Philippines’ Chocolate Hills closure spotlights unclear guidelines for eco-tourism projects
- Amid unclear guidelines on the protection of natural attractions in the country, activists fear more developers could gain approval to access protected sites
- Unclear guidelines on protecting the country’s national treasures have long dogged eco-tourism projects
Outraged Filipino netizens have temporarily shut down a resort in the world-famous Chocolate Hills region on the central Philippine island of Bohol, even as more of such establishments are being approved to be built within the protected area.
The latest saga marked what critics see as unclear guidelines on the protection of natural attractions in the country, as well as seemingly misaligned government grants for eco-tourism projects. Activists also fear more developers could gain approval to access protected sites.
Netizens became furious at Captain’s Peak Resort after a video of its swimming pool, boat-shaped building, cottages and stairways carved on hillsides went viral online.
In the dry season, the grass-covered hills turn chocolate brown, accounting for its name Chocolate Hills.
Unesco, which has placed the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument on its tentative list of World Heritage sites, noted that the formations ranging from 100 to 500 metres above sea level were similar to those found in Java, Indonesia but “more aesthetically extensive”.