In the summer of 1974, a group of Zamboanguenos hosted a picnic in honor of some visitors from Southern California at Lake Merced in San Francisco.

They had such great fun when somebody brought up the idea of forming a social club. Immediately, the group discussed and formulated a plan leading to its fruition. Later in December of that year, the pioneering group assembled a much larger group of Zamboanguenos at Wawona Park in San Francisco. As soon as their Constitution and bylaws were adopted, they elected their first set of officers headed by Bon T. Puno as President. Zamboanga Hermosa Organization was born.

For more than 30 years, no less than 15 prominent members were elected presidents of the organization. Every year the registered members paid tribute to its patron saint, Nuestra Sonora del Pilar, during the annual novenas and celebrations of Fiesta Pilar. They are deeply inculcated and fostered their Christian values, culture, and tradition.

In the mid-1990s, during the term of Art Gubisch, the constitution and bylaws were amended and ratified by the members with the end in view of registering as a non profit corporation. However, it did not materialize until 2011.

On October 10, 2010, Bon T. Puno was again elected as president. The social club persona was replaced by a legal entity as a duly registered non profit organization under 501(c)(3) by the state and federal laws vested by the office of the Attorney General, and the Internal Revenue Service.

Zamboanga Hermosa of Northern California, Inc. was born!

The tireless and indefatigable task and the "bayanihan" spirit of the registered members made this a reality.

Manuel "Noli" R. Dahilig
Editor, Zambo Gazing