AERIAL VIEWS OF ZAMBOANGA CITY: BEFORE (2005) AND AFTER (2012)!

I haven't had the chance of "flying" over Zamboanga City again, but when I saw the really beautiful aerial pictures of my friend, Sixto Kwan (Six2K), I asked him if I can use his photos in this blog!

I'd like to compare Zamboanga City, before (circa 2005) and after (circa 2012) but of course, the angulations would be different considering the different photographers and more so, different chopper pilots!!!

I actually want to share the changes in Zamboanga City topography rather than compare picture quality!

Here goes:

Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (MCIC)

2005

Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (MCIC) in 2005

2012

Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (MCIC) in 2012

The two pictures are shown in different angulations: the 2005 picture viewing Mindpro mall (white box-like building on our left side) while the 2012 picture viewing Ateneo De Zamboanga University. Can't really figure out if there are obvious new buildings in the Pueblo area. I am not expecting any big change, though, since this was a congested area in the first place.

What I can say was that the Immaculate Conception Cathedral was much newer then...and of course, the new belfry, too, with the Carillon bells! But, the rooftops across the MCIC look better in 2012!

Fort Pilar

2005

Fort Pilar in 2005

2012

Fort Pilar in 2012

I guess the position of the photos are similar. So much has changed since Paseo Del Mar and Plaza Del Pilar did not yet exist around Fort Pilar in 2005. Inside Fort Pilar, the green shrubs are now taller. In Fort Pilar, the fountain and the Carillon bells are now seen. The plants are now taller and more green. Across the Fort Pilar Shrine and across the National Museum, there are very many adobe-roofed stalls lining the area. And on the right side (our right) of Fort Pilar is another set of adobe-roofed stalls, the Plaza Del Pilar which did not exist then. It is nice to see the huge acacia trees still in the area of the the plaza Del Pilar. since they add beautiful rustic and vintage character to the area. Also, I can identify the new Bangko Sentral building in Zamboanga City, in our right upper hand corner near Lantaka Hotel, and across Paseo Del Mar!

Paseo Del Mar 2005

Fort Pilar in 2005

circa 2005: view of back part of Fort Pilar  (Real Fuerza de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza (Royal Fort of Our Lady of the Pillar of Zaragoza)  in honor of the patron virgin of Spain, Our Lady of the Pillar.

2012

there are now many structures within the Paseo Del Mar but the grandiose dancing and musical fountain, but still maintained a huge park ground to stroll around!

We didn't focus the picture in the Paseo Del Mar area before because it was just a vacant lot. Paseo Del Mar now has a beautiful musical and dancing fountain as the main attraction and of course, all the food stalls and restaurants which has enlivened the place. You'll now find Tony's Papaitan and Kape Zambo in the new building near the fountain aside from the line of restaurants in the original side like Barcode, Mano-Mano, Alavar's and many others. All kinds of people come over =  families, couples, friends, get togethers, meet ups and of course, where we bring our visitors and guests from other places.

Nuñez Extension (now Mayor Vitaliano Agan Avenue)

2005

viewing Ciudad Medical Zamboanga: Nunez Ext. directed to Ateneo De Zamboanga University 

viewing Ciudad Medical Zamboanga in Nunez Ext. with "lakeside view" otherwise known as kangkong fields.

2012

viewing Ciudad Medical Zamboanga with Nunez Ext. directed to Camins St. .. CMZ can still have a  mountain or "lakeside" view with the kangkong field still present close to it! This is so because Nunez Extension was opened in the early 2000s

viewing Ciudad Medical Zamboanga with Nunez Ext. directed to Camins St. ... see far beyond to the mountains and see Mt. Pulong Bato and Muruk on our right hand side! By the way, Nunez Extension is now called Mayor Vitaliano Agan Avenue!!!

Nunez Extension was an almost empty street in 2005 with few establishments other than Ciudad Medical Zamboanga.  By the way, did you know that Nunez Extension is now called Mayor Vitaliano Agan Avenue? Yes, it is! Here is the link:http://www.zamboanga.gov.ph/files/2009/ORD/reg353.pdf

353

AN ORDINANCE "NAMING THE NUÑEZ EXTENSION ROAD" AS "MAYOR VITALIANO D. AGAN AVENUE"

Enacted: 19 Aug 2009 Approved: 26 Aug 2009

The road was named after him because it was in his term as Mayor (1988 to 1998) that they proposed the "Opening of the Nunez Extension Road". That is why even if the Mayor Agan Avenue (Nunez Extension) is in the center of the City, it is still a relatively new road which opened in the early 2000s. Well, Zamboanga City has grown to be a more beautiful, slightly urban center.

P.S. 

Thanks Six2K for the new pictures (with watermark).

The older pictures were taken by me in 2005