In Pinay's "Ciudad": Cawa Cawa Boulevard

Sunday, October 27, 2013

POST ZAMBOANGA CONFLICT R.T.LIM BOULEVARD @ OCTOBER 2013

It is October 12, 2013, Fiesta Pilar Day!

I wanted to see the vintas ply the R.T. Lim Boulevard (Cawa-Cawa Boulevard)*** this weekend as I read in FB (must have been from DOT IX RD, Ma'am Mary June Bugante's post!).

But, the weather was dark and wet again today, after a few days of sun. I doubted if I will see the vintas, but we passed the boulevard anyway.

There are still many tents in the parts of the stretch and more are seen in the mid island of the road.

In fact, there were bancas seen also in the mid island.

boats in the mid-island of the Cawa-Cawa Boulevard

The Badjao evacuees are those who prefer to stay by the sea rather than in the evacuation center. So this place is actually by choice.

the tents are now more uniform

they wash their clothes by the roadside

by the seaside are the shelter boxes donated by the Rotary Club North... and quite enterprising to have a little store, too!

This is the Sangguniang Panglungsod building which is the coordination center for relief goods donated to the City and for distribution to the evacuees.

Close by is the Joaquin Enriquez Jr. Stadium, which is the largest evacuation center in the City.

I am just wondering why, there are again tents by the Stadium fence.

Still a sad sight, and we really hope rehabilitation efforts will be able to take off... and pray that we no longer have any unusual disasters falling on Zamboanga City!

I saw our dear Mayor Beng and the Urban Planning group with Jojo Sicat in Manila and I hope that their representations and planning will really be successful and timely.

The rains, however, reminded us of taking care of the environment and better planning on drainage, etc. We have found out that many of the drainage systems and even creeks are already covered and obstructed by houses and fences, thus, the surprise flooding (actually shocking!!!) which a large part of the populace experienced!

I didn't go to the boulevard the next day. But, my friend, Juvee did and here is what she captured!

I really love the colors and the beauty of the Zamboanga vinta sails!!!

Here are some of my older blog posts on the Zamboanga vintas and the vinta regatta. (Please click!) http://inpinaysfootsteps.blogspot.com/2011/10/vinta-regatta-2011-zamboanga-hermosa.html http://inpinaysfootsteps.blogspot.com/2011/09/zamboanga-vintas-circa-2005.html http://inpinaysfootsteps.blogspot.com/2012/10/fiesta-pilar-regatta-2012-beng-on-vinta.html http://inpinaysfootsteps.blogspot.com/2012/10/fiesta-pilar-2012-regatta-de-zamboanga.html

The challenge for Zamboanga City to regain its glory is humongous, but, it is reassuring enough that the spirit that "Zamboanga City is rising again" is already embedded in many people's hearts and minds! Levanta Zamboanga!!!

FIESTA PILAR: REGATTA DE ZAMBOANGA SCENES @ OCTOBER 2012

I again picked this up from the Wikipedia just for more information about the Fiesta Pilar, but it is more formally called the Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival:

The Hermosa Festival also known as Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival or popularly known as Fiesta Pilar a month-long festival held each year in the city of Zamboanga, the city center of Zamboanga Peninsula Region in the Philippines. It is one of the Oldest Festival in the Country and the most awaited Event in the Region.

The Festival is being held in honor of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pillar (Spanish and Chavacano:Nuestra Señora del Pilar), the patroness of Zamboanga City which is held in every 12 October. It is also the patroness of Zaragoza in Spain, the sister city of Zamboanga in Philippines.

In fact, if I check out Fiesta Pilar in Wikipedia but this also points to the Fiestas Del Pilar:

Fiestas del Pilar are an annual festival celebrated in the city of Zaragoza (Spain) in honour of the patron saint of the city, the Virgen del Pilar (Virgin Mary of the Pilar). They take place the week of the 12th of October. Usually, the festival starts the weekend before the 12th, and lasts until the following Sunday, so they last about ten days.

To kick-off the Fiesta Pilar is the Regatta de Vinta or the Regatta de Zamboanga, the race of the vintas.

From Wikipedia, here are some information about Vintas:

The vinta (locally known as lepa-lepa or sakayan) is a traditional boat found in the Philippine island of Mindanao. These boats are made by Bajau and Moros living in the Sulu Archipelago, Zamboanga peninsula, and southern Mindanao. It has a sail with assorted vertical colors that represents the colorful culture and history of the Muslim community. These boats are used for inter-island transport of people and goods. Zamboanga City is known for these vessels.