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Bohol Island Geopark one year after: controversies amid conservation

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Annie Perez

<div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1717998283322Screenshot 2024-06-10 at 1.44.24 PM.png" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Internews EJN</em></span></span></span><span></span><span>It is over a year already since the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared the Province of Bohol <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/24/23/bohol-island-is-philippines-first-unesco-global-geopark">as a global geopark. </a></span><span></span><br/></div><div><span></span><span>This means that the province is identified as a &quot;single, unified geographical area where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed.&quot; </span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>This classification announced on May 24, 2023, was a huge feat for the province.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>&quot;It was 10 years in the making. We finally got the designation,&quot; said Bohol Provincial Environment and Management Officer Tata Ganub. </span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>&quot;The title is a strategy towards sustainable development,&quot; added resident geologist Karl Berrir Din, who spearheads programs for the geopark.</span></div><div><span><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/24/23/bohol-island-is-philippines-first-unesco-global-geopark" id="isPasted">READ: Bohol Island is Philippines&#x27; first UNESCO Global Geopark</a></span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>However, its officials were marred by a controversy involving one of their popular tourist destinations — <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/13/viral-chocolate-hills-resort-ordered-closed-due-to-violation-denr-1512">The Chocolate Hills. </a></span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>The Chocolate Hills is a geological formation of hills that are chocolate-like in color. Over 1,700 hills are spread throughout the towns of Carmen, Sagbayan, Batuan, Bilar, Sierra Bullones, and Valencia. </span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>According to Din, the hills are limestone sedimentary formations formed 2 to 5 million years ago. Over time, the formations were raised above the sea level and fractured. Weather conditions dissolved the limestone, forming the present landscape of what is known as the cone karst.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>The National Committee on Geological Sciences hailed the Chocolate Hills as a National Geological Monument in 1988 and is a protected area covered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It is also a national monument. </span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>But drone video flown by a vlogger this year exposed a resort nestled in the middle of this monument with structures defacing parts of the hills.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>The resort was closed since the controversy broke out. Probes and inquiries were done by different agencies including the senate. </span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>The Ombudsman also placed 69 officials under preventive suspension for six months, including Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado, mayors, barangay chairpersons, among others.</span></div><div><span><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/13/viral-chocolate-hills-resort-ordered-closed-due-to-violation-denr-1512" id="isPasted">READ: Viral Chocolate Hills resort ordered closed due to violation: DENR</a></span></div><div><span></span><span><strong></strong></span></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3055294"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><div><span><strong>PROTECTING THE MONUMENT</strong></span></div><div><span></span><span>Regular viewing of the chocolate hills at a deck in Carmen town has resumed to normal. Stricter measures are also in place to ensure a smooth movement of tourists going up the 200-step flight of stairs.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>The provincial government is calling on its congressional representatives to implement amendments to the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018 or Republic Act 11038. </span></div><div><span>This law specifies the constitution of the Protected Area Management Board, which is tasked to look over protected areas.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>&quot;It has been a learning lesson for local officials. Ignorance of the law excuses no one,&quot; said Anthony Damalerio, head of the Bohol Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>Newly elected barangay officials are also being educated on how to properly protect the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument while titled lots within the area are being reviewed.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>&quot;Dako kaayo og (It is a big) role, ang LGU in the barangay level. They screen the type of investments that are coming in,&quot; said Joanne Pinat, designate of the Bohol Provincial Tourism Office.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>They are also fast-tracking the creation of a provincial review and development committee, which ideally is another layer of approval before any structure could be erected within the Chocolate Hills. </span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>This is especially true for large-scale investments that may have a huge environmental impact.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>&quot;This is part of our tourism code,&quot; added Pinat. </span></div><div><span>It has yet to be passed by the provincial board as an ordinance.</span></div><div><br/></div><div><span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qTkIuCJv1UE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span> <br/></span></div><div><span><strong>AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE</strong></span></div><div><span><br/></span></div><div><span>The entire geopark is also affected by the extreme heat in the past months. It is also one of the provinces that declared a state of calamity. </span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>Based on their data, 14,000 farmers are affected from 36 towns. Cloud seeding operations will soon commence with over 50 flying hours to specific towns in the province.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>A budget of P500 million from the agricultural promotion center was earmarked specifically for this.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>“We’re rushing this,” said Damalerio.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>The sea level rise is also affecting small islands in the province such as Batasan Island in Tubigon and Matatao Island in Calape. </span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>Both islands are showing signs of submersion and r</span><span>elocation efforts are slowly being done.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>&quot;Funds are allocated for livelihood and procurement of relocation sites,&quot; Damalerio said.</span></div><div><span><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/6/5/former-whale-shark-hunters-now-work-to-protect-pamilacan-island-and-its-marine-life-905" id="isPasted">RELATED: Former whale shark hunters now work to protect Pamilacan Island and its marine life</a></span></div><div><span></span><span><strong>BUSINESS AS USUAL</strong></span></div><div><span></span><span>Officials said they were not affected by public scrutiny in the face of controversies.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>“The message is clear: Bohol is not affected,” Damalerio said.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>Their operations are business as usual, and planning for programs and events within the year continues. </span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>They are now under the leadership of acting governor Dionesio Balite and acting vice governor Tita Baja.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>“We will still hit the 1 million mark arrival [of tourists] by December. Local and foreign tourists are still coming to Bohol,” Damalerio said.</span><span><br/></span></div><div><span>Officials said they would do anything in their capacity to retain the UNESCO title — one that they have worked hard to achieve.</span></div><div><br/></div><div><span><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></span></div><div><br/></div><div><span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xNxxt_Gm0Oc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></span><br/></div>

<p>It is over a year already since UNESCO declared the Province of Bohol <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/24/23/bohol-island-is-philippines-first-unesco-global-geopark">as a global geopark. </a>However, its officials were marred by a controversy involving one of their popular tourist destinations — The Chocolate Hills. </p>

It is over a year already since UNESCO declared the Province of Bohol as a global geopark. However, its officials were marred by a controversy involving one of their popular tourist destinations — The Chocolate Hills.