An inactive stratovolcano and former national park on Luzon, sacred to legend and central to Philippine conservation history.
Mount Makiling
Mount Makiling is an inactive stratovolcano rising on the border between the provinces of Laguna and Batangas on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It is the highest feature of the Laguna Volcanic Field and reaches a summit elevation of about 1,090 meters, forming one of the most recognizable mountain silhouettes in the Calabarzon region. Despite being classified as inactive by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the mountain continues to show volcanic character through geothermal features such as mud springs and hot springs, and it anchors an active geothermal energy development area to its south.
The mountain is administered as a state-owned forest reserve by the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and it carries a layered conservation history. It was originally established as a forest reserve in 1910, became the first national park of the Philippines in 1933, was decommissioned as a national park in 1963, and was re-designated for forestry education and research. In 2013 it was declared an ASEAN Heritage Park under the title "Mount Makiling Forest Reserve."
Beyond its geological and ecological importance, Mount Makiling holds deep cultural meaning. It is widely regarded as the home of the diwata Maria Makiling, a guardian figure in Filipino folklore, and is one of the most prominent sacred mountains, or bundok dambana, in Calabarzon. The mountain today combines forest reserve functions with hiking, education, pilgrimage, and watershed protection for Laguna de Bay and surrounding lowlands.
