Everybody has heard of Taal Volcano, but nobody really goes to Taal the town, near Balayan Bay in Batangas, a province south of Manila. For those who want to go to north Vigan to see old Filipino-Spanish houses, but don’t have the time to make the ten-hour journey, Taal is a good alternative. Time seems to go slowly in this town, 110 kilometers south of Manila. It is a good pit stop on the way to the beaches of Anilao or Calatagan, Batangas.
This small laid-back community in a pocket in the mountains is bastion of Philippine colonial architecture, and locals are keen on preserving the old with the new. Old houses are still inhabited, while some have updated their homes while keeping to the original style and the shape of the house.
First stop is the impressive Basilica of St. Martin de Tours, a faded old church that has earned a lot of charm. Its high ceilings, and ornate candelabra chandeliers emits the atmosphere of how storied the town is. The present church was built in 1856, after its previous incarnations were ruined by either earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Religious images such as the much adored Virgin of Casaysay are enshrined in the Basilica.
History is such a tangible part of Taal; evidence of its colonial heritage is everywhere. Drop by the homes of Filipino revolutionaries who were key figures in the fight against Spanish colonizers in the late 1800s. Near the Basilica is the home of Marcela Agoncillo, famous for having sewn the first Philippine flag waved in Kawit, Cavite in 1898. It has been turned into a museum displaying her personal effects. She was the wife of Felipe Agoncillo, who considered as the first Filipino diplomat, who was part of a team that tried to stop theTreaty of Paris, wherein the Spanish handed over the Philippines to the Americans.
A short walk will take you to the home of Leon Apacible, a member of the Malolos Congress, the first Philippine legislature. He was a friend of Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero, and went to primary school with him. His former home has also been turned into a museum, which contains a treasure trove of photographs from the American period.
On the outskirts of town is barrio Balisong, famous for its of deadly butterfly knives, known in the Philippines as 'the balisong.' The barrio's knives has literally become its trademark. Balisong-loving Filipinos love to show off at how good they are at unfolding and folding their balisongs with a flick of the hand. A commendable shop belongs to Diosdado Ona, a knife designer who has extensive knowledge on the craftsmanship of the balisong. It is apparent that he is a treasure trove of information on how the balisong is made, as he explains how each knife in his shop was made and what materials were used. He even explained how each knife was made, what materials it was made of, the specialty of the knife (gutting, slicing off meat, or poking a hole through a peso coin).
Knives seem to be a specialty of Taal. Barrio Pandayan (or "Smith Village,") also in Taal is known for producing bolos, itaks, and scythes used by farmers. Watching how knifemakers produce one knife is an educational experience for those interested, and makers welcome the curious.
Another Taal specialty is embroidered Filipiniana clothes made out of delicate pineapple fiber or jusi, which is less expensive than piña. Shops selling gowns and Barong Tagalogs, the formal wear for Filipino men, line the streets leading to the town market.
Taal is a friendly town with a rich history that its residents are proud of. For a town steeped in art, culture, and craftsmanship, it is a wonder why this town is not as famous as its cousin Vigan up north. Perhaps, this obscurity helps in the preservation of the town's culture from other influences. Filipinos keen on learning about their heritage should take a look at the town that time forgot.
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PS. Coup? What coup? Honestly, media should stop scaring the people to fill the empty space. When will they resort to reporting just the news, minus the sensationalism?
Dean says...
Jessica says...
Elber says...
What did I do? I went to work, slept, covered the Makati rally, covered a "press conference" of Senators Cayetano, Roxas and Pangilinan, bought a German-English dictionary, filed my news report, watched Brokeback Mountain with my mom, and went home.
For somebody who works in the news, I find it more alarming that I don't care at what's supposed to be news.
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