About Pagadian City

Pagadian City is a 1st class city in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. It is the capital city of the province, and the regional center of the Zamboanga Peninsula. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 162,515 people in 28,027 households. It is nicknamed the “Little Hong Kong of the South”.

History of Pagadian City

Pagadian, a former barrio of the town of Labangan of the lone province of Zamboanga, became a municipality on March 23, 1937 through Executive Order 77 of the late President Manuel L. Quezon. Its ascendancy was due to the eager initiative of then Assemblyman Juan S. Alano. Hon. Jose Sanson was the first appointed mayor of Pagadian. After his brief tenure as town “Presidente”, a regular election was held with the Hon. Francisco Consolacion becoming the first elected municipal mayor.

In 1942, entered from the Japanese forces in Pagadian.

In 1945, the Philippine liberation forces with the Filipino guerrillas during the Battle of Pagadian by the attacked of the Japanese forces in the town of Pagadian during World War II.

Later, Congressman Roseller T. Lim authored R.A. 711 dividing Zamboanga into two provinces — the Norte and Sur — on June 6, 1952. Pagadian became the capital town of Zamboanga del Sur which was itself inaugurated on September 17, 1952. Pagadian became a chartered city on June 21, 1969 through R.A. 5478, being the third city in Zamboanga Peninsula. On 2004, despite Zamboanga City government’s opposition to the transfer, Pagadian became the Regional Center for Region IX- Zamboanga Peninsula and it is one of the competitive cities in Mindanao.

The name of Pagadian was derived from the Maguindanaon term pagad (wait) and padian (market), being a market during the Maguindanaon Sultanate.

It was first named Pangadjian, then later named Pagadian.

[via Wikipedia ]