AS FAR BACK AS the
70s, Cagayan de Oro was already declared a highly urbanized city. Of
course, the term 'highly urbanized' may not exactly bode well to
thrill-seekers looking for life and excitement outside the
metropolis, those wanting to escape from concrete jungles to real
forests instead.
Mayor Vicente Emano
appeared to be very apologetic about the seeming 'lack' of
tourist destinations in Cagayan de Oro. Fact is, there is no reason
why he should be. On the second day of our trip to this city, we
went on a half-day white water rafting adventure, and as our fat
yellow raft sailed out to the smooth, glassy Cagayan de Oro
River, I realized how this single activity alone can detonate a
tourism boom. And that's just a single entry on the list. True,
Cagayan de Oro may be highly urbanized, one of the most progressive
cities in the Philippines. But it is the kind of urbanization that
at least strikes a balance between cosmopolitan lifestyle and
languid rusticity—on one part you may have a cluster of malls and
golf courses, but forest canopies, caves, and lush mountain slopes
are never more than an hour away. Afternoon traffic can remind you
of Manila's rush hour gridlocks because of its markedly narrow
streets, but you can always take comfort in the fact that you don't
have to drive long-haul if you want to go to beaches and the
countryside.
Cagayan de Oro (land area:
488.8 sq. km.; population 530,000) is located in Northern Mindanao,
bordered to the south by Bukidnon, Macajalar Bay to the
north, and Misamis Oriental on the east and west. It is
crucial as a major entry point to virtually the entire northern
portion of the island. The city's terrain alternates between flat
and hilly. The term 'Cagayan' in the proto-Philippine language means
the 'place of the river'. Now it has the tagline "The City of
Golden Friendship". By air, Cagayan de Oro is merely an hour
away from Manila. You land on the Lumbia airport, which is located
on a mountain plateau, but plans to build an international airport
are already underway
