THE recent crisis over the Chocolate Hills National Monument (CHNM) in Bohol was a dramatic collision between national environmental protection and local economic survival. A planned government crackdown to close nearly 500 small and micro-businesses operating near the protected area was abruptly suspended following a massive public outcry and local political intervention.
The crisis vs the law
On Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), acting at the request of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), was set to shut down businesses in towns like Batuan, Bilar, Carmen, and Sagbayan. The businesses were targeted for operating without Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs) within zones protected by the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-Nipas) Act of 2018.
This strict enforcement was prompted by the 2023 controversy involving Captain’s Peak Garden and Resort, which drew national attention for building within the protected zone.
However, local business owners, some operating for decades, quickly mobilized, arguing that the law was being applied unfairly. Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado intervened, instructing the DENR and DOJ to halt the closures for legal review. The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) also expressed reservations about the move’s legality and fairness against long-established enterprises.
The ECC conflict
The core issue is the cost and complexity of the ECC process. While essential for preventing environmental damage, business owners like Albert Tumanda argued the process is “too technical and expensive.”
Obtaining an ECC can reportedly cost a small business owner up to P150,000, a burden small shops like sari-sari and vulcanizing stores cannot afford. This has led to the strong sentiment that the E-NIPAS Act, in its current enforcement, is “anti-poor” and insensitive to the economic realities of rural communities.
The clash of interests, policy change
The controversy pits two legitimate interests against each other:
1. The Government’s Mandate (DENR/NBI-DOJ): To uphold the national E-NIPAS Act and protect a key national geological monument from unregulated commercial damage.
2. The Local Community’s Right to Livelihood (Business Owners/PAMB): To support established, livelihood-based micro-enterprises whose threat profile is far different from massive development projects.
The immediate outcome is a policy shift. Instead of moving straight to penalties, DENR officials have expressed openness to helping small establishments comply with ECC requirements.
This local victory will likely lead to national policy reverberations. Bohol Third District Representative Kristine Alexie Besas Tutor is reportedly preparing amendments to the E-Nipas Act to clarify enforcement rules and provide safeguards for livelihood-based businesses operating near protected areas. The debate has successfully forced a conversation on how to balance environmental protection with the necessary support for rural micro-enterprises. / EHP