Bulabog Putian National Park

Lore & Background

The park's central feature is the Bulabog Putian mountains, which contain Putian Peak at 1,056 feet (322 m), the highest in Central Iloilo. The mountain was named for a white stone wall on its north side visible from as far away as Passi. The park also contains 13 caves, including Maestranza Cave (habitat of an estimated 20,000 fruit bats), Guiso Cave (home to 18 bat species), and Lapuz Lapuz Cave. Several springs, such as Moroboro Spring, and Lake Bito on the park's eastern side are also present, along with a dam of the Jalaur River.

Reader's Guide

Bulabog Putian National Park holds significance as both a natural and historical landmark. Geologically, it is the only limestone mountain formation in Iloilo, featuring a unique white stone wall and a peak that dominates the surrounding plains. Ecologically, it supports diverse species including the Philippine coucal, iguanas, monkeys, turtle doves, green imperial pigeons, reptiles, and multiple bat species, as well as hardwood trees like dao, molave, and narra in its secondary growth forest. Historically, the park is the location of the Cry of Lincud, which initiated the Philippine Revolution in Iloilo in 1898. Its establishment in 1961 under President Carlos P. Garcia formalized its protection, and it remains a key site for conservation and heritage in the Western Visayas region.

Did You Know?

• The park is the only limestone mountain formation in Iloilo.
• Maestranza Cave is home to an estimated 20,000 fruit bats.
• Guiso Cave hosts 18 different species of bats.
• The Cry of Lincud, which started the Philippine Revolution in Iloilo, occurred here in 1898.

Geological Distinction & Physical Landscape

The Bulabog Putian mountains stand as the sole limestone formation in all of Iloilo, making them a geological one-of-a-kind within the province. Rising to 1,056 feet (322 meters), Putian Peak claims the title of the highest point in Central Iloilo, casting a commanding shadow over the flat plains that stretch beneath it. The mountain earned its name from a striking white stone wall on its northern face, a feature so prominent that travelers can spot it from the distant town of Passi. Beyond the peak itself, the park shelters thirteen caves, with Maestranza, Guiso, and Lapuz Lapuz being the most notable. Freshwater sources dot the landscape, including the Moroboro Spring, while Lake Bito sits on the eastern flank. A dam on the Jalaur River adds another layer to the park's hydrological character. All of this sits within a rainforest corridor that stretches along a 40-kilometer trail, giving the area a layered, almost stacked quality of geological and hydrological features.

A Stage for Revolution

Long before it became a protected area, the hills and caves of what is now Bulabog Putian National Park served as the backdrop for one of the defining moments in Iloilo's history. In 1898, the Cry of Lincud erupted within the park's boundaries, igniting the Philippine Revolution in the province and setting Iloilo on the path toward independence from Spanish colonial rule. The event transformed a stretch of rainforest into a site of national memory, one that locals and historians still reference when tracing the roots of Philippine sovereignty in the Western Visayas. Decades later, in 1961, President Carlos P. Garcia signed Proclamation No. 760, formally establishing the Bulabog Putian National Park and locking in its status as a protected wildlife and natural area. That act of legislation ensured that the very ground where revolutionaries once gathered would be preserved for generations, shielding its forests, caves, and waterways from unregulated development. The park thus carries a dual identity: a living natural sanctuary and a monument to the courage of those who raised their voices in Lincud more than half a century before the park's official founding.

Living Forest & Cave Dwellers

Though classified as a secondary growth forest rather than a pristine old-growth stand, the park still harbors a rich tapestry of life. Hardwood species such as dao, molave, and narra anchor the canopy, providing structure and habitat for a varied fauna. Among the animals that call these woods home are the Philippine coucal, iguanas, monkeys, turtle doves, green imperial pigeons, and an assortment of reptiles. Bats, in particular, have made the park's caves their stronghold. The Maestranza Cave shelters an estimated twenty thousand fruit bats, a staggering colony that turns the cavern into a living, breathing ecosystem unto itself. Nearby, Guiso Cave supports eighteen distinct bat species, underscoring the park's role as a critical roosting ground. These subterranean communities, combined with the surface-dwelling birds and mammals, create a layered biodiversity that makes the 854-hectare rainforest a compact but remarkably diverse ecological unit within the Western Visayas region.

Geography, Scale & Accessibility

Bulabog Putian National Park occupies a stretch of northern Iloilo, spanning two municipalities—Dingle and San Enrique—on the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region. The protected area covers 854.33 hectares (about 2,111 acres) of rainforest, threaded by a 40-kilometer trail that links its various features. On the Dingle side, the park encompasses the barangays of Moroboro, Lincud, Camambugan, Caguyuman, and Tulatulaan; on the San Enrique side, it reaches into Rumagayray, Campo, Palje, and Lip-ac. This cross-municipality footprint means the park is woven into the daily geography of several small communities. Despite its size, the park remains remarkably accessible to visitors from the provincial capital. Iloilo City sits roughly 43 kilometers (27 miles) to the south, making a day trip or overnight excursion a practical option for residents and tourists alike. The combination of a manageable driving distance, a well-defined trail network, and a concentration of highlights—peak, caves, spring, lake—within a single protected corridor gives Bulabog Putian a visitor-friendly profile that is unusual among Philippine national parks of its size.