Carefree in Cagayan de Oro City (Part 2)

Hakuna Matata—this became one of my favorite mantras after watching The Lion King many years ago. Roughly translated, the Swahili phrase (which happens to be the title of a song featured in the popular animated film) means "no worries", or the kind of attitude that I’d like to associate with what the French call joie de vivre or “the joy of living”.

Ayala Centrio: one of the most frequented shopping complexes in CDO

Like so many people, I’ve been trying to lead a life that’s worry-free. But then again, life’s a bitch most of the time. Like it or not, trials and tribulations come our way. That’s why we must have the courage to stay afloat, not letting our worries get the better of us. Carefree, that should be the attitude if we want to live longer, I guess.

Me? I practice a simple approach in keeping my worries at bay. Hard as it may be, I strive to be carefree no matter what the circumstances are. How? I drive. Long distance, that is. Shhh, don’t laugh now but that’s my stress therapy. The escapist in me gets a kick out of driving to faraway places. 

CDO's changing cityscape

In recent months, some personal circumstances have made life kinda rough and tough to handle. I wanted out, at least for a few days. Seeking some breathing space, I decided to hit the road to Northern Mindanao. Destination: CDO. That’s Cagayan de Oro, in case you don’t know.

In the “City of Golden Friendship”, the chances of getting infected by its feel-good vibes run high. Exag as it may seem, there’s something magical about the smiles and warmth of Kagayan-ons that can ease anybody’s worries even for just a few days. Believe me, the folks there are probably the best versions of the happiest Pinoys in the planet.


It wasn’t my first time in CDO so I was far from clueless about what it can offer to the woeful and world-weary. The city teems with many attractions that can pumped up the right dose of adrenaline and endorphin into your sagging spirits. Think river rafting, zip lines, rappelling, spelunking, dragon boat racing, the works!

There’s so much to see and do in the city that can help you find your balance and keep you light and easy. It has everything and anything for any adventure junkie, be it in air, land, or water. You just have to discover them yourselves and choose something that suits your wild.

For this recent sojourn, however, I wanted something more laidback so I focused my sights on two popular attractions that CDO is identified with: Macahambus Cave and Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village.  For the longest time, I’ve been lusting after these spots because of their historical and cultural significance. 

The road to Macahambus Cave

Historic Cave

Hidden somewhere in the hilly village of Lumbia, Macahambus Cave is included in the bucket list of many weekend warriors. Like them, I’ve been raring to see this attraction for the longest time but, for one reason or another, I failed to squeeze it into my previous itineraries. This time, however, I made sure that I’ll get to explore it once and for all, come hell or high water.

Entrance to Macahambus Cave

For dabblers in history like me, this cave is a must-see mainly because of its historical value—it was there where the “Battle of Macahambus Hill” took place on June 4, 1900. This momentous event in the country’s history marks the first among our few victories during the Philippine-American War.

Gripped with excitement, I got behind the wheel and careened towards Lumbia (my first time to explore that part of the city) to take a peek inside Macahambus Cave. Several minutes later, I reached the site, which is easily located given the billboard that motorists can see from the highway. 

Pulling over from across the cave’s entrance, I noticed a makeshift souvenir shop selling various handicrafts. I then asked the woman manning the store if I can go inside the cave. “Anytime, sir,” she said. By the way, visitors need not pay any entrance fee to get inside Macahambus Cave.

Aside from the souvenirs and trinkets for sale, I noticed several headlights on display at the stall.  I asked the woman if they were up for grabs, too. “For rent only, sir. Twenty pesos each”, came the reply. I got one and placed it on my head. In a jiffy, I was ready to explore the cavern!  

Near the cave’s entrance are two markers that provide details about Macahambus as well as its historical significance. Incidentally, I learned from the woman at the souvenir stall that the ideal time for visiting the cave is usually in the morning, say, 9 AM onwards. By late afternoon, it is usually off limits to the public.

Inside Macahambus Cave

One of the markers stated that Macahamabus is a “thru” cave, meaning it can be entered at one and exited at the other. The cave has three chambers, all of which served as sanctuary of many Kagay-anon soldiers during the Philippine-American War.

Upon entering the first chamber, I readily felt the cool breeze coming from the cave’s opening at its opposite side. Soon it turned dark as I walked deep into the inner recesses of Macahambus with only my headlight and my phone’s flashlight illuminating the path.

Then I saw a small, cramped opening—quite small that I had to crouch to fit right into it—that leads into another chamber. After making it through that hole, I walked several  meters more. To my delight, the path I was treading grew bright as light coming from outside illuminated the walls of the cave.

Geez, before I knew it, I had reached the other side of Macahambus Cave! I came out of the dark chamber and stepped into a steel view deck. Standing there, I was rewarded with a breathtaking vista of the mighty Cagayan de Oro River (or at least a part of it), several hundred feet below me. Whew, whatta quickie of an adventure!

  

Hole at the other end of the cave


 

For visitors who have no vehicle but want to see the cave, they may take any of the PUVs going to Lumbia, where the old CDO airport is located. Fare is about Php25 per person. A taxi, on the other hand, will cost them around Php400 for a round trip.

A portion of the mighty Cagayan de Oro River as seen from the view deck

Entrance to Gardens of Malasag Eco-tourism Village

Highland Gardens

Still flushed with exhilaration, I hopped into my car and drove towards the village of Cugman along the Cagayan-Iligan-Butuan Highway. Destination: the Gardens of Malasag Eco-tourism Village (GMEV). From what I’ve gathered, GMEV provides visitors with a colorful glimpse of the rich ethnic heritage of Northern Mindanao as well as its ecology thru various artifacts, customs and traditions and flora and fauna, put together in one unique highland resort.

GMEV's ethnic-inspired dorms

Neatly tucked within the verdant slopes of CDO’s Cugman Watershed, GMEV, which was conceptualized in 1991, is an eco-friendly habitat, which, according to the brochure I read, was created out of inspiration from the botanical gardens of Spain and Canada.

Spread across seven hectares of forestland, GMEV is made up of several botanical plots with a small wildlife collection of butterflies, birds and deer. Seeing the highland resort for the first time, it struck me as an ethnic theme park of sorts whose main come-ons are the tribal houses representing the abodes of the indigenous cultures found in Northern Mindanao.

The tribal village represents a microcosm of the life and heritage of the lumads like the Subanon, Talaandig and Higaonon, to name a few. The houses feature the tribal communities doing handicrafts, perform rituals, dances and other art forms, their traditional handicrafts, agricultural implements, ethnic instruments and ornaments.

Huge forest trees inside GMEV

GMEV also boasts of the following amenities: camping ground, swimming pool, function halls, dormitories, amphitheater, aviary, hanging bridge, souvenir shop, mini-plaza, flower gardens, to name some.

I had no idea where GMEV is specifically located. Though I saw the place in pictures posted in several websites, I wasn’t familiar with the routes in CDO. Good thing, I managed to locate it using Google® Maps. With the virtual map as my guide, I was able to reach it.

For visitors who have no vehicle but wish to see GMEV, they can take any of the PUVs passing by Cugman. At the waiting shed along the highway, motorcycles for hire await passengers bound for Malasag Hill. Fare is about Php25 per person. A taxi will compel guests to shell out around Php300 for a two-way trip.  

A slight drizzle welcomed me as I negotiated my way through a narrow but well-paved road that leads to the highland hideaway. Though it hardly dampened my spirit, the light rain made the road slippery so I had to drive at low speed to avoid any untoward incident as I went up the hill.

Walkway inside GMEV

Minutes later, I saw the sign pointing to my destination. Pulling over, I headed for the information counter and paid the entrance fee (Php50). Afterwards, I proceeded with my photo walk around GMEV.

All of a sudden, it started raining cats and dogs, forcing me to abort the tour and seek refuge in a resto-café within the GMEV premises. I ordered some pica-pica while waiting for the rain to stop.

Hazy view of CDO and Macalajar Bay

Sitting there, I was treated to a breathtaking seascape of CDO and Macalajar Bay below, albeit nebulous because of the haze. On a clear day, I bet it would be an awe-inspiring vista worth a dozen clicks.

By 5 o’clock, the drizzle still showed no signs of waning. So, before darkness could creep into the resort, I decided to drive my way back to the downtown area.

Thinking about going somewhere where you can be carefree and cheery? A happy place bursting with so much dynamism and energy that will make you smile like you haven’t smiled before. No problemo, mi amigo. Just go to CDO pronto. When you get there, I’m certain you’ll find something to make you exclaim: “Hakuna Matata!” 🤣 

Milling around Misamis Oriental (Part 1)

If my sense of history serves me right, it was in Mindanao where Spain took a beating before she tasted victory, or some form of it. Her incursions into the island took centuries to gain ground mainly because of the feisty Moro people whose sultanates relentlessly staved off the colonizers’ attempts to gain a foothold of their territory. It was only during the final years of Spanish colonization in the Philippines that a full-scale conquest was launched, resulting to the subjugation of many parts of what used to be impenetrable Moroland.

In what is now modern-day Northern Mindanao, the vast lands that belonged to a region called Misamis were among those that eventually succumb to the power of the Cross. By the 1800s, this part of the island was organized as a province covering Dapitan in the west up to Gingoog in the east, even to as far as Cotabato and Lanao del Sur in the south. This, however, eventually disintegrated with the subdivision as well as the creation of new provinces that included Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental, both of which came into being in the 1920s.

Like some episodic possession à la Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the history-obsessed gadabout lurking inside me reared its ugly head on several occasions, compelling me to mill around the two Misamis provinces. But the other fellow—the fastidious bean-counter who accounts everything up to the last cent—kept resisting the urge to hit the road since doing so would only impoverish some more my already cash-strapped wallet. In the end, however, it’s always the obsessive-compulsive history-loving bum who’d prevail! LOL!

Of the two provinces, I’ve been to Misamis Oriental or MisOr quite more often because of its relative  proximity to Davao.  Whenever I’m in MisOr,  there’s this side of the province that never fails to amaze me, notably the vestiges of Spain’s colonization and  the spread of  Christianity in that part of the island. Every time  I’m in MisOr, I usually kick off  my journey in what is considered as the regional center of Northern Mindanao—Cagayan de Oro, or CDO for short.

If there's one thing about Cagayan de Oro that fascinates me, it’s the unique name that’s said to have been derived from two languages: Malay and Spanish. Legend has it that there’s a mighty river that runs through a settlement where the early Spanish conquistadors discovered gold nuggets. That settlement was then known as Kagay-an, a name which was allegedly derived from the ancient word kagay, meaning “river” in Malay. Kagay-an, therefore, means "place with a river.

When the law creating the city was passed more than 50 years ago, former Congressman (and later Vice-President) Emmanuel Pelaez, one of the city’s most eminent sons, appended “de Oro” to the city’s, which means “gold” in Spanish, in recognition of the gold mining activities in the area during the pre-Spanish times. Cagayan de Oro—fondly called CDO by locals and tourists alike—roughly translates to “City with a River of Gold.”

Considered as the capital of Misamis Oriental, the city is a highly-urbanized metropolis that now governs itself independently from the province. Like many provincial cities in the country, life in CDO is relatively laidback here compared to those cities in Metro Manila and Cebu, giving people the chance to enjoy a comfortable way of life amid a rapidly changing urban setting. From real estate to power to food, prices in CDO are relatively lower, enabling both residents and tourists alike to get more value for their hard-earned pesos or dollars.

Unlike other urban centers in the country, crime and criminality in CDO are at their lowest. Next to Davao and GenSan, I’m comfy roaming the streets and arcades of the City of Golden Friendship even in the darkest hours of night. Theft, assaults, gang wars, if any, are largely unheard of. Also, people from various cultures and creeds—Christians, Muslims and lumads—live in peaceful co-existence. 

For the nth time I’ve made it to CDO this year. Entering the city after nearly seven hours on the road, its modernity and sophistication felt like the ultimate antithesis to the picturesque landscapes of rolling hills swathe with pineapple plantations, verdant fields teeming with the country’s staple food, meandering rivers that provide power to the island. Roaming around the heart of CDO, the bucolic sceneries of the countryside seemed distant and surreal.  

As always, the city dazzled this frequent visitor with her numerous surprises: new hotels, new malls, new flyovers, new residential areas, etc. Life seemed to have taken a turn for the better following the disaster that struck CDO more than a year ago. Many Cagayanons who have survived the wrath of Typhoon Sendong seemed to have found the courage and the will to rebuild their shattered lives, choosing to move on after the tragic incident that claimed lives and destroyed properties.  

I think for many Catholics in CDO, moving on must have been less torturous because of their deep-rooted belief and trust in the Almighty. In a modern-day metropolis like this premier city in Northern Mindanao, it’s inspiring to see how people have managed to cling to their spirituality amid the tragedies they've experienced, judging from the huge throngs of devotees who were flocking to St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral during the weekend I went there.

As the seat of devotion for the faithful of MisOr and other nearby places, the Gothic-inspired cathedral was built by the Augustinian friars in 1845. The original structure, however, was heavily destroyed during World War II but was rebuilt in the post-war era. If time and circumstance permit me, I always include a visit to this house of worship in my itinerary where I always feel comforted and protected from the hazards of a long trip. 

Truly, CDO is one place I’d never get tired to visiting. Whenever the opportunity to go on a vacay in Northern Mindanao knocks at my door, I’d quickly pack my stuff and head for the city, meandering around town and catching up on its sights, smells and sounds even though I’ve already experienced them many times over. Rain or shine, the everyday scenes in CDO will always be chada to me.
 

Aside from the City of Golden Friendship, I had the opportunity to explore three other places in MisOr: the cities of El Salvador and Gingoog as well as the town of Medina. The two cities may not be as popular and progressive as CDO but they have interesting nooks and crannies that, for me, are worth exploring. Also, I got intrigued by Medina after learning about one of its fine beach resorts. These three, I guess, are some of the boom towns to watch out for as they’re going to catapult the province to new heights.

Not too long ago, El Salvador, along with 15 other newly created cities in the Philippines, hugged the national headlines when its cityhood was nullified following a Supreme Court decision which deemed the law that converted it into a city as unconstitutional. The petitioners, however, appealed their case before the justices, resulting in a legal tug-of-war that lasted for a few years, with the High Court vacillating on its own decision! After several reversals, I heard that the justices had upheld the cityhood of El Salvador and the 15 towns.

 

More than a century after the Spanish conquistadors left the country, the seeds of Catholicism which they had sowed in Northern Mindanao continue to bear fruit, especially in El Salvador. That it’s being referred to as the “City of the Savior” or the “City of Mercy” got me somewhat doubtful so during one trip up north, I made sure that I’d get to step into this city which is just a 30-minute ride from downtown CDO.

There, all my doubts vanished into thin air as I witnessed for myself what drives thousands of devotees from all over the country and abroad to gravitate towards the so-called City of Mercy, especially during the Lenten Season. It’s none other than the 50-foot statue of Jesus Christ which is found inside the Divine Mercy Shrine. The sculpture is considered by some as our version of Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer which incidentally stands atop of a mountain overlooking Rio Janeiro. 

On a recent trip, I was able to return to El Salvador, managing to squeeze in a second visit to the shrine, which is almost fully developed. The church, which was a loose network of scaffoldings a few years ago, is almost complete. Retreat houses, view decks, prayer gardens and children’s playground have also been put up. It was a sight to behold. Here’s one perfect place where the Son of God and his teachings are literally larger than life itself, I mused while shooting at the image. 

Gazing at the gigantic statue, which rises on a nearly 12-hectare hilly track of land overlooking the blue waters of Macalajar Bay, I recalled the Gospel’s account of the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus preached about his best known teachings like the Beatitudes. The preaching, according to some scholars, took place not on a mountain (since there are none in Galilee) but rather on a large hill! Hmmm…something must have been lost in the translation somewhere.

Just like the first time, I found myself awed by the sheer size of the Divine Mercy’s statue as well as the symbol it represents. A "halo" made out of stained glass serves as its crowning glory. The red and gray “rays” that represent the flowing "blood" and "water" are actually staircases leading up to the "heart" of Jesus. At the heart is a hidden niche with a life-size statue of Saint Faustina, the Polish nun who had a vision which described what is now called the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Carved at the base of the statue are the words, “JESUS I TRUST IN YOU”.
 

Planning a visit? Here’s a caveat: wear something appropriate for a holy place—no mini-skirts, no tube tops, no short shorts, no sandos. Violate this and the staff at the shrine will certainly call your attention and tell you the shrine isn’t some picnic ground. Worst, they’d compel you (even if you’re a guy!) to wear a blue or red cloth either as a shawl or a skirt just to cover your “nakedness”.  Now, guys, you wouldn’t want to be forced to wear a skirt against your will, eh? LOL! :-D