Bishop urges conservation amid Chocolate Hills furor

Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort in Sagbayan, Bohol, shown in this August 2023 photo, has trended on social media after netizens called out the government and its owners for allowing its construction and operation within the Chocolate Hills, a protected landscape. —LEO UDTOHAN

MANILA, Philippines—The Catholic bishop of Bohol called on the public to preserve national treasures amid an outcry over the construction and operation of a resort in the middle of the picturesque Chocolate Hills’ protected area.

In a statement, Bishop Alberto Uy of Tagbilaran stressed the need to “recognize and cherish” Bohol’s natural wonders, specifically its Chocolate Hills and beaches.

“We should strive to appreciate and preserve these treasures that make our province truly special,” Uy said in a Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) statement on Thursday.

READ: Bohol gov wants truth in Chocolate Hills dev’t

He then urged the faithful to take proactive steps in safeguarding the environment through conservation efforts, sustainable practices, or advocating for policies that prioritize environmental protection.

“Together, we can make a meaningful impact and ensure a harmonious coexistence with nature,” Uy said.

This all developed after Captain’s Peak Resort, tucked inside the Chocolate Hills protected area, went viral on social media.

It quickly became the center of public uproar on social media, with netizens pointing out why and how such an establishment was built in the heart of a protected area.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources then revealed that it had already issued a temporary closure order against the establishment on September 2, 2023, and a notice of violation on January 22, 2024, for operating without an environmental compliance certificate.

Eventually, public outrage and government action prompted the resort to halt operations temporarily, as announced on its official Facebook page.

READ: Chocolate Hills resort ‘temporarily closed until further notice’

Both chambers of Congress have also sought an inquiry into the resort’s construction.