The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has classified some 158 caves that will be subject of protection, conservation and management of the government.

In DENR Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2012-03, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje disclosed the new list of caves, which are protected by the Republic Act 9072 or the National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act.

The new list now brings the total number of caves subject under government protection.

“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,” Paje said.

Meanwhile, the DENR chief said that they have also include in the new list of caves under MC 2007-04, the three classifications for caves in the Philippines.

“Classifying them will therefore guide us in identifying strategies to protect, conserve and manage the resources within and around them,” he said.

The 158 caves listed in the MC covered all regions except the National Capital Region and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao or the Bangsamoro Region. Region VI reported the highest number of total assessed caves at 41, followed by Region I at 25.

At the provincial level, Pangasinan has the most number of caves at 18, followed by Iloilo at 17.
MC 2012-03 listed 22 caves as “Class 1,” or those with “delicate and fragile geological formations, threatened species, archaeological and paleontological values, and extremely hazardous conditions.”

Under the said classification, only activities for mapping, photography, academic and scientific purposes are allowed within these caves. Included in the list of Class 1 caves are two segments of the Capisaan Cave System in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya province and the Kwebang Puti in Cavinti, Laguna province.

A total of 96 caves, distributed throughout the country but mostly in Regions 1 and 6, were categorized as “Class 2.” This describes caves with areas that 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 province and the Bat Cave in Boracay Island are listed as such.

Some 40 caves were listed as “Class 3,” which are “generally safe” for inexperienced visitors. They have no known threatened species within, nor any archaeological, geological, historical or cultural values. Economic activities, such as collection of guano and edible birds’ nest, are allowed in such caves. The “Class 3” caves list includes the Bat Cave in Peñablanca, Cagayan, the Crystal Cave in Boracay Island, and the Bandera Caves in the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte province.

Cave classification is a continuing process undertaken by the DENR’s Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), a staff bureau under the DENR. 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.

The PAWB has recorded at least 1,756 caves since the DENR’s Caves Management and Conservation Program was implemented in 1994.