A Korean firm is constructing a spa hotel and resort around the perimeter of an active volcano for crying out loud. Will they provide tourists with asbestos swimsuits?
A few years ago, I was invited to cross Taal Lake and climb the peak of Taal Volcano. It was about an hour trip to reach the top. I nearly passed out during that 30-minute horseback ride wearing skirt and pants I borrowed from a local resident. But the view from up there was magnificent - below was a lake of volcanic water considered therapeutic by some. Taal Volcano, a crater within an island within a lake, is considered the world’s smallest volcano.
Taal residents earn their livelihood through peddling of goods to tourists, renting out boats and horses and guiding visitors on their way to the volcano. These are considered additional income for people whose main occupation includes agriculture and fishing. While neighboring Tagaytay is flourishing with stable growth of eco-tourism, Taal folks are limited by the volcano’s erratic seismic activity.
But just this week, Taal Volcano exploded on the frontpages of major dailies. Department of Tourism has endorsed a plan to construct a spa hotel and resort around the volcano. The municipality of Talisay allowed the construction after DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 4-A had issued an Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) in November 2005 to a Korean firm, Jung Ang Interventure, Inc. Local farmers and residents went on an uproar as this project would not only occupy six hectares of farmlands and fishing grounds but would threaten the lives of its soon-to-be occupants. Construction on site started last May but was temporarily halted due to widespread protests.
Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum issued the agency’s statement against the building of any permanent structure within the volcano’s perimeter. Taal Volcano remains to be an active volcano showing off signs of activity since 2005. Previous eruptions of the volcano sent hundreds of people to their graves. Its last eruption was in 1977.
Senate’s chair for environmental committee, Senator Pia Cayetano, has more exploding questions. “I believe the bigger issue here is how come private individuals were able to acquire land titles to the volcano which should be public land? This has allowed commercial interests to encroach on Taal which is classified as a protected area under our laws.”
very interesting post!
thanks so much for stopping by!