Tagaytay

Tagaytay, officially the City of Tagaytay (Lungsod ng Tagaytay), is a 2nd class component city in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 85,330 people.

It is one of the country's most popular destinations for domestic tourism because of its scenery and cooler climate provided by its altitude. Tagaytay overlooks Taal Lake in Batangas and provides views of Taal Volcano Island in the middle of the lake through various vantage points situated in the city.

Tagaytay is relatively close to the capital city of Manila, only 59 km away via Aguinaldo Highway, providing an easy escape for the locals from the heat of the huge metropolis. It is 39 km from Imus.

Etymology
The name Tagaytay is derived from the Tagalog words tagaytay or taytay, which mean "mountain ridge" or "low mountain range", in reference to the Tagaytay Ridge on which the city sits.

Philippine Revolution
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."

Cityhood
Tagaytay became a chartered city with the passing and signing of Commonwealth Act No. 338 by President Manuel L. Quezon on June 21, 1938, as authored by Representative Justiniano Montano of Cavite. To form the newly founded city, areas of the towns of Silang, Mendez, Indang, and Amadeo were removed from their town governments, making it the first planned community in the province and the first city to be built from scratch, given the ongoing highway works in the area then.

Territorial changes
On April 1, 1941, portions of Talisay, Batangas and Alfonso, Cavite were ceded to Tagaytay through Executive Order No. 336 signed by President Quezon to expand its territory. However, on June 7, 1956, the lakeside barangays of Birinayan (Berinayan) and Caloocan on the shores of Taal Lake were returned to Talisay. Berinayan later became part of Laurel when the municipality was established in 1969.

World War II
On February 23, 1945, the 11th Airborne Division of Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger's 8th Army performed a combat jump of the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment and associated elements on Tagaytay ridge, with a drop zone around the Manila Hotel Annex, which had been cleared of Japanese forces by Filipino soldiers of the 4th, 42nd, 43rd, 45th and 46th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, 4th Constabulary Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary and recognized guerillas. 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 National Historical Institute of the Philippines.

Land area
Tagaytay has a total land area of 66.1 km2 which represents about of the total area of the province of Cavite. It lies within 120°56' longitude and 14°6' latitude and overlooks Manila Bay to the north, Taal Volcano and Taal Lake to the south, and Laguna de Bay to the east.

Topography
The southern and eastern portions of Tagaytay are covered by hills and mountains which is generally forests, pine trees, and open grasslands. The city lies along Tagaytay Ridge, a ridge stretching about 32 km from Mount Batulao in the west to Mount Sungay in the east with elevations averaging about 2000 ft above sea level. Mount Sungay in Tagaytay is the highest point of the province of Cavite at 709 m.

The ridge, which overlooks Taal Lake in Batangas province, is the edge of Taal Caldera. The 25 x wide cavity is partially filled by Taal Lake. Tagaytay's built-up areas including the urban center is situated in the relatively level top of the caldera rim but beyond the edge are deep ravines that drop steeply to Taal Lake. The portions adjoining the municipalities of Mendez, Indang, Amadeo, Silang, and Alfonso are level to nearly level areas interspersed with very gently sloping surface. Across the southern edge of the lake on the opposite side of the city is Mount Macolod, the highest point of the Taal Caldera rim.

Climate
Tagaytay has a mild tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification: Am) characterized by cooler weather compared to Manila, lower humidity and abundant rainfall. The city has an average temperature of 22 C and rarely exceeds 31 C. With its high elevation, the city gets foggy, windy, and cooler temperatures 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. This climate makes the city ideal for sports, picnics, conferences, honeymoons, country homes, and spiritual retreats.
 * Temperature and precipitation

Tagaytay has an average relative humidity of about 78%. 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 popular for casual and competitive kite flying.
 * Humidity and wind

Barangays
Tagaytay is administratively subdivided into 34 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.


 * Asisan
 * Bagong Tubig
 * Calabuso
 * Dapdap East
 * Dapdap West
 * Francisco
 * Guinhawa North
 * Guinhawa South
 * Iruhin East
 * Iruhin South
 * Iruhin West
 * Kaybagal Central
 * Kaybagal North
 * Kaybagal South (Poblacion)
 * Mag-Asawang Ilat
 * Maharlika East
 * Maharlika West
 * Maitim 2nd Central
 * Maitim 2nd East
 * Maitim 2nd West
 * Mendez Crossing East
 * Mendez Crossing West
 * Neogan
 * Patutong Malaki North
 * Patutong Malaki South
 * Sambong
 * San Jose
 * Silang Junction North
 * Silang Junction South
 * Sungay East
 * Sungay West
 * Tolentino East
 * Tolentino West
 * Zambal

Demographics
In the 2020 census, the population of Tagaytay, was 85,330 people, with a density of undefined PD/km2.

In the 2010 census, Tagaytay had a population of 62,030 people. Christianity is the majority religion of Tagaytayeños with Roman Catholicism as the most dominant sect, compromising of 95.36 percent of the total population. The next prominent Christian denominations among residents of Tagaytay are Protestants which comprise 3.37% of the population including Iglesia ni Cristo (2.5%). The Eastern Orthodox Church was a part of the Philippine Orthodox Church in the Philippines under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow and its own Orthodox Diocese province in Southeast Asia, the Diocese of the Philippines and Vietnam, and the Orthodox community account for 1% of Tagaytay's population, many of whom live throughout the town. The rest of the population (0.20%) subscribes to other religions.

Tagalog is the most dominant language in the city with 93.58% of the population speaking the language. The next prominent Philippine languages are Bicolano (1.52%), Ilocano (1.52%), and Cebuano (1.00%).

Agriculture
Despite rapid urbanization of Tagaytay, agriculture remains an important part of the city's economy and development. As of 2009, it is recorded that there are about 1,292 ha of agriculture land which is about 20 percent of the city's total land area. The city was once a cogon land after it was discovered during the Taal eruption. The soil was proven to be with rich volcanic components suitable to farming with main agricultural goods produced are pineapple, coffee, banana, root crops, cacao, camote, cassava other fruits and vegetables, and cut flowers which are supplied to both local and international markets. Garden plant shops thrive the Tagaytay–Calamba Road. The city was once an abundant Daisy and gladiola farming haven prior to tourism development and residential boom.

Tourism
Tagaytay is considered to be the second Summer capital of the Philippines with the first being Baguio due to its cool climate and, thus, is a favored destination from those relatively more humid areas of the Philippines. Tagaytay is also a destination for tourists seeking views of Taal Volcano and the surrounding lake. In 2015, the Department of Tourism cited Tagaytay as the top tourist destination in the Calabarzon region. Among the most visited sites in Tagaytay are the Sky Ranch, Ayala Malls Serin, Robinsons Summit Ridge (Robinsons Tagaytay), Picnic Grove Complex, People's Park in the Sky, Halfway Zoo, and different choices of restaurants known for serving the famous bulalo and crispy tawilis. Fresh beef and vegetables are sold at Mahogany Market. The fruits stands are across the Tagaytay City Market where the fresh tilapia from Taal Lake are marketed. Tagaytay's proximity to Metro Manila is attributed to the tourism in the city. Tagaytay receives a seasonal influx of tourists during Christmas season and Holy Week, and the city is a pilgrimage destination with churches, shrines, and retreat houses. The Taal Vista Hotel is a symbol of Tagaytay's past.

Roads
Tagaytay is linked by national highways to the Metro Manila area and to the provinces of Batangas and Laguna. Secondary roads link the city with the adjoining municipalities of Amadeo, Mendez, Indang, Silang, and Alfonso in Cavite towards the northwest, and to the cities of Calamba, Cabuyao, and Santa Rosa in Laguna in the northeast and to the town of Talisay in Batangas in the south.

The South Luzon Expressway serves the city via Tagaytay–Santa Rosa Road that passes Santa Rosa and Silang from Santa Rosa and Eton City Exits, and Tagaytay-Calamba Road that traverses Calamba Premiere International Park from Batino Exit, albeit discontinuously for the public previously due to the Tagaytay Highlands right-of-way. Governor's Drive to Pala-Pala Road in Dasmariñas and Cavite–Laguna Expressway (CALAX) through its Silang–Aguinaldo Exit in Silang are the other alternative routes to the city, as both roads intersect with the Aguinaldo Highway, which ends in Tagaytay. Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx or formerly, Coastal Road) also serves Tagaytay via the southbound Aguinaldo Highway.

From Batangas, the main route to Tagaytay is either Tagaytay–Nasugbu Highway, a major thoroughfare from Tagaytay Rotonda to Nasugbu, Ligaya Drive, a winding road that starts near the poblacion of Talisay and ends near the Tagaytay Picnic Grove, or Tagaytay–Talisay Road, a 12 km road from Lemery–Agoncillo–Laurel–Talisay Road to Tagaytay Rotunda. From Laguna, the main route is the Tagaytay–Santa Rosa Road from Santa Rosa, Laguna and another route is Tagaytay–Calamba Road (via Tagaytay Highlands and a future link to Calamba) from Calamba, Laguna. Mahogany Avenue also serves as the alternative route of the Tagaytay–Nasugbu Highway within Tagaytay city proper.

To decongest traffic on the aforementioned major roads in Tagaytay, the partially opened Tagaytay Bypass Road and the proposed Cavite–Tagaytay–Batangas Expressway (CTBEX) were laid out to traverse parallel to the Tagaytay–Nasugbu Highway. CTBEX will connect with the CALAX in Silang to Nasugbu, Batangas.

Notable personalities

 * Francis Tolentino – Senator (2019–present), mayor of Tagaytay (1995–2004)

Sister cities

 * Local
 * Legazpi
 * Baguio
 * Bacolod
 * Murcia, Negros Occidental
 * Iriga
 * Iloilo City
 * Cebu City
 * Palayan
 * San Nicolas, Batangas
 * International
 * 🇦🇺 Manningham, Victoria, Australia
 * 🇺🇸 Las Vegas, Nevada
 * 🇺🇸 Rohnert Park, California
 * 🇹🇼 Tainan, Taiwan