ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo (Facebook)

The House Committee on Natural Resources' hearing on the wayward construction of a resort in Bohol's famous Chocolate Hills have highlighted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' (DENR) supposed lapse of the matter. 

Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, one of the attendees during the hearing Monday, May 20, underscored the alleged negligence of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for allowing Captain's Peak resort to be built in the area. 

Tulfo noted that the famous Chocolate Hills had been declared a national heritage site and declared a geological park by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

Negros Occidental 2nd district Rep. Alfredo Marañon chairs the natural resources panel. 

“The problem na nakita ng committee na ito...was may loopholes, may gray area. Tama yung sinasabi ni chair na dapat ito is DENR's job,” Tulfo said. 

(The problem discovered by this committee...was that there are loopholes, there's a gray area. The chair is correct in saying that it's the DENR's job.) 

The ranking solon says Captain's Peak is situated on what is classified as "alienable and disposable land," as declared by the government since the 1920s. This means that the land could be sold to private individuals. 

Through Proclamation No. 1037 during the time of the late former president Fidel V. Ramos, Chocolate Hills was declared a "natural monument" to protect it and prohibit any structures in the area. 

However, this status was amended by Proclamation No. 333, which only prohibited the construction of structures on Chocolate Hills and within 20 meters from the baseline of each hill. 

“Yung sinasabi nila, kahit na sabihin nila 1926 pa, alienable, pwede na ibenta, pwede na i-develop yung lugar na yun. Pero por diyos por santo, I mean, national heritage, tourist attraction, lalagyan mo naman kung ano-ano, hindi maganda sa mata, di ba?” said Tulfo. 

(They're saying that it's alienable since 1926, that it can be sold and developed. But for God's sake, I mean, national heritage, tourist attraction, you shouldn't put eyesores on it,  right?) 

“Nasa kamay nila [DENR] ito to correct it. Pero hindi lang kinorect. So, may naging problema. Kaya nga ngayon, itong committee ngayon, we heard a lot already. We will do something about it,” he added. 

(It was on the DENR's hands to correct it. But it wasn't corrected. So, a problem emerged. That's why the committee has heard already.) 

Marañon and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel agreed, and stated that based on their investigation, the DENR was significantly at fault for allowing the construction of the controversial resort despite the legal prohibitions. 

“Well, you heard earlier during the discussions that somehow DENR also was remiss on their job. So, yes, DENR was also remiss there," Marañon said. 

The solons vowed to promptly make recommendations to correct any deficiencies in the law and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. 

“Pati ang taong bayan ang sumisigaw (Even the people are saying that) na there's something wrong. Kaya nga, Congress stepped in and we found out and then we were telling them na mali yan (that is wrong),” Tulfo said. 

“So, I guess they really have to fix that. Mabuti naman na it was brought to our attention para kami naman sa Congress can fix this yung mga batas kung meron mga gagawin, which I'm sure kailangan i-adjust” he added. 

(It's a good thing that it was brought to our attention so that we in Congress can fix this law if necessary, and I'm sure it needs to be adjusted.)