Binay: Resort in Chocolate Hills should be demolished

CEBU, Philippines — To prevent more individuals and businesses from building structures in protected areas, Sen. Nancy Binay wants the Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort established in the heart of Chocolate Hills in Bohol to be demolished.

Binay made the proposal as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) continued to investigate the controversial construction of the resort in the Chocolate Hills.

"Secretary Loyzaga said they are in the process of hearing this issue of Captain's Peak, but to me - the structure itself, ang sakit sa bangs nung itsura. For me, that structure should really be removed," Binay added.

The senator also scored the complacency and negligence of the DENR in Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) meetings which led to the building of structures in protected areas.

Binay urged DENR to have audio-visual recordings of its meetings to avoid confusion and promote greater accountability within the agency.

"Maybe it would be better to have an actual recording. Maybe you could start requiring not just minutes but actual recordings of PAMB hearings. Because if it's just minutes, it's not clear what the exchange was, what the explanation was," Binay said.

The senator expressed concern after the senate hearing on the construction of a resort in Chocolate Hills revealed that the DENR is not privy to some of the details in PAMB meetings because their representatives were absent.

"It is surprising to know that the PAMB conducted a hearing--which is chaired by the DENR Director--without an audio/video recording to validate the official minutes of the meeting," Binay said.

In the same hearing, it was revealed that the PAMB clearance for Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort was issued during the time of former DENR regional executive in Central Visayas Gilbert Gonzales, who is now an assistant secretary in the agency.

However, Gonzales said in the hearing that he was not present in the said PAMB meeting because he needed to attend a different event.

"The minutes/recordings are supposed to serve as accountability tools, and as reliable references should there be issues and misunderstandings in the future," Binay added. — Philippine Star News Service/FPL (FREEMAN)