Photo courtesy: Screenshots from Ren The Adventurer (FB)
Amid the netizens’ uproar over the presence of a resort in the middle of the iconic Chocolate Hills in Bohol, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Wednesday, March 13, that a series of action was made to prevent its operation since last year.
In a statement, the DENR said that in Sept. 6 last year for instance, a Temporary Closure Order after receiving report of the operation of the Captain’s Peak Resort in what is supposed to be a protected area based on Proclamation No. 1037 issued by then president Fidel V. Ramos.
On Jan. 22, the DENR said that a Notice of Violation was issued to the project for operating without an Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC).
“As of March 13, 2024, the Regional Executive Director Paquito D. Melicor issued a Memorandum directing PENRO (Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office) Bohol Ariel Rica to create a team to conduct inspection at Captain’s Peak for its compliance with the Temporary Closure Order,” the statement read.
“The DENR-Environmental Management Bureau will continue to monitor,” it added.
Innocent review
It all started with an innocent review of the Captain Peaks Resort located in the middle of the tourist spot Chocolate Hills by a Facebook user.
The post did not sit well with netizens who questioned how the resort was built in the area considering that it was declared as a protected area in 1997.
Netizens raised concerns over the destruction of the natural beauty of the famous tourist spot in Bohol and the disturbance of the ecosystem.
Some netizens also raised a question on how the owner was able to seek a permit for the construction and why it was not monitored by the DENR and other local authorities.
Protected area
Then president Ramos declared the Chocolate Hills in Bohol as a protected area and designated it as a National Geological Monument and a Protected Landscape.
The Proclamation recognized the unique geological formations and the importance of covering this natural wonder for future generations.
The declaration was at aimed at preserving the iconic landscape of the Chocolate Hills and promote sustainable tourism while protecting the biodiversity and environmental integrity of the area.
The case of Captain's Peak
The DENR explained that if a land was titled prior to Proclamation 1037 declaring an area as protected area, the rights and interests of the landowner will generally be recognized and respected.
But the DENR was quick to emphasize that 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,” the DENR said.
“In the case of the Captain’s Peak Resort, the DENR issued a Temporary Closure Order last September 6, 2023, and a Notice of Violation to the project proponent last January 22, 2024 for operating without an ECC,” it added.