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A Taal Tale
No
banks or department stores, no cinemas or pubs, no fast food outlets
or traffic lights…the residents of a small town in the Philippines
thought that ‘progress’ had passed them by until it was pointed
out how fortunate they really were.
 If
such facilities had been constructed, it was reasoned, they would have
been built on top of the demolished foundations of a priceless cluster
of stately Spanish/Filipino styled colonial homes and distinguished
public buildings that fortunately still stand in the centre of Taal
Town.
Tiny Taal, just
one town of 34 in Batangas Province - one of 73 provinces spread over
the 7107 islands within the Republic of the Philippines - is not the
sole saviour of colonial architecture in the country, however.
Vigan,
capital of Ilocos Sur Province and one of the earliest Spanish
settlements in the country has a larger quarter of historic
‘gems’. But Vigan is 400 km north of Manila and difficult to reach
for the time-tight traveller. It’s
necessary to take a flight to Laoag or Baguio and then drive a few
hours to see the well-preserved ancestral houses and old colonial
buildings in this charming town.
A
major advantage of Taal is that it's within day tripping distance of
the capital. Another edge is that it's close to the clean sands of
Batangas that many regard as having the "best beaches within
comfortable reach of Manila.
Silver
sands sweep around the small horseshoe-shaped Batangas Bay.
Other beaches are found on the even longer curve of Balayan
Bay.
The
latter calm inlet is clearly seen from Taal Town but few who make the
110 km, 2-˝ hour journey from Manila are interested merely in beach
solitude. Instead they
come for a walk through the pages of history.
The
original town of ‘Taal ' - a word which means 'real' or
'true' - was destroyed by volcanic eruptions in 1754.
The same year its residents shifted to a new site on a hill
overlooking Balayan Bay.
The
Taal Volcano is a scenic lure without rival anywhere else in the
Philippines. The reason
for such a superlative is because of the uniqueness of a small volcano
within a lake within the crater of a massive volcano. The best view of this wonder is from Tagaytay Ridge, a prime
site for property developers!
There’s
no view of volcanos, lakes or 20th century showcase homes
in Taal, a quiet village which for a short period in the 18th
century was the bustling provincial capital.
In
1988 the National Historical Institute, the Philippines Department of
Tourism and the Taal Arts and Culture Movement joined efforts in
presenting this outdoor architectural museum to UNESCO for inclusion
in the World Heritage List. The proposal cited the rich past and the
enduring present of tiny Taal.
Because
of its seaside location and the industrious and ambitious Taalanos,
trade prospered in the past and affluent merchants built grand homes
of hard hewn limestone blocks and rich timber floors and filled them
with elaborate chandeliers and gilded mirrors.
Next
to these veterans, churches and convents and government buildings and
warehouses were made of the same local stone.
Many of these have survived natural calamities and the ravages
of war.
By
far, the largest of the outdoor 'exhibits' is the Basilica of St
Martin de Tours built in an unusual blend of Gothic and Baroque
styles.
First
constructed by Father Diego Espina in 1575 in the nearby town of San
Nicolas the revered church was destroyed when the Taal Volcano erupted
in 1754. The building was
rebuilt at the present site in 1755 but destroyed by an earthquake in
1849. The church that visitors see today dates to 1856.
The
Philippines is a devoutly Catholic country.
The Basilica – reputedly the largest church in the Orient -
and the plaza before this grand building is the focal point for
religious festivals and joyous fiestas that occasionally punctuate
this otherwise sleepy tropical town.
The
favoured viewpoint over Taal is from the Basilica's weathered belfry
where the pleasing panorama encompasses the "Belle of the
Batangas" frozen in time. Any
other description of one of the best culturally preserved sites of the
Spanish colonial era would just be a Taal tale!
(2 December 2001)
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