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:

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!

79th Dia dela Ciudad de Zamboanga

79th Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga
Calendar of Activities

February 4, Thursday
12th National Dental Health Month

February 9, Tuesday
Dia de Sen. Roseller T. Lim

February 21, Sunday, 5PM
Zumba Corazon
Centro Pastoral Convention Center

February 24, Wednesday, 1PM
City-Wide Open Cheerdance Competition
Drum and Lyre Competition (High School Level)
Vitaliano Agan Coliseum

February 25, Thursday, 7PM
Achievers' Night
Centro Latino

February 26, Friday, 5:30AM
WMSU College of Law: PaLAWro 2016 Fun Run
CityMall Tetuan to WMSU

February 26, Friday, 3PM
Grand Civic-Military Parade
79th Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga Main Program
Fire Station to Paseo del Mar

February 26-28, Friday-Sunday
Zamboanga Open Invitational Bowling Tournament
Tebi and Sean Recreational Center

February 26, Friday, 6PM
Globe Alegria na Zamboanga
Paseo del Mar

February 28, Sunday, 1PM
Juicy Cologne Inter-school Dance Competition
WMSU Gymnasium

February 28, Sunday
100th Birth Anniversary of Mayor Cesar C. Climaco

February 29, Monday, 8AM
Speak Out Zamboanga Forum: 
5th Cesar Climaco Young Leaders Assembly
Centro Latino, Paseo del Mar

For updates, like the facebook page Zoom In: Zamboanga City or Zamboanga Hermosa Festival

Glunow

Before I end 2015 I wanted to create a personal art which is inspired by my experience in Manila during the Philippine Visual Art Festival #PVAF2015. I had a great time meeting artists from the different regions, learning from them and the masters of visual art in the country. My favorite experience is visiting Angono Rizal, the Art Capital of the Philippines, where we got to visit a street gallery, the house and studio of national Artist Carlos Francisco, and get to dine and talk with their local artists at the artisan restaurant / gallery of Nemi Miranda.

What struck me is their deep connection with their roots. Their history and culture inspired their works which made me learn a lot about their place and their people. I also learned during our conversations that art doesn't have to be a painting. We in the regions doesn't have that direct access to fine art materials but we have our own unique materials to work upon. This only validated me as an artist. I have always been intimidated by the works of these great artists and sometimes I feel less of an artist with my lack of art education and skills such as realistic drawing, painting and sculpture. But with my experience in PVAF, I appreciated my uniqueness and my identity as an artist.

I identify myself as a multimedia artists and for me, my best work involves technology such as Digital Art, Illustration, Graphic design and Animation. I am a Filipino, a Mindanaoan, a proud Zamboangueño. My home is a beautiful place, rich with a blend of different cultures and various historical and natural heritage. All of which can be a source of inspiration to create an artwork. It only takes your imagination and a medium to make a masterpiece.



For my last artwork of 2015, I went deeper to my roots and was inspired by the early inhabitants of Zamboanga, the Subanens. I googled for images and drew inspiration from their patterns and visual culture. About 2 years ago, I also had the chance to experience their culture first-hand during the boklug festival at Siocon when we were invited to produce a documentary for a mining company. The buklog is a tall structure made of wood constructed by the people in the community. It resembles a trampoline that produces a loud sound when the people jump together to make the wooden pole at the center touch the log on the ground. Its loud sound can be heard from miles away and people gather there for merry making.

My work focuses on an imaginary paradise inspired by the Subanen culture. A character discovers the post-apocalypitc land of Jambangan where flowers had bloomed once again. The seven rivers which flowed from the seven mountains nurture its fertile land. At the center is an abandoned temple or monument left by the community of native people. On top of the seven stones is the flag of the Subanen. The title "Glunow" which means green in Subanen language, represents the re-blossoming of the land.

If you like it and have a deviant Art account, fave it here. Also check out and like my facebook page CSZ Doodle Art. Have a prosperous 2016!

Pascua Na Zamboanga 2015

The City Government of Zamboanga presents Pascua na Zamboanga 2015. Every year, the city celebrates the yultide season with a lineup of fun-filled activities. The highlight of the Christmas Festival is the switching on of the City Hall as it transforms into a grand display of lights. This year the city is transformed into candyland, and the main attraction includes the City Hall as a gingerbread house, Plaza Pershing as a lollipop forest and Paseo del Mar with the giant ice cream cone Christmas Tree. All landmarks will be ceremonially switched on in December 1st, 5PM.



Every evening, chorale groups will be serenading us with Christmas carols at the City Hall lobby during the "Canciones de Pascua" from December 14 to 18, 7PM onwards. Shop until you drop at the Grand Christmas Bazaar at Paseo del Mar on December 6-12, and at the Grand 5-day Holiday Fiesta at City Mall Tetuan. It is also expected that the newest and biggest mall in Zamboanga, KCC Mall de Zamboanga, will be opening in December. Here's the poster for Pascua na Zamboanga 2015.

78th Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga Poster

February 26, 2015 marks the 78th Dia de la Ciudad de Zamboanga. The City Goverment, headed by Mayor Beng Climaco-Salazar, prepared a lineup of activities to celebrate our 78th year as a chartered city. The main highlight will be the grand civic military parade to be followed by the commemorative program on Feb. 26 and the conferment of awards to Local Achievers on February 25 covering various fields of endeavours.

The different City Government sponsored activities are the Drum and Lyre competition (secondary level) and the city–wide cheer dance competition on February 20 at 1pm at the City Coliseum; the Zamboanga Film Festival (Free Public Screening), on February 23-25 at the Cinematheque Zamboanga. The Awards Night will be on Feb. 25 at the Centro Latino.

Other activities organized by the City Government include the Grandiosa Venta de Mercado from Feb. 19-26 at the Plaza del Pilar and the Kasalang Bayan on Feb. 27 at the City Hall lobby. Here is the poster design and full schedule for #DiadeZamboanga.
 



The poster design features a typographic illustration of the word ZAMBOANGA. Each represents some elements that make up the city. Z shows the logo of Zoom In Zamboanga, the campaign we launched way back in 2013. The green represent the field where a football player is playing. This is one of the sports during the Juego na Dia de Zamboanga. A takes the shape of the City Hall, the symbolic landmark of our city, built in 1905. A couple stands in front of it symbolizing the Kasalang Bayan which is a mass wedding for its employees.

M resembles the arches in the entrance of Paseo del Mar, a popular destination for locals and tourist to witness the beautiful sunset and dine at the restaurant and bars. There is also a huge dancing fountain found in the middle of Paseo. B looks like a film camera symbolizing the Zamboanga Film Festival, which for the first time will be hosted by the City Government. The upper arch of B shows an archer with a bow an arrow symbolizing yet another sport in Juego na Dia de Zamboanga.

In the middle is the official seal of the city in a circular shape. The second A shows a hand holding the version of Halo-halo famous in Zamboanga, the Knicker Bocker. There are also scales which is inspired by the Dragon since Chinese New Year is also part of the celebration. N shows the drum and lyre which is one of the competitions. The middle stroke is in a form of a Vinta, a symbol of Zamboanga. The last stroke is inspired by the heritage lamps that can be seen in many landmarks in the city.

A cheerleader with one arm on her waist and the other up in the air forms G. The lower stroke resembles the sea and the Cawa-Cawa Boulevard with the heritage lamps, too. The cheerleader with vibrant energy shows the optimism of the Zamboangueños, and it's one of the competitions that is highly anticipated durin Dia de Zamboanga. And finally, the last letter, A, is in a form of a teepee, which is found at Pasonanca Park. Trees are also seen behind, which is a symbol of nature that we truly treasure here in the city.

What do you think about the design? Post a comment or click that like button if you do :) Thanks for reading! -csz97

Love Heals 1.0 & 2.0

This is for the victims of the Zamboanga Siege. I did this last Christmas which was supposed to be printed as postcards and sold to which the proceeds will be donated to the internally displaced families in Zamboanga. We all need healing from that terrifying experience especially the kids. It's only through love that we can allow healing to happen.



Here is another version of the art which was part of the TimeOut Exhibit of the Faculty and Staff of Ateneo de Zamboanga University. It's a mixed media sculpture where I used wood, nails, strings and paint.

Handmade Wooden Signs

Two of the most creative visionaries of this city has commissioned me to create handmade artworks for their new studio. Vista de Lente Photography headed by Mr Reymond Ledesma and Mr Rey Fortuna, and Inkpressive Invitations by Doc Venus Fortuna, trusted my crafty side to create sweet decors with quotes or phrases and images that will add personality to their new workspace. Inspired by western wedding event styling and my recent relationship with Pinterest, I was challenged to do traditional painting using scavenged wood I found in our garage, by-products of our house's renovation. My output surprised me as well. I didn't expect i can do such things. The feedback were also positive and now, many are already asking me to do one for them. Here are the first set of my "Handmade Wooden Signs" which i created for Vista de Lente. Click photos for larger view. More after the jump.

The set is currently displayed at the reception area of Vista de Lente Photography office at the new L&F Blgd fronting Cecile's Pharmacy along San Jose Rd.

Festival de Verano 2014 Poster Design

Its summertime! Festival de Verano - erstwhile known as the Zamboanga Summer Festival - will officially open on April 25 with the Great Summer Escapade at Sta. Cruz Island, which also aims to promote the island as a prime tourism destination.

 A Kite-Flying Competition is also set and will be the opening salvo for Juego de Antes, an activity that will allow older generations to relive their childhood through traditional games they once enjoyed.

Juego de Antes will feature games such as kadang-kadang, sack race, tumbahan lata, shatung, Limbo Rock, Tug of War, Gerry Base, domino and tubigan. The Festival de Verano will also pay homage to two of the city’s well-known residents: former mayor Maria Clara Lobregat and Gen. Vicente Alvarez.

The Festival de Verano will culminate in a grand parade of lovely belles, gowns and arcs on May 24. Dubbed as the Festival de las Bellas y Flores, the parade will showcase the finest creations of the city’s renowned as well as up-and-coming designers.

Vamos a Zamboanga!

Words by Christian Olasiman
Poster design by Csz97