Pagadian, officially the City of Pagadian ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Pagadian; fil, Lungsod ng Pagadian;
Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Pagadian'',
Jawi: كوتا نو ڤاڬاديان;
Iranun
The Iranun are a Moro ethnic group native to Mindanao, Philippines (in Maguindanao del Norte: Barira, Buldon, Parang, Matanog, Sultan Mastura, and Sultan Kudarat; North Cotabato: Alamada, Banisilan, Carmen, Libungan, and Pigcawayan; Lanao d ...
: ''Bandar a Pagadian'', بندر ا ڤاڬاديان;
Chavacano
Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speakers. ...
: ''Ciudad de Pagadian'';
Subanen: ''Gembagel G'benwa Pagadian/Bagbenwa Pagadian''), is a 2nd class
component city
A city ( fil, lungsod/siyudad) is one of the units of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities ( fil, nakakartang lungsod), whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own ...
and the capital of the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Zamboanga del Sur
Zamboanga del Sur ( Cebuano: ''Habagatang Zamboanga;'' Subanen: ''S'helatan Sembwangan/Sembwangan dapit Shelatan''; Chavacano: ''Zamboanga del Sur''; tl, Timog Zamboanga; mdh, Pagabatan Sambuanga), officially the Province of Zamboanga del Sur, ...
, Philippines. It is the regional center of
Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga Peninsula ( tl, Tangway ng Zamboanga; cbk, Peninsula de Zamboanga; ceb, Lawis sa Zamboanga) is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region IX. It consists of three provinces (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibu ...
and the second-largest city in the region and in the province, after the independent
city of Zamboanga. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 210,452 people. The city will be converted to a highly urbanized city by the virtue of Proclamation No. 1247, signed by President
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
dated November 8, 2021, but shall take effect after the ratification in a plebiscite.
Pagadian began as stop-over for traders who plied the road between the old
Spanish fort-town of Zamboanga on the southwestern tip of the
Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga Peninsula ( tl, Tangway ng Zamboanga; cbk, Peninsula de Zamboanga; ceb, Lawis sa Zamboanga) is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region IX. It consists of three provinces (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibu ...
and other bigger towns to the north of the old
Zamboanga Province. Except for its sheltered bay and good fishing grounds, it was not a promising site because it is situated on steeply rolling terrain. In the course of its local history, waves of different kinds of people came to stay, and eventually called among themselves "Pagadianons".
The iconic symbol of Pagadian is its uniquely designed tricycle built to adopt to the city's hilly terrain. It is the only place in the Philippines with a public transport inclined at about 25-40° angle.
Etymology
The city proper and surrounding areas of today's barangays of Muricay, Tawagan Sur and White Beach was originally named Talapukan, an indigenous word that means "a place of numerous springs."
The officially accepted origin of its name are words taken from
Iranun
The Iranun are a Moro ethnic group native to Mindanao, Philippines (in Maguindanao del Norte: Barira, Buldon, Parang, Matanog, Sultan Mastura, and Sultan Kudarat; North Cotabato: Alamada, Banisilan, Carmen, Libungan, and Pigcawayan; Lanao d ...
, ''pagad'' ("to wait") and ''padian'' ("market")
which shows that Pagadian had been a trading area in the past. Other theories suggest that it was named after a bird that the native inhabitants call ''gagadian'' or that the city's name came from the word ''pangadyi'' ("prayer"), later to be known as ''pangadyian'' ("a place to pray" or "land of prayers"). The name Pagadian is also speculated to be derived from the
Subanen word ''pengadian'' which means "school".
History
Early settlers
The native inhabitants in the area were the
Lumads, specifically
Subanens. Then came
Iranun
The Iranun are a Moro ethnic group native to Mindanao, Philippines (in Maguindanao del Norte: Barira, Buldon, Parang, Matanog, Sultan Mastura, and Sultan Kudarat; North Cotabato: Alamada, Banisilan, Carmen, Libungan, and Pigcawayan; Lanao d ...
and
Maguindanaon settlers who converted the people to Islam. A sizeable number of lumads who refused to be converted eventually settled in the highlands.
Spread of Islam
Pagadian was under the leadership of Datu Akob, an Iranun
datu
''Datu'' is a title which denotes the rulers (variously described in historical accounts as chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs) of numerous indigenous peoples throughout the Philippine archipelago. The title is still used today, especial ...
whose daughter caught the fancy of Datu Macaumbang (Sultan of Taga Nonok), also an Iranun from Malabang, Tukuran, also part of modern Pagadian. He was the son of Shariff Apo Tubo who descended from the bloodline of
Shariff Kabungsuan, the first Sultan of the
Maguindanao Sultanate
The Sultanate of Maguindanao ( Maguindanaon: ''Kasultanan nu Magindanaw''; Old Maguindanaon: كاسولتانن نو ماڬينداناو; Jawi: کسلطانن ماڬيندناو; Iranun: ''Kesultanan a Magindanao''; ms, Kesultanan Magindana ...
. With the approval of Sultan Datu Akob, Datu Macaumbang married Bai Putri Panyawan Akob, the beautiful daughter of the royal datu of Pagadian City and royal bai putri of Raya.
[The Iranon Tribe Blogspot](_blank)
(retrieved: March 29, 2009)
Upon the death of Datu Akob also known as Datu Mimbalawag, his son-in-law, Datu Macaumbang (Sultan of taga Nonok) assumed leadership; he established the territorial boundaries of the present city proper, from Balangasan River in the west of Tawagan Sur River in the east. Beyond the river of Tawagan Sur was the territory of Datu Balimbingan. At one time, Datu Macaumbang requested the assistance of the Philippine constabulary due to the rampant banditry and piracy in the area. A detachment led by Col. Tiburcio Ballesteros stationed at Malangas landed at the place and stationed themselves at Dumagoc Island. The arrival of the soldiers restored peace and order, thereby attracting the influx of settlers from other places.
Spread of Christianity
Christian settlers started arriving in the early part of the 20th century, most of which came from Cebu as evident on the veneration of the
Santo Niño de Cebú
The Santo Niño de Cebú is a Roman Catholic title of the Child Jesus associated with a religious image of the Christ Child widely venerated as miraculous by Filipino Catholics. It is the oldest Christian artifact in the Philippines, originally ...
. The increasing Christian population prompted the creation of the Parish of Pagadian in 1938 and was administered by the Jesuits, Columban and Filipino priests. The original Santo Niño Church of Pagadian was right across the city plaza, on the site of the current San Jose Parish church. The present Santo Niño Cathedral is now located in San Francisco District and was built in 1968.
Pagadian Parish became a diocese on November 2, 1971, and is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Ozamiz. Msgr. Jesus B. Tuquib served as the first bishop and was installed on February 24, 1973.
At that time, the
Columban Fathers took care of the apostolic services for the first 13 parishes in the newly formed diocese.
As of 2008, the Diocese of Pagadian had 24 parishes.
[ ]
During World War II
Pagadian was occupied by Japanese troops during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. From November 5 to 20, 1944, the combined American and Filipino troops including recognized guerrillas were attempted to take the town from the Japanese. Sixteen Japanese soldiers were killed, but they remained in possession of Pagadian.
[Kent Holmes, ''Wendell Fertig and His Guerrilla Forces in the Philippines: Fighting the Japanese Occupation'' (Jefferson, N.C.: 2015), p. 116] The establishment of the general headquarters of the
Philippine Commonwealth Army
The Philippine Army was established on December 21, 1935, as the Army of the Philippines, with a general headquarters in Manila, and units and formations based throughout the provinces of the Philippines.
The Philippine Army was initially org ...
and the
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary (PC; tl, Hukbóng Pamayapà ng Pilipinas, ''HPP''; es, Policía de Filipinas, ''PF'') was a gendarmerie-type police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Po ...
were stationed in Pagadian and active from November 21, 1944, to June 30, 1946, during and in the aftermath of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, including the military operations and engagements against the Japanese and liberated areas in
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
from November 21, 1944, to August 15, 1945.
During the Marcos dictatorship
The 1970s brought a period of numerous concurrent conflicts on the island of Mindanao, including Dumingag and Zamboanga del Sur.
[The Bangsamoro Struggle for Self-Determintation: A Case Study]
/ref> This included land dispute conflicts arising from the influx of settlers from Luzon and Visayas, and from the Marcos administration’s encouragement of militia groups such as the Ilaga
The Ilagâ ( Hiligaynon for ''rat'') is a Christian extremist paramilitary group based in southern Philippines. The group is predominantly composed of Visayans (mostly Hiligaynon-speakers), embracing a form of Folk Catholicism that utilizes amu ...
. News of the 1968 Jabidah massacre
The Jabidah massacre on March 18, 1968 was the purported assassinations or executions of Moro people, Moro army recruits who allegedly mutiny, mutinied upon learning the true nature of their mission. It is acknowledged as a major flashpoint tha ...
ignited a furor in the Moro community, and ethnic tensions encouraged with the formation of secessionist movements. Additionally, an economic crisis in late 1969, violent crackdowns on student protests in 1970, and 1971, and eventually the declaration of Martial Law all led to the radicalization of many students. Many of them left schools in Manila and joined New People's Army
The New People's Army ( fil, Bagong Hukbong Bayan), abbreviated NPA or BHB, is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), based primarily in the Philippine countryside. It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aimi ...
units in their home provinces, bringing the Marxist-Leninist Maoist armed conflict to Mindanao for the first time.
One of the prominent victims of the period was Mateo Olivar, a church worker who served in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pagadian's Community-Based Health Program and Family Life Apostolate. The nature of Olivar's work, which involved travelling to the hinterlands of the province, led him to be falsely suspected as a "revolutionary organizer." Despite public statements by the Diocese of Pagadian to clarify that Olivar was "organizing for liberation, not revolution," Olivar was assassinated by three unidentified assailants on November 7, 1985, near a Military checkpoint in Dimasangca, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur. Olivar was deeply mourned by the religious community in Pagadian, and on the day Olivar was buried, the bishop of Pagadian honored Olivar and ordered that Olivar's funeral mass would be the only mass said for the day. Olivar would later be honored by having his name inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Philippines’ Bantayog ng mga Bayani
The Bantayog ng mga Bayani (), sometimes simply referred to as the Bantayog, is a monument, museum, and historical research center in Quezon City, Philippines, which honors the martyrs and heroes of the struggle against the dictatorship of for ...
, which honors the heroes and martyrs who fought against Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
and his martial law regime.
Cityhood
In October 1990 President Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People P ...
issued the Executive Order 429 that designated Pagadian City as the Regional Center for Region - IX (Zamboanga Peninsula).[Philippines Law Online](_blank)
(retrieved: March 16, 2009) Four years later in November 2004, Pagadian was officially designated as the Regional Center for the Zamboanga Peninsula.
Timeline
Geography
Pagadian is on the northeastern side of the Western Mindanao region, bordering on Illana Bay
Illana Bay, also known as the Iranun Bay, is a large bay of the Moro Gulf, off the southwestern coast of Mindanao island in the Philippines.
Illana Bay and Moro Gulf form part of the Celebes Sea.
See also
*Sibuguey Bay
Sibuguey Bay is a larg ...
. It is bounded by the municipalities of Tigbao and Dumalinao
Dumalinao, officially the Municipality of Dumalinao ( ceb, Lungsod sa Dumalinao; Subanon language, Subanen: ''Benwa Dumalinao''; Chavacano: ''Municipalidad de Dumalinao''; tl, Bayan ng Dumalinao), is a 4th class municipality of the Philippines, m ...
on the southwest, Lakewood on the west, Labangan on the east and northwest, and Midsalip
Midsalip, officially the Municipality of Midsalip ( ceb, Lungsod sa Midsalip; Subanen: ''Benwa Midsalip''; Chavacano: ''Municipalidad de Midsalip''; tl, Bayan ng Midsalip), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philip ...
on the north.
About 45% of the total city area is steeply sloping terrain of hills and mountains on the northwestern portion that covers an estimated 15,090 hectares. Mt. Sugarloaf (1,376 m.), Mt. Pinukis (1,213 m.), and Mt. Palpalan (650 m.) are the three notable mountain peaks. Areas in the direct north and central part, have gentle to moderate slopes, making up 47% of the total. The remaining 8% is level or nearly level which makes up most of the eastern and the southern parts of the city. The urban area covers about 845.48 hectares. Elevation of the urban area of the city ranges from 1 MSL ''(mean sea level
There are several kinds of mean in mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. ...
)'' near Pagadian Bay to about 100 MSL in the area of Barangay San Jose.
The Tiguma, Bulatoc, Gatas, and Balangasan Rivers, drain to Pagadian Bay and serve as natural drainage. Due to its topography, most of the city's 54 barangays do not experience flooding. The low-lying southern and eastern part of the city occasionally experience flooding
A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrolog ...
, especially during heavy rains.
Climate
Located within the tropics of the northern hemisphere, Pagadian has a pronounced dry season from January to March and rainy season from April to December. The area is generally not affected by tropical storms
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Dependi ...
and typhoons
A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...
as it is located outside the Philippine Typhoon Belt. Temperature ranges from . The prevailing winds are the southwest wind that blow from over the sea during dry seasons going northeast, and the trade winds brought from the mountain ranges. Rainfall distribution is moderate from annually.
Barangays
Pagadian is politically subdivided into 54 barangay
A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
s of which 19 of these are classified as urban and which 35 of these are classified as rural.
;Urban
* Balangasan (poblacion)
* Balintawak
* Banale
* Buenavista
* Dao
* Dumagoc
* Gatas (poblacion)
* Kawit
* Lumbia
* Napolan
* San Francisco (poblacion)
* San Jose (poblacion)
* San Pedro (poblacion)
* Santa Lucia (poblacion)
* Santa Maria
* Santiago (poblacion)
* Santo Niño (poblacion)
* Tiguma
* Tuburan (poblacion)
;Rural
* Alegria
* Baloyboan
* Bogo
* Bomba
* Bulatok
* Bulawan
* Dampalan
* Danlugan
* Datagan
* Deborok
* Ditoray
* Gubac
* Gubang
* Kagawasan
* Kahayagan
* Kalasan
* La Suerte
* Lala
* Lapidian
* Lenienza
* Lison Valley
* Lourdes
* Lower Sibatang
* Lumad
* Macasing
* Manga
* Muricay
* Palpalan
* Pedulonan
* Poloyagan
* Tawagan Sur
* Tulangan
* Tulawas
* Upper Sibatang
* White Beach
Demographics
The people of Pagadian (Pagadianons) are classified into three main groups which is based primarily on faith and heritage: (a) the Subanens (or any other indigenous tribes who had been living in the area before the advent of Islam in Mindanao), (b) the Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
settlers who came from other parts of Mindanao and other places such as Sabah
Sabah () is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indone ...
and Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, and (c) the Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
settlers who generally came from the Visayas and Luzon.
The majority of Pagadianons speak the Cebuano language
Cebuano ([Cebuano]
on Merriam-Webster.com ), natively called by its generic term Bisaya or Binisaya (bot ...
. The national language, Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
( Tagalog) is widely understood and is the native tongue of a small percentage of the population. Maguindanaon, Iranun
The Iranun are a Moro ethnic group native to Mindanao, Philippines (in Maguindanao del Norte: Barira, Buldon, Parang, Matanog, Sultan Mastura, and Sultan Kudarat; North Cotabato: Alamada, Banisilan, Carmen, Libungan, and Pigcawayan; Lanao d ...
, Maranao
The Maranao people (Maranao: mәranaw Filipino: ''Maranaw''), also spelled Meranao, Maranaw, and Mëranaw, is the term used by the Philippine government to refer to the southern indigenous people who are the "people of the lake", a predomin ...
, Tausug, and Samal languages are used by the Muslim community. The Subanen dialect is exclusively used by the Subanen people, the original inhabitants of the area. Remaining percentage of the population are classified as Hiligaynon and Zamboangueño speakers. As with the rest of the Philippines, English is widely understood and is used as the primary language for business.
Religion
Places of worship in Pagadian:
File:MosqueDomePagadian.jpg, Dome of a mosque in Santa Lucia District
File:MinaretPagadian.jpg, A minaret
A minaret (; ar, منارة, translit=manāra, or ar, مِئْذَنة, translit=miʾḏana, links=no; tr, minare; fa, گلدسته, translit=goldaste) is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generall ...
in Banale, Pagadian City
File:Pagadian Cathedral.jpg, Santo Niño Cathedral
Economy
Agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
is the primary economic resource, with the production of rice, corn, coconut, fruit, root crops and animal husbandry. Special funding-assistance programs by the government are made available for local farmers; the ''City Livelihood Development Assistance Program'' (CILDAP) extends loans to those who need financial assistance for their livelihood.
Production of raw materials like seaweeds, coco processing, cassava constitute a large part of the local economy; small-scale manufacturing of furniture and decors made out of wood, bamboo, rattan, steel and plastic; handicrafts made out of bamboo, rattan, coco shell, wood, marine shell, ceramics, and weaving.
Pagadian Bay and the outer Illana Bay
Illana Bay, also known as the Iranun Bay, is a large bay of the Moro Gulf, off the southwestern coast of Mindanao island in the Philippines.
Illana Bay and Moro Gulf form part of the Celebes Sea.
See also
*Sibuguey Bay
Sibuguey Bay is a larg ...
(Iranun Bay) abound with a wide variety of marine products; seaweed culture farming is flourishing in waters off the bay while fishponds near or along the bay yields milkfish, prawns and crabs. A number of large deep-sea fishing vessels that venture into the Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea ( fil, Dagat Sulu; Tausug: ''Dagat sin Sūg''; Chavacano: ''Mar de Sulu''; Cebuano: ''Dagat sa Sulu''; Hiligaynon: ''Dagat sang Sulu''; Karay-a: ''Dagat kang Sulu''; Cuyonon: ''Dagat i'ang Sulu''; ms, Laut Sulu) is a body o ...
and as far as the South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
make Pagadian fishport their base of operation.
Another income-generating industry is mining in an area located 1.5 km southeast of Barangay Lison Valley proper approximately forty-nine kilometers from the city proper which yields gold, copper and molybdenum
Molybdenum is a chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42 which is located in period 5 and group 6. The name is from Neo-Latin ''molybdaenum'', which is based on Ancient Greek ', meaning lead, since its ores were confused with lea ...
.
Culture
Festivals
The City Fiesta is celebrated every third Sunday of January in honor of its patron saint, the Holy Child Jesus (''Santo Niño'') which coincides with the feastday of Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas Regions of the P ...
. It is officially called the ''Pasalamat Festival'' highlighted with a fluvial parade (''regatta''), trade exhibits, the ''Mutya ng Pagadian'' beauty pageant, carnival shows and a civic military parade. On every June 21, the ''Araw ng Pagadian'' is celebrated in commemoration of its founding as a chartered city; as Capital of Zamboanga del Sur, the city hosts the annual provincial celebration in September with agro-trade exhibits, a civic-military parade, cultural presentations and sports competitions.
The Megayon Festival is a week-long celebration that coincides with the Zamboanga del Sur anniversary in September. It honors the tri-people settlers: the Subanens, BangsaMoro Muslims and Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
. "''Megayon''" is a Subanen word which means "Unity and Solidarity". The festival is a showcase of three distinctly different cultural heritage in songs, dances, rituals of peace, foods and crafts, to foster unity and understanding among the three cultures. Environment-related activities, peace and development forum, and indigenous sports competitions are being held.
Pagadian City also officially celebrates the Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar and solar Chinese calendar. In Sinophone, Chinese and other East Asian cultures, the festival is commonly r ...
. It honors the local Chinese community.
Tourism
The Pagadian Rotonda is a circular park at the apex of the F.S. Pajares Avenue and overlooks the Illana Bay
Illana Bay, also known as the Iranun Bay, is a large bay of the Moro Gulf, off the southwestern coast of Mindanao island in the Philippines.
Illana Bay and Moro Gulf form part of the Celebes Sea.
See also
*Sibuguey Bay
Sibuguey Bay is a larg ...
. It is at the intersection of the North Diversion Road and F.S. Pajares Avenue, two of the three major road networks in the city (the third one being Rizal Avenue). Dao Dao Islands. The name is shared by two islands within Illana Bay; thus the addition of ''Dako'' (big) and ''Gamay'' (small) to the names of the islands for simple distinction. "Dao Dao Dako" is the bigger island which is about a hectare and is about 7 to 10‑minute ride by motorboat from the seaport. It has artificial coral reefs made of old tires. "Dao Dao Gamay" is technically not an island, but a sandbar that partially submerges during high tide. Springland Resort is a natural springwater resort, it has three swimming pools and a fishpond and multifunction halls for gatherings. '' Balas'' is the literal translation for "white sand" in the local dialect. It is classified as a white sandbar
In oceanography, geomorphology, and Earth science, geoscience, a shoal is a natural submerged ridge, bank (geography), bank, or bar that consists of, or is covered by, sand or other unconsolidated material and rises from the bed of a body o ...
. A number of caves and waterfalls can also be found in remote barangays of the city.
The Provincial Government Complex is the civic, sports and cultural center of the Province of Zamboanga del Sur of which Pagadian is the capital. Sports facilities such as a standard-sized oval track and field, standard sized swimming pools and buildings for indoor/outdoor sports as well as a cultural village and the Unity Park, a monument to the Tri-people group (the Lumads, Moslems and Christians) who settled in Pagadian, are located there.
Government
The city is governed by the City Mayor. The local ''Sangguniang Panglungsod'' (City Legislative Council) is presided by the City Vice Mayor with ten elected councilors, and two ex-officio members from the Sangguniang Kabataan
Sangguniang Kabataan (abbreviated as SK; ) is a council meant to represent the youth in each barangay in the Philippines. It was put "on hold", but not quite abolished, prior to the 2013 barangay elections. In January 2016, the Sangguniang ...
(Youth Council) and Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) respectively, as members of the council. The city mayor, vice mayor, and councilors are popularly elected to serve a three-year term.
Pagadian is also the seat of the Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Sur.
Elected officials for the 2019–2022 term are:
Infrastructure
Transportation
Tricycles
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle.
Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes ...
are the primary public transport in the urban center while jeepneys
Jeepneys (), sometimes called jeeps (), are minibus-like public utility vehicles, serving as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They are known for their crowded seating and kitsch decorations, which have become ...
usually ply the city's rural barangays. Private vehicles comprises the largest percentage of the traffic. Buses, minibuses, and jeepneys are the modes of transportation for transients bound for the neighboring municipalities and other parts of Zamboanga del Sur. These short-travel transports also serve the bus terminal which is located downtown.
Airport. The city is served by a ''Principal Airport Class 1'' (or ''major domestic''). It is located in Barangay Muricay, approximately five kilometers from the city proper. The airport serves as the only air portal in the Province of Zamboanga del Sur with direct flights to and from Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
and Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
.
Seaport. The port of Pagadian City is served by shipping lines operating for both passenger and cargo vessels. Ports of call include Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region ...
, Jolo
Jolo ( tsg, Sūg) is a volcanic island in the southwest Philippines and the primary island of the province of Sulu, on which the capital of the same name is situated. It is located in the Sulu Archipelago, between Borneo and Mindanao, and has ...
and Siasi
Siasi, officially the Municipality of Siasi ( Tausūg: ''Kawman sin Siasi''; tl, Bayan ng Siasi), is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Sulu, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 67,705 people.
Geography
...
in Sulu
Sulu (), officially the Province of Sulu (Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Wilāya sin Lupa' Sūg''; tl, Lalawigan ng Sulu), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines in the Sulu Archipelago and part of the Bangsamoro, Bangsamor ...
, Bongao
Bongao, officially the Municipality of Bongao, is a 2nd class municipality of the Philippines, municipality and capital of the Philippine Province, province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 116,118 ...
and Sitangkai
Sitangkai, officially the Municipality of Sitangkai, is a 1st class municipality in the province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 37,319 people.
It is the southernmost place in the Philippines and ...
in Tawi-tawi
Tawi-Tawi, officially the Province of Tawi-Tawi ( tl, Lalawigan ng Tawi-Tawi; Tausug: ''Wilaya' sin Tawi-Tawi''; Sinama: ''Jawi Jawi/Jauih Jauih''), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim M ...
, and Cotabato City
Cotabato City, officially the City of Cotabato ( Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kutawatu'', Jawi:
كوتا نو كوتاواتو; Iranun: ''Bandar a Kotawato'', بندر ا كوتاواتو; fil, Lungsod ng Cotabato), is a third class independent co ...
.
Integrated Bus Terminal. Served by two major bus companies and several other smaller Public Utility Vehicles(PUVs), i.e. vans, the terminal sits atop the hill as the station for both Eastbound and Westbound transport, particularly for public transports bound for Zamboanga City
Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region ...
, Ozamiz City
Ozamiz, officially the City of Ozamiz ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Ozamiz; fil, Lungsod ng Ozamiz), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Misamis Occidental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,334 people.
A ...
, Dipolog City
Dipolog, officially the City of Dipolog ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dipolog; Subanen: ''Gembagel G'benwa Dipuleg/Bagbenwa Dipuleg''; Chavacano: ''Ciudad de Dipolog''; fil, Lungsod ng Dipolog), is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province o ...
, Cagayan de Oro
Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
, Cotabato City
Cotabato City, officially the City of Cotabato ( Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kutawatu'', Jawi:
كوتا نو كوتاواتو; Iranun: ''Bandar a Kotawato'', بندر ا كوتاواتو; fil, Lungsod ng Cotabato), is a third class independent co ...
, General Santos City
General Santos, officially the City of General Santos,; hil, Dakbanwa sang Heneral Santos; Maguindanao: ''Ingud nu Heneral Santos''; Blaan: ''Banwe Dadiangas''; Tboli: ''Benwu Dadiangas''; Filipino: ''Lungsod ng Heneral Santos'' and abbrev ...
, and Davao City
Davao City, officially the City of Davao ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dabaw; ), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the largest city in the Philippines in terms of lan ...
.
Utilities
Telecommunications
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) and Cruztelco are the two major telecommunications providers. A project under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Pagadian City Telephone Exchange (PACITELEX) serves the far-flung barangays that other telephone companies are not yet able to give service. Major cellular phone Service provider in the country serve the city.
Water and power supply
Pagadian City Water District (PCWD or PAWAD) provides the city with potable water supply. Formed in 1976, PCWD has over 14,000 active service connections and sources its water from deep wells and springs.
Electricity is supplied by the Zamboanga del Sur I Electric Cooperative, Incorporated (ZAMSURECO I) from the National Power Corporation Hydro-Electric Plant in Iligan City
Iligan, officially the City of Iligan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Iligan; fil, Lungsod ng Iligan; Maranao: ''Inged a Iligan''), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Northern Mindanao, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has ...
, sourced from the Maria Cristina Falls
Maria Cristina Falls is a waterfall of the Agus River in the Northern Mindanao region of the Philippines. It is sometimes called the "twin falls" as the flow is separated by a rock at the brink of the waterfall. It is located 9.3 kilometers aw ...
. About 77.70% or 42 out of 54 total barangays in the entire city have 24-hour supply of electricity.
Education
Educational institutions in Pagadian include:
Southeast Asian Institute Pagadian City Campus
* Pagadian City Chamber School
* Pagadian City Science High School
* Pagadian City Pilot School
* Zamboanga del Sur National High School
Zamboanga del Sur National High School is a public school in Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines, which was established in 1968, is the largest (in terms of student population). It was originally named "Zamboanga del Sur Provincial High School", but wa ...
*Holy Child Academy
* Medina College-Pagadian
Medina College-Pagadian is a private nonsectarian higher education institution run by the Medina College, Inc. in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. It was founded by the Medina College, Inc. in 1999. It is the third Medina College founded in Southe ...
* Saint Columban College
Saint Columban College is a private, Catholic, coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pagadian in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. Founded in 1957 as Saint Columban School, it is th ...
* Southern Mindanao Colleges
Southern Mindanao Colleges also referred to by the acronym SMC, is a non-sectarian private college located at Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. In terms of student population, SMC has the highest number of students.http://pagadian.org ( ...
* Western Mindanao State University - External Studies Unit
* Universidad de Zamboanga
Universidad de Zamboanga (UZ) is a private nonsectarian coeducational higher education institution in Zamboanga City, Philippines, founded on October 12, 1948, by Engr. Arturo Eustaquio, Sr. It was formerly known as Zamboanga A.E. Colleges unti ...
- Pagadian Campus
* Pagadian Capitol College (formerly PCCS or Pagadian College of Criminology & Sciences)
* Eastern Mindanao College of Technology
Media
AM radio stations
*DXPR 603 RMN Pagadian (Radio Mindanao Network
Radio Mindanao Network, Inc. (RMN), d.b.a. RMN Networks or RMN Network, is a Filipino media company based in Makati, Philippines. It is primarily involved is one of the largest radio networks. Its corporate office is located at the 4th Floor ...
)
* DXBZ 756 Radyo Bagting (Baganian Broadcasting Corporation)
* DXKP 1377 Radyo Ronda (Radio Philippines Network
Radio Philippines Network, Inc. (RPN) is a Philippine Media of the Philippines, television and radio company based in Quezon City. It is the flagship media property of Nine Media Corporation of the ALC Group of Companies; along with the Pre ...
)
FM radio stations
* 91.1 Voice Radio (Kaissar Broadcasting Network
Kaissar Broadcasting Network, Inc. is a Philippine radio network. Its corporate office is located at 926-B, San Jose St., Brgy. Mauway, Mandaluyong
Mandaluyong, officially the City of Mandaluyong ( fil, Lungsod ng Mandaluyong), is a first ...
)
* 91.9 Radyo Natin (Manila Broadcasting Company
Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) is a radio and television network in the Philippines. MBC is currently owned by the FJE Group of Companies of Fred J. Elizalde, which also operates hotels and Pasay-based amusement park Star City. Its AM fla ...
)
*93.5 FMR (Philippine Collective Media Corporation
Philippine Collective Media Corporation (PCMC; officially known in their documents as Philippine CollectiveMedia Corporation) is a Philippine broadcast media company. Its headquarters are located in Makati, with offices in Fairview, Quezon Ci ...
)
* 94.1 Radio One (MIT Radio-TV Network, Inc.)
* 96.7 iFM (Radio Mindanao Network
Radio Mindanao Network, Inc. (RMN), d.b.a. RMN Networks or RMN Network, is a Filipino media company based in Makati, Philippines. It is primarily involved is one of the largest radio networks. Its corporate office is located at the 4th Floor ...
)
*98.3 Energy FM (Ultrasonic Broadcasting System
Ultrasonic Broadcasting System, Inc. (UBSI) is a Philippine radio network owned by the SYSU Group of Companies, a conglomerate owned by the Sy family. UBSI owns a number of FM stations across the country under the Energy FM brand.
History
UBSI ...
)
*99.1 Muews Radio (Sagay Broadcasting Corporation
Sagay Broadcasting Corporation is a Philippine radio network. Its main headquarters are located at 2/F, La Castill Bldg., Magsaysay St., Brgy. Zone 1, Digos
Digos, officially the City of Digos ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Digos; fil, Lungsod ng Digo ...
)
* 99.9 Radyo Bisdak (Times Broadcasting Network Corporation
Times Broadcasting Network Corporation is a Philippine radio network. Its main headquarters is located at the 2nd Floor, Paguito Yu Bldg., Mabini Ext., Brgy. Carmen Annex, Ozamiz. TBNC operates a number of stations across places in Northwestern ...
)
*103.1 Radyo Kidlat (Zamboanga del Sur I Electric Cooperative, Inc.; affiliated with Philippine Broadcasting Service
Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) ( fil, Paglilingkod Panghimpapawid ng Pilipinas), also known by its government agency Bureau of Broadcast Services (BBS) (Filipino: ''Kawanihan ng mga Serbisyong Pambrodkast''), is a state radio network ...
)
*103.9 LCM FM ( Subic Broadcasting Corporation; operated by Loud Cry Ministries)
*104.7 Radyo Sakto (Malindang Broadcasting Network Corporation)
*105.7 Brigada News FM (Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation
Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation is a Philippine broadcast media company. It was a radio network which operated a number of stations across regional areas in the Philippines under the Bay Radio branding. It currently serves as the licensee for ...
/Brigada Mass Media Corporation
Brigada Mass Media Corporation (BMMC) is a newspaper company and media network in the Philippines. It is the first-ever local Tri-media organization to have emerged from the Soccsksargen area as a national network with its array of Brigada Ne ...
)
* 106.3 Bell FM (Baganian Broadcasting Corporation)
*107.1 Radyo Agong (DCG Radio-TV Network
Katigbak Enterprises, Inc., doing business as DCG Radio-TV Network, is a Philippine media network owned and majority-controlled by the Ojeda family led by Mulanay
Mulanay, officially the Municipality of Mulanay ( tgl, Bayan ng Mulanay), ...
; operated by RSV Broadcasting Services)
TV stations
* GMA Channel 3 Pagadian
*GTV Channel 26 Pagadian
Cable and satellite providers
*Kismet Cable TV
*Unique Cable TV
*Cignal TV
Cignal TV, Inc. (formerly known as GV Broadcasting System), also known by its legal trading name Mediascape Inc., is a Filipino media and telecommunications firm in the Philippines. A wholly owned subsidiary of the media conglomerate MediaQue ...
*SatLite
*G Sat
G-Sat (''Global Satellite'') is a subscription-based direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service commercially available in the Philippines. G-Sat is owned by Global Satellite Technology Services (GSTS), registered in the Philippines with t ...
Notable people
* Enrique Ona - former Secretary of Health ( - ); former executive director of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.
*Antonio Cerilles
Antonio Herrera Cerilles (born October 7, 1948) is a former Governor of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines, from June 30, 2010, until June 30, 2019. He ran and lost during the 2019 elections for Representative of the 2nd Legislative District of Zambo ...
- former Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) during the term of President Joseph Estrada; ; Governor of Zamboanga del Sur from 2010 to 2019.
* Victor Yu - current Governor of Zamboanga del Sur from 2019–present.
*Divina Grace Yu
Divina Grace Yu (née Cabardo) is a Filipino politician who currently serves as the representative of the first district of Zamboanga del Sur in the 17th and 18th Congress of the Philippines. She previously served as city vice mayor of Pagadian ...
- current 1st district Representative of Zamboanga del Sur, and former vice mayor of Pagadian.
* Francese Therese Pinlac - is a member of MNL48's Team L. She was also a member of TGC Senbatsu before being promoted as an official member of MNL48
MNL48 (read as ''M.N.L. Forty-eight'') is a Filipino idol girl group based in Manila, Philippines. Formed in 2018, they are the fourth international sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's JKT48, China's SNH48 (''former''), and Thailand's B ...
, the official sister group of the highest-selling JPOP phenomenon, AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol girl group named after the Akihabara (''Akiba'' for short) area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48's producer, Yasushi Akimoto, wanted to form a girl group with it ...
.
* Teodoro "Tata" M. Quicoy - former City Councilor of Pagadian City ( - , - , - , - ) and Lawyer.
Sister cities
*Cooma, New South Wales
Cooma is a town in the south of New South Wales, Australia. It is located south of the national capital, Canberra, via the Monaro Highway. It is also on the Snowy Mountains Highway, connecting Bega with the Riverina.
At the , Cooma had a po ...
, AustraliaCity of Pagadian Official Website - Geographical Location
retrieved: July 17, 2012) - established in 1975 through the Philippine-Australian Development Assistance Programme (PADAP) being with the contract with the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation, based in the City of Cooma, which undertook development projects within the Province of Zamboanga del Sur.
References
External links
Pagadian
* Philippine Standard Geographic Code
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
Philippine Census Information
*
{{Authority control
Cities in Zamboanga del Sur
Provincial capitals of the Philippines
Populated places established in 1937
1937 establishments in the Philippines
Component cities in the Philippines