CUEVA DE MEIALLAH
Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City
Once a place of worship, now a lifeline for locals -- this cave near the old Mactan-Mandaue Bridge holds stories of faith, survival, and resilience. Explore the untold history of Cueva de Meiallah in this video.
#CuevadeMeiallah
Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City
Once a place of worship, now a lifeline for locals -- this cave near the old Mactan-Mandaue Bridge holds stories of faith, survival, and resilience. Explore the untold history of Cueva de Meiallah in this video.
#CuevadeMeiallah
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NewsTranscript
00:00If you are far away, and the wind is with you in every storm,
00:07what if you are lost, and you don't know where you are going?
00:19This is the cave of Miyala, which is located at the end of the Mactan-Mandawi Bridge in Barangay Paho, Dakbaya, Lapu-Lapu.
00:28This cave was built by Captain Dut Guba, who built this cave in a private cave
00:34that was given to General Milling Corporation by GMC.
00:38This cave was built by GMC,
00:41and it was built to preserve the cave,
00:45because this is the resolution that the barangay will follow.
00:50But, did you know that this cave has a long history?
00:55In this cave, there are many shapes and triangles
01:00that have the shape of a square or a circle in the middle.
01:05Here, there are many lines of broken cement
01:08that were used to build the walls of the cave.
01:13Above, there are many shapes and triangles
01:17that represent the religions that were established in this cave.
01:22According to the legend, the stalactites were formed here.
01:42There is a story about this cave,
01:45and it is said that the caretaker of this cave, Jasmine Mata, slept here.
01:53This is the room where she slept,
01:56and this is where she slept.
01:59On the left side of the cave,
02:02there is a piece of cement that is said to have a long history.
02:09According to the legend,
02:13when the Japanese invaded this cave,
02:20the Japanese were forced to return to the Chinese temple.
02:27When they reached the Chinese temple,
02:30they received a lot of money.
02:33When they reached the Chinese temple,
02:36they were forced to return here.
02:39They were forced to leave the temple,
02:42because they were free.
02:46There are many stories about this cave.
02:51In my last interview,
02:57I was told that during the time of the Sima Santa,
03:02the children of the Sima Santa were not allowed to enter the cave.
03:10The Sima Santa was not allowed to enter the cave,
03:15because the children of the Sima Santa were not allowed to enter the cave.
03:21Historically, during World War II,
03:24the Sima Santa was used to hide people.
03:29At the same time,
03:31the Sima Santa was used as a karate club.
03:35During World War II,
03:37the Sima Santa was used as a karate club.
03:40Later on, after World War II,
03:43the Sima Santa was used as a karate club by religious organizations.
03:50The Sima Santa was used as a karate club by religious organizations.
03:54When I was a kid, I went to this cave.
03:57The Sima Santa was located in almost the same area.
04:03The Sima Santa was used as a karate club.
04:10The Sima Santa was used as a karate club by religious organizations.
04:19The Sima Santa was used as a karate club by religious organizations.
04:27This cave is called Maung Ning Neng Si.
04:30This cave is called Maung Ning Neng Si.
04:33This is the custom house of the building.
04:38This is the custom house of the building.
04:43This is the custom house of the building.
04:48Based on some of the statements,
04:50it is possible that the Sima Santa was used by religious organizations,
04:54groups,
04:55and nationalities
04:57in the past.
05:00However,
05:01the Sima Santa was destroyed
05:03during the war.
05:06Now,
05:08is the Sima Santa still open to the public?
05:11Now, is the Sima Santa still open to the public?
05:16Now,
05:17is the Sima Santa still open to the public?
05:22For a longer time,
05:23the Sima Santa was not used.
05:25So,
05:26we have to refrain from the visitors
05:29to get inside the cave
05:32just for safety purposes.
05:34So,
05:35there would be a time frame
05:39when to visit.
05:41But going inside,
05:42we have to refrain for safety reasons.
05:46Then,
05:47Guba clarified
05:48that the cave is open
05:49because experts are working on it
05:52and have already explored it.
05:55There are a group of Koreans
05:58and genetic engineers
06:00who do sampling drilling
06:03on the structure of the foundation
06:07or roof of the cave.
06:10And it was already informed
06:13to the project.
06:15We have to refrain from going inside.
06:17We have to clean it.
06:19We should not go inside.
06:20Because the water
06:21is very polluted.
06:23If you drink water,
06:24you will get sick.
06:26You will get sick.
06:28So, don't visit the cave.
06:30You can drink water
06:32if you are sick.
06:33If you are not well,
06:35don't visit the cave.
06:37If you are sick,
06:38don't visit the cave.
06:40So,
06:41according to the caretaker,
06:42it is better to drink water
06:44if you are sick.
06:46But for Guba,
06:47drinking water is not the priority.
06:50If you drink water,
06:52it is not yet ensured
06:54unless otherwise there is testing.
06:56So,
06:57it has not yet been recommended
07:00to the public
07:01that it is for drinking.
07:03Now,
07:04the village has taken
07:05the safety measures
07:07to prevent the people's park
07:09from opening
07:10and entering the cave.
07:12The village has also
07:14given the possibility
07:15to the public
07:17to go inside
07:19and see the cave.
07:21Now,
07:22we are going inside
07:23the cave
07:24to rescue the bridge.
07:25The village council,
07:27the captain,
07:29has planned
07:31to clear the cave.
07:33Since we know
07:35that this is a bridge park,
07:37we have planned
07:39to clear the cave
07:41so that the people
07:43can go inside the cave.
07:45We have planned
07:47to clear the cave
07:49so that the people
07:51can go inside the cave.
07:53The village council
07:55and the city mayor,
07:57Junard Ahong Chan,
07:58have agreed
08:00to clear the cave.
08:02However,
08:03Chan has planned
08:04to build a tourist spot
08:05near the cave
08:06so that the people
08:07can go inside
08:08the cave
08:09in 2013.
08:11We have planned to clear the cave
08:13because
08:15we have planned
08:17to develop the cave
08:19so that the people
08:20can go inside
08:21and see the historical data
08:23and features of the cave.
08:25At the same time,
08:26we know that
08:27every time the people
08:28visit this cave,
08:29there is someone
08:30who has an idea
08:32or information
08:34to discuss
08:36the history of the cave.
08:38Even at the time
08:40of Mayor Ahong
08:41who was our captain,
08:43there was really a plan
08:44to build a monument
08:45of the cave.
08:47Now,
08:49the people
08:51and visitors
08:53from the Mactan-Mandawi Bridge
08:55can see
08:57the cave
08:59from the entry point
09:01to the exit point.
09:03We can develop
09:05the cultural
09:07and historical heritage of the cave.
09:09We need to coordinate
09:11the development
09:13of the cave
09:15with the Department of Tourism.
09:17It is a long process
09:19between the tourism department
09:21and the DNR.
09:23Now,
09:25we need to have
09:27a budget.
09:29Our plan
09:31is
09:33about
09:35Lapu-Lapu,
09:37the area of the cave.
09:39We need to prepare
09:41replicas of Lapu-Lapu,
09:43like Sundang,
09:45Makau,
09:47Egisulo, Selina,
09:49the attire of Lapu-Lapu,
09:51Kaniadto,
09:53and possibly
09:55a statue of Lapu-Lapu,
09:57if there is a statue
09:59of Liberty or statue
10:01of Merlion.
10:03Possibly,
10:05there are a lot of Lapu-Lapu
10:07like Sundang or Kaming.
10:09Possibly,
10:11the action of Lapu-Lapu
10:13is to go to the sea
10:15to fight the Contras.
10:17That's the budget.
10:19What is the current budget?
10:21Can we fulfill our plans?
10:23Can we preserve our heritage?
10:25What is the current budget?
10:27What is our plan?