Pagadian is a beautiful city!

Pagadian is my homtown. I was born and weighed here. It's a peaceful place,... despite all-out wars occured in nearby places, my city still remained peaceful and unattacked. It's well known for its tagline, "the safest place in Regin-IX!" Its nearest neighbor is the 1st Infantry Battalion located 16 k off Northeast. The city's open hatches are all guarded by PMGs. All incoming vehicles are halted for immediate check-up.


How did my city got its name?

Legends aroused for its name origin.

Pangadye-an - was the most popular name legend. It's a Visayan word that means "a place to be prayed for" and/or "a place for praying" because of a Malaria epidemic that had ravaged the early Christian settlers who mostly came from Cebu and nearby Visayan islands.

Gagadian - a bird name of its early inhabitants.

The name of Pagadian is derived from the Maguindanao term ''pagad'' (wait) and ''padian'' (market), it has been a trading post and market during the period when it was still under the Maguindanao Sultanate.

Pagadian Tricycle!

The city's most popular tourist eye-catcher is it unique tricycle built and designed to adapt the city's hilly topography. Only 10 percent of its land surface is well-leveled. Most of it climbs up to the sky. It's been always a funny urban joke seeing first-timers freak out as they take a ride around the city with the local tricycles. They feel tumbling down from the back especially when they go to the higher grounds,... they're already sitting on the city's public transport 40 degrees from horizontal line. We, the locals always claim with great pride that it is only in Pagadian that one can see a public transport tilted at a certain angle.

Pasalamat Festival!

The most colorful annual celebration of Roman Catholics that falls every third Sunday of January in honor of its patron saint, Senior Sto. Niño is the Pasalamat Festival. It has always been started with a Roman Catholic high mass celebrated every 4 0'clock in the morning at its warf area the day before the feast day which includes the blessing of all Sto. Niño Catholic icons. It is then followed by a regatta (fluvial parade) where all blessed Sto. Niño icons are crossed to the sea by colorful boats. After the fluvial parade, all devotees walk their Sto. Niño icons to the Sto. Niño Cathedral for praises and thanksgiving for the previous year. The Feast Day is the big day! All trade exhibits are here, the Mutya ng Pagadian beauty pageant is witnessed, carnival shows, sports competitions, as well as street dancing parade are witnessed by all.

Araw Ng Pagadian

This event falls every 21st June in commemoration of its founding as a chartered city. There are agro-trade exhibits, a civic-military parade, cultural presentation and sports competitions in designated public areas of the city. Same also every September 17, the Zamboanga del Sur’s Annual anniversary.

More about Pagadian

Pagadian is the capital city of Zamboagna del Sur. It belongs to the 1st District of the latter. The city is composed of 54 barangays.