Cabarrubias seeks protection of caves

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias is aggressively pushing for the protection of caves found in the city.

Cabarrubias has sponsored an ordinance seeking to protect and regulate the use of caves found in the city’s mountain barangays. In his proposed ordinance, Cabarrubias wants to prohibit the destruction, disturbance and alteration of caves and the animals living therein.

He also wants to prohibit the unauthorized gathering, selling and collection of cave resources. Violators will be slapped with P5,000 fine or imprisonment for a period of not exceeding one year.

 Although there are no reports of cave exploitation in the city, but Cabarrubias believes that it is the Local Government Unit’s obligation to protect it. He cited Republic Act 9072 which declares the government policy to protect, conserve and manage caves and its resources as part of the country’s natural wealth.

Under the law, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources takes the lead in the preservation and protection of caves with the support of other government agencies and the local government units.

Out of the 80 barangays in the city only four have caves, these include the famous Guadalupe cave which is now known as the Guadalupe Shrine. There are also caves found in Barangays Paril, Sudlon I and Sudlon II. — (FREEMAN)