Most locals appeal not to close Chocolate Hills resort – Dela Rosa

TOO CLOSE Guests at Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort
in Sagbayan, Bohol, get to see the world-famous Chocolate
Hills up close. —LEO UDTOHAN

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said majority of the Boholanos he’d talked to are in favor, and have in fact appealed, for the continued operation of the controversial resort within the protected Chocolate Hills.

In a phone patch interview on Wednesday, dela Rosa said he personally visited the controversial structure within Chocolate Hills now formally known as Captain’s Peak resort.

According to dela Rosa, he wasn’t able to talk to the owner of the resort, but he did gather the sentiments of all the Boholanos he met during his visit.

“Unanimous sila doon na nakiusap na: “Sir, baka pwedeng huwag na lang muna isara, ituloy na lang ‘yan dahil kami po ay hirap na hirap sa buhay. Dati kaming [miyembro ng] New People’s Army nag surrender kami para magtrabaho dito sa resort para kumita, tapos ngayon isara ‘yan, baka mamundok na naman kami nito. Wala kaming hanap buhay,” said the senator, quoting the Boholanos he met.

(They unanimously begged: “Sir, maybe we can just not close it, just continue with it because we are having a hard time in life. We used to be members of the NPA, we surrendered to work here at the resort to make money, but now it will be closed. Maybe it will make us go to the mountains again. We have nothing to earn money from.”)

“Parang mga ganoong linya ba. Mga ganoong linya. At saka not even one Boholano na tinanong ko [ang] against doon. Lahat — majority lahat ng natanong ko — I’ve consulted everytime na tayo ay makaharap ako ng tao doon [at] talagang sila ay lahat pabor na pabor na ipagpatuloy ang operation ng Captain’s Peak,” he emphasized.

(Those kinds of lines. And then not even one Boholano that I asked opposed that. Everyone — the majority of those I’ve asked — I’ve consulted every time I meet people there [and] they’re really all in favor of continuing the operation of Captain’s Peak.)

For his part, dela Rosa said his stand on the issue is that the government should come up with a policy to have both sides compromise.

“Dapat ma preserve itong mga dapat i-preserve at the same time matulungan din itong mga taong nangangailangan ng hanapbuhay,” he said.

READ: Probe sought on resort amid Chocolate Hills

(What was needed to be preserved should be preserved and at the same time these people who need a job should be helped.)

Following his assessment of the structure, dela Rosa said he does not see Captain’s Peak as a “high end resort” that “can be a source of corruption.”