What Should Be Done to Captains Peak Resort at Chocolate Hills Bohol?

David D'Angelo March 14, 2024

Captains Peak Resort in Bohol has earned the ire of netizens as it was situated within the area of Chocolate Hills in Bohol. How come that a resort like this was able to be constructed and was able to operate without the knowledge of the LGU or even the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The DENR then said that it had already issues a closure order for the resort last 2023, and was closely monitoring the resort but if we will do our research properly, and check their operation did actually stopped just today, March 14, 2024.

What Should Be Done to Captains Peak Resort at Chocolate Hills Bohol?
screen grab from Ren The Adventurer 


Why should the resort not be allowed?


The Chocolate Hills, according to UNESCO, it has been declared the country's 3rd National Geological Monument on June 18, 1988 in recognition of its scientific value and geomorphic uniqueness.  The hills are located throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan and consist of about 1,776 mounds of the same general shape which attracts local and international tourists because of its magnificence. But, a commercial structure was built right at the foot of the hill (at the town of Sagbayan). 

As a protected area, construction, and development like this is strictly prohibited.  Any infrastructure which can harm the biodiversity or the integrity of a protected area is supposed to be prohibited.

According to an interview by ABS-CBN to a certain Juliet Sablas, the alleged sister of the owner of Captains Peak they were allowed to operate even without an ECC.



What should be done?


In my opinion this is a gross violation of the law and someone should be held liable for the construction and operation of the resort.

  1. The owner of the resort should be questioned thoroughly, and he should be penalized, and given appropriate sanctions.
  2. The resort should be totally demolished and the area should be rehabilitated.
  3. Investigate the local DENR and the LGU especially the provincial government who seem to have conducted the Provincial Meet at the resort (or as it a DepED activity?)


The next step would be to learn a lesson from all of this neglect of nature, and the environment.  We need to really fully implement all our environmental laws including protection on various areas, the Renewable Energy Act, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and more.  We have the best laws in the world but our laws are not really implemented fully.

We should also pass necessary laws in order to fully secure nature including but not limited to:

  1. Rights of Nature Act
  2. Alternative Minerals Management Act
  3. Environmental Enforcement and Protection Bureau
  4. National Lads Use Policy/Code

It is good that this resort has gone viral, well, anyway that is their intention to get people to visit them but what they forgot is they are operating on an area in which they should not be operating in the first place.


The series of pointing fingers had already began, blaming each other for a violation of the law.  This should not even be happening because if something like this slipped on your watch, it means you are not fulfilling your duties and responsibilities well, so you should resign and be liable for neglect of duty.

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