The agency released a new list of 158 caves it has classified for conservation, bringing to 234 the number of caves whose natural wealth and resources have been placed under the protection and management of the government.
“Caves are natural, non-renewable resources that are of tremendous value to man, whether scientific, economic, cultural, historical or aesthetic,” Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said in a statement. “Yet they are also in constant threat from destructive human activities like vandalism, treasure hunting, pollution and illegal extraction of resources.”
Paje said the classification of caves would serve as a guide in identifying strategies to protect, conserve and manage the resources within and around them.
The DENR classifies caves into three classes:
Class I caves are 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 in these caves. Included on the list of Class I caves are two segments of the Capisaan Cave System in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya and the Kwebang Puti in Cavinti, Laguna.
On the other hand, Class II caves have “hazardous conditions and contain sensitive geological, archaeological, cultural, historical and biological values or high quality ecosystems.”
Such caves are open to experienced spelunkers or caving enthusiasts and guided visits, although some portions may be closed seasonally or permanently for conservation purposes. The Callao Cave in Peñablanca, Cagayan, and the Bat Cave on Boracay Island are examples.
Class III caves are “generally safe” for inexperienced visitors, with no known threatened species living in them. They hold no archaeological, geological, historical or cultural values in them.
Economic activities, such as collection of guano and edible birds’ nest, are allowed in these caves. Examples are the Bat Cave in Peñablanca, Cagayan, the Crystal Cave on Boracay Island, and the Bandera Caves in the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte.
The 158 caves newly classified by the DENR are spread out across all regions of the country, except Metro Manila and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Western Visayas has the biggest number of total assessed caves at 41, followed by Ilocos Region, with 25. Pangasinan province has 18 caves, the most in a province, followed by Iloilo with 17.
Cave classification is a process undertaken by the DENR’s Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau.
Once classified, a management plan is prepared for each cave to consider all eco-tourism, scientific, educational and economic activities, as well as monitoring and reclassification, in those areas.
The PAWB has recorded at least 1,756 caves since the implementation of the DENR’s Caves Management and Conservation Program in 1994.
Under the National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act, people are prohibited from “knowingly destroying, disturbing, defacing, marring, altering, removing, or harming” rock and mineral formations in caves, or disturbing the animal and plant life in them.
They are also prohibited from “gathering, collecting, possessing, consuming, selling, bartering or exchanging or offering for sale without authority any, cave resources.”
Violators face imprisonment of up to six years or a fine of up to P500,000, or both. But “the person furnishing the capital to accomplish the acts” stands to receive a higher penalty of up to eight years in prison or a fine of up to P1 million, or both.