Bukidnon - Little Baguio of the South

Pineapple…the ultimate symbol of Bukidnon

If you’re already somewhere in Northern Mindanao, like Cagayan de Oro for instance, perhaps you might want to go up the mountains and visit Bukidnon. It is a mere  25-minute ride from the city, a bit longer if you are commuting and depending  on city traffic, of course. Just like Baguio, the air is  refreshing and the view of the sea below is just simply breathtaking, similar to the view ofPuerto Galera as we went up Tamaraw Falls before.

My grandparents’ old farm house is still there and it’s been refurbished!

   Another farm house was built right across the old one in 2005.

My grandfather owns a  farm in the town of Alae, the nearest town from the city. We used to frequent the place during summer  when I was a kid. When I was living in Cagayan de Oro back in High School, I was there almost every weekend. Now, my lolo’s farm is surrounded with subdivisions and schools and only his piece of paradise remains untouched. It’s only seven hectares, just enough to grow some corn, some fruit-bearing trees (mango,  jackfruit, calamansi and banana), tons of vegetables, orchids, a number of cows  and some poultry.

We were only able to explore a small part part of the farm. 

L: My step grandma’s mini greenhouse; R: My grandpa and step grandpa smoking the trees.

It was my dad’s first time in Bukidnon so  we visited the famous Del Monte Pineapple plantation in Camp Phillips which is a little bit farther away from my grandfather’s farm.  The sea of pineapples was so overwhelming! It’s not like I’ve never been here before. I first visited this place when I was only 10 years old, I think. But it never fails to take my breath away every single time. I love the smell too!

We wanted to check if we can pick up some pineapples…hehehe…kidding!

With my mom and dad.

The rest of our vacation here was just spent lazing around the farm, climbing some trees and picking some fruits and vegetables. I got to spend time with my grandpa which happens rarely since I graduated from high school. I  really hope to visit them again some time soon.

L-R: My mom, my lolo, Peter and I.