03/07/2026
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To date, seven meteorites discovered in the Philippines have been officially recognized internationally. Some were directly observed falling from the sky, while others were found after impact.
Meteorites are space rocks that survive their fiery passage through Earthβs atmosphere and land on the surface. Humans have long been fascinated by these extraterrestrial visitors, drawn to their unique textures and compositions. In the Philippines, while seven have been confirmed so far, many more likely remain undiscovered waiting to be found by chance or curiosity.
πͺ¨ ππ’π‘ππ’π: An 888-kilogram meteorite that fell in Bondoc Peninsula, Quezon, around 2.5 million years ago. Many of the scattered pieces of the meteorite were accidentally discovered by a local huntsman in 1956, and its recovery was led by Dr. Harvey H. Nininger in 1957. It is the largest and oldest meteorite ever found in the Philippines.
πͺ¨ πππππ©π’: A 2.4-kilogram meteorite that fell in Aklan in 1916 and was named after the town of Kalibo. Though it was initially classified as 'stony', no further studies were conducted.
πͺ¨ π’π₯ππ’π‘π¨π π: A 7.8-kilogram meteorite that fell in Barangay Orconuma, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, on 07 March 2011. It was initially discovered in the middle of a field by three local farmers and kept hidden until 2019. In 2020, a local TV interview sparked online attention, drawing interest from a geologist and collectors. Although one expert suggested it was volcanic rock, the farmers believed it to be a meteorite. In 2021, it was purchased by collectors John Higgins and Jasper Spencer.
πͺ¨ π£πππ§ππ‘: A 515-gram meteorite that was discovered in 1910 in a field southeast of San Juan, Ilocos Sur, some weeks after residents sighted a bright fireball. It was initially kept as a family charm for 75 years.
πͺ¨ π£ππ π£ππ‘ππ: A 10.5-kilogram meteorite that was reportedly sighted to fall in the modern-day vicinity of Mexico, Pampanga, on April 1859.
πͺ¨ π£ππ‘π§ππ₯: A 2.13-kilogram meteorite which was observed to fall on 16 June 1938 at the town of Pantar, Lanao del Norte. The impact of the space rock generated a dust cloud that showered small particles on the roofs of the houses.
πͺ¨ π£π’π‘πππ’: A 2.4-kilogram meteorite that struck a house in Barangay Ponggo, Nagtipunan, Quirino, on 20 May 2022. The speeding space rock pierced the roof and damaged the floor.
Beyond being highly prized collector's items, these meteorites also serve as a literal and tangible reminder of the potential threat posed by space objects falling to Earth, which can cause significant damage.
For more information: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php
