EVERYWHERE in Cagayan de Oro, the fiesta spirit currently pervades. Many visitors here would attest that Filipinos are spiritual in general. And many Filipinos are Catholics. That is why each city in the Philippines has its own yearly fiesta of their patron saint. And Cagayan de Oro is certainly not an exception.

What’s nice about Cagayan de Oro’s annual fiesta celebrated every August 28 is that the government is cooperating with the Church to coordinate the holding of fiesta activities. So there is the spiritual aspect, at the same time there is also a civic or a cultural aspect.

For example, the national government has declared August 28 as a holiday here in Cagayan de Oro City. One of the activities that foreign visitors are looking forward are the chain of masses called the novena. This is held for nine straight days where each mass is dedicated to St. Augustine. This will surely leave a lasting impression for expats in Cagayan de Oro City.

In fact, most villages here catering to the middle-class are already filled with expats who want to retire here because life is so laid-back. So what are you waiting for? Try to book a trip to Cagayan de Oro, Philippines during your next foreign soiree.