2. Declaration of Policy
• conserve, protect and manage caves
and cave resources
• strengthen cooperation and exchange
information between governmental
authorities and people who utilize cave
and cave resources
3. Scope and Coverage
- all caves and cave resources within public
domain and private lands
- excludes any vug, aqueduct, mine tunnel
and other man-made excavations
4. Caves
Any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess or
system of interconnected passages beneath
the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge
and which is large enough to permit an
individual to enter, whether or not the entrance,
located either in private or public land, is
naturally formed or man-made.
5. • DENR – lead agency to implement the
provisions of this Act, except in Palawan,
in coordination with the DOT, NM, NHI and
concerned LGUs
Implementing Agencies
6. Coordinating Agencies
• Local Government Units
• National Museum
• National Historical Institute
• Department of Tourism
7. Powers and Functions of DENR
• Formulate, develop and implement a
national program
• Conduct information, education,
conservation campaign
• Issue permits for utilization (direct or
indirect) of cave resources
– Secretary cannot issue permit for the
removal of stalactites and stalagmites
– Caves within protected areas shall be subject
to NIPAS Act
8. Powers and Functions of DENR
• Coordinate with any local or national
governments, non-government
organizations, academe and other
instrumentalities for assistance or be
active partners
• Enter into a memorandum of agreement
with any local government unit
9. • Caves within Private Lands
• Caves within Ancestral Domain/Land
• Caves under the National Integrated
Protected Areas System
• Caves in other Public Lands
10. Permits
• Guano collection and other non-biological cave
Resources – permit to be issued by MGB
• collection of cave biological resources
governed by the provisions of Republic Act
No. 9147 (Wildlife Resources Conservation
and Protection Act)
11. Prohibited Acts
Destroying or harming speleogen or
speleothem or altering the free
movement of any animal or plant life
gathering, collecting, & selling or
offering for sale without authority
12. Prohibited Acts
counseling, procuring, soliciting or
employing any other person to violate any
provision of this Act
13. Penalties
Person guilty of the prohibited acts
o 2 to 6 years imprisonment, or,
o fine ranging from P20,000 to P50,000,
or,
o both at the discretion of the Court
14. Penalties
Person providing capital to accomplish
the punishable acts
o 6 years + 1 day to 8 years, or,
o fine ranging from P500,000 to
P1,000,000, or,
o both
15. Penalties
Offender is government employee
o shall be removed from the Office
Court could also require
o rehabilitation or restoration of
disturbed site, if possible
o compensation for the damages
16. CLASS I. Caves with delicate and fragile
geological formations, threatened species,
archaeological and paleontological values,
and extremely hazardous conditions.
Allowable use may include mapping,
photography, educational, and scientific
purposes.
17. CLASS II. Caves with areas or portions
that have hazardous conditions and
contain sensitive geological, biological,
archaeological, cultural, historical, and
biological values or high quality system.
It may be necessary to close sections of
these caves seasonally or permanently. It
is only open to experienced cavers or
guided educational tours/visits.
18. CLASS III. Caves generally safe to
inexperienced visitors with no known
threatened species, archaeological,
geological, cultural, and historical values.
These caves may also be utilized for
economic purposes such as guano
extraction and edible birds nest
collection.
33. Technical Bulletins for Partnerships
• To standardize the provisions of the DENR-
LGU/DENR-LGU-LANDOWNWER Memorandum
of Agreement for the conservation,
management, protection of caves and cave
resources outside NIPAS sites,
Technical Bulletin No. 2013-05: DENR-LGU-
LANDOWNER MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT
TEMPLATE
Technical Bulletin 2013-06 : DENR-LGU
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT TEMPLATE
Editor's Notes
Caves are classified based on protection of geological, biological, cultural, and paleontological features and to provide safe recreational, educational, scientific, and other resource-based utilization opportunities.
Caves are classified based on protection of geological, biological, cultural, and paleontological features and to provide safe recreational, educational, scientific, and other resource-based utilization opportunities.
Caves are classified based on protection of geological, biological, cultural, and paleontological features and to provide safe recreational, educational, scientific, and other resource-based utilization opportunities.
