Extended Christmas Vacation for the Family at Taal Vista Hotel of Tagaytay

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As we write this article, the buko pie and tarts we are currently enjoying as our dessert after a hearty lunch quickly reminds us of our Tagaytay experience.

My family and I would like to take this opportunity to thank our gracious hosts, Taal Vista Hotel, for our very memorable three days and two nights family staycation at their fabulous Lake wing.

Compared to the Mountain wing, our wing has an awesome view of the Taal Lake with its glorious mountains and volcanoes at the center. However, the other amenities like the pool, gym, spa and game room can be found at the Mountain wing since it was the original location when the hotel did not have a Lake wing yet, and was still called a lodge. When the lodge changed ownership, got renovated and expanded to provide more rooms, it was renamed as Taal Vista Hotel.

We were given two Premiere rooms, one for our three kids and another for my wife and I. The rooms have a few differences, but both have the same comfort and luxury. Our room just had a veranda where you could get out, take a sit and admire the epic view, and a bathtub where you could dip in warm water for hours - something so pleasurable to do in Tagaytay's cold weather.

At the center of both wings is the main lobby where just nearby is the Veranda buffet restaurant that offers a feast fit for a king but at a very reasonable price. There are just too many food choices that you could not possibly try them all in one seating.

 

Our first morning at Taal Vista Hotel started off with a view of the sunrise. I never fail to witness such natural wonder every time we are out of town, and the sunrise at Taal Vista is simply a marvelous sight to behold.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so we filled ourselves up real good. Though our first morning was an in-room dining where our food was brought to us in our room.

In--room dining options is where you could order from the room menu. This means we could have breafast, lunch or dinner in bed - a luxury that we all want so we could not miss our favorite show on TV or we want to remain snuggled with our loved one in bed, or when we're just too lazy to go down to the restaurants.

Our breakfast on the 3rd day was at the Veranda buffet restaurant where we splurged on plenty of viands, breads and pastries, bacon, "danggit", ham, eggs, pancakes and waffles, congee, champorado, different kinds of salads, "taho" and a lot more that's too many to mention.

Lunch time gets a lot more interesting with diners being entertained by a serenading trio allowing you to request songs, and several native or cultural dancers alternating in performing with the singers. Best part was the balancing act where a lady danced while balancing on her head several clay pots of different sizes. The performances go well with the pork belly litson, kare-kare, and other dishes. Desserts were equally numerous with plenty of "kakanin" and the all-time favorite "halo-halo" complete with all the well-loved ingredients including "ube halaya" and leche plan. Did I mention they have the seasonal "puto bumbong" and four flavors of ice cream?

We had breakfast after visiting the gym where we sweat it out for a few minutes, and the game room where my kids challenged me on the billiards. As expected, I would always lose as I am not really good in any kind of sport, table, board or even card games. Our only concern here is that the gym and game room is unattended by the hotel staff so we couldn't immediately ask for help in operating the gym equipment, and ask for extra darts at the game room.

If your appetite prefers ala carte, then you could dine at Taza Fresh Table restaurant, located just somewhere in between the Mountain wing and main lobby, where they also have an abundance of plated treats different from the dishes at Veranda. It's slightly more expensive here but for a good reason as the dishes here like the duck confit, lamb chops, Iloilo prawns, and many more, are heavenly. Kudos to the chef for top quality culinary creations.

Since it's Kyle's birthday, he had a special slice of cake to commemorate his special day. Our dinner at Taza Fresh Table was unanimously considered a much anticipated treat just like before when we were first visited the hotel. This is where you can find the high-end dishes conceptualized by their chef. For the holiday season, they had a special menu available so we ordered some of the dishes that were part of that menu.

But if you just want to chill out, check your emails or social media accounts, and have some light snacks and drinks, then hang around the Lobby Lounge. Weekend night time here is accentuated by heat from a real fireplace and music from a pianist. They even have some books you could read while drinking coffee.

Actually, you are limited in the food that you can order at the Lobby Lounge since they only allow mostly pasta, pizza, sandwiches and a few starters. But everything and a lot more can be found at the Veranda buffet restaurant.

Tagaytay is second to Baguio when it comes to the most preferred "cold weather" destination in the Philippines, but the former is the more convenient place to go for the people of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

Taal Vista Hotel could also provide transportation service that's ready to pick you up from your home and take you to the hotel, and vice versa, so you could conveniently travel back and forth in a car or van with courteous drivers.

The hotel is also just beside the Sky Ranch where both young and adult alike can enjoy several amusement games and rides. Taal Vista and Sky Ranch are both owned by SM, as well as the Tagaytay Highlands which is another place worth visiting in Tagaytay.

It was a staycation so with exception of our Sky Ranch visit during our first night, we mostly spent our time at the hotel premises. By the way, they have an entrance to the Sky Ranch from the hotel through a gate situated at the far end of the Lake wing but it is only open until 6pm. You may have to walk back through the main entrance of the amusement park if you leave Sky Ranch at night. Aside from the Sky Eye, the Ultimate Viking, the Tower Drop, the Roller Coaster, a must visit attraction is the Zip Line. Plenty of chances to win stuff toys from the game stalls, and so many food stalls and restaurants to choose from.

Sunday offers a 10:30am mass so you won't have to leave the hotel to look for a church. Traveling around in Tagaytay is more convenient if you being your own car, otherwise you would need to ride or rent a tricycle or other vehicles as there are no taxis here. You may want to visit the few churches, the farms and zoos, the specialty and heritage restaurants, the museums, and the parks. However, there are times when the fog is too thick and causes zero visibility especially when it rains or late at night or very early in the morning.

Since the Christmas season is not yet over at Taal Vista Hotel, there were still plenty of holiday decors when we stayed there from January 5 to 7. They have several Christmas trees aside from the few lanterns at certain areas. The best Christmas tree is the one at the center grounds that changes colors continuously. During Saturday night, we saw a spectacular display of fireworks sometime around 7pm which lasted for a few minutes.

Something new for us was the "picture frame" photo ops area bundled with some placards that mostly have the hashtag of the hotel: #TaalVistaHotel. This is a new addition to their existing giant #TaalVistaHotel signage at the Lake wing. Both photo ops areas offer a background view of the Taal lake. There's also a Santa sled but it is probably there only during the Christmas season.

By the way, we did mention a pool located at the Mountain wing but my kids were not in the mood to go swimming, thus we spent most of our hours doing nothing but lie in bed, watch TV, eat meals, and browse the Internet with the hotel's free Wi-Fi Internet access.

Since my kids belong to the "Millennials" generation, they are more inclined with online and digital hobbies like playing games, watching livestreams, plus graphics, audio, animation, sound and video editing, among others. Their nights at the hotel were spent mostly on these stuff. Strangely, last year's staycation at the hotel still had a Playstation module option at the game room, but we never had the opportunity to play it since there wasn't anybody around to assist. Now, it was totally removed, but there were two boxes of Monopoly board games instead which my kids never touched too. The table hockey was not working anymore, and there were only two darts to play with at the dart board. The Business Center is apparently no longer in business. Lol!

I guess what keeps Taal Vista a preferred destination is the majestic view of the Taal Lake, matched by its luxurious accommodations and sumptuous meals. But it needs to improve in its other amenities to keep up with the preference of the younger generation. We are a bit surprised it never improved on its gym and game room to add value to its offerings. They must give their guests alternative choices to spend their day(s) at the hotel.

Rappler Closure Order is Not Media Repression

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"To say that the fate of one media entity found to have run afoul with the law translates to media repression in the country is stretching the argument a bit too much." - National Press Club

I agree! The current issue surrounding Rappler could not be considered as media repression since there is a valid case against it. It would be otherwise if there is no sound and valid violation. Rappler thinks so highly of itself that it is blinded with entitlement.

This also applies to the blogging community. A few misguided bloggers could not bring a community down. We should not be too arrogant in bullying others who do not meet our expectations. Rather, it will be those ranting against their fellow bloggers who would ruin the reputation of the community because they are clearly showing how we lack the maturity to solve problems in a professional and decent manner.

Not even some melodramatic bloggers, supposedly fighting for freedom, but actually jumping into the bandwagon of hate towards the goverment, could fully taint the blogging community since there are more bloggers out there that are sane enough to understand what is really happening.

Let us not be too hasty to condemn others without even getting all the real and verified facts from all parties. Not because your friends are all jumping into a cliff, you have to follow. Think independently to avoid mob mentality.

Not even one beauty vlogger, who got humiliated by a hotel owner by revealing her proposal for an ex-deal at his hotel, could degrade the status of other bloggers who have their own strong fan base. Bloggers with proven credibility could not be easily dragged down by other erring bloggers.

We clearly witnessed how unethical and immature people who think they could muscle their way to a better government. Regardless if they have a point, it is never a good move to challenge the government. All good intentions go awry if delivered wrongly.

There are just some things that needs to be discussed privately outside of social media. We do not really need to involve the public unless our ulterior motive is to convince more people to rally against our intended targets.

We should not share our sentiments that would only further cause chaos to an already disturbed nation especially if our words lack the information needed for the public to arrive at an intellectual conclusion.

In the end, we should never take sides with law-breakers, unless we could show proof that they were wrongly accused. Until now, it has never been made clear that the accusation is false.

Even if it means going against our allies, we should not lower our dignity just to let our friends, colleagues or families, get away with their crimes. Everyone should be made responsible for their actions.

cnn.ph/2BbIyPH

A Return to the Decadent Life at Taal Vista Hotel

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Despite the challenging daily grind, ever so blessed are we to be teeming with such verdant nature, which just entails us to take a break and experience its one-of-a-kind experience, and from the chilly ridges of Tagaytay spans the view of a lifetime: that of the breathtaking Taal Lake.

Almost any pair of eyes on the latter will have him or her reaching for the camera in favor of a selfie or groupie to share on social media.

Tagaytay has been one of the country’s most attractive tourist destinations, being known for its getaways, food, eco-friendly surroundings, and scenic landscape. Its proximity to the capital also makes it a favorite destination of local and foreign tourists alike.

Ergo, January 5-7, 2018 was once again a living dream for us at the Taal Vista Hotel which just boasts its best view. Everything about the accommodation had us feeling like of regal blood. We knew it was going to be a great weekend, and so we decided to celebrate my brother’s 18th birthday here.

After being dropped off by a spacious white van being driven by Mr. Jerson, we faced its vibrant visage enraptured by all the décor, especially the nearby jazz lounge just beyond the vivaciously-adorned holiday tree. Everything was still as grand as we remembered it to be.

After all the formalities had taken place, we got our key cards and strode to our temporary rooms, one for the parents and one for us three as we waited for lunch and our real rooms. Despite ours having a humidifier, both rooms were tidy and refreshing. Containing a bathtub, two beds – one for my brothers and one for me - the view was still stunning, and they rightfully earn my 5 out of 5 in comfort.

To confirm this, my youngest brother deemed it so comfy that even though he meant to use his gadget more, he fell asleep immediately that night.

Earlier that afternoon though, we went to the Veranda buffet to have lunch. Lunch was consistently delicious. Day One had us come to a reserved table at Veranda, where their buffet proudly displays their dishes of the day and all of which were mouthwatering. The buffet offers multiple kinds of rice and Filipino viands, as well as classic international favorites as well.

Everyone literally put a lot on their plate. I honestly thought that because of all the food they’d fall at least a little quality-wise but almost all of them tasted scrumptious despite having a numerous array of choices.

Within those two days, we dined on a wide variety or arrangement of bread, salad, or even palabok, taho and other identifiable foreign cuisine like Japanese sushi, Spanish paella or even Chinese congee.

They also have their dessert room for those who want a bowl of ice cream, as well the create-your-own halo-halo station. It was a foodie’s dream.

There was also a skilled musical trio to perform at our request. Dad felt nostalgic and requested for a song by Apo Hiking Society. Lunch was the perfect after having traveled for hours.

 

 

We allotted the next few hours of sleeping in our respective rooms to refuel ourselves with energy and then got the chance to experience Sky Ranch, the nearby leisure and amusement park.

Albeit we didn’t get to try most of the rides, since a) mom and dad were too afraid for us to try the big ones such as the giant rocking ark or b) rides such as bumper cars, horseback riding, merry-go-round were pretty much for younger riders, the boys got to ride one where they slowly rise and unexpectedly fall.

People everywhere were eagerly eyeing sights, riding and proving their courage in various attractions, taking pictures and posts, accompanying their children and friends, and seeing what Sky Ranch had to offer. There were lots of games and prizes to be won as well. 

To give that zealous and unique zest to our first day was a return to the fresh table, the signature catchphrase of Taza, which endorses how its quality dishes are freshly made and served.

Having made ourselves comfy, one of the waiters had notified us of the restaurant featuring its Seasonal Menu. They reminded me of the intricate meals an Australian cooking show called My Kitchen Rules had, only more interesting. Being partial to pasta dishes for dinner, I ordered the Octopus and Bone Marrow, whereas my brothers found the Lamb Chops and Duck Confit – which is cooked in its own oil – their most mouthwatering dishes of the night.

After familiarizing myself with the dishes, I can therefore conclude that Taza’s tastes were more for the adventurous but refined sort. I also recall seeing the renowned Arnold Clavio the last time we visited here.

DAY TWO – Rise and Shine to a Spectacular Sight!

After that lovely night’s rest, I woke up to two brothers sleeping so soundly that waking them up would feel like a crime.

Soon enough, I was holding the white telephone on the table beside me and listening to mom’s voice calling us to go to their room and eat breakfast with them.

It honestly took us a long while to really wake ourselves up because sleeping the day off just felt so tempting due to the nice beds, but we made it to our parents’ room to see so many covered plates, with each one containing several viands with rice. Just as we were told, it was a scrumptious breakfast in bed. Dessert too, since a handful such as danishes, Bavarian donuts, and other breads were served too.

After our hefty breakfast, we finally got to enjoy the scenery and take some stunning pictures…and by some, I mean, a lot. 

 

Lunch was also spectacular not only because of the good food but because there was also a surprising performance. It was a performance giving pride to a traditional Filipino dance and surprised the audience because one of the dancers was able to balance all of the jars, increasing in size, on top of her head.

After that, we went and strolled around the vast and lovely Taal Vista Hotel and found Taal Vista’s well-equipped fitness gym.

Next to it was the game room and a few steps away was the pool. In the game room were an indoor billiards table, a dartboard, and a console as well.

Laughs and cheers filled the game room as we had fun watching the boys play with one another. My youngest brother Kyro was surprisingly good at billiards, after beating dad by more than twice his score.

For a first timer, Kyro was also better at darts and even rejoiced after making a bulls eye.

Feeling the Jazz Vibe in the Taal Vista Lounge
To further experience our ephemeral luxury abode in Tagaytay, we had dinner at the café-esque Lounge adjacent to Veranda. We were given menus for both coffee and dinner and noted how great the ambiance was. It would be a perfect place to just peacefully work or catch up with friends with a cup of joe nearby.

The Lobby Lounge gave a quaint selection of coffee, frappés, appetizers, soup, pasta, sandwiches, dessert and the like. Our family started with Fried Calamari and Caesar salad as appetizers, Carbonara, Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup as some of the main courses, among other things, and the eccentric Nutella Pizza for dessert.

During our stay, one thing that kept getting my attention there was also pianist playing classical yet familiar tunes as we primly enjoyed the food. Being a pianist and aesthete myself, I recognized classical pieces such as Canon in D by Pachelbel and Country Road highlighting the elegant Jazz atmosphere that night.

After the meal, we sat and caught up with one another. I looked around to see some bookshelves nearby. I peered closer and saw a small assortment of books and picked one out of pure whim. Its title was “The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management” and was fairly interesting to read. It contained concepts I know about such as the acronym smart as well as situations pointing to a target lesson.

All was well after dinner, as we and our parents retreated to our respective rooms. The bed was soft and huggable, and after being the night owls we are and being on our gadgets, sleeping was a walk in the park.

THIRD DAY – More Food, More Fun!

Still to a beautiful morning, I woke up with a faint pang in my heart knowing that it was finally departure day. After a few hours of sleeping in, we treated ourselves to the breakfast buffet, loaded with classic breakfast favorites like bacon, waffles, pancakes, and other scrumptious food such as taho, congee, viands with Java rice as well as to some winter melon iced tea.

After that consistently filling breakfast, we went to our rooms where our things were packed and ready. Waiting for everything to take place and the same spacious white van which drove us to this munificent place, my brothers and I took our seats and looked at the eye-catching décor, most notably the sparkling Christmas tree in the middle, once more, with my thoughts singing praises for our three-day trip. It was a truly relaxing and stress-free experience.

While I was lost in my thoughts, a lovely lady carrying some glasses filled with iced tea handed each of us a glass and said, “Welcome to Taal Vista” before we

Thank you, Taal Vista, for this wonderful three-day experience!

Written by Hannah Krystelle Q. Del Rosario

DOE: No Power Disruption Despite ERC Constraints

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Energy (DOE) and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) agreed to allow power generation companies with expired Certificates of Compliance (COCs) or with pending COC applications with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to operate and trade in the WESM.

The decision is in line with Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi's assurance that he will not allow any disruption in the country’s power supply as a result of the delay in the processing of applications before ERC, including COC applications, due to the suspension of its four Commissioners.

"The move aims to protect electricity consumers by preventing disruptions in WESM transactions while the ERC issue is being sorted out,” Cusi said after approving the resolution on the agreement with the Board of Directors of the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC), the operator of the WESM, last Thursday.

"The paramount consideration is the overall protection of public interest and the security of the supply of power. This is needed for the Philippines to meet its economic targets. This should take precedence over administrative issuances especially when an administrative body is unable to act," Cusi emphasized.

Cusi also directed PEMC and the DOE to work closely with the ERC to ensure the continuing operations of existing plants and to allow power generation from new plants that will be completed. 

Under the DOE-PEMC resolution, power generation companies with expired COCs can continue trading upon proof of submission of their application for the renewal of their COC with ERC. 

"New plants will also be permitted to trade or submit offers to the WESM upon proof of completion of testing and commissioning and other requirements for the issuance of a COC."

Cusi explained, "The COC is a requirement for the registration and continuing participation of generation companies in the WESM. About 26 generation companies with a total of 3,314.60 MW generator capacities have expired or have expiring COCs in 2018."

"Additional new capacities of at least 720 MWs are also expected to go on commercial operations within the next few months. If not allowed to participate in the WESM, the available electricity supply in the market will be curtailed, which can result in higher market clearing prices," the Energy Chief explained.

"As the summer months draw near, the use of electricity is anticipated to increase. The DOE is monitoring the situation to ensure the sufficiency of supply to meet the rising demand," Cusi concluded.

James Deakin Seen with BongBong Marcos, Infuriates Netizens

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Y'all remember when James Deakin seemed to be a beacon of hope?

"The effect you have on others is the greatest currency you will have."  says James Deakin. It's a very inspiring message from the face of motoring, specifically vehicle and road safety.  I never knew that he had such a humble past that most of us can relate with.  Indeed, there is no success without sacrifice and struggle.

So what happened here, James Deakin? Why is he seen hanging out with Bongbong Marcos (BBM)?

Deakin was quick to post a statement on his Facebook account but this was after so many have already reacted violently all over the Internet.

"So I woke up to a whole Twitterverse of hate this morning. All based on a single picture taken with Brandon Vera, Jun Palafox and Bong Bong Marcos.

Funny that nobody even knows what it is about, but already conclusions are drawn and judgement is handed down. If it interests anyone, this is for an upcoming vlog I call “How do you solve a problem like Manila” it is just one of thousands of recorded conversations I’ve had with lawmakers, politicians and other government officials through the course of my career.  It is what I do.

So all I can say is this: I’m not a BBM defender. I’m not a BBM detractor. I’m a transport journalist and road safety advocate that is passionate about finding solutions to this traffic crisis we are all going through. And that requires having conversations and interviews with a whole range of people. Not just people that I like or who agree with me. And that is the very least you should expect from an objective journalist." - James Deakin

The photo was uploaded by the MMA champ on his Instagram account. I've received reports that some people have already unfollowed Brandon "The Truth" Vera because he's been pimping Bongbong hard recently.

Now, James Deakin is shooting carpool videos and photos with that piece of shit - what most people, especially those affected by the saddest part of Philippine history called Martial Law, would say. This has been aggravated now that we see President Duterte seemingly applying the same moves of the Marcoses - from implementing Martial Law to reacting negatively with media critics.

Vera didn't grow up here, and he's had a lot of punches and kicks hit his head, so that might be the reason he ain't thinking right. But sadly, this issue may lessen his fandom.

But Deakin has been here FOR DECADES and SHOULD KNOW how much the Marcoses have stolen from this country and the hundreds of thousands they had supposedly KILLED.

I'm sorry, Mr. Deakin, but you may also lose some fans too, regardless ifvthis is only for your TV show or whatever usage.

Maybe its just an interview. But maybe not entirely true as we all know that shows like these continue to exist by getting sponsorships, and BBM could have been generous for the opportunity to be seen with Deakin, a social media influencer in the field of motoring.

But unless we see that he’s truly actively campaigning for BBM, we should not reach for the pitchforks just yet. A mob asking for his head is a primitive way to find his agenda or ulterior motive, if ever there is one, because it coukd have been just the producers of the show who decided to have BBM there....and it's apparently something effective for Marketing the show since we are now talking about it. Both bad and good publicity could increase the viewership of their show.

However, let us not be too hasty in our judgement. If we vilify reasonable people for associating with scum, we will run out of reasonable people.

I, for one, is also very much willing to have an opportunity to interview even the most hated personality just to get an idea of what makes him tick.

Deakin does not really need much publicity for his online presence, especially that he gives away a lot of various sponsored stuff on his social media accounts, but his TV shows are different since very few people watch TV nowadays. Everything that's worth seeing and knowing is already online and thus traditional media is nothing more but supporting mediums that would soon fade away to museums, and memories.

What about you guys? Do you believe Deakin's photo ops with BBM is nothing more but an episode? But BBM's camp could use it as a valuable campaign material to make people think otherwise.

But why are we even blaming Deakin when it was Vera who uploaded the controversial photo. Similar to Deakin, Vera also has fans that look up to him, and the photo could irk his fans as well....but also gain him fans from the DDS camp.

We're also forgetting about Palafox.

Whatever reason all the mentioned parties have in being seen together does not really confirm any affiliations or partnerships. But when we see anyone of them regularly posting similar content, then our assumptions may have been correct.