My Pagadian

 "My Pagadian"

I was recently on an out-of-town trip where I was mixed with peers from different places in and outside of the Philippines. When I introduced myself to the rest of the crowd, I noticed that some of them (excluding the foreign delegates) had question marks on top of their heads when I smilingly said, “I’m from Pagadian City!” They actually thought I’m from the USA because of my nosebleed American accent. What a compliment! But I am a proud Pagadianon.

It was then when I realized that only a handful know Pagadian City. To some, it’s like the lost City of Atlantis – only heard of but never been there. Thus, I’ve come up with a small list of signs to let others differentiate Pagadian from any other city:

1. Legs – a solid Pagadianon has thick and strong legs, as sturdy as a Narra tree. This is because Pagadian City lies on a slope. Back in the days when Suzuki Aura and Yamaha Krypton were not invented yet and tricycles were scarce, Pagadianons relied on their feet. They would walk down the city to buy their groceries and then walk uphill, resting every now and then. A Pagadianon could easily do that.

1. Tricycles – This is the urban counterpart of the famous carabao. My cousin refers to them as his alarm clocks! True, Pagadian’s tricycles are some of the noisiest and weirdest in the world. Normally, when one rides a tricycle he would have a clear view of the street. But in Pagadian, that’s not gonna happen! Most of what the passenger would see is the clear blue sky! This is because the local tricycle is on a 40 to 45 degree tilted angle. Designed on purpose for the uphill rides of your life! It makes you want to pray the rosary everytime you ride on it especially at the back portion. A healthy conversation uphill won’t be conceived inside the tricycle.

1. Ha? – If Cagayan de Oro has tsada and Dumagute has sa, Pagadian has ha. This is the most common interrogative expression of a Pagadianon. Due to the noise pollution brought about by the famous rocketship tricycles, Pagadianons have developed something sort of a hearing impairment. Ha is used to force the other person to restate what he/she has been saying because apparently the Pagadianon was not able to hear it clearly.

1. Ubos – this is a clear proof that Pagadian is similar to Hong Kong in as far as topography is concerned. Ubos (the unique pagadianon translation of downtown) refers to the heart of the city where commercial establishments have decided to crowd. It’s the nucleus of all business activities and the usual route of all parades. Pagadianons don’t go to Sentro or Siyudad, they go to ubos!

1. Parades – are similar to the death march! If one wishes to be familiar with the city, then joining the parade would be one of the best advices. The city’s parade route passes thru some of the significant landmarks of the locality. It usually starts and ends in Plaza Luz or at the city gymnasium. It passes by the provincial capitol, regional offices, business establishments and schools. But one has to be prepared if one wishes to participate in the parade. What goes down must eventually go up. It’s the going up part that’s a bit challenging.

1. Plaza Luz – named after the wife of the late Mayor Pajares, Plaza Luz is one of the biggest in Mindanao. It covers an entire area of a city block. It is strategically situated adjacent to the city hall and the famous oval grounds. Despite being in the heart of the city, it can still serve its purpose. It invites weary travelers (usually truck drivers) for a quick nap. The cool breeze conglomerates people from different walks of life into the Plaza. There is more to it than meets the eye. Plaza Luz, because of its wide area and the impressive taklobo stage, has been playing host to the government’s and other organizations’ programs, concerts, rallies and other events. It also bears witness to hundreds of successes and breakups. At night, it becomes a trysting place of lovers who can’t afford a decent place to express their strong feelings!

So there you have it. They are just some of the things that separate Pagadian from the rest of the world. They make the city unique. They comprise My Pagadian!