This falls is located at Barangay San Gregorio (formerly Barangay Calijon) about 4.5km east of Malvar, Batangas. Its waters come from natural springs just right above it which is reputed to be a very good source of fresh, sparkling drinking water. A well-known national distributor of bottled drinking water actually taps the springs above as its source of mineral water.

The water from the falls is interestingly warm and pleasant to bathe in. The falls can be reached by taking a short hike from the barangay road and about 300 steps down the concrete pathway built by the barangay.

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The Farm at San Benito is a refuge for relaxation, healing, wellness and healthy eating. It’s located in a 49 hectare property in the woods and rolling hills of Lipa City, Batangas, with a good view of Mt. Malarayat. It is one of the few truly medical spas or alternative medical health resorts in the world. While-as traditional western medicine is largely focused on symptoms repair, The Farms therapies through detoxification include the whole person, body, mind and soul – so to speak – because when one hurts, all suffer.

Healing & Medicine

Deficiencies and congestion are the root cause of all physical, mental and emotional dysfunctions. Deficiencies prevent the body from operating optimally and sustaining proper function. Blockages impede the body from eliminating substances toxic and damaging to it. The elimination of deficiencies and blockages at the physical, mental and emotional level restores absolute health. The elimination of deficiencies and blockages must be accomplished according to the laws of nature, not by coercing the body for the purpose of producing temporary effects or the mere relief of symptoms without regard for the root cause.

For many years, treatment of illnesses has revolved around alleviating the symptoms of patients. Doctors have put too much emphasis on the diseased organ. Only recently has the medical profession begun to acknowledge that any particular organ is a part of a system, which affects all other functions of the entire human body. Here at The Farm we do not limit these functions to the physical aspect alone. We see ourselves as spiritual, mental and emotional beings as much as we are physical beings. As such, emphasis on a person's psychological make-up is a natural part of our treatment. It cannot be denied that emotional strain and stress can affect our health. Often times, tumors, chest pains, or other symptoms manifest partly because of suppressed negative sentiments. Healing can only occur if problems at all levels have been unearthed and addressed.


Improving Lifestyle

Awareness is the first step in addressing our health problems. It is good to know that many people are becoming more and more health conscious. However, most stop there: "Yes, I am aware that exercise is important but I just can't squeeze it in my tight schedule," or "I know smoking is bad but I really can't seem to stop especially when I'm stressed." The Farm is committed to educating our guests in the ways of proper nutrition and lifestyle. It is not mere information that we provide our guests; we make sure that health principles are inculcated in each of them by letting them experience what we teach. Human beings are creatures of habit and by letting our guests apply what they have learned under our close supervision we are confident that when they leave The Farm they have renewed their perception of their health and have formed new habits on how to take care of their bodies.


Principle of Detoxification

Most, if not all, of the modern-day diseases (digestive disorders, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, chronic degenerative diseases such as arthritis) have their origin in the accumulation of toxins in our bodies. Toxins weaken our immune system or the body's way of warding off diseases. Toxins come from environmental pollution, cigarette smoking, food preservatives, repeated use of cooking oil, strained relations, stress, and a whole lot more. The Farm offers a Prevention program that focuses on medically guided detoxification as a way to jump start the body cleansing process. Psycho-emotional detoxification is an integral part of this cleansing program. For those with more serious health conditions, The Farm medical staff will design a Recovery program tailored to the individual’s specific health needs.



For more information, visit their site at www.thefarm.com.ph

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I was surfing the net for a new videos or movies to watch when i stumble on this movie. It caught my attention because of its Batanggenyo in nature...directed by a batanggenyo, Mr Manolito Sulit, and with accent and theme of a batanggenyo. I haven't seen the full movie but for a batanggenyo like me, I am eager to see it. Here is the movie preview I found on youtube.

Here's the information I've got from the site www.barakothemovie.com

Barako is a haunting account of a young man’s attempt to effect change in his town by gathering his friends around a kapihan called “barakuhan”. In the absence of media, it effectively becomes a venue for the townsfolk to practice their democratic rights, colliding expectedly with the elite’s political and economic interests.

The movie starts glaringly with the American occupation of Batangas (early 1900) with the valiant Gen. Malvar (Archie Adamos) and another local hero, Mateo Ilustre (Manolito Sulit) plotting its defense. It then takes us to a seemingly restive yet impoverished Batangueño community 100 years later, taking shifting points of view of the people from the grassroots, drawing them initially around one central figure, an unnamed character labeled only as the Publicist (Publisista, played by Arnold Reyes) and later on, around yet another, Mando (Carlon Matobato)—referred to in the story (by the Publicist himself) as "ang tunay na barako".

BASED ON A TRUE STORY. “Barakuhan,” a public forum over a cup of coffee organized by the Publicist with other major characters (played by the likes of Nanding Josef, a veteran actor and CCP’s artistic director, and surprisingly, poets Mike Coroza and Vim Nadera) is in actual existence in Ibaan, Batangas from 2002-2005, remembered by the locals as one that decisively confronted a relatively unknown power outage that crippled the town for six weeks in 2003—which has also become part of the movie.

Other characters (most are also unnamed) include the Politician (Pulitiko, played by Leo Martinez) and his cohorts (Behn Cervantes, Dennis Marasigan, Tots Aguila, Arthur Casanova and Raul Funilas), plus a significant portrayal of the aging Publicist by National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera .

WHAT THEY SAY. Barako has been described by no less than National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera as the only movie in current circulation that “completely” tackled Philippine politics. “Like Behn Cervantes’ Sakada in the Martial Law years,” he commented, “but more complete.”

Rhod Nuncio, in a review, wrote, “Manolito Sulit, the Filipino poet cum director and scriptwriter of this film envisions a criss-crossing of time, genre, form, and narrative to bring out a contemporary reading of local/national Filipino life.”

Barako earned the title “new Noli” from the viewers in its so-called Cinemalaya “world premiere” in July 24, 2007 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, taking into account some similarities with Rizal’s novel.

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José Paciano Laurel y García (March 9, 1891 – November 6, 1959) was the president of the Japanese-Sponsored Republic of the Philippines during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. He was not subsequently officially recognized as a Philippine president until the administration of Diosdado Macapagal.




José P. Laurel was born on March 9, 1891 in the town of Tanauan, Batangas. His parents were Sotero Laurel, Sr. and Jacoba García. His father had been an official in the revolutionary government of Emilio Aguinaldo and a signatory to the 1898 Malolos Constitution.

While a teen, Laurel was indicted for attempted murder when he almost killed a rival suitor of his girlfriend. While studying and finishing law school, he argued for and received an acquittal.

After receiving law degrees from the University of the Philippines (1915) and from Yale University (1920), he was elected to the Philippine Senate in 1925 and appointed associate justice of the Supreme Court in 1936.

After the Pearl Harbor attack, Laurel stayed in Manila after President Manuel Quezon escaped first to Bataan and then to the United States. He offered his services to the Japanese; and because of his criticism of U.S. rule of the Philippines he held a series of high posts in 1942-43, climaxing in his selection as president in 1943. Twice in that year he was shot by Philippine guerrillas but recovered. In July 1946 he was charged with 132 counts of treason but was never brought to trial; he shared in the general amnesty in April 1948.

As the Nationalist Party's nominee for the presidency of the Republic of the Philippines in 1949, he was narrowly defeated by the incumbent president, Elpidio Quirino, nominee of the Liberal Party. Elected to the Senate in 1951, Laurel helped to persuade Ramón Magsaysay, then secretary of defense, to desert the Liberals and join the Nationalists. When Magsaysay became president, Laurel headed an economic mission that in 1955 negotiated an agreement to improve economic relations with the United States. He retired from public life in 1957.

Another Proud Batanggenyo!

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