National Geographic funds cave research

An ongoing research into the underwater Marigondon Cave, a popular diving spot in Mactan Island, Cebu, is being undertaken by the National Geographic Society/Waitt Foundation in cooperation with the National Museum of the Philippines.

The research also done in coordination with the University of Guam seeks to uncover artifacts and evidence of megafauna or large animals in the Marigondon Cave, located 120 meters underwater and 75 meters away from the shores of the Plantation Bay Resort and Spa.

John A. Peterson, vice president of the Graduate Studies, Sponsored Programs and Research of the University of Guam, explained that the Marigondon Cave used to be located abovewater 12,000 to 18,000 years ago.

He said their research will hopefully uncover remains and tools that could explain how people lived in the area during prehistoric times.

Senior museum researcher Sheldon Clyde Jago-on of the National Museum’s underwater archaeology section, said they will verify claims by researchers that elephants used to exist in the country 400 years ago.

Peterson said they are undertaking the first phase of an eight-month research with the first two weeks being spent underwater.

After eight months they will submit their reports to the National Geographic, which funds in part their research.

Effective technology

The results will determine how they will proceed with exploring the cave, Peterson said.

At present, Jago-on said they are conducting research just six meters from the mouth of the cave based on the terms of conditions and funding for the project.

The project has a US $50,000 fund grant. Also joining the research endeavor are noted environmental designer Joy Onozawa, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa and Philippine Airlines.

The research team is composed of 17 crew divided into two diving teams, which includes archaeologists and geologists.

They will take turns going down and digging up terrestrial sediments underneath the marine sediments that accumulated in the cave ever since the water rose to cover it.

The team also includes videographer Marissa Florendo to document every step of the underwater cave research.

“Right now we are in the process of looking for more effective technology to remove the marine sediments such as sand,” said Peterson.

He said they have maximized their team’s time underwater by using a special mix of oxygen and nitrogen overseen by dive master Daniel Burgaud.

Expectations

Between the two teams, they get to dive just about three hours per day.

Jago-on said they started their research last Friday and will end on May 16.

He said the objective is to use the terrestrial sediments to determine if ancient humans had occupied the cave, how they lived there and what they ate.

He said the National Museum will be the curator of whatever remains or tools they might find in their current research.

Peterson said they chose the Marigondon Cave for research due to the implication of the study conducted by the University of San Carlos (USC) 20 years ago.

He also said that its location is also very convenient since it’s not very far from the shore.

Aside from the archaeological and geological implications, the ongoing research could also bear relevance on the effects of climate change.

“What we can learn from the cave will help us in our expectations about climate change. It will help us to understand what to expect about the future,” said Peterson.

He cited studies that showed that sea level is expected to rise two meters by 2100 or sooner.

“At this point, there is no way to stop it. It’ll take years to correct it so the next best thing is to learn how to adapt to it,” Peterson said.