CDO Fun Facts

 The Cross outside St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral

In 1945, exactly 104 years after the church was rebuilt, the church was destroyed by an American attack and only the wooden cross in front of the church and its façade survived the devastation and was erected in 1888 by Augustinian Recollect Missionaries.

Plaza Divisoria (Golden Friendship Park)

The plaza is located in the downtown area. Spanning from Capistrano Street to Corrales Avenue, bounded by Neri and Abujuela Streets, The Plaza intersect many streets in between, Rizal St., Tiano St., Velez St., and Pabayo St., making the surround area prime hub for business, ready to welcome the diverse population of the city, both foreigna and local.

It was built around 1900′s as a town divider after a great fire that almost burned down the entire city. The park is dedicated to local and national heroes like former President Ramon Magsaysay, Andrés Bonifacio, Dr. José Rizal, and former Mayor Justiniano R. Borja. Most of the Kagay-anons soldiers who died during the Philippine-American War are buried beneath the monument and has survived the ravages of time including World War II. (cagayandeoro.gov.ph)

Battle of Macahambus Hill

The Battle of Makahambus Hill was one of the few victories won by the Filipinos over the Americans during the Philippine-American War. It was fought on June 4, 1900 in Cagayan de Misamis (Present day Cagayan de Oro City). The Filipinos were under the command of Colonel Apolinar Velez of the Maguindanao Battalion. Most of them were volunteers apart from some Filipino army men who joined. (Wikipedia)

CDO’s White Water Rafting

In the mid 80’s and mid 90’s people from Cagayan de Oro City started rafting on the Cagayan River. This was done with inflated interior tire tubes, raft made of bamboo and banana trunks. This ‘rafting thing’ became the habit of some Cagayanon’s and finally, some people had developed this adventure through the efforts of White Water Rafting has become since the most popular adventure activity in Cagayan de Oro City. (raftingphilippines.com)

Motorela and its Father

RAFAEL FLOIRENDO, SR., the inventor of Cagayan de Oro City’s famed motorela passed away last year leaving a legacy to the city by bringing in the new concept of transportation way back in 1964.

The 10-seater “car” is built around a motorcycle, which is basically the engine that runs the motorela. Like in a car, there are front seats and a driver’s area, separated from the passengers’ area.  The partition runs halfway through the motorcycle, giving just enough room for the driver to sit comfortably on the motorcycle’s seat. There are two open doors on either side of the front area, and two single seats are built on either side of the driver’s seat. (Clix)

The rela, as we call it, it the most versatile form of transportation around the city’s center, the Plaza Divisoria (Golden Friendship Park). For only P6, you can go anywhere with is, even to areas around the neighboring area that jeepneys cannot or do not have access to.