By PR | 04:25 PM October 21, 2026
TAGBILARAN CITY — The Bohol provincial government and the Municipality of Carmen are discussing measures to protect the iconic Chocolate Hills while sustaining tourism, including concerns over trees obstructing visitors’ views and the proposed sharing of entrance fee revenues.
Gov. Aris Aumentado led a meeting with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-PENRO) and the Carmen municipal government at the Governor’s Office on Wednesday, October 21, to discuss the management and protection of the protected landscape.
Carmen Mayor Conchita “Che” Toribio-Delos Reyes raised complaints from tourists that growing trees were obstructing views of the hills. She proposed trimming or pruning selected trees, subject to the consent of property owners and applicable environmental regulations.
The mayor also expressed willingness to plant replacement trees, stressing that the municipality wanted to protect the Chocolate Hills rather than harm the environment.
Toribio-Delos Reyes said the municipal government had also consulted researchers from the University of the Philippines Los Baños regarding the issue.
DENR-PENRO Bohol head Forester Wilson Henson recommended reviewing the protected area assessment to determine the appropriate long-term management measures.
A public consultation scheduled for October 22 is expected to help identify which hills could be designated for ecotourism and determine how these could be maintained sustainably. Findings from the assessment and related studies would guide future decisions.
Henson said selected hills could undergo regular maintenance under appropriate guidelines once their designation had been determined.
The meeting also tackled concerns over entrance fee collection and the proposed sharing of revenues generated from the tourism attraction.
Aumentado addressed DENR-PENRO’s concerns regarding the collection of entrance fees and the proposed revenue-sharing arrangement, emphasizing the investments made by both the provincial and municipal governments in managing and developing the attraction.
Henson explained that the proposed share from entrance fees would help fund the operations of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), including efforts to maintain the protected area for ecotourism.
The discussions aim to balance environmental conservation, tourism development and the interests of local governments involved in managing one of Bohol’s most recognized natural attractions.
