Concepcion, Princess Angel S.

BSTM – 1B
Brief Summary about the Tabon Caves

The Tabon Caves is a set of caves in the Lipuun Point Reservation, also known as the Tabon
Cave Complex. The reservation is a 138-hectare museum site that lies along the western
coastline of Southern Palawan. The caves are named after the Tabon Scrubfowl.
Tabon Cave Complex has 29 explored caves but only seven of which are open for public
viewing. It is believed that about 215 caves are known to exist on Lipuun Point. The place
before is an island but due to an extensive mangrove development, it is now a cape connected
to the mainland of Palawan.
The Tabon Man was discovered in the caves of Tabon, one of the oldest remnants of human
inhabitants found in the Philippines. These, together with archaeological artifacts, are cared
for by the National Museum. On April 11, 1972, Presidential Proclamation No. 996 declared
the cave complex and all of Lipuun Point in Quezon, Palawan, and a site museum reservation.
This declaration ensures the protection and preservation of the caves and the immediate
vicinity from deforestation and destruction.
Archaeological Discoveries

The skull cap remains of the Tabon Man were discovered in the Tabon Caves. The remains
are approximately 22,000-24,000 years old. They were discovered by Dr. Robert B. Fox and
his team from the National Museum of the Philippines in 1962. The team also found burial jars,
earthenware, jade ornaments and other jewelry, stone tools, animal bones, and human fossils
dating back to 47,000 years ago. These fossils are the earliest human remains found in the
Philippines.

The archaeological finds indicate habitation from 50,000 to 700 years ago while the limestone
formation in the reservation dates back from 25 million years ago, or the Lower Middle
Miocene Period, based on geological studies.
Dacumos, J. (2013). Tabon Caves: Cradle of Philippine Civilization. Retrieved from
https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Tabon-Caves-Cradle-of-Philippine-
Civilization