Other Active Faults of The Philippines

Other Active Faults of the
Philippines
Marikina Valley Fault System
• Consists of two NE-trending faults: the East and West Valley Faults.
• It transects parts of eastern Metro Manila and possibly extend
southwards to Tagaytay Ridge.
• Despite being recognized as a major structure, the fault was
assumed to be inactive.
• Studies by PHIVOLCS (e.g., Daligdig et al., 1997; Punongbayan and
Rimando, 1996; Rimando et al., 1996) reveal that the fault is active
based on geomorphic features such as displaced alluvial fans, offset
streams, and shutter/pressure ridges.
• Based on these features suggest a right-lateral sense of
displacement.
• Based on paleoseismological studies, the fault was associated with 4
earthquake events during the past 1500 years (Nelson et al., 2000).
• No recent seismic activities can be directly related to this fault,
however, its proximity to Metro Manila makes it a significant Figure 1: Tectonic setting of active faults in northern
and central Luzon. The Marikina Valley fault system
tectonic feature. (MVFS) is bounded by major structures including the
Philippine fault zone (PFZ) on the east (Rimando and
Knuepfer, 2006)
Macolod Corridor
• Is an approximately 40 km wide corridor characterized by
intense, active Quaternary volcanism that can be traced in the
north from the Tagaytay Ridge to Jalajala Peninsula, and in the
south from Batangas Bay to Mt. Banahaw (Forster, et al.,
1990).
• The existence of this rift is still highly debated. This structure
was delineated based on the petrology and alignment of
active and recent volcanoes, including Taal, Banahaw,
Makiling, Malepunyo and the maars of Laguna.
• There were little structural evidence to prove the existence of
this feature, except for the NE-trending Tagaytay Ridge as the
Corridor’s northern structural boundary. Its southern
structural boundary is not clear.
• Ohkura, et al., (2001) suggest that the corridor is a broad left-
Figure 2: Volcanic patterns in the Macolod
lateral fracture zone based on GPS measurements. This is Corridor, distribution of stratovolcanoes (•), domes
backed-up by Pubellier, et al., (2000) based on seismotectonic (▪), maars (○), scoria cones (●), and solfataric areas
(hatched). Adopted from Forster, et al. (1990).
studies and radar imagery interpretation.
Lubang-Verde Passage Fault System
• Is a left-lateral strike-slip fault located offshore between
Batangas peninsula and Mindoro Island that follows the NW-
SE alignment of Verde and Lubang Islands.
• This fault appears to transform into a transpressional fault
(thrust/left-lateral) as it cuts through the southern section of
the Manila Trench accretionary prism.
• The pure strike-slip character of the fault was delineated by
frequent earthquakes in the Verde passage area, while the
transpressional character of the fault has been observed
through a seabeam survey in the southern termination of
the Manila Trench (Rangin, et al., 1988).
• Rangin, et al. (1988) considered this structure to play a
significant role in the transition from a subduction along the
Manila Trench to collision in the Mindoro-Palawan-Panay
area.
Mindoro/Aglubang Fault
• Is a north-south trending structure that has a right-
lateral motion with a significant normal
component.
• Its trace can be found on the break in slope
between the mountainous western Mindoro and
the flatlands of eastern Mindoro.
• This structure is readily observable from
topographic maps, aerial photographs and satellite
imagery.
• The most recent manifestation of this fault’s
activity was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that
ruptured its northern segment in 1994, causing
considerable damage to property and loss of lives
on the coastal areas of northeastern Mindoro.
Sibuyan Sea Fault
• On the basis of aeromagnetic and seismic data, Bischke, et al.
(1990) claimed to have discovered a new branch of the Philippine
Fault which they called the Sibuyan Sea Fault, located offshore
north of Masbate.
• Inland tracing of the fault by Aurelio (1992) showed that the fault
acts independently from the Philippine Fault. Fault data analysis
done by the said author in the zone between the Sibuyan Sea
Fault and Philippine Fault shows the interplay of strike-slip and
normal faulting events.
• This suggests that the region is controlled by a transtensional
tectonic regime. This behavior was confirmed using GPS
measurements (Duquesnoy, et al., 1994; Aurelio, 2000; 1994;
Bacolcol, 2003).
• Bathymetric and paleomagnetic data from the northern section of
the Sibuyan Sea, Sarewitz and Lewis (1991) concluded that the
Sibuyan Sea Fault is relayed with the Verde Passage Fault by an
aborted spreading center under a transtensional tectonic regime.
Legaspi Lineament
• This feature was portrayed in the 1963 edition of the
1:1,000,000 scale geological map of the Philippines
(Bureau of Mines, 1963) as a SE-trending linear feature
emanating from Pasacao in the Ragay Gulf area, passing
through Lake Bato then to Legaspi City.
• Bathymetric maps of the Lagonoy Bay – Rapu-Rapu
Islands area show that this feature continues towards the
Philippine Trench.
• The NW-SE – elongated Lake Bato is a manifestation of a
dilational jog, pointing to a left-lateral displacement of Figure 5: Structural sketch map of the Legaspi
the Legaspi Lineament, which is consistent with focal Lineament, Philippine Fault, and Sibuyan Sea Fault
with focal mechanism solutions corresponding to
mechanism solutions of earthquakes that occasionally the left-lateral displacement of the Legaspi
occur offshore east of Legaspi. Lineament (Aurelio, et al., 1997)
• In the Ragay Gulf area, this structure is evident on

seismic profiles and appears to interact with the
Philippine Fault close to shore in Buenavista, Quezon
(Aurelio, 1992).
Tablas Lineament
• Is a right-lateral strike-slip fault that serves as the tectonic boundary
between the Palawan-Mindoro microcontinental block and the western
edge of the Philippine Mobile Belt.
• It trends northerly as it separates Busuanga peninsula from the Antique
Range in Panay, and passes offshore northwards east of Tablas Island.
• This structure appears to connect with the Negros Trench southwards,
and serves as the transition from a subduction process in the Negros
Trench to collision in Mindoro in a similar manner on how the Lubang-
Verde Passage Fault System connects the Manila Trench and the
Mindoro-Panay Collision Zone.
Mindanao Fault
• Is a prominent NW-trending linear fracture zone on the western third of Mindanao that has
two distinct segments, including that which separates the Daguma Range from the
Cotabato Basin corresponding to the Cotabato Fault segment.
• It is a highly linear structure with features that suggests normal faulting, although it may
have been a left-lateral strike-slip fault during its early history.
• The fault is relatively young (Quaternary) based on the fault cutting through the Quaternary
Mt. Parker volcano and the Quaternary limestone which marks the Daguma Range, and the
young morphology of incised river valleys.
• Despite its Quaternary age, the topic of the fault being active or not is still highly debated
(Quebral, 1994).
• The Sindangan Fault segment represents the northern continuation of the Mindanao Fault
towards northern Zamboanga. Focal mechanism solutions and narrow shear zones cutting
through recent gravel deposits suggest an active left-lateral faulting (Pubellier, et al., 1991).
Offshore Cebu-Bohol Faults
• The occasional occurrence of low to moderate magnitude, shallow-
seated earthquakes between Cebu and Bohol is the subject of current
discussions on the possible existence of active faults in the region.
• These faults are most likely offshore, since there were no indications
of active faulting within the islands of Cebu and Bohol and more
studies are needed to delineate the origin of these earthquakes.

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Other Active Faults of the

• In the Ragay Gulf area, this structure is evident on

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