LAGAYAN, Abra  (PIA) --The management plan for a newly discovered   cave in the far-flung barangay of Pang-ot  in this municipality is being prepared prior to its opening to the public.

“Kailangan  na naming tapusin ang management plan niya bago natin i-open for public. For sure, this is really a potential tourist spot   in  the months to come,” Lagayan Information Officer Joe Ervick Biyang said.

 The Pang-ot cave  is  classified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as Class-III.

Based on  the cave classification of the DENR, Class III caves are categorized as generally safe for inexperienced visitors, caves with no known threatened species, archeological, geological, natural history, cultural and historical values. These caves may also be utilized for economic purposes such as guano extraction and edible birds nest collection.

Lagayan Tourism Officer Michelle Bersamira said  that the  recently discovered cave  is  a naturally formed tunnel-like cave with entry and exit point stretching for more than 150 meters long.

“Dito sa Barangay  Pang-ot,  we discovered a cave which  is 50 meters high ang loob niya.  We’ve been there with the DENR for the assessment,” she shared.   

  Bersamina said the LGU   is  ensuring  the conservation and  protection of said  cave.

“Yan po ang tutukan namin this year. The LGU will craft all the necessary memo and directives and the BLGU will be our implementor,” she explained.

The LGU has already alerted the barangay officials to prohibit anyone from hunting bats and any other living specie inside cave.  It also  tasked the barangay LGU  to  height  its  watch against any vandalism on the cave’s premises. (JDP/CAGT – PIA CAR, Abra)