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Biak-na-Bato National Park is a
protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
of the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
located almost entirely within
Barangay A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
Biak-na-Bato in San Miguel,
Bulacan Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...
from where it derives its name. The park also extends to the nearby
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
of
San Ildefonso San Ildefonso (), La Granja (), or La Granja de San Ildefonso, is a town and municipality in the Province of Segovia, in the Castile and León autonomous region of central Spain. It is located in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama mounta ...
and
Doña Remedios Trinidad Doña Remedios Trinidad, officially the Municipality of Doña Remedios Trinidad ( tgl, Bayan ng Doña Remedios Trinidad), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2 ...
covering a total area of . It was declared a national park in 1937 by President
Manuel L. Quezon Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina, (; 19 August 1878 – 1 August 1944), also known by his initials MLQ, was a Filipino lawyer, statesman, soldier and politician who served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 until his dea ...
by virtue of its association with the history and site of the Biak-na-Bato Republic. The park consists of a cave network and a system of rivers and trails of both historical and ecological importance. Situated only northeast from
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, it is fast becoming a popular weekend eco-adventure destination for the city dwellers.


Topography and ecology

Biak-na-Bato National Park is centered on a mountain gorge sliced by the Balaong River in the
Sierra Madre Sierra Madre (Spanish, 'mother mountain range') may refer to: Places and mountains Mexico *Sierra Madre Occidental, a mountain range in northwestern Mexico and southern Arizona *Sierra Madre Oriental, a mountain range in northeastern Mexico *S ...
mountain range. More than a hundred caves of varying sizes and crystalline mineral formations are spread across the park. Among the most explored caves are the Aguinaldo Cave, once the headquarters of President
Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...
, and the Bahay Paniki or Bat Cave. Orchids, trees, shrubs, ferns, bushes and bokawe (buho) are some of the flora than can be found in the park. Observation outposts of the former republic as well as ruins of stone fortifications also abound within the park, including a stone cliff with carvings, possibly over a hundred years old. Mount Susong Dalaga and Tilandong Falls are also popular attractions inside the park. There are also a few other popular places, like caves, to tourists such as the "Yungib Cave" where you'll find some human bones and "Tanggapan Cave" which is derived from the Tagalog word ''tanggapan'' (response). There are more caves like "Ambush Cave," and "Pahingahan Cave."


Recent events

In September 2004, eight people, seven of which were children and teenagers, drowned in Madlum River in Biak-na-Bato National Park. The official report tells that the victims were swept away by flash floods while picnicking in the area. According to then-Governor Josie dela Cruz,
illegal logging Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission, or from a pro ...
and
mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic via ...
operations were to blame for such incidents. On a memorandum dated December 28, 2010, a 6-year struggle by the people of Bulacan to halt the quarrying and mining operations in Biak-na-Bato National Park has come to an end when DENR decided that the permit given to Rosemoor Mining and Development Corp violated the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. The appeal to repeal the mining permit was due to fear of the desecration of the historical site and continued loss of life due to flash floods and land slides. Joselito Mendoza, the then-representative of Bulacan's 3rd district, filed House Bill No. 2713 on September 3, 2013, that sought to reinstate the original land area of the National Park. On May 18, 2008, seven people, all tourism college students of the
Bulacan State University Bulacan State University (BulSU or BSU; fil, Pamantasang Pampamahalaan ng Bulacan) is a public university in Bulacan province, Philippines. Its main campus is in Malolos. BulSU or BSU originated as a secondary school in 1904 ran by the Americ ...
who had their field trip at the area, were killed by raging floodwaters at the Madlum River. The flood might have been caused by a heavy downpour on Mount Manalmon.


Facts

*It is called Bahay Paniki. There are lots of bats in the cave and the surrounding smells like bat poop. The tour guide says, “the bat poop is being used as a fertilizer by some people here". A isolated cave situated at Biak-na-Bato. * Trinidad Tecson, so called "Mother of Biak na Bato," was born here.


Gallery


References


See also

*
List of national parks of the Philippines National Parks of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Liwasan ng Pilipinas) are places of natural or historical value designated for protection and sustainable utilization by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources under the National Int ...
{{authority control National parks of the Philippines Protected areas established in 1937 1937 establishments in the Philippines Geography of Bulacan San Miguel, Bulacan Protected areas of the Sierra Madre (Philippines) Tourist attractions in Bulacan