DAVAO CITY — After the much-publicized bruhaha involving the illegal structures in Chocolate Hills, Environment Secretary ordered demolition of all illegal structures but sets no timeline.
On Friday Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said Chocolate Hills has been declared protected area and it means all illegal structures built must be removed.
The Secretary issued the statement following her aerial inspection she conducted with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos.
The issue about the illegal structures in Chocolate Hills cropped up after a Vlogger posted the video showing the structures of Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort, as gone viral on social media and received negative comments from netizens, they discovered similar structures illegally built within the protected area.
The Secretary revealed that they saw similar structures aside from Captain’s Peak, they found Sagbayan peak-which demolished the peak of a Chocolate Hill to put a build a concrete structure on top, and the investigation in ongoing.
When asked if DENR will demolish the structures, Loyzaga said “Sa palagay ko, sa nakita ko, yes po, kailangan, ito yung ginagawa namin ngayon, ang tawag namin ay mitigation approach sa mga gawaing ganito.”
She said the situation must be mitigated and avoid the disturbance.
Loyzaga said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is in close coordination with Abalos and with Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco on measures to be done to keep the area protected.
In a joint statement issued by the DENR, DILG, and DOT signed by Loyzaga, Abalos, and Frasco, the three officials said the recent issue in Bohol underscored the importance of responsible development in protected areas.
It said harnessing the economic benefits of the country’s natural resources must be done responsibly and the integrity of these protected areas for future generations must always be maintained.
“The preservation of our natural heritage is paramount,” the statement read.
Proclamation No. 1037 issued by the late President Fidel V. Ramos on July 1, 1997, declared the Chocolate Hills as a protected area.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also declared Chocolate Hills as a world heritage site.
These hills, located in the towns of Carmen, Batuan, and Sagbayan in Bohol, consist of 1,776 mounds of the same general shape, which, according to Loyzaga, should not be defaced.-with a report from PNA
