Cagayan de Oro: City of Golden Friendship

CAGAYAN DE ORO (PNA) – Cagayan de Oro dubbed as the “City of Friendship” has much more to offer to tourists, both local and foreign.

Cagayan de Oro is located along Macajalar Bay in the Central Coast of Northern Mindanao. It serves as regional center for Region X. It is bounded by barangay Bugo on the east, on the west by barangay Iponan, and barangay Tumpagon on the south.

Guest at the recently concluded “Kumbira 2002” was Romulo delos Reyes, director, Bureau of International Promotion.

Region X Tourism director Dorothy Pabayo said that in the “Kumbira 2002” several activities were undertaken. First in the list was the “Kabulakan Festival,” a garden show at the Lim Ket Kai Center, harnessing the potentials of indigenous and locally bred varieties.

The “Sundayag,” an agro-industry and tourism exposition showcased the best of Northern Mindanao’s products, services and destinations. It came from the old Cebuano word, which means show, presentation or exhibition.

Then there was also the Kumbira/Ham Festival, which is a yearly culinary show and live competition organized by the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association.

It featured some of the best fusion cuisine. The highlight of which was the Ham festival.

A tourism forum was also held where the Tourism Volunteer-12 (V-12) Program and Visit Philippines 2003 (VPY 2003) were launched.

A beauty and brains competition was also held. It featured Cagayan de Oro’s young, beautiful and talented ladies who will vie as the city’s “Ambassador of Goodwill.”

Aside from the festival, the city offers many sights and sceneries that will surely attract tourists. Foremost of these, is the Gardens of Malasag Ecotourism Village.

The village is a unique theme park, which is a repository of knowledge about the multi-faceted culture of Mindanao’s indigenous tribes. It is not just a mere destination, “it is an ecology village that serves as a learning center for ecotourism in a botanic garden setting.”

Malasag Gardens, which stands on a 5.7 hectare site is located about 14 kilometers from Cagayan de Oro, and features the different dwellings and the rich heritage of ethnic groups like Subanon, Higaonon, Talaandig and Matigsalog.

The garden was inspired by the picturesque Gardens of Granada in Spain and the Boucchart Gardens of Canada.

The most prominent features of the village are the different tribal houses of the Mindanao ethnic groups. Each ethnic house is built according to its own authentic style, complete with real and traditional artifacts. These houses were built by craftsmen and artisan of each tribe using their indigenous methods and materials.

The village also has cottages, a swimming pool and a restaurant which serves native foods. Other amenities include picnic grove, food kiosks and comfort rooms and showers. There are also observation decks, a view deck, an amphitheater, a multi-purpose hall and a learning center.

Other attractions include the underground Macahambus Cave and the 130-foot circular grove; three beautiful parks such as Gaston Park, Vicente de Lara Park and the Golden Friendship park; the Xavier University Folk Museum which displays an array of relics of the Bukidnon and Maranao cultures; the Seminary Hill where one can find the San Jose Seminary, St. John Vianney Seminary and the Carmelite Convent; the La Castilla Museum, which is the depository of household heirlooms and antiques at the Liceo University Complex.