Los Baños: Paradise Town of Laguna, Philippines
Although born in Manila, I grew up in the quiet town of Los Baños, where my brother said riches were measured by pockets bulging with marbles and happiness came from transforming paper, sticks, and string into kites you flew through the spacious grounds.
Los Baños is located on the lower slopes of Mt. Makiling, along the southern shores of Laguna de Bay. Mt. Makiling, an extinct volcano, is said to resemble Maria Makiling, a reclining woman’s figure. Los Baños means ‘the baths’ in Spanish, and refers to the natural springs whose waters have healed many sick and hurting bodies since Spanish times. These hot springs and pools attract vacationers from both Manila and other nearby towns and cities. Aside from pools at Baker Hall inside the University of the Philippines (U.P.), the U.P. Staff housing, Jamboree Site, City of Springs, and Montevista Resort, other more recent resorts and establishments now offer hot springs for adults and children.
Major institutions and organizations in Los Baños include education and training centers like the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the National Arts Center (NAC), the SEAMEO Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the Philippine Raptors Center within the Makiling Rainforest Reservation, and the Philippine Center for Agricultural Research and Development (PCARDD). These make ‘home’ for the town which has also been proclaimed a ‘science, art, and nature city.’
So much has changed since I was a child. Townhomes, malls, boutiques, and fast food shops have replaced many a small house or sari-sari store in the vicinity. The old market stalls at the Crossing marketplace is now a concrete two-storey structure. Other recent points of interest include the Rizal Centenary Carillon and the Riceworld Museum at IRRI, the world’s largest museum on rice and related artifacts.
But other landmarks remain: the mysterious Alligator Lake, the century-old Immaculate Concepcion Church at the town proper, the Senior’s Social Garden inside the campus, the Natural Museum at Forestry with its extensive display of Philippine flora and fauna, the Flat Rocks popular for camping and picnics. And there’s the curiously heart-shaped Laguna de Bay, not really a bay, but which is actually the largest lake in Southeast Asia. The forests of Mt. Makiling with its local and exotic plants, orchids, and ferns attract hikers on its grassy footpaths. I understand there are some species of deer, lizards, monkeys, birds and bats that inhabit the forest, which are however threatened by some local residents. The forest reserves help to advance appreciation for science and technology, but also provide a recreational area for nature lovers.
I just woke up to a warm, sunny morning. It’s not so quiet now, with the student dormitories in the neighborhood, and young lads and ladies up even at 12 m.n. or 5 a.m. walking our street discussing calculus! But to them Los Baños must be that paradise town in Laguna, where they flock to learn at the university, and bask in its natural, quiet landscape.
Los Baños: Paradise Town ng Laguna, Philippines, 490
Hindi ako ipinanganak rito, pero lumaki ako sa tahimik na bayan ng Los Baños. Sabi ng kuya ko, ang kayamanan ay nasusukat ng mga bulsang naglalakihan sa lamang jolen, at ang kaligayahan nagmumula sa pagbabago ng papel, mga sanga, at tali para maging isang saranggolang paliliparin sa malawak na damuhan.
Ang Los Baños ay nasa mababang parte ng Mt. Makiling, sa timog na bahagi ng Laguna de Bay. Ang Mt. Makiling, isang extinct na bulkan, ay kahawig daw ni Maria Makiling, isang diosang naka-recline. Ang ibig sabihin ng Los Baños ay ‘mga paliguan’ sa Kastila, na tumutukoy sa natural springs na maraming napagaling na mga nananakit na katawan panahon pa ng Kastila. Ang mga hot springs at pools na ito ay nag-aakit ng mga bakasyonista mula sa Manila at kalapit-bayan at lungsod. Puwera pa sa pools sa Baker Hall ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (U.P.), mayroon din sa U.P. Staff Housing, Jamboree Site, City of Springs, Monte Vista Resort, at ibang mas bagong mga esbalisamentong may hot springs pang- matatanda at bata.
Sa mahahalagang institusyon at organisasyon sa Los Baños ay ang International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), ang National Arts Center (NAC), ang SEAMEO Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), ang Philippine Raptors Center sa Makiling Rainforest Reservation, at ang Philippine Center for Agricultural Research and Development (PCARDD). Ang mga ito ay nagiging tahanan sa bayang nataguringan ding ‘science, art, and nature city.’
Marami nang nabago mula ng bata pa ako. Napalitan na ng townhomes, malls, boutiques, at fast food shops ang maliit na bahay o sari-sari stores sa paligid. Ang pamilihan sa palengke sa Crossing ay sementado nang dalawang palapag na istraktura. Bagong atraksyon ngayon ang Rizal Centenary Carillon, at ang Riceworld sa IRRI, ang pinakamalaking museo sa buong mundo sa bigas at kaugnay na artifacts.
May mga palatandaang nananatili: ang mahiwagang Alligator Lake, ang siglo-gulang na Immaculate Concepcion Church sa bayan, ang Senior’s Garden sa campus, ang Natural Museum sa Forestry, na may malawak na display ng Philippine flora at fauna, ang Flat Rocks na sikat pang- camping at picnic. At naroon din ang hugis-pusong Laguna de Bay, na di tunay na bay kundi ang pinakamalaking lawa sa Southeast Asia. Ang mga gubat ng Mt. Makiling na may mga lokal at exotic na halaman, orchids, at ferns ay patuloy na umaakit ng mga hikers. May mga usa, lizards, mga unggoy, iba’t ibang ibon at paniking tumitira sa gubat, na threatened na rin ng ibang lokal na residente. Tumutulong ang forest reserves ipalaganap ang pagpapahalaga sa agham at teknolohiya; nagbibigay din ng recreational area sa mga mahilig sa kalikasan.
Kagigising ko pa lang. Di na ganoon katahimik sa bayan ko, ngayong marami nang dormitoryo sa paligid at mga kabataang gising kahit na hating-gabi o alas-singko ng madaling-araw, nag-aaral ng calculus! Ngunit sa kanila, ang Los Banos ay naging paraisong bayan din, sa pagpasok nila sa unibersidad. Dito sila nakakababad sa kanyang likas na tahimik na kapaligiran.
