October 18, 2007. I had a Mass Media Law exam scheduled the next day, but I decided to go ahead and join Ivan, Nino, and Gideon to Las Haciendas in Laurel, Batangas. The place is a large and budding real estate development on what is apparently a large estate by a prominent landowning family. It initially bothered me how the extent of its area covers much of the town of Laurel, even including public offices within its private control and how its development will displace hundreds of local families who have lived in the area for centuries. I will not claim to know much of the history and the exact details but it to me, it felt like it had the makings of a classic land ownership and feudal relationship issue dating from the Spanish period. Before I could raise the question to our hosts, however, we were told that the long-time peasant residents of the estate will indeed be displaced but will be offered socialized housing. Because we were hosted and toured for free, I will not be an ingrate and I’d rather say that that was fair enough for me, and I shall keep my reservations for now.
Anyway, Las Haciendas is a real estate development that claims to offer urban families and retirees a pampered ‘provincial life’, with their own farm lots and resorts where they can cultivate their own fruit trees and other such plants, and build their dream weekend getaway homes.
We visited Las Haciendas mainly to trek to Ambon-Ambon Falls that was within the estate. The trek to the falls was a fairly easy half-an-hour walk through some small local communities, foliage and streams. Ambon-Ambon Falls gets its name from the particles of water that shower anyone within the fall’s enclave. The “ambon” however, was not as apparent as it used to be. Other real estate developments upstream have blocked many of the streams that provide the falls with much of its water, hence, the falls are not as strong as it used to be. The pools at the bottom of the falls have also since then become small and shallow so if you trekked to the falls for a swim or a dip, you’ll be disappointed. Unless of course, if it had just rained.
I slipped on some of the rocks on the way to the falls and managed to get myself a handful of cuts on my hands and on my legs. Thankfully, my digital camera came out from the minor accident scratchless, even though I was carrying it by hand when I slipped.
law student, national democracy activist, film school graduate, photography hobbyist
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11 comments to “Las Haciendas in Laurel, Batangas”
Hi Bikoy,
First off, thanks a lot for visiting my munting e-kubo.
Las Haciendas looks so wonderful, thanks for sharing
. This will be one of my itinerary next time when I visit Phils.
I was told you could swim in the second level. But it kinda smelled like Hinulugang Taktak to me. It’s a good thing they had an infinity pool. Hehe!
If anyone is interrested in purchasing a lot at Las haciedas, please email me at davidvalencia340@hotmail.com, I am really not a sales agent, I am actually a lot owner and willing to sell lower than the present sales price. Though real estate industry is booming presently in PI and expected to continue till 2015, the price of this lot has quadropled in 4 years and still rising, this is a good investment as it had for me.
Finally, the lot I am selling is just a walking distance from the clubhouse/swiming pool shown on the pics above, it has a full view of taal volcano/lake, and the lot size is 1K sq.m.
If there is any interrested buyer please email me. Thanks.
David
hi..pano po pagpunta ambon ambon falls comute from ortigas..pls reply…tnx..
munting paraiso….
na sana mamulat ang mga tao d2 kung ano ung kahihinatnan nla pagdating ng araw……di lmng magagandang tanwin sana pati ung kapakanan nla….
at sana di sila magsisi pagdating ng araw…
Dear Mr. Bikoy,
Gud day po!nagka-conduct po kc kmi ng studies about las haciendas & we are graduating students and we would like to ask lng po 4 a favor if u can help us by answering our survey questionnaire about las haciendas! pls e-mail me at this address lizzie_12_diaz@yahoo.com ur participation will be very helpful in our study! thank you very much sir…God Bless!
mag ingat po kayo sa lugar na ito, katatapos lang po ng company outing namin, at may may mga masasamang loob ang nagsamantala sa aming mahimbing na pagtulog, may isang tao ang naninilip sa banyo habang naliligo ang isa sa aming officemate, at eksaktong 4:26 ng umaga, kami ay nagising ng isang malakas na sigawan ng aming kasamahan sapagkat may isang tao na nagnakaw ng cellphone sa ilalim ng unan namin, at sa tagal ng sigawan, matagal bago dumating ang security guard. ito ay babala lamang, na mag ingat po tayo. salamat.
at sa management pakiayos po inyong security.
we purchase a lot at las haciendas,very frustrated kami,up to now walang development,can someone inform me kung ano na status ng company, mukha wala na silang budget.
I’m a sales agent of las haciendas. If anyone interested to buy please email me at janjanpines@yahoo.com or txt me at 09334076311. Actually the Phase 1 of Las hacienda Cascada is now 70% develop to estimate.
We have a property here and selling it at lower than the new prevailing price. Please contact me at jecsantos@pldtdsl.net. Ours is 1,003 sqm coner lot very nice & very near the 1st guard house entrance. As per above it is already 70% developed to date.