Zamboanga Hermosa Festival 2020: #SafeHermosa2020

Virtual events, competitions, and limited live activities will mark the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival 2020 celebrations as Zamboanga City abides with the landscape of the new normal.

This, in keeping with the minimum health standards, as the local government prepares for a #SafeHermosa2020, and a meaningful reflection of Fiesta Pilar amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hermosa Festival 2020 will officially open with the virtual 2020 Opening Salvo on October 1, 7 PM, to be held via the official channels of the Festival and the local government. Replays of 2019 Hermosa events will be broadcast over the Festival Week, from October 1 to October 7.

Meanwhile, competitions have been trimmed down to only those that can be held on online platforms. These include: Batalla 2020: Hermosa Mega Crew HipHop Competition, Original Chavacano Video Music Festival 2020, Festival de las Bellas 2020, Hermosa Photography Competition and Hermosa TikTok Challenge.

While majority of events will be virtual, there will be limited live events that will be held from October 1-15. These are the: Cosechas de Zamboanga 2020 from October 1-15, the Novena Mass at Fort Pilar from October 3-11, and the Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar and Pontifical Mass on October 12.

A live event, the Las Ofrenda de Flores con el La Virgen del Pilar, will also be held to bring Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar to different barangays on October 11, a whole day activity that will begin at 6 AM and will follow a route from Sangali to Ayala to Talon-Talon and to City Hall.

All live events will strictly adhere to the minimum health standards.

Zamboanga Hermosa, also known locally as Fiesta Pilar, is one of Zamboanga City’s most important festivals. It honors the city’s patron saint, the Nuestra Señora la Virgen del Pilar whose image is enshrined in the equally historic and venerated Fort Pilar. The feast day proper is on October 12 and is a special holiday in Zamboanga City. (Jasmine Mohammadsali)
Check out the calendar of activities here:

Here are this year's competitions for Zamboanga Hermosa Festival:

We're inviting everyone in the annual Cosechas de Zamboanga, an agri fair showcasing the fresh produce of our farmers, including fruits, vegetables, processed food, and decorative plants. It opens on October 1 and runs until Ocotber 20 at Plaza Pershing.

Cosechas
Official Logo of Zamboanga Hermosa Festival 2020:

Para Un Mundo Nuevo

On July 28, 2018 Zamboanga City celebrated its first Dia de Guardia Forestal or Day of the Forest Guards, a tribute for the heroes of the protected forest in the Pasonanca Natural Park. Situated at the north of the city proper, the protected area preserves a major water shed in the Peninsula that is home for biodiverse floral and fauna.

Me and my cousin, Wella, were commissioned to create a mural which will be painted on the spot during the celebration at Jardin Maria Clara. I created the initial concept digitally using Illustrator. It featured a forest scenery with lush plants and animals and at the center is a lettering of a quote in Chavacano language. It says "Entre cada dos Arboles tiene puerta para un Mundo Nuevo" which means "Between two trees is a door to a new world". I enhanced the concept art in Photoshop and came up with this:



The organizers eventually changed the quote and simply wanted it "Gracias Guardia Forestal" or "Thank You, Forest Guards". We didn't finish it on the day since the program is just half a day. We continued it home and took us about two weeks to finish since we only do it after work hours. The mural came out very nice and the colors came out nicely.




Special thanks to our moms and our handy man, Badong, for the help!



Like the illustration in my Deviant Art account here.

Zamboanga Mural Painting Competition

Summer na Zamboanga is all about the youth, sports, dance, fashion, music and most specially, the arts! In 2016, the City Special Events team introduced the 1st Chalk Art Competition in line with the celebration of Dia de Ma'am Caling, the Birth Anniversary of Mayor Maria Clara Lobregat on April 26. The competition was successful but it rained right after the competition and the artworks faded after a few days. To preserve the artworks, we decided to change the format of the competition. Instead of chalk art, the teams will create a Mural artwork. When you say mural, what comes in mind is a concrete wall in the public. However, to make the art easier to carry around and display to various venues, we decided that the paintings will be in large framed canvas (4x8 feet). Fifteen teams registered and took the challenge and they have to create a huge painting for only three days. The theme is "I Love Zamboanga City."

Click on the photo for larger view

This competition is also a collaborative artwork. When all of their paintings are arranged side by side, a bigger picture of Zamboanga will appear. I was the one who designed the template and the team drew lots to determine which panel will be assigned to them. The contest proper was held at Jardin Maria Clara, Pasonanca starting April 24, and culminating in April 26 during the Dia de Maam Caling. So here are the 15 mural painting entries. Check out the paranorama view of all the artworks side by side.

Here are the winners of the 1st Mural Painting Competition:

1st Place


2nd Place

3rd Place.

Congratulations to all winners! Can't wait for next year!

Madre y Niño

This month, we celebrate Women's Month to give honour to all the women in our life. They may be our workmates, our friends, our teachers, our sisters or even our Mother. Women in general are the heart of the society. They provide compassion, love and care for us. This celebration also aims to campaign against violence to women and children and gender equality.

I created this artwork, "Madre y Niño", especially for our Mayor, Ma'am Beng, who asked me to make an artwork for her which she will give as gifts for her special visitors. This artwork maybe interpreted in different ways but the central message is the love and care of a mother to her child. Personally, I see this work in my relationship between me and my mama. She truly is a super mom to me who did everything to provide for us four siblings. She is the light that guides us which made us who we are today. And I am forever grateful that I have her in my life.



In my 2 years in public service, I see Ma'am Beng as our mother and our leader in this city. The Zamboangueños especially the children is her first priority. That's why she really made Build Back Better Zamboanga possible after the famous siege. In her three years as the mayor, we really felt the development in the city despite the struggles and difficulties.

This artwork is also an ode to the Zamboanga culture. The city's patroness is La Virgen del Pilar which was introduced to Zamboanga by the Spaniards during the construction of the Fort "Real Fuerza de San Jose". The city celebrates the "Fiesta Pilar" or Zamboanga Hermosa Festival in her honor during October. The image of La Virgen del Pilar depicts Mary with the child Jesus in her left arm who has a dove sitting on his left palm. I really like the symbolism of the dove. According to religious studies, the dove represents the Holy Spirit. Universally, it represents peace, which us Zamboangueños long for.

Happy Women's month to everyone!