Taal’s Deep Secrets

When in Taal Lake, one can luxuriate in the coolness and freshness of the air, the vista of surrounding mountains, and the sheer peace and quiet. The members of the Philippine Underwater Archaeology conservation Society (puacs), however, found themselves surrounded by an a almost palpable air of mystery and superstition when they began combing the shores and diving the murky waters of Taal Lake. It’s almost like a Pinoy version of the Bermuda Triangle, with a labyrinth of myths and legends thrown in to spice up the confusion.

In 1991 irri Science Editor, Dr. Thomas Hargrove published The Mysteries of Taal, which took readers on a fascinating journey through the history of the Batanguenos, narrating how these brave people endured a life living next door to a tantalizing but feisty lady.

His book included three sites he visited. At the first spot in Talisay, he was told there were remnants of an old Spanish fort a few meters beneath the water. He called the wall of stacked stones "the fort" and christened the second underwater site, "the rock". At one point, he found himself marveling at seven- meter high stone walls in the jungles of Sta. Teresita. The locals insist these were the ruins of an old Spanish church but Hargrove was more convinced it was a fort with a chamber to store gunpowder.

Without question, Dr. Hargrove contaminated many with his passionate quest to connect Taal Lake’s history with his discoveries. His description and vivid insights of the places he visited were enough to blow any person’s imagination off course but left the discerning wanting confirmation. It’s about time new data trickled in.

The puacs led Deputy Director of Philvox, Dr. Emmanuel Ramos and Dr. Eusebio Dizon, Head of the Underwater Archaeology Section of the National Museum, on a dive expedition to inspect the underwater rock formations Hargrove documented ten years ago. Hours spent underwater studying sample materials yielded a common verdict — they were chipping away at something that was definitely not man-made.

"The rocks that compose the wall are well-rounded volcanic bombs. The presence of a large valley on the shore towards Tagaytay Ridge fronting the site suggests that the volcanic bombs may have been ejected near the vicinity, rolled down the valley where they got rounded and were taken to the site by a flowing stream," explains Dr. Ramos

"I didn’t see any cementing materials that adjoin the stones from side to side or from top to bottom. There were fracture signs that looked like droppings of volcano debris which are not unusual to find in volcanic areas," Dr. Dizon adds. "If you look at the structure, this "wall" bulges like the rubber tube of a wheel. This will not support the structural foundation of a real wall since a wall should have a wider base and a narrow top, otherwise it will collapse."

A cement rest house was built on top of "the rock" in 1999. What appear like chiselled holes of various sizes and depth, dot the stone base. The two scientists examined the holes, curious to find out if they were made to support poles 300 years ago or simply geological art created by nature.

"These holes were apparently occupied by the bombs or spherical boulders that were inside the ash. Erosion and wave action may have carved these bombs out of their holes. The holes are too shallow to be used for posts, Dr. Ramos points out.

Meanwhile, Dr. Dizon methodically sweeps the silty bottom thick with eel grass, hoping to find any cultural material but surfaces empty handed. "There is no indication that this could be man made. No archaeological remains whatsoever," he says shaking his head.

They did observe however, the boulders were too big to carry. The fit of the rocks at both sites were too close together, making man-made assembly too difficult. The two men also speculate, it would have been a big technological and mechanical challenge to handle these rocks underwater or even on shore.

The alleged church ruins of Lumang Bauan sit quietly in the dimness of the dense jungle, a few meters from the shore of Sta. Teresita, Batangas. Bamboo thickets protect them from the lake’s winds. The black shoreline that separates them from the lake waters is littered with plastic bags and styro boxes, souvenirs from the nearby fishpens. The remains of the massive stone walls are cloaked in vines. Unable to fight the roots of giant balete trees, many precious portions of these historic treasure lie crumbled and pulverized on the damp ground. The main attraction here is the underground chamber.

In World War II, families scurried down to the cueva when the Americans bombed the Japanese camps in Mt. Macolot. It is small, dark and surprisingly dry. The air is musty and smell of guano. The roots snaking their way in through the crevices of the cold wall have caused a cave in, blocking one side of the entrance completely. Since they believe it was once a holy place and refer to as "Lumang Simbahan", families leave their dead relatives’ clothes or bury unborn babies amongst the fallen rocks and thick vegetation. Lighted or burnt out candles with pink or blue ribbons left on the rock add to this already eerie setting.

The land where these ruins are is titled and owned by Oscar Bathan’s family. Unfortunately, the information about this amazing site is mostly hearsay. Even records available are not enough to prove this was once upon a time the church of Bauan.

Dr. Dizon agrees with Hargrove that he was standing in the middle of a fort. "There are many structural features of rooms including a probable gunpowder room for their ammunition. It does not fall into the architectural pattern and features of a church," the archaeologist says. "What I see here is a military building of the late 18th -19th centuries."

Determined to support his observations, he circles the compound. "This is what I was looking for at the first two sites," Dizon says, flaking at the cementing materials in the form of lime, shell and other elements in between the adobe blocks and coralline stone. "They sometimes used eggshells and egg whites too."

A natural moat or a small creek drains quietly into the lake outside the wall towards its inland boundary. Dizon believes there may have been a community adjacent to it. It is also very possible that a settlement built on stilts existed along the shoreline and near the fort until it was abandoned. This is based on the remains of archaeological materials like shards of ceramics, Ming Dynasty (17th-18th centuries AD) to the Ching Dynasty (19th-20th centuries AD) and European artifacts found on land and in the water.

The discovery of the Sta.Teresita ruins offers an intriguing glimpse into the past and is invaluable to our understanding of archaeological history. It is accessible and in danger of being vandalized. Regrettably through the years irreplaceable evidence (rocks, wooden beams and planks, grills) was carted away to build homes. Because of this, the puacs believes steps are urgently needed to preserve the site for archaeological excavation and research.

Taal Lake’s majestic beauty is a feast for the eyes but lately has become food for thought. Educational programs that encourage local involvement in conservation, not just archaeological sites but of the lake’s flora and fauna, need to be set up. Water pollution has reached a critical point due to the growing number of fishpens and trash left behind both by tourists and locals. Another disturbing result of this is several of the lake’s major fish species are either extinct, fully or over-exploited. Unless the local government, fishpen owners and the private sector form a partnership, Taal Lake will lose her mystique and magic forever and, in the process, we lose our fight for environmental and social survival.