This town on Thursday kicked off the Lungib (cave) Festival, which celebrates its majestic caves and the rich culture of the local tribes.

Clover Jane Sabornido, chief of Matanao’s tourism office, said the Lungib Festival, which will run from April 18 to 20, aims to promote the town’s “breathtaking caves” and other tourist attractions.

“We are thrilled to showcase the majestic caves as part of our Lungib Festival celebrations. We want to boost our tourism industry and attract neighboring municipalities to visit us,” she said in an interview.

Sabornido said the town’s major caves and falls represent the essence of Matanao’s beauty and serve as a testament to their commitment to preserving their natural heritage.

On the third day of the Lungib Festival, she said, five caves would be officially opened to the public – the Sub’on, Dats, Asbang Faksol, Fyngi Sol, and Labas Bantong caves.

“We have almost 30 cave guides from the B’laan tribe who were trained by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) disaster team for basic life support and customer service,” Sabornido added.

She said the town is vying to become the province’s “cave country,” based on the DENR’s assessment.

“We are happy that the Department of Tourism will include our Sub’on cave for the launching of Davao Adventure Challenge this year,” Sabornido added.

Kervin Jay Elijay, Davao del Sur Provincial Tourism officer, also underscored the importance of protecting and conserving Matanao’s cave systems. (PNA)