Category Archives: Lakes

Paoay Lake National Park (Ilocos Norte)

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Cattle and boats for hire line the lake shore

After our brief sojourn in Batac City, we next proceeded to the Malacanang Ti Amianan (Malacanang of the North) in Paoay.  Along the way, we made a brief stopover at the view deck of Paoay Lake National Park.  This 470-hectare, horseshoe-shaped lake, the largest in the province, was declared as a National Park on June 21, 1969 by virtue of Republic Act No. 5631.  Once known as Naguyudan, it is known to the locals as Dakkel a Danum and is a popular picnic site. The lake is artificially seeded with various species of colorful fish and is 10 m. deep, yet the surface is below sea level.  Its fresh water comes from a subterranean source.

Lakbay Norte 2 at Lake Paoay National Park

According to a charming but Sodom and Gomorrah-like legend, it is said that a once-prosperous town, San Juan de Sahagun, once stood where the lake is now.  The materialism of the town and the indolence of its people incurred God’s wrath, so he sent an earthquake and flood waters that swallowed up the town and formed the lake.   Town elders will tell you that the original townsfolk, in gaudy fiesta finery, can still be seen as colorful, transformed fishes swimming around with earrings and bracelets.  Geological studies indicate that the lake was formed by a massive earthquake that caused the ground to sink and be filled with water from underground springs.  

A barge used to cross the lake

The lake is ideal for bird watching   Common residents here include the endemic Philippine Duck (Anas luzonica), the White-Collared Kingfisher (Halcyon chloris), the White-Throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smymensis), the Brahminy Kite, cattle egret and little egret. Migratory birds that linger for a while here include the Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), great egret and the osprey. Cottages (PhP50) can be rented at the viewing deck.

Paoay Lake is located north of Paoay town, 3 kms. off the main highway and 3 kms. from the sea.

Pinatubo: Scratch This from my Bucket List (Zambales)

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Our 4 x 4s  traversing dry lahar fields and small streams

Mt. Pinatubo was prominent in my Bucket List of places to visit and I readily joined the 5-day, North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB) and Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC)-sponsored Lakbay Norte 2 Tour as it figured prominently in the itinerary.  We were now in the third day of the tour and we left Microtel Inn & Suites Luisita  (Tarlac) very early in the morning, eating our packed breakfast on our special Victory Liner bus along the way.  By 7 AM, we arrived at our jump-off point for the trek to Mt. Pinatubo’s 2.5-km. wide Crater Lake – P.D.C. (Pull Travel Destination Corp.)  Spa Town in Brgy. Sta. Juliana in Capas in Tarlac.

The Trek Begins….

Normally, trekking via the Capas Trail (the easiest route to Mt. Pinatubo), passing by lahar deserts, would have taken us a grueling 6-8 hours on foot. However, five 4 x 4, 5-pax (including our driver) all-terrain vehicles, a mix of short wheelbase land cruisers and homemade jeeps, were made available for our use.  These were to negotiate some of the watery and rocky paths across Crow Valley, unreachable by other kinds of vehicles.  The drive through the valley, though at times bumpy, was exhilarating, with spectacular views of the Cabusilan Mountain Range.   After an hour, we arrived at the base of the mountain, the jump-off point of our trek.  From here, it was to be all 2-3 hours (dependent on our fitness and ability and the size of our group) of footwork, through the valley and up a mountain path, to the Crater Lake. Normally, a very hot trek, especially during the summer months (when the light gray volcanic ash reflect the rays of the sun), we were fortunate this day as it obviously rained the day before and it was quite windy.  Just the same I applied sun block lotion and wore a cap, shorts, sturdy rubber  sandals, plus my a comfortable light blue and white MNTC-supplied T-shirt.  

A surreal but serene landscape

The trek, though very tiring, was truly exhilarating as we traversed sometimes fairly flat and dry lahar riverbeds and oftentimes rocky ground and crossed numerous small creeks and rivers by jumping from boulder to boulder or, in my case, I just getting my feet wet under the cold water (truly a different kind of experience).  After a short, final hurdle up paved steps, we reached our destination – viewpoint for observing the magnificent crater and it turquoise-colored lake created during the 1991 Pinatubo eruption.  The viewpoint was developed to cater to us tourists.

Boating at the Crater Lake

After a few minutes of rest and quietly admiring the beautiful scenery set before us, most of us went down the paved steps down to the lake where a number of us rode boats, in two trips, and were rowed to the other side of the lake by an Aeta boatman.  The others, including me, contented themselves with dipping our feet in the cool lake waters while two others (Karlo de Leon and Melissa Dizon) took to swimming its deep water. Upon the arrival of the second boat load, we all made our way back up to the rest area, bade farewell to this magnificent creation of nature’s fury and made our way back to our respective vehicles.  The return hike was easier and done in half the time it took to get there as it was mostly downhill. The uphill climb to our vehicle’s parking area was the most strenuous.  As soon as everyone was accounted for, we all returned to our assigned 4 x 4s, too tired to even take pictures, and made our way back to P.D.C. Spa Town.

Mindoro Trail: San Jose (Mindoro Occidental) to Calapan City (Mindoro Oriental)

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The dreaded Day 3 soon dawned upon us, the long (210 kms.) haul, with Charlie again at the wheel, from San Jose down south the previously mentioned horrendous stretch, then up north to the Mindoro Oriental border and on to Calapan City, the provincial capitol and the island’s only city.  We hoped to make it in time to meet with city officials.  After a short, early morning visit to San Jose’s Caminawit Port and 6 kms. of concrete road out of the town, the road soon returned to gravel up to Magsaysay town.

Bulalacao Bay

This was heaven to what awaited us: a “short” 35-km. uphill/downhill stretch along one of the worst “roads” I have ever seen, still tossing about, even in a car with good suspensions.  We never encountered any car, only motorbikes and an occasional bus.  The bad road condition was tempered by beautiful mountain scenery untouched by “progress” (brought about by good roads).  Upon entering Bulalacao, the road soon hugged the coast opening, before us, a panoramic, offshore scenery of beautiful islands along Bulalacao Bay.   Upon reaching a gas station, we had our dusty car washed, thinking that the road ahead would be better.  How wrong we were!  Although the worst was behind us, it was still gravel all the way to Mansalay and Roxas, again coating our newly-washed car with dust.  

Danggay Port

We arrived at Roxas town’s Danggay Port by noon, taking our lunch at a small eatery, part of the time watching people and cars unloading from  a slow ferry at the RORO pier, the gateway to the white sand beaches of Boracay Island (a 5 to 6-hr. boat ride away), the country’s No. 1 tourist destination.  The road from hereon to Calapan City was paved, partly concrete and mostly new and ancient asphalt (with occasional potholes).  It was still a long, nearly 100-km. drive to the city but, from now on, it was all smooth sailing.   Still, we were in a rush.   

Lake Naujan

However, old habits die hard and the tourist in us egged us to veer into a narrow dirt road, hoping to get a better view of the 79-sq. km. freshwater Lake Naujan, the largest (covering the towns of Naujan, Pola and Victoria) in the province and fifth largest in the country.  Ideal for birdwatching (it supports a large number of ducks and other waterfowl), the lake’s rich fauna also includes the country’s two crocodile species: the highly endangered Mindoro freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) and the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).  However, no matter how far we went, no good vantage point was in sight so I decided to leave the car, go by foot up a hill and there, get a good shot. 

Calapan City Hall

We finally reached Calapan City by 4 PM and got to meet with city officials at their stunningly new, white-painted and 2-storey high City Hall, built in the Neo-Classical style of architecture.  Calapan has changed much since my last visit and the city is now booming, with new hotels sprouting up.  One such, the Calapan Bay Hotel, where we stayed overnight, is worthy of note.  Aside from its 12 beautiful airconditioned rooms with bath and cable TV (standard and superior), its appeal lies in its porch-like, multi-cuisine coffee shop (Café Angela) facing the sea.  Here, one savors not only the good food but also the all-embracing whiff of the cool sea breeze.  Too bad it was just an overnight stay.  I would have enjoyed a longer stay.  Just the same, we still had to proceed to Puerto Galera, our final destination and debarkation point back to Manila.

Taal Volcano: Hike to the Crater Lake (Talisay, Batangas)

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Mt. Binintiang Malaki

This Holy Week, I availed of a standing invitation from Ms. Lily Rodrigo-Canlas, president and C.E.O. of Jesu-Mariae School, my son’s school, to stay at the Jesu-Mariae Center in Tagaytay City.  This retreat/seminar center could comfortably accommodate 80 people in dorm-style facilities.  With this center as a jump-off point, I planned to revisit Taal Volcano via the Kayabok Trail on the other side of Volcano Island.  Joining me were my son Jandy and daughter Cheska who’s been egging me to include her in my escapades.  Joining us were 5 of Jandy’s teachers: Mr. Robert Castaneda, Ms. Veneriza “Vener” Trillo, Ms. Theresa “Thet” Quieta, Mr. Joel Fatlaunag and Mr. Erwin Vizcarra.  All, except Robert, are jittery first-timers at the volcano.     

Picnic Grove with Taal Volcano behind us

We left Manila on the morning of March 27 and arrived at the center in time for preparation of a delicious barbecue lunch.  After customary visits to the city’s Picnic Grove (where we went horseback riding) and People’s Park in the Sky (now in a sorry state of disrepair), we returned to the center for a delicious supper and retired early as we had to leave very early in the morning for the volcano trek. 

Cheska horseback riding with Thet

The next day, Holy Thursday, we all awoke by 5 AM, had breakfast, pack our provisions of bottled water, sandwiches and bananas (good trail food) and left the center by 6:30 AM.  From Tagaytay City, we went down to Talisay (Batangas) via the treacherous concrete zigzag road called Ligaya Drive, down to Brgy. Caloocan.  As soon as we arrived at the boat landing station, we were swamped by boatmen hoping for an early kill, this day being a holiday.   Soon, they were trying to pluck our feathers by charging us a cutthroat rate of PhP3,200 just for the trip (with 6 passengers only).  It was soon watered down and we settled at the still horrendous price of PhP2,400 to bring all 8 of us to our destination.

On our way, by boat, to Volcano Island

We left the station by 7 AM on board a big motorized banca.   The trip was smooth all the way as the waters were calm. As we went around the island, the 311-m. high (the island’s highest point) Mt. Binintiang Malaki (translated as “giant leg”), soon hove into view.   This northwest cone, seemingly featured on most Taal Volcano postcards like an island (actually connected to the real Volcano Island), emerged overnight during the 1707 eruption but is now dormant. A dismal sight during the voyage was the presence of numerous fishpens which our boat had to negotiate to get to the other side.

Nearing the homestretch

We landed on the island’s western shore at Brgy. Kayabok by 7:30 AM.  All throughout the trip, the boatman kept egging me to get a guide (at extra cost of course) but we have decided even before the trip to do without one as the Kayabok Trail was definitely well-trodden.  We also refused a lady islander’s rather steep offer to guide us for PhP500.  Anyway, we had all the time in the world even if it meant getting lost in a small island.   Our seemingly concerned boatmen seem to have other things in their minds.  I wonder why.

The Crater Lake seen from a distance

We began the trek on a happy note, following the well-trodden trail up a hill. The sun soon rose brightly on the sky and we began to feel the effects of the intense heat from the morning sun.   As we soon reached the top of the hill, the trail began to fork, leaving us in a dilemma.  All the while, we somehow had a feeling that we were being followed and, soon enough, our boatmen were hollering for us to come back.  We ignored them.  Later, we encountered our huffing and puffing boatmen along the trail.  We were told that we took the wrong turn and they, in all kindness, offered to guide us in the right direction.  Or were they?    It soon dawned upon me that these boatmen were concerned, not with the guide fee (which I consistently refused), but with the fact that they may lose their first big meal ticket (or buena mano) of the day among the winding trails.  We could just as easily have taken our boat ride back to Talisay from the other coastal villages.  With this in mind, they never left us out of their sights after that.

Finally, at the Crater Lake

Vegetation on the island is sparse, consisting mostly of short grass, tall, nettled spear grass (cogon) and thorny brambles.  The treeless trail we trekked was all loose volcanic ash and the ground underfoot was also hot as volcanic rock retains heat both from the sun and the hot magma trapped deep within its bowels.  This, coupled with the sweltering heat of the sun, soon made our tongues hang out.  Our party was soon divided into two as our neophyte mountaineers Vener and Thet began to lag behind.  Cheska, however, proved to be tough and resilient as she kept up with the guys. 

The island within the Crater Lake

We took solace under the small shade of occasional thorny aroma trees (most of the large trees have been blown away by previous eruptions) where we quenched our parched throats and munched bananas as we waited for the stragglers to arrive.  Along the trail we passed by one of Taal’s 47 craters.  This seemingly dormant crater had a flat, cogon-covered bottom.  We also encountered makeshift refreshment stalls selling canned softdrinks (PhP30) and bottled water (PhP20).  After a tiring uphill hike, the shimmering blue-green waters of the crater lake made its appearance like a mirage on the horizon.  It was all downhill after that and, soon enough, we reached the crater lake’s rim.  It was 9 AM and the hike took all of one and a half hours.    It could have been longer.  Our socks and shoes were soon off as we couldn’t wait to dip our tired feet in those inviting waters.  However, the lake’s waters deepen just a few feet from the shore. About 30 m.  offshore is the small, crescent-shaped island.  The lake’s waters are actually dilute sulfuric acid with salts and other minerals such as sodium, boron, magnesium and aluminum added in.   Acidity in the water, measured in pH (the lower the pH, the higher the acidity), is a “whopping” 2.7 (neutral pH is 7.0) with about 3% sulfur.   Sulfurous waters have medicinal qualities and it did wonders for my mosquito-bitten legs.  Our boatmen also took home 1.5-liter bottles filled with this salty and bitter water.  Also as a result of the sulfur deposits, the stones at the lakeshore are coated yellow.

L-R, Vener, the author, Jandy, Thet, Robert, Erwin and Joel

After lolling about the waters, taking our lunch of sandwiches and photo shoots for posterity, we left the lake and retraced our way back to our boat and left the island by 11:30 AM.  Any notions of being in Tagaytay for an early lunch were dashed when our boat engine conked out (obviously out of gas) just a kilometer off the shore of Brgy. Caloocan.   We had to wait for half a hour for a relief boat to ignominiously tow us back to shore.  After paying our boatmen (they had the gall to ask for a “tip”), it was back to our car for the uphill drive back to Tagaytay and a well-deserved lunch.  Back at the Jesu-Mariae Center, we collapsed, dead-tired, on our beds. 

Lake Danao Natural Park (Ormoc City, Leyte)

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From Kananga, we again boarded the AUV for the 2,193-hectare Lake Danao Natural Park.  Declared as such on June 2, 1972, this outstanding trekking area is part of the 40-km. Leyte Mountain Trail which starts from the 365-hectare Mahagnao National Park (established in 1937), between Burauen and La Paz, to Lake Danao and Tongonan National Park.  The trek offers a rain forest tour, beautiful Lakes Mahagnao, Malagsum, Kasudsuran and Danao, the spectacular Guinaniban Falls and breathtaking views of the mountains, forest, plains and the islands of Samar and Leyte from the crest of the central Amandiwing Mountain Range with its near-virginal tropical rainforest.

Lake Danao

Located 25 kms. from Tacloban City and 15 kms. (a 30-min. drive) northeast of Ormoc City, the violin-shaped, 148-hectare Lake Danao, formerly called Lake Imelda, is situated at an elevation of 1,600 ft. above sea level and is hemmed in by the cloud-capped Amandiwing mountain range.  Considered to be one of the most beautiful and cleanest lakes in the country, it is 3 kms. long, 200 m. deep and has a cool and invigorating climate.  We parked our vehicle near the Ranger Station and went up the nearby wooden viewing tower for a beautiful view of the lake.

We were greeted by Mr. Antonio Elias, station utility man, who offered to row me and Jandy in his small banca to the middle of the lake.  Upon our return, we paid a visit to the lone ranger (any similarity to a fictional character is purely coincidental) assigned to the station, Mr. Quinciano C. Abiertas, Jr., who gave us additional information about the lake.

Me and Jandy at the viewing tower

The lake is home to giant and native tilapia, shrimp (awang), mudfish (bul-a), shellfish (kaykay and taab) and is also said to be the habitat for giant eels  (igat or kasili).  The 2,045-hectare surrounding cloud-capped mountains has a dense secondary rain forest and a mossy forest on top.  It is planted with narra, agoho, lauan, nato and gmelina trees plus wild ferns, pitcher plants and wild orchids.  It is also home to much wildlife including monkeys, wild pigs (baboy damo), monitor lizards (bayawak), deer and iguanas (ibid).  Birds include wild chicken, hornbill, kingfisher, hanging parakeet, parrots, serpent eagle, kite eagle and wild ducks.  The park is ideal for swimming (near the river’s mouth), picnicking, hiking and horseback riding.  Hunting is prohibited but can hardly be enforced due to Mr. Abiertas’ lack of personnel. Kaingin (slash and burn) farming is also a problem.  The lake can be reached by jeepneys from Ormoc City’s jetty.

The Lakes of San Pablo City (Laguna)

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San Pablo is also known as the “City of the Seven Lakes” and number one on my list of places too see is these lakes.   Within the city limits are 7 (actually 8 including a very small one) crater lakes of extinct volcanoes, all with scenic charm and worth seeing.  Total aggregate area is 210 hectares.  Leaving our car at the cathedral grounds, Jandy and I walked towards the City Hall where, as told to us by residents, the 105-hectare Sampaloc Lake could be found. It is the largest, nearest and most accessible of all the lakes.  The other lakes have an aggregate area of 34 hectares.

Sampaloc Lake

We viewed the circular Sampaloc Lake from the massive stone balustrade off the street above the lake.  It is also best viewed from the stone benches and picnic tables of the small Dona Leonila Park located adjacent to the City Hall and accessed by an 89-step concrete stairway (built 1912 to 1916).

According to legend, there once lived a well-to-do but childless couple with a large orchard of tamarind (sampaloc) trees which bore the sweetest fruits in all the land.  Proud and selfish, they fenced in the orchard and placed a big watchdog to guard it.  God was not pleased with the selfish couple.

He sent a fairy disguised as an old and hungry woman beggar to beg for some of their fruit.  They refused to give her any and instead let the watchdog loose to bite the woman.  Before turning away from the inhospitable spot, the old beggar touched the tree with her wrinkled, skinny hands and told the couple “You shall be punished for your selfishness.”

After she left, a terrible storm broke out with heavy rain falling throughout the night.  The following morning, a vast expanse of water covered what used to be the couple’s orchard.  Through the transparent waters, the dark mass of the tamarind trees still rooted to the sunken ground, could be seen.  From that day onwards, it was called Sampaloc Lake.

The lake is 1 km. across and 27 m. deep and has a fairly large river flowing through it.  A 4-km. cemented peripheral road (Dagatan Blvd.) encircles the lake which also serves as a walking path.  Around the lake are floating fishpens and cages (bangus and tilapia), water hyacinths (a special variety used for sandal weaving) and several lakeside restaurants (serving Filipino and Chinese cuisine) standing on piles along the shore.  The massive silhouette of Mt. San Cristobal forms a beautiful background on the east.

Lake Calibato

After exploring Sampaloc Lake, we retraced our way back to the cathedral and our car.  Driving south along Narcarlan Road, we parked within the entrance of Villa Reyes in Brgy. Sto. Angel (within is Kalibato Lake Resort).  From there, we made a 500-m. walk along a dirt track to the edge of Calibato Lake. It also has fishpens and has a fine view of Mt. San Cristobal and Mt. Banahaw.

According to legend, hundreds of year ago the place was once a beautiful valley with many kinds of verdant trees beneath which are numerous stone-covered paths called Cali-Cali.  It was inhabited by simple, peaceful and hardworking people who gathered firewood, picked fruits and hunted wild animals in the nearby mountains using the Cali-Cali.

The time came when no more wild animals were left.  Diwata, the goddess of the mountain, was deeply concerned.  She disguised herself as an old woman, going from place to place and observing how the people lived.  To her dismay, she found out that the people were living luxuriously beyond their means.

To punish them she sent a big storm into the valley, creating a fearsome flood that poured from the mountain and submerging everything in its path – trees, people, houses and the Cali-Cali.  Diwata followed this up with a strong earthquake.  The next day, people from the other side of the mountain saw a lake where the valley used to be. They named the lake Calibato after Cali-Cali and bato, the stones that covered the path.

With our limited time, we were not able to visit the other lakes (Malabunot Lake, Mohicap Lake, Palakpakin Lake,Pandin Lake and Yambo Lake) as we had to return to Manila.  Visiting the lakes involve varying amounts of hiking and some tourists may need the local guides to get there.  Just the same they are all worth visiting.

Lake Danum (Besao, Mountain Province)

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The next day, Holy Thursday (and Araw ng Kagitingan as well), Jandy and I decided to join 8 other guests of the inn I was staying in who were going on a 4-km. uphill hike, along the almost empty, party rough Besao Rd., to Lake Danum (derived from the Kankanai or Ilocano word meaning “water”).   From a vantage point along this road, we had a panoramic view of Sagada town nestled between mountains. After about an hours hike, we turned left on a fork on the road and reached the lake.

Lake Danum

This lake which I actually mistook for a pond is actually referred to by the locals as a lake.  It is peaceful and its grassy and shady ground makes it ideal for picnicking and camping.  Some sort of blackberries were in bloom and some members of the group tried some.   In front of the lake is a hill which, according to the locals, offers a great view of the setting sun behind the mountains.  Unfortunately, we didn’t plan to wait that long.

It was the peak of the El Nino phenomenon when I arrived in Sagada but, even if the lake’s water level was low, its color remained torquiose green instead of orange as was usually the case.  The lake is also a jump-off point for trekking the 1,899-m. high Mt. Ampacao, the highest mountain near Sagada.  Another hour’s walk past the lake would have brought us to the next town of Besao, another pleasant and mostly Anglican town with more rice terraces.  Here, Lake Danum is called Lake Banao.  However, we gave up on the idea and just hitched a ride on a passing vehicle on its way back to Sagada.

Houseboating at Lake Caliraya (Cavinti, Laguna)

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For the 4 days of Holy Week, Dad booked us on an unusual vacation – traveling on a houseboat in Lake Caliraya Reservoir in Laguna.  There were 6 of us joining – Dad, Mom, sisters Salve and Tellie, and me plus our maid Irene Nebreja.  We also had a pilot and crew to bring us wherever we want to go on the lake. Our white-colored houseboat, with light blue trimmings, had spartan sleeping quarters, a dinette, kitchenette and a sun deck.

Our houseboat

 Our boat, part of a fleet of houseboats, was, according to our pilot, used by the cast and crew of the 1979, Francis Ford Cuppola Vietnam-era war epic film Apocalypse Now when they were filming some scenes in Laguna (notably the river scenes at the Bumbungan River and Pagsanjan Falls).  Mr. Cuppola and stars Marlon Brando or Martin Sheen may have slept in it. Who knows?

Cruising the lake

The massive, man-made Lake Caliraya is a mountain lake situated at foothills of the Sierra Madre Range at an elevation of 300 m. (800 ft.), between Lumban and Cavinti (a large portion is located here) .  It was built in 1943 and supplies, together with Lake Lumot, runoff water to the Kalayaan Hydroelectric Plant complex located north of the town.  Its original outlet was the Pagsanjan River, just above the falls, but now the smaller, artificial Lake Lumot feeds the main lake through a pipeline.  Both lakes cover 1,834 hectares of land and 76.9 hectares of water resources.

On dry land

My brother Frankie with pregnant wife Cherry,  Cherry’s Silahis International Hotel officemate Anna Purino and Cherry’s sister-in-law May Martin (the wife of Cherry’s elder brother Tony) also dropped by while we were docked and went swimming.  Swimming here is not like that done in a beach or even a river as the lake’s shoreline of viscous red slippery clay steeply drops just a few feet from the shore. Again, according to our pilot, a kid drowned when he slipped on the mud and fell into the water.  For safety’s sake, we all donned life vests in the water.  Others just sunbathed at the boat’s roof.

Windsurfing, waterskiingand shallow draft boating are popular here.  Fishing especially for large-mouth (black) bass, carp, bangus(milkfish), tilapia and dalag (mudfish) is a favorite activity in the lake.   Dad’s friend, Gen. Victor Natividad, was also there for the waterskiing, bringing along waterskiing equipment as well as a speedboat.  Frankie, May and I  took turns trying to waterski.  I was unsuccessful though as I kept falling when the speedboat started pulling me.

Resorts and picnic grounds line the shore of the lake and, on Easter Sunday, we docked at Nayong Kalikasan Resort where we heard mass at its clubhouse prior to our return to Manila.