SAGADA, Mountain Province – Barangay officials and tourism stakeholders of this town participated in a planning workshop that aims to preserve caves.

The first phase of the Cave Management Planning Workshop was funded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and facilitated by staff members of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office-Sabangan and the Municipal Tourism Office of Sagada. 

Sagada Municipal Planning and Development Officer Jane Likigan said that the proliferation of wastes, lack of parking areas, congestion of traffic, and lack of potable water supply due to the increasing tourist arrivals are among the major concerns of the town.

Cristopher Bosaing of Cenro Sabangan said the rock formations and biodiversity inside and outside the caves in Sagada are deteriorating. 

He appealed to barangay officials and tourism stakeholders in the municipality to help in crafting a cave management plan to preserve the caves, which are the most visited sites in the town.

Bosaing said that the trees and shrubs in the “heads” of the caves must be maintained. Plants hold water. The stalactites and stalagmites are formed by the water that sips into the cave.

The DENR and Cenro-Sabangan earlier conducted an assessment of the Balangagan and Lumiang caves. Results of the assessment were forwarded to the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the DENR for action.