Mindanao Week of Peace kicks off in Zamboanga City

by Liza Abubakar-Jocson, MB 

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The 25th year of the Mindanao Week of Peace kicked off at the Paseo del Mar here on Thursday, Nov. 24, attended by hundreds of stakeholders from the religious, civic, education, and government sectors.

STAKEHOLDERS from the academe, civic, religious, security, and other sectors converge at the Paseo del Mar in Zamboanga City for the 25th year celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace. (Peace Advocates Zamboanga photo)

Spearheaded by the Peace Advocates Zamboanga (PAZ), Interreligious Solidarity for Peace (ISP), and Zamboanga-Basilan Integrated Alliance Inc. (ZABIDA), this year’s celebration has the theme, “Harnessing our Peace Efforts: Towards Solidarity.”

Mayor John Dalipe here, in his message, called on all sectors to live in peace, unity, and harmony with each other regardless of status in life, religion, or culture. 

Dalipe issued Executive Order JD 2022-079 declaring Nov. 24 to Dec. 5 as Mindanao Week of Peace.

The order enjoins the cooperation of all sectors to participate in this year’s activity in line with the Week of Peace celebration.

The celebration is also pursuant to Proclamation Order No. 127 issued by President Gloria M. Arroyo declaring the last Thursday of November up to the first Wednesday of December every year as Mindanao Week of Peace.

Mindanao Week of Peace is also celebrated in other provinces and cities of Mindanao.

200 boat operators take part in annual Regatta de Zamboanga

Published October 10, 2022, 7:03 AM

by Liza Abubakar-Jocson

ZAMBOANGA CITY — More than 200 boat operators participated in this year’s Regatta de Zamboanga, an exciting race of colorful vintas or the traditional outrigger boat from Mindanao held along waters fronting RT LIm Boulevard on Sunday, Oct. 9.

More than 100 colorful vintas line up along waters fronting RT Lim Boulevard in Zamboanga City prior to the Regatta de Zamboanga, Zamboanga City’s most exciting boat race.  (Zambo LGU photo)

More than 100 colorful vintas line up along waters fronting RT Lim Boulevard in Zamboanga City prior to the Regatta de Zamboanga, Zamboanga City’s most exciting boat race.  (Zambo LGU photo)

Crowds of Zamboanga residents and visitors came in for the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival, forming a long line at the boulevard to witness the traditional boat racing event.

Participants are mostly fishermen who come from Zamboanga city’s coastal barangays who have practiced for several months prior to the race and who have decorated their boats with attractive sails representative of the vintas.

An undefeated champion for several years, Danny Ladja and his assistant from Barangay Sinunuc won this year’s grand prize of P50,000.

Four other winners from the barangays of Sinunuc and Mariki took home cash prizes ranging from P35,000 to P10,000.

This is the first Regatta de Zamboanga held after a two-year hiatus brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Novena Masses for Zamboanga City patron saint under way

by Liza Abubakar-Jocson, Manila Bulletin

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Devotees are flocking to Fort Pilar Shrine for novena masses starting Monday, Oct. 3, in honor of Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar, the patron saint of this city.

DEVOTEES of Zamboanga City patron saint Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar hold a procession during the first day of novena Masses on Monday, Oct. 3. (Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar FB page)

Processions are held daily at 5 a.m. while novena Masses are at 6 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 5 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. until Oct. 11.

Novena Masses will culminate in a mañanita (early morning) Mass at 4:30 a.m. on Oct. 12, the feast day of Zamboanga City’s patroness.

Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe has issued an executive order against unauthorized flying of drones in line with religious activities at the Fort Pilar Shrine for the fiesta celebration.

The EO prohibits the unauthorized flying of drones except those from the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the City Administrator’s Office.

Devotees and visitors are prohibited from bringing backpacks, wearing bull caps, fedoras, waistcoats, chalecos, and hooded or non-hooded jackets.

These prohibitions are among security measures proposed and implemented by the security sector in line with the fiesta.

‘Parade of Lights’ kicks off Zamboanga Hermosa Festival

by Liza Abubakar-Jocson, Manila Bulletin

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A Parade of Lights kicked off this year’s Hermosa Festival– Zamboanga City’s annual festival honoring its patron saint Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar – on Saturday, Oct. 1.

One of the floats competing in this year’s ‘Parade of Lights’ in Zamboanga City.  (Zambo LGU photo)

Twelve floats decorated with sparkling lights sponsored by business establishments, schools, barangays and other private organizations were paraded in Zamboanga streets.

Said floats were also rated by judges for the prizes given by the Zamboanga government.

The floats lighted up Mayor Vitaliano Agan Avenue, Mayor Climaco Avenue, JS Alano and Valderrosa Streets.

The parade culminated at Paseo del Mar where Mayor John Dalipe distributed cash prizes to this year’s winners.

The P200,000 cash prize for this year’s top winner went to the Tau Gamma Phi.

Other winners were the Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial High School winning P150,000; Kuya’s Lechon P100,000, Brent Hospital P70,000; and College and Barangay Arena Blanco P50,000.

The Zamboanga Hermosa Festival/Fiesta Pilar will culminate on October 12 with a mass, novena and procession in honor of Our Lady of the Pillar, Zamboanga City’s patron saint.