GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA

REGIONAL DYNAMIC SETTING

3 major tectonic plates of the Western Pacific Domain
1. Pacific plate
→ Composed of entirely oceanic lithosphere
→ Age: 150 Ma (Late Jurassic)
→ Rate of movement: 80 mm/year
Kinematic Reorganization
o 43 Ma (Eocene) – 50° counterclockwise rotation from NNW→WNW
- Presently manifested in the change of orientation of Hawaiian-Emperor Islands
volcanic chain from WNE→ESE direction to the south to an NNW→SSE direction
to the north
o 5 Ma (Late Miocene) – 10° counterclockwise rotation

→ Subducts under:
o Eurasian plate along the Japan trench
o Philippine Sea plate along Bonin-Marianas-Yap trench system
o Under Indo-Australian Plate east of New Zealand
2. Eurasian Plate
→ Continental except for marginal basins
→ Rate of movement: 3 mm/year
→ Fixed since 50 Ma (Late Eocene)
3. Indo-Australian Plate
→ Both Continental (India & Australia) and Oceanic (Indian Ocean)
→ Rate of movement: 107 mm/year– fastest in terms of motion
→ 150 Ma (Late Jurassic) - Separation of India and Australia
→ 43 Ma (Middle Eocene) – Mid-Oceanic ridge has become inactive, plate is moving northwards
→ Continental portion collides with Eurasian plate (Himalayas)
→ Oceanic portion subducts under Eurasian Plate along the Java Trench
Southeast Asian Tectonic Region
→ SW portion of the Western Pacific Domain
→ Composed of Philippine Sea Plate and the southern edge of Eurasian Plate

A. Philippine Sea Plate

→ Western edge of the Pacific Plate
→ Oceanic crust composed of several ocean basins separated by submarine ridges
→ Diamond form, long axis directed N-S
→ Edges are defined by deep trenches including Marianas Trench (deepest)

• Ocean Basins
→ 4 to 6 km depth, long axis of these basins is generally oriented N-S except for West Philippine Basin

o West Philippine Basin

→ occupying around 50% of the Philippine Sea Plate
→ consist of 3 Submarine Plateaus:
1. Benham Rise
2. Urdaneta Plateau
3. Anami and Oki Daito Ridges
→ Age of basin:
▪ Paleomagnetic data: 60-35 Ma
▪ Deep Sea Drilling data: 53 – 42 Ma

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
→ Central Basin Fault
▪ Series of en echelon ridges 15° (almost E-W) to its general direction (WNW-ESE)
▪ Extinct mid-oceanic spreading ridge, cut transversely by N-S parallel faults
→ 2 stages of opening
1. 60-45 Ma: NE-SW spreading, 4.4 cm/year half spreading rate
2. 45-35 Ma: N-S opening, 1.8 cm/year half spreading rate
→ Basin Origin:
1. Trapped Oceanic Basin
– basin is trapped because of the formation of ridges and trenches surrounding the basin (By Uyeda-
Benavraham 1972), Hilde (1977) & Lee (1984))
2. Back-arc basin Model
– during subduction, Pacific plate subducts beneath PH Sea Plate. Oki-Daito ridge would correspond to a
relic volcanic arc that travelled to the NE during the opening of the basin

o Other Basins
1. Parece Vela – Shikoku Basin
→ east of West PH Basin
→ oceanic crust accreted on a N-S spreading axis
→ Opening:
1. 30 Ma – Parece Vela
2. 10 Ma – Shikoku
→ oceanic accretion stops at 17 Ma
2. Marianas Basin
→ N-S spreading
→ Opens around 6 Ma and presently active
→ Youngest basin (evidence: Marianas Trench)
3. Ayu Basin
→ Poorly known on the southern portion of the plate

• Submarine Ridges
→ Oriented N-S

o Palau-Kyushu Ridge
→ Middle Eocene – Oligocene; Age: 43 Ma
→ Divides WPB from Parece Vela-Shikoku basin
→ Traverses the PH Sea Plate for 2500 km
→ Relict volcanic arc
→ Trapped Basin Model:
1. 43 Ma: transformation of an old transform fault into a subduction zone from the kinematic
reorganization
2. 30 Ma: subduction retreated eastward, activity stopped and Parece Vela – Shikoku opened
o Izu Bonin Ridge
→ Eastern limit of Shikoku Basin
→ Volcanic arc of the presently active Bonin Trench
→ Presently colliding with the Japanese margin (Izu Peninsula, Japan)
→ Splits into two branches towards the South, these ridges define the western and eastern limit of
Marianas Basin
1. West Marianas Ridge
→ Ancient volcanic arc active between 20 – 9 Ma
→ Relict volcanic arc left inactive after opening of Marianas Basin
2. East Marianas Ridge
→ Volcanic arc of the active Marianas Trench; younger

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
Tectonic Nature of the Boundaries of PH Sea Plate

Kinematics of Philippine Sea Plate – no magnetic anomalies

o Present day Kinematics
→ Calculated from slip vectors
→ NW displacement direction
→ 3 main kinematic parameters of the Philippine Sea Plate with respect to Eurasia
1. Rotation Pole: located NE of Japan
2. Relative displacement rate: varies from north to south along the western edge of Philippine Sea
Plate
▪ 3 cm/year in the latitude of Nankai Trough
▪ 9cm/year on the southern end of the PH trench
3. Relative displacement direction: azimuth is directed N55°W near Taiwan with a linear velocity of
7.0 cm/year. Azimuth varies by several degrees from North (clockwise addition) to south
(counterclockwise addition)

o Old day Kinematics – 4 Ma Plate reorganization

→ Relative movement:
• 5 Ma: NNW to WNW
▪ Taiwan: 4 to 6 Ma, 40° counterclockwise rotation pf the stress fields
▪ Japan: 2 to 3 Ma, 30° counterclockwise
- Origin of this kinematic reorganization is poorly understood, but appears to be a
major event in the evolution of the western boundary of the PH Sea Plate
- 2 to 4 Ma: this plate reorganization had been evident in Japan
• 4 to 6 Ma (Eocene – Pliocene)
- NNW to WNW (around 45° counterclockwise rotation), paleomagnetic studies in the
Benham Rise, ridge was located in subequatorial latitudes, Northward component
movement of the plate

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
SOUTHEAST ASIAN MARGIN
Marginal Basins – successively opened in several phases within Neogene times
- bordered by:
1. Continental blocks of Taiwan (true continental margin)
2. North Palawan (rifted from the Asian Continental margin)
3. Volcanic arcs of Sulu and North Sulawesi

o South China Sea Basin

→ Bounds the Philippines to the NW
→ 4km depth, NE-SW axis
→ Opening was preceded by rifting that could have taken place between Late Cretaceous and Late
Eocene
→ Two stages of opening:
▪ 32 – 17 Ma: along E-W axis
▪ 20 – 17 Ma: along NE-SW axis
→ General opening direction is oriented NW-SE
o Palawan-Mindoro Microcontinent
- Separated from mainland China due to opening of the China Sea
o Sulu Sea Basin
→ Age: 20Ma
→ Small marginal basin located immediately to the SE of the North Palawan block

• Cagayan Ridge
→ composed of volcanic material dated 14.7 Ma
→ corresponds to a volcanic arc that was active until the end of early Miocene
→ southern flank is characterized by the presence of the SE-dipping normal faults which define its
contact with the SE subbasin
→ divides the Sulu basin into two:
▪ NW Subbasin – asymmetric basin whose western flank is more inclined towards
Palawan. 6-8km sedimentary fill, volcanic or continental (or both)
▪ SE Subbasin - oceanic basement covered with a thin sedimentary fill (1-2 km), oldest
known sediments have been dated Late Miocene to early Middle Miocene, while
volcanic ash appeared around 6 Ma. Relatively young crust due to heat flow data
• Sulu-Zamboanga Arc
→ Separates Sulu Sea Basin from the Celebes Sea Basin
→ Group of islands Pleistocene-Holocene with 1 active volcano
→ No well-defined seismic zone
→ Solfataric stage volcanic arc
o Celebes Sea
→ Oceanic crust; age: 55 – 42 Ma (Eocene)
→ ENE-WSW oriented magnetic anomalies
→ SE of the Sulu-Zamboanga Arc
→ Trapped basin mechanism for the origin the basin
Origin of Marginal Basin
Marginal basin – oceanic basin formed on the edge (margin) of a continental crust
Models:
o Back – Arc Basin
→ Formed behind a subduction zone
→ Examples: Marianas Basin, Parece Vela Shikoku basin & Okinawa Basin (formed behind Ryukyu
Trench)

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o Continental Domain Basin

→ Opening is preceded by rifting in a continental domain
→ Example: South China Sea Basin (according to Taylor & Hayes)

o Extrusion Tectonics
→ Applies to areas where strikeslip faults play a major role
→ South China Sea (according to Tapponier & others) is a consequence of extrusion tectonics,
particularly the collision of India with Eurasia
→ India impige northwards against Eurasia which would cause the southeastward expulsion of the
Indo-Chinese block along large strikeslip faults where pull-apart extensional zones formed basins

o Trapped Basin
→ Formation of trapped basin occur in two stages:
▪ Emplacement of ocean basin
▪ Isolation of a portion of oceanic crust from the rest of the basin
▪ Example: West Philippine Basin – was originally part of the Pacific plate which was isolated
during kinematic reorganization at 43 Ma

• Arc-Arc collision – Izu-Bonin collision (Japan)

• Arc-Continental collsion - Taiwan

THE PHILIPPINES: A COMPLEX PLATE BOUNDARY

General Dynamic Framework of the Philippines

Philippine Mobile Belt (PMB) – active deforming zone, first defined by Gervasio (1966)
Philippines – collage of insular arcs, ophiolitic suites and continental rocks of Eurasian affinity. Controlled by
subductions, collisions and major strike slip faults
Subduction zones – PMB is surrounded by subduction zones with opposing polarities.
WEST-DIPPING SUBDUCTION ZONES EAST-DIPPING SUBDUCTION ZONES
Philippine Trench (4°N-15°) Manila Trench (22°N-13°N)
→ Westward subduction of the PH Sea Plate → >15 Ma
under the eastern PH Arc → Located west of Luzon opposite the East
→ Benioff Zone – slightly inclined (20°) to the Luzon Trough
North but plunges 45° to the South → Represent the morphological expression of
→ Southward propagation of the trench to the the subduction of SCS under Luzon Arc
Moluccas Collision Zone → 5100 m depth in Manila & 2500-2600 m
→ Do not show well-developed accretionary sedimentary fill
prism → Benioff zone is steep on its southern
→ Age: 5 Ma portion, but flattens off towards the north
→ Length of subducting slab: 250 km → Southern termination passes through
→ To completely consume 250km of stab Mindoro-Panay Collision Zone
subducted at 8cm/yr would take 31 Ma → Well-developed accretionary prism, forearc
basin is developed between the
accretionary prism and Luzon Island

Angle of subduction of MNL Trench is gentle because

the volcano produced is near (Mt. Cagua)

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
East Luzon Trough (16°N - 18°N)
→ Degree of deformation decreases from
16°N - 18°N and completely disappear to
the North
→ A nascent subduction zone propagating
northwards (Lewis and Hayes, 1983)
→ Inactive accretionary prism to the west
→ Flanked to the east by Benham Rise
→ Early Miocene
Why it stopped?
- subduction of Benham rise stress transfer to MNL
trench. If it continued, Cagayan portion will become an
ocean (Correlations 2 Lecture)
Negros Trench (10°N)
→ Runs parallel to Panay and Negros
→ Oceanic crust of Sulu Sea Basin is consumed
→ Benioff Zone is poorly manifested.
Subducted slab does not exceed 100km
→ Active volcanic chains (Canlaon Volcano)
→
Cotabato Trench (6°N)
→ Young, shown by a poorly developed
Benioff Zone
→ Disappear southwards into Moluccas Sea
Collision Zone
→ Active volcanic arc,
→ Left lateral fault (Cotabato Fault) cutting
across the Zamboanga Peninsula appears to
link the Cotabato Trench and Negros
Trench

Collision Zones
o TAIWAN
→ Continental – Arc Collision – continent drifts toward the subduction zone
→ 400 km-long island
→ Active orogenic belt resulting from collision of the western edge of the PH Sea Plate where Luzon Arc
has developed, with the continental margin of Eurasia
→ 4 Ma (Pliocene) – start of collision with PH Sea Plate and Eurasian Plate
→ Passes into the MNL Trench – Luzon Arc system which in turn passes into the Mindoro-Panay
collision zone = Taiwan Luzon-Mindoro Belt
o MINDORO-PANAY
→ Arc-continental collision – island arc moves towards the subduction zone
→ 32 – 17 Ma (Miocene) after the cessation of the accretion of the South China Sea oceanic crust
→ Palawan-Mindoro microcontinent enters into collision with the central portion of PH Mobile Belt
→ Collision appears to have decreased since Pliocene
o MOLUCCAS SEA
→ Arc-Arc collision
→ Subducting in two directions to the east (200km) and to the west (600km)
→ Double-vergent subduction causes consequently the convergence/collision of the two corresponding
active volcanic arcs, present day example of ophiolites by silvers (obduction) developed from the
curvature of the fold axis of the oceanic plate
→ E-W dimension of atleast 900km
→ Age: Late Miocene
→ Corresponding arcs: separated by atleast 100 km
▪ Sangihe – west dipping, 600 km depth (one of the deepest in the world)
▪ Halmahera – east dipping, 200 km depth

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA

PHILIPPINE GEOLOGY: OVERVIEW

- originated from sub-equatorial

regions due to rotation and
Philippine Mobile Belt
spreading of PH Sea Plate during
Eocene to Miocene

Philippine Archipelago
- rifted from Asia mainland during
Late Cretaceous to Late Eocene
Palawan-Mindoro Microcontinent - drifted to its present position due
to opening of South China Sea
Basin

4 Lithological units:
Pre- Tertiary Basement of the PH
o Metamorphic Rocks
→ Divided into 2 categories:
Pre-Cretaceous Metamorphic Rocks Cretaceous Metamorphic Rocks
(Continental origin) (Insular Arc Affinity)
Located in: Distributed sporadically within the whole
▪ North Palawan, Mindoro, Panay & archipelago
neighboring island Basic to ultrabasic – which likely derived from old,
Includes: island arcs (considered post Jurassic)
▪ Caramay Schist (Palawan) Age of rocks do not extend beyond Paleogene
▪ Halcon Metamorphic Complex (Mindoro)
▪ Romblon Metamorphic Complex Present in:
(Romblon) ▪ Eastern Luzon
▪ Buruanga Metamorphic Complex (Panay) ▪ Caramoan Peninsula, Bicol
▪ Tungauan Schist (Zamboanga) ▪ Eastern Mindanao
Abundant in Silica (continental provenance)

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
o Ophiolites and Ophiolitic Rocks
→ Occurring together with Pre-Tertiary metamorphic rocks
→ Basement on which magmatic arcs developed
→ Complete ophiolitic sequence can be found in:
▪ Zambales (Eocene)
▪ Isabela
▪ Pujada Peninsula
▪ South Palawan
→ Dating is based on pelagic sediments covering them
→ Varying from Early Cretaceous – Eocene – Oligocene

o Magmatic Arcs - presence of magmatic arcs that cannot be associated with any active subduction zones
indicates that the evolution of the PH archipelago is characterized by a relative continuous volcanic activity
throughout the Cenozoic
ANCIENT ARCS ACTIVE ARCS
▪ Lutopan Diorite (Cebu) – oldest known Pliocene-Holocene Volcanic belts:
magmatic rock (Late Cretaceous) ▪ Luzon Volcanic Arc – Manila Trench
▪ Bohol, Negros, Panay, Masbate – Paleogene age ▪ East-Philippine Volcanic Arc – PH Trench
▪ Sierra Madre to Bicol, Leyte, Pacific Cordillera – ▪ Negros-Panay Arc – Negros Trench
Early Eocene to Oligocene ▪ Sulu-Zamboanga Arc – Sulu Trench
▪ Dioritic in Composition though alkali rocks also ▪ Cotabato Arc – Cotabato Trench
occur East Pacific Arc – well defined only to Bicol & Leyte
▪ 90% of all auriferous deposit in the PH are Active volcano chains in Mindanao (including Mt. Apo)
associated with Late Neogene hypabyssal are located more than 100 km away from the subduction
intrusions and volcanism zone. These volcanoes are produced by partial melting of
a detached slab underneath Mindanao

Active Volcanoes in the PH (24)

▪ Babuyan Claro - Babuyan Island Group, ▪ Kanlaon – Negros Occidental & Negros
Cagayan Oriental
▪ Banahaw - Laguna & Quezon ▪ Leonard Kniaseff – Davao del Norte
▪ Biliran - Leyte ▪ Makaturing – Lanao del Sur
▪ Bulusan - Sorsogon ▪ Matutum – Cotabato
▪ Cabalian - Southern Leyte ▪ Mayon – Albay
▪ Cagua – Cagayan ▪ Musuan – Bukidnon
▪ Camiguin de Babuyanes – Babuyan Island ▪ Parker – South Cotabato, General Santos City,
Group, Cagayan North Cotabato, Sarangani
▪ Didicas – Babuyan Island Group, Cagayan ▪ Pinatubo – Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales
▪ Hibok-Hibok – Camiguin ▪ Ragang – Lanao del Sur & Cotabato
▪ Iraya – Batan Island, Batanes ▪ Smith – Babuyan Island Group, Cagayan
▪ Iriga – Camarines Sur ▪ Taal – Batangas
▪ Isarog – Camarines Sur

Potentially-Active Volcanoes in the PH (27)

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
Sedimentary basin – 9 is within PH Mobile belt and the 10th forms a vast basin over the thinned continental margin
of Eurasia (Palawan Basin)
ILOCOS-CENTRAL LUZON → Thickness: 8,000 m
BASIN → N-S axis
→ Structurally controlled by the main branches of the northern segment of
the PH fault, Vigan-Aggao Fault
CAGAYAN VALLEY BASIN → Thickness: 8,100 m
→ With coal-bearing carbonates
→ Asymmetric, where bedding planes on its eastern flank dip gently to the
west while formation on its western flank are highly deformed, resulting to
overturned beds
SOUTHERN LUZON – BICOL → Thickness: 4,600 m
BASIN → NE-SW axis
→ Traversed longitudinally by the PH Fault
→ Flanked to the NE by the East PH Volcanic Arc and by Mindoro, Panay,
Visayan Sea basin to the SW
MINDORO BASIN → NW-SE axis
→ Juxtaposed with South China Sea oceanic crust
ILOILO BASIN → Thickness: 5,000 m
→ Basement is represented by Paleogene volcanic belt of Negros-Panay
VISAYAN SEA BASIN → Thickness: 4,000 m
→ NNE-SSW axis
→ Unconformably over a deformed volcaniclastic basement
→ Covers a portion of Negros, whole Cebu, and large portion of Bohol
SAMAR BASIN → N-S axis
AGUSAN DAVAO BASIN → Thickness: >12,000 m; thickest sedimentary fill
→ N-S axis
→ Traversed longitudinally by the PH Fault
COTABATO BASIN → Thickness: 8,000 m
→ Located between active volcanic arcs of Cotabato and central Mindanao

The Philippine Fault

→ Fault zone cutting almost whole length of the archipelago
→ Traverses the PH from Luzon in the North to the Eastern Mindanao southwards, cutting across Bicol and
Visayas
→ 1,200 km from Luzon to Mindanao, same extent as San Andreas Fault
→ Morphological expressions: fault scarps, elongated depression, sag ponds, and compressive ridges.
→ Left-lateral (sinistral) movement – indicated by large structures it offsets (mountain ridges, sedimentary
basins, and lithologic markers
→ Age: not more than 5 Ma; average slip rate of 2 to 3 cm/year
→ Activities:
▪ March 17, 1973 – M 7.3 Southern Luzon Earthquake; epicenter: Ragay Gulf; left lateral
displacement, 2-3 m.
▪ July 16, 1990 – M 7.8 Luzon Earthquake; most recent activity and great earthquake of
Luzon; caused by the movement of northern segment (Digdig segment); left lateral
displacement of 5 m; rupture of 90 km
▪ May 6, 1991 – M 5.8 Southern Leyte Earthquake; Leyte branch of PH fault; left lateral
displacement along 1 km rupture
→ Mechanism: shear partitioning environment (Fitch,1972); accommodates a component of oblique
convergent between PSP and PH archipelago

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
Segments:
o Northern Segment: NW Luzon to Lamon Bay
→ Transpressional regime (movement is both strike slip and thrust faulting)
→ Vertical thrust component is dominant in NW Luzon
→ Fault branches out into several strike-slip faults generally oriented N-S, the fault branches are:
▪ San Manuel-Vigan-Aggao Fault system
▪ Pugo fault
▪ Tuba Fault
▪ Tebbo-Abra River Fault System
▪ Digdig-Kabugao Fault system
❖ Digdig segment –Between Dingalan Bay and Lingayen Gulf; strikes N60°W to N45°W. reorients to a N-S strike
southwards in the Southern Sierra Madre Range
→ Northern segment is characterized by a thrust fault regime that is more structurally similar to the
Longitudinal Valley Fault of Taiwan

o Central Segment: Bondoc Peninsula to Leyte

→ Restricted to a single or few (2-3) well defined branches.
→ PH Fault disappears into the sea but gets back inland on Bondoc Peninsula
→ Defines a curvilinear trace convex to the NE
→ Strikes N40°-50°W (Bondoc Peninsula) rotating to N25°-30°W (Leyte)
→ Left-lateral movement

o Southern Segment: Mindanao and the Moluccas

→ Strikes N10°-20°W in Surigao and N-S in Davao
→ A pull apart feature expressed by the present-day Lake Mainit
→ Lianga fault (south of the lake) branches out southeastwards towards the PH trench
→ Mati fault (SE trending) serves as the southernmost branch of the Fault
→ Southward decrease in slip rate along the fault from around 2.4 cm/year in Surigao to about 1.0
cm/year in Davao
→ PH fault traverses Agusan-Davao sedimentary basin developed over a single pre-Oligocene volcanic
arc
Other Active Faults
LEFT-LATERAL / SINISTRAL RIGHT LATERAL / DEXTRAL
MACOLOD CORRIDOR MARIKINA VALLEY FAULT SYSTEM /
→ NNE-SSW trending VALLEY FAULT SYSTEM (PHIVOLCS)
→ Active and recent volcanoes: → consist of two NE-trending faults
▪ Taal ▪ Western Valley Fault
▪ Banahaw ▪ Eastern Valley Fault – young
▪ Makiling → Transect parts of eastern Metro Manila and
▪ Malepunyo possibly extend southwards to Tagaytay Ridge
▪ Maars of Laguna → Active (evidences: displaced alluvial fans, offset
→ Taal Fracture Zone: NE trending streams, and shutter/pressure ridge)
→ Tagaytay ridge: NE-trending; corridor’s northern → 4 earthquake events during the past 1500 years
structural boundary → No recent seismic activity
→ 5km to the center of Metro Manila
LUBANG-VERDE PASSAGE FAULT MINDORO/AGLUBANG FAULT
→ Located offshore between Batangas peninsula → N-S trending
and Mindoro Island → Right-lateral movement with significant normal
→ NW-SE alignment of Verde and Lubang islands component
→ Strike-slip (left lateral) in the vicinity of Verde → Most recent movement: Ms 7.1 earthquake
Passage, but appears to transform into ruptured in Aglubang Fault (1994)
transpressional (thrust-left lateral) fault as it cut
through the southern section of the MNL Trench

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accretionary prism
→ Consider to play a significant role in the
transition from subduction along MNL trench to
collision in the Mindoro-Palawan-Panay area
SIBUYAN SEA FAULT TABLAS LINEAMENT
→ New branch of PH fault → Tectonic boundary between Palawan-Mindoro
→ Located offshore north of Masbate microcontinental block and western edge of the
→ Appears to function independently from the PH PMB
fault → Trends northerly as it separates Busuanga
→ Transtensional (interplay of strike-slip and peninsula from the Antique Range (Panay
normal faulting) Island), passes offshore northwards east of
→ Relayed with Verde Passage fault by an aborted Tablas Island
spreading center → Connect with Negros Trench southwards
LEGASPI LINEAMENT
→ SE trending from Pasacao (Ragay Gulf area)
passing through Lake Bato then to Legaspi City
→ Lake Bato – manifestation of a dilational jog
along left-lateral fault system
→ 40 km left-lateral displacement of the PH trench
→ Interact with PH fault close to shore in
Buenavista, Quezon
MINDANAO FAULT
→ NW-trending linear fracture zone on the western
third of Mindanao Island
→ Has two distinct segments:
▪ Cotabato Fault Segment –separates
Daguma Range and Cotabato Basin; may
have been left-lateral then became
normal fault
❖ Mt. Parker – located on the western end of this
fault, seems to be cut by the fault (from radar
images)
❖ Daguma Range – terraces formed by Quaternary
limestones; young age
▪ SIndangan Fault Segment – represents
the northern continuation towards
northern Zamboanga

Offshore Cebu-Bohol faults

→ No indication of active faulting within the islands of Cebu and Bohol
→ Need more study
Present-day Plate Motions in and around the PH
GEODYSSEA – GEODYnamics of South and SouthEast Asia; 42 station networks distributed in Southeast Asia
Slowest movement – Zamboanga: <2 cm /year Fastest Compressional Strain rates – NW Leyte
westward (directed E-W): 150e-09/year
Fastest movement – Virac Island: 7 cm/year NW Largest Extensional strain rate – NW Panay: NW-SE
direction
Fastest Counterclockwise rotation – Virac, Palawan
and Panay: 10± .5e-08 rad/year

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
Summary of Significant Tectonic Events in the PH
→ Geologic and tectonic history of the PH during Cenozoic has 4 very important characteristics:
Origin of Basement Rocks
→ Permian to Late Oligocene
→ Can be classified into:
• Continental Basement
→ Include sedimentary, carbonate and igneous rocks found in Palawan, Mindoro, Panay and
Romblon Island Group (Romblon, Sibuyan and Tablas)
→ Originated from mainland Asia before the rifting and eventual opening of the South China
Sea (32 Ma and 17 Ma)
→ Collectively constituting the Palawan-Mindoro microcontinent
→ Post-basement formations include pre-, syn- and post-rift sedimentary basins (observed
offshore), igneous intrusions (e.g., Kapoas Granite), and ophiolite obduction (Palawan
Ophiolite)
• Oceanic Basement
→ Ophiolite and ophiolitic basement rocks are widely distributed in the archipelago
→ Cretaceous to Late Oligocene
→ Believed to have originated from different oceanic spreading centers and have been
emplaced in various modes
• Arc Basement
→ Often exist as volcaniclastic sequences sometimes with their plutonic and volcanic
equivalents
→ Cretaceous to Present
→ Arc rocks originated from multiple magmatic episodes associated to several subduction
events
→ Can be found in the magmatic arcs of:
▪ Luzon Cordillera
▪ Sierra Madre Range
▪ Antique Range
▪ Negros Arc (ancient)
▪ East Pacific Cordillera
▪ Daguma Range

Formation of Sedimentary Basins in the Neogene

→ Started in Late Oligocene
→ Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene limestones represents the base of the sedimentary basins formed over the
PMB (evidence of shelfal carbonate deposition environment)
→ Middle Miocene – general subsidence suggested by the thickness of the wide distribution of turbiditic
deposits
→ Late Pliocene – Pleistocene -depositional environments become shallower, giving rise to shallow marine
clastics (conglomerate, sandstones, shales)
→ Most of Neogene deposits are characterized by the abundance of volcanic clasts which reflects the proximity
of volcanic edifices to the sedimentary basins (typical in intra-arc basin)
Magmatism since Cretaceous
→ Volcanic activity and igneous intrusions have been continually active since Cretaceous suggested by the
presence of magmatic belts of Cretaceous, Eocene, Oligo-Miocene and Pliocene-Quaternary ages
Miocene Collision
→ Palawan-Mindoro microcontinent rifted from Mainland Asia and drifted until it collided with the west central
portion of the PMB

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→ This event gave rise to the emplacement/juxtaposition of pre-Neogene ophiolites over Miocene formations
→ Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene portion of the sedimentary formations were deformed and incorporated
with sequences of continental, ophiolitic and island arc origin
Recent Tectonic Deformation
→ Exhibit complex structural grains due to the superposition of several compressive events
→ Influenced by the northwestward movement of the PSP with the Eurasian margin, promoted oblique
convergence causing the PH island arc system to deform under a broad shear portioning regime
→ Caused the most recent deformation of sedimentary basins, arc sequences, and old basement terranes by
activity along major tectonic boundaries

Philippine Stratigraphy
STRATIGRAPHIC GROUPINGS
Name Dominant Stratigraphic Character Major Areas Covered
Ilocos-Central Luzon Basin Sedimentary basin Ilocos
Central Luzon Basin West
Central Luzon Basin East
Luzon Central Cordillera Arc Central Cordillera and Batanes Group
of Islands
Cagayan Valley Basin Sedimentary Basin Cagayan Valley
Northern Sierra Madre Arc/Ophiolitic Northern Sierra Madre
Zambales Range Ophiolitic/Arc Zambales Range
Southern Sierra Madre Arc/Ophiolitic Southern Sierra Madre
Southwest Luzon Uplands Arc Southwestern Luzon
Marinduque Island
Northern Mindoro
Southeast Luzon Basin Sedimentary basin / arc Bondoc Peninsula
Masbate Island Group
Recent Southeast Luzon Arc Arc Southeast Luzon
Ancient Southeast Luzon Arc Arc Southeast Luzon
North Palawan Block Continental / Metamorphic Southern Mindoro
North Palawan
Northwest Panay
Romblon Island Group
South Palawan Block Ophiolitic South Palawan
Antique Range Ophiolitic/Metamorphic Western Panay
Iloilo Basin Sedimentary Basin Central Panay
Recent Negros Arc Arc Eastern Panay
Southwest Negros
Ancient Negros Arc Arc Central Negros
Visayan Sea Basin Sedimentary Basin Eastern Negros
Cebu
Bohol
Northwest Leyte
Samar Block Sedimentary Basin/Arc Samar
Leyte Central Highlands Arc/Ophiolitic Leyte
Leyte Gulf Ophiolitic Northeast Leyte
Southern Samar
DInagat Island Group
Sulu-Zamboanga Arc Arc Sulu Archipelago
Zamboanga – Misamis Occidental
Central Mindanao Arc Arc Central Mindanao

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
Agusan-Davao Basin
Mindanao Pacific Cordillera
Daguma Range
Cotabato Basin
Saranggani Block
Pujada Block
South China Sea Basin
Sulu Sea Basin
Celebes Sea Basin
Philippine Sea Basin
/idmc_2021
Sedimentary Basin Agusan-Davao Valley
Arc/Ophiolitic/Basin Eastern Mindanao
Arc Western Cotabato
Sedimentary Basin Cotabato Valley
Arc Saranggani Peninsula
Ophiolitic Pujada Peninsula
Oceanic crust/Basin South China Sea
Oceanic Crust/Basin Sulu Sea
Oceanic Crust/ Basin Celebes Sea
Oceanic Crust/Basin Philippine Sea
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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
LUZON
Stratigraphic Column Basement Fomation – Age
Northern Cordillera (Ilocos) Suyo Schist – Cretaceous
Central Luzon Basin (West) Aksitero Formation – Oligocene
Central Luzon Basin (East) Barenas – Baito Formation – Late
Cretaceous
Central Cordillera Pugo Formation – Cretaceous
Cagayan Valley Abuan Formation – Pleistocene
Northern Sierra Madre – Caraballo Isabela Ophiolite – Pleistocene
Zambales Range Zambales Ophiolitic Complex –
Eocene
Southern Sierra Madre Polilio – Buhang Ophiolitic Complex –
Infanta Cretaceous
Southern Sierra Madre - Mainland Montalban Ophiolitic Complex –
Cretaceous
Southwest Luzon Island San Juan Formation – Oligocene
Marinduque Island Marinduque Formation – Cretaceous
Bondoc Peninsula Gumaca Schist – Cretaceous
Quezon – Camarines Norte Malaguit Schist / Cadig Ultramafic
Complex – Jurassic / Cretaceous
Caramoan Formation Simura Schist /Lagonoy Ophiolite –
Jurassic / Jurassic – Early Cretaceous
Catanduanes Island Yop Formation – Early to Late
Cretaceous
Bicol Volcanic Arc Complex Mt. Tagapo, Susong Dalaga Volcanic
Complex – Pliocene
Masbate Baleno Schist – Cretaceous
Ticao Island Talisay Schist – Cretaceous
Burias and Adjacent Island Makalawang Limestone – Oligocene
Southwest Mindoro Malansay Formation – Jurassic
Northeast Mindoro Halcon Metamorphic Complex –
Jurassic
North Palawan Bacuit Formation – Permian
(Oldest formation)
South Palawan Palawan Ophiolite – Cretaceous
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Youngest Formation – Age
Laoag Fomation – Plio-Pleistocene
Bamban Formation – Pleistocene
Guadalupe Formation – Pleistocene
Malaya Formation – Pleistocene
Awiden Mesa Formation –
Pleistocene
Pantabangan Formation – Pliocene
Bataan Volcanic Arc Complex /
Bolinao Limestone – Late Miocene /
Plio-Pleistocene
Karlagan Formation – Pliocene
Manila Formation – Holocene
Banahaw Volcanic Complex –
Pleistocene – Recent
Malindi Volcanic Complex –
Pleistocene
Malumbang Formation – Pleistocene
Viñas Formation – Pliocene
Lahuy Formation – Middle – Late
Miocene
Ligao Formation – Plio – Pliestocene
Masbate Limestone – Pleistocene
Matabao Formation – Pleistocene
Baybay Limestone – Pliocene
Oreng Formation – Pleistocene
Dumali Volcanic Commplex –
Pleistocene
Maguao Basalt – Pleistocene
Tagburos Ophiolite - Pleistocene
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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
Stratigraphic Column
Buruanga Peninsula
Antique Range
Central Panay – Iloilo Basin
Eastern Panay
Romblon Island Group
Negros and Central Cebu
Southern Cebu
Siquijor Island
Bohol Island
Western Leyte / Camotes Island
Central Leyte Highland
Eastern Leyte
Samar Island
Chocolate Hills – Cortes Limestone
Coal Stringers – Malubog Formation
With Lignite Coal Beds – Makasilaw Formation (Macasilao)
Porphyry Cu in Cebu – Lutopan Diorite
Dacite Porphyry – Vista Alegre
Gold Zone – Negros Island
/idmc_2021
VISAYAS
Basement Fomation – Age
Buruanga Metamorphic Complex –
Jurassic
Antique Ophiolite – Cretaceous
Panpanon Formation – Oligocene –
Miocene
Sibala Formation – Cretaceous
Romblon Metamorphic Complex –
Permian
Tunlob Schist – Jurassic
Pandan Formation – Cretaceous
Kanglasong Volcanic Complex –
Cretaceous
Alicia Schist – Cretaceous
Malitbog Ophiolite – Cretaceous
Albuera Diorite – Eocene
Tacloban Ophiolite – Cretaceous
Samar Ophiolite – Jurassic
Youngest Formation – Age
Libertad Formation – Plio –
Pleistocene
Apdo Formation – Plio -Pleistocene
Cabatuan Formation – Plio –
Pleistocene
Cabatuan Formation – Pleistocene
Peliw Formation: Looc Formation –
Pleistocene
Carcar Formation – Pleistocene
Linut-Od Formation – Early Miocene
Siquijor Limestone – Plio-Pleistocene
Maribojoc Formation – Plio-
Pleistocene
San Isidro Limestone – Pleistocene
Leyte Volcanic Arc Complex – Late
Pliocene – Recent
Bagahupi Formation – Late Miocene
– Pliocene
Calicoan Formation - Pleistocene
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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
Stratigraphic Column
Dinagat Group of Island
Sulu Archipelago
Zamboanga Peninsula
Sibuguey Peninsula -Olutanga Island
North – Central Zamboanga
Misamis Oriental – Bukidnon – Lanao
Mindanao Central Cordillera
Central Mindanao Volcanic Complex
Agusan Basin
Davao Basin
Davao Gulf and Samal Island
Northern Pacific Cordillera
Central Pacific Cordillera
Southern Pacific Cordillera
Daguma Range
Cotabato Basin
Saranggani Peninsula
Pujada Peninsula
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MINDANAO
Basement Fomation – Age
Nueva Estrella Schist – Cretaceous
Sulu Serpentinite – Cretaceous
Tungauan Schist – Cretaceous
Mangabel Formation – Eocene
Dansalan Metamorphic Complex –
Eocene
Tago Schist – Cretaceous
Tago Schist – Cretaceous
Mambuaya Andesite/Lanao
Volcanic Complex/Ragang Volcanic
Complex/Parker Volcanic Complex –
Pliocene – Recent
Adgaoan Formation – Late Miocene-
Late Pliocene
Kabagtican Formation – Early
Miocene
Tagbobo Conglomerate – Pliocene
Dinagat Ophiolite – Cretaceous
Anoling Andesite/Buggao Limestone
– Eocene
Barcelona Formation – Cretaceous
Salbuyon Schist – Cretaceous
Patut Formation – Middle Miocene
Malita Formation – Early Miocene
Pujada Ophiolite – Cretaceous
Youngest Formation – Age
Siargao Limestone – Pleistocene
Jolo Volcanic Complex – Pliocene –
Recent
Sta. Maria Volcanic Complex –
Pleistocene
Labangan Formation – Pleistocene
Aurora Formation – Pleistocene
Cagayan Gravel – Pleistocene –
Recent
Cabanglasan Gravel – Pleistocene
Alluvial, Paludal & Lacustrine
Deposits – Holocene
Tigatto Terrace Gravel – Holocene
Samal Limestone – Pleistocene
Placer Conglomerate – Pleistocene
Hinatuan Limestone – Pleistocene
Amacan Volcanic Complex –
Holocene
Matualas Gravel – Holocene
Omanat Marl – Pleistocene
Gumasa Formation – Plio-
Pleistocene
Maco Limestone – Late Pleistocene
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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA
INDEX FOSSILS OF THE PHILIPPINES
AGE FOSSIL FORMATION LOCALITY

CARBONIFEROUS Gshelia sp. Base of Mansalay, Mindoro

(359 – 299 MYA) Punso Conglomerate

PERMIAN Neoschwagerina sp. Minilog Formation Carabao Island, Palawan

(299 – 251 MYA)
Paraschwagerina sp.

Schwagerina sp. Mindoro and

Northern Palawan

Verbeekina sp. Minilog Formation Mindoro

Gondolella rosen Bacuit Formation Palawan

krantzi

Ozarkodina tortilis Minilog formation

TRIASSIC Priodiodella periodic Liminangcong Formation North Palawan

(251 – 201.6 MYA) dellides

Neohindeodella
uniforma

Radiolaria

JURASSIC Perisphinctes Mansalay Formation Mindoro

(201.6 – 145.5 MYA) faliabulious

Macrocephalites fabi Mansalay, Mindoro

Meekoceras seeleyi Mansalay, Mindoro

CRETACEOUS Orbitulina Pandan Formation NW Cebu

(145.5 – 65.5 MYA)
Globotruncana Kinabuan Formation Tanay, Rizal
concavata

Globotruncana Caramoan, Camarines Sur

iapparenti

Globotruncana Calape, Samar

ganserri

PALEOCENE Globorotalia Sumbiling Formation and South Palawan

(65.5 – 55.8 MYA) velascoensis Panas Formation

Miscellanea sp. Palawan

EOCENE Assilina sp.

(55.8 – 33.9 MYA)
Asterocyclina sp.

Fasciolites sp.

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA

Discocyclina sp.

Globorotalia centralis

Globorotalia Aksitero Formation Aksitero, Tarlac

cerroazulensis

Hantkenina sp. Dinagat Island

Globigerapsis
mexicana

OLIGOCENE Nummulites reticulata Burias Island

(33.9 – 23 MYA)
Camerina bagallencia Mindoro

Camerina kjokjokaetae

Globigerina selli

Globigerina
cerachitaensis

Globigerina binaiensis

Lepidocyclina
montrosa

Lepidocyclina
bondjjirra

Lepidocyclina ensis

Globorotalia opima

Globigerinoides diminutus Angat Formation Bulacan

Moriones Formation Tarlac

Malubog Formation Bondoc Peninsula &

Cebu

Globigerinoides Angat Formation Bulacan

altiaperturus
MIOCENE Moriones Formation Tarlac

(23 – 5.3 MYA) Malubog Formation Bondoc Peninsula &

Cebu

Praeorbulina glomerosa curva Malinta Formation Central Valley

Globorotalia fohsi Tarlac Formation W. Central Valley

Globorotalia lenguaensis Cabagan Formation Cagayan

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 GEOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES & SOUTH EAST ASIA

Candeina praenitida

PLIOCENE Pulleniatina Tartaro Formation Eastern Central Valley

(5.3 – 2.6 MYA)
Sphaeroidinella dehiscens Hondagua Formation N. Bondoc
dehiscens

PLEISTOCENE Globorotalia truncatulinoides Malumbang Bondoc

(2.6 MYA – 10,000 years Formation
ago)
Sphaeroidinella dehiscens
excavata

Globigerina calida

Marginopora

Baculogypsinoides

RECENT Globigerina digitata

/idmc_2021 20