Showing off the happiest place in the country

MANILA, Philippines - Cagayan de Oro is tagged as “The City of Golden Friendship.” Everyone here addresses each other as “bai,” or “buddy.” Mark Garcia, a 24-year-old local, couldn’t be prouder that his province holds the title.

A nationwide tourism campaign also called the city the “happiest place in the Philippines” with so many tourist activities that are sure to make different types of travelers happy.

Water sports enthusiasts have known CDO as the first province in the country to offer white water rafting. “CDO offers not just exciting but also beautiful and scenic white water rafting trails,” Mark says. “It is a must-try activity here.”

Mark says those who are looking for an adrenaline rush will surely enjoy Jatico Adventures, which includes a five-course zip line, a downhill water Zorb experience, airsoft war grounds and an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) road adventure.

A soon-to-open attraction is the 100-foot bungee jump. With equipment all made in Europe and highly-trained bungee experts to man the attraction, people no longer need to go abroad for this thrilling leap.

There is an infinity pool overlooking CDO’s mountain ridges, which is a great way to end an adventure-filled day.

Visit the Macahambus Hill Cave and be transported to a mystical world. This bat-filled cave leads to a veranda overlooking the Cagayan River. The cave is said to be where early Filipinos won one of the first battles of the Philippine-American war.

For those who want to be one with nature, the Mapawa Nature Park, home to diverse flora and fauna, is a wonderful getaway.

Local history is best showcased at the Museo de Oro and Museum of Three Cultures.

Museo de Oro’s previous curator, Nonoy Estarte has interpreted local history through his paintings of creation and mythology based on parables of different tribes that first lived in the city.

The elegant Museum of Three Cultures, on the other hand, is a proud member of Paris’ International Council of Museums, the International Committee of Museums of Archeology and History and the International Movement for a New Museology. It also houses numerous artifacts that bridge three distinct cultures of Mindanao – Muslim, Christian and Lumad.

The Higalaay (friendship) Festival, which is being celebrated this month, is a two-week event that features a lot of street dancing, a Golden Float Parade and a fireworks festival. There are also band competitions, beauty pageants and a feast of local delicacies.

The city’s emerging nightlife is also something that Mark is excited about. One can choose from high-end to easy-on-the-pocket nightlife experiences.

In addition to all these activities that travelers can enjoy, CDO, which is located at the heart of Northern Mindanao, is the perfect jump off point for other destinations like the attractions of Camiguin, the waterfalls in Iligan and the mountains of Bukidnon. 

CDO’s attractions have inspired Mark and his friends to join Doon Po Sa Amin (DPSA) last year. Now on its 8th year, DPSA is a video-making competition held annually by wireless leader Smart Communications to encourage Pinoys to become hometown ambassadors. The country’s first and longest-running crowd-sourcing competition, DPSA is designed to uncover the best and most unique Filipino hometown stories.

Mark said that in joining DPSA they hope to share what it’s really like to live in CDO. Their entry landed in the top 10 in the open division.  

“We’re proud of our city and believe we really have so much to offer any type of visitor. Who can better promote these than us fun-loving and friendly locals?” enthuses Mark.

“The Internet is indeed a powerful tool that the youth can use not just for fun, but for bigger things like helping boost local tourism,” he adds.  

DPSA is part of the digital inclusion advocacy of Smart, making information accessible to more and more Filipinos through mobile and Internet technologies. “Through DPSA, we encourage Pinoys to join the digital discussion by taking part in documenting Philippine culture and history for the entire world to appreciate,” said Public Affairs Group head Ramon Isberto. “With this project, we want to elevate Filipino pride and urge everyone to become local ambassadors of their hometowns.”

Smart has opened the registration for the 8th DPSA video-making contest, with more than P300,000 in prizes at stake. Deadline is Sept. 25, 2015.

For more information on DPSA, visit www.doonposaamin.ph.