Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape
Protected area and caving destination in northern Philippines.
The Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape (formerly Callao Cave National Park) is a protected area in Peñablanca, Cagayan, entirely within Cagayan province. It is contiguous with the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park and covers the largest block of forest under conservation in the province, spanning 118,781.582 hectares of the northern Sierra Madre mountain range and its adjacent Pacific coast. The area is best known as the location of Callao Cave and is promoted as the 'Caving Adventure Capital of the Philippines'.
- established
- July 16, 1935 (as Callao Cave National Park)
- reclassified
- June 29, 1994 (as Peñablanca Protected Landscape)
- enlarged and renamed
- October 6, 2003 (as Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape)
- designated national park
- The ENIPAS Act of 2018 reclassified existing protected areas; Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape was not newly designated as a national park on that date.
- area
- 118,781.582 hectares (293,515.68 acres)
- location
- Peñablanca, Cagayan, Philippines
- known for
- Callao Cave and over 300 caves
Lore & Background
The area was first established as Callao Cave National Park on July 16, 1935, by Proclamation No. 827, encompassing 192 hectares. It was one of the earliest national parks in the country, created after the passing of Act No. 3195 in 1932 under American Governor-General Frank Murphy. With the NIPAS Act of 1992, the park was reclassified and enlarged by Proclamation No. 416 on June 29, 1994, becoming the Peñablanca Protected Landscape. On October 6, 2003, Proclamation No. 484 further enlarged the area to 118,781.58 hectares and renamed it the Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape. The ENIPAS Act of 2018 reclassified existing protected areas, but did not newly designate this area as a national park.
Reader's Guide
The Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape holds significance as a major conservation area in the Philippines, covering the largest block of forest under conservation in Cagayan province. It is a key biodiversity area, home to threatened species such as the Philippine Eagle and other restricted-range birds. The park's 300 cave systems, including the famous Callao Cave, have yielded archaeological relics, including a 3,500-year-old rock art in Hermoso Tuliao Cave. The area is inhabited by three indigenous groups: the Ibanag, Itawes, and Aeta. Its legacy includes being a center for caving and ecotourism, with the Callao Cave Eco-Tourism Zone promoted as the 'Caving Adventure Capital of the Philippines'. The park also supplies clean water and irrigation to surrounding communities via the Pinacanauan River. Its designation under the ENIPAS Act in 2018 ensures continued protection of its old growth, secondary, and mossy forests, as well as its mangroves and coral reefs along the Pacific coast.
Did You Know?
- The park was originally established as Callao Cave National Park on July 16, 1935, covering only 192 hectares.
- More than 300 caves dot the protected area, with 75 documented by the National Museum since 1977.
- A rock art of a human-like figure, about 3,500 years old, is found in Hermoso Tuliao Cave.
- The park is home to a variety of wildlife, though the endangered Philippine Eagle has not been confirmed within this specific area.
More in National parks of the Philippines 1-24
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