TAAL VOLCANO AND THE LAURELS

Lifted from Celia Diaz Laurel Page
19 July 2025


Taal Volcano is once again making headlines—unfortunately, for the wrong reasons. But before we get thrown into all the negativity, let’s take a moment to appreciate Taal as Batangas' majestic crown jewel. 

Though based in the metro, Mrs. Celia Diaz Laurel and her family will always regard Batangas as home.

It’s public knowledge that the Laurels trace their roots to Batangas. In fact, one town in the said province was named after them. Laurel, Batangas, one of the progressive municipalities in the province, is draped with the breathtaking view of the Taal Volcano. 

Fittingly, Celia Diaz Laurel once captured this deep connection in a painting showcasing the Matabungkay sunset from their private beach resort—its quiet hues and golden light echoing the warmth, strength, and stillness that defined the Laurel history in the province. 

But how did the Laurels come to settle in Batangas? That’s the story we’re sharing with all of you today. 

A short animation film, drawn, and voiced over by Mrs. Celia Diaz Laurel narrates that the ancestry of her husband Doy could be traced to the son of the Sultanate of Brunei -- the first chieftain of "Batang-an” which is known today as Batangas. He was Gat Masungit, who based on his name, had terrible temper issues. 

From Brunei, he traveled to Western Visayas (Panay Island) and then to Luzon, particularly " Batang-an." Gat Masungit was later on succeeded by Gat Leynes, his son. With the coming of the Spaniards to the Philippines, Gat Leynes was baptized with the Christian name, Miguel de la Cruz. Like his father, Miguel dela Cruz was a born leader. He fought the Spanish invaders to champion the rights of his people. 

When old age, however, dawned on him, Miguel wanted a more peaceful life. 

But how can he do this when people are asking for Miguel de la Cruz? 

A Christian priest suggested he change his last name to Laurel – a surname which means “honor.” Miguel followed. Not only did he use Laurel from then on, but he also lived the rest of his life with honor – a trademark kept alive by every Laurel that followed. 

The above-mentioned animation film which could only be seen when you visit the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library in San Pedro, Laguna, is based on DOY LAUREL IN PROFILE: A PHILIPPINE POLITICAL ODYSSEY by Nick Joaquin (1985). 

In the same book, Joaquin wrote that Gat Masungit saw Batangas as a “beautiful and fertile land, encircling a lake with a volcano’s mouth in the midst of it—and we know them today as Taal Lake and Taal Volcano, fitting symbols of the Batangas temper." 

#CeliArts
#PhilippineArtsandTheatre
#FilipinaArtist
#AlagadNgSining

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