Villar on Chocolate Hills resort: Hindi natural na may resort sa protected area

Responding to the viral swimming resort built in the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, Senator Cynthia Villar on Sunday said structures built within a protected area should enhance and not destroy.

In an interview over Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday, Villar said building structures in Chocolate Hills can be allowed but it should enhance the protected area and should not be meant for business.

“Pwede rin [magtayo ng istruktura sa Chocolate Hills] pero dapat to enhance the protected area not to destroy the protected area.”

The senator said such structures should be in the form of a museum, a visitors’ hall where guests to the protected area could attend lectures, government offices for concerned agences and a visitor’s center that could handle large numbers of people.

“Kapag protected area, hindi siya pam-business,” said Villar who instead suggested “an eco-tourism destination” as an alternative.

“Hindi natural na may resort sa protected area,” the senator said.

In connection with the viral swimming resort built within the protected area of the Chocolate Hills, Villar is calling for a hearing of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

“Ifa-file namin ang resolusyon sa Senate para kahit break, maghi-hearing kami. Maybe the following week. If it’s not Holy Week, the week after Holy Week,” the senator said.

Villar said the senators wish to conduct an ocular inspection  but she said she will have to check with their respective schedules and the nearing Holy Week break.

Based on her initial assessment, Villar said the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) should be held accountable.

“Supposedly, ‘yung PAMB should control this,” the lawmaker said.

Last Friday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort may face up to a P5 million fine for operating in the Chocolate Hills protected area without an environmental compliance certificate (ECC).—RF, GMA Integrated News