Not many people know that more than just the favorite destination of Japanese tourists in the early ’70s till the late ’80s, Taal Vista Lodge was the home of the first Jollibee in Tagaytay City which can only be found inside their property.

Nestled in the hilly and mountainous terrain of Tagaytay City, Taal Vista Hotel has been a timeless haven for those who want to recharge or take a journey to solitude and beat the humdrum or get away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. Boasting its fresh air, all-year-round cool breeze, and of course, the clean and green vicinity of the property, this is what makes Taal Vista Hotel Tagaytay’s crown jewel.

Where History Meets Hospitality

On October 7, 1939, it first opened its doors to the public. Now, Taal Vista has evolved into Tagaytay’s premier hotel, offering not only a rejuvenating ambiance and cool breeze – but also a glimpse into the past and a promise of memorable experiences.

One of the hotel’s notable moments in history is the cabinet meeting held by then Pres. Manuel Quezon within its walls. This meeting, which took place during the early years of Taal Vista, reflects the hotel’s significance as a place of importance and prestige as Tagaytay’s tourist destination. 

In February 1956, Taal Vista Lodge expanded; offering cottages, cabanas, a tea lounge, a children’s playground, horseback riding, dining rooms, and even sports facilities. Many families stayed at Taal Vista to enjoy the cool breeze and savor the breathtaking view of Taal Lake and its iconic volcano. 

As the years went by, Taal Vista continued to adapt to the evolving needs of its guests – be it for staycations, business events, and other joyous celebrations. It swiftly transitioned into a 3-star hotel, marking a new milestone in its journey.

A Grand Renovation and Expansion 

In 1999, Taal Vista closed its doors for a major reconstruction project. Fast forward to March 27, 2003, the hotel reopened its doors to the public and rebranded as Taal Vista Hotel. The reopening marked a new chapter in its history—forging its timeless beauty in Tagaytay’s hospitality industry while bringing its contemporary amenities, services, and grandeur.

In 2008, Taal Vista Hotel unveiled its “Lake Wing”, a testament to its dedication to providing top-notch accommodation to guests. This area brought over 130 guest rooms and suites, conference facilities, and amenities tailored for business functions and momentous celebrations. This expansion is the current symbol of the hotel’s evolution and commitment to exceeding guests’ and travelers’ expectations.

A Historical Hotel in the Philippines that is worth visiting

Taal Vista Hotel is more than just a vicinity for a luxurious retreat; it is a living testament to the rich history and ever-evolving nature of Tagaytay. With its excellence and multi-awarded leisure & services, the hotel remains a go-to destination for travelers and locals alike.

Hence, as we wander through the halls of Taal Vista Hotel, we are not just stepping into a luxurious abode but also immersing ourselves in a living piece of history. 

From its early days as a lodge and amazing metamorphosis into a modern sanctuary, Taal Vista Hotel continues to serve its guests — letting them experience Tagaytay’s cool breeze and the enchanting view of Taal Lake & Taal Volcano while appreciating the comforts of a world-class hotel.

Taal Vista Hotel takes pride in having the best view of the majestic Taal Volcano and Taal Lake (Photo by Nes Jardin)

With the Cavite–Laguna Expressway, traveling to Tagaytay was from 2 hours to just 45 minutes this is the very reason why it has become the favorite getaway of many families, expats, and diplomats living in Metro Manila, and Taal Vista remains their favorite home away from home.

Visit https://www.taalvistahotel.com/ for more information. You may also check out their promos here.

To make sure that evacuation and rehabilitation would be easier in the midst of the devastation brought by Taal volcano eruption and the affected areas, the University of the Philippines has decided to open up its map data to the public for free. 

Through the UP Training Center for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry (UP TCAGP), the premiere state university is opening up to the public its map data of the Taal Volcano and its surrounding areas generated during the Disaster Risk and Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM) and the Philippine Light Detection and Ranging 1 (Phil-LIDAR 1) programs. 

Using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology, the group was able to generate maps with a resolution of up to 1×1 meter which can be used for planning and reconstruction of areas damaged by the Taal volcano eruption. 

UP TCAGP Assistant Professor Mark Edwin A. Tupas stressed the importance of using data in conducting planning and reconstruction activities in the areas affected by the Taal volcano eruption.  

“With the Philippines being at constant risk from natural disasters, adequate data is needed for disaster risk reduction planning and operations, we are opening up our LiDAR map database to help in the rehabilitation of those affected by the Taal volcano eruption,” he said. 

The DREAM and Phil-LiDAR 1 Programs are both projects funded by the Department of Science and Technology and monitored by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) which mapped river basins all over the country. 

Tupassaid users of the map data would need to properly cite UP TCAGP and the PHIL-LIDAR Program as the source of the information. 

“Please note that while stringent Quality Assurance/Control protocols were in place during the program operation, we cannot guarantee that the data is free of discrepancies, bugs or defects,” he said. 

Tupassaid the datasets can be accessed through https://phillidar-dad.github.io/taal-open-lidar.html and can be opened using most modern geographic information system (GIS) software.  

“From these high-resolution information detailed 3D geovisualization, e.g. hillshade, can be created. The dataset can be also used for geomorphologic modelling of areas pre-disaster, data acquisition was between 2014 to 2017. Another sample use cases include the accurate determination of heights for building delineated from satellite imagery, given the Digital Elevation Modeling (DEM) of 20 cm vertical accuracy,” he said. 

For further inquiries, you may contact the data archiving and distribution team of UP TCAGP at lipad@dream.upd.edu.ph .

As a volunteer in humanitarian responses for calamities such as Sendong and Yolanda, as well as conflicts such as Zamboanga and Marawi, I see the valuable need for stakeholder collaboration in disaster response. We can never be ready without learning lessons from the past.

As early as 2011, we attended the Mindanao Summit on Disaster Risk Reduction and Geo-hazard Awareness in Cagayan de Oro which crafted valuable insights for today . The declaration acknowledged that mitigation and adaptation measures by all sectors and levels of government have been “inadequately implemented and weakly coordinated resulting in inefficient use of resources and lack of accountability” but also noted that most communities are “resilient and respond to disasters on their own, through self-help measures and reliance on their own capacities, which however are inadequate in the face of major disasters.”

In actual evacuation response, we see the following notes as vital.

Lesson 1. Information systems must be put in place to evacuate people to safety, deliver goods, announce advisories , among others and monitor, track down progress. Cascading information should use multi-media and community platforms even megaphones and hotlines . Use vernacular language.

Lesson 2. Synchronized and efficient responses require a joint platform among citizens and government even the private sector. Interventions on sanitation, health, water, missing and dead etc must be clustered. Action centres must be accessible. They must have posts within evacuation centres.

Lesson 3. Volunteers should be welcomed, provided identification and recognition. Their safety too should be guaranteed.

Lesson 4. Camp management shouldn’t just be about responding to incidents, the personnel should proactively monitor especially the vulnerables i.e. newborn etc and conduct health education drives and drills.

Lesson 5. Profile the needs of evacuees so that donors can be advised what are necessary. Canned goods may actually cause negative repercussions i.e. allergies , rashes if it is the food for months. Evacuees are not just found in camps but in homes too. They also need aid.

Lesson 6. Localized responses by indigenous , homegrown leaders and groups who may not have SEC registration should be recognised. They know the community situation better and can efficiently respond to the evacuees needs.

Lesson 7. Do not forget to give humanitarian workers the needed rest. They too need mental health. They would need stress debriefing.

As there is yet no Department on Disaster Management, it is worthy to note under Institutional Mechanisms, the Mindanao Declaration wants incident command systems to be institutionalized at all levels, that there should be an LGU (local government unit) rating system for disaster response and accountability, that adequate early warning systems be made at all levels using “appropriate local indigenous and modern communication systems and technology, including 3-digit phone numbers with back-up systems.

I fear for Taal’s victims and the place’s future with continuing eruptions predicted. We cannot be complacent. We musta face head-on the needs for ambulances, fire-prevention and animal protection etc.

We ask all as we kneel.. To include Taal victims, ask Mercy, urge not to have a big bang or another eruption, as we gathered at UP Diliman Church Saturday for 2020, Launch of the Year of interfaith dialogue by the Diocese, echoing the Vatican call. We face disaster together and act together was our call to the Bishop of Cubao, parish and protestant and islamic leaders.

A shout-out to all the kindness and courage shown by all, #WeAreOneInCrisis…

Taal volcano’s active rumblings, with threat of explosion, has caused so much inconveniences and fear on the people in the neighboring towns of Cavite and Batangas.  The lahar alone that it spewed has done so much harm to many homes, roads, plants, animals, etc… and the ashfalls reached as far as some parts of Metro Manila.  As things are today, the air is polluted and dangerous to health.  Use masks, if you can.  It’s a must these days.

We are hoping that it does not explode for that would be very disastrous.  As it is at level 4, it has caused cancellation of classes, government offices have been closed in Metro Manila, Calabarzon and Region 3 (Bulacan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga); or Central Luzon.

Please exercise caution; and let’s hope and pray it does not reach the critical level 5.

* * * * *

As a public service, beware of buying condos from agents offering and pre-selling condos or properties with cases in court.  The HLURB must not allow or grant permits to projects that are under litigations in court.  Kawawa naman ang mabiktima ng mga ahente, lalo na ang mga OFWs who can be victimized by the so-called “owners.”  The OFWs can easily be victimized by unscrupulous agents.

Mag-ingat po sana ang mga OFWs natin worldwide, pati mga kababayan natin na nakatira sa ibang bansa bumili ng properties na hindi nila nakikita.

Many can be victimized through agents.  They will buy the condominium units, but they will not be able to get the title and the units at the end of the day.  They will end up with nothing with the money they worked so much for.

Alamin po ninyong mabuti kung may mga kaso sa korte ang condos o bahay na ino-offer sa inyo na property under litigations.  I would like to protect the buyers.  Huwag po kayong maniwala sa “decision” ng korte na hindi pa po final.  Kasi karamihan, on appeal, hindi pa tapos ang kaso.

Ipinaaalam ko lang po na may property po dito sa Quezon City na property po ng aming magulang na may kaso pa sa korte.  Kami po ay nag-demanda sa korte.  Baka po gamitin ang pangalan ng pamilya namin.  May kaso nga po sa korte at under litigation po.

Biktima po kami ng landgrabbing.

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