CUEVA DE MEIALLAH

SunStar Philippines

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

Transcript

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?

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