Geology of the Philippines

Regional

Philippine tectonics is indeed one of the most active in the world. The devastating Luzon Earthquake of
1990 and the catastrophic 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo are but two of the most recent manifestations
of this phenomenon. This tectonic activity is the result of the interaction of three major tectonic plates
of the Western Pacific Domain, namely; the Pacific, the Eurasian and the Indo Australian Plates.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN TECTONIC REGION

The Southeast Asian Tectonic Region, here considered as the southwestern portion of the Western
Pacific Domain, is essentially composed of the Philippine Sea Plate and the southeastern edge of the
Eurasian Plate. The ensuing discussion describes these two tectonic plates in detail and serves as an
introduction to the next chapter which will describe the complex tectonic zone created by their
interaction. This complex zone in fact is the Philippine archipelago.

In general, the Philippine archipelago can be divided into two geologic entities, namely: the Philippine
Mobile Belt (Gervasio, 1966) and the Palawan-Mindoro microcontinent. The Palawan-Mindoro
microcontinent is a geological block that was rifted from the Asian mainland during Late Cretaceous-Late
Eocene time and drifted to approximately its present position with the opening of the South China Sea
basin. The Philippine Mobile Belt is the group of land masses that apparently originated from sub-
equatorial regions to its present position with the rotation and spreading of the Philippine Sea Plate
during Eocene to Miocene times. Each of these two entities is composed of different types of lithologic
units that can be classified into four general groups, namely: 1) metamorphic rocks, 2) ophiolites and
ophiolitic rocks, 3) magmatic rocks and active volcanic arcs, and 4) sedimentary basins. The metamorphic
and ophiolitic rocks normally represent the pre-Tertiary basement of the Philippines.

Metamorphic rocks
Metamorphic rocks present in the Philippines can be divided into two categories, namely: 1) pre-
Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of continental origin, and 2) Cretaceous metamorphic rocks of insular arc
affinity. The first category is represented by metamorphic formations located in North Palawan, Mindoro,
Panay and neighboring islands belonging to the Palawan-Mindoro microcontinent. These formations
include the Caramay Schist in Palawan, Halcon Metamorphic Complex in Mindoro, Romblon
Metamorphic Complex in Romblon, Buruanga Metamorphic Complex in Panay and Tungauan Schist in
Zamboanga. This metamorphic group is characterized petrographically by the abundance of silica
(continental provenance) and geographically by its restricted distribution in the western central
Philippines. Rocks belonging to the second group are distributed sporadically within the whole
archipelago. They are essentially basic to ultrabasic in character, which suggest that they have most likely
originated from old island arcs. Considered post Jurassic (Gervasio, 1966; BMG, 1982), the age of these
rocks do not extend beyond Paleogene. Metamorphosed ophiolitic rocks of Eocene age are present in
eastern Luzon (Hashimoto and others, 1978; Aurelio and Billedo, 1988; Geary, 1986; Geary and others,
1988; JICA-MMAJ-MGB, 1990; Billedo, 1994), in the Caramoan Peninsula in Bicol (Geary and others,
1988; David, 1994) and in eastern Mindanao (Hamilton, 1979; Hawkins and others, 1985; Pubellier and
others, 1991, 1993; Quebral, 1994).

Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks

Ophiolites and ophiolitic rocks (collectively called ophiolitic rocks here under) in the Philippines are
widespread in the whole archipelago.Usually occurring together with the pre-Tertiary metamorphic
rocks, the ophiolitic rocks represent basement on which magmatic arcs were developed. Complete
ophiolite sequences can be found in Zambales, Isabela, southern Palawan and Pujada Peninsula where
the series includes tectonized peridotites progressing to gabbro, diabase, pillow basalts and finally to the
pelagic sediments. Dating of these ophiolitic rocks is essentially based on the ages of pelagic sediments
covering them. Ages of these sediments vary from Early-Late Cretaceous (eg. NE Luzon: Aurelio and
Billedo, 1988; JICA-MMAJ-MGB, 1990; Montalban: Yumul and Datuin, 1991; Arcilla, 1991; Encarnacion
and others, 1993) to Eocene (eg. Palawan: Santos, 1988; JICA-MMAJ-MGB, 1990; Zambales: Villones,
1980; Schweller and others, 1983, 1984; Yumul and Datuin, 1990) to as young as Oligocene (eg.
Mindoro: Rangin and others, 1985; Sarewitz and Karig, 1986; Marchadier, 1988). Portions of these
ophiolitic bodies have undergone varying degrees of metamorphism, and in pre-1980 literature, they
were previously referred to as ultramafic complexes or undifferentiated Cretaceous-Paleogene
basement.
Magmatic arcs

The presence of magmatic arcs that cannot be associated with any of the active subduction zones
indicates that the evolution of the Philippine archipelago is characterized by a relatively continuous
volcanic activity throughout the Cenozoic. Their geodynamic origin (eg. polarity of corresponding
subduction) is still however, poorly understood. They are briefly presented here according to their ages
and their spatial distribution.

Sedimentary basins: stratigraphic and structural overview

Since the discovery of oil in Nido, Palawan in 1976 (Hatley, 1977, 1978; Saldivar-Sali, 1978), knowledge
on the Tertiary sedimentary basins of the Philippines has considerably improved. In 1986, the then
Bureau of Energy Development (now Department of Energy) published a synthesis of previous works
incorporated with recent geophysical and subsurface data collected in collaboration with other local and
foreign firms. These works (e.g. Corby and others, 1951; Christian, 1964; Tamesis, 1976; BMG, 1976;
Caagusan, 1977, 1981; Porth and Von Daniels, 1989) focused essentially on the hydrocarbon potentials
of these basins. In the following discussion, emphasis is given to their general stratigraphic and structural
characteristics. Nine individual basins can be distinguished within the Philippine Mobile Belt. A tenth
one, whose elements were separately discussed Section 1.3.1, forms a vast basin over the thinned
continental margin of Eurasia. The axis of the sedimentary basins of the mobile belt is generally oriented
N-S, except for some located in the central Philippines like the Mindoro and Southern Luzon basins which
have axes oriented more northwesterly, and the Panay and Visayan Sea basins with northeasterly axes.
Thickness of the sedimentary cover ranges from 4,000 to 12,000 meters while their surface area is
between 1 million m² and 4.7 million m² (Ranneft and others, 1960; BMG, 1976, 1982; Saldivar-Sali,
1978).

Local
Southern Luzon - Bicol Basin

The Southern Luzon - Bicol Basin is filled with a 4,600-m thick sedimentary sequence (BMG, 1981). The
lower layers of the basin are composed mainly of Upper Oligocene - Lower Miocene platform limestones
and highly deformed Middle Miocene turbidites. Plio-Pleistocene sequences are dominated by shallow
water fine-grained deposits and reefal limestones. This basin has a NW-SE axis and is traversed
longitudinally by the Philippine Fault. It is flanked to the NE by the East Philippine Volcanic Arc and by the
Mindoro, Panay and Visayan Sea basins to the SW.

Southeastern Luzon consists mainly of Bicol Peninsula and the outlying islands and consists of two
stratigraphic groupings, namely, Ancient Southeastern Luzon Arc and Recent Southeastern Luzon Arc.
The ancient arc may be subdivided into several blocks with their own distinctive stratigraphic sequences,
namely: Quezon-Camarines Norte, Caramoan Peninsula, Catanduanes Island, Cagraray Group of islands
and southern Bicol peninsula. The basement of all these blocks, except for Catanduanes, is underlain by
ophiolites / ophioliitic rocks. Some of the lithologic units belonging to the ophiolite sequence, especially
the volcanic carapace and sedimentary cover, have been subjected to low grade metamorphism,
producing greenschists, albite-epidote, amphibolites and quartzo-feldspathic mica schists. These occur in
Camarines Norte, Quezon, Caramoan Peninsula and Rapu Rapu Island. The recent arc includes the
segment of the active volcanic arc in the Bicol region associated with subduction of the Philippine Sea
Plate along the Philippine Trench.

Lagonoy Ophiolite

Lithology: Dunite, pyroxenites, peridotites, gabbro, basaltic dike complex, pillow basalts, pelagic
sedimentary rocks

Distribution: Mt. Putianay, Lagonoy and Tambang; Siruma Peninsula

Age: Jurassic – Early Cretaceous

Named by: David (1994)

Synonymy: Cadig Ophiolitic Complex, Panganiran Ultramafics (De Guzman,

1963); Camarines Norte Ophiolitic Complex (Tamayo and others, 1998) The Lagonoy Ophiolite was
named by David (1994) for the exposures of ultramafic and mafic rocks in Caramoan Peninsula. The
Lagonoy is a complete ophiolite sequence characterized by an imbricated series of ultramafic rocks
(dunite with chromite layers, pyroxenites and peridotite), gabbro (massive and cumulate sequence),
pillow basalts and its sedimentary cover. Exposures are mostly in the northwestern part of the peninsula,
traceable from Lagonoy northward to Tambang Point. It also underlies a large portion of Siruma
Peninsula in the northwest, including Mt. Putianay. Localized low-grade metamorphism also affected the
sequence. Along the eastern bank of Tambang River, in Mapid, massive to layered gabbro are intruded by
basaltic dikes. These are overlain by pillow basalts with some brecciated layers. Westward, at Barangay
Denrika, the gabbroic unit is overlain by slightly metamorphosed interbedded pyroclastic rocks with
some reworked blocks of basaltic rocks. These then pass upstream into turbiditic clastic rocks, which
probably correspond to the sedimentary cover of the ophiolite. Metamorphosed units of the Lagonoy
Ophiolite were previously lumped with the Lagonoy Schist of Miranda (1976) and BMG (1981). A
metamorphosed leucodiabase and gabbro east of Alto Point revealed a radiometric (39Ar/40Ar) date
range of 151-156 Ma, equivalent to Jurassic (Geary, 1986; Geary and others, 1988). Radiometric (K/Ar)
dating of a gabbro in Mayon Mines in Siruma Peninsula gave a value of 117 Ma, equivalent to Early
Cretaceous.

Bicol Volcanic Arc Complex

The Bicol Volcanic Arc Complex consists of a number of active and inactive volcanoes and volcanic
centers that are disposed along a northwest trendfing belt from Mt. Labo in Camarines Norte to Mt.
Bulusan in Sorsogon. Among the active volcanoes within this arc complex are Mayon (Albay) and Bulusan
(Sorsogon), while Iriga (Camarines Sur) is dormant. Inactive volcanoes include mounts Labo, Bagacay and
Nalusbitan in Camarines Norte; Cone, Culasi and Isarog in Camarines Sur; Malinao, Masaraga, Manito
and Ligon Hill in Albay; and Binitican, Gate, Jormajan, Juban, Maraut- Banua and Pocdol in Sorsogon.

The volcanoes and volcanic centers within the Bicol Volcanic Arc Complex are formed from the
outpouring of lavas and other volcanic ejecta that were produced as a result of partial melting of the
subducting slab of the Bicol segment of the Philippine Sea Plate along the Philippine Trench. Volcanism
could have commenced in the Pliocene and continues to the present time.

Isarog Volcanic Complex

Lithology: Andesite, pyroclastic rocks

Stratigraphic relations: Unconformable over the Lagonoy Ophiolite and Tambang Diorite

Distribution: Mt. Isarog, Camarines Sur

Age: Pleistocene

Renamed by: MGB (this volume)

Previous name: Isarog Volcanics (David, 1994)

The Isarog Volcanic Complex was previously named Isarog Volcanics by David (1994) for the volcanic
rocks underlying Mt. Isarog at the southern part of Caramoan Peninsula. It consists of alternating layers
of pyroxene andesite and hornblende andesite flows, tuffs, volcanic breccias and agglomerates around
the lower slopes which are blanketed by basaltic andesite and pyroxene basalt flows that outcrop in the
central highlands. Massive andesitic lava flows intercalated with fine to coarse dark gray to light brown
pyroclastic rocks extend up to Tambang. The andesite is closely jointed and exhibits extensive
silicification and kaolinization. Some outcrops are altered into siliceous clay and opaline rocks. The
intercalated pyroclastic rocks contain angular to subrounded andesitic fragments. They occur as veneers
over the older rock formations, including Lagonoy Ophiolite and Tambang Diorite, in the northern part of
Caramoan Peninsula. They weather to yellowish brown to brownish red lateritic soil. The formation is
considered to be Pleistocene in age.

Geology of San Jose

San Jose has a total land area of 4,702.8146 hectares and is bounded in north by Lagonoy, south by
Tigaon, east by Lagonoy Gulf, and west by Goa. The whole town is roughly 0.27% of the region's 1.76
million hectares; 0.89% of the total land area of Camarines Sur with an area of 526.680 square
kilometers; and 2.26% of the total land area of the 4th Congressional District of Camarines Sur with an
area of 207,596.71 hectares.

The major part of the municipal area is composed of Alluvium River Terraces which is particularly
described as fluvicatile lacustrine alluvium composed of unsorted loosely consolidated pebbles, gravel,
silt, coral debris and clay that can be found in flooded plains, riverbanks, sand bars, beaches, and tidal
flats. It is notable that river terraces along the Lagonoy River and its tributaries which include also the
Rangas River that practically originating from the foot of the Mount Isarog account for about 90.69% or
4,264.9826 hectares of the total land area of the municipality while the rest is of igneous and
metamorphic rock origin of which volcanoclast alluvial fans cover about 0.19% or 8.94 hectares. These
are specifically found in barangays Catalotoan and Salogon. Note that volcanoclast is a thick and
extensive pyroclastic material consists of ashes, cinder lapili, tuff agromerate and volcanic debris while
alluvial fans consists only of worked pyroclastics.