#taalvolcano

Imagine a volcano so destructive it didn’t just erase towns—it erased a language.

In 1754, Taal Volcano unleashed a seven-month eruption, the longest and most violent in its recorded history. The blasts buried four entire towns—Sala, Lipa, Tanauan, and old Taal—forcing survivors to flee and rebuild elsewhere.

Here’s the wild part: the people who lived around the old caldera spoke a distinct local language called Taaleño, a unique branch of early Tagalog. When the survivors dispersed into neighboring areas, their speech slowly blended into mainstream Tagalog. In just one generation, a whole linguistic community vanished, not through war or colonialism—but through geology.

This is how we spent our Sunday last August 18 🚲. It's my and babes' 2nd time at the Suplang climb and I didn't improve! Haha I also stopped twice like the first time. I think if it's not that hot I would've made it without stopping. 😂

We went to S&R and Landers in the afternoon to buy some groceries. Had dinner at Landers (I love their fried chicken) then ate the 🍕 we ordered (that's supposed to be our dinner too but already full) at the penthouse.

It's a great day overall despite the Taal volcano's smog. I got to exercise, enjoy going around the aisles at the grocery, eat delish food, and spend quality time with my second family. ☺️