OTHER than being called as a “City of Golden Friendship,” Cagayan de Oro is also known as a city in “Bloom, Blossom, and Boom.” And quite literally, it is indeed blossoming every hot season of the year.

You may have noticed it already, as some have been posting it in social media, wherein it felt like we are temporarily enjoying a “cherry blossom festival,” because this tree species started to produce pink flowers almost covering the leaves and branches, and some fell to the ground. This awed a lot of people.

However, this tree is not a cherry blossom that we see in East Asian countries like Japan and Korea. Some called it as cherry trees, some named it as trumpet trees or fire trees, although not familiar of the real identity of this tree species, any experts on plants and trees are welcome to share.

It was quite a sight to see, especially if these trees are in large groups and you will left with a good feeling that might temporarily forget the struggles roaming outdoors under a hot weather. And what could be a potentially interesting future for this? The city may want to develop this as an ecotourism development project.

Imagine this, if various stakeholders in the city would suggest to the local government administration that there is a concerted effort to plant trees such as these cherry or fire trees in the road sides or public parks and areas, the city can be a mesmerizing picturesque haven of “good vibes.”

And just like the cherry blossom festival in Japan, where people simply go out and have picnics under the cherry blossom trees which only flourish in just a week, people would spend the hot season with enthusiasm. Stakeholders can make a yearly event as well in the city just to celebrate the flowering season of these trees, inviting tourists in the long run, and in effect generating livelihood for some residents.

Not only it promotes a tourism potential, people will also be more appreciative of how a city would look beautiful and progressive if there are trees around, prompting to value our environment instead of neglecting or abusing it.

But of course, all of these are too idealistic. At the end of the day we have to compromise with reality, bureaucracy, and sadly, politics.

We can’t even shape up in maintaining a clean environment by throwing and segregating our garbage properly. We cut trees based on our whims or convenience to give way of expanding businesses or whatever activities that serves us.

It is sad, disappointing even. But even though we see challenges along that way. It is not impossible, and neither too late to transform Cagayan de Oro lushing in greens and colored flowers, alongside with progress. And hopefully if this will be realized, this should be maintained, as well as we should maintain cleaner roads day and night, and better road traffic conditions.

(nefluczon@gmail.com)