Tuguegarao City, Cagayan (PIA) - - The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) has revealed that there are new prehistoric cave drawings discovered in Peñablanca, Cagayan. 

In a virtual press conference conducted by the NMP in partnership with the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization-Regional Center for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMO SPAFA), the research team presented that the cave drawing is the first rock art that is directly dated with radiocarbon in Southeast Asia. 

Andrea Jalandoni, the primary author, said that Peñablanca is a hotspot of archaeological research which includes the oldest datings for human remains in the Philippines.

"The caves in Peñablanca with known rock arts were revisited and only 37.6% of the original recorded figures were found; the others are likely lost to agents of deterioration," Jalandoni said. 

She said that the rock art is estimated to be about 3,000 to 4,000 years of existence, which corresponds to archaeological activity in the area and provides a more holistic view of the people inhabiting the Peñablanca caves at that time.

"A systematic review was used to find similar black anthropomorph motifs in Southeast Asia to identify potential connections across the region and provide a possible chronological association," she added. 

The research team, however, expressed concerns on the environmental issues in the area which might affect the discovered rock arts, that is why the local officials and residence were urged to protect, preserve, and give importance to the said ancient cave drawings. (JCK/OTB/PIA 2-Cagayan)