| Mabini - Cacupangan Cave |
The Municipality of Mabini is the only town in the Western Pangasinan area without a coastline, however, some terrains of vanishing streams, limestone hills, caves, sinkholes and pits of unknown depths are found. This terrain is called karst, coined by cave explorers from a region in Slovenia known to have vast fields of such geological features. Karst fields stretches from the boarders of Barangays Barlo and San Pedro going north towards Barangays De Guzman and Tagudin, and goes north east all the way to Barangay Linmansangan in Alaminos. Beneath these uniformly shaped hills are caves, carved out by Mother Nature over millions of years.
Caves are natural void under the earth’s surface formed in soluble rock commonly limestone. A solution cave is formed when rock is dissolved by carbonic acid, a combination of rain water and decaying organic matter. Some caves are shorter extending only a couple meters from the entrance, but some caves may extend for kilometers and may take hours even days for a caver to explore an entire cave system. It may contain walking-sized passages, crawlways, tall narrow canyons, often may contain streams, lakes, waterfalls, pits and caves are prone to flash flooding specially during the wet season. Among the unique features of a cave are the formations or speleothems, formed by water containing dissolved minerals that seeps through the rocks creating such deposits on walls, ceilings, and floors. Formations such as stalactites, stalagmites and columns that can grow to enormous sizes and shapes, draperies, cave pearls, flowstones, rimstone dams and very sensitive helictites that a slight breeze from a passing caver can break filaments of this formation, are just a few names of splendid beauty that are found within these underground wonders. Speleothems grow slowly, sometimes for thousands of years and may stop growing by changes in surface temperature, drainage, depletion of surface vegetation and often by a single touch of a not-so-careful visitor without gloves. These formations are not renewable, meaning a speleothem once lost is considered gone forever. Blessed with such treasure that three cave systems are found within this municipality namely Cacupangan, Cabalyoriza and Sto.Rosario Cave Systems and hundreds of other uncharted caves scattered throughout the countryside attracting curious people from all walks of life who come and enjoy this one of a kind adventure called caving. However, such activities if not regulated or stopped including gathering of formations, kaingin farming, hunting, dumping of garbage in natural pits and extraction of resources within karst areas can put an end to these natural treasures this town is famous for. We visit caves purely for recreation unaware of things we leave and do inside can alter the natural cycle of the cave environment thereby endangering the ecosystem and eventually polluting our drinking water. Water flows in caves with little or no filtration along with petroleum and chemical by-products, pesticides, human and industrial wastes can travel great distances finding its way into our wells, streams, aquifers and other such water sources. Be responsible for your own garbage and don’t defecate and urinate inside a cave. Having the required equipment, orientation and training by qualified guides for such activities is vital to a low impact horizontal caving. Invest in reliable equipment exclusively made for caving such as LED lights that uses less energy (three is required, a primary, a secondary that is as good as the primary, and a back-up with spare batteries and replacement parts for each), helmet with mounts for your lights and chain strap for a safe hands-free climbing, synthetic clothing that insulates better than natural fabric (pants and long sleeve shirt), gloves because body oils stops the growth of formations, non-marking soled boots that don’t leave an ugly scar on formations, water tight bucket and durable pack that does not absorb moisture also doubles as floatation device in wet caves. Seek assistance from qualified technical caver for instructions in using ropes and other equipment before getting into a more advanced vertical caving. Most Mabini cave entrance are within private properties, make yourself visible to land owners by establishing a good caver-land owner relation. Consider asking permission to landowners before going caving explaining to them courteously your intentions, names of your party members, your itinerary, pay the required fees and make sure you will personally let them know you have returned safely with good stories about their cave right after your trip. Always ask for an experienced local cave guide, even seasoned cavers often do so because they find a single cave to be of two different caves, one going in and another going out. Getting lost, rescued or worst killed inside a cave leaves a negative impression to cavers and caving by landowners denying access to their caves. Following these safety protocols and getting in touch with local caving group ensures low impact, safe and enjoyable passage to these natural wonders called caves. Do inquire directly to the Municipal Hall and arrange for qualified guides who can conduct orientation, tours and provide logistical advice for a minimal fee. Happy caving! Contact Balincaguin Conservancy for cave guides at: 0928-753-6045 Photo credits: Charles Nelson, Glen Malliet, Rawen Balmaña, Jerry Rendon |
