Asia's Latin City: Difference between revisions
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Zamboanga City has been the center of commerce, trade, health services, and education for the entire [[Zamboanga Peninsula|Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)]]. It is the seat of the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority (popularly known as [[Zamboecozone]]). The people of Zamboanga speak a unique Creole language called [[Chavacano]] - a blend of [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[European]] (such as [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]), Native American words (such as [[Quechua]], [[Taino]], [[Mexican-Indian]] and etc.) with a spattering of several local dialects, and with [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]] as its main [[substrate language]], primarily using [[Austronesian]] grammar and syntax in sentence construction. A more modern version of this colloquial patois dialect is strongly influenced by Filipino/Tagalog and English as well. Zamboanga, along with neighboring Isabela and Lamitan cities on Basilan Island are the only cities in Asia where the majority of the population speak this Spanish-patois language.<ref>"Zambo mayor leads sales blitz in Philippine Travel Mart," Philippines News Agency. September 8, 2007.</ref> Chavacano used to be spoken widely in the Provinces of Cavite and Laguna, as well as the Malate District of Manila due to the sizeable number of Spanish Mestizos living in these areas. World War II, however, decimated the Chavacano populations of these places, leaving Zamboanga and its satellite cities of Isabela and Lamitan with a majority Chavacano-speaking population. |
Zamboanga City has been the center of commerce, trade, health services, and education for the entire [[Zamboanga Peninsula|Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)]]. It is the seat of the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority (popularly known as [[Zamboecozone]]). The people of Zamboanga speak a unique Creole language called [[Chavacano]] - a blend of [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[European]] (such as [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]), Native American words (such as [[Quechua]], [[Taino]], [[Mexican-Indian]] and etc.) with a spattering of several local dialects, and with [[Cebuano language|Cebuano]] as its main [[substrate language]], primarily using [[Austronesian]] grammar and syntax in sentence construction. A more modern version of this colloquial patois dialect is strongly influenced by Filipino/Tagalog and English as well. Zamboanga, along with neighboring Isabela and Lamitan cities on Basilan Island are the only cities in Asia where the majority of the population speak this Spanish-patois language.<ref>"Zambo mayor leads sales blitz in Philippine Travel Mart," Philippines News Agency. September 8, 2007.</ref> Chavacano used to be spoken widely in the Provinces of Cavite and Laguna, as well as the Malate District of Manila due to the sizeable number of Spanish Mestizos living in these areas. World War II, however, decimated the Chavacano populations of these places, leaving Zamboanga and its satellite cities of Isabela and Lamitan with a majority Chavacano-speaking population. |
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==History== |
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{{main|History of Zamboanga City}} |
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Revision as of 02:12, 19 January 2009
La Ciudad de Zamboanga
Ciudad de Zamboanga | |
|---|---|
| Nickname: Ciudad Latina de Asia | |
| Motto: Adelante Zamboanga! | |
 | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) |
| Class | 1st class city; highly-urbanized |
| Districts | 1st and 2nd Legislative districts of Zamboanga City |
| Barangays | 98 |
| Established | June 23, 1635 |
| Incorporated (city) | February 26, 1937 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Celso L. Lobregat (LDP) |
| • Vice Mayor | Mannix Dalipe |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,483.38 km2 (572.73 sq mi) |
| Population (2007) | |
• Total | 774,407 |
| • Density | 522/km2 (1,353/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| Area code | 62 |
| Website | www.zamboanga.gov.ph |
Officially, the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano de Zamboanga/Spanish: Ciudad de Zamboanga) is a highly-urbanized city located on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is one of the first chartered cities and the sixth largest in the country. Zamboanga City is also one of several cities in the Philippines that are independent of any province, though it is usually grouped with Zamboanga del Sur for statistical purposes. The word Zamboanga is a corrupted version of the Bahasa Sug jambangan, which means garden.
Philippine Commonwealth Act No. 39 of 1936 signed by President Manuel L. Quezon on October 12, 1936 in Malacañang Palace created and established Zamboanga as a chartered city. It has been known variously as "El Orgullo de Mindanao" (The Pride of Mindanao), nicknamed the "City of Flowers," and affectionately called by Zamboangueños as "Zamboanga Hermosa" - Chavacano/Spanish for "Beautiful Zamboanga." Today, the city is commercially branded for tourism by the city government as Asia's Latin City, a clear reference to Zamboanga's identification with the Hispanized cultures of "Latin America" or the USA's "Latino" subculture, the current City Mayor, Celso Lobregat is himself descended from a Spanish-Catalunian bloodline (The Llobregat River runs through Spain's biggest Mediterranean city - the City of Barcelona). Zamboanga City was formerly a part of the Commonwealth Era Moro Province of Mindanao. Its ancient inhabitants were vassals of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo.
Zamboanga City brings its best foot forward during the popular Fiesta Pilar, celebrated in honor of the city's patron saint, La Nuestra Senora del Pilar de Zaragoza Our Lady of the Pillar of Zaragoza, Spain. A statue honoring the saint is prominently embossed above the façade on the eastern wall of the meter-thick walled fort called El Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza (also called El Real Fuerza de San José in its early days). This Spanish military fort was built on June 23, 1635, by the Spanish Jesuit priest Fr. Melchor de Vera, SJ in defense against pirates and slave raiders. Zamboanga City is one of the oldest cities in the country and is the most Hispanized. It is also one of the largest cities in the world in terms of area, with over 1,480 km², including its 28 surrounding islands. Its recorded population in 2007 was 774,407.
Zamboanga City has been the center of commerce, trade, health services, and education for the entire Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX). It is the seat of the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority (popularly known as Zamboecozone). The people of Zamboanga speak a unique Creole language called Chavacano - a blend of Spanish and European (such as Italian and Portuguese), Native American words (such as Quechua, Taino, Mexican-Indian and etc.) with a spattering of several local dialects, and with Cebuano as its main substrate language, primarily using Austronesian grammar and syntax in sentence construction. A more modern version of this colloquial patois dialect is strongly influenced by Filipino/Tagalog and English as well. Zamboanga, along with neighboring Isabela and Lamitan cities on Basilan Island are the only cities in Asia where the majority of the population speak this Spanish-patois language.[1] Chavacano used to be spoken widely in the Provinces of Cavite and Laguna, as well as the Malate District of Manila due to the sizeable number of Spanish Mestizos living in these areas. World War II, however, decimated the Chavacano populations of these places, leaving Zamboanga and its satellite cities of Isabela and Lamitan with a majority Chavacano-speaking population.
History
- ^ "Zambo mayor leads sales blitz in Philippine Travel Mart," Philippines News Agency. September 8, 2007.