Sprawling along the graceful slopes of the Zambales mountain ranges at 120 feet above sea level & situated just 15 minutes from Olongapo City, Alta Vista by GP Homes offers magnificent panoramic views of nearby Subic Bay...Tagaytay City
Sources: tagaytay.gov.ph, census.gov.ph
A Nearby Drive from Batangas is Tagaytay. Nature has blessed it with a cool climate, misty mornings and chilly fog-filled evenings. If you want to see the breathtaking views of Taalan active volcano within a lake, Tagaytay is the place to go. The variety of restaurants will surely suit your every discriminating taste. Enjoy fresh garden salads, pasta, steaks and burgers. After all that delicious food, hop on a horse at Picnic Grove or try your luck at the casino.
For thrill-seekers, you might want to join a diving group and explore the depths of Taal Lake or walk near Taal Volcano's rumbling crater. For those who wish to bask in the sun or take a dip, the beaches at Puerto Azul and Caylabne Bay Resort are not far away.
Just 56 kilometers south of Metro Manila is the perfect environmental destination -- Tagaytay City -- lying on the boundary of Cavite and Batangas. Because of its cool climate, it was once intended to become an alternative to the Philippines' summer capital of Baguio. It is an ideal day-trip destination-good food, pony rides, nature views, and clean country air.
This ridge town is just about a 1-hour drive from the metropolis. There are buses that go there daily from Manila. The shortest road to Tagaytay, the Carmona route, (which is via the South Expressway toward Alabang Exit or Carmona, then on to the Aguinaldo Highway) is the most popular route. You can also take the Coastal Road-from Pasay or Malate, you go through Para?aque along Quirino Avenue. Head for Las Pi?as and turn left (south), following the Cavite trail along the Aguinaldo Highway (until you reach Tagaytay). If you want to take the air-conditioned bus, catch the one marked Nasugbu or Balayan at the BLTB station on EDSA in Pasay.
Tagaytay has its own bit of history to tell. Before it was born as Tagaytay City in 1938, it was a simple mountain town of 300 families. Land was annexed from the nearby towns of Cavite and Batangas to make up what is now 6,615 hectares of Tagaytay City. In 1953, its first mayor planned on making it a functional city. In the 1970's, moneyed social and political figures started building vacation houses on the ridge. By the early 1990's, multi-storey cement establishments sprouted around the old Silang rotonda, blocking the view of the lake, and modern townhouse estates displaced the pineapple fields.
Today, despite Tagaytay's sleepy, laid-back pace, a minor real-estate boom is dotting the landscape, in the form of commercial and residential structures--posh condominiums, ranch-style houses, modern housing subdivisions, and new restaurants.
There are many reasons to tag Tagaytay as a "Nature City," as the name itself conjures pristine images: the mist-covered Taal Volcano (the city's symbolic expression); the shimmering Taal Lake at night; the mountain fog before dawn . . .
The spectacular view of Taal Volcano (called the island within a lake) which can best be viewed from the famous ridge, is just one of the many awesome nature views that Tagaytay offers. Other nature sights include the sprawling 13-hectare Picnic Grove, which has ponies for hire for the day tourists; the Palace in the Sky--a half-finished structure that offers an encompassing view of the entire metropolis; the Residence Inn--a perfect picnic place for families where you will find a mini zoo with a collection of interesting fauna, a children's playground, a souvenir shop, and a seafood restaurant, all set amidst manicured gardens and a view of Taal Volcano; and the Japanese Friendship Garden--a 1,200-square meter garden filled with flowers and ornamental plants.
Aside from this, Tagaytay offers more picturesque places of historical significance such as the Lourdes Church along the Aguinaldo Highway, which is the city's oldest public building; the Franciscan Sisters' gray chapel; and the St. Anne Shrine, with a life-size statue of St. Anne and the child Mary. Inside the statue is a relic of the saint believed to heal people. Another interesting spot is the 11th Airborne Monument on the Silang rotonda-site of the first parachute landing in the Philippines, where the 8th Army, USA arrived before the liberation of Manila.
If you're looking for picnic spots, there are a number of places along the ridge that rent out picnic tables and serve less-expensive food. For overnight stays, there is the renovated Taal Vista Hotel, with its 86 modern guest rooms, a restaurant, amusement center, and a casino; the Picnic Grove, which has basic dormitory-style rooms and cottage suites; the Rancho Freba, which has semi-studio type residence halls and cottages, along with conference and seminar facilities. An added attraction is the mini zoo, which has a collection of exotic animals.
For more mundane tastes, visit the Mahogany Market behind the old City Hall. Fresh Batangas beef is sold here and is sought after especially by the visitors from Metro Manila
History
Legend has it that the word Tagaytay came from " taga " meaning to cut and " itay " which means father . A father and son were said to be on a wild boar hunt when the animal they were chasing turned and attacked them. As the boar charged towards the old man, the son cried "TAGA ITAY!". the boy's repeated shout reverberated in the alleys of the ridge. Heard by the residents, hunters and wood gatherers, the cries became subject of conversation for several days in the countryside. In time, the place where the shouts came from became known as TAGAYTAY .
During the Philippine revolution of 1896, the ridges and forests of Tagaytay became the sanctuary for revolutionaries including those from nearby provinces. The passage to and from towns via Tagaytay added the word " mananagaytay" to the native's vocabulary. It means "to traverse ridges."
At the outbreak of the 2nd world war, the 11th Airborne Division of Lt. Gen. William Krueger's 8th army airdropped military supplies and personnel at the Tagaytay ridge prior to the liberation of Manila from the Japanese on February 3, 1945. To commemorate this event, a marker was installed in 1951 at the junction of Silang, Canlubang-Nasugbu roads by the city officials in coordination with the Philippine Historical Institute.
Location
Tagaytay City is located in the Province of Cavite, one of the many islands in Luzon, approximately 56 kilometer south of Manila. It lies within 120° 56' latitude and 14° 16' latitude and overlooks Manila Bay on the North, Taal volcano and Taal lake on the south and Laguna Bay on the east.
The City is linked by the national highway to the Metropolitan Manila Area and to the Province of Batangas. It is also connected by the roads to the adjoining municipalities of Amadeo, Mendez, Indang, Silang and Alfonso in Cavite towards the northwest, to the municipalities of Calamba and Sta. Rosa in Laguna in the northeast and to the town of Talisay in Batangas in the south.
Land Area and Topography
Tagaytay City has a total land area of 6,500 hectares which represent about 5.14% of the total area of the Province of Cavite. There are 34 barangays, 6 of which are urban and the rests are classified as rural.
Tagaytay City is characterized by mixed topography, the southern and eastern potions are covered by hills and mountains which is generally forests and open grasslands. These are the ridge with slope ranging from 10.0 to over 25 percent. On the other hand the portions adjoining the municipalities of Mendez, Indang, Amadeo and Silang are level to nearly level areas interspersed with very gently sloping surface. the built-up areas including the urban center situated in these relatively level portions of the city.
Climate
Tagaytay City's climate is characterized by relatively low temperature, low humidity and abundant rainfall. The City is endowed with a cool and invigorating climate with an average temperature of 22.7° C. Situated approximately 600 meters above sea level, the city is misty and is relatively cooler during the months of December, January and February. Like most areas in the Province of Cavite, the city has two pronounced seasons: dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. The climate has made the city very ideal for sports, picnics, conferences, honeymoons, country homes, and spiritual retreats.
Tagaytay has an average humidity of 78% which makes the city cooler than Metro Manila where relatively humidity exceeds 81%. Northeasterly winds prevail in the City from OCtober to April. winds come from southwest from May to September. The cool Tagaytay breeze has made the city ideal for leisurely kite flying and competitions.
The People
The total population of Tagaytay is 45, 287 as of My 1, 2002 per the City Population Office Report. The City's average populations growth rate 2.7% for the past four years shows that consistent increase will occur in the succeeding years.
The literary rate is 96.38%. There are 20 primary, 3 secondary and 3 tertiary school in the City. Majority of the residents speak English and Filipino.
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