Taal Lake - Volcano Island

Month of August comes Research day at DLSU-D for graduate school and prompt panic as mid-term exams follows sequential of events. For our Environmental Toxicology class, we are tasked to invade Taal Lake and conduct biological, water and soil analysis. As scope, this blog entails my journey and strings of experience I had at Taal Lake, while, limitation – to exclude results and discussion of our experiments.

Saturday morning as PAGASA predicted, typhoon Gener should have left the country. However, heavy rain and wind made one think that Gener had “fun in the Philippines” and decided to extend its stay. At 6 am, we are summoned in Dasmariñas, Cavite ground and were loaded in one van together with our paraphernalia, boxful of Gardenia breads and array of sandwich spreads. We left quarter before seven and took Silang Route to Tagaytay, then Sungay down to “Kay Liling Resort and Spa” for our pit stop.

Tagaytay City is the vantage point to Taal Lake and Volcano. There are several means and ways to reach Tagaytay – a 2 hours drive from Metro Manila, it can be reached via Coastal Road (Aguinaldo Highway) or South Luzon Expressway, take the Carmona Exit and drive down through Governor’s Drive and turn to Maguyam, Silang up to the entrance of Tagaytay City or through Sta. Rosa exit going straight to Tagaytay City.    Public buses are also available, with terminal station in Pasay City ply Tagaytay route. BLTB buses bound for Nasugbu or Balayan and Batangas passes Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay.

We arrived at Kay Liling resort and spa at quarter past 8 and had short brief discussion about the experiment over complimentary brewed coffee. My group was tasked to do Soil Analysis and sampling sites includes shorelines, soil at Taal Volcano Island and somewhere near the lake. Taal Volcano Island – tagged as “a volcano within a lake within a volcano” This makes Taal Volcano unique for the fact that the volcano itself forms an island that has a lake of its own inside its crater, the top point is the perfect spot to view “Crater Lake”.

The volcano island can be reached by taking a half-hour boat ride from practically any town on the shores of Taal Lake. The popular jump off point is from the town of Talisya. As per Municipal Ordinance No. 13-2006 Boat ride (maximum of 6 passengers) charges at 1,500.00 php, tourist fee of 50.00 php, tour guide fee of 500.00 php and horse back ride (if you opted not to walk) at 450.00 php. Economic dimension of Sustainability, locals grabs opportunity to sell rain coats, bottled water, energy drinks, coconut juice and souvenirs doubled the price. We choose 1-hour hike and accepted the fact of getting dirty and wet (literally its horse shit everywhere).

The hike was an intense cardio work out and effort not to step on horse poop was added challenge. For the first time I thanked heaven for the heavy rain as it cool down my system and washes out my sweat. I was physically worn out but along the way the sight was overwhelming and enriching to ones mind.  We encountered tourist from different continents but mostly Koreans, soil transformations, rock formations and experiences that made me appreciate taking Environmental Science.

Reaching top view point was divine. Burned calories were paid off with the magnificent view of Crater Lake – picturesque, serene and portrait as I described it. Still luscious emerald green of lake, red brick colored crater lined with backdrop of sky, islands of greens was like a postcard taken from the book “Mist of Avalon”, but looking beyond on southern part, was a dismay sight of fish pens and cages over crowding the lake that reminded me of the horrible fish kill that happened late last year. Day dreaming was interrupted as a lady approached and vends us to make a wish by throwing golf ball out in the lake for 35.00 php /ball. As per local, it was introduced by Koreans and wishes do come true as guardians of the lake hear and grants wishes. For fun sake, my classmate and I had indulged.

Another local approached us trying to retail souvenirs but ended up lecturing us about geography. We learned that Tall Volcano and Lake are wholly located in the province of Batangas. The northern half of the Volcano Island falls under the jurisdiction of the lake shore town of Talisay, and the southern half to San Nicolas. The other towns that encircle Taal Lake include Tanauan, Talisay, Laurel, Agoncillo, Santa Teresita, Alitagtag, Cuenca, Lipa, Balete and Mataas na Kahoy.

Note: Permanent settlement in the island is prohibited by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology or PHILVOCS, declaring the whole Volcano Island as a high-risk area and a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ). Despite the warnings, poor families have settled on the island, risking their lives, earning a living by fishing, farming crops from the rich volcanic soil and eco-tourism.