ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA REGION

List of Towns and Cities

ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE: ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR: ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY:

1. Bacungan 1. Aurora 1. Alicia

2. Baliguian 2. Bayog 2. Buug
3. Dapitan City 3. Dimataling 3. Diplahan
4. Dipolog City (Capital) 4. Dinas 4. Imelda
5. Godod 5. Dumingag 5. Ipil
6. Gutalac 6. Guipos 6. Kabasalan
7. Jose Dalman (Ponot) 7. Josefina 7. Mabuhay
8. Kalawit 8. Kumalarang 8. Malangas
9. Katipunan 9. Labangan 9. Naga
10. La Libertad 10. Lakewood 10. Olutanga
11. Labason 11. Lapuyan 11. Payao
12. Liloy 12. Mahayag 12. Roseller Lim
13. Manukan 13. Margosatubig 13. Siay
14. Mutia 14. Midsalip 14. Talusan
15. Pinan (New Pinan) 15. Molave 15. Titay
16. Polanco 16. Pagadian City (Capital) 16. Tungawan
17. Pres. Manuel A. Roxas 17. Pitogo
18. Rizal 18. Ramon Magsaysay
19. Salug (Liargo)
20. Sergio Osmena Sr. 19. San Miguel
21. Siayan 20. San Pablo
22. Sibuco 21. Sominot (Don Mariano
23. Sibutad Marcos)
24. Sindangan 22. Tabina
25. Siocon 23. Tambulig
26. Sirawai 24. Tigbao
27. Tampilisan 25. Tukuran
26. Vincenzo A. Sagun
27. Zamboanga City

CITY:

1. Zamboanga City (independent - chartered city);

PROVINCES:

1. Zamboanga del Norte Province (capital city is: Dipolog City),

2. Zamboanga Sibugay Province (capital city is: Ipil City), and

3. Zamboanga del Sur Province (capital city is: Pagadian City).

Geography

Zamboanga Peninsula lies between the Moro Gulf, part of the Celebes Sea, and the Sulu Sea. Along the
shores of the peninsula are numerous bays and islands. Its territory consists of the three Zamboanga
provinces and Zamboanga City, as well as the Northern Mindanao province of Misamis Occidental. The
peninsula is connected to the main part of Mindanao through an isthmus situated between Panguil Bay
and Pagadian Bay. The boundary between the peninsula and the mainland is artificially marked by the
border between the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur and Lanao del Norte.

Cities

Zamboanga Peninsula has five cities: Dipolog City, Dapitan City, Isabela City, Pagadian City, and the
highly-urbanized city of Zamboanga. Isabela City is a part of the island-province of Basilan to the south of
the peninsula.

Dapitan is also known as the "Shrine City in the Philippines" because the place where Jose Rizal, the
National Hero, was exiled. It is also known for the old St. James Parish and the beach resort of Dakak.

Dipolog is also known as the "Gateway to Western Mindanao" and "Orchid City" of the Philippines and
the "Bottled Sardines Capital of the Philippines".

Isabela, dubbed "The Rising City of the South", was the southernmost outpost of the Spanish in the
Philippines until the fall of Jolo in 1878. Having hosted Catholic residents since 1637, and a Spanish Fort
(destroyed in World War II) since 1848, it was likewise the Primary Naval Base of the Spanish for
Mindanao until 1899. Named after Spanish Queen Isabella II, the city is the southernmost predominantly
Christian enclave of the Philippines, and serves as the entrepot for trade and commerce of Basilan island.

Pagadian is also known as the "Little Hong Kong of the South" because of its topographical feature that
is reminiscent of Hong Kong, China. It also has an affluent Chinese community that officially celebrates
the Chinese Lunar New Year. The city of Pagadian is the Regional Center of Zamboanga Peninsula.
Zamboanga City Representative Salazar issued Section 1 of Memorandum Circular (MC) 11 directs all
departments, bureaus, and other government agencies to suspend the transfer of their regional offices in
Western Mindanao from Zamboanga City to Pagadian City, pending the study on the matter and
consultations with relevant stakeholders to be jointly conducted by five government agencies, signed last
December 22, 2010 by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa by the authority of President Benigno Simeon
Aquino, III.

Ciudad de Zamboanga is the only Highly Urbanized and independent city in the region. It is a tourist
destination known for its old Spanish fort, Fort Pilar. It is also known as the third oldest charter city in the
Philippines and now serves as the center of trade, commerce, industry and education in the region.

In 2006, Zamboanga City was re-labeled from "City of Flowers" to "Asia's Latin City". The new label is the
brainchild of mayor Celso L. Lobregat believing that this was a more relevant and significant label given
the fact that the people of Zamboanga speak Zamboangueño Chavacano, official language of
Zamboanga City evovled from ancient/old Castillan (Spanish) with influences from other Romance
languages, e.g., Portuguese and Italian; from Native American, e.g., Quechua, Taino, Mexican-Indian,
Nauhtl; and from Philippine Austronesian languages, e.g., Bisaya language, Hiligaynon language,
Subanon, Sama-bangui, Sama-Lauan, Yakan, Tausug and other native Philippine languages.
Origin of ZAMboanga’s name

1. It was told that Malays once settled in the land and because of its colorful
flowers they named the land “Jambangan” meaning “the Land of Flowers”,
which was later known as Samboangan, now Zamboanga.

2. It was also told that Zamboanga came from the word Saguan or Sambuan
which is a Malay word for paddle that they use to navigate their colorful vintas
through the open seas.

3. Others say that it came from the word Sambon which means “herbal plants” that grew
abundantly in the area. And when Spaniards came the natives changed its name to
Samboangan to make it sound more Spanish and was proven with the map made by Fr. Pedro
Murillo Velarde.

Limaong, Zamboanga
There were strangers who happened to pass this island and were riding on a sailing vinta in search for
water. While on their way, these strangers met a strange beast and they were attacked by this beast.
Fortunately, two of the strangers were able to kill the beast.

Reaching the island, the strangers asked the natives the name of the island. The strangers and the
natives spoke different dialects. When asked, the native answered Limao, thinking that the
strangers were asking for the name of the beast. As the years passed by Limao was then called
Limaong.

Sibuco, Zamboanga

The town’s name is a combination of the native words sibi-sibi and buco-buco.  According to
legend, the place was frequented by a giant named Kuruman whose size was so enormous that
the place seem so small (sibi-sibi) and the waters on the river are ankle deep or (buco-buco). The
place later came to be called Sibuco.

Proverbs

Proverbs [salawikaín, kasabihan] or folk wisdom are “part of the cultural heritage that Filipinos must look
back to, the better to understand who they are and to gain insights that may guide them in charting their
future.

Si cosa el tata, aquel el hijo.

(Like father, like son.)

No mete na camisa de once varas.

(Don’t get into anything beyond your capability to handle.)

Para qué el compay si muerto ya el caballo?

(What good is the hay if the horse is dead?)

Riddles
Riddles [bugtong] are enigmatic and puzzling questions. Like myths, fables, folk, tales and proverbs, they
are the earliest and most widespread types of formulated thought.

Alboroto si bajo

Calma si hondo.

(It’s noisy when shallow; it’s quiet when deep.) Río (river)

Ta miedu kung una, ta imbistí kung muchu.

(Takót ako sa isá, matapang ako sa dalawá.

I am afraid to fight one, but not against many.) Bamboo Bridge

De negro si vivo

De colorao si muerto.

(Black when alive, colorful when dead.) Alimango (crab)

Folk Song

Zamboanga Derrotada

Dol derrotada ta queda

Este pueblo Zamboanga que todo antes ta honra
Sitio de flores ta llama
Pero mucho suceso que ya pasa

El paz y orden dol quebrao

Encambio antes ay que bien cuydao
Zamboanga de ahora dol hinde mas
Como de antes que bien nombrao

CORO:
Por su riqueza
Por su Belleza
Por su limpiesa
Y hospitalidad

Que gran tristeza

Si hinde puede cambia
Cosa el maga gente ahora ta habla
Tiene amor propio no deja
Que sin tu ayuda Zamboanga’l cambia
Si maga Zamboangueño hinde coopera
Zamboanga deberas bien derrotada grueda

Despues de todo si nuay quien puede

Hace pacencia para ayuda
 Devolve el orgullo del maga Zamboangueño
Que al fin quita lang puede habla
Que si por acaso el queda
El ciudad Zamboanga orgullaza otraves
Sitio de flores ole llama
Este lo que debe mga Zamboangueño aspira…

Que si por acaso el Queda el ciudad

Zamboanga orgullosa otravez
Sitio de flores ole llama
Este lo que debe mga Zamboangueño aspira…

Zamboanga Hermosa

Zamboanga hermosa, perciosa perlita

a
Tus bellas delagas son las que hermosean
Tu deliciosa ciudad

Flores y amores
Te adornan tu jardin
Tu eres la imajen del Bello Eden.

Folk Dance

Janggay
(Arena Blanco, Zamboanga) The Janggay dance of the Badjao people takes its name from the metal
fingernails worn by the women on special occasions. Passed down from generation to generation, the
Janggay is danced for celebrations such as birthdays and weddings and for rituals such as male and
female circumcisions and Ramadan. This smooth and flowing dance is performed with highly articulated
form, restrained strict facial gestures and meticulous attention to the placement of each finger in relation
to the palms and wrist twists.