

You want to know how Western eyes saw us during those times, try to watch the 1936 film "Zamboanga," Pelikula at Lipunan’s main feature in its Cebu stopover Friday and Saturday at SM Cinema. Starring Fernando Poe Sr. and Rosa del Rosario (if, at all, the names ring a bell to you), the film was directed by Eduardo de Castro under American producers, Eddie Tat and George Harris in 1936. After its New York release during that year, the film retreated to obscurity after bureaucracy and taxes robbed its producers of profit. Mowelfund director Nick de Ocampo found the 67-year-old film, "one of the hundreds made before the war," at the US Library of Congress.

Pelikula at Lipunan, organized by the National Commission for Culture and Arts and the Mowelfund Film Institute, is not only Zamboanga. It also features short films and documentaries by Filipino independent filmmakers. You only have to pay P20 for a movie.

Emilio F.V. Corrales / MindaNews / 14 September 2002

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — My generation was the last to have two National anthems to sing in flag-raising and lowering days (Mondays and Fridays) in school.

The Cagayan Elementary School was then housed between the St. Augustine’s Cathedral and City Hall (formerly Police Department) near the bank of Carmen River. An oversized tarpaulin served as our roof on a lot formerly occupied by the US Army Corps of Engineers, appropriately called the "alteration shop."

On designated days all students would dutifully line up before the flagpole in front; have their nails inspected for tell-tale signs of ‘half-moons’ and sing: (each to his/her own key):

"Ooh Jose, can you see?" da don’s early light; followed by "Land of the morning, child of the sun returning; Land dere unholy, dedo our soles ador" This was followed with the oath, "Inibig kung Filipinas,.." (all phonetically spelled from memory.)

A "monitor" was assigned by our head teacher Miss Mary Maandig to see to it that we spoke only in English. Cebuano was looked down upon and heavily discouraged. We were fined five centavos for infractions everytime. To my mind, this was cruel because one could buy a piece of Tirá-tiráh - a hard, sweet nougat stick. A girl in pigtails always picked on me and reported to the teacher, "Ma’am, —Corrales speaking Bisayan, oh!-pointing a forefinger. (The first instance of "power going to the head.")

Looking back it seems that our teachers perpetuated the prejudices of their own mentors the so-called Thomasians or the intrepid Americans who came to the Philippines on board MV Thomas. These biases and prejudices came through primers, songs.and nursery rhymes:

"Oh, the Monkeys Have No Tails in Far Zamboanga;" This was later changed to Don’t you go to Far Zamboanga" a ditty extolling the intoxicating beauty of its women. We were conditioned to ‘Think Poor:’My Nipa Hut Is Very Small; "I was poorly born on the top of the ma-hountin"; "Planting Rice Is Never Fun." A bright classmate, Celso Valmoria - now an Army Colonel, memorized the "I am Pepe. I am Pilar primer from cover to cover and recited it to show off.

"A good Moro is a dead More" attributed to General Blackjack Pershing (who ordered the invention of the .45 caliber pistol to stop a rampaging, Kris-wielding juramentado in his tracks) also taught us the early prejudice.

Ms. Maandig was a very kindly and patient teacher but a strict disciplinarian when demanded. Since the river was only a few steps away, we would sneak out of the classroom to take a dip, leaving our clothes behind the bushes. Upon coming back, we’d sit on the rocks to dry off. Carmen river was deep in our time and it became a rite of passage of boys who wanted to be ‘bigger’ in the eyes of others. You can now walk to the other side.

For naughty students, Ms. Maandig would always pinch the smallest portion of our hita (non-Cebuanos will have to ask a friendly one for the exact meaning) or take our clothes to her room. The miscreants would hide in the bushes shivering since being nekkid was shameful and we had to beg a classmate to appeal to our head teacher for our clothes’ return.Despite fisticuffs, kneeling in mongo beans for atonement of sins, I had a fun time growing up and getting educated.

On graduation, I received three awards: medals for Neatest Student, Most Improved and Most Behaved.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaViews. Emilio FV Corrales is one of the pioneers of Cagayan de Oro media having started writing in one of Mindanao’s oldest newspaper, the Mindanao Post. Mr. Corrales says he is a medically certified sweet person. Send applause or applesauce to: efvc29@email.com.)

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Title: The Monkeys Have No Tails In Zamboanga

Author Name: Wolfe, Reese


This is a simple story of a boy, a ship, and a monkey, and the voyage they made to China in the mid-1920’s those brief golden years before depression and war turned the world upside down. Reporting aboard a ship to get away from his uncle, the boy finds himself lost in a lonely limbo half-way between the ship’s officers and the Chinese crew. His efforts to make things better lead him deeper and deeper into embarrassed isolation.

Hardcover Fine Hardcover, Henry Regnery Co, Chicago, 1959. Possible 1st edition. Near Fine/Good+ dust jacket in Brodart cover. Page edges lightly bumped. NO marks, NOT clipped, jacket rubbed edgeworn with small chips missing along the edges. 8vo 8¼ x 5½ inches, 169 pages.

Keywords: LITERATURE & FICTION/ADVENTURE

Price = 23.70 USD

source: http://www.danielsbooks.com/pi/1429.html

---

Title: The Monkeys Have No Tails In Zamboanga

Author Name: Captain S.P. Meek (1894-1972)

Besides writing two excellent lost race novels set in Amazonia - Drums Of Tapajos and Troyana (Avalon , 1961; originally in 1930s pulps) - and the classic SF short stories "Submicroscopic" and "Awlo of Ulm" (in Before the Golden Age, Isaac Asimov, ed., Doubleday & Co., 1974), also wrote several humorous short stories.

These freewheeling slapstick tall tales are set in a U.S. Army camp in the Philippines in the early 1930s, and collected in The Monkeys Have no Tails in Zamboanga (William Morrow & Co., 1935).

The title story is based on a famous anthropological hoax of the early 20th century where isolated natives of the Philippine island of Zamboanga were photographed with monkey tails attached at the base of their spine and passed off as the missing link.

One story includes a plant which bears peas and corn and secretes its own tin can around them, creating a pre-packaged-succotash plant.

source: http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:0K_P-Gbxu3EJ:www.geocities.com/ruritanian_muglug/humour.html+monkeys+have+no+tails+in+zamboanga+sp+meek&hl=en

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"This website is making available digitized versions of some of the volumes of H.M.S Challenger expedition that was the first round the world oceanographic voyage in 1872-1875." source: http://www.hmschallenger.org/

The pages below are specific to the expedition in Samboangan (the spelling of Zamboanga used by the writers), and are presented in the actual scanned pages of the original narrative volumes, from the Dartmouth College Library collection, lending an air of authenticity and a special historical trip down the unknown scientific and historic contributions of a little town at the tip of an island peninsula we call Zamboanga.

The detailed descriptions in these pages are the first known close-up evidence into the endemic human, flora, fauna, and geographic makeup of Zamboanga in this time period. It helps to dispel any myth, and reinforces the belief and the proud identity its residents feel for this exotic and storied land. Sadly, much of this ancient scenery is long gone, but the story remains. It might lend to some enlightened reintroduction of a lost world.

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Drawing, right, from United States Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Plan for the Micronesian Megapode. 1998. Original drawing by H. Douglas Pratt.

The Micronesian Megapode (http://www.birdinghawaii.co.uk/XMicroMegapode2.htm?megapode=)
(Mound Bird) now extinct in Santa Cruz Isle

The Megapodes comprise twenty-two different species and are distributed throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, the Nicobar Islands, Indonesia and several southwest Pacific islands. Sometimes they are referred to as "thermometer birds", as some of the species incubate their eggs in constructed mounds of rotting vegetation, which they manipulate in order to regulate the temperature. Other species in the family dig burrows in warm sand to incubate their eggs.

They are the only known birds which use heat sources, other than the body, to incubate their eggs. When the young birds hatch they are fully able to defend for themselves and receive no parental care. Megapodes are quite heavy-bodied birds and forage on the forest floor, where they search for insects, seeds and fruit. All members of the Megapode family can fly, but most move around primarily by walking.

A Master Plan For “THE CITY OF FLOWERS”

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It is not often that a city can have an opportunity to design itself accordingly, with a detailed and comprehensive City Master Plan of what needs to be done, what they wish to be done, and the amount of time and money it will take to realistically achieve those plans. Accountability for that vision of the future needs to start on a drawing board, with detailed writings of the master plan.

What is the purpose of a City Master Plan?

A master plan sets forth a community's goals and recommends actions that will make the city a good place to live, work, and visit. The plan outlines what needs to be done and how to do it in order to ensure that the community grows in an orderly, well thought out fashion and that the needs of the community will be met. It is not a static blueprint of how to get to some specific end point. It is a living document that provides continual guidance for the work of the city's leaders and staff. Municipal decisions need to be weighed against the values and ideas set forth in the master plan to ensure that the city is heading in the right direction.

Why prepare a detailed and comprehensive City Master Plan?

* To attract the right future and help avoid the wrong future.
* To establish a community vision.
* To ensure economic stability and predictability.
* To prepare for future demographic and economic changes.
* To protect valuable natural and cultural resources.
* To provide direction to other agencies.
* To avoid surprises by understanding assets and liabilities.
* To improve access to government and non government assistance.
* To provide an impetus for community action.
* To provide a legal defense for land use regulations.

This open article will be a permanent work in progress, expressing designs for the building blocks of a great city, a beautiful city, an environmental city, a prosperous city, and a city that is at peace with itself and its neighbors. The characteristics of a city lies within its people, the keepers of the key, the ones who interact with their visitors on a level that is both independent and collective. They are the city’s culture, commerce, and identity. People interact with people, and it is ultimately that relationship that forms a bond with each other to make them want to stay and visit, return, or live. The surroundings are then made a part of this special bond.

As we put into writing this vision, we want you to know that you too are a part of it and that we would like you to participate in this process by submitting your own vision. Together, we can help build a better tomorrow.

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Roads:

The power of eminent domain is a very delicate issue when a city government is taking into consideration its options to expand its roadway system to meet the demands of a growing population. It sometimes is not necessary to use it if the city has implemented a future master plan of meeting these growth needs for 5 years, 10 years, and 20 years or more. The longer they wait to implement such master plan, the harder and more expensive it will be to fix the problems. Invariably, the city will be faced with the daunting task of either expanding on the current road design, starting fresh elsewhere and provide a more modern and sustainable roadwork for the current and expected growth, or simply improve on the old road system by either providing adequate sewer, paving, lighting and utilities, traffic, and/or pedestrian control without exercising its power of eminent domain. The "simply improving" is what the majority of city officials have decided to do, and it is and will continue to create havoc in the old city core of downtown. This decision will only lead to steady decline of a historic and beautiful downtown. However, it is still not too late for the next generation of leaders to fix this problem and implement a very strict and fixed solution to save downtown. Downtown needs to be permanently closed off from outside street traffic, making itself a modern-day intramuros. Then, only a dedicated downtown mass-transport system that emits no pollutants ( or very low contents ) will be allowed to operate there, exclusive of emergency service vehicles and very restrictive delivery vehicles. We also suggest that the ancient-design Calesa ( a horse-drawn carriage, which is still a common mode of short-haul transport in Chinatown, Manila ) be brought back to the downtown scene to service short-haul needs, like they once were. This Zamboanga Calesa design should be based on the ancient Spanish design that can be witnessed at the Manila Intramuros carriage museum. The revitalization of this mode of ancient Zamboanga transport will help distinguish the city's rich Chavacano culture from the rest of the country, and can become a distinctive tourist attraction (similar to what can be experienced today in beautiful downtown St. Augustine, Florida - the oldest city in the U.S.A. - with its abundant historic Spanish-era remnants as unique tourist attractions.)

Afterwards, the city will then need to exercise its power of eminent domain and start buying land along a designated high-speed super highway route ( the existing national highway route ) starting at the border of the city and Zamboanga del Sur and looping towards the airport and up again towards the city border and Zamboanga del Norte, looking like a letter "J." This high-speed highway will definitely have no stop lights and will only offer exit and entry ways, and should be at least a 6-lane system with an extra lane on each side for emergency pullovers, and have a copious median to provide for trees and flowers planting for beautification, lighting, utilities, and signage requirements. Another similar highway will need to be built to cross the middle of the city from east-west, starting maybe from Sangali to San Ramon, to provide a much needed expansion into the central region of the city, and also the Ecozone. These super-highways will be the designated route for all containerized and truck cargo traffic in and out of the major seaports and the airports, keeping big trucks traffic away from the local streets and help in protecting them from damage due to heavy weight loads. It also keeps away the diesel pollution away from the local streets.

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MindaNews / 16 December 2003

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The much-delayed Tourism Code here, debated on the floor of the City Council for over a year now, has suffered another delay.

Reason? Councilor are debating if calesas or horse-drawn carriages (tartanilyas in Iligan City) would be allowed to operate here.

Councilor Juan Climaco Elago, chair of the Committee on Ordinances and Resolutions, said he believes calesas would serve as a symbol of the rich culture and heritage of Zamboanga and should be allowed to run within certain areas in the city. The proposed areas include Pettit Barracks and Fort Pilar.

Councilor Milabel Velasquez said allowing calesas within certain areas would not only show visitors the rich heritage of Zamboanga but would also educate the youth on the culture of the city.

City Tourism Officer Sarita Hernandez proposed that the committee should consider allowing the calesas to run as far as RT Lim Boulevard or areas where traffic is not a problem.

But Councilor Elias Enriquez said allowing the calesas to operate could worsen the already problematic traffic situation in the city. Enriquez is one of the authors of the city’s Traffic Code.

Elago, however, countered that the calesas would not be allowed to operate in areas where traffic is congested. He cited areas in the country where calesas do not pose a problem in traffic enforcement.

Elago also said the calesas are not intended to become an alternative means of transportation in the city.

Enriquez also blocked a similar proposal by Elago during public hearings for the Traffic Code last year.

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Main International Airport:

The future expansion of Zamboanga's International Airport and Cargo Terminal must be established in the city-owned big Island of Sacol. Sacol Island is the most logical choice for the future expansion of the city's international airport because of its location and isolation from the limited flatlands of the city proper. By locating and building the future airport in Sacol Island, the city will wisely and thankfully provide a blueprint for all future building expansion within the limited flatlands of Zamboanga City, allowing for desirable skyscrapers to be built and promoted without worries of whether the building's height will be in the flight path of a nearby flatlands airport, as is currently suggested for Mercedes. The current airport expansion plan will forever damage the expandability of Zamboanga's ideal and logical expansion by allowing airport traffic and management to dictate where and how future investors and developers will build and how high they can build. This current airport expansion site is nothing but a roadwork to future economic disaster for Zamboanga's increasingly limited flatland space! On the other hand, Sacol Island provides for the best location any airport can have with its enormous size and isolated sea water location. Incredibly, Sacol Island has its own water source that can service all the needs of the future ideal site for the city's international airport, and all the accompanying services a world-class airport provides such as: airport hotels and convention centers, cargo storage warehouses, office space for airport services, ground transportation infrastructure, parking garages for short or long term parking, aircraft maintenance and storage facilities, restaurants and concessions facilities, duty-free shopping for local and international goods, an airport business park, and possibly a separate runway dedicated to military aircraft traffic and its command post that is currently provided by Edward Andrews AFB.

The Sacol Island location can provide the military a great facility as it expands its role of safekeeping for the city's population and its role as economic and tourism gateway to western Mindanao, nearby Basilan Island, and beyond. The rugged mountains and sea access of Sacol Island can be used as valuable training grounds for the military or local law enforcement services, and their permanent presence there will give the city government a pro-active frontline defense against historical terrorist and illegal smuggling activities in and around the island. The country's President is even contemplating relocating the Philippine Marine Corps (http://www.philippinemarinecorps.mil.ph/index.html?PMC=) ' Headquarters into Zamboanga City, along with its over 10,000 troops and their attachments. Sacol Island will provide the Philippine Marine Corps' Headquarters a perfect home, and it could be converted into their own "Hawaiian Island" paradise base with their own private white sand beach and hotel for family R&R vacations, similar to what the US military has in Fort DeRussy's Armed Forces Recreation Center, Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii. Imagine the beautiful tropical island location of Sacol with its diversely rich marine life (instead of its current congested and polluted location in Manila), encased in the exotic splendor of Chavacano culture to help the city allure this prospective vision? It cannot be a better choice for the Philippine Marines to make Sacol Island its future Headquarters and also its new Corps Training Center, with an excellent amphibious training capacity, in addition to its rugged terrain features. It can help the Philippine government bring peace and business expansion into Zamboanga City, and expand its role as business center of south-western Philippines. The location of a new international airport in Sacol Island will help propel Zamboanga City into a future of proper growth and expansion, opening up the extremely profitable air commerce of that region that is currently underutilized but sufficiently accommodated with vessel traffic, which exceeded over 5 million passengers in 2002 - more than any city in the country! The city's new international airport in Sacol Island will firmly establish itself as the BIMP-EAGA (http://www.zamboanga.com/IMAGES/BIMP-EAGA_Flight.gif?BIMP=) gateway into the country.

A world-class bridge system will need to be constructed to link the island's international airport facility with the city mainland at its shortest distance span near barrio Taluksangay, providing further growth of interconnected business services at the entrance to the airport's bridge system . The design of this bridge could be made in a manner that can further define the city's character, making it a signature landmark attraction that can bring in additional tourism income similar to other bridge-defining cities.

A world-class golf-course could be built near the island airport, providing international appeal to tourists and business travelers. Hotel and beach resorts could be carefully and environmentally provided along the beautiful white-sand beaches of Sacol Island, and a wild-life preserve established to protect the island's delicate mangrove or marshland ecosystem. The natural beauty of Zamboanga lies within the extensive bodies of water surrounding it, and ideal fast water taxies can help ferry airport passengers and tourists quickly to downtown hotels/businesses or tourists sites and vice-versa, avoiding the congested city streets while shamelessly exposing travelers to the beautiful scenery of Zamboanga's environs from the water. With careful consideration, planning, design, and management, the future Zamboanga International Airport in Sacol Island can be one of the most beautiful and effective airport facility in the world.

Secondary Airports:

A secondary airport needs to be built in the Ecozone to exclusively handle cargo and corporate traffic.

Main International Seaport:

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( The T/S Maxim Gorkiy made anchor recently in the downtown Port of Zamboanga )

International Cruise Ship Terminal - The current main seaport downtown will need to expand its cruise ships handling capacity so that it can service and attract the much larger cruise ships, and contract to make it one of their major ports-of-call for the Asian sector.

Recently, the T/S Maxim Gorkiy cruise ship made port in the city’s pantalan, and entertained a few hundred tourist, mostly Germans. It surely must have felt good for the Mayor to receive such rare foreign tourists (Note: In the 1970s, Zamboanga was frequented by many Germans and Italians). Well, in order to have guests over to your place, you must invite them first, and that task belongs to the City’s Tourism Office! Then, you must have the welcome mat laid out at your doorstep – the pantalan – and have proper tourist infrastructure and services in place to receive them, exclaiming welcome! Bienvenidos! Its location in the historic downtown area and near the beautiful surrounding islands will help strengthen its position even more. This expansion emphasis coincides with the plan to convert downtown into an intramuros, preserving its unique history and turning it into a tourist oasis. Once this bigger cruise ship facility is in place, much-needed hotels will follow to help accommodate the increase in tourist traffic.

It's local and international passenger traffic will increase tremendously, bringing along a high currency return in tourist traffic. In 1999, the city ranked number 2 (http://www.zamboanga.com/html/vision_passenger_ports.htm) in total passenger traffic ( 2.6 million ) amongst the top Philippine Ports, behind Manila's major North Harbor Port, and number 3 for the first six months of 2000. Combine that 1999 volume with its neighbor Basilan's number 11 (http://www.zamboanga.com/html/vision_passenger_ports.htm) ranking ( 1.04 million in 1999 ) and you get a staggering total of over 3.6 million passengers!

In 2002, the Port of Zamboanga, inclusive of all area ports and Basilan, was ranked #1 and registered an astounding 5.57 million passengers, surpassing #2 Batangas by 1.3 million passengers, and #5 Manila by over 1.59 million passengers! For a reported trouble spot like the Zamboanga region, this statistic is simply mind boggling!!! (COMPARISON: In 2000, the total volume of passenger traffic in the Port of Miami (Florida), the largest and most modern cruise ship terminal in the world, was 3.5 million passengers!) It is evident that ship travel is the main mode of transport between the islands of the Philippines. The Zamboanga City-Basilan corridor is definitely a force to recon with, and the city needs to realize this position and actively pursue partners and investors for the development of the new and bigger port passenger terminal. In spite of all the negative developments and reports around the city, the people still come. That is a testament to the allure and strength of the city's position as a major local and international embarkation and disembarkation point.

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Containerized Seaport & handling equipments

Secondary Seaports:

Major Secondary Seaports will need to be built to alleviate the congested, and ill-advised expansion of the main port downtown. These secondary seaports will need to be designed to accommodate major expansion of port facilities in the future, to the extent that they will eventually replace the downtown port facility as the major seaports for the city and the surrounding region. We recommend a major international containerized seaport be developed ( about 200-300 hectares reserved for 25-50 years growth ) in the Caldera Bay area near Recodo to handle the future growth of the Ecozone, and alleviate the congestion downtown. Another major seaport should be built in the Taguiti Bay area, near the island of Vitali to service the northern region, and then add one more major seaport in the Malasugat Bay area near Sangali for specialized traffic like the lucrative fishing and canning industry that is currently being cornered by the General Santos community and brokers from outside the city. The city should extend their tax-free zone to these secondary seaports and designate the areas where companies can build, taking into consideration proximity of established communities for supply of labor and transportation access. These additional seaports will help make the city a one-stop shop for major local and international traffic.

By: Lynda B. Valencia ( Friday, July 06, 2001; Sun-Star Zamboanga )

MANILA, July 5 (PNA) - The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board has approved the P9 billion ports development project which seeks to build and rehabilitate port facilities in four major ports in the country.

The P9 billion ports development project is part of the P44 billion approved by the NEDA's Investment Coordinating Committee (ICC).

DOTC Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez said the four ports include those in Davao City, General Santos, Zamboanga City, and Iloilo City.

Alvarez said these ports provide the effective link to the growth-driven markets in the Asia-Pacific region as well as the emerging growth area known as the East ASEAN Growth Areas (EAGA).

The Davao port is the major government port catering to the requirements along the Southeastern Mindanao area. The masterplan and feasibility study were included in Port Package V under consultancy contract with Schema Konsult. The final report was submitted September 1999.

The development of Davao Port (Phase I) entails US$100 million and includes the following works: extension of RC wharf, development of back-up area for container handling, container freight station, rehabilitation of existing facilities, passenger terminal building, waste reception/reefer facilities, cold storage facilities, computerized systems and vertical infrastructure.

The Port of Zamboanga is likewise poised for modernization. Region IX is expecting an increase in economic growth during the next five years with the establishment of the Zamboanga Economic Zone and the Ayala Special Economic Zone.

Located in southwestern part of Mindanao, it is the major gateway to the ASEAN highway and serves as a large volume of both intra-island and short ferry passenger/cargo traffic.

The port has reached its optimum level and now requires immediate development of passenger facilities and container handling capabilities.

The master plan and feasibility study were included in the Port Package V under consultancy contract with Scheme Konsult. The final report was also submitted in September 1999.

The development (of) Phase-I will cost US$32.5 million and works include the extension of the wharf (450 meters), development of back-up (secondary) areas, passenger terminal (building), waste reception/reefer facilities, computerized systems, and vertical infrastructure.

The Port of Iloilo is the gateway to Western Visayas. Its harbor is naturally protected by the Guimaras Islands. It is ranked third in terms of shipcalls at 11,853, fourth in cargo throughout at 491,719 million metric tons and fourth in passenger traffic at 2.4 million annually.

The Iloilo Commercial Port Complex (ICPC) was compelled in 1985 to serve as a hub port. Due to lack of berths, an increasing number of ships are being diverted to other ports.

The expansion of ICPC entails the amount of US$50.0 million and works include the extension of the reinforced concrete (RC) wharf, back-up area, dredging of the harbor basis, access road, waste reception/reefer facilities, computerized systems and vertical infrastructure.

The General Santos Port is the major port serving the South Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Saranggani-General Santos Growth area. (PNA)

View proposed plan (http://www.zamboanga.com/news/Zamboanga_City_Civic_Center.htm)

Zamboanga City needs to establish a vital design and implementation program for its badly needed Civic Center. As the city grows bigger, its present state of abysmal master planning implementation will choke the historical landmark structure of City Hall with its citizen’s inherent squatter mentality, closing off any feasible plan, or chance, to establish a much needed Civic Center design. We are strongly urging the City Mayor’s office, all city government officials and offices, to make a concerted effort to lay down a City Civic Center area along the present location of City Hall, within the additional properties bordering alongside Don Pablo Lorenzo Street, Valderosa Street, a new Villalobos Street extention from Valderosa Street cutting into the Warf area water, and back to Don Pablo Lorenzo Street (including the Don Pablo Lorenzo Street Extension in between). Above link shows a vision design for how the city’s Civic Center should expand and lay out its streets, pedestrian-friendly walkways, and gathering areas. Here's hoping the city leaders still have time and capacity to make the right future for its citizens. Stop wasting people's money by giving them instead a reason to feel proud of their city and heritage, and rekindle civic pride with the implementation of this Civic Center design.

Facilities:

Zamboanga Freeport ( Ecozone (http://www.jetlink.com.ph/~ecozone/) ) - we recommend that they do the following:

- Build a world-class golf course facility within the compounds of the Freeport Business Park. It will greatly enhance its ability to attract quality foreign companies to build there. The Japanese for one are known all over the world as lovers of golf, and would be attracted by this bonus amenity. It is known that many a business deals were consummated during golf games. The course layout will need to allow for buildings and offices to be built in and around it, making it an ideal place for companies to locate their businesses, and play a little round of golf for good measure. It is not enough for Freeport to just put up a tax-free zone on a map, and hope that companies will locate there without further enticements. Sure enough, there will be businesses who won't mind the bare-bones amenities, but the type of business they will attract will also be reflective of their efforts. This golf course is a very calculated business plan, and needs to be implemented. Additionally, Freeport can establish an annual international golf tournament with, say, the BIMP-EAGA nations and exhibit its world-class facility to attract more potential business to build there. It is not enough for Freeport to rely on its generous tax-free status. It must do more in order to attract more.

- They also need to improve their marketing strategy for this development. As it is, a prospective client will have to get on a plane and fly down there to see what their facility is like. As a businessman, who would want to spend that kind of money to fly down to a troubled place like that. All those negative news about the war and kidnappings will not help their mental image of the area. So, we suggest that Freeport's marketing people jump on a helicopter and take as many aerial photographs of the entire Ecozone, close-ups and panoramic shots also, showing the beauty of the mountain terrain, the surrounding views of the sea, rivers, lakes, the roadwork, facilities, and existing buildings, then make it available on their web site and brochures for prospective investors to see.

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- Their architects, engineers, and graphics design people will also need to draw up a more detailed site plan MAP for the development and make them all available on the internet for previewing. This is how it's done in the international arena, and Freeport needs to implement this requirement in order to be effective and profitable. There is so much local talent there, but it needs to be focused and directed accordingly. They can even enlist the help of IAPAD (http://www.iapad.org/) to create a 3-D model of the zone.

- Build a major hotel and convention center that is capable of handling a few thousand guests and conventioneers.

- A modern fire department and emergency rescue services operating inside the zone.

- A mass-transit master plan to accommodate immediate and future expansion needs, banning all traffic-causing forms of local transport like the tricycles and pedicabs. Only "people-mover" buses should be allowed to operate within the zone, with designated bus stops that are equipped with covered waiting areas designed to keep passengers safe from the outside elements.

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Advertising:

Zamboanga City Tourism Office/Officer ( ZCTO ) - The city needs to create and fund this very important department to act as a resource provider and advertiser for everything about the city. This office will be independent of the objectives of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) located in this city. Its main goal is to provide all the necessary assistance needed to promote the city to the world in a methodical and highly customer-oriented fashion so as to attract more tourist traffic into the city. We urge the mayor to immediately hire a designated "Zamboanga City Tourism Officer" to head this department on a FULL-TIME basis. This individual will be tasked to create and maintain a database of all major local, national, and international travel and cruise line agencies for regular promotions of the city through the affordable internet medium or free media. One key investment this office should make is in a good quality digital camera. Why? To promote the city visually to any and all current and future entities that have a need for a steady supply of marketing photos. Currently, there are quite a few web sites that are dedicated to the promotion of the city ( us being one of them ) that are not getting any promotional assistance from the ZCTO. The mayor's office needs to re-think its position on how to help service these dedicated web sites. The city and its people are the main benefactors of these web sites, and the Tourism Officer should be responsible in assisting them in any fashion possible. Providing a constant stream of freshly taken digital photos of the city and its people, and additional promotional news of local developments will only help improve the attractiveness of the city to potential tourist traffic. As a chartered city, Zamboanga needs to take matters into its own hands and not rely on the PTA to do its tourist advertising job. This key city position is crucial to the expansion of the city's master plan.

Culture:

- Zamboanga Performing Arts Centre

- Chavacano Linguistics Institute

- Barrio del Mundo

- The Moro Village

Ecological:

Zamboanga City Zoo (ZCZ) - The old zoo site in Pasonanca Park and its very limited space and antiquated display needs to be relocated to a much larger area and facility. We recommend that it be situated in the Abung Abung highlands, overlooking the city and sea. Additionally, the city needs to designate this new zoo area a natural sanctuary/preserve for legal protection - about 100-200 hectares. The exhibits need to be increased tremendously to heighten local and world awareness of the unique and indigenous species of the islands, especially those that are endangered, and help bring in more tourist income and additional jobs.

Physiological:

Mountain Trekking - The city needs to solicit assistance and/or partnership from national mountain trekking companies on selecting local mountain regions suitable for transforming or improving into trek camp sites. By converting certain mountains into designated eco-tourism, the trees and forest within can be shielded from the disastrous effects of logging ( legal and illegal ). The income from these mountain trekking sites will more than offset the short term loss of legal logging revenues, and help bring more employment in an environmentally friendly business. The city's parks department and mountain rangers will be in charge of managing and maintaining these trek sites.

Museums:

Zamboanga City Museum of Flowers ( ZCMF ) - this museum will house all the local species of flowers and that of the Philippine Islands. The land for the main building and the garden area will need to be at least 10 hectares (25 acres). The objective of this institution will not only be to showcase, but also to cultivate and cross-breed local, indigenous, national, and rare varieties for sale and/or distribution to local landscaping beautification projects. Scientists and botanists will head a non-profit organization to be housed in a section of the museum for the pursuit of saving any endangered species, cultivating, education, research, and other functions deemed important. The city's nickname "The City of Flowers" will be an integral part of the museum's role in the community. The museum will sponsor a monthly house garden and barangay beautification competition wherein the winners will be awarded specially bred flowers from the museum to be planted and cared for at the winners' place, with placards announcing them as winners of the month. The museum will also initiate an annual showcase show of its facility to coincide with a designated special occasion ( maybe "The Jambangan Flower Festival" ) and do it on a month of its own during the dry season for tourist to see. The profits can be used to further its role in the community, and be self-sufficient.

Zamboanga City Marine Aquarium ( ZCMA ) - this aquarium museum will hold the largest exhibit of Philippine indigenous marine species that is undoubtedly one of the richest in the world, where most of them come from the waters surrounding the city . It will need to be housed close to downtown for tourist traffic, by the Fort Pilar area, and next to the Basilan Straight for facility access to the open sea. Species of sea shells, corals, fish, plants, and other marine varieties will be collected and showcased here. It will be a one-of-a-kind facility in the world. This aquarium will also house marine scientists and other similar fields for the purpose of research, education, promotion, care, and preservation of the endangered species. For now, only divers and snorkelers are able to view the area's beautiful undersea world, and they sometimes run short of superlatives to describe their experience. With the completion of the aquarium, the world will converge upon it to experience the same superlatives in a more hospitable and beautifully designed environment.

Main International Seaport:

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Look! Its snowing in zambo!

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Assessor:

The city assessor's office needs to get off its feet and desks and generate a detailed city map of the entire city and make it available for sale and distribution to local and international outlets. They can make additional capital by selling, or contracting for sale, these much needed city street maps. Moreover, they need to generate an internet-based interactive map of the city that shows all natural and built details of the city and its surrounding islands for its people, tourists, businesses, and prospective investors. It is inconceivable for a city office tasked to generate the city's geographic and economic mapping to not have any city map products to show for the work that the tax payers pay them to do! Zamboanga City is a major tourist and economic center, and there is no available map to speak of it! Incredible! You guys need to get on with the task that the tax payers paid you to do and produce a beautiful and detailed map of 'The City of Flowers." This city map is an essential part of the city's comprehensive Master Plan. This office needs to assess the city's overall land value, not just in terms of taxation, but also in terms of environmental composition and impact of future growth, mapping out in detail all land features such as marshes, rivers, lakes, beaches, or mountains, and survey any and all known species of flora and fauna that are indigenous to the areas and note their status of existence ( abundant vs. endangered ). This important data will help city leaders determine the prescribed growth areas for the master plan, guide them to put into law strict protection of environmentally sensitive natural preserves, establish more city parks for each barangay neighborhood, nature hiking trails, bike trails, pedestrian walkways, mountain vista points to view the surrounding scenery, and many other amenities that will help make the city a better place for its residents and visitors. This data will also help city leaders map out areas ideal for agricultural, industrial, commercial, and residential growth and expansion in their master plan. Even better, they can build a scale model of this detailed map and set aside an exhibit room for all to come and see it, and know what the city and the master plan will look like. The mayor needs to empower the citizens with this information so they can see what the city government is planning for them. We recommend that this office contract with the Integrated Approaches to Participatory Development (IAPAD (http://www.iapad.org/) ) organization in visualizing a 3-D map (http://www.zamboanga.com/html/vision_3D_mapping1.htm) of Zamboanga City and its Master Plan for the benefit of, and accountability to, the people. More importantly, the Philippine government's Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has already institutionalized this Participatory 3-D Modeling last 1/4/2001.

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Water:

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The lifeblood of the city - keep it clean, safe, and untainted. The present facility needs to be expanded now in order to accommodate the rapid growth of the city and sustain it for a 10, 25, and 50-year spurt. Land for this expansion needs to be bought now at the reduced market rate, or contract for it as a guaranteed option. The quality of the water found in Zamboanga's drinking water is very good, and its source from thousands of feet high up in the central mountains of the city is plentiful.

Zamboanga City Dam: One major and vital project the city officers and their water projects office managers need to implement soon is a water dam that can collect millions of gallons of rain water in the rainy season, which covers half of the year, with a hydro-electric power processing plant that can generate enough electricity to sustain the city's expanding needs for the next century! All excess hydro-electric power can be sold to nearby provinces and cities, bringing additional income to the city. This vision of the water-retention dam will have to be enormous in size and scope as it will be the economic backbone of the city. As oil prices continually rise higher and its availability become heavily dependent on the volatile governments that control them, the city can invest in a future that is independent of outside oil influence. The abundant water and electricity resource will make the city very attractive to international investments, and will help eliminate its rapidly expanding air-pollution problem by offering alternative electricity-based public transportation. Without this make or break water dam project, the city will keep suffering from its lazy attitude towards forward thinking and its poor citizens will be stuck in the stone-age of constant water rationing. Is persistent and negligent water rationing a way to attract future investments into Zamboanga City, or is it creating a big sink-hole where great business potential can disappear into its dry center? Seco negosio!

Sunstar Zamboanga - Thursday, October 23, 2003

AN OFFICIAL of the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) favors the construction of a mini water-impounding dam at the Pasonanca River to store water for the system.

ZCWD board member Edwin Macasiar said such a project would ensure that there would be water stored in the dam for the system during dry months.

Under the present system, water from the Pasonanca River at the Intake Station, is diverted to culverts that siphon the water by gravity to the water filtration plant at Pasonanca Park.

The small intake dam at the Pasonanca water shed does not store water because it is not an impounding dam.

According to Macasiar, since the construction of an impounding would be costly, he would favor the construction of a mini dam to store up additional water for consumers.

Macasiar suggested that such a project should have a counterpart fund from the City Government.

City Councilor Milabel Velasquez, who was one of those invited to the project presentation of the Zamboanga City Water District, said that even during the heavy downpour last October 15, wherein practically most of the nearby barrios in the city came under water, there is not enough water stored at the water treatment plant.

Even with the rains, no water flows from out of her faucet at Talon-Talon barangay, Velasquez said.

Velasquez is a resident of the barrio, which in the East Coast and has a population of some 19,000 residents. JEA

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"REGATTA de ZAMBOANGA " witness the colorful vinta's on display

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"Golpe-Golpe na Barangay" Literally blind boxers started the event

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"Nightly Shows" Take a look at the nightly presentation of different colleges around the city as they fill the night with music and dances.

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"Brass Band Competition" Witness online the annual Brass Band Competition and Drum and Lyre exhibition.

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"CULTURAL STREET DANCING" Reviving the glorious past through dances and colorful costumes.

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Zamboanga International Airport - Zamboanga City being a major airport hub in southwestern Mindanao is serviced by at least 6 flights a day from Manila. Short connecting flights to the neighboring provinces and a very few international flights make the airport here a little busy. From Manila are 2 flights each by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines - that is, 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. Last plane out in Zamboanga by 5pm.

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Garden Orchid Hotel

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Weesam Fastcraft is basically a passenger ferry that connects Zamboanga, Philippines to Sandakan, Malaysia via a 12-hour sea cruise. Making twice a week round trips, the fastcraft makes stops at Jolo,Sulu and Bongao, Tawi-tawi. Cargo goods are discouraged making stopover time minimal. The fastcraft can accomodate up to 150 passengers in an airplane-like seating arrangement and has in-house video entertainment plus a refreshment bar. Air-conditioned.

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The Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) satellite office is located in Barangay Cabatangan at an elevated ground giving a wide panoramic view of the city center and the coastline. Ironically, Zamboanga City is not a part of ARMM. The big mosque dome and other architectural designsof the building define it as a Muslim building. This was the ARMM office until the short-lived revolt of former ARMM Governor Nur Misuari and is now presently the headquarters of the Phil. Marines.

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At the northern side of Fort Pilar is the Fort Pilar Shrine. This outdoor Marian shrine looks like a regular park outside if not for the altar at the middle and the Offertory Building at the eastern end. The symmetrical arrangement of seats encircling the middle altar evidently shows that masses are held here. Indeed, regular Sunday masses are held at this venue. People offering prayers and candles at the eastern end of the shrine where a towering cross is erected beside the Offertory Chapel is a common sight throughout the day as a manifestation of the miraculous powers that are attributed to the statue of Our Lady of the Pillar.

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A small park within Pasonanca Park is the Cesar Climaco Park, where the body of the most-beloved mayor of Zamboanga City who served in the '70s is buried. The well-maintained park is covered with green grass complemented with beautiful flowering plants. The park is a good place to take a rest when touring around the very wide area of Pasonanca Park. Take your time and enjoy the relaxing green sorroundings.

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Being a popular site for boys and girls scout jamborees, a certain location in Pasonanca Park is designated for youth citizenship training activities. Permanent outdoor tents that looks like the cool collapsible tents from a distance, in teepee-form or the usual A-type, were constructed for practical reasons considering numerous activities held here all-year-round. Pasonanca Park is at an elevated ground in a mountain range at the back of Zambanga City. The cool weather up here adds to the popularity of the place to hold jamborees and the like.

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Built in the late 17th century by Spanish authorities and have been restored, Fort Pilar was declared as a National Cultural Treasure in the '70s. Within its vast historic structures, the Zamboanga National Museum was housed and was opened to the public in 1985. The various collections of species of marine life specimens collected mostly from the waters of Sulu Archipelago are featured in one floor. Another structure displays the material culture of three distinct ethnic groups in Mindanao - the Sama Dilaut of Tawi-tawi, the Subanon of Zamboanga del Sur and Norte and the Yakan of Basilan. There are also some collections of traditional boats including a houseboat. A landscaped court at the open area of the center of the fort complements the newly restored strucures of this Spanish-architecture building. Open on Monday to Friday. 8AM to 5PM

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Driving along Zamboangas Ocean drive is fun too. All along the coastline you can drive now on Tar road

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One of the finest architectural exterior finishes of a city hall in the country I've seen, considering that this has been the government seat since the Spanish and American colonizing years. The walls of the building are made of adobe stones while the roofs are of red terracotas. It looks like it belongs to Intramuros - a real Hispanic architecture. The restorations done have made it look more elegant and eye-catching.

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Shops

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Local Transportation

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It's called "oido" playing. Two of the instruments are crude imitation of the play-it-standing big bass violin - even though this does not play bass. The sound chamber is made of a paint thinner can - I should know, the markings are still there. There are no frets, just the left fingers holding the strings at a desired string's length while the right hand does the bow to-and-fro. And with the third instrument, a ukelele - hey, it's Sweet Music to the ears!

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When visiting Zamboanga City that is well-known for its cheap seafood, it is a must to dine in a restaurant that serves seafood. One of the most popular in the city is Hai San Seafood Restaurant. They must be serving good food at reasonable price to be popular. This is actually a Chinese seafood restaurant such that preparations of the food are mostly done in Chinese receipes. Fresh sea catch are offered in shallow containers with ice for the diners to choose from and most importantly to check the freshness of the seafood prior to cooking. Cooking time would take in less than 20 minutes.

Check out the local better-than-crab crustacean "curacha". Other recommended food are lobsters and groupers (lapu-lapu).

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At the Lobby Bar, local bands play a variety of music. from the '70s to the '90s. The band playing would even entertain guests to sing with them. I find this fun to those who come here in big groups. Show your hidden talent. This is no karaoke thing, it's a real back-up band. I enjoyed here the seafoods appetizers complementing the ice cold San Miguel Beer.

Come in your casual clothes. Relax! Open from 8PM to 2AM nightly with a different band every night.

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An exotic reminder of the Spanish colonial period

Zamboanga is a fascinating site of multiple identities and multiple cultures co-existing in one place. Its title, "City of Flowers" is an appropriate metaphor for such multiplicities.

Many different flowers have taken root here. They show different relationships to one another: some grow in the same plot ostensibly independent of one another, others have symbiotic relationships, while others have parasitic ones. Some kinds of vegetation completely dominate and can smother the others. Others flourish and are at their most beautiful when they are separate and by themselves (see picture).

These various relationships characterise cultural identities in Zamboanga.

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Badjao mat weavers at a resettlement project

Minority identity and the present

There are minorities within minorities within minorities. The national view of "Muslim minority" blurs the clear cultural and language identities of Tausug, Samal, Yakan of the Zamboanga-Sulu area, to say nothing of the Maranao, Magindanao, and Iranun peoples of Greater Mindanao.

The Tausug are considered the hegemonic Muslim group. The Samals are the most numerous. The Badjao, often called sea gypsies, are historically regarded by both Tausug and Samal as a minority group that is not fully Muslim (see picture).

In addition to these different Muslim minorities, there is also the aboriginal Subanon culture. Its people are traditionally animist, although there has been some conversion to Catholicism.

This diversity of identities have implications for economics, politics and tourism.

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Rural pedicab in Recodo village

Rural and urban contrasts

The non-motorised pedicab is typical of rural hamlets (see picture). In Zamboanga City it has been completely supplanted by the motorised tricycle. This transportation mode illustrates the tension between rural "probinsiyano" identity and the urbane city persona. Flight from the countryside to the cities is a problem for the entire Philippines. It has implications for economic development. Zamboanga constitutes a microcosm of the national macrocosm.

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Muslim College with "barter trade" shops

Minority voices

Muslims are the most-discussed minority in the Philippines. Zamboanga is one site of a "Muslim minority," where it is a very visible component of the political, economic, and educational dynamic (see picture).

This minority carries notoriety, such as the presence of Abu Sayef-associated "terrorist" groups on the neighboring island of Basilan and the Sulu-based MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) headquarters in upper Zamboanga.

Muslim Filipinos are generally regarded as an exotic "Other" in the Philippines. They are often admired as the Filipinos who successfully resisted colonisation by Spain and the U.S. They reflect strong cultural and historical ties to the Muslim states of Malaysia and Indonesia.

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Jesuit University celebrating founder's day

Majority voices

The Christian Zamboangeño represents both the Zamboanga majority voice and the national hegemony. With the inmigration of Filipinos from the Visayas and the prominent military presence (which is Manila/Luzon based), Catholic Christian majorities are even more obvious.

Interaction among Christian and Muslim residents is consciously promoted in the community. As one example, the local Jesuit university provides a prayer room for Muslim students and actively recruits students from the Muslim community. Its Center for Western Mindanao Studies maintains ongoing data on all cultural groups in Zamboanga and Sulu. Muslims and Christians participate in each other's celebrations (see picture).

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Ubiquitous basketball court (Taluksangay Village)

Being Filipino

In addition to numerous regional ties, the people of Zamboanga have a strong sense of national Filipino identity.

One national icon of "Filipinicity" is the basketball court. It is everywhere: in such diverse--and sometimes transitory--sites as a municipal plaza, a schoolyard, a dead-end street, a fallow rice field, or a sand bar at low tide. The national obsession with basketball is remarkable: Filipinos are generally too short to compete in any international or professional basketball league.

A Zamboanga youth can have multiple identities: a Muslim observing Friday prayers, a Chavacano-speaking resident in the City of Flowers, a child of Mindanao, and a hoopster playing The Filipino Game (see picture).

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Karate club at Central High School

Performing the global

As an historical crosssroads of commerce, Zamboanga has always been part of an international network. Its proximity to Malaysia and Indonesia as well as cultural ways has makes it a functional part of Southeast Asia. Through its Chinese and mestizo-Chinese population the Zamboanga region has ties to China and other parts of East Asia.

As do other regions of the Philippines, Zamboanga provides numbers of OFWs (overseas foreign workers) to Europe, the Near East and Asia. The OFWs send back money. These remittances drive a flourishing grass roots, local economy. OFWs and other sojourning Filipinos bring home the knowledge and practices of other cultures (see picture).

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"Photo op" for kalabaw and owner in ricefield

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Vintas

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Spanish cannon

Tradition, identity, and continuity

The recognition of tradition contributes to notions of identity. Plowing with a kalabaw continues in the Zamboanga area (see picture).

However in adjoining fields others use motorised hand tractors.These are replacing the traditional beast of burden throughout the Philippines. Even farmers who have abandoned the kalabaw insist that it is the "Filipino way" of plowing fields.

In urban areas Western and global culture are predominant. However, urbanites continue to cite Filipino traditions as part of their identity, even when they themselves no longer practice them.

Tradition is an important aspect of identity. Traditions, whether practiced or simply remembered, are often the basis for the identity (or identities) that a Filipino invokes. They are the continuity which support the notion of "Filipinicity."

The kalabaw, like tradition, represents a time-free and timeless component of identity in Zamboanga (and elsewhere in the Philippines). Travel in these regions is an opportunity to understand, appreciate and celebrate these identities.

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The Breath Taking Pasobolong Beach!

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Rizal Park

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Pasonanca Park

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Fruitstand

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People

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Flowers

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Zamboanga City has a nice Boulevard with a swimming Beach from where you can watch the Sunset or see Sta. Cruz Island agross.

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Zamboanga the Cross from where you can see the Ocean and Sta. Cruz Island to the right the is Mount Columbato. You have to hike to this place. It is located in Pasonanca Park, in Abong Abong .The view over Zamboanga City is amazing.

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La vista Beach Resort - Zamboanga City is the most beautiful city in the Philippines.

The whole City is surrounded by water. Thats why Zamboanga has lots of Beaches and the best and cheapest seafood in the Philippines.
It is a City like only few in the world ,it has its own Islands agross the City and Mountains as well within in the City Proper from where you can have a fantastic Oceanview.

Inspite of the bad press reports it is peaceful its People are great ,there are many Beautiful Beaches with in the City prober and Beautiful Mountains too, all with in easy reach. Try Acapulco Beach resort or La Vista. The people are very friendly and helpful. The fruits and seafood are very good and among the cheapest in the Country.

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The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was just built in 2000 and is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zamboanga. It is considered as the most modern cathedral in Mindanao. A two-leveled building, it houses a columbarium and a chapel at the ground floor while the main church is at the second level. It should be noted that Zamboanga City is predominantly Catholic Christian in this mostly Muslim-dominated part of Mindanao.

A unique feature of its design is the big cross on top of the facade where the church bells are installed. No more bellfry needed.

Aerial Photos

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The Aviary at Pasonanca Park is not that big and can be toured in 15 minutes. It is well-kept and birds here are mostly endemic to the Philippines. The colorful feathers of the cuckatoos are eye-catching.

It is comfortable to make this place as a rest stop while turing Pasonanca with the towering trees providing a great shade from the heat of the sun. The sight and sound of the flowing stream by the side of the zoo add to a more relaxing stop.

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The famous Tree House at Pasonanca Park has basic amenities of a modern house. Built about 4 meters above the ground on a robust acacia tree. The info book says that guests could stay overnight for FREE by reservation through the Office of the Mayor.

Built in the '60s, it has seen a lot of years and I guess it is now only maintained as a Hall-of Famer favorite tourist spot.

Hello Animo. I hope you can also feature the church of St. Joseph near the Cathedral and I believe adjacent to the late Maria Clara Lobregat's house. It's a very nice church and being airconditioned too is a bonus. It's one of the better designed modern churches that I have seen.

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Zamboanga City's Serenity Falls is bounded between La Paz and Pamucutan, at the foot of the EcoZone's south entrance. It is a rough ride to get there, and is hard to find as no visible signs can direct you to it. Its exact location is a well kept secret among those who enjoy the falls' crystal clear mountain water and rugged terrain. If you labor to find it, it may as well be called Serendipity Falls.

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Port

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City Hall

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Mount Columbato, one of Zamboanga City's venerable landmark, and the road to Abong Abong Park. To the right side of the picture, if you look closely, is the White Cross of Abong Abong Park.

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"Station" at Abong Abong

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Pasonanca

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City Hall


ya muri ya aquel vieja, ex-alcalde de Zamboanga. Manada le ya ace para na suyo ciudad pati el lenguaje y cultura chavacano. :)

Zamboanga is historically known as the City of Flowers (Ciudad de la Flores). Also called Zamboanga Hermosa. Residents here speak the Chavacano dialect and "oldtimers" even speak pure Spanish.

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City Hall

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Cawa-cawa

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Moro children, 1929

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Moros in Taluksangay

ya muri ya aquel vieja, ex-alcalde de Zamboanga. Manada le ya ace para na suyo ciudad pati el lenguaje y cultura chavacano. :)

Ele un mojer valiente y buen lider. :)

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Plaza Pershing

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Pettit Barracks, 1928

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Zamboanga Wharf. 1900s

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Zamboanga Country Club, 1926

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Fort Pilar - This historical Fort was built in 1635 by the Spanish authorities to ward off Moro ( Muslim Pirates) attacks and foreign invaders . It was here where the Lady of the Pilar reportedly appeared before a Spanish sentry to warn them of an impending attack. This has since become legend and was told and retold. This fort was originally named Real Fuerza de San Jose then renamed Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza. The Fort eventually became known simply as Fort Pilar after its capture by the Americans.

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Pasonanca Park - A 58 hectare park elevated 500 feet above sea level amidst verdant mountains and rolling hills. This area has 3 swimming pools with 24 hours sparkling waters from nearby mountains. While in the park, don't forget to see the famous tree house, the Zamboanga Convention center, the Boy Scout Camp and Amphitheater.

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Plaza Pershing - Originally called Plaza de Don Juan de Salcedo in honor of one of Spain's greatest conquistadores in the 16th century. Was renamed to Plaza Pershing in memory of Gen. John Pershing for his works during and after his term as Governor of the Moro Province.This remnant of a typical Spanish square is located right in the heart of the city, a stone's throw away from the equally historical Zamboanga City Hall.

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Yakan Weaving Village - The Yakans, one of the many Muslim tribes and the original inhabitants of Basilan, are considered to be the finest weavers in the country. In this village, you can see them weave . Here you might want to buy some souvenir items , antiques, kris, and you might like a souvenir item like gongs (comes in different sizes.)

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Amphitheater - Located at the Pasonanca Park

THE BEGINNING 1200 A.D.

Not much is known of the early inhabitants of the Mindanao Island peninsula before this time line.

In the beginning, there was Jambangan, the ancient place that was settled in the 1200s by the Subanons, who are considered by historians to be the founding fathers of the place they called the “Land of Flowers.” They are of Malayan decent who traveled away from their homeland in Indonesia to find their new home on the tip of the Mindanao island peninsula. They are a farming-based people who choose to settle along the banks of the rivers (called suba in their native tongue) and consequently derived their ethnic name from it. The Subanons (“People of the River”) mostly grew root and tree crops, along with their rice staple, which they still do to this day.

THE MALAYS 1300 A.D.

Then came the Badjaos and the Samals from Malayan decent who settled along the Jambangan shoreline in the 1300s. The new settlers made contact with the subanons who told them the name of the place, However, the new settlers preffered to call it Sambangan. Next came the Tausugs along with the Yakans, both also of Malayan decent. The Tausogs became the most dominant and aggressive ethnic group of the entire region at the time.

The Badjaos, Samals, Tausugs, and Yakans from Malaysia and Borneo/Brunei still consist a big majority of the minority group that make up today's area population. On the other hand, the Subanons have long moved to the hinterlands of the Mindanao Island peninsula to pursue their ancient ways, leaving behind only a semblance of their numerous presence. One can catch a glimpse of what it must have been like in the early days by visiting their mountain home. The Yakans would choose to establish themselves in the island of Basilan, with a small thriving community present here today. The Badjaos are a sea-faring tribe in its truest sense, and have a loose foothold on residency here.

Mohammedanism 1400 A.D

The new settlers of Jambangan, Mindanao Island, and the Sulu Archipelago region experienced a spiritual transformation that is evident to this day. Mohammedanism was introduced to these people of Malayan decent, and eventually spread out to the Visayas and as far north as Manila, and preceded the Spanish arrival by only sixty years. The Mohammedan conquest of the Philippine Islands was almost complete, and the country would have been a Muslim state today had the Spaniards not arrived.

The Spaniards arrive 1500 A.D.

At this time the Spaniards arrived in search of spices and riches. With their arrival, they also introduced the Catholic faith into the islands and converted many. Historical records reveal Spanish presence in Jambangan can be dated as far back as November 1596, when a small garrison was briefly established in Recodo, located about fifteen miles north-east of present downtown Zamboanga City. Juan Ronquillo built a blockhouse as a base of their operations against the Cotabato Moros, and left Captain Paches behind to man it. Repeated Moro attacks eventually eliminated this small heroic detachment that history completely forgot.

The Spaniards subjugated the islands of the Visayas and Luzon easily, but not Mindanao. The Spaniards would suffer great losses as the Moro ( Muslim) pirates from Mindanao would repeatedly stage surprise attacks on the islands of Visayas. Here, the Moros would pillage and burn villages and take hundreds of slaves for their lucrative slave trade. Women were taken as harems for Sultans.

It would take over thirty (30) years for the ill-prepared Spaniards to recover from these murderous attacks. The Mohammedans of Mindanao and Sulu proved to be Barbarians of the first order. Historical accounts showed that the Moro pirates had been practicing this way of life ( pillaging villages and taking slaves) for almost a hundred years before the Spaniards came to the Philippines. It was their nature.

It would only be fair to note however, that based on historical accounts, the Spaniards did also had their share of barbarism against their captives and willing subjects.

The transfomation 1600 A.D.

Around this time Jambangan would experience a gradual transformation from Islam to the Catholic faith as it is known today.

The Formidable Fort 1635 A.D.

On April 6, 1635, a force of 300 well armed Spanish soldiers from Luzon and around 1,000 Cebuanos under the command of Captain Juan de Chavez landed on Jambangan where he temporarily founded the town of Bagumbayan, the first Spanish name given to Jambangan. From here, they would attack Recodo at Caldera Bay and cleared the town of Moro pirates. Then eventually, they also successfully cleared the rest of the peninsula of Moro pirates.

The Moro attacks temporarily stopped and this gave the Spaniards time to build one of the finest and formidable Spanish fort, the grand fortress of Fuerza de San Jose . On June 23, 1635, A Jesuit priest and a Spanish Army engineer laid the foundation of the great fort, thus establishing the permanent presence of the Spanish authority in the peninsula.

The building of the Spanish fort were intermittently interrupted by Moro attacks, inflicting casualties on the Spanish side. But the Moros never were able to overcome the unfinished fort as they were always successfully repelled by the Spaniards and Chavacanos.

The Destruction of the Moro Pirate's Fleet - Spain's first major victory 1636 A.D.

In 1636, the Moros assembled a large fleet to attack the Visayan Islands. Almost every town along the whole coast of the Visayas was attacked and looted. They slaughtered hundreds and kept 650 captives as slaves.

On their way back to the south, a Spanish fleet intercepted them at the Puenta de Flecha in the Dumanquillas Bay and a battle ensued. Hampered by hundreds of captives in the holds, the garays ( a Spanish term for Moro-built pirate ship ) of the Moros were slow and unwieldy and as a result, the Moros were defeated . 300 Moro pirates were killed. Around 120 captives were saved. The rest of the captives were thrown into the sea by the pirates as the tide of battle turned against them. The sharks feasted on the bound bodies of Christian girls bound for the harems of Jolo.

After twenty eight years of rapid conversion of the locals in Zamboanga, areas of Mindanao and nearby Basilan Island, by the Jesuits, the supporting Spanish troops from Zamboanga, and Ternate (Spice Islands), were suddenly recalled to Manila in 1663 to spruce up its defense against possible invasion after the Dutch were expelled by the warlord they called Koxinga (Guo Xing-ye in Chinese) from Formosa, and did not return until 1718. They left behind the Jesuits and the Chavacanos to continue their work of spreading the Catholic faith.

The Fort re-built and renamed 1718 A.D.

By order of the newly elected Governor –General of the Philippines, Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda, the abandoned San Jose Fort of Zamboanga was re-taken, demolished and rebuilt in 1718. It was made stronger to ward off continued Moro Pirates ‘ attacks and other foreign invaders. It was renamed Real Fuerza de Nuestra Seńora del Pilar de Zaragosa. The statue of the Lady of the Pilar which was placed as a religious centerpiece above the East wall was said to have saved the fort from attacking Moros countless of times and was said to be miraculous.

Today the fort is simply known as Fort Pilar.

Ele un mojer valiente y buen lider. :)


wow sabe tu man chavacano tamen, Ñor Animo?? Jajaja que bonito oui gayot el chavacano. Si amo se ya queda buen lider le deberasan. Si Climaco ya el alcalde ara.

No hablo chavacano. :lol:

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Fort Pilar Shrine

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Muslim Mosques

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Tree House at Pasonanca Park

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Yakan Loom Weaving Village

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R.T.Lim Blvd.(Cawa-Cawa Blvd.)

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Cesar C. Climaco Avenue

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Plaza Rizal

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Anuling Waterfalls

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Vista del Mar Beach Resort

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Sta Cruz Island Beach

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Cacao Cave

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Sunset at R.T. Lim Blvd.

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Gov. Lim Ave.

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Façade

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Lobby

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Front Desk

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Grand Ballroom

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Pool and Poolside Amenities

The Garden Orchid Hotel is one of the few hotels in the territory to offer its guest an open-air swimming pool thoughout the year

Splendid landscaping and lush greenery provide an invitation for a dip in the pool. Guests can relax as they enjoy a drink and some snacks from the bar. Towels, lockers, changing rooms and showers are available.

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Deluxe Room

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Superior

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Executive Suite

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Convention Center

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The Baron Restaurant

The hotel's fine dining. The Baron is warmly decorated in a rustic Spanish motif. The elegance and intimacy of this dining hall tempt you to embark on a taste tour of European dishes. Haute Cuisine at its best

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Body Watch Gym & Sauna

The businessman who chooses Garden Orchid Hotel for a stay in the city will find a fully-equipped workout gym & sauna to soothe easy the after-effects of business transactions, jetlag, meetings & conference.

Separately located beside the swimming pool, the Executive Clubhouse is created for people who need to stretch out, relax and be pampered.

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The Executive Club

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Lobby

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Deluxe

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Standard

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Convention Hall

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Hotel Swimming Pool

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Poolside Restaurant

"'A good Moro is a dead Moro' attributed to General Blackjack Pershing (who ordered the invention of the .45 caliber pistol to stop a rampaging, Kris-wielding juramentado in his tracks) also taught us the early prejudice."

I just realized now that Gen. Pershing was a copycat. That phrase was popularized by his predecessor in the U.S. army, Gen. Philip Sheridan, Custer's military boss, who was once quoted as saying, "A dead indian is a good indian."

Great pictures and data.


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By Aurelia l. Castro
Sun.Star Correspondent

The Filipinos should capitalize on their ability to learn and speak foreign languages to get more business in the business process outsourcing space.

“The language used in call centers is not just English, but it’s multilingual, depending on what market is to be served. One example is the Spanish-speaking market. India is having difficulty sourcing people who are good in Spanish. It is something that the Philippines can fill in,” said Erik Tabuena, country leader-Philippines, IBM business consulting services, in a press conference last Thursday.

Spanish could be one of the Filipinos’ strengths because of their heritage, said speakers and panelists in a separate press conference held at the 1st International Conference and Exhibition on Business and ICT (Cebu ICT 2005) at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

“It’s where we could differentiate ourselves from Indians, who do not have the heritage that we have. The point is to identify areas that present opportunities that we could address better than anyone else,” said Bong Borja, Business Processing Association of the Philippines chairman and PeopleSupport chief executive officer.

The Philippines was a colony of Spain for over 300 years.

Borja said Zamboanga has a dialect called Chabacano that is quite close to Spanish.

The Spanish-speaking market is large in the United States and other countries.

IBM president and general manager Jajo Quintos also stressed the importance of language knowledge in accepting business process outsourcing work.

“IBM Philippines does expense accounting for all of Asia, Europe and some parts of North America. When you think about it, there is a need here to have the ability to speak (many) languages, like Japanese, German, Spanish, French and many others ... and not just English,” he said.

Quintos said Filipinos don’t have a hard time learning other languages.

“And also, we have eight million Filipino migrants all around the world. Many of them learn the language wherever they are. I think we can tap them as resources in language learning,” he added.

BPO refers to business lines that can be transformed and delivered through information and communications technology infrastructure.

These include customer contact centers, engineering and design, animation and content creation, distance learning, market research, travel services, finance and accounting services, human resource services and other administrative services like purchasing.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2005/06/25/bus/pinoy.bpos.could.serve.spanish.market.players..html

ZAMBOANGA City is fast becoming the Philippines' largest supplier of labor resources for call centers because of its huge population of competent professionals and their unique ability to speak and understand both English and Spanish languages.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said the country's largest call center and outsourcing firm the Cyber City Teleservices Limited (CCTL) has gone to Zamboanga City in search of call center agents to complement its expansion program in the Philippines.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said that CCTL representatives were in Zamboanga City last week to recruit more female call center agents to fill up additional manpower requirements for its outsourcing operations. They interviewed applicants and those who would pass the interview would be trained and sent either to their call centers in Pampanga and Davao, she said.

Sto. Tomas said that amidst the ongoing political noise, the country remains a favorite destination of many American call center and outsourcing firms due to the Filipinos' affinity with the American English language and culture. "This is an indication of the expanding call center industry in the country," she said.

CCTL is the largest customer relationship management call center in the Philippines employing almost 5,000 agents for its operations at Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga province in Luzon and its affiliate G-Com Limited in Davao City in the southern Philippines.

It is also a leading provider of customer relationship management services and solutions including inbound and outbound offshore call center and business process outsourcing services based in New Jersey and California.

The latest CCTL recruitment was held at the Zamboanga City-based Public Employment Service Office and it planned to return to Zamboanga City next month and in March to recruit more call center agents, Sto. Tomas said.

She did not say how may were recruited by the CCTL, but local officials on Sunday praised the company for choosing Zamboanga City as its main labor source for its expansion program.

"This is a welcome development in light of our ongoing campaign to more generate jobs for the locals, and Zamboanga City has a big labor force and our professionals have strong command of the English language, and they can also understand Spanish and other Filipino dialects," Zamboanga City Councilor Milabel Velasquez said Sunday.

Velasquez said the peaceful law and order situation in Zamboanga City continues to attract many labor firms from Manila and others provinces to come here and hire more people. "Our peace-keeping efforts are moving forward and everybody is working hard to sustain the current situation and we are on the right track," she said.

Other call center firms had recruited hundreds of locals in previous years.

Zamboanga City is also the venue of the 5th Women Congress in March and more than 300 participants are expected to attend here, Velasquez, who is also the current vice president for Mindanao of the Rural Improvement Club of Mindanao, said.

A study in 2004 said that the country ranked sixth in offshore location attractiveness index and the fourth choice location in Asia preceded by India, China, and Malaysia.

Currently, there are more than 50 contact center outsourcing providers in the Philippines. More call center and business process outsourcing firms are projected to set up operations in the country due to its cost-efficient, flexible, and trainable manpower. (Al Jacinto)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/01/23/news/zambo.fast.becoming.supplier.of.call.center.agents.html

By Anuradha Shukla
TMCnet Contributing Writer

The Philippines is a choice location for outsourcing contact center services, followed closely by India, China, and Malaysia. Presently there are more than 50 contact center outsourcing providers in the Philippines – and more call center and business process outsourcing firms are expected to set up operations in the country due to its willing, cost-efficient and trained manpower.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reports the country’s largest call center and outsourcing firm, Cyber City Teleservices Limited (CCTL), has gone to Zamboanga City in search of call center agents as it seeks to fulfill its expansion program in the Philippines.

CCTL is the largest customer relationship management call center in the Philippines. It employs around 5,000 agents for its operations at Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga province in Luzon, as well as its affiliate, G-Com Limited, in Davao City in the southern Philippines.

Zamboanga City Councilor Milabel Velasquez thinks that the peaceful law and order situation in Zamboanga City attracts many labor firms from Manila and other provinces to come and hire more people.

“Our peace-keeping efforts are moving forward and everybody is working hard to sustain the current situation and we are on the right track,” she said.

The city boasts of competent professionals and their unique ability to speak and understand both English and Spanish. Other call center firms have recruited hundreds of locals in previous years.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto Tomas believes that the Philippines has become the favorite destination of many American call center and outsourcing firms due to the Filipinos’ affinity with the American English language and culture. According to Cebu Representative Eduardo Gullas Filipinos, the Department of Trade and Industry expects BPO contractors to fully employ as many as 800,000 Filipino workers by 2010. He also noted that many local call centers here are subsidiaries of large corporations publicly listed in the United States, including Sykes Enterprises Inc., Convergys Corp., People Support Inc., and ICT Group Inc., all of them listed either at the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ stock market.

Experts feel that the necessary ingredients for spectacular growth in the outsourcing industry are, in fact, already present in the country. It is now only a matter of improving what the country has and maximizing what is present. Some people feel that Philippines even has some advantages over India, like it being a smaller country, and, hence, offering more ease to control operations. Moreover, a skilled workforce is the country’s greatest asset and here the people have both productivity and passion.

Florida-based Sykes has 17,130 employees worldwide, with over 6,000, or 40 percent, based in the Philippines. Ohio-based Convergys has 66,300 workers across the globe, and 5,300, or about 8 percent, are Filipinos. California-based People Support, whose global operation is based in the Philippines, has all its 3,800 employees in the country, except for some officers in its US head office. People Support’s Pennsylvania-based ICT Group has 13,850 workers worldwide, with 1,400 working in the Philippines.

http://news.tmcnet.com/news/2006/01/27/1320123.htm

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Façade

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Lobby

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Front Desk

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Café

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Blue Shark Hotel

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G. C. Hotel Façade

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Lobby

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Façade

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Lobby

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Front Desk

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Ballroom

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Lobby Cafe Shop

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Montemar Restaurant

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Montemar Rooftop

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Hotel Preciosa

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Lobby

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Jardin dela Viña Hotel

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Front Desk

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Restaurant

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Lantaka Hotel by the Sea

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Platinum 21 Pension House

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Skypark Hotel

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Front Desk

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10 High Bar & Restaurant

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The original people of Zamboanga were the Subanen of Indonesian origin at about 2,000 to 6,000 years ago. They were coastal people who believe in the spirit of their ancestors and the forces of nature. When the Muslims arrived they were pushed into the hinterlands and live along riverbanks. Thus, the name "Suba," meaning people of the river.

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Harvest Dance performed by the Subanen dancers.

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Muslim ladies in their unique dance.

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Balneario popular en Zamboanga

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Zamboanga Water Slides

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Airport

Friday, March 03, 2006
Zambo airport modernization program aborted
Sunstar Daily

THE long-range modernization program for the Zamboanga City International Airport (ZCIA) City has been totally cancelled and, instead, diverted to two other airports in Mindanao -- Cotabato and Butuan.

This was the bad news received directly from officials of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) who were in the city on February 1 to personally inform local officials, including the Airport Transportation Office (ATO) here under Celso Bayabos, of their decision.

Bayabos sadly announced that their dream to modernize the airport has been dashed away, despite its long-range planning that started way back in the late 80's.

"The news that they (ADB officials) told us on February 1 was that the project of the Zamboanga airport is totally scratched - goodbye (to the dreamed modernization)," Bayabos said.

Bayabos revealed that four ADB officials headed by Frenchman Blancheeti Revelli gave two major reasons for completely dropping the plan: the Executive Proclamation, giving the area (west of the airport) to the urban poor (PALAR), and the absence of economic viability.

Bayabos said they were surprised over the second reason, because compared to the two mentioned cities of Cotabato and Butuan, Zamboanga City is better off economically.

He said Cotabato City has only a single flight a day from their city direct to Manila while Butuan has none.

He said this is a shocking and a devastating blow to the local airport here, considering that in their (ADB) study, Zamboanga City is their number one top priority for rehabilitation and improvement in a bid to modernize its terminal and all its facilities here.

He said the plan was to initially transfer the airport somewhere in the east coast, most preferably in the adjacent two barangays of Mercedes and Talabaan.

In fact, Bayabos revealed that they already surveyed the areas from November until early January, this year, reaching up to Manicahan, and accompanied by the consultant of the ADB and personnel from the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) under Secretary Leandro Mendoza.

Bayabos said the amount intended for the airport improvement here even increased from the initial proposed amount of P700 million to a billion pesos more.

And that the ADB proposal to have the airport moved to its northern big portion near the Edwin Andrews Airbase (EAAB) in Sta. Maria was highly considered instead of having it transferred to the east, according to him.

"It would have been okay, as the area near the airbase is much bigger and more credible, because the intention also for its transfer is to allow the adjacent barangays to develop," Bayabos informed.

"And here comes the ADB. They promised an amount for the transfer and rehabilitation of the airport facilities to the other side (near EAAB), although the local government insisted that it be better transferred farther in Mercedes-Talabaan (area)," Bayabos said further.

He disclosed that in so far as the 10-hectare area where the urban poor, comprising about 300 families, are situated, "that's not a problem at all (as it won't affect our area), but on our side we explained that they (urban poor) have to follow the International Civil Aeronautic Organization (ICAO) standards and that's to move away 150 meters from the center line."

By Nuhman Aljani

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has earmarked up to P1 billion in loans for the improvement of airports located in different cities in Mindanao, an official of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) said yesterday.

Antonio Mariano, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional director and undersecretary of the DoTC, said the national government with the loans from the ADB approved the modernization proposal of the airports in Cotabato City, Butuan City, Puerto Princesa City and Sanga-Sanga provincial airport in Tawi-Tawi.

“Cotabato airport already received an initial P600,000 funding last month for its modernization. This was after we received the request and complaint of the different airline owners to improve our airport,” Mariano revealed.

Mariano added that anytime this year, “we expect another P45 million for the full development of Cotabato City airport. This was after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo approved the proposal jointly made by ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong.”

Some P1 million was also allocated for the long-range modernization of the Zamboanga City International Airport (ZCIA) but it was canceled by the ADB purportedly because the project had “no economic viability.”

Celso Bayabos, manager of the CZIA, said the cancelation of the funding was a “shocking and devastating blow” to the local airport.

He said the development was unexpected, considering that in the ADB study, ZCIA comes out as their top priority for rehabilitation and improvement.

In his statement, Bayabos said they were surprised by the ADB cancelation because, he said, Zamboanga is more economically stable than cities like Butuan and Cotabato.

He added that the poor condition of the ZCIA and its defective runway even endangers the safety of the landing and take-off of aircraft, especially since the airport accepts 40 flights everyday.

Zamboanga City plays host to a gathering of the Linux and open source community through FOSS@Zamboanga to be held at the Summit Center of the Universidad de Zamboanga on March 10 and 11, 2006 . This is the first major open source conference to be held in the city and promises to draw experts and participants from all around the country. Highlights of the conference will include presentations by expert speakers showcasing the power of open source software; live demonstrations and tutorials of essential open source applications; and open fora among industry, academe, and the Linux community to chart out directions and action plans for the region. Industry sponsors will also present their solutions to the general public in the presentation area.

Speakers will come from Ateneo de Zamboanga, Universidad de Zamboanga, and Western Mindanao University as well as participating government agencies and industry partners. The Philippine Linux Users' Group and the Ubuntu Foundation will also send representatives to the event.

The event is organized by the E World Career Centre of Zamboanga City. Conference fee is P1,000 for professionals and P800 for students. Online registration may be done at http://linuxfoss.rjnworks.com. Inquiries may be sent to linuxfoss@netaccess.com.ph.

FOSS@Zamboanga is an event endorsed by the Philippine Linux Users' Group (PLUG). Founded in 1994, PLUG is the oldest Linux users' group in Asia. The nationwide organization advocates for the adoption of the GNU/Linux operating system and free and open source software in the Philippines. PLUG's members comprise of volunteers from industry, government, and academe. For more information on the organization, visit http://linux.org.ph.

Cagayan de Oro City (2 March) -- The Cagayan de Oro Arnis Team emerged as the overall champion in the just-concluded 1st National Inter-School Arnis Tournament held at the Zamboanga City Coliseum after bagging a total of seven gold and two bronze medals.

This was disclosed by Sammy V. Cantal, Region 10 Commissioner of Arnis Philippines, in a report submitted recently to City Mayor Vicente Y. Emano.

Cantal said that the Cagayan de Oro City team, composed of players from the city government's grassroots sports development program Advance Scientific Skills Efficiency Training (ASSET-Arnis), bested 17 top competing teams coming from the cities of Zamboanga, Davao and Metro Manila to bring home the overall crown in the elementary and college levels.

The gold medalists are: Sam Julles Cantal (8 years old-below category), Niña Allaria Gae Tabor (9-10 years old), Paolo Ablon (open weight), Ianpet Isulan (extra lightweight-men), Roberto Dayonayos (half lightweight-men), Jese Lago (heavyweight men) and Evenezier Elmedulan (half middleweight-women).

Claiming bronze medals are: Paolo Ablon (half lightweight) and Vincent Emia (extra lightweight-men).

Aside from winning gold medals, three local players also got special awards and citations during the tournament, which was sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission in cooperation with the local government of Zamboanga City last February 22-25.

They are: Jese Lago, named as Most Friendly, Best Player, Finish the Game in Short Time and Strongest Strike; Sam Julles Cantal as Most Artistic Player and Finish the Game in Short Time; and Evenezier Elmedulan as Most Friendly Female Athlete (City Information Office / PIA-10)

By Bong Garcia / MindaNews / 28 February 2006

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Councilor Cesar Iturralde has called on the concerned government agencies to embark on a massive reforestation at the watershed to ensure continuous water supply in this southern port city.

Iturralde noted that with the continuous increase in the city’s population, the watershed may not be able to provide enough water supply.

Iturralde said the construction of nine deep wells by the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) is an admission that the watershed is no longer capable of meeting the daily water requirements of its consumers.

ZCWD constructed the nine deep wells last year, funded through a loan from the Local Utilities Water Administration (LUWA).

“We must take serious efforts to reforest our watershed so it could sustain the water supply of the entire populace,” Iturralde said.

Noting that Cebu City, which has water sourcing problems, has taken steps to reforest its 34,000 hectare watershed, Iturralde said he hopes “we can also do the same to reforest our 17,000 hectare watershed.”

Earlier, the ZCWD said that had it not been for the La Niña weather phenomenon, this city would have experienced rationing again this year.

Last year, the ZCWD implemented rationing starting the end of February.

ZCWD information officer Dolores Galvan said that every year, they allocate P8 million for the rehabilitation of some 25 hectares of the watershed.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

PRIVATE investments in the Zamboanga Peninsula region rose to P4.042 billion in 2005, 96 percent higher than what was registered in 2004 of P2.059 billion, data from Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 9 showed.

The huge increase in investments is attributed to new business start-ups and expansions in key cities of Zamboanga, Pagadian, Dipolog and in Sibugay's premier town, Ipil.

DTI 9 said the biggest increase is noted in Zamboanga Sibugay at 186 percent due mainly to the booming economic activities in the newly created province, followed by Zamboanga del Sur at 157 percent and Zamboanga City at 111 percent.

In terms of contribution to the investments pie, Zamboanga City's investments accounted for 61 percent of the total, followed by Zamboanga del Sur, 14 percent, Zamboanga Sibugay, 12 percent, Zamboanga del Norte, 10 percent.

DTI data further showed much of the investments went into the development and expansion of facilities in the service sector such as warehousing, beach resorts, real estate brokerage, commercial banks, security services, financing, shipping and hotels and restaurants.

The increase in investments is directly related to the upsurge in new business startups reckoned from the original business name registration (BNR) with DTI, which recorded an increase in 47 percent in 2005 over that of 2004.

Even business BNR renewals also recorded an increase of 32 percent over the same period.

According to DTI, factors which contributed to the significant increase in business name registrations in 2005 include: the improvement in the business climate in the region, massive campaign for BN registration conducted by DTI, implementation of the web-based business name registration which significantly cut the waiting time for the BNR, and weekly entrepreneurial briefings conducted by the office for BN registrants.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

The City Government of Zamboanga, through Vice Mayor Beng Climaco, has enjoined all women and men of all ages, status in life, or religion to actively participate in the Women's Day celebration on Wednesday and show oneness in supporting the cause of women to improve the condition of the family and the nation.

The vice mayor, who is chairperson of the Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point--the group that organizes the activity, said people should recognize the role of women in nation building, in bringing up a family as well as helping in the economy of the family.

She stressed that the celebration is dedicated to women who put their lives at stake for the sake of the family and nation.

"In this times of political crisis, we should acknowledge the role of women in nation building and helping in the economy of the family," the vice mayor said.

She specifically cited the heroic acts of some women, who risked their lives for the love of their family. These women include those victims of the Ultra stampede and the St. Bernard, Southern Leyte landslide incident recently.

The Women's Day celebration on Wednesday will kick off with a march from the R.T. Lim Boulevard to the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex in Baliwasan where a short program and physical fitness activity will take place.

Assembly time for the participants to the women's march is 7 a.m. at the R.T. Lim Boulevard.

The GAD-focal point, through the Local Council of Women led by Mercy Arquiza, also continues with the fund raising campaign for the benefit of the women in need sector.

Mayor Celso Lobregat, in support of the cause of women, has issued a memorandum circular enjoining all women employees of the City Government to join in the activities. (Sheila E. Covarrubias)

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Spanish government chose the Philippines as its top priority among other countries in Asia and earmarked up to 40,000,000 euro (about P2.5 billion) in grants-in-aid to be used in different developmental programs over the next four years, the Spanish envoy to the Philippines said over the weekend.

Ambassador Don Ignacio Sagaz said on Saturday Spain has decided to upgrade its cooperation with the Philippines in terms of fighting poverty in the regions of Bicol, Caraga and Zamboanga City and Basilan in Western Mindanao.

“In the next four years, we have contemplated 40,000,000 euro or an average of 10,000,000 euro per year as a grant to the Philippines,” Sagaz said, adding that the funds will be used to support President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s 10-point agenda of governance and in support for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

For Zamboanga City alone, the Spanish government, through its Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional (AECI) and the Spanish nongovernment organization (NGO) Manos Unidas, granted more than P80,000,000 to the community-building programs of Katilingban Para Sa Kalambuan Inc. (KKI), a local urban poor coalition in this city headed by Claretian priest, Fr. Angel Calvo.

Sagaz was the guest speaker during the joint blessing, inauguration and turnover ceremony of the Kalinaw Housing Project, the second phase of the three-phase AECI funded KKI housing program situated in the interior of Barangay Sinunuc, this city.

The first phase is called Katilingban Housing Project, which was started in 2001 and serves as the home of 200 urban poor. Phase 2 will benefit 98 families. The biggest phase called the Kalambuan Housing Project will have its groundbreaking in April. Phase 3 is bigger than the first two phases together and is estimated to benefit at least another 300 urban poor families.

“We are committed to give help to the people here and as you know, we are already starting with the Phase 3 of this project. It is very encouraging for us to see the people having already their own houses,” Sagaz said.

“This Phase 3 will be in Barangay Caragasan and even bigger than the first two together. We are expecting this project could hold over 300 families and we have allocated of over €80,000,” Sagaz revealed.

“Aside from Zamboanga City, AECI already gave grants and assistance to the agricultural projects in Caraga region, housing, health care, gender and equality programs in Ilocos, Tarlac and Pampanga,” Sagaz revealed.

Sagaz was also the guest of honor during Zamboanga’s 69th charter day celebration yesterday.

KKI chairman Fr. Calvo said the NGO’s housing program intends to develop communities with livelihood enterprises for its residents.

“Aside from the residential houses, KKI housing program also housed a livelihood production center. It is run by the Katilingban Working Women Association, whose members come from different marginalized communities in the city. The women are trained in various production skills, and have started making herbal medicine soaps, noodles, dresses and other sewn items, preserved foodstuffs and other products,” Calvo added.

“This is to finally lift the local residents out of poverty,” Calvo said, adding that the road to economic emancipation begins by eliminating poverty in attitudes and values of the people. Nuhman Aljani

By Bong Garcia / MindaNews / 19 March 2006

ZAMBOANGA CITY * -- Linktone International Mining Corporation (LIMC) has given its assurance that preservation of the environment and safety of the workers and the people is the company’s paramount concern in their proposed iron ore mining in Vitali district.

The LIMC issued the statement following the strong opposition from the Archdiocese of Zamboanga. In a pastoral letter read in all Catholic masses of the Archdiocese on March 11 and published in two local dailies on Monday, the Archdiocese asked the City Council to withdraw its resolution endorsing the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) application of LIMC in Vitali district, an agricultural area 70 kilometers east of this city.

In the letter, Archbishop Carmelo Morelos reiterated the stand of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to repeal the Mining Act of 1995 as its implementation “will certainly destroy both the environment and the people and will lead to national unrest.”

In a statement published in two local dailies Friday, the LIMC said its mining operation is only for iron ore and does not involve any chemical processing.

“It is only a simple mineral extraction like quarrying of limestone, sand and gravel,” the LIMC said.

It added that when mining operation starts, the LIMC will directly employ not less than 500 local residents and more than 1,000 indirectly hired employees.

The LIMC said this can be translated to nearly 10,000 villagers directly benefiting from LIMC’s investment at an average of P6,000 monthly income per family.

The LIMC added the business sector will also benefit from the LIMC operations of not less than P30 million of monthly money circulations that will reportedly be derived from contracts and purchases in this city.

It said they also plan to improve and rehabilitate roads and infrastructure, specifically in the areas of Vitali and nearby barangays of Manguso, Sibulao, Tictapul, Licomo, Tagasilay and Tigbalabag and also construct its own port, at an investment of not less than P50 million.

“The intention of LIMC, aside from its mining operations, is to be a partner of the City Government of Zamboanga to immediately help alleviate the plight of its constituents and
address the basic problems, especially the people of Vitali,” the LIMC said.

Vitali barangay chair Francisco Ramillano said his village is an agriculture and fisheries-based community with more or less 14,000 residents.

Ramillano said they receive from the local government an annual Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of P2,370,000 or P197,500 per month.

Like the city council, the barangay council of Vitali has adopted a resolution endorsing the application of LIMC to extract iron ore in their place.

“We shall conduct progressive rehabilitation on mined areas, conduct reforestation on areas that will not be affected by our mining operations and shall construct a series of siltation ponds and sabo dams to arrest silt and erosion,” the LIMC said.

“We shall also open our mining operations to anybody who would want to see for himself how we conduct our environmental practices,” it added.

In his pastoral letter, Archbishop Morelos cited the environmental degradation and disaster caused by the mining operations of the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic project in Albay, the Didippio gold-copper project in Nueva Vizcaya, and the San Antonio project in Marinduque, among others.

“We believe that any mining operation in Vitali will not redound to the benefit of the inhabitants there and (will) pose danger to their livelihood, namely farming and fishing,” he said, adding the council should withdraw its resolution endorsing the application for ECC.

“We respectfully remind our Honorable City Councilors of the responsibility to look after the welfare of our citizens,” Morelos said.

http://www.zamboanga.com/news/news_body.htm

By RACHEL C. BARAWID

THE Island Paradise Adventure Race (IPAR), touted as "the biggest adventure race" ever to be held in the country, will resume the third and last leg in Mindanao this May with foreign and local backpackers as tough contenders for the one million peso grand prize.

The Mindanao leg will cap the first year of the IPAR series that began in 2005.

A project of the Department of Tourism, the IPAR is patterned after the popular TV race series "The Amazing Race." It is the biggest adventure race event in the Philippines in terms of size of area coverage and prizes offered. The race began in the island of Luzon, then moved on to Visayas and will culminate in Mindanao. The champion of the race will get one million pesos while P200,000 and P100,000 are in store for the 2nd and 3rd runners-up respectively.

According to Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, the IPAR is being popularized and institutionalized by the DoT into a bi-annual adventure race event in a bid to aggressively promote the Philippines as a major adventure tourism destination in Asia and as a safe and fun place to visit.

The Mindanao leg will be a backpackers’ race. IPAR Project Director Shahlimar Hofer Tamano said the race is open to everyone, including foreigners, who are interested in traveling across Mindanao and discovering the natural beauty, traditions and culture of the Mindanaons.

Like in the previous race in Visayas last December, the Mindanao leg will have 30 two-man teams of backpackers. They will travel for approximately nine days through more than 2,000 kilometers of the Mindanao road network from Zamboanga City to Davao City using various public transport modes like buses, jeepneys, tricycles, ferries, etc. to get to their daily destinations, where a grand and festive welcome awaits them at every stop, courtesy of their hosts from the local government units.

From Zamboanga City, the racers shall traverse the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur and del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Marawi City, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte with sidetrip to Siargao Island, then move on to Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, and all the way to South Cotabato, General Santos City, Davao del Sur and then finally end in Davao City.

The teams will have to go through two daily mandatory check-points in popular and newly-developed tourist spots and a pit-stop, which shall either be a city or capital town of the provinces included in the race route. They will be required to hurdle physical and mental challenges at the check-points to gain scores and get the clues for their next destination. The physical and mental challenges will highlight the tourism potentials of the localities.

The Sandugo Team was the champion of the IPAR-Visayas leg held last December.

Zamboanga City (20 March) -- Corporate companies and organizations in Mindanao may no longer be burdened of sending their staff to Manila or Cebu to attend management capabilities training-workshops because a Management Training Firm has recently opened in Mindanao to provide low-cost but world class training-workshops on updated organization and management practices.

Based in Zamboanga City, the NOTACOR Training Consultancy boasts of its exposure to international management practices since its resource speakers have developed management modules as a result of their study exposures in the United States, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.

Notacor Marketing Officer Belsie Agustin said: "We have been developing training modules on organization and management that are applicable to Mindanao socio cultural setting and practices."

"Our priority clients are those micro, small and medium companies based in Mindanao so they can be competitive in their respective industries," Agustin said.

Agustin also said that most Mindanao-based companies send their staff to Manila or Cebu for management training-workshops, however, sometimes they become ineffective because some training firms in Manila, beside from being costly, are providing management tools that sometimes are not applicable to Mindanao setting because in the first place they have not been to Mindanao.

After opening its first branch last year, Notacor's first clients include Sun Gate Pawnshop, Inc., Western Mindanao Power Corporation (Alcantara Group of Companies), Welmar Marketing, KFI Micro Finance and the City's Bankers Association.

The most requested training modules are: (1) Effective management and New Leadership Practices (for managers, supervisors and potential employees), (2) The New Customer Service and Relations Practices (Building Customer Relationships), (3) Organizational Culture, Values and Attitude Development in the Workplace, (4) Teamwork, Time and Stress Management, (5) Effective Communication and Group Presentation Skills for managers, supervisors and reporting staff and (6) New Principles to Influential Teaching (For teachers only).

Notacor stands for New Organizational Techniques to Assist Communities in Orchestrating Reforms. Notacor's website address is: http://notacor.zimnet.com/index.html or for inquiries, clients may email at notacorphil@yahoo.com.

Notacor's booking office is at c/o Wesmin Lending Corporation, Lantaka Hotel, Zamboanga City, cellphone number 09214234944. (PIA)

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The Linktone International Mining Corp. (LIMC), an applicant for a mining permit here, has assured that it will preserve the environment and ensure the safety of workers and the people once the company starts its mining operations.

LIMC, which also announced that it is pouring in an initial investment of P250 million, issued the statement in the wake of strong opposition from the Archdiocese of Zamboanga to its operation.

The firm said its mining operation is only for iron ore and does not involve any chemical processing, hence, there are no toxic pollutants.

"Our operation involves simple mineral extractions like quarrying of limestone, sand and gravel," it said.

The LIMC, a Filipino-Chinese-owned mining firm, has applied for extraction of iron ore in an uphill area known as Sitio Cuatro Ojos in Barangay Vitali, 70 kilometers east of this city.

Once mining operation starts, the LIMC will directly employ not less than 500 local residents and more than 1,000 indirectly-hired employees.

The company said that this can be translated to nearly 10,000 people and family members directly benefiting from the firm’s investment at an average of P6,000 monthly income per family.

It said the business sector would likewise benefit from the LIMC operations of not less than P30 million of monthly money circulations that will be derived from contracts and purchases.

Likewise, the company is also planning to improve and rehabilitate roads and infrastructures within the city, specifically in the areas of Vitali and nearby barangays of Manguso, Sibulao, Tictapul, Licomo, Tagasilay and Tigbalabag. Also, it will construct its own port that would mean an investment of not less than P50 million.

"The intention of LIMC, aside from its mining operations, is to be a partner of the City Government of Zamboanga to immediately help alleviate the plight of its constituents and address the basic problems, especially the people of Vitali," LIMC said.

Barangay Chairman Francisco Ramillano said Vitali is an agriculture- and fisheries-based community with about 14,000 inhabitants.

Ramillano said they received from the local government an annual Internal Revenue Allotment of P2,370,000 or P197,500 monthly.

Like the city council, the barangay council of Vitali has adopted a resolution favoring the application of LIMC to extract iron ore in their place.

"We shall conduct progressive rehabilitation on mined areas, conduct reforestation on areas that will not be affected by our mining operations and shall construct a series of siltation ponds and sabo dams to arrest silt and erosion," the firm said.

"We shall also open our mining operations to anybody who would want to see how we conduct our environmental practices," it added. PNA

LOS ANGELES --- On Sunday, March 12, a pastoral letter from the Arch-
diocese of Zamboanga was read in all the masses of the Catholic church throughout the peninsula, asking the Zamboanga City Council to "withdraw" a resolution it passed March 9 endorsing the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) application of a mining firm to start operations in Vitali.

In the letter, Archbishop Carmelo Morelos said the mining operation
"will certainly destroy both the environment and the people and will lead to national unrest."

The mining company was identified as Linktone International Mining Corporation, owned by Filipino and Chinese interests. It seeks permission to start mining in Vitali, hence the ECC application.

The councilors --- in passing Council Resolution 202 --- endorsed Link-
tone's mining application to the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) based on recommendations made by the council's natural resources committee headed by Councilor Elias Enriquez. Members of the committee
were identified as Rey Candido, Juan Climaco Elago and Abdurahman Nuño.

Council Resolution 202 was reportedly approved unanimously by all coun-
cilors present.

We know the people of Zamboanga will not --- and will never --- benefit from this deal. And it seems like the only ones who will profit from this deal
are the councilors themselves. It could be the reason why the resolution was approved unanimously and with very little public debate.

These are sad times for Zamboanga. Obviously, their future had been
sold out by their City Council to a mining firm owned by strangers in exchange for what---we don't know. But it certainly is worth looking into because what good will the mining operations bring to our city and its people if not only despair and destruction of the environment? And what about the health hazard that runoffs from this mining will pose to residents far and near?

This is precisely why we view the passing of Council Resolution 202 a "crime" against the people of Zamboanga and its future generations.

We strongly urge the City Council to "withdraw" the resolution as soon as possible. Mayor Celso Lobregat should take the lead in making sure this is done before it's too late. (JLS3)

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Photo by AL JACINTO / LAZT Zamboanga Bureau Chief

US military presence in Southern Philippines
A US military C-17 Globemaster cargo plane departs from the Zamboanga Inter-
national Airport after unloading supplies for the Balikatan 2006 wargames that took place in Sulu last month.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/restardo/Zamboanga/AL_JACINTO_RAINBOW2.jpg
Photo by AL JACINTO / LAZT Zamboanga Bureau Chief

Colorful Rainbow over Zamboanga City's Skyline
A rainbow is reflected by the light of the setting sun over Zamboanga City in Southern Philippines last Saturday, March 11. A rainbow usually appears after
it rains.

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Photo by JOHN L. SHINN III / LAZT

In Zamboanga 'Boba Loca' means 'Dumb' and 'Crazy'
Just imagine opening a store in Zamboanga City with a BOBA LOCA name! L.A.
Zamboanga Times founder-editor John (Boboy) Shinn III (right) said he couldn't resist not to have his picture taken in front of the store at the Westfield Mall in West Covina, Calif. when he saw the sign recently. "I thought it was funny be-cause, while it does not mean anything in America---the store's name (BOBA LOCA) means something in Zamboanga City," Shinn said. Jacob, center, who works at the store just smiled and shook his head when Shinn told him that in Chabacano "BOBA LOCA" means "DUMB" and "CRAZY." And what do they actually sell? "All kinds of smoothies and tea," Jacob replied.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/restardo/Zamboanga/AL_JACINTO_BALIKATAN3A.jpg
Photo by AL JACINTO / LAZT Zamboanga Bureau Chief

US-Philippines War Games Underway in Jolo, Philippines
U.S. troops started arriving in Jolo, Sulu in Southern Philippines in preparation
for a month-long war exercise with thousands of Philippine troops. Jolo is the home base of Abu Sayyaf, the Filipino muslim militant group linked by Washing-ton and Manila to Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaeda international terror network.

By Bong Garcia Jr. / MindaNews / 21 March 2006

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www.flickr.com - neanderthal

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue in Western Mindanao has reported an increase of 16.91 percent in tax collection for the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year.

Tita Montero, officer-in-charge of the collections division of the region, said they have collected a total of P266.17 million for the first two months this year, an increase of P38.5 million from last year’s P227.67 million for the same period.

“We have made all necessary measures to make sure that we collect taxes properly,” the Philippine Information Agency quoted Montero as saying.

Despite the increase, however, Montero admitted they have not met the target set by the Department of Finance for the first two months of the year.

“Unfortunately, we fell short of our target but our deficit is not far from our goal. We are short by only 6.80 percent but it doesn't mean we failed in our tax collection,” she explained.

“We have accomplished 93.20 percent of our target and increased our collection compared to [the first two months] last year,” she added.

She said only two out of six cities and provinces under their jurisdiction posted an increase in their collection.

These are Dipolog City with 10.22 percent and Basilan with 2.38 percent increase.

Pagadian City, Zamboanga City, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces posted deficits of 17.11 percent, 8.89 percent, 10.01 percent and 17.01 percent respectively against their targets.

http://www.zamboanga.com/news/news_body.htm

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Fort Pilar

Fire Leaves Thousands Homeless In Zamboanga
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ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 24 Mar) A fire swept through at least 6 hectares of residential area near downtown Zamboanga City late Thursday, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.
Witnesses said dozens of people fleeing the 6-hour fire were hurt when a stampede broke out.
"I saw people crawling, many of them hurt from the ensuing stampede. I think about three dozens of them were really hurt because they are fleeing from the fire," said Juanito San Juan.
Rep. Erico Basilio Fabian, of Zamboanga City, said the fire started before 7 p.m. and was under control around 1 a.m. "The fire ate up an estimated six hectares of residential areas. It was the worst so far," he said.
Local Fire chief Janice Espero said there were no casualties, but the fire destroyed more than 1,500 houses, mostly made from wood. She said the fire started from a shanty house whose lighted candle fell from an alter.
"We have no reports of casualties and the fire destroyed more than 1,500 houses. An estimated P50 million worth of properties went up in smoke," she said.
Espero said strong winds helped fan the fire that spread from one city blocks to another, and narrow roads and alleys and low water pressure from hydrants agravated the problem.
"It was so difficult because we are fighting the fire that is spreading quickly because of the strong winds. Narrow roads and alleys and low water pressure also aggravated our problems," she said.
Local politicians and church leaders appealed on television and radio stations for food and water for the evacuees, now housed in temporary shelters in government buildings and schools.
"Please, we appeal for food and water. Let us help our brothers in God, they need your help badly," said Msgr. Crisanto dela Cruz.
One of those who quickly responded to the appeal was the Jolo-based Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo, Sharif Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun.
Pulalun is set to hand over relief goods he collected from wealthy Muslims and supporters.
"We were moved by the fate of those whose houses were destroyed by the fire and the appeal for food and relief goods. The Muslim people are one with our brothers in Zamboanga and we will help the fire victims," Pulalun told the Zamboanga Journal.
It was the worst conflagration that hit Zamboanga City in decades.
Mayor Celso Lobregat, head of the local disaster committee, declared the fire area under state of calamity, said Francisco Barredo, chief of the Zambonga City Social Welfare and Development.
He said four schools were being used as shelters by the refugees. "We have used these schools to shelter the refugees, at least for the moment, until things are back to normal again," he said.

omg...that is huge!

the land is own by a chinese business men who can't get rid of the squatters in his property. rumors is he will not let the squatters back and he will build a shopping mall in that property. the lot is prime time because its in the heart of the city.

do you guys think (president gma) will let the MILF have its own islamic state in mindanao? if (GMA) thinks this will solve the problems in mindanao she is wrong. letting the (MILF) have its own state, independent from the philippines will just create mega problems for the philippines and for the region because it will be a traning camp for terrorist. i hope (GMA) wont be a sell out. there are 9 million christians in mindanao compared to 4 million muslims. the christians in mindanao will never let the island be an islamic state and run by the (MILF) it will be a war .

the land is own by a chinese business men who can't get rid of the squatters in his property. rumors is he will not let the squatters back and he will build a shopping mall in that property. the lot is prime time because its in the heart of the city.

do you guys think (president gma) will let the MILF have its own islamic state in mindanao? if (GMA) thinks this will solve the problems in mindanao she is wrong. letting the (MILF) have its own state, independent from the philippines will just create mega problems for the philippines and for the region because it will be a traning camp for terrorist. i hope (GMA) wont be a sell out. there are 9 million christians in mindanao compared to 4 million muslims. the christians in mindanao will never let the island be an islamic state and run by the (MILF) it will be a war .

^^ Cruizer33444 are you Zamboangueño? Thats a pretty huge fire and yeah sometimes fires like those are made just to clean up squatters. Regarding MILF, I do not think a majority of the Muslims want to associate with them. Most Filipinos do have this misconceptions that Mindanao is predominately Islamic. But it is actually mostly inhabited by Catholics (Christians).

Venue: M104, Main Building, HKU (University of Hong Kong)
Date: Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Time: 5:30 p.m.

Presented by:
Dr. Patrick Steinkrüger, Centre for General Linguistics, Berlin,
Germany

Seminar Title:
Spanish contact vernaculars in the Philippine islands - new insights

Abstract:
The talk gives first a short overview of the research on Chabacano
since the publication of Whinnom's book in 1956. In the following, I
refer mainly to my own results, having collected data during fieldwork
in the Philippines (Zamboanga, Cavite and Ternate) in 2004 and 2006.
Common aspects but also differences of the dialects will be
highlighted, especially in the domains of phonology and the lexicon.
Selecting some items and features (e.g. pronouns, object-marking
and TMA-markers), Chabacano will be compared with other
Portuguese-based creoles in Asia, showing that these creoles are
historically related. Additionally, Papiamentu will be considered,
another Spanish-based, formerly Portuguese-based, creole in the
Caribbean. It seems that the assumption that Chabacano is an
originally Portuguese-based creole is most convincing, talking about
the origin of this nowadays Spanish-based creole of the Philippines.

Biographical notes:

1988-1995
Studies of Romance and Slavonic Philology at the Universities of
Frankfurt a.M., Barcelona and Tübingen, M.A.-Dissertation

Since 1996
Teaching at the Departments of Linguistics and Romance Philology of
the Universities in Tübingen and Berlin (Humboldt &Free University)

1999
Ph.D.- Dissertation on ˇ§Grammaticalization of Auxiliaries in
Catalanˇ¨

1999-2000
Researcher at the University of Tübingen (project on lexical typology)

Since 2001
Researcher in a project on morphology at the ZAS (Centre for General
Linguistics, Typology and Universals) in Berlin; research on Romance-
based creoles in Asia with a special focus on Chabacano and Makista

- All Interested are Welcome -

yes (animo) im a zamboangueno from sta maria zamboanga city. im currently working overseas.

to (animo) im hoping i can go back to zamboanga for good in 2011. put up a rental business in zamboanga like an appartment with 4 units and a 2 storie commercial building at governor ramos street. if i can make atleast 20,000 pesos a month thats good enough for me. i will be 40 yrs old if i can go back home in 2011. life is too short to be working here in the states till early ritirement age of 62. i like to enjoy life without really working. i like to enjoy my afternoon at 40 at the golf beach resort eating barbecue with coke and looking at sunset and thinking im finally here in zamboanga and not in the states working 8 hours a day 5 days a week and having to deal with co-workers bad attitude. i will just come back to the states for vacations and when i reach 62 yrs old to arrange my ritirement pension papers. thats what keeps me going here in the states is the chance of having a decent life in zamboanga at 40.

^^ Thats a nice plan. Are you a member of the other Zamboanga forums that I spam about this thread? Jeje, I am not from Zamboanga really but my granfather was. The family is still well-known in Zamboanga City (I think). Mayor Cesar Climaco was my grandfathers cousin and I believe the Vice-Mayor is a Climaco too.

Nice of you to be part of Skyscrapercity Philippines. :)

P.S. Do you speak Chavacano? Another forumer speaks it (I think).

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Some 2,000 people trooped Monday to a public forum to discuss the government’s peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and registered their opposition to the inclusion of Zamboanga City in the proposed Muslim homeland in Mindanao.

Secretary Jesus Dureza, the presidential peace adviser, assured the locals the government peace talks in Mindanao are open. He tried to ally fears that secret talks are going on between Manila and the MILF, the country’s largest Muslim separatist rebel group.

“The government is transparent in the peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and there is nothing to hide to the people about the peace process,” Dureza said.

Speaking at the forum in the Zamboanga City Coliseum, Mayor Celso Lobregat led local officials and residents in opposing the inclusion of Zamboanga City in any proposed “Bangsa*moro homeland” or any moves that will dismember the Philippine Republic.

‘Leave us alone in peace’

“We maintain that we want no part of these negotiations and all we ask is to leave Zamboanga City alone,” he said.

Even the Catholic Church has opposed the city’s inclusion in the “Muslim Bangsamoro homeland” that the MILF representatives keep talking about to the media. Government people have not been heard saying anything about a “Bangsamoro homeland” or “Bangsamoro government.”

“The people have spoken and we have shown that we are all united together. Leave us alone in peace,” said Msgr. Crisanto de la Cruz.

Residents arrived in droves, some as far as villages 50 kilometers away, to show their support for Lobregat’s appeal to government peace negotiators to exclude Zamboanga from any secret deal with the MILF.

Tight security

Security was also tight at the Zamboanga City Coliseum where the three-hour forum was held.

“My family and I and our neighbors come here to support Mayor Lobregat and besides we do not want to be part of any Muslim state or homeland. We are free here in Zamboanga and we don’t want any part in these peace talks with the rebels. They should leave us alone in peace,” said the 56-year old Juanito Atilano, a farmer in Vitali village, about 40 kilometers east of Zamboanga City.

Some of those who arrived had placards that read: “Leave us in peace, go away, rebels.” One sign read “Pls. exclude Zamboanga [from the] MILF-GRP peace agreement.”

Filipino peace negotiators and Muslim rebels have agreed to hold a plebiscite for a separate homeland in the southern Philippines. The MILF, which is negotiating peace with Manila, said the referendum would be held in areas that have large Muslim communities.

Open peace process

“Everything in the peace agreement will be submitted to the people. There is nothing to hide and just like today, Zamboanga City is host to a forum on the peace process, and we really wanted all these to be transparent,” MILF Eid Kabalu told this correspondent.

Lobregat has repeatedly denounced the initial agreements signed by the government and rebel peace negotiators that would give a homeland to the MILF.

A new group in Zamboanga City called the Concerned Citizen-Activists for Development, composed mostly of allies of Lobregat, said it would oppose any move to include the city in a separate homeland for Muslims.

MILF should disclose more details

Sen. Edgardo Angara, asked to comment on Monday’s Times banner story, said he wants the MILF to disclose more details about its proposal to share sovereign powers with the Arroyo administration in Mindanao.

Angara said the MILF’s proposal is not allowed under the law. “Two governments cannot share sovereign powers within the same territory,” he said.

--With Patricia Esteves

By Bong Garcia Jr. / MindaNews/ 27 March 2006

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The City Council has approved on third and final reading the Childrens Welfare Code.

Ordinance 2003-13 entitled, An enabling ordinance recognizing and providing the childs rights to survival, development, protection, security and participation, and establishing a comprehensive children and family support system in Zamboanga City and for other purposes was approved during the Councils regular session on Thursday.

The landmark ordinance went thorugh different levels of consultations, hearings and revisions before it was presented before the City Council last Thursday for approval by Councilor Rodolfo Lim, chair of the Committee on Social Welfare.

The ordinance was originally drafted by then Councilor and now Vice-Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco. Climaco served as councilor from 2001 to 2004.

Lim said the ordinance provides for the implementation of programs and projects aimed at ensuring the development, protection and security of children particularly the street and urban working children, the neglected and abandoned kids and all others.

http://www.zamboanga.com/news/news_body.htm

By Bong Garcia Jr. / MindaNews/ 31 March 2006



ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Vice Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco has
put to task two agencies here to install fire hydrants and standpipes in strategic spots in the city.

She said the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) and City Engineer’s Office (CEO) should “undertake measures and ensure that are visibly and strategically installed in city streets”.

The appeal was made following a fire incident in Barangay Camino Nuevo last week which went into a general fire alert when fire fighters did not find any fire hydrant. Climaco said the ZCWD installed fire hydrants earlier in the place but these disappeared and could have been relocated due to road widening or construction projects.

Hydrants are upright pipes connected to a water main line where fire trucks could draw water during fire. Standpipes are vertical pipes with a tap on the top, to enable household, including firefighters, to draw water when the normal supply is disrupted.

According to Climaco, some hydrants in Barangay Camino Nuevo and in other streets of this city have been hidden or covered by concrete as a result of road concreting projects.

She said that during her term as councilor, from 2001-2004, she has requested the proper installation of fire hydrants in city streets for easy access to water during fire emergencies.

She said the incident in Barangay Camino Nuevo on March 23 should be an eye opener for the concerned authorities to ensure that the hydrant facilities serve their purpose during emergency situations.

The Camino Nuevo fire incident, the biggest to have ever hit the city, left some 2,000 people homeless but without casualties.

Other than the lack of water supply, narrow road right of way leading to the fire scene, strong winds and short fire hoses caused the fire to rapidly spread from one block to the other.

Tuesday, April 04 2006 @ 07:17 PM BST

Provincial

04 - U.S. to construct 2 bridges in southern Philippines

New U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie A. Kenney and Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat have signed an agreement for the construction of two bridges in the southern Philippine city.

This project is a partnership among the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) program, the Mindanao Economic Development Council, and the Government of Zamboanga City.

The U.S. government also funds and supports a number of other development projects in Zamboanga City in the areas of infrastructure improvement, health and education, environmental management, and good governance.

The two bridges will be constructed in the Zamboanga barangays of Sinunoc adn Taguiti.

Once completed these bridges will allow the residents of the region to move efficiently and cheaply transport farm produce, fish and other agricultural goods to market centers in the city.

Work on the bridges is slated for completion within the next six months.

For more information on U.S. development assistance to the Philippines, visit the USAID Philippines wed site at http://www.philippines.usaid.gov

Tuesday, April 04, 2006
By Cheng Ordonez

THE Zamboanga Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Foundation, Inc. (ZCCFI) and the Mindanao Business Council (MBC) will jointly launch the 15th Mindanao Business Conference (Minbizcon), featuring the presentation of its official logo, on April 18, 2006, at the Garden Orchid Hotel Executive Hall, Zamboanga City.

Teresita Uy Sebastian, Philippine Chamber of Commerce (PCCI) regional governor for Western Mindanao, said Zamboanga City, being the official host of the confab, will have the opportunity to promote Zamboanga as an emerging economic hub in Mindanao.

Sebastian said the unveiling of the logo will formally give this year's Minbizcon a unique identity. The official logo was designed and conceptualized by the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office.

The event will also be the venue for the launching of the official websites of the 15th Minbizcon, and considered as another tool to attract more international delegates to attend the confabs.

She said key leaders from the Minbizcon's major sponsors will attend the launching event, namely, Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO), USAid's Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM), Globe Telecommunication, local government of Zamboanga City, PCCI, and MBC.

Romeo Serra, who is currently the chairman of the MBC and the new BIMP-EAGA (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine- East ASEAN Growth Area) Business Council (BEBC) chairman, will also grace the event.

Participating government agencies in the region are also expected to attend the launching.

The 2006 Minbizcon carries the theme, "Mindanao: The Best of The Philippines," will serve as an occasion to review and examine programs that will help boost the local products especially the huge agricultural sector of Mindanao and the critical role of the small and medium enterprises (SME) in countryside development.

Minbizcon usually includes a balanced program of technical plenary sessions, business matching sessions, sports activities, an exhibit of products and services and a fellowship program to entertain delegates and guests.

It is an annual conference of all businessmen in the island of Mindanao and had been held in different regions of the island since 1992.

The confab serves as the venue where businessmen of Mindanao craft specific responses to key issues concerning business in the region. Among them are infrastructure, energy, mining, shipping, human resource and skills development and information and communication technology (ICT).

Major issues will also be identified and discussed, particularly those that are perceived to be critical in achieving the desired socio-economic development and political stability in Mindanao.

The confab also aims at promoting Mindanao as an investment haven and to serve as venue for the enactment of resolutions that would address the concerns and problems of Mindanao businessmen.

THE City Council has requested Mayor Celso Lobregat to include in the 2007 Local Development and Investment Plan (LDIP) a provision for the creation of an electronic library (e-library), at the City Library in Baliwasan.

A budget of P1 million is requested for the purchase of computer units and accessories to realize the proposed e-library.

Councilor Juan Climaco Elago, who initiated the move, said the creation of an e-library will make the city be at par with key cities in the country and the world.

With the introduction of modern technology, he said, Zamboanga City should be updated with the latest happenings in and around the globe through the e-library.

With the electronic library, one need not scan the pages of the books of journals for their assignments or research works. The computer will provide all information that a researcher needs by merely using the computer keys.

It is recalled that the city government has also spent millions of pesos for the computerization program that will interconnect all departments thought one network.

The City Council is of the opinion that the City Government will have to invest in order to be attuned with the times.

Just the other day, the Council authorized the mayor to revert the amount of P27.6 million for continuing appropriation and P1 million from current appropriations under the office of the mayor for the computerization program. The amount is part of the P361.4 million supplemental budget of the city for this year.

from google...

Zamboanga City Aerial

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g138/jafhoy3/Zamboanga.jpg

Zamboanga looks very clean, unlike Metro Manila, malabo na kaagad yung makikita...

Zamboangueño Eu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bien vale gad'l di atun cuidad!!!!!
Y di atun lenguaje!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tiene yo na casa diutai escoba
ta ayuda con mi nana
ta barre na techo cai muchu lawa
este'l mi diutai escoba

dol caballo lang kame ta salta, ta salta, ta salta-salta
conel mi diutay escoba..

yo jende casa una dalaga de ciudad
porque'l dalaga de ciudad ta engaña
mas bueno casa de monte
cai muchu saging y camote
para no pasa'l hambre~
si no hay kame camisa
tiene hojas para tapa
si no hay kame reloj
tiene calaw ta canta
hace lang kame pasencia
para no hay kame dolencia
si volve kame zamboanga
siempre wahoy ta busca~~

el maldito raton
ta man tika-tika
ya vene'l gato libat
ya hace capa

chulla alla mañana
chulla alla mañana
chulla alla mañana~
vene maga solterro
vene maga solterro
puro burachon
pesca una morena
pesca una morena
pesca una morena~
casa con su novia
casa con su novia
mantene bagon


arriba del proa
el don capitan
grita avante (avanti~)
ya dale atras.
el maquinista tambien pendejo.
en vez de parar
haciendo nasnas

vamos a tomar a tomar
vamos a bebir a bebir
antes de morir de morir
ese'l natural~~~

^^ Hola tatsumaki. Bienvenido al foro y ¿que tal? :)

---

TO ENSURE a solemn and orderly observance of the Holy Week, City Hall has ordered the implementation of liquor ban and rerouting of traffic at Abong-Abong Park from April 12 to April 16.

In an executive order issued the other day, Mayor Celso Lobregat directed police authorities to prohibit the sale display or intake of all forms of liquor within the park, where people will do their Lenten rituals.

Those who will be caught violating the order will be sanctioned accordingly.

The liquor ban in Abong-Abong is being implemented every observance of the Holy Week to avoid disorder. The season calls for reflection, prayer and somberness, thus, the intake, sale or display of liquor has no place in the Holy Hill.

Thousands of people flock to Abong-Abong Park for their Holy Week retreat every year despite the bumpy and hilly road leading to the giant cross atop the Hill.

Based on the order, Pasonanca up to Kilometer 6 will be one-way for all forms of vehicle. The exit will be towards Luyahan-Tumaga.

The Zamboanga City Police Office and Task Force Zamboanga have prepared a comprehensive security plan to safeguard the people flocking to Abong-Abong.

Mayor Lobregat is set to meet with police and military authorities including representatives from the police action centers and tanods as well as barangay officials from Sta. Maria, San Roque, Pasonanca and Tumaga today, Tuesday, to finalize security plans.

The guidelines in the construction of business stalls in Abong-Abong will be under the supervision and control of the barangay council of Pasonanca.

Portable rest rooms will be set up within the vicinity of the Holy Hill and the garbage collection schedules will also be set to ensure orderliness in the area.

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- At least 326 Filipinos detained in Sabah, Malaysia were deported back to the Philippines, as Kuala Lumpur stepped up its crackdown on illegal immigrants, officials said Monday.

The deportees, among them 67 children, arrived on Saturday in Zamboanga City onboard the Filipino ferry Danica Joy-2 after serving time in jails for various immigration offenses, a local social welfare specialist Elizabeth Dy said.

"They were deported because of various immigration offenses in Sabah," Dy said.

Most of those deported were natives of Jolo and Tawi-Tawi islands in the Sulu archipelago in the southern Philippines, and Basilan island, about 8 miles south of Zamboanga City.

The deportees were sent to a social welfare center here and given foods and free tickets to return to their hometowns, despite meager funding from the government. Many of them also underwent a series of counseling and briefing on the latest government job programs and skills training.

At least 20 deportees from Basilan island were already sent home on Sunday. "We will be sending home the rest of the deportees and we hope they don't return anymore to Sabah, not without proper documents," she said.

Many of those who were expelled from Sabah served time in prison from two weeks to one year or longer.

But unlike in the past, where Filipino deportees bring home tales of harsh punishments and physical abuses in Malaysian prisons, now those who returned said they were treated well and given ample ration of food while in jail, Dy said.

"We did not have any single complaint from the deportees, and we asked them about whether they were abused, and they told us that they were treated well and fed, too. That's good considering the good relations between the Philippines and Malaysia. We are also happy about this development," she said.

Agapita Bendoy, head of the social welfare center, said previously that more than 30,000 illegal Filipino workers were deported from Malaysia the past five years -- the biggest was in 2002 when some 10,000 Filipinos had been arrested and jailed and deported to Zamboanga City after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo interceded for their release.

"The President really worked hard for the welfare of the Filipinos working in Malaysia. Now, we average 6,000 to 4,000 deportees a year and we hope to cut this figure in the future," Bendoy said.

She appealed to illegal Filipino immigrants to come home and apply for passport in Zamboanga City, so they can return and work legally in Malaysia.

Since January, Malaysia deported a total of 1,823 illegal Filipinos from Sabah. The largest was in March, when 845 deportees arrived by boat in Zamboanga City, said Dy. "In January, we received 441 deportees, then 537 in February, and usually there are deportees arriving every week, and this goes on," she said.

And many Filipinos searching for jobs or promise of better pay continue to illegally cross the border through the southern backdoor, despite an aggressive government campaign to stop the influx of illegal workers to Sabah. Many pose as tourists and once in Malaysia, they go into hiding until they find a work or worst they end up engaging in criminal or illegal activities to be able to survive or send money to their families back home.

Illegal Filipinos pay as much as P2,000 ($35) each to private boat operators in Bongao or Sitangkai island off Tawi-Tawi to bring them across Sabah, just several nautical miles from the Filipino border.

Last year, two Filipino women, who were victims of illegal recruitment in the southern Philippines, escaped from a nightclub in Sabah, after their employer allegedly forced them into prostitution.

The women, Vernaliza Gabor, 25, and Jennifer Ortiz, 28, were among the more than 200 Filipino workers who were expelled after they failed to show their immigration papers.

Gabor said she was allegedly hired by Filipino recruiter Madelyn Amado to work as a waitress in a restaurant in Sabah's Sandakan district, but ended up as a hostess on the nightclub called VIP.

The women, both natives of Butuan City in the southern province of Agusan del Norte, were lured to Sabah after being promised a monthly salary of more than P38,000.

Ortiz escaped three days ahead of Gabor after she sought help from a Malaysian customer, who then spirited her out of the club and brought her to the police. She said eight other Filipino women, mostly from the central Philippine province of Cebu, were also forced into prostitution in Sandakan and wanted to return home, but were afraid to escape from their employers.

Ortiz and Gabor said their families were unaware of their ordeal, but told their stories to warn other Filipino women not to fall prey to illegal recruitment.

Malaysia began a crackdown on up to 500,000 illegal foreign workers since conducting searches last year that extended from construction sites in Kuala Lumpur to oil palm plantations in Sabah.

The round-up, which involved police, immigration and volunteer squads, came after the expiry of a four-month amnesty that allowed illegal immigrants to leave the country with a promise they could return as legal workers once they received proper documents.

The government's tough action has enjoyed popular support in Malaysia, where illegal workers, who had numbered more than a million in a country of 24 million people, have been blamed for crime and other social ills.

Kuala Lumpur said the illegal workers do not pay tax and put a heavy burden on state services, such as education and health care, increasing pressure on an already high budget deficit.

The crackdown on illegal immigrants is Malaysia's biggest since 2002, when there were reports of abuses as those caught were herded into overcrowded detention camps before being expelled. (Sun.Star Zamboanga/Sunnex)

Zamboanga City (6 April) -- U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie A. Kenney presided over a signing ceremony with Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat to initiate U.S. assistance for the building of two bridges in Zamboanga.

The two bridges are planned for the Zamboanga barangays of Sinunoc and Taguiti. These bridges will allow the residents of the region to more efficiently and cheaply transport farm produce, fish and other agricultural goods to market centers in the city. The bridges will also provide motorists with a safer and more timely commute to Zamboanga city proper.

Work on the bridges is slated for completion within the next six months.

This project is a partnership among the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) program, the Mindanao Economic Development Council, and the Government of Zamboanga City.

The U.S. government also funds and supports a number of other development projects in Zamboanga City in the areas of infrastructure improvement, health and education, environmental management, and good governance.

For more information on U.S. development assistance to the Philippines, visit the USAID Philippines web site at: http://philippines.usaid.gov. (PIA)

http://www.losangeleschronicle.com/bioPics/author714.jpg
Mike Banos
April 19, 2006

http://www.losangeleschronicle.com/articlePics/article8322.jpg

There’s not too many people left who care about our late great National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. Oh, sure they know who he is, what he did, but do they give a hoot about the ideals he lived and died for? The youth know the comic character Mulawin who is now on TV, better than Rizal.

At this point in our country’s history, most people are probably thankful the Spaniards chose to execute Rizal on this day, thus providing them a guaranteed three-day holiday every end of the year (since the last day of the year has automatically become a holiday, immediately preceding New Year’s Day). Thank President Arroyo and her spin doctors for coming up with what is probably the only thing most people can sincerely thank the Arroyo administration for :“Holiday Economics,” no less. Both John Kenneths (i.e., Keynes and Gilbraith) must be spinning in their graves.

Personally, I think it’s a pity the Boy Scouts of the Philippines has lost its former stature and key role in the formation of Filipino boys. Were it not for the Boy Scouts, I would not have gone to the Rizal Shrine in Dapitan for a very moving once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the “Great Malayan.”

Now this was way back in 1969, I was an elementary student at the former Zamboanga Normal College Laboratory School. Boy Scouting was mandatory, and as a candidate for the rank of “Maginoo” Scout (the penultimate step to becoming a “Rizal” Scout) the so-called “Dapitan Trek” was one of the merit badges needed to be earned.

For the major part of that long, long bus trip, I have little recollection, except throwing up somewhere after Bgy Vitali, some 70 kms. from Zamboanga City, and passing through the municipalities of Ipil and Sindangan on our way to Dapitan.

Dapitan was even sleepier then in ’69 than it is now. Except perhaps for the electric lamp posts and occasional jeepney, it could very well have been the same town that Rizal was exiled in for three years late in the nineteenth century. I remember being very moved (now remember, I was a boy of 11, and even then, not a very impressionable one) when we visited the Rizal shrine which had replicas of his residence, clinic and other structures. In the shrine, the “Great Malayan” was not a mere abstract in a book or a statue in a public square. Here, you could almost see him sauntering around as he went about his daily rounds.

I vividly recall climbing the belfry tower of the old Jesuit church where Rizal attended mass to see Dapitan from a bird’s eye view and especially the map of Mindanao in the church yard hand made by Rizal and his students. I’d say it made quite an impression on a very unimpressionable kid at that time.

But my favorite Rizal “artifact” during that trek was his “Mi Retiro Rock”, a massive limestone rock a little off the high water mark of the beach in front of the residence where Rizal lived. Here, it is said he would often retire when he was in distress or just plain courting the muse for perhaps another poem.

Alas, it was to take another lifetime, or 29 years to be exact, before I was able to visit the Shrine City again during the Centennial Trek to Dapitan as part of the media pool covering the event. To mark the hundred years since his execution in Bagumbayan, the Department of Tourism and local governments in Regions 9, 10 and 11 embarked on a grand caravan from Cagayan de Oro to Dapitan. Picking up more and more participants as we got nearer the shrine city, the caravan had grown to over a hundred vehicles by the time we reached our destination.

I was very excited when we finally got to Dapitan in the late afternoon. We were doing this documentary for the then Sarimanok News Channel or SNN, and with me were anchor Mylene Pabayo-Chi and cameraman Cocoy Ragmac. I suggested we do a stand upper at the church belfry and they agreed. Mai-mai had no problem going up the last step up the old bell tower, a rickety wooden ladder which went almost straight up, what with her kimona, bakya and all. Ditto with Cocoy who was toting his heavy ENG camera besides. But 29 years is indeed a lifetime as I found myself shaking, BP rising and nerves fraying as I slowly made my trembling way up that wooden ladder, acutely conscious of the 29 more years it had seen since I was last here, as well as the appoximately one hundred extra pounds now strapped to my middle aged frame.

I finally made it to the top and it was as magnificent as ever. Dapitan was still that in many ways, the trappings of progress notwithstanding. The town plaza has definitely improved, and the map of Mindanao kept just the way it was when I saw it back in ’69, which is most probably also how it first looked when Rizal and his boys first made it.

There were a lot of new surprises in this centennial caravan: the magnificent display of relics and artifacts, the favorite of which was the famous lamp that Rizal’s mother told him the story of “The moth and the lamp”, perhaps not so much because it’s a methapor of his life the way he lived it, but because it stuck in my memory the way it’s supposed to whenever I’m faced with a moral dilemma.

We also went to the Eguia farm in nearby Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte where Rizal and his so-called “Twelve Disciples” went every now and then to farm and enjoy nature by boat. It’s now marked by an NHI marker as a heritage site, and I believe the Tourism Dept. should encourage its inclusion in the “Dapitan Trek” package tour operators should be pushing for the Shrine City.

Five years after the Centennial caravan, I again had the occasion to visit Dapitan when I was assigned to work in nearby Dipolog for about five months. I’m sad the Rizal Shrine has deteriorated, in the sense that it now has this ghastly concrete walkway all around he site, ostensibly to stabilize the soil and prevent the pounding from the feet of countless pilgrims from eventually pushing the whole place, molecule by molecule, into Dapitan bay. The net effect is “commercialization” with the whole place looking what it really is: a replica. The spirit of the shrine the way I saw it in ’69 has been destroyed by this walkway. Especially distressing to me personally is the enclosure which now surrounds the “Mi Retiro Rock” ostensibly to prevent vandals and souvenir hunters from taking it away bit by bit. The net effect has been to make it look like a Little Alcatraz.

So where’s the Youth whom the Great Malayan called the “Hope of the Fatherland?” Unfortunately, many indeed have followed his advice to “go into business” and are now busy distributing illegal drugs to all levels of society. Not to lose faith in the young people however: though many have given up education to help bring home the bacon in an increasingly competitive global village, there’s even far more of them pushing tabloids in the streets, and either driving a trisikad, dispatching jeepneys, or hawking cigarets or mineral water in our national highways and city streets.

I hope the Commission on Higher Education (ChED) restores mandatory participation by all elementary boys and girls in the Scouting Movement, and similarly, that the Boys and Girls Scouts of the Philippines restore the “Dapitan Trek” in the list of requirements every student (at least from Mindanao) has to accomplish before he can graduate. Nothing like getting Up-Close-and- Personal with the “Pride of the Malay Race” to put some backbone, some character into them kids. Traits which many of the “Hope of the Fatherland” are now sadly very much in want of.

-INDJC-

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) - A local official recently stressed the need to place the province's Turtle Islands under strict protection to help preserve the natural resources in the area.

"We hope we can learn from Malaysia and consider the total protection of the islands," Vice Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco said.

She cited that Malaysia and the country share eight turtle islands. Of this, five belong to the Philippines. The Malaysian government recently placed all its turtle islands under stringent protection through environmental laws and had been successful in saving the islands from degradation.

Here, she said, only the Bagwan island is protected.

She made the call after Royal Malaysian Navy led by First Admiral Mohd Rashid Harun paid Climaco a courtesy visit Tuesday morning at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

The visit was in accor-dance with the two-day Philippine-Malaysian (Phil-Mal) Maritime Exercise (Marex) 06-04. They brought two Royal Malaysian Navy boats, she said.

The meeting tackled environmental concerns, including the capability of Malaysian Navy and Air Force and its Filipino counterparts to protect territorial boundaries, among others.

She said Zamboanga City had been designated as the center of the boarder patrol exercises in the area.

http://bond.lanesystems.com/sitegen/article.asp?wid=125&cid=451&aid=36707

THE Panguil Bay Bridge (PBB) has been identified by the Regional Development Council (RDC) of Northern Mindanao as one of the priority development projects for implementation under the Medium Term Public Investment Program (MTPIP) 2005-2010.

Governor Loreto Leo Ocampos of Misamis Occidental, RDC Chairperson in Northern Mindanao, during its 75th full council meeting recently held in Cagayan de Oro City said the PBB is included in the region's list of major infrastructure projects of the MTPIP in its bid to become a major transshipment hub in the country.

"I see it as a very good project to boost inter-regional trade as it will provide direct and indirect uninterrupted access from Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities to Tangub and Ozamiz cities through Tubod, Lanao del Norte," he said.

The PBB will also link Zamboanga City to the various growth centers in the western part of Mindanao with the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT) Port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental to various airports and seaports in the island.

Ocampos said as of now people from Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga del Norte had to make do with the regulated trips on a roll-on roll-off ferry service plying the Mukas, Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte and Ozamiz City route.

"You are lucky enough if you get ahead in the long line of transport vehicles waiting to get on board, otherwise, you have to go the more circuitous way via Aurora, Zamboanga de Sur-Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte Road," he said.

Ocampos said PBB's estimated cost amounts to P2.63 billion and involves the construction of a 260-meter main bridge with post-tensioned continuous box girder and a 2.1-kilometer approach viaducts with stressed girder type for a full-length of 2.4-kilometer and the construction of two approach roads with a total length of 1.2-kilometer and a width of 11 meters.

It has also components of engineering services for detailed design and construction supervision, implementation of mangrove conservation along the vicinity of the bridge site and the acquisition of the road right of way.

Also included is the implementation of social infrastructure and livelihood programs to support local activities in the bay area communities.

The National Government will pour up to P30 billion into infrastructure and education projects in the second quarter of the year. (Trends)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/cag/2006/04/21/bus/panguil.bay.bridge.among.top.projects.html

THE Zamboanga City police, under Sr. Supt. Francisco Cristobal, have readied security measures for the forthcoming Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Athletic Association (ZPRAA) to be held at the Joaquin Memorial Sports Complex from April 23 to 29.

Chief Insp. Diomarie Albarico, Operations Branch head, disclosed that 250 policemen will be augmented by 100 policemen from the Police Regional Office and 40 from the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) and Task Force Zamboanga.

Albarico said the policemen and soldiers will be deployed to provide security to all nine delegations particularly during the opening of the games that will commence with a parade from Pettit Barracks to the grandstand at 1:30 p.m.

Policemen will also secure the billeting areas where the students and officials will stay for the duration of the meet.

Albarico said the delegation of Dapitan City arrived on April 19 and they are billeted at the Baliwasan Elementary School.

He said that the athletes and coaches of Zamboanga del Sur and Pagadian were expected to arrive Thursday, delegations from Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Dipolog City on April 21, while Isabela City will arrive on April 22.

Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School will host three delegations, Sta. Maria Central School and Baliwasan Elementary School will host two delegations each, and one delegation will be billeted in Tetuan Central School.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/04/21/news/security.measures.readied.for.regional.sports.meet.html

Hola, buenas!~ = hello, hi~
wow animo you write all these stuffs. co0L~ thanks 4 welcoming me.
Estoy bien - bueno man eu.
Mucho gusto~
y tu, qué tal?
Hablas Zamboangueño/Chabacano?
eres de donde?~
soy de zamboanga y vivo en la calle de canelar. ^_^

---------
Viva la raza!

^^ Bueno man pero hablo castellano más. :) Vivo en América y parte de mi familia es Zamboangueño. I think Manileño knows chavacano more. El sabe hablar francés y español también. He is another forumer. :cheers:

I hope to see more Zamboangueños in the forum. Its would be very fun because the majority of the Skyscrapercity forumers are Spanish speakers. We also have some Spanish speakers in the Philippine forum too.

¡Viva Filipino! :righton:

Bienvenido otra vez. Oye, visite el foro filipino [en español] también. Click the link in my signature.

:okay:

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/restardo/Instituto%20Cervantes/animo-toplogo.jpg

I need your votes! Forumer for the Month of April! Please! :bow:

Thank you very much!!! :okay:

Link: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=333341&page=1&pp=25

OVER 5,000 athletes in the region are competing in various games in the Peninsula Regional Athletic Association Meet that reeled off Sunday at the Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex in Basilawan, Zamboanga City.

The games will end on April 29.

Councilor Rudy Lim, Regional Meet Task Force chair, said Zamboanga City has been prepared to host the regional meet, saying everything is in place and that agencies involved in the preparations are doing their share.

The meet opened immediately after the grand parade from Pettit Barracks to the sports complex in Baliwasan with Mayor Celso Lobregat and other chief executives, governors, and congressmen from the participating provinces and cities gracing the opening program.

There are a total of eight delegations coming from Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, Pagadian City, Isabela City, and host Zamboanga City that are participating in the competition.

Contingents from the Zamboanga City Police Office and the Task Force Zamboanga are deployed to the grandstand, where the bulk of the sports events are being held and in the schools where the delegates are billeted.

These include the Don Pablo Lorenzo High School, Baliwasan Central School, Tetuan Central School, and the Sta. Maria Elementary School.

Aside from the Baliwasan sports complex, four other playing venues have been designated. These are the Polytechinc College School ground for the archery events, Claret School grounds for badminton, Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School for gymnastics, and Tetuan Central School for taekwondo.

The local government is providing six sacks of rice for each delegation and 25 kilos of beef meat for every delegation daily as an add on for the hosting of the meet, according to Councilor Lim.

All schools where the delegates are billeted are properly provided with water by the Zamboanga City Water District, City Engineer's office, Bureau of Fire Protection, and General Services Office.

The Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative has also assured continuous power supply in the billeting areas during the period.

Admission to the grandstand in Baliwasan and other playing venues is free of charge.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/04/24/news/over.5.000.athletes.compete.in.regional.meet.html