Chocolate Hills resort halts operations

SAGBAYAN, Bohol , Philippines —  The Captain’s Peak Resort that lies within the world famous Chocolate Hills area temporarily shut down its operations yesterday, resort manager Julieta Sablas said.

Sablas, younger sister of resort owner Capt. Edgar Button, said the resort started closing shop “upon the order of the mayor” as she admitted that the resort still has no environmental compliance certificate or ECC.

While noting that “it is very difficult to comply” with the requirements needed for an ECC, she said the resort has already complied with 75 percent of the requirements.

“We would not give up until we find a remedy to the situation,” Sablas said as she noted that the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) for the Chocolate Hills had given them the go-signal to proceed and operate the resort.

Aside from the PAMB, she added, “Sagbayan officials” also issued the permit to operate prior to its opening in 2019.

She cited Resolution 01 series of 2018, issued by the local PAMB, which stated, among other conditions, that the “hills should not be altered nor defaced and extraction is strictly prohibited.”

“We were not able to secure an ECC but we have permits from the local government unit, Protected Area Management Bureau and 15 of the 26 barangay captains of Sagbayan,” Sablas said.

Bohol Rep. Kristine Alexie Tutor said the resort should be shut down for good, but that this should follow due process.

“I am against any decision or action that goes against the status of the Chocolate Hills as a UNESCO Geopark. The Chocolate Hills is also protected by a presidential proclamation,” Tutor said.

“That Captain’s Peak Resort should not have been allowed to be built there in the first place. It should be demolished and the construction site should be restored, with costs borne by the owners of that resort. But before these can happen, we have to follow due process,” she added.

Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy, in a Facebook post, called on the Boholanos to cherish and preserve the unique gifts in their province as he expressed happiness over the growing number of people who are taking more responsibility in caring for the environment.

“This emerging awareness (on environmental