A Haven in the Pineapple Sanctuary

Pineapple Country 

Resting comfortably with pride at the outskirts of Cagayan de Oro City, Barangay Bugo dignifies its name with the Del Monte Company, as its crown atop its head.  Aside from being known as the home to the World’s Largest Manufacturer of Pineapple and Papaya Products, its citizens, the Bugohanons are also known to be hospitable and warm especially in welcoming their fellow country men back from abroad.  Along the highway, into the inner zones, and up to the subdivisions in its bosom, one can easily notice the sprouting of modern homes and rest houses owned by foreigners and most of whom, just retired from the navy, army and foreign law firms. And to justify even further the claims of Bugohanons being sweet and accommodating, lots of children, with parents of different nationalities and races, roam around the streets and plazas with some Bugohanon children.

 Being located at the borders of “the city of golden friendship” and considered as “the Pineapple Country”,  its people has the unique qualities of being friendly at the same time bearing the sweetness of pineapples in its hospitability, kinship and character.

Perks at the City Skirts

Situated at the boundary of the city, barangay Bugo offers its residents an easy access to both worlds- the busy city life and the alluring yet simple living in the suburbs. 

A Glimpse of Nature

By being the easternmost boundary of Cagayan de Oro city, one can fully experience the freshness of the morning sun by toddling the bay which stretches few kilometers eastward laid with fishermen and their fresh catch sold at a very catchy price. Even the best beach resorts and cold springs of the province are just minutes away. One can easily drive or ride a jeepney few towns to the east where the fresh spring waters and salt waters meet. Even at barangay Bugo itself, the lush greenery is abundant since it is surrounded with a chain of hills and low mountains covered with grasses. One can even fully experience the solitude and serenity of nature without leaving the barangay since at its very heart, a certain area which is unpolluted and untouched by the upgrade of civilization, we can see natural springs and rivers where shrimps grow. Wild papayas, bananas, coconuts can even be seen at certain areas where their fruits are sold at a reasonably low price and sometimes for free.

Bright Lights that Never Flicker

When one feels like shopping or partying in the city lights, the array of bars in Plaza Divisoria is just thirty minutes away. One can choose where to hang-out between the cheapest bars where most circle of friends meet, to the classiest bars where unique mixes of liquors are sold. And on weekends, after a half-hour drive from the barangay, one can fully indulge in the “shop-‘til-you-drop” version of the city at Night Café in Plaza Divisoria where street foods, live bands and ukay-ukay are the main highlights.  But if one feels like staying in barangay Bugo itself, Karaoke bars and restobars are also available to entertain the citizens of Bugo.

If one does not feel like driving his own ride, easy vehicular accessibility is also a main feature which barangay Bugo takes pride. Considering that it has its own Association of Jeepney Operators and Drivers, the association made sure that even at the break of twilight, jeepneys are still available.

Food at it’s best

The Barangay offers its people an easy access to basic amenities. It has thirty eateries and restaurants located strategically which makes it easy for the busy people to just dine in. The Celebrity house, being the biggest restaurant at the barangay, also offers catering services for parties and celebrations and also accepts bookings and reservation for wedding receptions. Moreover, bakeries and boutiques, where party supplies and cakes are sold, are open seven days a week to ensure that birthday parties will always have a classic touch.

The known Filipino dish, Lechon, which is also the highlight of every Filipino celebration, is sold anytime making it not necessary to wait for the next birthday party just to have a bite on that Crispy piece of golden-brown smoked pork skin oozing with its natural sweet-salty oil. During Sundays, the Lechon is sold near the church to make it easy for the church goers to indulge in the Native Filipino cuisine. 

Del Monte Products are also sold at a very cheap price which is exclusively available to the Bugohanons and Del Monte employees ensuring that cooking great foods and having grand deserts are always possible to the Citizens of Bugo. As a result, most dishes sold at the eateries and restaurants in the barangay also have this distinct taste which makes the diners crave for more as every oriental dish has a pineapple-ish taste considering that the barangay houses the Biggest Producer of sweetened and canned pineapples. Every native and oriental dish- Humba, kare-kare, Menudo, Pinakbet, Escabeche, Adobo, Inihaw, they all have this distinct Bugohanon taste and smell because of the abundant magic ingredient which releases and strengthens the taste of the spiced and seasoned meat- The Pineapple. One will always crave for the sweet’n sour taste of the Bugohanon dishes when walking along the streets at around 5pm as the ala-carte and street foods release the appetizing scent of grilled, fried and sautéed food after being marinated in the rich Pineapple syrup. 

            So unlike other barangays which offers features that are exclusively rural or solely urban, barangay Bugo, being a Rurban, offers the best perks of both worlds. 

*Submitted as a homework*

Unedited and Unpublished