Only barangay captain chaired PAMB that approved Chocolate Hills resort —DILG

Only a barangay captain served as a chairperson of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) when it issued a resolution allowing a resort in Chocolate Hills, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Thursday.

In a press conference during his visit to the Captain’s Peak Resort, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said that the chairman from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was not present during the proceedings.

“Noong nakita ko itong resolution na ginawa, kung hindi ako nagkakamali, wala yung chairman ng DENR. Ang nag-chair ay isang barangay captain. Kaya naipasa itong tungkol sa Captain’s Peak,” he said.

(When I saw a copy of the resolution, if I'm not mistaken, the DENR chairman was not present. The chairman was a barangay captain. So the application for Captain's Peak was passed.)

According to Abalos, the organizational structure of PAMB includes a head from DENR, a governor, three district representatives, 65 barangay captains, and other representatives from different agencies.

Due to this, Abalos said he will gather PAMB in the regions to “capacitate” them with the help of the DENR.

Meanwhile, Abalos said the DILG is now listing other protected areas in the country to check if illegal structures were also constructed in these areas.

The DILG created a task force to look into the possible accountability of local government officials in the construction of the Captain’s Peak Resort inside the protected area of Chocolate Hills.

The DENR said it ordered the resort's temporary closure in September 2023 and a Notice of Violation to the project proponent in January 2024 for operating without an environmental clearance certificate (ECC).

On March 13, the resort announced its temporary closure amid flak on social media and imminent government action regarding its operations.—RF, GMA Integrated News