The Philippines holds many beautiful natural attractions, and local and international tourists are spoiled for choice in destinations that include beaches and mountain ranges. One popular destination is Taal Volcano, the country's smallest active volcano that is accessible via a short land trip from Metro Manila. It can be visited via a boat trip across Taal Lake or viewed from above from different vantage points at the Tagaytay Ridge including the Taal Vista Hotel.

Taal Volcano erupted on Jan. 12, 2020, and Michael Anthony 'Mike' Sagaran, then the marketing communications manager at Taal Vista, had a bird's-eye view of the catastrophe. Hotel guests safely evacuated; Mike grabbed his camera to document the event. His eye for art and background in commercial photography helped him capture images that became 'viral' on the internet and were picked up by local and international newspapers. 'It was a Sunday, and I was prepping to go back to Manila for my days-off when the volcano started erupting. I realized that what was happening was a historical event and decided to find a place with a good vantage point and documented Taal Volcano for three hours,' he recalls.