Taal, Tagaytay, Talisay and Tanauan

In light of the phreatic eruption of Taal Volcano, I look back at the many times I have been to Tagaytay and Tanauan, Batangas with family and friends. These links are compiled as I remember them. Arranged in no particular order but with fond memories of a beautiful and historic place. This does not include the amazing stretch of beaches and resorts that litter Batangas, the retreat houses and churches and the growing enclaves for artists in Tagaytay. If the alerts reach a level 5, then the terrain will change and so will the lives of those who depend on the land.

Tagaytay is a good place to take on writing retreats. It was there where the Bulilit Books Writing Workshop took place in 2016. A year after, nine picture books were published through the supervision of the Nutrition Council of the Philipipnes.

In February 2019, my friends and I, along with our teenagers visited Sentro Botaniko, Ilog ni Maria, The Cat and Dog Cafe for a day trip. Back in 2012, I had another day trip but it was in Taal. I wonder now of the basilica and ancestral houses in Talisay and Taal. The Taal Heritage Tour: Taal Basilica and Our Lady of Caysasay, Spanish Ancestral Houses, these places hold so much value and precious memory.

It was in Tagaytay when the 1st International Conference on Children's Library Services, was conducted by the National Library of the Philippines. I was one of the speakers and here are the links to the paper I wrote and presented: Paper Presented 2 of 4, Paper Presented 3 of 4, Paper Presented 4 of 4. Lastly, from 2010 until 2013, I helped a UK Charity set up school libraries in Tanauan, Batangas. Know about it by following these links: Who is Sambat Trust? and Sambat Trust School Library Project: My Story Our World.

While evacuation centers have been set up for residents and families who fled, helping them in the rehabilitation process will take time.

Taal Heritage Tour: Spanish Ancestral Houses

We left Taal Basilica for a tour of the old Spanish houses of the Apacibles, Agoncillos and Villavicencios. Each exude a different character. The Apacible house has the receiving area for guests and a separate one where business is conducted. Leon Apacible was a lawyer. He was also Emilio Aguinaldo's Finance Officer and delegate to the 1898 Congress.

Our next stop was the Agoncillo house where Marcela Agoncillo sewn the Philippine flag. Apparently, Marcela Agoncillo finished a masters degree in needle work. So the first Philippine flag was made by a professional of high caliber! In the Agoncillo house, we noticed the narrow passage ways that surround the living room. These passage ways are marked off by dividers from floor to ceiling. Windows of capiz shells make for light and ventilation to enter. I followed the passage ways that led to the komidor, or the kitchen. So it turns out that these passage ways were for the alipins, servants, who cater to their masters needs. I could not help but remember a piece of trivia learned from grade school history class on social classes: the existence of aliping sagigilid and aliping namamahay in noble families.

What was interesting in the Villavicencio house was the basement used as a secret meeting room of the Katipuneros. While the wives of the members of Katipunan were dancing, singing and partying in the living room, their husbands were plotting the revolution. The house was used to stock copies of Rizal's novels, the Noli Me Tangere and the El Filibusterismo.

Sa durungawan, tanaw ko ang mga bituin. Naks!

In my imagination, I see Andres Bonifacio attending one meeting disguised as a common alipin. He would have slipped in the party upstairs and passed unnoticed through the narrow passage way that led to the dinning hall and the kitchen. He opened a small trap door in one corner of the room to go down the basement and join the Katipuneros' rendezvous. What plans and schemes were they plotting against the Spaniards! And then, perhaps, after the meeting, the men must have discussed Rizal's novels.

By noon, we headed on to Villa Tortuga. By the way, we did the tour on foot as the town of Taal is very small. I'm saving the Villa Tortuga experience for my next post.

At the Villavicencio house, the trap door that leads to the basement still exist.