The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Wednesday said it had already issued a temporary closure order and a notice of violation against a resort located within the Chocolate Hills protected area in Bohol.
In a statement, the DENR said it issued a temporary closure order in September 2023 and a notice of violation in January 2024 against Captain’s Peak Resort “for operating without an ECC (environmental compliance certificate).”
The agency said it directed Bohol’s environmental office to create a team and inspect the resort’s compliance to the temporary closure order.
A viral video of a resort in Sagbayan town, Bohol situated between haycock hills, popularly referred to as Chocolate Hills, drew flak from netizens.
Netizens pointed out that the commercial development is done within a protected area, a UNESCO Heritage Site, and a declared geopark.
“Why was this allowed?? This kind of resort should not and must not be supported,” a social media user wrote.
“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!” another one chided.
“Paano ‘to nabigyan ng clearance at bakit pinayagang magpatuloy?Sana aksyunan ng DENR ang panawagan ng mga kababayan nating Boholanos na protektahan ang Chocolate Hills, na isa sa mga tanyag na tourist spot sa bansa at kilala bilang kauna-unahang UNESCO global geopark sa Pilipinas,” human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said.
The DENR noted that the Chocolate Hills were declared a protected area in 1997 to preserve its iconic landscape and promote sustainable tourism.
If a land was titled prior to an area’s designation as a protected area, “the rights and interests of the landowner will generally be recognized and respected,” DENR said.
“However, the declaration of the area as a protected area may impose certain restriction or regulations on land use and development within the protected area, even for privately-owned lands. These restrictions and regulations are to be detailed in the Environmental Impact Statement prior to the issuance of an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the project,” it added.
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