Cagayan de Oro’s park upgrade: From firebreak to green oasis

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines — Over a century ago, a devastating fire nearly wiped the old town of Cagayan de Misamis off the map. To prevent a repeat of the inferno, local leaders carved out a massive, trench-like firebreak to physically divide the town center. That dividing line—composed of seven parks or “islands,” traditionally known