Polillo Group of Islands – Infanta Strip

Buhang Ophiolitic Complex

Lithology Pyroxenite, gabbro, amphibolite, pillow basalt
Stratigraphic relations Constitutes the basement of Polillo Island; overlain by Bordeos
Formation
Distribution Buhang Point and Sabang Polillo Island; Jomalig and Canaway Islands
Age Cretaceous
Previous name Buhang Point Meta-ophiolite (Billedo, 1994)
Renamed by MGB (this volume)
Correlation Dibut Bay Metaophiolite of Isabela Ophiolite, Katablingan Metamorphics
(Angeles and Perez, 1977)

The Buhang Ophiolitic Complex was named by Billedo (1994) Buhang Point Meta-
ophiolite for the exposures of serpentinized pyroxenite, gabbros and minor amphibolite at
Buhang Point, Polillo Island. Small exposures of isolated ultramafic rocks were also
reported east-southeast of Barrio
Sabang, south of Polillo town. The volcanic carapace of the ophiolites is represented by
outcrops of pillow basalts in Polillo Island, Jomalig Island and Canaway Island (at the
eastern extremity of Jomalig Island). In Polillo Island, an outcrop along the beach shows
pillow basalt together with its reddish pelagic interstices. It is by a quartz monzonite
probably belonging to the Polillo Diorite. The pillow basalts are unconformably overlain
by Late Oligocene to Early Miocene arkosic limestone belonging to the Bordeos
Formation. At Canaway Island, the rocks are composed of elongated chloritized and
sericitized pillow basalt with reddish chert interstices. The pillow basalt and the chert
seem to have undergone low-grade metamorphism characterized by greenschist facies.
Jomalig Island is underlain entirely by volcanic flows and breccias, which have undergone
greenschist facies metamorphism. Radiometric K-Ar dating of a sample of highly foliated
gabbro at Buhang Point was dated 63.68 ± 1.79 Ma equivalent to latest Cretaceous.

Its geochemical characteristics show an island arc affinity (Billedo, 1994). The Buhang
Ophiolite is probably equivalent to the meta-ophiolites designated as Katablingan
Metamorphics by Angeles and Perez (1977),and adopted by Revilla and Malaca (1987).
It consists mainly of amphibolites with associated gabbros (Ringenbach, 1992) and
exposed east of the Philippine Fault near Infanta, opposite Polillo Island. The Buhang is
also correlated to the Dibut Bay Meta-ophiolite found in northeastern Luzon and is
thought to represent the metamorphosed equivalent of the Isabela Ophiolite
Quidadanom Schist
Lithology Tremolite-actinolite-chlorite schist, feldspar-mica schist phyllite
Stratigraphic relations Unconformable over Buhang Ophiolitic
Complex
Distribution western part of Polillo Island
Age Late Cretaceous
Named by Fernandez and others (1967)
Correlation Lubingan Formation

The Quidadanom Schist was named by Fernandez and others (1967) for the low-grade
metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, including small lenses of marble exposed at barrio
Quidadanom. The formation occupies the western portions of Polillo Island occurring as
patches from Binibitinan Malaki River in the north extending southwards to Barrio Masisi
up to Barrio Agta on the south. In Anawan Malaki River, the Quidadanom Schist is
composed of tremolite-actinolite-chlorite schist, phyllite and minor feldsparmica schist.
The formation is apparently unconformable over the Buhang Ophiolitic Complex. The
protolith of the Quidadanom Schist could even represent the sedimentary cover of the
ophiolite.
A metamorphosed limestone sample was dated Late Cretaceous (?) on the basis of
Radiolarians (Dewever, 1994). The Quidadanom Schist is correlated with the Late
Cretaceous Lubingan Formation (see discussion under Northern Sierra Madre-
Caraballo) in northeastern Luzon. The units described above are highly indurated and
exhibit low-angle bedding schistosity dipping to the east.
Anawan Formation
Lithology Tuffaceous sandstone, shale, volcanic breccia
Stratigraphic relations Unconformable over the Quidadanom Schist; overlain by
Babacolan Formation
Distribution Polillo Island
Age Early Eocene (?)
Named by Fernandez and others (1967)
Synonymy Lubi Formation (Magpantay, 1955)
Correlation Tamala Formation

The Anawan Formation was named by Fernandez and others (1967) for the volcano-
sedimentary sequence at Anawan, Polillo Island. It consistsof bedded tuffaceous
sandstone and shale containing occasional volcanicbreccia. This formation overlies
unconformably the Quidadanom Schist.
Fernandez and others (1967) divided the Anawan Formation into a lower volcanic
member and an upper volcano-sedimentary member. The volcanic member is mainly
exposed in the central portions of the island while outcrops of the sedimentary member
found mainly along the western coastlines are very limited. Outcrops of basalts exhibiting
pillow structures were likewise observed in barangays Tawi, Malagas and Milawid. The
lower undeformed portions of this formation, as observed northeast of Buhang Point, are
made up of a basal conglomerate containing reworked clasts of gabbro, reddish pelagic
limestone, greenschist, basalt, andesite and sandstone. A sub-vertical fault contact was
inferred between the basal conglomerate of this formation and rocks of the Buhang
Ophiolitic Complex.
The Anawan Formation has not been dated, but it rests below the Late Eocene Babacolan
Formation. Considering the unconformable relation with the Quidadanom Schist and
Buhang Point Ophiolite, it is considered here to have an Early Eocene age.

The Anawan Formation is equivalent to the Lubi Formation of Magpantay (1955) and
BMG (1981). The Anawan Formation was given preference by Billedo (1994) and adopted
here because the section at Anawan is considered more complete. The Anawan
Formation is probably equivalent or partly equivalent to the Tamala Formation on the
Infanta strip opposite Polillo Island. The Tamala is a weakly metamorphosed sequence
of basaltic volcanigenic conglomerates/breccias, sandstones, siltstones, basaltic flows
(including pillow lavas) and minor marbleized limestones (Ringenbach, 1992). It is
overlain by the Marcelino Point Limestone, which has been dated early Middle Eocene
(Ringenbach,
1992). This limestone unit, which is a dark gray to black bioclastic limestone with
numerous Nummulites and Alveolina, is considered by Ringenbach (1992) to be most
likely unconformable over the Tamala
Formation.
Babacolan Formation
Lithology Limestone, calcareous shale, sandstone
Stratigraphic relations Not reported
Distribution Polillo Island
Age Late Eocenei
Thickness 160 m
Named by De los Santos and Spencer (1957)

A sequence of thin lenticular bodies of limestone with interbeds of indurated dark gray
calcareous shale and sandstone with interbeds of black calcareous layers were
designated as Babacolan Formation by De los Santos and Spencer (1957) and adopted
by BMG (1981). These lenticular limestone bodies were observed along Quinabawan
Creek, Bayabas River, west of Bordeos along the shore south of Buhang Point, Panikulan
and along the western and southern flanks of Anibawan River valley. The thickness of the
formation was estimated to be 160 m. A sample of this limestone collected in Babacolan
Creek, north of Bordeos, yielded Laten Eocene assemblages as indicated by the
presence of several species of
Pellatispira and Discocyclina (BMG, 1981). Billedo (1994) considers the limestone bodies
as the upper member of the Anawan Formation and designated it as the Babacolan
Limestone Member. The formation is reported to lie unconformably over the Lubi
Formation of Magpantay (1955) and BMG (1981).

Polillo Diorite
Lithology Quartz diorite, hornblende-biotite diorite, minor granodiorite, gabbro and
aplites
Stratigraphic relations Intrudes the Anawan Formation
Distribution Polillo Island
Age Early Oligocene
Named by Fernandez and others (1967)
Synonymy Bislian Quartz Diorite (Magpantay, 1955)
Correlation Lupa Granodiorite (Revilla and Malaca,
1987)

The Polillo Diorite was named by Fernandez and others (1967) for the plutonic intrusive
complex intruding the Anawan Formation in the southern axial portion of the Polillo Island.
The leucocratic rock in the southern Polillo Island named Bislian Quartz Diorite
(Magpantay, 1955) refers to the same intrusive body (BMG, 1981). The largest intrusive
mass is exposed from Mount Malolod to the southern tip of Polillo Island (BMG, 1981).
Detailed investigation by geologists of Essex Mineral Company led to the distinction of
five main types of intrusive rocks plus a number of subtypes (Burton, 1985). The main
types consist of: (1) quartz diorite, (2) granodiorite, (3) granodiorite-monzonite, (4) a plug
of quartz monzonite,and (5) quartz monzonite porphyry. Gabbroic phases occur as thin
layers, and aplites as thin dikes. It is believed that these rocks are comagmatic and were
probably intruded in the order as enumerated above, derived from a calc-alkaline magma
of gabbroic composition (Tulleman's written communication to Burton, in Burton, 1985).
Quartz diorite and hornblendebiotite diorite predominate over other associated phases of
the intrusive. The diorite consists principally of intermediate feldspar (70%) and minor
hornblende (15%) and quartz (10%). Accessory minerals are sericite, magnetite, pyrite
and apatite. The granodiorite phase crops out near contact zones. The granodiorite has
about 10% potash feldspar, mainly anhedral orthoclase and rarely perthites.
Ferromagnesian minerals are fresh green hornblende and minor amounts of chlorite and
biotite. Intermediate plagioclase is about 40% and quartz is 20% of the rock volume.
Accessory minerals are apatite, magnetite, zircon and epidote. Radiometric Rb-Sr dating
of this intrusive was reported by Knittel (1985) to be 34.4 ± 1.2 Ma (early Early Oligocene).
The Lupa Granodiorite of Revilla and Malaca (1987) could be equivalent to the Polillo
Diorite.

Bordeos Formation
Lithology Sandstone, shale and conglomerate with limestone lenses and coal seams
Stratigraphic relations Unconformable over the Babacolan Formation
Distribution Polillo Island
Age Late Oligocene – Early Miocene
Thickness 160 m (maximum)
Named by Magpantay (1955)

The Bordeos Formation, which was designated by Magpantay (1955), is found mainly on
the eastern side of Polillo Island, where it forms an irregular sinuous belt extending from
Barangay Maknit on the south to Anibawan River on the north. It is composed of well-
bedded sandstone, shale and conglomerate with limestone lenses and coal seams
(measuring an average of 35 cm thick and 8 m long) near the base. Sandstone dominates
the series and is pale to dark gray in color, having clasts mostly of volcanic provenance
and is often pebbly and sometimes grades into conglomerate. Minor limestone interbeds
rarely exceed 10 m in thickness. The Bordeos Formation unconformably rests on the
Babacolan Formation and the Polillo Diorite (Fernandez and Abarquez, 1967; Knittel,
1985). A well-defined unconformity is observed at the base of the Bordeos Formation,
which is traceable for several kilometers. The thickness of this formation ranges from 15
m to 160 m. Alberding (1939), Magpantay (1955),

De los Santos and Spencer (1957) and Fernandez and others (1967) date the Bordeos
as Early to Middle Miocene. However, BMG (1981) reexamined the fossils obtained
from previous samples and found out that the age of this formation was actually Late
Oligocene to Early Miocene. Microfossils in arkosic limestone sampled by Billedo (1994)
also indicate a Late Oligocene to Early Miocene age for the formation.
Langoyen Limestone
Lithology Limestone
Stratigraphic relations Unconformable over the Bordeos Formation
Distribution eastern coast of Polillo Island
Age late Early Miocene – early Middle Miocene
Thickness 56 m (maximum)
Named by Billedo (1994)

A limestone body underlying low gentle hills and scattered as small patches along the
eastern coast, north and south of Bordeos was designated by Billedo (1994) as Langoyen
Limestone. The Langoyen Limestone appears to be discontinuous, lenticular, and partly
coralline, with a maximum thickness of 56 m. It crops out along Bordeos River, Sumuot
Creek and at Sabang within the municipality of Bordeos. The limestone unconformably
overlies a thin sequence of dark gray to green sandstone belonging to the upper portions
of the Bordeos Formation. The unconformity is marked by a slight angular discordance,
characterized by minor differences in the strike and dip of the beds near the contact. A
dating of early Middle Miocene was assigned by BMG (1981) for this formation on the
basis of large foraminifera (Miogypsina, Lepidocyclina and Austrotrillana) contained in
some samples. An age range of late Early
Miocene to early Middle Miocene is adopted here on the basis of recent determinations
reported by Billedo (1994).

Patnanongan Formation
Lithology Sandstone, shale, conglomerate,
limestone, calcarenite
Stratigraphic relations Not reported
Distribution Patnanongan Island; Palasan and
Karlagan Islands
Age early Middle Miocene – Late Miocene
Thickness 350 m
Named by Fernandez and others (1967)

The Patnanongan Formation was first described by Fernandez and others (1967) after
the sedimentary sequence observed in the island of Patnanongan, east of Polillo Island.
The bulk of the Patnanongan
Formation is largely exposed in Patnanongan Island, the type locality, in Palasan Island,
and east of Karlagan represented by small and scattered inliers of limestone patches in
the Pliocene Karlagan Formation. The formation is composed of brown to gray, slightly
indurated interbedded sandstone, shale, calcarenite, limestone and a molasse-type
conglomerate. Molluscan fossils are present in the sandstones and shale beds. The
limestone is of two types. The first is massive, buff to flesh to brown, hard, fine- to
medium- grained and with abundant shells. The other is massive to crudely bedded with
colors ranging from brown to flesh, cream and pink. The conglomerate contains pebbles
and cobbles of previously emplaced and deposited rocks including the Langoyen
Limestone. The formation can be divided into a lower sequence made up mostly of green
calcareous sandstone and mudstone and an upper member consisting largely ofmolasse
type conglomerate. The average thickness of this formation is 350
m. This sedimentary sequence was given an age ranging from late Middle Miocene to
Late Miocene (BMG, 1981). Billedo (1994) reports anannoplankton age dating of early
Middle Miocene for the lower part of this formation. An age range of early Middle Miocene
to Late Miocene is adopted here.

Karlagan Formation
Lithology Shale and mudstone with occasional lenses of conglomerate and limestone
Stratigraphic relations Unconformable over older formations
Distribution Karlagan Island; Polillo Island
Age Pliocene
Thickness Not reported
Named by Fernandez and others (1967)

The youngest formation, which blankets Karlagan Island and the northern portions of
Polillo Island, is known as the Karlagan Formation (Fernandez and others, 1967). This
rock unit is composed of pale to dark gray fossiliferous shale, mudstone, occasional
lenses of conglomerate and limestone. Outcrops are characterized by a near-horizontal
alternating sequence of thinly (few centimeters) to thickly bedded (2 m) shale and
mudstone, with occasional lenses of conglomerate. The shale and mudstone are well-
bedded, brown to dark gray and fossiliferous. The limestone is cream to flesh, coralline
and fossiliferous. Fossil assemblages indicate a Pliocene age. The Karlagan Formation
rests unconformably over the older rock units on Polillo Island.
Southern Sierra Madre Mainland

Montalban Ophiolitic Complex

Lithology Gabbro, sheeted diabase dike complex, pillow basalt, pelagic sedimentary
rocks, plagiogranite
Stratigraphic relations Constitutes the basement of southern Sierra Madre
Distribution Montalban, Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija
Age early Late Cretaceous
Previous name Angat Ophiolite (Karig, 1983)
Renamed by MGB (this volume)

The oldest rocks in Southern Sierra Madre comprise an incomplete ophiolitic sequence
called Angat Ophiolite by Karig (1983) for the gabbros exposed at Angat, Bulacan.
Exposures of the components of the ophiolite define a nearly north-south belt from
Montalban, Rizal through eastern Bulacan to Nueva Ecija, just south of the Laur-Dingalan
portion of the Philippine Fault. Ringenbach (1992) asserts that the best known exposures
are found in the Montalban area. Because of the precedence of the name Angat for the
Early-Middle Miocene sedimentary rocks in the locality, the name Montalban Ophiolitic
Complex is here proposed to replace the appellation of the ophiolitic unit. The ophiolitic
sequence consists of layered and massive gabbro, sheeted diabase dike complex, pillow
basalts and turbiditic sedimentary rocks (Arcilla, 1983). The gabbros include low level
layered gabbro and upper level isotropic norites and olivine gabbros. Minor plagiogranites
are localized at gabbro-diabase contacts. Arcilla (1983) proposed the name COGEO
Basalt for the pillow basalts, which are typically exposed at COGEO (Confederation of
Government Employees Organizations) housing area and vicinity, including Nangka
River. Other good exposures could be found in Angono, Taytay, Wawa area, as well as
Puray and Tayabasan rivers. Pillow structures of the basalt average 1-1.5 m. The lower
section of the basalt apparently grades into sheeted dike complex, while the upper
sections are interlayered with thin beds of ferruginous, siliceous red mudstone (Arcilla,
1983, 1991). The aggregate thickness of the pillow basalts exceeds 300 m in some
sections (Arcilla, 1983). According to Arcilla (1991), the lower basalts of the ophiolite
have MORB characteristics while the upper andesite-basalt section has an Island Arc
Tholeiite (IAT) signature. The cover of the ophiolitic sequence is separately designated
as the Kinabuan Formation. A Turonian age (early Late Cretaceous) based on
paleontologic dating of red siliceous mudstone intermixed with pillow basalt was reported
by
Revilla and Malaca (1987). Similarly, Arcilla (1991) gives a Turonian- Coniacian age for
the turbidites just above the pillow basalts along Tayabasan River, on the basis of
radiolarians and pelagic foraminifera. The Montalban is therefore dated early Late
Cretaceous. The Barenas-Baito Formation (see description under Central Luzon Basin-
East) of Revilla and Malaca (1987) is a volcanic-sedimentarysequence, which includes
the pillow basalts of the Montalban Ophiolitic Complex.
Kinabuan Formation
Lithology Sandstone, shale, limestone, calcarenite,
calcilutite
Stratigraphic relations Comprises the sedimentary cover of the
Montalban Ophiolitic Complex; overlain by the Maybangain Formation
Distribution Kinabuan Creek, Sta. Ines, Antipolo, Rizal;
Tatlong K, Pinugay (Philcomsat), Macaira,
Sampaloc-Daraitan road and along
Malinaw, Alas-Asin, Toyang and
Mamuyao creeks
Age Late Cretaceous
Thickness > 800 m
Named by Melendres and Versoza (1960)
Synonymy Barenas-Baito Formation (Revilla and Malaca, 1987)
Tamala Formation (Angeles and Perez,
1977)

The Kinabuan Formation was named by Melendres and Versoza(1960) for the flysch-like
sedimentary deposits along Kinabuan Creek, a tributary of Lenatin River, north of Santa
Ines, Antipolo, Rizal. The basal part of the sedimentary sequence is associated with
underlying pillow basalts and basaltic breccias. The basalts represent the volcanic
carapace of the ophiolite, whereas the pelagic sedimentary sequence constitutes the
sedimentary cover of the Montalban Ophiolitic Complex. This sedimentary sequence
consists of thinly interbedded silty shale and calcareous sandstone with tuffaceous and
siliceous layers capped by steeply dipping thin beds of limestone. Outcrops of the
Kinabuan can also be found in Tatlong K, Marcos Highway from Masinag to Foremost
Farms, Pinugay (Philcomsat), Macaira, Sampaloc-Daraitan road and along Malinaw,
Alas- Asin, Toyang and Mamuyao creeks. The sedimentary sequence of Kinabuan has
an estimated thickness of 800 m. Although the formation has not formally been
subdivided, it is clear that there is a lower volcanic member, middle sandstone-shale
member and an upper limestone member. Haeck (1987) described the lower part of the
sedimentary sequence as composed of tan to gray, fine to medium-grained calcarenite
and calcisiltite, buff to gray pelagic limestone and much less common, tan, medium- to
coarse-grained calcareous lithic to feldspathic arenite interbedded with black organic to
light gray calcareous shale. The upper limestone member (Reyes and Ordoñez, 1970) is
composed of white to buff (weathered), light to dark (fresh) pelagic limestones and minor
light to dark gray calcarenite and calcisiltite with rare interbeds of calcareous shale. The
limestones contain radiolarians, indicating a bathyal depositional environment
(Ringenbach, 1992). The Kinabuan has been dated Santonian to Early Maastrichtian
based on planktonic foraminifera (Reyes and Ordonez, 1970; Hashimoto and others,
1979; Haeck, 1987). However, Arcilla (1992) reports a Turonian age for the formation on
the basis of radiolarians and pelagic foraminifera. The Barenas-Baito Formation (Revilla
and Malaca, 1987) and Tamala Formation of Angeles and Perez (1977) are probably
equivalent to the Kinabuan Formation.

Maybangain Formation
Lithology Masungi Limestone member, Clastic-volcanic member – volcanic breccia,
sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, conglomerate
Stratigraphic relations Conformable over the Kinabuan Formation; unconformably
overlain by the Binangonan Formation
Distribution Maybangain Creek, Sampaloc, Antipolo, Rizal; Umiray, Limutan and
Makalya Rivers; at Alas-asin, Macaira and along the Tanay-Daraitan road
Age Middle Paleocene – Middle Eocene
Thickness over 2,500 m
Named by Melendres and Verzosa (1960)
Synonymy Kanan Formation (Revilla and Malaca, (1987), Marcelino Point Limestone
(Ringenbach,1992)
Correlation Bayabas Formation (Revilla and Malaca, 1987)

Conformably overlying the Kinabuan Formation is the Maybangain Formation. The name
was introduced by Melendres and Versoza (1960) for the rocks typically exposed along
Maybangain Creek between sitios Batangas and San Andres, Sampaloc, Tanay, Rizal.
The type locality is about 3.5 kilometers north-northeast of Mt. Masungi. The formation
crops out at the Midland Cement Company quarry site, along Umiray, Limutan and
Makalya rivers, at Alas-asin, Macaira and along the Tanay-Daraitan road. Conformably
overlying the Kinabuan, this formation consists of the lower Masungi Limestone Member
and an overlying or partly intertonguing clastic-volcanic member. A study by Ocampo and
Martin (1967) regards the Masungi Limestone as biohermal. However, exposures
encountered by Haeck (1987) are interpreted to be lower-slope or basin margin deposits
in a forereef setting. The outcrops consist mainly of redeposited limestones, including
debris flows and turbiditic strata, which are interbedded with calcareous and non-
calcareous mudstones and minor volcaniclastic rocks. Ringenbach (1992) considers the
biohermal limestone of Ocampo and Martin (1967) as an olistolith of the volcaniclastic
member.
The clastic-volcanic member consists mostly of a thick sequence (more than 2,500 m) of
volcanic and clastic rocks. It occupies much of the area west of the Masungi Limestone.
It also occurs less extensively along Tanay River from Daranak Falls upstream to the
western vicinity of Dagatdagatan. Schoell and Duyanen (1988) distinguish four sub-
members. The Kay-ibon sub-member is a 1,200-m thick pile of turbiditic volcanogenic
sandstones and siltstones with minor mudstones. This sub-member contains two major
olistostromes, the lower layer consisting of the Masungi Limestone and the upper layer
having gravity slides and olistoliths of the Kinabuan Formation. The Susongdalaga sub-
member is a 400-m thick sequence of sandstones, volcanic breccias and conglomerate.
The Kanumay sub-member is 900-m of turbiditic sandstones and siltstones while the
uppermost 250-m thick San Ysiro sub-member is similar to the Susongdalaga. The
Maybangain Formation is probably equivalent to the Eocene Formation of Antonio (1967)
in Sta. Ines, Antipolo, Rizal and the Bayabas Formation of Revilla and Malaca (1987) in
the eastern part of the Central Luzon Basin. An age range of uppermost Paleocene
(Thanetian) to Middle Eocene (Lower Lutetian) was formerly assigned to this formation
(BMG, 1981) on the basis of larger foraminifera as reported by Reyes and Ordoñez (1970)
and Hashimoto and others (1979). Haeck (1987) finds fossils of Middle Paleocene
(Igorina pusilla pusilla) to Middle Eocene (Globigerinatheca subconglobata) ages in
calcareous turbidites of the Masungi Limestonen member of this formation. More recently
Ringenbach (1992) gives a dating of Early/Middle Paleocene (Subbotina
pseudobulloides) to Late Paleocene (Igorina pusilla, Planorotalites pseudomenardii) for
the pelagic limestones west of Umiray, which he considers as part of the Masungi
Limestone member of the Maybangain. An age range of Early/Middle Paleocene to
Middle Eocene was adopted by MGB (2004) for this formation. The Marcelino Point
Limestone north of Infanta (Ringenbach, 1992) is probably equivalent to the Masungi
Limestone. The Kanan Formation of Revilla and Malaca (1987), consisting of basaltic
and andesitic volcanic rocks and volcaniclastics, is probably equivalent to the volcano-
clastic member of the Maybangain Formation.

Sta. Ines Diorite

Lithology Hornblende diorite; minor quartz diorite
Stratigraphic relations Intrudes Kinabuan and Maybangain Formations
Distribution Antipolo-Teresa road; Mt. Masarat at Sta.
Ines; Mt. Mayapa, Mt. Retablo and Mt.
Maon at Bulacan; Putingbato and
Kaybagsik, Antipolo; along upper Mangga
Creek (tributary of Madlum River),
Talaguio River and Ipunan Creek (tributary
of Angat River), Singalong Creek and
upper Maputi and Magsuong Rivers
Age Late Eocene
Previous name Antipolo Diorite (BMG, 1981)
Renamed by MGB (this volume)

The diorite intruding Cretaceous to Eocene sedimentary units along the Antipolo-Teresa
road was designated by BMG (1981) as Antipolo Diorite. It is here renamed Sta. Ines
Diorite. The Sta. Ines Diorite was named by Antonio (1967) for the exposures at Mt.
Masarat in barrio Sta. Ines, Tanay, Rizal. The diorite, which intrudes limestone and clastic
rocks, is associated with pyrometasomatic deposits of iron ore. At Sta. Ines, the diorite
occurs as a stock measuring about 3 km along its length on the eastern and northeastern
slopes of Mt. Masarat. A much bigger body, however, underlies Mt. Mayapa and Mt. Maon
in Doña Remedios Trinidad and Norzagaray, Bulacan. Exposures of the diorite are also
found around Mt. Retablo; at Putingbato and Kaybagsik, Antipolo; along upper Mangga
Creek (tributary of Madlum River), Talaguio River and Ipunan Creek (tributary of Angat
River), Singalong Creek and upper Maputi and Magsuong Rivers (Revilla and Malaca,
1987). The dominant rock type is medium- to coarse-grained hornblende diorite with local
quartz diorite, gabbro and diabase facies. Diorite also occurs as dikes and sills intruding
sedimentary rocks.

Antonio (1967) presumed that the sedimentary rock intruded by the diorite is equivalent
to the Early Miocene Angat Formation. Revilla and Malaca (1987), however, report that
the Angat Formation rests unconformably over the diorite in Bulacan. Radiometric K-Ar
dating (36.9 Ma) reveals an Early Eocene age for the diorite (Wolfe, 1981).

Binangonan Formation
Lithology lower Teresa Siltstone member – siltstone, Marl upper Limestone Member
Stratigraphic relations Unconformable over the Maybangain Formation
Distribution Binangonan, Teresa, and Antipolo in
Rizal; Coronel River and Mt. Dalumpa
west of Ligaya and Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija
Age Late Oligocene – Early Miocene
Thickness Teresa Siltstone – 350 m, Limestone – 900 m
Previous name Binangonan Limestone (Smith, 1906)
Renamed by BMG (1981)
Synonymy Maysawa Formation (Haeck, 1987),
Montalban Formation (Baumann and others, 1976)
Correlation Bugnam Formation (Rutland, 1968), Villa Wave Formation (Rutland, 1968)

The Binangonan Limestone of Smith (1906) was renamed by BMG (1981) as Binangonan
Formation to include the Teresa Tuffaceous Silt of Corby and others (1951), which is here
called Teresa Siltstone. The Binangonan Formation rests unconformably over the
Maybangain Formation. On its western side, the formation is in fault contact with the
Antipolo Diorite (Foronda and Schoell, 1987). Outcrops of Binangonan Formation are
exposed in Binangonan, Teresa, and Antipolo, all in Rizal Province. Exposures were also
observed on the N-S tributaries of the Coronel River, which flow in the Gabaldon Basin
and also at Mt. Dalumpa. The Teresa Siltstone and the limestone are treated here as the
lower and upper members, respectively, of the Binangonan Formation.
The Teresa Siltstone is essentially a 350-m thick sequence of tuffaceous calcareous
siltstones and marl deposited by turbidity currents in a shallow basin (Schoell and
Fuentes, 1989; Schoell and Casareo, 1989). The overall sedimentological characteristics
of the unit, as observed by Foronda and Schoell (1987), suggest that the unit represents
shallow water proximal turbidites. The upper Limestone Member is massive, light cream
to pink to bluish gray and fossil-rich. This carbonate unit, which attains a thickness of 900
m, represents deposits of shallow-water reef complexes. This formation shows facies
variations in the northern part of the Southern Sierra Madre. Along the tributaries of
Coronel River and Mt. Dalumpa west of Ligaya and Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija, the formation
is characterized by smaller proportions of limestones compared withnassociated clastic
rocks consisting of conglomerates, tuffaceous sandstones, siltstones and mudstones.
West of Umiray, the limestone is locally more than 300 m thick topped by sandstones and
conglomerates with reworked limestone clasts (Ringenbach, 1992). In Bugnam Creek
east of Dalumpa Peak, volcanic rocks have been observed to be interbedded with the
volcaniclastics of the Binangonan Formation (Ringenbach, 1992). Coal beds and lenses
have also been noted by Revilla and Malaca (1987) in the sandstone-shale sequences in
Makalya and Lagmak areas.
Previously this formation was assigned a Late Oligocene age (BMG, 1981) based on
datings by Smith (1906), Yabe and Hanzawa (1929) and Hashimoto and Balce (1977).
However, recent paleontological dating of samples from this formation reveals that it
extends up to Early Miocene (Foronda and Schoell, 1987; Revilla and Malaca, 1987;
Ringenbach, 1992). Radiometric K-Ar dating of a basalt flow associated with this
formation gave 22.92 ± 1.12 Ma, equivalent to earliest Miocene (Ringenbach, 1992). An
age range of Late Oligocene to Early Miocene is now adopted for this formation.

The Maysawa Formation of Haeck (1987) is considered to be a deeper facies of the

Binangonan Formation although it does not have a clastic member. Also probably
equivalent to the Binangonan Formation is the 1,300-m thick Montalban Formation of
Baumann and others (1976), which consists of a basal limestone member, a late Late
Oligocene wackemudstone member and an uppermost early Miocene micritic limestone
member. In the northern part of Southern Sierra Madre, the Binangonan
Formation is also probably equivalent to the Bugnam and Villa Wave formations of
Rutland (1968), which consist of dark shales, conglomerates and minor limestones.
Angat Formation

Lithology Lower clastic member – shale, sandstone, sandy limestone, Upper limestone
member
Stratigraphic relations Overlies Barenas-Baito, Bayabas and Binangonan formations
and the Sta. Ines Diorite; conformably overlain by the Madlum Formation
Distribution Angat River, Camachile River in Bulacan
Age Early Miocene
Thickness 1,950 m
Previous name Angat Limestone member of Quezon
Formation
Named by Corby and others, 1951)
Renamed by Gonzales and others (1971)

Corby and others (1951) originally assigned the term Angat to the lower limestone
member of the Quezon Formation in the Angat River area. Gonzales and others (1971)
raise the rock unit to formation rank and included a lower clastic facies. The formation's
type locality is along Angat River roughly 6 km east of Norzagaray. Along the western
flank of Sierra Madre, the formation forms a more or less continuous and approximately
north-south belt, which splits into two at the Camachile River in eastern Bulacan. The
smaller western edge ends at Balite Creek about 4 km northeast of Norzagaray and the
eastern strip stretches for about 1.5 km south of Angat River. In addition, outcrops of the
formation have also been observed along the Rio Chico and Sumacbao rivers on the
northwestern flank of the southern Sierra Madre. The thickness of the formation varies
from one locality to another, but its maximum exposed thickness is about 1,950 meters.
The formation consists of a lower clastic member representing a minor part of the
formation and an upper limestone member.

The clastic member is made up of thin beds of calcareous shale and clayey sandstone
with occasional lenses of sandy limestone. The sandstone is normally graded and well-
cemented while the limestone lenses are dense, brittle and partly siliceous. Mollusks,
coral stems and laminae of carbonaceous materials are dispersed within the section.
These, together with the abundance of Heliocosphaera species, suggest shallow marine
deposition. The sequence interfingers with the lower part of the upper limestone facies.
The limestone member is made up of a lower bedded reef-flank deposit and an upper
biohermal mass. This member is characterized by local thickening and thinning over a
fairly continuous belt. The lower bedded portion is dominantly calcareous rock detrita and
fine slime with interbedded, finely siliceous layers. The biohermal portion is white to buff,
occasionally gray to pink, cavernous and partly crystalline, consisting essentially of
skeletal remains of reef-building organisms (corals and algae) with abundant molluscan
fragments and bryozoan stems. Along Madlum River, the biohermal portion is
approximately 100 m thick. Recent age dating reported by Ringenbach (1992) conforms
to the results obtained by Gonzales and others (1971) and Baumann and others (1976)
indicating a late Early to early Middle Miocene age. Moreover, a sample from Minalungao
yielded Lepidocyclina (Nephrolepidina) sumarensis and many Miogypsina sp., which
point to a Late Burdigalian age. Likewise, pelagic foraminifera from the pelites in the
clastic member taken along Rio Chico gave a precise Late Burdigalian age based on
Globigerinatella insueta. Villanueva and others (1995) also report the presence of
Globigerinoides sicanus De Stefani in the clastic facies, as well as nannofossils including
Heterosphaera mediterranea and Sphenolithus cf. heteromorphous, which indicate an
age of NN4-NN5, probably NN4, equivalent to Early Miocene (Burdigalian). Recent
studies by Villanueva and others (1995) also indicate an Early Miocene age for the
limestone based on the presence of Cycloclypeus (K.) transiens. Abundant large
foraminifera, corals, algae and molluscan remains in the limestone and carbonaceous
materials in the clastic facies indicate deposition in a shallow neritic environment.

Madlum Formation
Lithology Lower Clastic Member – sandstone, shale, Conglomerate Middle Alagao
Volcanics – pyroclastic breccia, tuff, argillite, indurated graywacke and andesite flows,
Upper Buenacop Limestone Member
Stratigraphic relations Conformable over the Angat Formation
Distribution Madlum River, San Miguel, Bulacan; Angat and Peñaranda rivers,
Bulacan; San Ildefonso, Bulacan
Age Middle Miocene
Thickness > 1,000 m
Named by Williams (1960)
Synonymy Sibul Formation (Corby and others (1951)

The Madlum formation conformably rests on top of the Angat Formation. This was first
used by geologists of the San Jose Oil Company (Williams, 1960 in Gonzales and others,
1971) to designate the sequence of shale, siltstone, wacke and conglomerate exposed
along Madlum River close to Barangay Madlum, San Miguel, Bulacan. They also included
in this formation the upper metavolcanic member of the Sibul Formation and upper
tuffaceous member of the Quezon Formation of Corby and others
(1951) exposed in the Angat River area. Melendres and Verzosa (1960) subdivided the
Madlum into the Angat River Limestone, Alagao Volcanics and Buenacop Limestone
members. The middle and upper members were retained by Gonzales and others (1971)
but changed the Angat River Limestone to Clastic Member.

• Clastic
Member

The Clastic Member is extensively distributed in an almost continuously exposed belt

between Angat and Peñaranda rivers. It is a thick sequence of thin to thick bedded
sandstone and silty shale with minor basal conglomerate and occasional limy sandstone
interbeds. The sandstone is fine- to medium-grained, fairly well-sorted, well-cemented
and calcareous, with sub-anglar to subrounded fragments of mafic rock detrita, quartz
and feldspar cemented by fine clayey material. The shale, which occurs in thinner beds
compared to the sandstone, is calcareous. The basal conglomerate is massive with well
rounded cobbles and pebbles of mafic igneous rocks, chert and limestone dispersed in a
coarse calcareous matrix.

Two foraminiferal zones have been recognized in the Clastic Member by Villanueva and
others (1995): Globorotalia fohsi peripheroronda Zone (N6-N10) and Globorotalia fohsi
fohsi Zone (N10-N11) equivalent to Langhian, which were earlier reported by Gonzales
and others (1971).

• Alagao
Volcanics

Melendres and Verzosa (1960) used the term Alagao Volcanics to designate the
sequence of pyroclastic breccia, tuffs, argillites, indurated graywacke and andesite flows
exposed in Alagao, San Ildefonso, Bulacan. Its type locality, as designated by Gonzales
and others (1971), is the section along the San Ildefonso-Akle road. The metavolcanic
member of the Sibul Formation of Corby and others (1951) and the andesite-basalt
sequence in the Rodriguez-Teresa area, Rizal, are included in this member. Generally,
the rock unit is purplish gray in fresh surfaces but weathers into brick-red to purple
shades. The pyroclastic breccia, the prevalent rock type, is massive and made up of
angular to subrounded cobble to boulder sizes of andesite, basalt, chert and other
volcanic rocks set in a matrix of andesite. The tuffaceous beds weather into bentonitic
clay. The volcanic flows are massive, fine-grained and vesicular. The vesicles are filled
with calcite, chalcedony or chlorite. Along Bayabas River, the estimated thickness is
about 175 m, although it could be thicker along Angat River further south.

• Buenacop
Limestone

The Buenacop Limestone was originally used by Melendres and Verzosa (1960) to
designate the limestone sequence exposed at Barangay Buenacop, San Ildefonso,
Bulacan with type section along Ganlang River. It also occurs as narrow discontinuous
strips formed by a series of almost north-south aligned low ridges and several small
patches between Sta. Maria and Sumacbao rivers. The limestone in the lower part is thin
to medium bedded, crystalline, slightly tuffaceous, porous with numerous fragments of
volcanic rocks, chert nodules, and detrital crystals of mafic minerals. This characteristic
distinguishes it from the other limestones in the area. The upper part is massive,
cavernous, with dispersed occasional andesite fragments, volcanic debris and fossils of
reef-building organisms such as corals, algae, mollusks and foraminifera. Fossils indicate
an age of Middle Miocene for this limestone member, which was probably deposited in a
shelf area. The estimated thickness at the type locality is 150 m. Samples of the
Buenacop Limestone yielded a number of foraminifera, including Miogypsina
polymorpha, Cycloclypeus (Metacycloclypeus) transiens, Lepidocyclina (N.) sumatrensis
and L. (N.) ferreroi. Thus an age of Middle Miocene is assigned to the Madlum Formation,
although deposition could have started in early Middle Miocene. Deposition might have
taken place in a progressively deepening environment probably from shelf-edge to upper
bathyal depths. It is over 1,000 m thick in the type locality.

Guadalupe Formation
Lithology Alat Conglomerate – conglomerate, silty mudstone, tuffaceous sandstone
Diliman Tuff – vitric tuff, ignimbrite, volcanic breccia
Stratigraphic relations Unconformable over Miocene rocks
Distribution Quezon City, Pasig, Makati; southern Rizal; eastern Bulacan;
southeastern Nueva Ecija
Age Pleistocene
Thickness: 1,500 - 2,000 m
Named by Smith (1913)
Correlation Laguna Formation (Schoell and others, 1985), San Juan Formation
(Rutland, 1968)

This formation was named by Smith (1913) for the tuff sequence that crops out along
Pasig River in Guadalupe, Makati, Metro Manila, which was earlier described by Von
Drasche (1878). In the Angat-Novaliches region, Alvir (1929) describes the same
sequence but referred to it as Guadalupe Tuff Formation. Corby and others (1951) call it
Guadalupe Tuffs and Teves and Gonzales (1950) adopt the name Guadalupe Formation
with two members: a lower Alat Conglomerate and an upper Diliman Tuff member. The
formation unconformably overlies Miocene rocks and on the basis of the presence of
Stegodon fossils and other vertebrate remains, leaf imprints and artifacts, it is assigned
a Pleistocene age.

• Alat Conglomerate

The Alat Conglomerate was first mapped and named by Alvir (1929) after the marine
littoral conglomerate exposed along Sapang Alat about 3 km north of the Novaliches
reservoir near Novaliches town where it unconformably overlies Miocene lavas. The
Alat consists of massive conglomerate, deeply weathered silty mudstone and tuffaceous
sandstone. Poorly sorted conglomerate, which is the most predominant rock type,
consists of well rounded pebbles and small boulders of older rocks, including diorite,
gabbro, basalt, andesite and limestone cemented by coarse-grained, calcareous sandy
matrix. The interbedded sandstone is massive- to poorly- bedded, tuffaceous, fine- to
medium-grained, loosely cemented, friable and exhibits cross bedding. The mudstone is
medium to thin bedded, soft, silty and tuffaceous. The maximum estimated thickness of
this member is 200 m. Ringenbach (1992) notes that the San Juan Formation of
Rutland (1968), exposed southeast of Laur, is very similar in facies to the Alat
Conglomerate.
• Diliman
Tuff
The Diliman Tuff (Teves and Gonzales, 1950) exposed in Diliman, Quezon City and large
portions of Makati, Pasig, Paranaque and adjoining areas, consists of volcanic ejecta with
subordinate amounts of tuffaceous, fine- to medium-grained sandstone. It also underlies
areas between Sta. Maria and Bulu rivers in Bulacan. Fossil plant leaves of the genus
Euphorbliaceae, deer and elephant teeth, and bits of wood recovered in
Guadalupe and Novaliches suggest a Pleistocene age. The whole sequence is flat-lying,
medium- to thin-bedded and consists of fine-grained vitric tuffs and welded pyroclastic
breccias with minor fineto medium- grained tuffaceous sandstone. Dark mafic minerals
and bits of pumiceous and scoriaceous materials are dispersed in the glassy tuff matrix.
The thickness of the Diliman Tuff is 1,300-2,000 m.

More recent work in the area suggests that the Laguna Formation of Schoell and others
(1985) is equivalent to the Guadalupe Formation.Schoell and others (1985) defined
several facies of the Laguna Formation, as follows: a) air fall tephra, b) pyroclastic flow
deposits, c) lahars, d) stream deposits, e) lake deposits, and f) basalt flows. Radiometric
K-Ar and palynological datings give a Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene age for this
formation (Wolfe, 1981).

Antipolo Basalt
Lithology Basalt
Stratigraphic relations Not reported
Distribution Antipolo, Binangonan, Talim Island,
Taytay, Morong in Rizal
Age Pleistocene
Named by Alvir (1928)

The Antipolo Basalt was named by Alvir (1928) for the basaltic rocks described earlier by
Adams (1910). The rock is also exposed in surrounding areas such as Binangonan,
Morong, Angat-Novaliches area and Talim Island. The basalt is frequently brecciated and
in places amygdaloidal. The age is believed by Alvir (1928) to be Miocene, although it
could be as late as Pleistocene in view of the very low degree of erosion despite its
location on an elevated plateau in the Antipolo hills. Remnants of the wasting of the basalt
terrain are manifested as scattered columns of basalts in Antipolo and vicinity, suggesting
that the basalt was deposited as thick lava flows that underwent columnar jointing.
Manila Formation
Lithology Clay, silt, gravely sand, tuffaceous silt
Stratigraphic relations Overlies the Diliman Tuff
Distribution Metro Manila
Age Holocene
Thickness 800 m
Named by Purser and DIomampo (1995)

Overlying the Diliman Tuff is a sequence of unconsolidated fluvial, deltaic and marine
deposits to which Purser and Diomampo (1995) proposed the name Manila Formation.
This sequence is believed to have been laid down during Holocene time. Subsurface data
from core drilling along the Light Rail Transit 2 (LRT 2) route from Santolan, Pasig to
Recto, Manila indicate a thickness of about 800 m. The unconsolidated deposits consist
of clay, silt, gravelly sand and tuffaceous silt.