05/04/2026
𝗨𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗹’𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗔𝗛𝗜 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁
The 𝘽𝙤𝙝𝙤𝙡 𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 (𝘽𝘼𝙃𝙄) is steadily reshaping our understanding of early human life in the central Philippines. Anchored in scientific research and heritage stewardship, the project focuses on identifying, documenting, and analyzing archaeological cave and rock shelter sites across Bohol. Despite its strategic location within Island Southeast Asia, Bohol has received only limited archaeological attention since early explorations in the mid-20th century. This gap is particularly significant when compared to more extensively studied regions such as Palawan and Northern Luzon (BAHI Project Team, 2026). The BAHI project responds to this need by systematically investigating sites that may hold critical evidence of early human settlement, adaptation, and mobility within the archipelago.
BAHI is a joint research initiative formalized through a standing Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the National Museum of the Philippines Bohol and the Ateneo de Manila University. Initial discussions in preparation of this research collaboration began sometime in 2022, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing archaeological research and heritage conservation in the region. This partnership exemplifies how academic institutions and government agencies can work together to generate knowledge while ensuring responsible stewardship of cultural resources.
Although archaeological investigations in Bohol date back to the late 20th century, sustained and systematic research has been limited. Early documentation of several rock shelters and caves of archaeological significance discovered by Carl E. Guthe in the 1920s, and described by H. Otley Beyer (1949), Rosa C. Tenazas (1973), as well as the 1982 field report on Wahing Cave in Mabini, Bohol, already indicated the presence of culturally significant materials, including faunal remains, shells, and possible lithic artifacts, suggesting human activity within the cave environments of Bohol (National Museum Archaeology Division, 1982). However, these early explorations remained largely preliminary, leaving much of the island’s deep history unexplored.
In August 2023, a BAHI-led excavation in Nenita Cave II, locally known as Lapus-Lapus Cave in Marcelo, Mabini, Bohol, reaffirmed the archaeological potential first noted decades ago. The excavation recovered animal bones, marine shells, charcoal, and stone tools, materials typically associated with human habitation and subsistence activities (Pawlik & Fuentes, 2023). These findings align with broader patterns of early human presence found across Southeast Asia, where caves and rock shelters served as strategic habitation sites that provided their occupants protection from the elements, proximity to their resources, and environmental stability (O’Connor et al., 2018).
Just recently, this March 2026, research efforts expanded to Biasong Rockshelter A in Anda, locally known as “tangob”, which means “tagoanan nga langob”. Oral accounts reveal its continued use across generations, as a shelter during typhoons, and as a refuge during the Japanese occupation in World War II, as well as an area for tamba’ans for their ritual practices. Excavations at the rockshelter yielded chert flakes (tentatively determined as possible Paleolithic tools), marine shells, charred animal bones, and teeth. The presence of charcoal and burned faunal remains strongly suggests an important behavioral marker of human occupation. Notably, deeper stratigraphic layers revealed increasing densities of artifacts and ecofacts, echoing patterns observed in earlier cave studies such as at Wahing Cave in Mabini, where subsurface deposits were also identified as a potential archaeological site (National Museum Archaeology Division, 1982).
These discoveries contribute to ongoing discussions about early human dispersal and island adaptation in maritime Southeast Asia. The accumulating evidence from BAHI sites suggests that the island may have played a more active role in these processes. Beyond research, the BAHI project directly supports several of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – by safeguarding archaeological sites and promoting community-based heritage stewardship
• SDG 4: Quality Education – through research dissemination and public engagement on Philippine prehistory
• SDG 13: Climate Action – by providing long-term perspectives on human-environment interaction and resilience
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – through collaboration among local communities, researchers, and institutions
The project also acknowledges the invaluable support of the Center for Culture and Arts Development (CCAD) under the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) as well as the Local Government Unit of Anda, which has provided logistical assistance and additional manpower during fieldwork activities. Such partnerships are crucial in ensuring the success, sustainability, and inclusivity of archaeological research. In line with the National Museum of the Philippines’ mandate, the project emphasizes both scientific inquiry and heritage protection. Equally important is the participation of local communities, whose knowledge and involvement ensure that archaeological work remains inclusive and context sensitive.
As BAHI continues its work, it not only fills long-standing gaps in the archaeological record of the Visayas but also reinforces the message that heritage is not just about the past. Each excavation brings us closer to understanding the lifeways of early Filipinos, while strengthening our responsibility to protect these cultural and archaeological landscapes for many generations to come.
References:
Beyer, H.O. (1949). Outline review of Philippine archaeology by islands and provinces.
Tenazas, R.C. (1973). The boat-coffin burial complex in the Philippines and its relation to similar practices in Southeast Asia. Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society, pp.19-25.
BAHI Project team (2026). Archaeological excavation report on Bohol Archaeology and Heritage Initiatives (BAHI). (Unpublished report).
National Museum of the Philippines, Archaeology Division. (1982). Bohol’s Fieldwork Report. (Unpublished report).
Pawlik, A. F., & Fuentes, R. B. (2023). Prehistoric hunter-gatherers in the Philippines: Subsistence strategies, adaptation, and behaviour in maritime environments. Frontiers in Earth Science, 11, 1110147. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1110147
O’Connor, S., Bulbeck, D., & Meyer, J. (2018). The archaeology of Sulawesi: Current research on the Pleistocene to the historic period. Australian National University Press.
https://doi.org/10.22459/TA48.11.2018
