Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Friday, March 02, 2007
Tatsulok by Bamboo
I still remember this song about twenty years ago by Buklod. Only available through underground and semiunderground youth movements and radical music circles. Now this is being rebroadcast by Bamboo with so much boldness. These days rebellion has come to mainstream or it has become cool??? Or maybe Bamboo can do it with impunity. Though anyone can interpret the song any other way. Like the eternal situation of the sons overthrowing their fathers or a new order taking over from the old.
Tatsulok
(Buklod/ Bamboo)
I.
Totoy bilisan mo, bilisan mo ang takbo
Ilagan ang mga bombang nakatutok sa ulo mo
Totoy tumalon ka, dumapa kung kailangan
At baka tamaan pa ng mga balang ligaw
Totoy makinig ka, 'wag kang magpa-gabi
Baka mapagkamalan ka't humundusay dyan sa tabi
Totoy alam mo ba kung ano ang puno't dulo
Ng di matapos-tapos na kaguluhang ito
Refrain:
Hindi pula't dilaw tunay na magkalaban
Ang kulay at tatak ay 'di s'yang dahilan
Hangga't marami ang lugmok sa kahirapan
At ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman
Chorus:
Habang may tatsulok at sila ang nasa tuktok
'Di matatapos itong gulo
II.
At ang dating munting bukid, ngayo'y sementeryo
Totoy kumilos ka, baliktarin ang tatsulok
Tulad ng dukha, na ilagay mo sa tuktok
(Repeat Refrain & Chorus)
(Repeat Refrain & Chorus)
(Repeat Chorus)
'Di matatapos itong gulo... oh...
0 0
Tatsulok
(Buklod/ Bamboo)
I.
Totoy bilisan mo, bilisan mo ang takbo
Ilagan ang mga bombang nakatutok sa ulo mo
Totoy tumalon ka, dumapa kung kailangan
At baka tamaan pa ng mga balang ligaw
Totoy makinig ka, 'wag kang magpa-gabi
Baka mapagkamalan ka't humundusay dyan sa tabi
Totoy alam mo ba kung ano ang puno't dulo
Ng di matapos-tapos na kaguluhang ito
Refrain:
Hindi pula't dilaw tunay na magkalaban
Ang kulay at tatak ay 'di s'yang dahilan
Hangga't marami ang lugmok sa kahirapan
At ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman
Chorus:
Habang may tatsulok at sila ang nasa tuktok
'Di matatapos itong gulo
II.
At ang dating munting bukid, ngayo'y sementeryo
Totoy kumilos ka, baliktarin ang tatsulok
Tulad ng dukha, na ilagay mo sa tuktok
(Repeat Refrain & Chorus)
(Repeat Refrain & Chorus)
(Repeat Chorus)
'Di matatapos itong gulo... oh...
0 0
As they say in 'that'
You may hear song as a background on a site here. Or if you have fast connections and you can afford Youtube Bamboo's live act here. If that youtube clip is lost or redirected you may check another site here with another youtube link
I'll translate this later for English-only readers. And some other protest songs as well of years gone by. In memory of my long lost brave friends.
Another Volcano Experience
Im posting here pictures from my other volcano experience about two years ago, in the province of my mother Albay. Before the most recent calamity of late 2006.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Anti-Copyright from Wikipedia Feb. 19, 2007
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-copyright
Anti-copyright
Anti-copyright refers to the opposition to copyright laws. Critics of copyright include infoanarchists, anticopyright, copyfight and copyleft groups, and organizations such as Creative Commons and the Electronic Frontier Foundation[citation needed].
"Anti-copyright" is also a phrase without legal meaning which may be placed in anti-copyright statements that are added to works in order to encourage wider distribution.
Arguments against copyright
The classic argument for personal copyright is to grant developers property rights to encourage further development work by giving the developer a source of income. Those against copyright suggest that income to a developer must be generated by other means, for several reasons:
Making the developer dependent on a system that requires enforcement directly ties them to large corporate entities which are able to carry out this enforcement, but may at the same time limit creative output to that which is compatible with corporate/capitalist ideology.
Copyright was intended as, and until recently has been used mostly for, a regulation on commercial and for-profit use of creative works. While technically most copyright laws applied to individuals making copies, it was only the advent of the personal computer that made it possible for individuals to copy significant amounts of information. Many argue that this new ability calls for a fundamental change to, or the abolition of copyright.
Enforcement mechanisms such as digital rights management endanger existing consumer rights like fair use, and can be used to further tie creators to the corporate entities that control this technology since even a use which may be legally considered fair use may be hampered or rendered impossible by the technological restrictions. "Trusted computing" platforms may refuse to play, display or execute content that is not properly "certified" by central authorities.
Little known creators depend on distribution to become popular -- for them, copyright limits their potential outreach, and donations may be a better option. Well known creators can always ask for money from their fans upfront (Street Performer Protocol).
Article 8 of the Berne Convention may have a chilling effect on freedom of speech and may force an overseas audience to learn the language that the medium in the question is published in, and can cause a foreign company to act against its overseas audience. International copyright law is regarded as controversial by the video game, anime, and manga communities in the United States and Europe, such as Fan translation, Scanlation, and Fansub.
Historically, copyright originated only in the last few centuries. Creativity flourished well before copyright existed.
The European Renaissance saw a burgeoning of intellectual talent, the like of which has not been seen since. It occurred before the existence of copyrights, and was spurred by artists copying each other's techniques and works without legal restriction. The argument that copyright law protects and encourages development is seen by many as hype intended to provide moral justification for laws which in fact are there to protect the incomes and wealth of copyright holders, many of whom are not the original developers anyway. The ease and convenience of being able to obtain and preserve many intellectual works across the Internet, it is argued, will lead to greater development if copyright law is abolished. Whilst it may not be possible for popular artists and their agents to make as much money in this scenario, it is likely that popular artists will still be able to make a living by means of advertising and product promotion, as they do at present or perhaps by busking, if that is the only option open to them.
While some are in favor of limited copyright terms, copyrights in many countries last for periods longer than a human lifetime. Even if a limited copyright period still offered a beneficial result, these long copyright terms hold content back far longer than necessary.
Many argue that copyright is inherently contrary to the ideals of free speech and expression which are valued highly by free societies.
Some companies abuse copyright privileges by suing or threatening to sue those who clearly are within their rights under fair use, but who cannot afford to defend themselves in court.
Information is not conducive to the same treatment as real property, due to its status as a nonrival good.
Frequently, content creators do not hold their own copyrights, instead relinquishing them to publishers, producers, and the like, through contractual arrangements.
An economy operating under intellectual property rules is not Pareto efficient, and hence said to be less prosperous than an unrestricted economy, if it is presumed that copyright is a hindrance rather than a help to innovation.
Socialist anarchists believe ideas and knowledge should not be owned or controlled. This is perhaps best summed up in Pierre-Joseph Proudhon's slogan Property is theft!. These anarchists do not believe in the concepts of plagiarism, copyright or "theft" of other people's ideas. Libertarian socialists have customarily not prosecuted one another for copyright "violations" and usually do not provide royalties when translating or republishing each others works.
Copyrights are selfish; they place the good of the one (the creator) over the good of the many (the audience). Instead of allowing a work to be improved and redistributed by those who may be more qualified than the original author, works are restricted in the name of monetary profit. For example, a commercially sold Encyclopedia's content cannot be updated or redistributed by the readers, while Wikipedia's content can be shared with and updated by all people.
[edit] Anti-copyright notices
Statements for waiving copyright are legally required because, under the Berne Convention in international copyright law, works are protected even if no copyright statement is attached to them. However, "anti-copyright" statements typically do not take the form of either sophisticated open content licenses or a simple dedication to the public domain; instead, they may just encourage wide distribution. It is possible to denounce all claims to copyright in a work including moral rights in a written disclaimer.
A formal copyright waiver may state the following:
The author of this work hereby waives all claim of copyright (economic and moral) in this work and immediately places it in the public domain; it may be used, distorted or destroyed in any manner whatsoever without further attribution or notice to the creator.
However a casual anti-copyright notice, as often found in socialist anarchist magazines and books, may simply read:
Anti-Copyright! Reprint freely, in any manner desired, even without naming the source.
The latter is less accurate and needs to be interpreted individually as the term "anti-copyright" has no accepted legal meaning. For example, if just free distribution is encouraged, modification or lack of attribution is still illegal, making the material ineligible for collaborative writing projects like Wikipedia. In such a case anti-copyright is not a true denial of copyright, but just a reduction of the protection it affords copyright holders.
Anti-copyright
Anti-copyright refers to the opposition to copyright laws. Critics of copyright include infoanarchists, anticopyright, copyfight and copyleft groups, and organizations such as Creative Commons and the Electronic Frontier Foundation[citation needed].
"Anti-copyright" is also a phrase without legal meaning which may be placed in anti-copyright statements that are added to works in order to encourage wider distribution.
Arguments against copyright
The classic argument for personal copyright is to grant developers property rights to encourage further development work by giving the developer a source of income. Those against copyright suggest that income to a developer must be generated by other means, for several reasons:
Making the developer dependent on a system that requires enforcement directly ties them to large corporate entities which are able to carry out this enforcement, but may at the same time limit creative output to that which is compatible with corporate/capitalist ideology.
Copyright was intended as, and until recently has been used mostly for, a regulation on commercial and for-profit use of creative works. While technically most copyright laws applied to individuals making copies, it was only the advent of the personal computer that made it possible for individuals to copy significant amounts of information. Many argue that this new ability calls for a fundamental change to, or the abolition of copyright.
Enforcement mechanisms such as digital rights management endanger existing consumer rights like fair use, and can be used to further tie creators to the corporate entities that control this technology since even a use which may be legally considered fair use may be hampered or rendered impossible by the technological restrictions. "Trusted computing" platforms may refuse to play, display or execute content that is not properly "certified" by central authorities.
Little known creators depend on distribution to become popular -- for them, copyright limits their potential outreach, and donations may be a better option. Well known creators can always ask for money from their fans upfront (Street Performer Protocol).
Article 8 of the Berne Convention may have a chilling effect on freedom of speech and may force an overseas audience to learn the language that the medium in the question is published in, and can cause a foreign company to act against its overseas audience. International copyright law is regarded as controversial by the video game, anime, and manga communities in the United States and Europe, such as Fan translation, Scanlation, and Fansub.
Historically, copyright originated only in the last few centuries. Creativity flourished well before copyright existed.
The European Renaissance saw a burgeoning of intellectual talent, the like of which has not been seen since. It occurred before the existence of copyrights, and was spurred by artists copying each other's techniques and works without legal restriction. The argument that copyright law protects and encourages development is seen by many as hype intended to provide moral justification for laws which in fact are there to protect the incomes and wealth of copyright holders, many of whom are not the original developers anyway. The ease and convenience of being able to obtain and preserve many intellectual works across the Internet, it is argued, will lead to greater development if copyright law is abolished. Whilst it may not be possible for popular artists and their agents to make as much money in this scenario, it is likely that popular artists will still be able to make a living by means of advertising and product promotion, as they do at present or perhaps by busking, if that is the only option open to them.
While some are in favor of limited copyright terms, copyrights in many countries last for periods longer than a human lifetime. Even if a limited copyright period still offered a beneficial result, these long copyright terms hold content back far longer than necessary.
Many argue that copyright is inherently contrary to the ideals of free speech and expression which are valued highly by free societies.
Some companies abuse copyright privileges by suing or threatening to sue those who clearly are within their rights under fair use, but who cannot afford to defend themselves in court.
Information is not conducive to the same treatment as real property, due to its status as a nonrival good.
Frequently, content creators do not hold their own copyrights, instead relinquishing them to publishers, producers, and the like, through contractual arrangements.
An economy operating under intellectual property rules is not Pareto efficient, and hence said to be less prosperous than an unrestricted economy, if it is presumed that copyright is a hindrance rather than a help to innovation.
Socialist anarchists believe ideas and knowledge should not be owned or controlled. This is perhaps best summed up in Pierre-Joseph Proudhon's slogan Property is theft!. These anarchists do not believe in the concepts of plagiarism, copyright or "theft" of other people's ideas. Libertarian socialists have customarily not prosecuted one another for copyright "violations" and usually do not provide royalties when translating or republishing each others works.
Copyrights are selfish; they place the good of the one (the creator) over the good of the many (the audience). Instead of allowing a work to be improved and redistributed by those who may be more qualified than the original author, works are restricted in the name of monetary profit. For example, a commercially sold Encyclopedia's content cannot be updated or redistributed by the readers, while Wikipedia's content can be shared with and updated by all people.
[edit] Anti-copyright notices
Statements for waiving copyright are legally required because, under the Berne Convention in international copyright law, works are protected even if no copyright statement is attached to them. However, "anti-copyright" statements typically do not take the form of either sophisticated open content licenses or a simple dedication to the public domain; instead, they may just encourage wide distribution. It is possible to denounce all claims to copyright in a work including moral rights in a written disclaimer.
A formal copyright waiver may state the following:
The author of this work hereby waives all claim of copyright (economic and moral) in this work and immediately places it in the public domain; it may be used, distorted or destroyed in any manner whatsoever without further attribution or notice to the creator.
However a casual anti-copyright notice, as often found in socialist anarchist magazines and books, may simply read:
Anti-Copyright! Reprint freely, in any manner desired, even without naming the source.
The latter is less accurate and needs to be interpreted individually as the term "anti-copyright" has no accepted legal meaning. For example, if just free distribution is encouraged, modification or lack of attribution is still illegal, making the material ineligible for collaborative writing projects like Wikipedia. In such a case anti-copyright is not a true denial of copyright, but just a reduction of the protection it affords copyright holders.
Suzanne Maine Lecture Series
From http://www.archive.org/details/suzannemainelecture1
First part of a two-part lecture series on the crisis in copyright, given by Dylan Suzanne at the University of Maine, in November 2004. For further information, please visit http://www.dylansuzanne.info/mainelectures.html
Abstract:
I argue that contemporary strong copyright protection cannot survive digital technologies, and, further, that this is for the best in the end.
Strong copyright legislation once served a purpose: through the commodification of ideas and expressions, it encouraged creation of works that served the public good, but which would not have been created without its guarantee of a temporary artificial monopoly. As the means of production have become available to the public through digital technologies, the copyright industries have become themselves revolutionary, giving rise to a spontaneous communist economy. Industrial capitalists, however, have not allowed this to occur peacefully, but are engaging in a program of governmentally legitimated repression in order to bring about feudalism within information society. The benefits intended for the public are increasingly being seized by corporations, and the limitations meant for industry are increasingly being placed upon the public.
Hence, I argue that our duty as citizens is to work towards the radical reduction of copyright protection, and that our duty as members of the public is to riot in the digital streets; to share, to download, and to copy. Rip, mix, and burn!
First part of a two-part lecture series on the crisis in copyright, given by Dylan Suzanne at the University of Maine, in November 2004. For further information, please visit http://www.dylansuzanne.info/mainelectures.html
Abstract:
I argue that contemporary strong copyright protection cannot survive digital technologies, and, further, that this is for the best in the end.
Strong copyright legislation once served a purpose: through the commodification of ideas and expressions, it encouraged creation of works that served the public good, but which would not have been created without its guarantee of a temporary artificial monopoly. As the means of production have become available to the public through digital technologies, the copyright industries have become themselves revolutionary, giving rise to a spontaneous communist economy. Industrial capitalists, however, have not allowed this to occur peacefully, but are engaging in a program of governmentally legitimated repression in order to bring about feudalism within information society. The benefits intended for the public are increasingly being seized by corporations, and the limitations meant for industry are increasingly being placed upon the public.
Hence, I argue that our duty as citizens is to work towards the radical reduction of copyright protection, and that our duty as members of the public is to riot in the digital streets; to share, to download, and to copy. Rip, mix, and burn!
Friday, February 16, 2007
Manila and Philippine Maps from EZ and others
Bits of maps from EZ. You may find them at http://www.ezmaps.info
Here is another map link from condomillion- a real state company
http://www.condomillion.com/maps/philippines/maps.htm
And a Manila map with korean characters from a japanese site
http://myhome.shinbiro.com/~heiplan/images/manila-map2.jpg
 |  |
Here is another map link from condomillion- a real state company
http://www.condomillion.com/maps/philippines/maps.htm
And a Manila map with korean characters from a japanese site
http://myhome.shinbiro.com/~heiplan/images/manila-map2.jpg
Monday, February 05, 2007
Taal Volcano # 2 on Y Travel Reviews for Philippines
Taal Lake and Volcano is in no.2 spot of Yahoo Travel Reviews for the Philippines. See
yahoo travel guide for taal and travel reviews
It is actually behind the Iglesia ni Cristo Churches- which is considered by many travelers as "uniquely Filipino architecture".
iglesia travel reviews
from:
travelguide- things to do in manila
yahoo travel guide for taal and travel reviews
It is actually behind the Iglesia ni Cristo Churches- which is considered by many travelers as "uniquely Filipino architecture".
iglesia travel reviews
from:
travelguide- things to do in manila
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Manila Made it to Top 5 of Travel Searches for 2007
From http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-17773284
Where Are Travelers Heading In 2007?
By Katherine Tom, Senior Editor, Yahoo! TravelDecember 20, 2006
Curious where travelers are headed in the coming year? We took a look at the most popular searches on Yahoo! FareChase to see which cities folks are flocking to in 2007. On the domestic list, perennial travel favorite Las Vegas shows no signs of ceding the top spot, while sunny Florida dominates the rest of the list, with five out of the top 10 searches.We did note a few surprises on the international list, including the appearance of Frankfurt and Manila in the top 5. Visitors rave about Frankfurt's shopping and architecture, while Manila attracts budget travelers looking for beaches and nightlife. Of course, more traditional travel destinations like Paris and Rome made the list as well, placing at 7th and 8th respectively.
Top Domestic Travel Searches - 2007
1.Las Vegas, Nevada
2. Orlando, Florida
3. New York City, New York
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
5. Miami, Florida
6. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
7. Los Angeles, California
8. Tampa, Florida
9. Phoenix, Arizona
10. Ft. Myers, Florida
Top International Travel Searches - 2007
1. London, United Kingdom
2. Cancun, Mexico
3. Frankfurt, Germany
4. San Juan, Puerto Rico
5. Manila, Phillipines
6. Bangkok, Thailand
7. Paris, France
8. Rome, Italy
9. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
10. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Where Are Travelers Heading In 2007?
By Katherine Tom, Senior Editor, Yahoo! TravelDecember 20, 2006
Curious where travelers are headed in the coming year? We took a look at the most popular searches on Yahoo! FareChase to see which cities folks are flocking to in 2007. On the domestic list, perennial travel favorite Las Vegas shows no signs of ceding the top spot, while sunny Florida dominates the rest of the list, with five out of the top 10 searches.We did note a few surprises on the international list, including the appearance of Frankfurt and Manila in the top 5. Visitors rave about Frankfurt's shopping and architecture, while Manila attracts budget travelers looking for beaches and nightlife. Of course, more traditional travel destinations like Paris and Rome made the list as well, placing at 7th and 8th respectively.
Top Domestic Travel Searches - 2007
1.Las Vegas, Nevada
2. Orlando, Florida
3. New York City, New York
4. Honolulu, Hawaii
5. Miami, Florida
6. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
7. Los Angeles, California
8. Tampa, Florida
9. Phoenix, Arizona
10. Ft. Myers, Florida
Top International Travel Searches - 2007
1. London, United Kingdom
2. Cancun, Mexico
3. Frankfurt, Germany
4. San Juan, Puerto Rico
5. Manila, Phillipines
6. Bangkok, Thailand
7. Paris, France
8. Rome, Italy
9. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
10. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Monday, January 29, 2007
A Trip to Tagaytay City Last Year (January 2006)
A Trip to Tagaytay City Last Year January 2006 (dont mind some of the date captions, I forgot to update the date of my digital cam from reset). P800 FX taxi ride from Sta. Rosa, Laguna to Residence Inn. That is P100 peso each for all of us (Me and Athens, the three youngsters, our "kasambahay" and an eternal friend of ours).
From Taal Vista
From Taal Vista Hotel.....
http://www.regit.com/regitel/philipin/cavite/taalvis/
http://www.regit.com/regitel/philipin/cavite/taalvis/
Rising 2250 ft. above the sea level, Tagaytay Ridge offers a breathtaking view of the picturesque volcanic terrain of Taal, "an island within a lake within an island within a lake within an island!"Nowhere along the Ridge is this scenic gem better appreciated than by the view deck of Taal Vista Hotel, a Tagaytay City landmark favored by thousands of first-time and returning visitors.Picture-pretty sights, clean cool mountain air and gracious amenities blend to sustain the enchantment of Taal. As relished from the view deck of Taal Vista Hotel.
Taal Lake, a lake within an island within a lake
Taal Lake, a lake within an island within a lake
Taal Lake
Taal Lake, a lake within an island within a lake. The island is the Taal Volcano, one of the world’s smallest volcanoes, yet one of the Philippines’ most dangerous volcanoes.
Scientists believe that a massive prehistoric eruption blew the top of the then much larger Taal Volcano, causing it to cave in on itself forming an immense crater or caldera. Into this massive bowl, the nearby seawater rushed in, filling it, and creating a 30-kilometer diameter lake which exists to this day. Then over the centuries, a new and much smaller volcanic crater was formed and rose above the lake’s surface, creating a unique lake within an island within a lake.
One can get a close-up look at Taal in its splendor by crossing the large crater lake which surrounds the volcano and then trek to the top of the volcanic island to peer down into Taal’s own crater lake.
The water of the outer lake, although sulfur bubbles up from some spots along the shore, is fresh and is known to be the habitat of many fishes like carp and eel. The lake is also the home to the only known species of sea snakes (Hydrophis semperi) which have somehow learned to adapt to fresh water. Maliputo and tawilis (Harengula tawilis), the more popular fishes found in the lake, also have salt-water fishlike characteristics.
The mood of the much smaller inner crater-lake contrasts to the silent blue waters of the outer lake. The shores are rocky, harsh and barren. The only sign of life are the strands of tall feathery cogon grass and the big black crows sitting on the high rocks. Although it is approximately 20 meters deep, no fish are found to be living in the dark waters. The water is highly diluted form of sulfuric acid containing large amount of magnesium, aluminum, and sodium.
Scientists believe that a massive prehistoric eruption blew the top of the then much larger Taal Volcano, causing it to cave in on itself forming an immense crater or caldera. Into this massive bowl, the nearby seawater rushed in, filling it, and creating a 30-kilometer diameter lake which exists to this day. Then over the centuries, a new and much smaller volcanic crater was formed and rose above the lake’s surface, creating a unique lake within an island within a lake.
One can get a close-up look at Taal in its splendor by crossing the large crater lake which surrounds the volcano and then trek to the top of the volcanic island to peer down into Taal’s own crater lake.
The water of the outer lake, although sulfur bubbles up from some spots along the shore, is fresh and is known to be the habitat of many fishes like carp and eel. The lake is also the home to the only known species of sea snakes (Hydrophis semperi) which have somehow learned to adapt to fresh water. Maliputo and tawilis (Harengula tawilis), the more popular fishes found in the lake, also have salt-water fishlike characteristics.
The mood of the much smaller inner crater-lake contrasts to the silent blue waters of the outer lake. The shores are rocky, harsh and barren. The only sign of life are the strands of tall feathery cogon grass and the big black crows sitting on the high rocks. Although it is approximately 20 meters deep, no fish are found to be living in the dark waters. The water is highly diluted form of sulfuric acid containing large amount of magnesium, aluminum, and sodium.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
TAAL LAKE: Protected Landscape (Proclamation No. 906)
Date Established: 06 October 1996
Location: Province of Batangas, and Tagaytay City (60 kilometers from Metro Manila)
Area : 62,292.1369 hectares
Source: Our Nature Heritage - The Protected Areas of the Philippines
Published by: Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Philippine Airlines Foundation, Inc.
Foundation for the Philippine Environment
Published by: Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Philippine Airlines Foundation, Inc.
Foundation for the Philippine Environment
The Saltwater Origins of Maliputo and Tawiles, the fishes of Taal
The Saltwater Origins of Maliputo and Tawiles, the fishes of Taal
From the site http://www.sei.dost.gov.ph/finals_coll/coll09/tagaytay.html
What Lies Beneath by Troy Bernardo
Tales of lost cities, submerged ancient ruins, and peculiar creatures abound beneath the calm, murky surface of many lakes. Tagaytay's lakes are no exception.
Back in prehistoric times, the area of Tagaytay, including the surrounding provinces of Cavite and Batangas, were all part of a massive volcano estimated to be 18,000 feet high. An eruption caused its collapse into the complex's 20x30 km Taal caldera, one of the great volcano-tectonic depressions of the world, with a channel opening towards Balayan Bay.
This channel between the sea and what is now known as Lake Taal was traced in maps and documents from the 1500s to the 1700s. Along its shores, numerous towns mushroomed. In 1572, Taal Volcano erupted again, burying the nearby towns in ash, lava, and mud laced with sulfuric acid, which chemically burned victims to death.
In 1754, Taal Volcano decided to give its environs a geographic makeover. The eruption that year, which early Augustinian priests reported as having lasted up to six months, pulverized all the towns along the shores, sealed the open channel to the sea, and surrounded the volcano with its own sea-water lake. That same year, the monsoon season filled Lake Taal up to 10 meters, effectively turning it into fresh water.
Between 1572 to the present, Taal Volcano erupted more than 41 times.
Just Below the Surface
Thomas Hargrove, author of The Mysteries of Taal: A Philippine Volcano and Lake, Her Sea Life and Lost Towns, conducted around seventy dives into Taal Lake for his book, revealing exactly what lies beneath her placid surface. First, the lake has a uniform depth of about 30 feet all around it, and on its muddy floor rests an ancient beach littered with seashells.
Second, because of its salt water origins, Taal Lake is home to the only known species of a venomous black and white sea snake that breeds in fresh water, Hydrophis semperi . A document published by the US Naval Medical Research Station (Watt and Theakston) in 1985 recorded, in Taal Lake, the "first series of sea snake bites occurring in freshwater," thus defining it as an oxymoron: freshwater sea snake bite. The record also proved eight confirmed bites and one death in a small fishing village on its shore, and in three of the eight cases, antibodies to the Hydrophis venom were detected. These snakes often surface. Another creature in Taal Lake is the fish called maliputo and tawilis, which both share saltwater fish-like characteristics. Tawilis , according to Peter J.P. Whitehead of the British Museum of Natural History, "is the only species of Sardinella that is found mainly in fresh water."
Sharks, too, were said to have swum once in the lake. Dr. Dioscoro Rabor studied their biology personally before overfishing completely eradicated the shark population in the 1930s. Third, and perhaps most interesting, are the sunken pre-Spanish towns. The first and second sites of Taal Town, and even the second site of Lipa during the early 1600s can be found on Taal Lake's floor. Visibility, however, is usually zero.
Lake Placid
Another lake to explore is Crater Lake, a small pool thick with a diluted form of sulfuric acid with high concentration of boron, magnesium, aluminum and sodium in salt form, found at the crater of Tall Volcano. Until 1965, most major eruptions were from this main crater. The first recorded scuba dive inside Crater Lake was made in 1986 by Hargrove and his team, which also resulted in the exploration of a tiny island in the lake.
Contrary to what people think, one can actually take a dip in Crater Lake. Just remember - because of its wicked brew - not to stay too long.
From the site http://www.sei.dost.gov.ph/finals_coll/coll09/tagaytay.html
What Lies Beneath by Troy Bernardo
Tales of lost cities, submerged ancient ruins, and peculiar creatures abound beneath the calm, murky surface of many lakes. Tagaytay's lakes are no exception.
Back in prehistoric times, the area of Tagaytay, including the surrounding provinces of Cavite and Batangas, were all part of a massive volcano estimated to be 18,000 feet high. An eruption caused its collapse into the complex's 20x30 km Taal caldera, one of the great volcano-tectonic depressions of the world, with a channel opening towards Balayan Bay.
This channel between the sea and what is now known as Lake Taal was traced in maps and documents from the 1500s to the 1700s. Along its shores, numerous towns mushroomed. In 1572, Taal Volcano erupted again, burying the nearby towns in ash, lava, and mud laced with sulfuric acid, which chemically burned victims to death.
In 1754, Taal Volcano decided to give its environs a geographic makeover. The eruption that year, which early Augustinian priests reported as having lasted up to six months, pulverized all the towns along the shores, sealed the open channel to the sea, and surrounded the volcano with its own sea-water lake. That same year, the monsoon season filled Lake Taal up to 10 meters, effectively turning it into fresh water.
Between 1572 to the present, Taal Volcano erupted more than 41 times.
Just Below the Surface
Thomas Hargrove, author of The Mysteries of Taal: A Philippine Volcano and Lake, Her Sea Life and Lost Towns, conducted around seventy dives into Taal Lake for his book, revealing exactly what lies beneath her placid surface. First, the lake has a uniform depth of about 30 feet all around it, and on its muddy floor rests an ancient beach littered with seashells.
Second, because of its salt water origins, Taal Lake is home to the only known species of a venomous black and white sea snake that breeds in fresh water, Hydrophis semperi . A document published by the US Naval Medical Research Station (Watt and Theakston) in 1985 recorded, in Taal Lake, the "first series of sea snake bites occurring in freshwater," thus defining it as an oxymoron: freshwater sea snake bite. The record also proved eight confirmed bites and one death in a small fishing village on its shore, and in three of the eight cases, antibodies to the Hydrophis venom were detected. These snakes often surface. Another creature in Taal Lake is the fish called maliputo and tawilis, which both share saltwater fish-like characteristics. Tawilis , according to Peter J.P. Whitehead of the British Museum of Natural History, "is the only species of Sardinella that is found mainly in fresh water."
Sharks, too, were said to have swum once in the lake. Dr. Dioscoro Rabor studied their biology personally before overfishing completely eradicated the shark population in the 1930s. Third, and perhaps most interesting, are the sunken pre-Spanish towns. The first and second sites of Taal Town, and even the second site of Lipa during the early 1600s can be found on Taal Lake's floor. Visibility, however, is usually zero.
Lake Placid
Another lake to explore is Crater Lake, a small pool thick with a diluted form of sulfuric acid with high concentration of boron, magnesium, aluminum and sodium in salt form, found at the crater of Tall Volcano. Until 1965, most major eruptions were from this main crater. The first recorded scuba dive inside Crater Lake was made in 1986 by Hargrove and his team, which also resulted in the exploration of a tiny island in the lake.
Contrary to what people think, one can actually take a dip in Crater Lake. Just remember - because of its wicked brew - not to stay too long.
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