Opening Statement of Sen.Cynthia Villar during the hearing on the Exploitation of Chocolate Hills Natural Monument and other Protected Areas

Defacement or Exploitation of the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument and other Protected Areas (such as the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape, Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape, and the Mount Apo Natural Park)

Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Joint with the
Committee on Local Government
3 April 2024 (Wednesday), 10:00 a.m.
Sen. Pecson Room, 2/F Right Wing, Senate

Isang maka-kalikasang umaga sa inyong lahat.

The committee's hearing today is prompted by the public uproar over the viral image of resort facilities, including cottages, slides, and what appears to be an Olympic-sized swimming pool, built at the foot of three of our cherished Chocolate Hills in Bohol Province. Indeed, 'The picture says it all.' It exposes the stark defacement and desecration of our national treasure. The conclusion was immediate and clear. After all, the approximately 1,776 unique conical mounds that comprise the Chocolate Hills are not merely a tourist attraction; they stand as a UNESCO-recognized Natural Monument since 1988, form part of the Philippines' first Global Geopark as designated by UNESCO in 2023, and are collectively considered protected area under the Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018.

In quick response, Senators Binay, Villanueva, Legarda, and myself have each filed resolutions that reflect a shared urgency to address the issue:

Senate Resolution No. 967, filed by Sen. Binay, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tourism, calls for an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the reported construction of structures within the vicinity of the Chocolate Hills by Captain's Peak Garden and Resort in Sagbayan, Bohol and by Bud-Agta Resort in Carmen, Bohol, with the end goal of preserving Chocolate Hills as a protected area and its status as a major tourist attraction.

Resolution No. 970, filed by Senator Joel Villanueva, also seeks an inquiry on the construction of tourist resorts in close proximity to the Chocolate Hills. It mentions that the Expanded NIPAS Act prohibits defacing, or damaging any natural formation, or scenic value within protected areas; it also raises a question on the PAMB policy of allowing the use or development of 20% of the land mass of a hill. Hence, this resolution seeks to scrutinize the implementation of applicable laws, rules, and regulations governing protected areas, with a view of identifying gaps, if any, and introducing remedial legislations, if appropriate, to protect Chocolate Hills and other protected areas, as well as hold officials accountable for approval of questionable projects.

Resolution No. 973, filed by Senate President Pro-Tempore Legarda, emphasizes the need to review the existing policies, procedures, and standards to ensure the conservation and protection of protected areas, in light of the approval by the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument's PAMB of the construction of resort structures of Captain's Peak in 2018 and the issuance of business permit by the local government about a year after, despite the absence of an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

Resolution No. 976, which I filed, broadens the inquiry into 'the management practices, the presence of tenurial agreements, and the protection mechanisms or the lack thereof accorded to the country's protected areas.' This is in response to distressing reports of exploitation or defacement not only of the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument but also of other protected areas, such as the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape in Rizal, the Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape in Surigao Del Norte, and the Mount Apo Natural Park in North Cotabato, Davao Del Sur, and Davao City, to name just a few. To my mind, while the Philippine government has established a robust framework of policies, laws, and regulations for the protection of our protected areas, there appears to be a deficiency in their implementation. Therefore, there is a need for greater efforts from those responsible to protect them, as well as from all of us Filipinos, to safeguard our protected areas.

Complementing the above-mentioned four (4) resolutions is the Privilege Speech delivered by Senator Tulfo on March 18. He raised concerns about the presence of illegal structures, the conduct of illegal activities at Mt. Apo (which is a protected area under RA 9237), and the inadequate action by Mt. Apo's Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), even though there is an existing directive from President Bongbong Marcos to preserve Mt. Apo as it vies for inclusion in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites. He articulated that "turuan ang kalakaran pagdating sa ating pangangalaga ng kalikasan", lamenting the culture of passing blame among government entities responsible for environmental protection, including the DENR, local government units, and PAMBs, highlighting the lack of accountability and effective action.

But the controversies surrounding the four mentioned protected areas may just constitute the tip of an iceberg. We have yet to uncover the full extent of the challenges facing our protected areas. Consider this: the Philippines has a total of 248 protected areas—114 are formally legislated, 121 are initial components of the NIPAS System, and 13 are established through presidential proclamations. It would not be far-fetched to believe that many of our other protected areas also face problems threatening their sustainability.

This inquiry could be an eye-opener, leading us to take definitive actions in the right direction for the conservation of our protected areas. Taking action now is essential, and this may well start with conducting a thorough survey, inventory, and recording of every structure in all our protected areas, alongside reviewing the documents and instruments that govern them, to identify and rectify any inconsistencies with their intended protection.

Thank you.