Location
Los Baños is about 2 hours from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and 3 hours from the nearest beaches in Batangas on the West Philippine Sea. This is about 63 km southeast of Manila, in Laguna Province.
The town stretches from the shoreline of Laguna de Bay, the largest inland lake in Southeast Asia, to the lower slopes of Mount Makiling, an extinct volcano. Rice fields, coconut trees, and dormant volcanoes dot the landscape around the town.
The town has a total land area of 5,650 hectares. A forest conservation reserve takes up approximately 40% of the area, with about 25% devoted to agriculture, and approximately 16% each allotted for commercial and institutional uses. Five small rivers flow through Los Baños—Dampalit, Saran, Pili, Molawin, and Maitim.
The town is divided into 14 barangays: Anos, Bagong Silang, Bambang, Batong Malake, Baybayin, Bayog, Lalakay, Maahas, Malinta, Mayondon, Putho-Tuntungin, San Antonio, Tadlak, and Timugan. A barangay (village or district) is the smallest political and administrative unit in the Philippines. Each barangay is headed by a barangay captain. The town has a mayor, a vice mayor, and several councilors.
Los Baños can be roughly divided into the following areas: Bayan (town proper or poblacion); Crossing or Junction, sometimes mispronounced as Johnson (the intersection of the national highway and Lopez Avenue, the road leading to the university); Grove, the commercial area just outside the university gate; and College (the university campus). Other ways of describing parts of the town are loob (inside the university campus) and labas (outside the gate), and taas (Forestry upper campus) and baba (lower campus).
History
The name Los Baños means ‘the baths’ in Spanish. In the late 16th century, a Franciscan missionary built a hospital near Dampalit. The curative properties of the many natural springs in the area drew people from all over the Philippines.
The town itself was founded on 17 September 1615.The Catholic parish in Bayan was established in 1671.The original church was destroyed by a fire in 1727, and the existing church was built in 1851.The first administrator of the town was Juan Castañeda. A governor’s palace was begun in 1879 but was not completed until 1892.This building eventually served as a hospital.
The University of the Philippines College of Agriculture (UPCA) was founded in Los Baños in 1909, with four American tutors and 12 Filipino students working in tents. The College gradually expanded until World War II broke out.
The Japanese occupied Los Baños from 1942 to 1945. Many buildings, roads, and bridges in and around the town were destroyed. The College of Agriculture became a Japanese camp for prisoners of war, and then an internment camp for allied nationals. After the rescue of the internees by Filipino guerillas and American paratroopers on 23 February 1945, a big job lay ahead: almost the entire campus was destroyed by the Japanese. Only Baker Hall remained standing. Finally, the campus became the headquarters of a secret guerilla organization.
The College of Agriculture re-established itself after World War II. The University of the Philippines System was created in 1972, and the agricultural college became the University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB), the first autonomous campus of the comprehensive state university system.
“There was no railroad yet at the time to connect Los Baños with the main South Railroad going to Batangas via Calamba. The only comfortable way to reach Los Baños was through the Yangco boats plying daily from Manila to the different towns along the coast of Laguna de Bay (about 6 to 7 hours from Manila to Los Baños). Los Baños was more lively then than it is today. Many went to Los Baños for vacation, and business was more brisk as many people from different towns were attracted to its thermal waters, Camp Eldridge over the hill, and the military hospital by the lakeshore, McVean’s hot springs in town, and a good military wharf...”
Joss Zamora, 1959Today
Los Baños is a university town and conservation area. Because of its rich history, natural attractions, and the myriad of institutions based in the town, it was declared as a special university zone in 1979, and consequently a “science, art, and nature city.” Its accessibility to Manila has made it a popular tourist destination. The many and diverse resorts between Los Baños and Calamba testify to the continuing attraction of the hot springs, with weekend and summer (March–June) visitors from Manila causing large traffic jams.
Los Baños has a registered population of more than 100,000 inhabitants, which does not include transient students and research organization workers. The growth of the town has depended mainly on the development of the University and the complex of institutions that it hosts. Urbanization and economic progress are evidenced by the significant structural changes inside the UPLB campus and in the thriving commerce in the town.
Climate
The climate is tropical and divided into wet season from June to November and dry season from December to May. The period from December to March has predominantly cooler air with winds coming from the northeast direction. The remaining months of the dry season are relatively hot and dry. When the wet season starts, southwest winds dominate.
The rainy season is also typhoon season throughout the Philippines. Typhoons are tropical cyclones (with winds of more than 117 kph or 73 mph), and hit Luzon typically between July and December. Los Baños is occasionally in the path of a major typhoon. About 260 cm (more than 100 inches) of rain fall each year. Recent strong typhoons include “Rosing” in November 1995 and “Milenyo” in September 2006. The tropical storm “Ondoy” in 2009 released a large amount of rain which devastated many areas. The November 2013 typhoon “Yolanda” did not affect Los Baños but caused widespread devastation in the Visayas. Typhoon Glenda passed over Los Baños in July 2014 causing damage to buildings and trees.
Air temperatures range from 22 ˚C to 32 ˚C (71.6 ˚F to 89.6 ˚F) with average temperature at 27 °C (80.6 ˚F). Humidity is high. Light, loose-fitting, and cool cotton clothes can be worn throughout the year. Wearing sunglasses and using skin lotion (with at least SPF 15) are recommended for beach outings or for prolonged outdoor activities.
Specialties
Los Baños is well known for its orchids and ornamentals, buko (young coconut) pie, and dairy products such as fresh milk, white cheese, and ice cream. The town is a tourist destination and many stores sell pasalubong (presents) such as cassava cake, pineapple pie, mazapan goodies, uraro (arrow root) biscuits, and pastillas (milk candy).
A visitor to Los Baños for the first time will surely notice the large number of signs advertising buko pie. Buko pie originated here and, who knows, it soon may become as popular in the Philippines as apple pie is in the United States. Here is how it all began.
Nanette Pahud worked as a cook for Dr. Knapp, a Cornell University exchange professor at the College of Agriculture. Mrs. Knapp encouraged Nanette to start her own business. When the Knapps left for the States, Nanette took some courses in the culinary arts in Manila. Then, in 1968, she began experimenting with the use of buko (young green coconut) in pies. Among the many recipes she concocted, one became a favorite of the customers.
Making buko pie is both an art and a science. It is important to use buko meat of the correct tenderness. Nanette was meticulous in the choice of the right maturity of buko, such that at times she was unable to sell any pies. As the popularity of the pie grew, various other shops began to bake buko pies. In 1970, Nanette went with her husband to the United States, leaving the business in the hands of her mother, Inez Pahud, who now runs the business with her three nephews. To date, there are more than 35 establishments selling buko pies in Los Baños. The “original” buko pie shop is on the north side of the highway about halfway between Bayan and Crossing. On a Saturday or Sunday the Pahuds sell as many as 50 pies at PhP6.50 each.
– Randy Barker, This is Los Baños, 1975
UPLB
The University of the Philippines Los Baños or UPLB is in the immediate physical and professional environment of IRRI. IRRI and UPLB share land, some resources, and staff members. The university campus borders both IRRI staff housing and the Institute. UPLB is the most significant social, cultural, and intellectual resource for IRRI staff members and is the primary venue for cross-cultural interactions with Filipinos in the area.
UPLB is a state university with a very international perspective—there are usually around 150 foreign students from more than 20 countries, many of the staff have trained abroad, and English is the medium of instruction. Expatriates have also enrolled as special students to increase skills in an area of intellectual or professional interest.
Although UPLB is famous for being an agricultural university, the College of Arts and Sciences is the largest college. Other colleges include Agriculture, Development Communication, Economics and Management, Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, Forestry and Natural Resources, Human Ecology, Public Affairs, and Veterinary Medicine. There are also the Graduate School and the School of Environmental Science and Management.
In addition, a great deal of teaching, research, and extension takes place in interdisciplinary programs, laboratories, and centers whose works extend beyond traditional departmental boundaries. The UPLB Faculty and Administration consist of leaders in higher education, business and industry, science, engineering, and other professions. There is also The National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH). BIOTECH is the premier national research and development institution applying traditional and modern biotechnologies in innovating products, processes, testing and analytical services for agriculture, health, energy, industry, and the environment.
The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) has offices near IRRI at the UPOU Gate. It is a constituent unit (CU) of the UP System. The other CUs are UP Diliman, UP Los Baños, UP Manila, UP Visayas, UP Baguio, and UP Mindanao. UPOU was established by the UP Board of Regents through a board resolution during its 1084th meeting on 23 February 1995. UPOU offers various advanced degrees and courses in distance learning mode.
Other institutions in Los Baños
Los Baños is well known for its academic and research community and hosts several internationally known institutions and many national and local organizations. These include IRRI, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA); The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity; Department of Science and Technology Region IV office; Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development; Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Resources Research and Development; Forest Products Research and Development Institute; Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB); and many others.
IRRI also hosts scientists from several international collaborating centers and entities.
SEARCA
The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) was established in July 1967. The Philippine government hosts it on the campus of UPLB. As a regional center, it serves the sustainable agriculture and development needs of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) member states. SEARCA was conceived by six Southeast Asian education ministers to bolster scientific and technological knowledge that would accelerate regional development. It was the first regional center established by SEAMEO.
As Southeast Asia’s foremost resource center for sustainable agriculture and rural development, it engages in four principal activities: education, research and development, information dissemination, and consulting.
SEARCA provides professional services to government institutions and private enterprises in Southeast Asia through ConServ (Consulting Services). ConServ focuses on institutional capacity building, technology transfer, human resource development/management, and information management. It promotes sustainable agriculture and rural agro-industrial development in the region through well-coordinated research and application of appropriate technologies and development strategies.
ACB
The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) is located at UP within the Forestry campus. The Centre was established in 2005 as a response to the need for a coordinated approach to biodiversity conservation across the Asian Region. ACB supports the 10 ASEAN member states—Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The role of the Centre is to promote knowledge-sharing about best practices and common efforts in biodiversity conservation in the region. It has an important role in formulating and coordinating biodiversity-related policy, strategy and action; fulfilling relevant treaty obligations; and, promoting and advancing common positions on matters related to biodiversity conservation and the management and sustainable use of natural resources. Specific activities include regional workshops on urban biodiversity, climate change and biodiversity, transboundary cooperation, enforcement of biosafety regulations, preparation of biodiversity indicators and gap analysis on protected marine areas.
FPRDI
The Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) is the research and development arm of forest products for the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). DOST is the government body that coordinates and manages the national science and technology system. The Institute was established in 1954 as Forest Products Laboratory, but it considers 1957 its founding year when it was reorganized into the Forest Products Research Institute, a semi-autonomous unit of the University of the Philippines. It is, thus, one of the oldest institutions in the UPLB complex of international and national organizations. Twelve years later, it was reconstituted as the Forest Products Research and Industries Commission (FORPRIDECOM) and later reorganized as FPRDI. The Institute conducts basic and applied research and development on forest product uses based on the needs of the industry and the public. It also transfers completed research to end-users and provides technical services and training to various clientele. The Institute disseminates and promotes the results of its R&D activities to reach the widest possible clientele through training, technical assistance, and industry dialogues. Among its facilities are a pulp and paper plant, a particleboard pilot plant, woodwool cement board production facilities, wood preservation facilities, a sawmill, a kiln drying facility, and a training complex. Its offices are found in the Forestry campus of UPLB.
ERDB
Also in the Forestry campus is the Environmental Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). ERDB was born as a result of the merger of the Forest Research Institute and the National Mangrove Committee. It is the principal research unit of DENR for assembling research results, scientific information, and technologies on the management of various ecosystems and natural resources. These include the forest, grassland and degraded areas, upland farms, freshwater, and coastal zone ecosystems. ERDB generates technologies and provides technical assistance in research and development of technologies relevant to the sustainable use of ecosystems and natural resources. ERDB has about 300 employees. Its offices are in a three-story complex just across from the Museum of Natural History.
RSTC, DOST
The Regional Science and Technology Center (RSTC) in Region IV (Southern Tagalog region) directs, leads, and coordinates scientific and technological efforts, and promotes science and technology (S&T) activities to the public and private sectors. It is the implementing arm of the DOST, which is tasked to continuously review the state and needs of science and technology in the country. Its projects include comprehensive technology transfer and commercialization, and S&T infrastructure and manpower development. Under the first project are training and demonstrations on various agricultural and industrial enterprises; science and laboratory services; S&T information and communication; and research and development to support ongoing technology transfer activities. The second project focuses on science education and promotion, and S&T infrastructure, and institution development.
The RSTC projects and activities aim to help national goals in
- alleviating poverty,
- generating productive employment,
- promoting equity and justice,
- attaining sustainable growth, and
- protecting and enhancing the environment.
The RSTC also maintains mini libraries in the 11 provincial S&T centers in the region. The RSTC office is located in a research complex near PCARRD on the slopes of Mt. Makiling. It is accessible from the main highway and from the winding Jamboree road from UPLB.
PCARRD
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) is one of the five sectoral councils of the DOST. It was created on 10 November 1972. It is the government’s main body in planning, coordinating, evaluating, and monitoring the national research and development programs in agriculture, forestry, and natural resources. PCARRD carries out the following responsibilities:
- formulates policies, plans, strategies, programs, and projects for S&T development;
- programs and allocates government and external funds;
- monitors and evaluates research and development (R&D) projects; and
- generates funds for R&D.
To implement R&D programs, PCARRD has established the National Agriculture Resources Research and Development Network (NARRDN). It is comprised of a plethora of national R&D centers and various cooperating stations and specialized agencies. PCARRD has also established a regional R&D consortia to integrate R&D projects of member agencies to ensure focused and relevant projects in the regions. The consortia also promote sharing of R&D resources to minimize duplication of activities. The PCARRD headquarters sits on a sprawling 4.75-hectare land at the foot of Mt. Makiling and is less than a kilometer away from the National Highway.
PCAMRD
The Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD) of DOST sets directions for fisheries and aquatic resources research and development. One of the sectoral councils of DOST, it coordinates, plans, monitors, and evaluates R&D activities dealing with the country’s aquatic resources. Its mandates include
- formulating strategies, policies, plans, programs, and projects for science and technology development;
- programming and allocating government and external funds for R&D;
- monitoring R&D projects; and
- generating external funds.
PCAMRD maintains the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development System (NARRDS), a nationwide network composed of more than 40 members, which include national and zonal centers, cooperating stations, and collaborating specialized agencies that implement fisheries and aquatic resources R&D. Its offices are in the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Economic Garden complex near PCARRD.
BPI-LBNCRDC
The Bureau of Plant Industry-Los Baños National Crop Research and Development Center (BPI-LBNCRDC), formerly known as the Economic Garden, was established in 1931. It was patterned after the famous Buitenzerg Economic Garden in Java, the Paredehiya Garden of Ceylon, and the Serdang Experiment Plantation of Malaysia. It was formally inaugurated in 1933 by Dr. Edwin Copeland, the founder and first dean of the UPCA. BPI-LBNCRDC has a total land area of 46.18 hectares, with 11 hectares used for research activities, 9 hectares for seed production, 2 hectares for orchard plantations, 3 hectares for the germplasm collection of fruit trees, and 1.5 hectares for the foundation grove of fruit trees. It is located about 4 km away from UPLB. As a part of the Department of Agriculture (DA), it supports the Department’s programs on continuous crop research and technology generation and verification, production of quality seeds and plant materials, and technology transfer. As a breeding center of BPI, it conducts different research activities such as varietal improvement, culture, management, and pest monitoring on vegetables, field legumes, root crops, and ornamentals. It also works on peri-urban gardening and biointensive home gardening. Under crop production, BPI-LBNCRDC produces breeder and foundation seeds of Seed Board varieties; high-quality fruit trees, ornamentals, and medicinal plants; and other economically important crops such as neem, mahogany, sweet potato, and cassava. It helps promote better agriculture in the country through techno-demo farm trials in the provinces of Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, and Cavite; on-the-job training for students, farmers, and technicians; and use of organic fertilizer in vegetables and potting media in ornamentals. Since the center intensified its crop improvement program in 1955, it has developed several varieties of field legumes, vegetables, cereals, and root crops. These have been approved by the Philippine Seed Board for commercial release and production in the country.
Landmarks and places of interest around Los Baños
Alligator Lake
Sometimes called Crocodile Lake, this tiny inland body of water in Tadlac is a well-known swimming and boating spot. To get to it, turn right at Bagong Kalsada (going towards Calamba) and continue as far as the railway line. Turn sharp left in front of the Pacific Pulp and Paper factory.
Baker Hall
Baker Hall, the oldest intact building remaining on the UPLB campus after World War II, was named after C.F. Baker, former dean of UPCA. Baker Hall was an armory-gymnasium during World War II, which was used as a concentration camp for Allied prisoners of war.
Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) and Jamboree site
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) Laguna Council maintains its headquarters on the National Highway near the town center, very near the Laguna Girl Scouts Council.
The Makiling National Scout Reservation is in Jamboree, above the SEARCA housing on the UPLB campus. There is a camping site, cottages, swimming pools, guesthouses, pavilions, and staff quarters. It was the site of the 10th World Boy Scouts Jamboree in 1959 and the Golden Jubilee for Philippine Scouting in 1973. It is a popular spot for camping, nature tripping, and trekking.
Church Among the Palms
In 1907 Presbyterian missionaries were deployed in Laguna. They ministered to the students when the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture was established in 1909. In 1914 the Los Baños College Church became an independent congregation. The chapel at the Church Among the Palms (CAP) was inaugurated on March 4, 1917 as the Student Church and is located just outside the UPLB campus near the Raymundo Gate. CAP is a multi-denominational church currently administered by the United Church of Christ in the Philippines.
Dampalit Falls
The waterfalls at Dampalit in barangay Lalakay is a popular picnic destination. There is a rest area and a small park with plant stalls nearby, in the area called “Quarry.” Dampalit Falls is a few minutes’ walk from the National Highway or about 10 minutes from Bayan.
Edible Garden
Near the Orchid Nursery at UPLB is an artistic garden that contains plants that can be eaten. Find a person at the nursery who can open the gate and give you a tour.
Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP)
The Laguna Girl Scouts Council has its headquarters near Bayan in Camp Maria Makiling. The 1.6-hectare camp has grown from three bamboo, nipa and wood cottages in the early 1950s to a huge convention complex with a 250-seat conference hall, dining hall, 27 cottages with kitchen and bath, and a 112-m2 swimming pool. It is a favorite camp, tour, and convention destination.
Immaculate Conception Church
The church in Bayan dates back to 1851.The original church was built in 1671 but was destroyed by fire in 1727.
IRRI Riceworld Museum
Riceworld is the world’s largest museum for rice and rice artifacts. It is found at the headquarters of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). It is a permanent exhibit of artifacts and implements from around the rice-growing world, as well as a learning center about rice production and research and their importance in global food production. The exhibits are dedicated to rice farmers around the world.
Riceworld depicts the different ways rice is grown, the geographical zones where rice is planted, the challenges involved in improving productivity, problems associated with sustainable rice production in various ecosystems, conservation of rice genetic diversity, and the potential of research to solve rice production problems. It has eight sections: about IRRI; dedication to farmers; history of rice domestication and cultivation; rice ecosystems; farmers’ clothing; rice rituals; rice pests, friendly insects, and spiders; and, rice farming tools.
Admission to the museum is free. Each year, more than 50,000 students, teachers, farmers, researchers, media people, policymakers, and others visit Riceworld.
Laguna de Bay
Laguna de Bay is a heart-shaped freshwater lake that covers 922 km2. It is only 1 meter above sea level and has an average depth of 3 meters. Laguna Province, which derives its name from “la Laguna” (the lake), Rizal Province, and Manila all border the lake. Laguna de Bay is connected to Manila Bay via the Pasig River.
Less than a century ago, it was said that the lake was infested by huge man-eating crocodiles. In those days, access to towns south of Manila was via boats plying the Pasig River and the lake. Today, the lake is crowded with fish pens, and the shore is a popular location for duck farmers.
A trip around the lake takes a whole day, through picturesque old towns and other scenic spots.
Magnetic Hill
Magnetic Hill is on the Jamboree road going to the highway just past the spring of water and the curve. There is a sign on the left, but it is sometimes not easy to find. On this part of the road, a ball will roll “uphill.” This is not magnetic but an optical illusion. Be careful on this part of the road because cars coming around the curve and from the other way cannot see you.
Makiling Botanic Gardens
The Makiling Botanic Gardens were established in 1963 to support instruction and research related to forestry and plant sciences, and to serve the tourism, educational, and recreational needs of the public.
This 300-hectare forest garden has three main sections: arboreta, nurseries, and outdoor recreational areas. It includes a plantation of endemic and exotic trees, ornamentals, and collections of orchids and rare flowers, birds, and other wild animals. There are also swimming pools, a pavilion with picnic tables, and barbecue pits. There are jungle trails, a steamy mud spring, and other recreational areas for mountain climbing enthusiasts and nature lovers.
The Botanic Gardens are open to the public every day, except during holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The entrance fee is PhP20 and includes the use of the facilities.
There are plans to further develop the site. For more information, contact (049) 536 2637, (049) 536 3572 (fax), or makiling.bg@gmail.com (e-mail).
Mount Makiling and the Makiling Forest Reserve
Mount Makiling is a dormant volcano, 1,090 meters (3,575 feet) above sea level. The mountain is a vital watershed of Laguna and neighboring Batangas Province and is a center for biodiversity conservation.
The Mount Makiling Forest Reserve is a 40-km2 (4,244 hectares) national park that covers 70% of the mountain. Administered and managed by UPLB, it was declared a reservation in 1909 to provide a training laboratory for the advancement of science and technology for the conservation and development of natural resources.
The reservation contains native and exotic plant and animal species, such as the jade vine, wild orchids, and the wild boar.
Inside the reservation are various points of interest, including vast tracts of forest; the mud spring; Flat Rocks; Peaks 1, 2, and 3; nature trails; Makiling Botanic Gardens; the Makiling Rainforest Park; and the Makiling Experimental and Demonstration Forest.
To get to the peak, you have to go through the UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources. Nearby is the rock formation known as Flat Rocks, a picturesque promontory of big flat boulders in the riverbed, which can be reached by a short trail into the forest. Flat Rocks is a popular picnic site.
Our class excursions to Mount Makiling were then very difficult affairs. The trails were very slippery and infested with plenty of land leeches (limatik).We rubbed our shoes and limbs with tobacco juice to protect ourselves from the leeches for they do not only cling to our clothes but also get inside our shirts and, if one was not careful, they (leeches) would even get into the ears. It took us 2 days to go down after collecting plants for our herbarium for our botany class. We used to sleep at least one night on top of Mount Makiling. The water we used to fill our canteens was not enough to quench our thirst, so we had to resort to “cutting” rattan vines. We cut them at least once in our excursion to Mount Makiling and Mount Banahaw before we graduated. It was to temper our vitality for our future hard work.
The first part of the climb to Peak 2, the highest point, follows an old road leading to a picnic and camping area (about 5 km). From there, a 25-minute trek will bring you to mud spring or Natugnos, a sulfurous pool of bubbling mud, at an elevation of 350 meters. Mud spring is believed to be the main crater of Mount Makiling.
It takes approximately 3 hours to climb from mud spring to the peak, about 9 km from the College of Forestry and Natural Resources. The trail is narrow and sometimes slippery. Leeches are a problem when it is wet. It is not advisable to climb Mount Makiling during the rainy season, when there is a risk of flash floods.
For more information about the Makiling Forest Reserve, contact the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems, telephone (049) 536 3340 or 536 2577.
Museum of Natural History
The UPLB Museum of Natural History in the College of Forestry and Natural Resources campus is one of the most frequently visited educational and ecotourism centers in the university complex. It was established in 1976 and grew out of the physical and staff resources of existing museums, herbaria, and the Hortorium at UPLB.
The Museum of Natural History houses a diverse collection of more than 300,000 Philippine animals, plants, micro-organisms, and other artifacts. Living plants can be seen in the Hortorium near the bridge going up to Forestry campus. The Museum can be found immediately to the left of the archway going into the College of Forestry and Natural Resources.
The Museum is open on Mondays to Fridays, 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon, and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is open to the public for a fee of PhP20 for adults and PhP10 for children. For reservations, contact (049) 536 2864.
National Arts Center
The National Arts Center, a special educational institution and retreat for training artists and musicians, was built in 1976. Situated on the slopes of Mount Makiling, it overlooks Laguna de Bay and the towns of Los Baños and Calamba. The National Arts Center hosts the Philippine High School for the Arts, a government school for artistically gifted children.
Other facilities include the Pugad Adarna (executive house), Bulwagang Sarimanok (clubhouse), Pook Aliguyon (Marvilla cottages), Tanghalang Maria Makiling (an open-air theater that seats 2,500 guests), an open-air chapel (St. Marc’s), and a helipad. The National Arts Center is part of the Makiling Forest Reserve. Private social functions, seminars, workshops, and art camps can be held at the National Arts Center’s Clubhouse, Marvilla cottages and St. Marc’s chapel, an ecumenical chapel which is nestled amidst the Makiling rainforest. For more information, call (049) 536 5971 to 73 and (049) 536 2862. Website: www.phsa.edu.ph. E-mail: phsa@laguna.net.
Pook ni Mariang Makiling/Rizal Park
Pook ni Mariang Makiling is also known as Rizal Park. It is in Jamboree and is a government-operated swimming and nature resort. It has an Olympic-sized pool, picnic grounds, cottages, and workshop, conference, and meeting facilities. The view from the lookout point is spectacular. You can see the forest canopy and a panoramic view of Laguna de Bay.
Entrance fee is PhP65 per person and is open every day of the week including holidays. Cottages for 4–12 people are available from PhP2,000 to PhP4,000, while the pavilion and social hall can be rented for PhP1,000 for 8 hours. For reservations, call (049) 536 3489.
Rizal Centenary CarillonTower
UPLB is one of the few universities in the world to have its own carillon tower. The Rizal Centenary Carillon was built in 1996 through the efforts of alumni. It has 37 bells of different sizes. The heaviest (note F1) measures 1,130 mm in diameter and weighs 897 kg, the lightest (note G4) is 225 mm in diameter and weighs 13.5 kg.
YMCA
The college YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) is one of the first dormitories built on the UPLB campus soon after the war.
St. Therese Parish Church
St.Therese of the Child Jesus Parish Church is a modern structure built in the early seventies. The original chapel, built after the war, still stands, although it has been converted for other uses.
Yamashita/Homma Shrine
The Japanese occupation of Los Baños from 1942 to 1945 destroyed many buildings, roads, and bridges in and around the town. In quick succession, the UPCA became a Japanese camp for prisoners of war, an internment camp for Allied nationals, a target of Kempetai (Japanese soldier) punitive measures, and the headquarters of a secret guerilla organization. After the rescue of American internees by Filipino guerillas and U.S. paratroopers on 23 February 1945, the entire campus was ransacked by the Japanese and razed to the ground. Only Baker Hall remained standing amidst the rubble.
Shortly after the war, Generals Masaharu Homma and Tomoyuki Yamashita, the Japanese commanders at the time of the Bataan Death March and during the end of the war, were executed for war crimes in April 1946. They were tried for war crimes and executed near the Economic Garden (BPI). The shrines marking their executions are less than 1 km from the main highway, on the Jamboree/ PCARRD road. You will need to ask someone to show you the way to the site because the markers are not easy to find.
Fiestas and yearly events
Flower and garden shows are held at the Senior Social Garden of UPLB in April and October of each year. A February Fair is held on the grounds near Baker Hall at UPLB around the week of 14 February. Bañamos, the anniversary of the founding of Los Baños, is celebrated the week of 17 September. Fiesta dates for some barangays are: Tuntungin-Putho—Easter Sunday, Mayondon—every first Sunday of May, Maahas—13 May, Anos—15 May, Tadlac—11 June, San Antonio—13 June, BatongMalake—13 June, Bayog—4 October, and Timugan/Bambang/Baybayin/Lalakay—8 December.
Places to see nearby
Batangas and Cavite provinces
Taal Volcano is a principal tourist attraction in Batangas. Taal is one of three active volcanoes in the Philippines. The view of Taal Lake from Tagaytay in Cavite is breathtaking on clear sunny days. You can get a boat ride from the town of Talisay across the lake to the volcano. There, you can hire a guide and a horse to take you to the top. From the top, you can look down into a volcano within the lake.
Sonya's Garden Restaurant and Bed and Breakfast can be included in a trip to Tagaytay and Taal. This is a delightful place for lunch or an overnight stay. There is also a massage salon and you can buy wonderful garden produce and bread in the Panaderia. Tel: 0917 533 5140 or info@sonyasgarden.com.
Antonio’s Restaurant (considered one of the best restaurants in the Philippines) is located in Barangay Neogan, Cavite, with cell 0918 899 2866.
Josephine’s Restaurant features Filipino food and has a great view of Taal Volcano. It is located at Km 58 Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Maharlika West with phone (046) 413-1801.
Bag of Beans is known for its coffee and bakery and is located at 3650 Auinaldo Highway, Mendez Crossing West with phone (046) 413-2714.
There are many other restaurants to explore in Tagaytay. There is a lot of information on the Internet about restaurants in the Philippines. You can find reviews, menus, and maps.
Hidden Valley
The resort of Hidden Valley is in an ancient 90-meter-deep crater on the south side of Mount Makiling in Alaminos. You can see ancient trees, ferns, orchids, springs, a gorge, and waterfalls.
Laguna towns
Many towns in Laguna are quaint and picturesque, with old churches and Spanish-style architecture. Liliw is well-known for handcrafted footwear and uraro (arrow root) biscuits; Luisiana for pandan mats, hats, and bags; Lumban for hand-embroidered barong (a special cloth made from natural fibers) industry; Majayjay for its famous church and colonial houses; Paete for woodcarving and paper mache products; Pakil for the Turumba festival and filigree work; and Rizal for tuba and lambanog (alcoholic drinks made from coconut).
Lake Caliraya
Caliraya is a man-made lake that is 300 meters above sea level. There are several resorts in the area, offering boating, water skiing, wind surfing, swimming, horseback riding, and fishing facilities. Less than 2 km farther, on the way to Cavinti, are the Japanese Memorial Gardens, which commemorate the many Japanese soldiers who died here during World War II.
Makban
Makban is the Makiling-Banahaw Geothermal project, found on the lower slopes of Mount Makiling behind the IRRI farm. Giant pipes follow the contours of the road around the mountain and take super-heated water to drive turbines to produce electricity. Special visits can be arranged.
Mount Banahaw
Mount Banahaw is another extinct volcano and the tallest mountain in Laguna (2,177 meters or 7,383 feet). Banahaw and the adjacent Mount San Cristobal (1,420 m) form a national park. Many locals consider Banahaw sacred, and people climb the mountain to worship. The mountain has lovely waterfalls and streams on the slope, including Kristalino and Suplina Falls. It is recommended to take a local guide the first time you climb Banahaw. Unless you are very fit, the trip will take two to three days, camping overnight on the edge of the crater. Views in the early morning are spectacular.
Pagsanjan Falls
Shooting the rapids at Pagsanjan is one of the Philippines’ most famous tourist adventures. You take a wooden boat, or banca, from the town of Pagsanjan, and travel for about one hour up the river to the falls. The boatmen have to lift the boat over the rapids at times, and for this reason, only two passengers are allowed per boat (three if you’re small!). After 14 sets of rapids, you reach the Pagsanjan (or Magdapio) Falls. If you feel like soaking, take the raft trip through the falls to the cave behind. The return trip is much faster, as you shoot the rapids going down. Boat trips should be hired at a resort and not at a roadside vendor.
Rizal Shrine
Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero, was born in Calamba, the next town north of Los Baños, in 1861. A reconstruction of his house, a Spanish-style building with a red-tiled roof, is now a historical marker. It contains Rizal memorabilia, antique furniture, and household articles.
Seven Lakes of San Pablo
San Pablo, the only city in Laguna Province, is famous for its seven lakes (Sampaloc, Bunot, Pandin, Yambo, Calibato, Palakpakin, and Mohicap) formed in craters from long-ago volcanic activity. Sampaloc, 1 km across and 27 meters deep, is the biggest and can be viewed from the city hall. Lakeside restaurants serve grilled fish such as bangus (milkfish), tilapia, and hito (mudfish).
Underground Cemetery
The underground cemetery is found in the town of Nagcarlan, which is near San Pablo City. It contains tombs and burial plaques and was used as a secret meeting place by the Katipuneros (revolutionaries) in the late 19th century. Nagcarlan is also known for its vegetables, lanzones (lansium), and carabeef (meat from carabao).
Villa Escudero
Villa Escudero is an 800-hectare coconut plantation and hacienda 10 km south of San Pablo City, on the boundary between Laguna and Quezon provinces. There is a private museum that features religious artifacts, Chinese porcelain, antique furniture, Spanish items, ethnic clothing, and World War II relics. For a fee, you can use the recreational facilities (swimming pool, tennis courts), watch a demonstration of coconut harvesting, go on a walking tour of the plantation, enjoy lunch by the lake overlooking a waterfall, get dazzled by a cultural show, be serenaded with local folk songs, and go sight-seeing by a carabao (water buffalo) cart. Tel: (049)562-3288 or (02)521-8696.
Places to see for a long weekend or longer
Batangas is only a few hours away. Anilao contains popular destinations for diving like Arthur’s Resort and Planet Dive. In Puerto Galera, El Galleon is a regular choice.
Other popular places to visit include Pandan Island in Mindoro, Batanes, Coron Island, Caramoan Island, Camiguan Island, and many more.
