Friday, April 11, 2008 DENR appeals: Respect caves, stop vandalism By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued Thursday a nationwide appeal to all Filipinos to protect and respect caves in their respective localities.
In Western Visayas, Damaso Fuentes, chief of the DENR's Protected Areas and Wildlife Division, asked Ilonggos and Negrenses to respect caves by maintaining their forms and 'sacredness'.
"Let's respect caves, stop vandalizing them," said Fuestes in a press statement.
DENR noted that some of the caves in the country start to lose their beauty after some people had vandalized them.
Illegal excavation is also said to be one major cause that endangers caves in the country.
As per DENR record, there are about 1,500 caves in the country -- 38 percent in Luzon, 37 percent in Mindanao and 22 percent in Negros and Panay islands.
In Negros Occidental alone, enchanted and beautiful caves could be found in Mt. Kanlaon, Mambukal Mountain Resort, Guintubdan area in La Castellana, Patag in
Silay, Isla Puti in Escalante City and Danjugan Island in Cauayan.
One of the most visited caves in the province is the Ubong Cave in Hinoba-an town in the southern tip of Negros Occidental, some 202 kilometers from Bacolod.
Ubong Cave, located at sitio Ubong along the coastline of Hinobaan, is known to be ideal for "spelunkers-to-be."
Aside from Ubong Cave, Pating Cave in Kabankalan City, also in southern Negros, is a by-word for local and international tourists. It's the highest cave in Negros located in barangay Magballo.
Also in Kabankalan is the Hagdanan Cave, which boasts of a natural formation of stairs made of stone inside the cave leading to the water under it.
The DENR is mulling the creation of "Bantay Kuweba," a group that will be composed of cave watchmen who would take care of all the caves in the country. It aims to protect all the caves from vandals thus preserving their beauties and natural forms not only for tourism purposes but for environmental protection in general.
