The Hermosa Festival, known as Fiesta Pilar, is Zamboanga City's pride and is the

most celebrated festival of the year. The event a month-long festival is celebrated
every 12th of October. Zamboanga City is known as Asia’s Latin City because of its
Chavacano dialect and El Orgullo de Mindanao, which means “The Pride of
Mindanao.” Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Subanon highlanders called the
place “Jambangan,” which means “Garden” or a place blooming with plenty of
flowers. Later, Badjaos and Samals transliterated the word to “Samboangan”, which
was corrupted to its present name place of “Zamboanga.”

The festival is held in honor of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pillar,
popularly known as “Nuestra Señora del Pilar”, the patroness of Batangas
City which is held in every October 12. It is also the patroness of Zaragoza in Spain,
the sister city of Zamboanga in Philippines. Back from the Spanish Era, when the city
was under the rule of the Spaniards; before the fort was converted into a shrine for
Lady of Pilar. The fort was first known as “The Fort of Saint Joseph”, it served as a
fortress and penitentiary. In 1663, the fort were destroyed to prevent it falling into the
hands of the Moros. After its reconstruction, it was renamed “The Real Fuerza de
Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Zamboanga. Sometime before 1860, The Lady of Pilar
was brought to the western side of the fort and converted into a permanent shrine.

The festival is not only for the devotion to their patroness but to showcase the colorful
and magical side of the city. It also features the city’s diverse traditions and beliefs.
The Hermosa Festival features numerous activities, such as Regatta, Mascotta de
Zamboanga, Baile de Festival, Cosechas de Zamboanga, and many more.