Ever since the reported illegal resorts inside the Chocolate Hills in Bohol surfaced, nothing was heard from the secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, nor was she seen inspecting the protected park, until Thursday, March 21.
It was only then that she ordered the removal of all illegal structures inside the park – a reaction from the outcry and ongoing probes by the legislative and executive branches.
The Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort in Sagbayan, Bohol, owned by a seaman, has played host to several important sports and political events, an indication of government’s recognition of the illegal structure emanating from a successful marketing blitz by the resort.
Had not netizens exposed photos of the resort (which went viral), then it could be operating up until now.
It turned out that the bureau – the Protected Area Management Board – of the DENR that is in charge of overseeing and conserving natural parks like Chocolate Hills held meetings that it allowed a mere barangay captain to preside and resolve.
Hence, legally speaking the said resort had the permits to build and operate inside the Chocolate Hills.
So many other resorts were found to have been given permits to build and operate, these are what DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga now wants demolished and cleared.
At the ocular insopection, Loyzaga saw many structures operating in the periphery of Chocolate Hills. Astonished, she declared that all must be demolished and the peace of the Chocolate Hills’ ecology must be restored and such restoration must happen ASAP.
It can be argued that those structures operated before Loyzaga’s time.
Granting, but as overseer of the country’s natural resources, she should have been demanding reports on their state and inventory of wildlife in such protected parks from her field men.
But she was busy traveling in every part of the world, but not here.
She said she acknowledges the need for sources of livelihood,
“it is important to the economy. We have different framing not only for ecotourism but also conservation tourism,” Loyzaga added.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos said he would propose a moratorium on the construction of establishments at the Chocolate Hills.
“We need to check them. With the present law, can we still sleep at night, when upon waking up, there might be a new swimming pool (at the Chocolate Hills)?” Abalos asked adding that a law must be introduced to halt all structures in protected areas.
Abalos said he has an initial list of government officials to be charged for allowing such vandalism in the Chocolate Hills. Loyzaga said she would review all the environmental compliance certificates (ECCs) including pending applications in protected areas.
She explained that all applications must be handled by the DENR Central Office instead of the regional offices.
Even as Loyzaga said she would look into the liability of local officials of Sagbayan municipality in the Chocolate Hills issue, her underling Undersecretary Carlos David told a radio reporter that the DENR has no power to order the demolition of the resort as it belongs to the Philippine National Police and the LGU.
The DENR is looking into the liability of local officials of Sagbayan municipality in Bohol who allowed the Captain’s Peak Resort at Chocolate Hills to operate without ECCs.
David gave a lame excuse for not being vigilant about protected areas:
“Honestly, because of the huge protected areas, it is virtually impossible to really check every single protected area. Nonetheless, for Mt. Apo, as well as Bohol, we have separate investigations being conducted by our regional offices.”
Photo Courtesy : Philippine Star
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