“ THE HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND PILGRIMAGE  DESTINATION”

There are several reasons why Ozamiz  is  called the Historical, Cultural and Pilgrimage Destination in Mindanao.

Formerly, Ozamiz City is the municipality of  Misamis. It became a chartered city on July 16, 1948. Ozamiz City is named after the late Senator Jose “ Pepeng” Fortich Ozamiz in honor of his Martyrdom and Heroism. The late Senator Ozamiz is the first Senator coming  from   Misamis Occidental.

Ozamiz City  has emerged  as one of the interesting tourist destination  in this part of Mindanao after  the historians have written and  embraced all of the account of events  and  the stories  on the bravery   and heroism  of the men and women  fighting for their  lives and beliefs during the alien invasion  from the Spanish regime in the early part of 15^th century  until the  Japanese  occupation  in our nation  for  over    Two  centuries.

During the 17^th century Spaniards conquered this place not by force but by faith. The  Spaniards built the Fort, locally known as Cotta  in 1756. Father Jose Docus was the architect  of the Fort. They introduced Christianity to the early settlers which was  the Subanon. In the early Eighteen century the Spaniards brought to Ozamiz the original image  of the Miraculous Our Lady of Triumph of the Cross which was kept in the first Catholic Church here and later on  as Her miracles  spread out , the Virgin has become the  favorite devotion of the people. The Miraculous image was engraved and enshrine  on the wall of the Cotta.  Since then, Cotta has been closely associated with  the Shrine as what Misamis folks considered the Miraculous Image of the  “ Berhin sa Cotta”  which has become adopted as the second patroness of the city. The Our Lady of Immaculate  Concepcion is the patroness of Ozamiz whose feast day is celebrated every December 8, while “Berhin sa Cotta” has Her feast day on July 16 which coincides with the date when Ozamiz has become a chartered City.

Today, after 255-year ,Cotta  remained the precious jewel of  Ozamiznon and even to the Misamisnon and the faithful continued to pay  homemade visit to  the Shrine while devotees  and pilgrims  from the different part of the country  continue  in praying  and thanksgiving  for their petitions.

On  March 13, 2002 the National Historical Institute (NHI) has declared  the Fort or Cotta as one of the National Landmark of the Philippines naming it as “ Fuerte dela Concepcion y del Triunfo  per  en banc resolution dated March 13, 2002.

Interesting places in the city includes  the 90-meter high-above sea level   Bukagan Hill which kept on its belfry the 4-giant bells of St. Michael casted in Germany in 1648. The Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral which was designed by the national artist Leandro Locsin in 1962 and the Pipe Organ found at the choir-loaf of the Cathedral and the old Spanish ancestral home of the Rodriguez-Bernad family. Dr. Jose Rizal before he was exiled in Dapitan  has  stayed  overnight  at the Rodriguez ancestral home in barangay Aguada.

Ozamiz  has the best seafoods to offer from the abundance of Panguil Bay. We have special menu on the famous “Laya fish. Try the  green mango wrap with laya kinilaw  meat, the fantastic Crabs and seashells  cooked in different style just choose according to your preference in a very affordable cost.

We showcase our precious Subanon culture in a uniquely interesting  and  famous “Subayan Keg Subanon Festival  every  July 15. This is the way to  continuously preserving the cultural values of the original people inhabiting in this place.

Today, Ozamiz stands proud and is very promising City,   we have direct  flights from Manila and Cebu. Vessels are regularly  docking  in our  clean and modern  seaport  serving both passengers and cargo for  Cebu,Dumaguete,Ilo-ilo,Iligan and Manila.

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