‘All Chocolate Hills structures need to go’

MANILA, Philippines — All structures at the Chocolate Hills will likely be demolished to restore the protected area, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said yesterday.

“Looking at this, it is very possible that all of these will have to be demolished and restored because there is a disturbance in the ecology that should not have happened. The restoration needs to happen,” Loyzaga said after visiting the controversial Captain’s Peak Resort in Bohol.

Loyzaga said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is looking into all the structures operating in the protected area.

“We acknowledge that we need sources of livelihood, it is important to the economy. We have different framing not only for ecotourism but also conservation tourism,” Loyzaga added.

For his part, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said there should be a moratorium on the construction of establishments at the Chocolate Hills.

“I will definitely propose it. I would say right now, whatever we have, 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 said. “What are the mechanisms that need to be introduced?”

Abalos said he has an initial list of local government officials who will be charged for allowing the construction of the Captain’s Peak Resort.

Loyzaga also said that the DENR will review all the
 Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECCs), including the pending applications in the protected area.

According to Loyzaga, all applications will be handled by the DENR Central Office instead of its regional office.

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.

In a radio interview yesterday, Environment Undersecretary Carlos David also said the DENR has no mandate to order the demolition of the resort, as it is the Philippine National Police and local government units that are authorized to do so.

“It is difficult to say (the possible liability) but definitely the people on the ground would have known that this kind of project exists. I