Pisan Cave Biodiversity conservation

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researcher wish to express a genuine thanks to the following persons whose expertise were
shared to by extending affirmative advices without whom the presentation of this study would not have
been a reality.

First of all, the researcher wants to thank the Almighty God for the gift of knowledge, wisdom,
guidance, wellness and the unending blessings he has given.

Sincere acknowledgement is extended to Rudy Marc Nonesa subject teacher, adviser and editor for
his untiring support, particularly his time, effort, corrections, guidance, understanding, sacrifices and
especially for his encouraging words and suggestions for the improvement of this paper.

For the Participants who had shared their support and cooperation for this study.

Special thanks to the researcher’s family for the financial and moral support, and the guidance
which helped the researcher’s strength to finish the study.

To all whose names were not mentioned but have directly and indirectly contributed their help and
support, the researchers are thankful.
 INTRODUCTION

Cave conservation and cave bat conservation are two of the most pressing issues in the field of
global bat conservation. Both local and international networks and organisations were putting forth
effort, time, and dedication to preserve and protect the world's only flying mammal. Caves are divided
into three zones: the sunset zone, the middle zone, and the dark zone, with a number of species
present in each zone. Caves as an ecosystem have a variety of environmental characteristics. In the
summer, temperate zones tend to be colder, and in the winter, they tend to be warmer. This
temperature buffering property is found not only in what we would call true caves by any description,
but also in rock overhangs and shelters. Some cave entrance fauna, such as phoebes and swallows, can
also be found in rock overhangs. Talus caves are the name for these openings. Wave movement on sea
cliffs creates sea caves. Fractures in the rock create areas of weakness, which concentrate the waves'
assault. Sea caves can be found in a variety of resistant rocks all over the world. (White and Culvier,
2005).

The cave ecosystem is home to a diverse range of rare and sensitive creatures, many of which are
cave obligates, including bats. Human disturbance in caves is a long-standing problem that has been
documented as a major cause. The decline of cave-dwelling bats (Harbour and Davis, 1986). Cave
species are threatened both above and below the surface of caves and mesocaves. Loss of negative
vegetation due to land clearing, fires, and lava flows, introduction of ungulates and other wildlife, alien
invasive species plants and diseases, mineral extraction and quarrying, and other land use changes all
contribute to surface changes. Water resources, cave structure, and the introduction of non-native
organisms may all be affected by surface alteration (Stone and Howarth, 2005). Tourism is also a
significant threat to cave and karts sites (Pulido-Bosch, 1997).

The name Barangay Pisan comes from the Maguindanaoan word "Opisan," which means "peel-off."
Pisan means industrious to the Christian Settlers of Pasoquin, Ilocos Norte, and they believed Pisan was
derived from Pisan Creek, which flows almost through the middle of the Barrio and serves as irrigation
for 80 percent of the agricultural farm areas. T he place was created as Barrio in June 10, 1952.With a
total area of 4,118 hectares, Barangay Pisan is located in the northern part of Kabacan, with 1,508
hectares dedicated to corn and rice production and 150 hectares dedicated to rubber, palm oil, and
coconut trees. It is 9.7 kilometers from Barangay Poblacion and is accessible by tricycle, PUJ, and other
local modes of transportation. It is well-known as the hub of ecotourism activities in the Municipality of
Kabacan due to its rich flora and fauna as well as other natural resources such as caves, waterfalls, and
creeks. It is a home to the tri-people of Mindanao namely, the Moro, the Indigenous People and the
Christian Settlers.

The Pisan Caves are situated in Barangay Pisan in south central Mindanao. Kabacan is a
municipality in the province of Cotabato. A composite team comprised of members from DENR 12,
LGU Kabacan, and SBAOC conducted a cave evaluation of these caves in July 8 and 10, 2011. In the
karst land in barangay Pisan, the team discovered four caves: 1) Lope Cave, 2) Avenue Cave, 3)
Cathedral Cave, and 4) Usok Cave. These caves are classified under Class III. Except Usok Cave, all three
(3) caves are listed under the National List of Caves in the Philippines (DENR DAO 1304). These caves
each have their own unique characteristics. Usok Cave is an underwater cave, while Cathedral Cave has
cathedral-like features (church). The Avenue Cave served as a historical hide-out camp for Yamashita
during WWII, while Lope Cave is home to shrimp, crabs, fruit bats, and fish, but it has also experienced
flash floods.

However, this was confronted with issues and challenges. Different teams' assessments revealed
that these caves were dangerous. The natural resources found in these caves, such as stalagmites,
sayaw bird nests, bats, and sawa, have been subjected to vandalism and exploitation (Phyton). Hunting,
unregulated tourism, deforestation, and guano mining were among the local disturbances that
conservation education programs were conducted to increase awareness and appreciation of cave bat
ecosystem resources and to reduce various local disturbances in the region. The increasing diversity
and number of unconfirmed species discovered during surveys may mean that there are more cave bat
species yet to be discovered. The researcher headed to this kind of study because the researcher had
gathered some information and opinions about the outcome of the issue in the tourists that led and
motivated the researcher to do this research. The researcher also wants to know what might be the
different antecedents and outcomes of the phenomena.
AIMS

To properly manage, develop and protect these resources and maximize its potentials for present and
future use:

1. To know the different activities of the Locals that affects Biodiversity conservation.
2. To identify the ways of the local towards conserving, protecting, and managing caves and cave
resources.

Significance of the study

The study serves as a reference regarding the conservation of Biodiversity in Pisan Cave:

Researcher: this will help the researcher find out the reason and causes of the study that the researcher
is making and to have further explanations and information about the case topic.

Tourists: this will help them have a better understanding of what the situation is. They can use this as a
tool to asses themselves.

Locals: this will help them understand their place and the factors under it.
METHODS

Historical research design and the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)
analysis is often used for analyzing internal and external influences, assessing viable alternative
methods, and deciding which is best for an organization in achieving its goals and objectives.
Nonetheless, as a qualitative instrument that cannot numerically quantify the impact of each factor on
the strategies, the SWOT analysis (Al-Refaie et al.,2016). Strengths and Weaknesses are internal
(controllable) variables that help or hinder organizations in achieving their goals. Opportunities and
Threats, on the other hand, are external (uncontrollable) factors that encourage or prevent
organizations from achieving their goals.(Dyson, 2004). The organization will recognize its fundamental
capacity for decision making, preparing, and developing new strategies by recognizing the factors in
these four fields (Phadermrod et al., 2016). The simplicity of the SWOT analysis is its key benefit. As a
result, has a wide range of applications in a variety of fields.

This work originated from the Pisan Cave conservation action plan 2016 of the Regional Cave
committee xii aiming to develop Pisan cave site as an ecotourism site pursuant to RA 9072, otherwise
known as the Cave Act of 2001, the State declared its policy to conserve, protect, and manage caves
and cave resources as part of the country’s natural wealth. To develop Sustainability through
Biodiversity conservation.

Through the years, positive and negative changes happens and not everything stayed the same as
stated. After obtaining the data, it analyzed and highlighted major themes and sub-themes of
biodiversity, it was drawn a parallel with those derived from the pisan cave conservation plan.

In this case, the SWOT method was used to better visualize the findings and define the FORCES/
strengths (S), Weaknesses (W), Opportunities (O), and Threats (T) for Pisan Cave Biodiversity tems.
Results and discussion

Pisan Cave Biodiversity conservation

A. Identified Local threats to caves and cave biodiversity

A survey
was conducted about how people communicate with caves in the region, Tanalgo et al. (2016)
established local cave use and activities that may have an effect on the conservation of cave roosting bat
species (Fig. 3). We discovered that the majority of the caves in Pisan are mostly used for recreation and
leisure (31%), and that local tourists and cavers are the primary visitors. Vandalism, litter, and damage to
cave structures are all signs of high visitor numbers. Hunting for food (27%) and guano collection and
extraction (14%) were the next most common activities (26 percent ). Collocalia spp. nest harvesting The
respondents also mentioned a preference for exotic foods (26 percent ). Caves are also used for
cultivation (3%), religious observances (1.3%), and military purposes (0.34 percent ). These practices
take place from the cave's interior to its exterior, posing a direct or indirect threat to the bat population
as well as the habitat. Hunting and retribution, as well as bush meat consumption (35 percent), are
among the most serious threats to cave bats, according to locals. Hunters have stated that they are
familiar with the use of bats as medicine (1.5 percent) and charms (1%), but not with diseases that bats
may carry. Bats are also important for recreation, according to locals (9 percent), and bats are of interest
to tourists inside caves, according to some of the respondents (Fig. 4). Many species, however, are
threatened with local extinction due to a lack of effective management and defense in many caves, as
evidenced by extensive meat harvesting for food and trade, guano collection, and unregulated tourism
(Ingle et al. 2011) Disturbance in caves and cave life, resulting in a lack of reverence for caves, habitat
destruction, population decreases, and even regional extinction (Elliot, 2011).
 B. Flora and vegetation

Vegetation description of the cave sites (Adapted from Heaney et al. 2001)

From the study of Pisan cave conservation from 2016, the Karst land of Pisan where these caves are
situated is densely vegetated with various tree and plant species. Fruit bats, crabs, birds, and fish are
among the animals that can be found both within and outside these caves. Bats are valuable indicators
of ecological health and are a key species in caves. In the Philippines, the stable microclimate in caves
provides a stable environment for many bat species, but human encroachment continues to threaten
this habitat, putting many bat species roosting in caves in jeopardy. Cave bat taxonomy and
conservation status remain undocumented and unexplored in Mindanao. Mist-netting was used to catch
bats in the town of Pisan, Kabacan, in south central Mindanao. From the five caves surveyed, 14 bat
species were described, including the Philippine endemics Hipposideros pygmaeus and Ptenochirus
jagori, as well as the endangered Megaerops wetmorei.

C. Problems and threats

There are a number of factors that have led to the occurrence of these issues and risks. The first is the
growing population, which necessitates more land to grow food crops, build settlements, and generate
income to meet family needs. The second factor is the demand for building materials, food (bat meat),
and cooking wood fuel/charcoal. The idea that bats are harmful and synonymous with evil is the third.
Fourth, there has never been a plan in place to direct the management, growth, and security of the
tourist site in the past.

The problems /threats identified by the stakeholders, Cave Assessment Team and a group from the
BioDept, University of Southern Mindanao (BioDept, USM) since 2016 from random Respondents of
pisan cave conservation plan are the following:

1. Kaingin (slash-and-burn agriculture);

2. Logging without a permit;

3. Stalagmites and stalacties are exploited.

4. Within the tunnels, there has been vandalism; and

5. Balinsasayaw (gathering of bird's nest);

6. Tourism that is unregulated;

7. locating hidden treasure;

8. Cave bats are hunted for food and trade.

9. The watershed reserve (Kulaman Watershed) has been lost.

The President of the Philippines signed Republic Act 9072, titled "An Act to Manage and Protect Caves
and Cave Resources and for Other Purposes," on April 8, 2001. “It is the policy of the state to protect
and manage caves and cave resources as part of the natural wealth,” says Section 2 of this Act. To this
end, the State is working to improve cooperation and knowledge sharing between government agencies
and people who use caves and cave resources for research, educational, recreational, tourism, and other
purposes.
 SWOT analysis of Pisan Cave biodiversity conservation

a. Strengths
 The product of Cave biodiversity are valuable natural resources because of their
exceptional beauty, tradition, and contribution to environmental sustainability and
health. This helps the area’s economy.
 National policies in the management and protection of caves and cave resources
were implemented enabling a wide biodiversity and ecological health within the same
community.
b. Weaknesses
 The economics of biodiversity and ecosystem services have not yet been systematically
integrated into decision making or planning.
 There are no safeguard laws or constraints to ensure policy and tool coherence.
 Incorrect natural resource consumption.
 The LGU within the area lacks monitoring and implementations of rules and regulations.
 There are some projects that promotes the welfare of Species in the cave but not all
tools and guidance are always implemented or practiced properly.
 Improper ecological control coupled with low productivity levels affect sustainability.
c. Opportunities
 Economic Activity is supported by Biodiversity which is needed for both medicinal plants
and manufactured pharmaceuticals. Increase biodiversity can contribute to decreased
disease transmission to humans and it promotes lower healthcare costs.
 Biodiversity improves ecosystem efficiency by allowing each species, no matter how
small, to play a vital role. A higher number of plant species, for example, means a wider
range of crops. All life forms benefit from increased species diversity because it ensures
natural survival.
 The healthier the economic and environment a tourist attraction is, the more tourist
arrivals and money.
d. Threats
 Sustainable tourism might be affected because of the issues in the tourist attraction.
 Despite the diversity richness of the area considered as a strength, incorrect natural
resource consumption might destroy the attraction resulting to a lesser tourist arrivals
and might also affect the environment negatively.
 There is a chance of elite capture of biodiversity ecosystem services as more work is
done on valuing them. (TEEB, IIED, OECD)
 Natural disasters can have a significant impact on tourism for a variety of reasons,
including a reduction in the number of tourists visiting an area, a decrease in money
spending in an area due to a lack of visitors, and, of course, the destruction of natural
environments and items that the industry depends on.