Zamboanga

My longtime desire to go to Zamboanga made me instantly say yes to a fellow producer asking for a favor in July 2014. I was asked to shoot in Zamboanga for an episode for Bawal ang Pasaway kay Mareng Winnie, a show hosted by Winnie Monsod in GMA News TV Channel 11.

The topic then was about the state of Zamboanga a year after the standoff between the Moro National Liberation Front faction and the government's soldiers (both from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police). It was a bloody crisis that lasted for 19 days.

During our shoot, I was with a researcher and a cameraman. We rented a van that served as our transportation all throughout our stay. The van's owner, aside from being a local, was also a GMA News stringer. We checked into Marcian Garden Hotel and Convention Center. Our researcher coordinated everything.

Our team was able to go around the city to conduct interviews. Was also able to see:

Zamboanga City Hall that was built in 1905
KGK Building, which was the ground zero of the 2013 siege
Cawa-cawa Boulevard where we ate most of the time; don't miss tryin' Knicker Bocker and Satti
Sta. Cruz Island, known for its pinkish sand and only a 15-minute boat ride away from city proper; we were also lucky to have seen vintas, which is one of Zamboanga's iconic images
Baliwasan Grandstand (or Tent City) where many displaced families stayed due to the 2013 siege
Rio Hondo Water Village, which was burnt down in the midst of the 2013 siege
Taluksangay Mosque, oldest mosque in Western Mindanao

Seeing the effects of the standoff firsthand were devastating, especially after interviewing displaced families living in Baliwasan Grandstand. But the 2013 siege shouldn't hinder Zamboanga's growth as a city particularly in terms of its tourism. The beauty of Zamboanga I've witnessed was something most Filipinos should see. Expect to experience a historical and cultural enlightenment like I did.

Baliwasan Grandstand 1

Baliwasan Grandstand

Cawa Cawa Boulevard

Displaced in Baliwasan Grandstand

Kgk Building 1

Kgk Building

Knicker Bocker

Rio Hondo Water Village

Satti

Sta Cruz Island 1

Sta Cruz Island 2

Sta Cruz Island 3

Sta Cruz Island 4

Sta Cruz Island Vinta 1

Sta Cruz Island Vinta

Sta Cruz Island

Sunset in Zamboanga 1

Sunset in Zamboanga

Taluksangay Mosque

Zamboanga City Hall

Zamboanga City

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mona_axe17@yahoo.com

About Mona

Certified as a PADI rescue diver. Got my first compact camera in 2011. I was simply content then to just capture a glimpse of what I see during my dives. It was only last February 2014 that I fully maximized the use of manual macro settings.

My camera skills and knowledge are still a work in progress. Enjoy browsin’!

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Zamboanga

Baliwasan Grandstand 1

Baliwasan Grandstand

Cawa Cawa Boulevard

Displaced in Baliwasan Grandstand

Kgk Building 1

Kgk Building

Knicker Bocker

Rio Hondo Water Village

Satti

Sta Cruz Island 1

Sta Cruz Island 2

Sta Cruz Island 3

Sta Cruz Island 4

Sta Cruz Island Vinta 1

Sta Cruz Island Vinta

Sta Cruz Island

Sunset in Zamboanga 1

Sunset in Zamboanga

Taluksangay Mosque

Zamboanga City Hall

Zamboanga City

What do you think about my work?

MY UNDERWATER GALLERY

More Fun in the Philippines

Let's talk about diving, marine life, and the beauty of the Philippines!

About Mona

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Explore through Mona's Lens