The Amadeo Coffee Capital Avenue

Amadeo, a municipality down south of the province of Cavite in the Philippines has been revered as the nation's coffee capital. Among many other municipalities in the country that produces a variety of coffee, still, the information may still be contested as many other parts of the Philippines are more popular for the production of coffee. Probably due to the fact that the municipality is one of the smallest in Cavite and that previously, the road to Amadeo is far less traveled, thus commercialization and its popularity is compromised. Now we see what Amadeo has become that makes this quaint town something to look forward to.

Taal Volcano Eruption and the Mapping Initiatives

On the noon of January 12, 2020, a Sunday, coming from an escalated level since March 2019, the Taal Volcano has erupted and billowed out ash plumes up to 17 kilometers up in the atmosphere, spreading its ash clouds from its crater up north to Batanes in just 4 hours. This eruption has enveloped most of South Luzon and Metro Manila with light-brown colored ash from its phreatic-magmatic eruption. The massive evacuation took place and there is a need for a navigation map for efficient response.

LIST: 99 Villages and Subdivisions Traversed by the Valley Fault System

The Valley Fault System is a dextral strike-slip type fault that traverses primarily in the eastern portion of Metro Manila and other provinces such as Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna that sums up to a total length of 146.71 kilometers. It traverses a densely populated area in southern Luzon piercing through over 90 private villages and subdivisions with over 6,000 buildings on top of the fault line.

Barangays and Buildings Traversed by the Valley Fault System

The Valley Fault System, which is composed of the West and East Valley Fault traverses to several provinces all the way from Bulacan in the north to Laguna in the south with a total length of 146.71 kilometers. This also includes the whole length of Metro Manila from Quezon City all the way down to Muntinlupa City. About 80 barangays are affected and more than six thousand structures sitting on top of the fault line with over 2 million people in the danger zone.

The Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway

The Muntinlupa Cavite Expressway (initially named as Daang Hari-SLEX Link Road) is a new toll road constructed by a subsidiary of Ayala Corporation that aims to provide fast access to the residential areas of Bacoor, Cavite by linking the South Luzon Expressway and the Daang Hari Road via a four-kilometer fast lane highway.

Predicting Floods in the Philippines Like a Pro by using Maps

Philippines being a tropical country situated at the edge of the west Pacific Ocean is always battered by storms and intense precipitation brought about by the southwest monsoon from June to December. And low-lying lands are mostly prone to inundation during extreme rains. This guide aims to specify which locations are prone to flooding and how to pinpoint if a certain location can possibly be flooded during the precise moment where there is rain.

Mataas na Gulod - Palay-Palay Mountain Range Mapping Expedition (Marami to Pico De Loro Traverse)

December 20-21, 2014

One of the nearest jungles in the Philippine capital is the Mataas na Gulod - Palay-Palay Mountain Range that is being occupied by two provinces: Cavite and Batangas. Famous mountains in this range are Mt. Marami and Pico De Loro. Never before mapped and has only been traversed by handfuls few in the past year, Schadow1 Expeditions has explored this jungle by traversing across the mountain range passing through five mountains and crossing several rivers. This article is a journal of our mapping expedition to Cavite's jungle.

The Cavite-Batangas Bus Terminal (SWIPTS) - a year after

Last year, the Southwest Integrated Provincial Transport Terminal (SWIPTS) was inaugurated as first of 3-integrated bus terminals in Metro Manila to decongest the volume of vehicles plying inside the Philippine capital. SWIPTS services commuters to and from the province of Batangas and Cavite. It promised high tech queuing system certified with ISO9001 standards. A year after, let us see what has happened to this promising project of the government.

Interactive Map for the West and East Valley Fault Line on Rizal, Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite

The West and East Valley Fault System span from Angat, Bulacan all the way down to Carmona, Cavite and Calamba, Laguna and is the most feared event that could hit Metro Manila in case the fault system moves as it may cause larger than 7.0 magnitude earthquake. As of the meantime, disaster resiliency assessors have been saying that the country is not prepared for a calamity such as this. Schadow1 Expeditions has acquired the fault line data from PHIVOLCS and traced it on top of OpenStreetMap and Google Earth.

Imus Heritage Park, a reminder of the Battle of Alapan and our National Flag

The Imus Heritage Park in Alapan, Imus, Cavite brandishes a large Philippine flag fixed on a 90-foot flagpole which commemorates the first time our country's flag has been hurled in victory after the last of the Spanish colonial forces in the country has been defeated last May 28, 1898. This is over the Philippine victory on the Battle of Alapan that paved the way to Philippine Independence.

Mount Pico De Loro: A Third Time and the Monolith Attempt

December 15, 2013
Every climb is a different experience. And that happens no matter how many times you climb the same mountain. It was the third time we climbed Mount Pico De Loro and the second time for this year. We have done it this time with friends who are first-time climbers. Though this is not the first, this makes it the first time for myself to become a mountain guide and the first time to scale the Parrot's Beak or also known as the monolith.

Skyranch - Touch the sky and get thrilled with the view of the smallest volcano.

Skyranch is the newest leisure park in Tagaytay City. Known for the biggest and highest ferris wheel in the Philippines located 605 meters above sea level. Riding this wheel is surely a must-try for those who dig for heights.

The park is beside Taal Vista Hotel and is along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway (Aguinaldo Highway)

Caylabne Bay Resort

Caylabne Bay is a private resort at the end of Cavite's westward road. It passes through the Palay-Palay Mountain Range where Mt. Pico De Loro Ternate Jump-off is located. Caylabne bay is second to the last of the coves of Pico De Loro's northern ridge facing Manila Bay. Together with other coves along this area which includes the Marine base, they are lined up to the opening of Manila Bay to the West Philippine Sea. The beach is surrounded by rolling hills, and sunsets are spectacular.

Chased by a Lightning - Conquering Mount Marami

August 17-18, 2013

Mount Marami is located at Maragondon, Cavite to which the jump-off starts at Magallanes, a neighboring town of the same province. Marami is actually a cliff-area of Mount Mataas na Gulod to which its elevation is 510 633 MASL as compared to its real summit at around 622 642 MASL. The feature of the hike would be crossing 2 major rivers and mountains before you can reach the summit. This is an account of Schadow1's solo attempt of scaling Marami and its mapping expedition as typhoon Maring (intl. Trami) looms.

Southwest IPTS Terminal (Cavite-Batangas Bus Terminal) Opens

The Southwest Integrated Provincial Transport System Terminal (Cavite and Batangas Bus Terminal) opens at August 6, 2013 and will the first of three bus terminals in Metro Manila that will centralize the drop-off point of provincial buses hoping to alleviate the traffic congestion in the Philippines' capital. The SW IPTS will hopefully alleviate traffic by forbidding entry of almost 1000 buses that ply from Cavite and Batangas to Metro Manila. With its state-of-the-art queuing system, it is planned to organize a harmonious dispatch of provincial buses and also only allowing bus companies with proper franchise and authorized drivers without records of crime and grave accidents to enter the facility and serve the commuting populace. Coordinates 14.516436,120.991208

The Mushroomburger - One of Tagaytay's famous fast food since the 80's

July 27, 2013

Going to Tagaytay is synonymous to Taal Volcano View, Bulalo, Mahogany Market Beef... and Mushroom Burgers. The MushroomBurger fastfood has been in this same spot since 1980's. Let us check out what the fuzz is all about this burger restaurant and why is it one of the places you need to visit when you are at Tagaytay.

Balite Falls - A waterfall at the middle of Cavite's Coffee Capital

July 28, 2013

Coming from Malibiclibic Falls at Aguinaldo, Cavite and from a road trip to Kaybiang Tunnel down to the western coves of Maragondon, Cavite and Nasugbu, Batangas, and an overnight stay at Tagaytay City; early on a Sunday morning, we headed to Cavite's coffee capital... Amadeo, Cavite. What more can this town offer aside from a fresh smell of coffee while driving along Crisanto M. Delos Reyes Avenue? A waterfall.

Malibiclibic Falls - A Hidden Falls below the grasslands of Cavite

July 27, 2013

Who would know that a waterfalls exists in Cavite which is primarily a flat land to which most agricultural areas are now being developed for residential areas? Well, waterfalls do exist. In fact there are a couple of them. One of them which is intriguing is Malibiclibic Falls. Located at Aguinaldo, Cavite, near the foot of Mt. Mataas na Gulod. Hidden as it is accessible by hiking a steep descent from one of its grasslands.

Kaybiang Tunnel - The Gateway to the Western Coves of Cavite and Batangas

Last August 2012 and January 2013 (see here), we have provided an update regarding the status of Kaybiang Tunnel. This article is the final update of the tunnel that serves as the gateway to the once hard to reach areas of the western coves of Southwest Luzon which is home to serene beaches and magnificent sunsets.

The Thirteen Martyrs of the Philippine Revolution

Luis Aguado, Eugenio Cabebes, Feliciano Cabuco, Agapito Conchu, Alfonso de Ocampo, Maximo Gregorio, Maximo Inocencio, Jose Lallana, Severino Lapidario, Victoriano Luciano III, Francisco Osorio, Hugo Perez, and Antonio San Agustin. Who are these people?