Blessed with abundant variety of trees, different kinds of rock formations and clean rivers and falls. It is a province of sincerely conserved environment in the Cordilleras. No wonder it’s been titled, “The Last Nature Frontier of the Cordilleras.”
Have you guessed where this is? If you’ve got it right, it’s Apayao. A truly remarkable province. Warm as it may be, but it upholds that essence of “nature at its best.”
With its title alone, it calls for further protection and preservation of its nature. Republic Act No. 9072 otherwise known as “National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act” states that it is the policy of the State to conserve, protect and manage natural wealth and heritage which includes caves and cave resources.
In support of this, with the initiative of Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR-CAR) in collaboration with the provincial and municipal Local Government Units of Apayao, Department of Tourism-CAR, Civil Society Organizations and Apayao State College, a Regional Cave Congress took place on April 20-21 in this province, specifically in the municipality of Luna where Dupag Rock Formation, Lussok cave, Manacota cave and the Underground River are found.
There were over 110 attendees composed of tourism officers, local tour guides, students, concerned government employees and cave enthusiasts from all-over the Cordillera and neighboring provinces.
Gov. Elias Bulut Jr. also supported this event to help in the protection of the province’s natural endowment and also convinced other locals to join the Congress to gain more knowledge on how to take better care of Cordillera’s “Last Nature Frontier” which is also their home.
DENR-CAR representative Henry Valleros talked about Philippine Laws, Rules and Regulations concerning caves; caves as ecotourism destinations; cave management planning and implementation; and survey, assessment, validation and classification of caves.
Forester Wrexton Afidchao discussed on conducting surveys in caves and safe cave exploration. He also gave guidelines on how to protect yourself and minimize disturbance of wildlife when exploring caves starting with the use of protective gear and proper attire.
Cave enthusiast couple Eric Bangad of Sang-at Salve Outdoor Club and wife Prissy Bangad of Gaia Exploration Club also shared their knowledge and experiences in caving.
Robert Pangod, the Tourism Officer of Sagada, warned of the effects of tourism boom in Apayao. As observed in Sagada, tourism boom has affected them in many ways such as in their culture and waste management. Anticipating more tourists for the province would need extensive preparation and as much as possible, the preservation of nature.
One of the best ways to ensure protection of our nature is knowing the “Why?” Ely Cadang of PENRO Nueva Vizcaya emphasized that if people have that love and care for their nature, they would have that sense of protection since “Human is the best caretaker of the environment.” He also gave the advice to make Apayao’s culture intact – not allowing foreign culture to change their lifeways despite tourist influx in the future.
Apayao Tourism Officer, Rebecca Mamba, also gave an introduction of Apayao’s history and landscapes in preparation for the adventure the following day.
Participants were able to experience the wonders of the caves and Dupag Rock Formation and crossing rivers just to discover their hidden beauty.
The Dupag or Marag Rock Formations is a naturally designed landscape. With its sharp edges, locals were able to use it as their fort during the revolutionary years.
Fishes were evident in the Manacota Underground River as well as bats and other insects.
Lussok cave astounds its visitors with its numerous chambers, underground creek and serves as home to bats.
Aiming to have the Regional Cave Congress on a regular basis, the host and participants gave suggestions for the next host province. Abra was taken into consideration.
Prior to the Congress, the Regional Cave Committee held a meeting on April 19 to evaluate on the recommended classification of five caves in the Region. In agreement, the following caves were categorized as Class II: Pita Cave of Bangued, Abra; Punsian Cave of Luna, Apayao; Dukligaw Cave of Kabugao, Apayao; and Takadang Cave of Tuba, Benguet. Pipingew Cave of La Trinidad, Benguet was sorted as Class 1. Class 1 are delicate caves limited only for mapping, photography, educational and scientific purposes; it is not open for the public while Class 2 is open to the public but must be accompanied by tour guides; some areas may have hazardous conditions and sensitive biological values. Lastly, Class 3 is generally safe to inexperienced visitors with no threat to its environment. These agreements will be forwarded to the DENR secretary for the issuance of a classification order.** SJEMauting, DENR-CAR
