Zamboanga City - Pasonanca and Freedom Parks, Mt. Pulong Bato and La Jardin de Maria Clara Lobregat

After strolling around the streets of Zamboanga City, I went back to the hostel to fix my things and checked out. I had my lunch in a nearby restaurant and took a jeepney bound for Pasonanca (PHP 10).

Pasonanca Park is about 7 kms away from the city and is recognized as the "Little Baguio of the South" as it is one of the highest elevated barangays from the sea level. It is a popular tourist attraction in Zamboanga City well-known for holding conferences, regional seminars, conventions, outdoor camping or jamborees of Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts and has won awards as the number one garden in the Philippines.


A total contrast from the busy city center, I spent most of my afternoon just enjoying the cool breeze of the air, the towering trees and clean surroundings at the Boy Scout grounds. It is a park built to commemorate the 24 Filipino boy scouts who died in a plane crash in India while they were on their way to attend a Jamboree in Greece in 1963.



Probably the most iconic landmarks in Pasonanca Park are the teepees and the tree house built way back in the 1960's.




After about an hour I decided to continue my journey. I asked some locals how I could get to the Freedom Park. They gladly helped me find a habal-habal (single motorcycle) that can bring me to the park which is about 10 minutes away from the Boy Scout grounds.



The Freedom Park is the memorial and the final resting place of slain Mayor of Zamboanga City, Cesar C. Climaco. Two canyons, a giant soldier's hat and the burial site of Mayor Climaco on the left will greet you upon entering the park.



We then proceeded to Mt. Pulong Bato or the Abong-abong Park. It is a favorite hiking destination during holy week as stations of the cross are lined up along the road going up. A giant cross and an awesome view of the city will welcome you upon reaching the top.


The site somehow give visitors internal peace and serenity. It is a place to enjoy fresh cool air, breathtaking views of the city and scenic mountain views. It's such a beautiful place to visit if you are looking for inner peace as well as to have some quiet time with yourself.






We went down after about an hour and proceeded to La Jardin de Maria Clara Lobregat. It is a garden park named after the late mayor of Zamboanga City, Maria Clara Lobregat. The park boasts to have several species of flowers and butterflies and an aviary for some avian species such as turkeys, parrots, and eagles. It also has a monument dedicated to the former mayor.







I bid goodbye to my habal-habal driver and gave him PHP 70 for the whole trip. I took a ZCPB (Zamboanga City Public Market) bound jeepney (PHP 7) and alighted at Camins Road where I took another jeepney going to the airport for my flight back to Manila.

Gracias Zamboanga City!

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