BULALANG CAVE | CAVE CLASSIFICATION
Bulalang, Barangay Dalipuga, Iligan City
Lanao Del Norte, Philippines
November 21, 2016
ILIGAN CITY PHILIPPINES , known as the CITY OF WATERFALLS is really blessed to have beautiful sceneries that can really compete with other local tourist spots and even with the other countries. It may be caves, falls, mountains, beaches and etc. But ILIGANONS are really adventurous because their journey on discovering beautiful sites in Iligan City will never stop.
Last November 21, 2016, I was selected to be one of the Barangay representatives who will join the Cave Classification of Bulalang Cave headed by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and Philippine Society of Cave Spelunking Cagayan de Oro Chapter assisted by the HOLCIM Resources and Development Corporation, Barangay Dalipuga Council and City Tourism Office of Iligan City. The goal of this Cave Classification is to classify on what Class the Bulalang Cave belong and if it is suitable to be opened to the public as a tourist spot and be developed.
HOW TO GET THERE
If you are from any place from other countries or from Luzon, Visayas or even from Mindanao, you can reach Iligan City by air , land and by seas.
By Air
The nearest airport to Iligan City is the Laguindingan Airport. From there, you can travel by riding a bus or any private car and it will take you more than an hour to reach the Northbound Terminal of Iligan City. From the Bus Terminal, you can travel to Barangay Dalipuga by riding an Initao Liner Jeepney with a fare of Twelve (12) Philippine Peso or you can ride a taxi or any private car with a negotiable fare. Just tell the driver to drop you on the Crossing of Sitio Paitan, Barangay Dalipuga, Iligan City.
By Land
Iligan City has two (2) Bus Terminals, the Southbound Terminal and the Northbound Terminal. If you are from the Southbound Terminal,you will ride any jeepney liner from the terminal to the city proper with fare of Seven (7) Philippine peso. From the city proper, you will travel for almost Forty-five (45) minutes using a Dalipuga Liner Jeepney (9B) with a fair of Sixteen (16) Philippine peso or you can travel using taxi or any other private cars but with negotiable fare. But if you are from the Northbound Terminal, you can travel to Barangay Dalipuga by riding an Initao Liner Jeepney with a fare of Twelve (12) Philippine Peso or you can ride a taxi or any private car with a negotiable fare. Just tell the driver to drop you on the Crossing of Sitio Paitan, Barangay Dalipuga, Iligan City.
By Sea
If you traveled by seas, you will reach Iligan City through its own port. From Iligan City Port, you will travel for almost Forty-five (45) minutes using a Dalipuga Liner Jeepney (9B) with a fair of Sixteen (16) Philippine peso or you can travel using taxi or any other private cars but with negotiable fare. Just tell the driver to drop you on the Crossing of Sitio Paitan, Barangay Dalipuga, Iligan City.
Upon Arrival
From the crossing of Sitio Paitan, you will ride a habal-habal (motorcycle) to Sitio Bulalang with a fare of Fifty (50) Philippine peso. Sitio Bulalang is almost Five (5) kilometers away from the crossing of Sitio Paitan. You can also rent other private cars as long as it can travel on a rough road. If you already reached Sitio Bulalang, you have to travel by hiking for almost an hour before you reach the Bulalang Cave. There are young residents of Sitio Bulalang who would guide you in reaching the cave.
Disclaimer: This video and pictures were taken by my friend Mr. James Umaran. This will showcase how we got there and the struggles we faced just to see an untouched God's Masterpiece...
SOURCE
You really have to bend down in going to the cave because it's slippery.
The trek to the cave is also slopy so you must bring a rope with you if you are not used to this kind of adventure. At least, you can hold on to it to avoid accidents.
This is the opening of the cave. You can really see the presence of different kind of plants. This also shows the good vegetation to the cave that gives life to it.
The beautiful Bulalang Cave
Inside Bulalang Cave
CAVE CLASSIFICATION RESULT
-- With thorough deliberation between the agencies who worked together to make the cave classification possible, BULALANG CAVE passed the Cave Classification! It was graded with Class II, which means that it can be developed and can be open to the people as long as the land owner and the Barangay Council can provide a Barangay Resolution and a Cave Development Plan with a budget allocated only on the development and preservation of the cave itself.
EXPENSES BREAKDOWN
By Air
| From Laguindingan Airport to Iligan Northbound Terminal | 100 Philippine peso |
|---|---|
| Iligan Northbound terminal to Sitio Paitan, Dalipuga | 12 Philippine peso |
| Sitio paitan to Sitio Bulalang | 50 Philippine Peso |
| TOTAL: | 162 Philippine peso |
By Land
- From Iligan Southbound Terminal
| Iligan Southbound Terminal to City Proper | 7 Philippine peso |
|---|---|
| City Proper to Sitio Paitan, Dalipuga | 16 Philippine peso |
| Sitio paitan to Sitio Bulalang | 50 Philippine Peso |
| TOTAL: | 73 Philippine Peso |
- From Iligan Northbound Terminal
| Iligan Northbound terminal to Sitio Paitan, Dalipuga | 12 Philippine peso |
|---|---|
| Sitio paitan to Sitio Bulalang | 50 Philippine Peso |
| TOTAL: | 62 Philippine peso |
By Sea
| Iligan City Port to Sitio Paitan, Dalipuga | 16 Philippine peso |
|---|---|
| Sitio Paitan to Sitio Bulalang | 50 Philippine peso |
| TOTAL: | 66 Philippine peso |
WILL YOU GO BACK?
"DEFINITELY! BULALANG CAVE is such a wonderful place to be. Hearing the presence of the bats with the flaps of their wings. Hearing the drops of the water coming from the thick and living vegetation above the cave that keeps it alive. Seeing big and growing stalactites and stalagmites and amazing rock formations. BULALANG CAVE is definitely a Bucketlist-Worthy. I guess it reflects on my face with how amazed I am with this God's Creation. I will be looking forward to visit Bulalang Cave again but this time, I will be with You"
