Suspended Batuan Mayor Atty. Antonino Jumawid has expressed frustration over the mandatory Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) requirement, which has led to the suspension of several local projects.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) mandates ECCs for almost all of Batuan, as the town is largely considered a protected area.
The ECC requirement has become a contentious issue in Batuan, especially after the controversy surrounding Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort in Sagbayan town. This incident has prompted the DENR to adopt a stricter stance on issuing ECCs.
As a result, numerous projects in Batuan have been put on hold pending ECC approval.
The expanded National Integrated Protected Area System (E-NIPAS) law designates the Chocolate Hills as a protected area, leading to Batuan’s classification as a protected zone due to the presence of some Chocolate Hills within its boundaries.
Mayor Jumawid highlighted that the ECC requirement has adversely affected small entrepreneurs and led to the withdrawal of some government projects.
Reports indicate that several Batuan residents have been fined between PHP 5,000 and PHP 50,000 by the DENR for non-compliance.
Jumawid has called on lawmakers to amend the law and urged the DENR to adopt a more lenient approach in issuing ECCs.
He argued that it is unreasonable to classify the entire town as a protected area, given the significant impact on local development and livelihoods.
Suspended Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle “Aris” Aumentado played a crucial role in the legislative process that led to the designation of the Chocolate Hills as a protected area under the expanded National Integrated Protected Area System (E-NIPAS) law.
Serving as a member of the House of Representatives for Bohol’s 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2022, Aumentado was instrumental in advocating for the preservation of this unique geological formation.
His efforts were driven by a commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development, ensuring that the Chocolate Hills, a significant natural and cultural landmark, received the necessary legal protection to prevent exploitation and degradation.
But reports said it looks like Aumentado did not know the nature of the law he was pushing in Congress, as revealed during a Senate Hearing in which he was chided by Senator Cynthia Villar for his ignorance of the law.