Province: Zamboanga Del Sur

Capital: Pagadian
Municipalities/Cities

Municipalities Population

 Aurora 50,755
 Bayog 33,591
 Dimataling 30,081
 Dinas 35,504
 Dumalinao 32,013
 Dumingag 47,485
 Guipos 20,729
 Josefina 11,799
 Kumalarang 28,469
 Labangan 41,790
 Lakewood 20,374
 Lapuyan 27,264
 Mahayag 46,516
 Margosatubig 37,873
 Midsalip 32,075
 Molave 52,006
 Pagadian 199,060
 Pitogo 27,057
 Ramon Magsaysay 26,606
 San Miguel 19,205
 San Pablo 26,106
 Sominot 18,537
 Tabina 25,061
 Tambulig 36,160
 Tigbao 20,979
 Tukuran 39,820
 Vincenzo A. Sagun 23,759

Legend/History

When the five districts became individual provinces in 1940, Zamboanga City became the capital of
Zamboanga province. After  World War II, the capital was transferred to Dipolog and Molave became
the provincial capital of Zamboanga when Republic Act 286 was passed on June 16, 1948.
Festivals of Zamboanga Del Sur

Pasalamat Festival

Pagadian City celebrates its fiesta every third Sunday of January in honor of its patron saint, Sto.
Niño (the Holy Child Jesus).  It is officially named Pasalamat Festival, and it coincides with Cebu City’s
Sinulog Festival.
Pasalamat Festival is highlighted with a fluvial parade (regatta), trade exhibits, the Mutya ng
Pagadian beauty pageant, carnival shows as well as a civic military parade.

Araw ng Pagadian

Pagadianons celebrate the Araw ng Pagadian every June 21 in commemoration of its founding as a
chartered city. It is a week-long celebration highlighted by a sports fest, banner raising ceremony,
trade fairs, Miss Pagadian beauty contest, and other activities. An anniversary program at the city
hall concludes the celebration every 21st of June.

Zamboanga del Sur Anniversary

As the capital of Zamboanga del Sur province, Pagadian City hosts the annual provincial celebration
in September. The mother province’s anniversary celebration is marked with agro-trade exhibits, a
civic-military parade, cultural presentation and sports competitions.

Megayon Festival

The Megayon Festival is a week-long celebration that coincides with the Zamboanga del Sur
anniversary in September. It honors the tri-people settlers of the province: the Subanens,
Bangsamoro Muslims, and Christians. In the Subanen tongue, “megayon” means unity and solidarity.
It was officially established on August 3, 2006, as the celebration of the founding of the province
through Provincial Ordinance No. 016-2006.
A showcase of three distinctly different cultural heritage in songs, dances, rituals of peace, food and
crafts, Megayon Festival’s main goal is to foster unity and understanding among the three cultures.
Organized environment-related activities, peace and development forum, and indigenous sports
competitions are also being held.

Chinese New Year

Based on the Lunar calendar

Pagadian City also officially celebrates the Chinese New Year. This was initiated by then  Mayor
Samuel S. Co who assumed office in 2004. It honors the local Chinese community which had
contributed significantly to the local economy.
Lovette Jam
Lovette Jam is a founding member and blogger of Filipino Homes. She is a freelance digital media
professional. With a Masters in Business Management degree and Hubspot certification on Inbound
Marketing, she currently works as a social media manager, project manager, and digital consultant.
Lovette Jam is also the founder of Iligan Bloggers Society, Inc. She authors the travel blog Travel
Jams and lifestyle blog Lovette Jam.
Culture/Characteristics of People in Zamboanga Del Sur

The cultures of each of the ethnic groups are made more manifest through the celebrations and
practices that are still observed until now. For Subanens, no celebration is more grand than what is
known as buklog, a rite that they observe after a happy event, such as a good harvest for example.
The buklog is a celebration that goes on until the wee hours in the morning, consisting of a movable
stage that slowly gets lowered by the motion of the dancers, accompanied by the synchronized
shouts of the participants. Other dances such as the mangalay and the sothalek, on the other hand,
are usually performed during fiestas.
The Muslims also have their own unique dances such as the kapa malong malong, where a malong, a
simple tubular but functional piece of cloth, is used. The singkil is also another truly unique dance,
utilizing criss-crossed bamboos, beautiful attires, fans, and ladies-in-waiting holding beautifully-
decorated umbrellas. Certain customs, especially regarding wedding and courtship, are also among
the unique culture of Muslims, and they are usually pretty elaborate and traditional.
The other settlers also brought with them their own songs, traditions, and celebrations. The
Maguindanaoans, for example, brought with them the practice of unday-unday, where a man and a
woman try to beat each other with witty repartees between the one advocating the love, and his
object of affection.

Products

 Riceland
 Fishpond
 Perennial crops
 Grasslands
 Pastureland
 Corn
 Palay (rice)
 Coconuts
 Fruit trees

Zamboanga Del Sur Delicacies

One dish that is a local favorite in Zamboanga is called Tiula Itum. “Itum” means black, and that is
what the dish actually is: a black soup or broth. It is served hot and spicy, and the hotter and spicier,
the better. The broth is made from beef or chicken that is flavored with ginger, turmeric, and burned
coconut meat. This dish is served in many occassions: during weddings, religious festivities, and
other celebrations. The Tiula Itum is a Tausug dish but it is one of the most popular dishes in
Zamboanga del Sur.
Satti is another local delicacy in Zamboanga; it is actually a breakfast dish. Satti shops in Zamboanga
open up as early as 4 AM, and by midday, it is rare to find them being sold anywhere. Satti is like the
normal barbecue on a stick, only smaller, with only three small strips of meat on a stick. The satti is
similar to the Malaysian satay with the difference being the size of the serving.  It is coupled with
sticky rice, served floating on a think, semi-sweet and spicy sauce.
For something that’s on the seafood side, Curacha is a local Chavacano name given to a type of sea
crab called a sea cockroach. It is a mix of a giant crab and lobster that can only be found in the seas
of Zamboanga. A serving is good for about 2-3 people, and there are several ways to cook it but one
of the most popular is topping it with some garlic and chili.

Main Attractions of Zaboanga Del Sur

Fort Pilar - The Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza, also Fort Pilar, is a 17th-century
military defense fortress built by the Spanish colonial government in Zamboanga City, Philippines.
The fort, which is now a regional museum of the National Museum of the Philippines, is a major
landmark of the city and it symbolize the cultural heritage. Outside the eastern wall is a Marian
shrine dedicated to Our Lady of the Pillar, the patroness of the city.

Pasonanca Park - The Pasonanca Natural Park covers an area of 12,107 hectares (29,920 acres) and a
buffer zone of 5,307 hectares (13,110 acres) in the southern end of the Zamboanga Cordillera
mountain range that runs north to south serving as the backbone for the peninsula of Zamboanga. It
is contained within the local government areas of Pasonanca, Lunzuran, Lumayang Cacao, Lapacan,
Lamisan, Bungiao, La Paz, Balurno and Dulian in Zamboanga City and parts of the municipality
of Sibuco in Zamboanga del Norte.[1][4] Mount Pulong Bato is a prominent peak located within the
park rising to 360 metres (1,180 ft). It is crossed by Tumaga River and its tributaries which serve the
bulk of the water supply for the Zamboanga City Water District through a diversion dam. [3] The park
also contains several rock formations, springs and waterfalls including the Dulian Falls.
The park is composed of 60% old growth and secondary growth forests with the remaining areas
devoted to agricultural lands, coconut plantations, and built up areas. [3] It has a rolling terrain with
moderate to steep slopes. Facilities within the park include a clonal nursery, four outposts, an
information center and a wildlife rescue center. [4] There are also a few resorts, a hotel, cottages and
restaurants near the park's entrance in Pasonanca.

Paseo Del Mar - located very close to the historical landmark and National Museum known as Fort
Pilar. Paseo Del Mar is also known for its several restaurants, cafés and entertainment as well. With
an eight arch entrance where there is 24 hour security, it is one of the most popular areas to visit
among locals and tourists. The Paseo Del Mar is similar to the Manila bay walk and the evening it is
lit up by a beautiful sunset as well. This is an ideal place with a great view and good food, where you
can leisurely walk along the promenade. At night time the Paseo Del Mar is lit up with decorated
lamps and there is much livelier atmosphere with a Dancing Fountain, food stalls and live
entertainment as well. With the Santa Cruz Island Ferry nearby you can even see both Santa Cruz
Islands from the shore which makes a beautiful ocean scene.

Merloquet Falls - Located in Barangay Sibulao, stands proud near the city’s boundary with
Zamboanga Sibugay, approximately two hours away from downtown Zamboanga City. It is a two-
tiered drop but its main attraction is the beautiful curtain waterfalls on its base, approximately 10-
meter high and 15-meter wide stair-like wall to a shallow pool, definitely one-of-a-kind in the
Philippines. The upper tier is a shorter drop and sloped diagonally, approximately 5-meter high and
10-meter wide.

Pulacan Falls - located in the town of Labangan, 12 km from Pagadian City. It covers an area of about
400 square meters. It is the source of water for the Labangan irrigation system. The area around it
has a permanent Boy and Girl Scout campsite with facilities wherein regional and provincial
jamborees are held. Two kilometers from the area is the 134-hectare Home Defense Center and the
Headquarters of the 1st Infantry "Tabak" Division of the Philippine Army. 
The Zamboanga City Hall - the seat of the local government of Zamboanga City. The National
Historical Commission of the Philippines considers the city hall building as a National Historical Site.
The construction of the historic building was commenced in 1905 by the Federal Government of the
United States and was completed in 1907. The building served as the official residence of the US
Military Governor of the Moro Province. It later became the seat of government of the Department
of Mindanao and Sulu and the defunct Zamboanga province. Since 1937, the building has been
functioning as the city hall of Zamboanga City. The Zamboanga City Hall has a Filipino colonial
architectural design.

Mount Pulong Bato is a monolith located in Zamboanga City at the Zamboanga Peninsula, the
western tip of the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. The mountain is situated in the Upper
Abong-Abong Park within the Pasonanca Natural Park, in Barangay Pasonanca, only a few kilometers
away from the city's downtown section.

Other Attractions of Zamboanga Del Sur

Zaboanga Catholic Cathedral

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, commonly known as simply the
Zamboanga Cathedral, is a church located in Zamboanga City, Philippines. It is the seat of the
Archdiocese of Zamboanga.

The original cathedral

The cathedral located at the Plaza Pershing was made of wood and concrete. The image of the
Immaculate Conception was located at the main altar, with two Jesuit saints Ignatius of Loyola and
Francis Xavier on each side. The image of the patroness was said to be spared from the bombs of
World War II and was transferred to a road now known as La Purisima Street.

The old cathedral at La Purisima (1956-1998)

The former structure of the cathedral was designed in 1956. The site was used to be the chapel of
the Jardin de Chino. The facade consists of the life-size sculpture of Immaculate Conception at the
left side and the bell-tower at right. The chapel of the saints were located inside the area where the
image outside was located. The stations of the cross were made of stained glass at each side and the
added station, "Resurrection", was located near the right altar at the confession area. Then the
bronze relief of the last supper was located at the day chapel which serves later as the perpetual
adoration chapel.