FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
i 
SENATE 
b 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines is one of the countries known for its rich natural resources. The country’s caves 
specifically set our resources apart from any other places because of its exceptional resources 
such as the so-called dripstones. A dripstone is a collective term for stalagmites and stalactites - 
a kind of a precious mineral which takes hundred of years to form. 
Unfortunately, recent news showed that some of these stalagmites and stalactites, which should 
remain inside the confines of a cave, are now being sold in the country. This immediately called 
the attention of advocates of the environment and the general public who witnessed the alarming 
scenario. 
Republic Act No. 9072, otherwise known as the “National Cave Resources Management and 
Protection Act”, has been put forward in 2001 to protect and conserve these resources. However, 
this law does not have a provision regarding the importation and exportation of the country’s 
cave resources. 
This bill seeks to amend R.A. 9072 by adding a subsection prohibiting the exportation and/or the 
importation of stalagmites and stalactites. This bill recognizes the importance of the countq’s 
cave resources and deems it important to put the import/export of the same into a halt before it 
turns into large-scale basis. 
In view of the foregoing, passage of this measwe is earnestly requested. 
ANT *+T\q!- 
0 “SONNY ’ F. T 
LANES IY 
Senator 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Third Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
L 
Introduced by Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes D’ 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING THE IMPORTATION AND EXPORTATION OF STALACTITES AND 
STALAGMITES, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NUMQERED 
9072, 
OTHERWISE 
KNOWN 
AS 
THE 
NATIONAL 
CAVE 
RESOURCES 
MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION ACT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9072, otherwise known as the “National 
Cave Resources Management and Protection Act,” herein referred to as The Act, is amended to 
read as follows: 
“SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall 
be defined as follows: 
a) 
“Cave” means any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess or system of 
interconnected passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or 
ledge and which is large enough to permit an individual to enter, whether 
or not the entrance, located either in private or public land, is naturally 
formed or man made. It shall include any natural pit, sinkhole or other 
feature which is an extension of the entrance. The term also includes cave 
resources therein, but not any vug, mine tunnel, aqueduct or other 
manmade excavation. 
“Cave resources” includes any material or substance occurring naturally in 
caves, such as animal life, plant life, including paleontological and 
b) 
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archaeological deposits, cultural artifacts or products of human activities, 
sediments, iiiiiiemk, spehgeiiis a i d  spdeotheiiis. 
c) 
"Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Environment and 
~unruir: Resources (EETA). 
"Speleogem" means relief features on the walls, ceilings and floor of any 
\T^r__.._ 
d) 
or Lava 
tube -wiiicii ae p"i 
suirouii&iig loe&.ock, iiicku&hig tuut 
not limited to anastomoses, scallops, meander niches, petromorphs and 
rock peii&iiis iii so:ii'ioii eaves 
sinii;Ei featmes 
.uiiique to volcaijiic 
caves. 
"Spele&em" meixys m y  m t ~ d  
minera! f~matior, or deposit ocrui~ng 
:E 
a cave or lava tube, including but not limited to any stalactite, stalagmite, 
.
.
 
e) 
hdiciiie, CcWe 
flO-WX, i?OwStone, CoilCiZtiiXi, dEipeTy, rini5toiie Or 
formation of clay or mud. 
"Sipiiificaiii C--. 
ave" refers to a cave  which coiii.aiiis iiiateiials or possesses 
features that have archaeological, cultural, ecological, historical or 
fj 
scientific value as detmiikied by the DEN3 iii coordiiiathi w?ti the 
scientific community and the academe. 
"fl A T fl(T'pT?x nn r.n 0 TO. 
Gj 
LALLILO -FL!ALY 
I U .  
a) 
THE MOST COMMON FORM OF NATURAL CALCIUM 
C7BOlqATE A V",*DEL" 
T \ T C ( ' F T I T n T T r p F T \  
1 
FOR THE BEAUTIFUL DEVELOPMENT AND GREAT 
1 U113 1 RID U 1 J%2 ImG&% K?:o$\?q 
Tvr)&ET\T OF 1TS.CK\'ST&S; 
b) 
A MINERAL THAT DISSOLVES WITH MOST FORMS OF 
A C l .  
H) 
"STALACTITE" REFERS TO: 
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AN ICICLE-SWED MAS.% OF CALCITE ATTACHES TO THE 
ROOF OF A LIMESTONE CAVERN; 
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90 
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b) 
MINERALS HANGING FROM THE CEILINGS OF CAVERNS 
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“Sec. 7. Prohibited Acts. - The following shall be considered Prohibited Acts: 
a) Knowii& 
htmying, distmbkg, defacing, inmiiig, akeijiig, ixmowing; or 
harming the speleogem or speleothem of any cave or altering the free 
IiiOVeiiEiit O f  aiiy tiiiililai Or phiit iife iiito of OiIi ofaiiji cW&; 
b) Gathering, collecting, possessing, consuming, selling, bartering or exchanging 
or ofkiiig for sale without auilioiity aiiy, cave iesciurce; aiid 
c) Counselling, procuring, soliciting or employing any other person to violate 
ai~y provisions of tliis Seetisii. 
D) IMPORTING AND/OR EXPORTING OF STALAGMITES AND 
STALACTXES AXE3 GTHEK MfiTK&S THAT FOKlvT FAKT GF TT& 
CAVE RESOURCES OF THE COUNTRY”. 
SEC. 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall at any time be found to 
be ~~CijiistitrUiOiid 
or iiivaiid, tiie ieiiiaiiider thereof iiot affected by s d i  decla-atioil slid: 
remain in full force and effect. 
SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules or regulations inconsistent with the 
piiJvijiOiiS Of this Act aie hereby iep€akd O i  iiiOdifkd acCOidiiigily-. 
SEC. 5. EA%c:ivi@ Clause - This Act shall take effect afie: fifteen (15) days fd!owing 
its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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