158 caves placed under gov’t protection

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has released a new list of 158 caves to be protected, conserved and managed by the government.

“Caves are natural, non-renewable resources that are of tremendous value to man, whether scientific, economic, cultural, historical or aesthetic. Yet they are also in constant threat from destructive human activities like vandalism, treasure hunting, pollution and illegal extraction of resources. Classifying them will guide us in identifying strategies to protect, conserve and manage the resources within and around them,” DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said.

The new list was contained in DENR Memorandum Circular 2012-03 issued pursuant to Republic Act 9072 or the National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act and MC 2007-04, which prescribes three classifications of caves in the country.

MC 2012-03 listed 22 caves as Class I, or those with “delicate and fragile geological formations, threatened species, archaeological and paleontological values and extremely hazardous conditions.” Only activities for mapping, photography, educational and scientific purposes are allowed within these caves.

Two segments of the Capisaan Cave System in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya and the Kwebang Puti in Cavinti, Laguna are in the list.

A total of 96 caves, mostly in Regions 1 and 6, fall under Class II. These caves have  “hazardous conditions and contain sensitive geological, archaeological, cultural, historical and biological values or high quality ecosystems.” The caves are open to experienced spelunkers or caving enthusiasts and guided visits, although some portions may be closed seasonally or permanently for conservation purposes.Among them are the Callao Cave in Peñablanca, Cagayan and the Bat Cave in Boracay Island.

Forty caves were listed as Class III caves, or described as  “generally safe” for inexperienced visitors. These caves have no known threatened species or any archaeological, geological, historical or cultural values. Economic activities in these caves, such as the collection of guano and edible birds’ nest, are allowed.

Among these are the Bat Cave in Peñablanca, Cagayan, Crystal Cave in Boracay Island and  the Bandera Caves in Samal, Davao del Norte.