DENR looking into other structures at Chocolate Hills

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will look into other establishments operating at the Chocolate Hills in Bohol amid reports that there are other such structures within the protected area.

At a press conference, DENR Undersecretary for field operations-Luzon, Visayas and environment Juan Miguel Cuna yesterday said the department would apply all the rules and regulations equally at Chocolate Hills.

“We will just apply all rules and regulations equally to everyone. We already gave instructions to our regional office to determine if there are other establishments in the area of Chocolate Hills,” Cuna said.

Cuna added that officials of DENR Region 7 will determine if the establishments were able to secure clearance from the Protected Area Management Bureau.

“The DENR will determine the classification of the lands, their location. The Captain’s Peak (Resort) is an alienable and disposable land. It is titled and classified as a multiple-use zone but the others can be located in the forest lands. All these things will be looked into,” Cuna added.

For her part, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga blamed the local government unit (LGU) of Sagbayan, Bohol for the issuance of building permit and mayor’s permit despite the Captain’s Peak Resort’s failure to secure an environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

“What we also have discovered in our investigation, the Captain’s Peak was able to secure a building permit from the local government and when that happens, the PAMB has already issued a resolution but you have to go for the ECC and get yourself permitted. We also discovered that the building permit started to be issued in 2020 and there was definitely no ECC at that point,” Loyzaga said.

“The LGU knows what needs to be submitted before it can issue a building permit in a protected area,” she said.

Cuna added that charges and fines await the owner of the resort for operating without an ECC.

And based on the inspection of the EMB, the Captain’s Peak Resort used deep wells without necessary permits.

“The National Water Resources Board has already issued a certification that they don’t have a permit, nor do they