The move of the provincial government to take over the management of the Chocolate Hills complex gained grounds even as lawmakers of the province and the Carmen municipal government discussed on the 1993 memorandum of agreement (MOA) with some proposed amendments.

POOR MAINTENANCE. Even the railing at the winding road of the Chocolate Hills Complex could not be properly maintained by the Carmen-LGU. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, lawyer Alexander Lim, counsel of the Carmen municipal government informed Gov. Erico Aumentado that the Carmen-LGU is amenable to the takeover move of the provincial government as long as the same revenues will be received by the LGU. Provincial Senior Board Member Dionisio Balite who is the acting vice governor presided over the joint meeting last week of the provincial and Carmen officials at the Capitol pre-session conference room.

The meeting attempted to deliberate the merits and demerits of a new proposed MOA submitted by the Carmen - LGU which includes the proposed 50-50 revenue sharing, instead of the 70-30 sharing in favor of the Carmen LGU.

However, the discussion on MOA was overshadowed by the discussion on ownership of the complex which was constructed during the term of the late Gov. Lino I. Chatto and then Prov'l Archt. Venerando Dumadag with the late Chronicle editor-publisher as the project chairman.

The MOA signed by then Carmen Mayor Alfredo Galang and then Gov. David Tirol on August 30, 1993 provided an interim management of the complex by Carmen-LGU mandated to operate only for a year. However, the provincial government failed to enact legislation to sustain and legally support the Carmen-LGU's status to manage the complex.

The complex has two hostels, a restaurant, swimming pool, tennis court, and viewing deck.

Prov'l Kagawad Felix Uy and Prov'l Kagawad Brigido Imboy both opined that the issue on the ownership has to be resolved first while scheduling another meeting of both lawmaking bodies.

Carmen Vice Mayor Josil Trabajo, who represented Mayor Pedro Budiongan, claimed during the meeting that Carmen-LGU is in possession of documents to prove its ownership of a part of the complex.

Provincial Board Member Corazon Galbreath, chair of the SP committee on tourism, said the issue on ownership can be discussed in another meeting as the main concern is the urgency to find concrete solution to improve the services at the Chocolate Hills complex which is entirely under the management of Carmen-LGU.

The proposed takeover of the complex by the provincial government is scheduled for further discussion by the provincial SP due to the clamored improvement of management of the complex which is far below of what is expected from a world renowned destination.

Being the "signature destination" of Bohol, the complex deserves a world-class service especially that 95 percent of the tourists coming to the province would visit the Chocolate Hills.

"The various complaints regarding the condition at the Choco complex would easily damage the image of Bohol as a prime tourist destination," stressed Peter Dejaresco, chair of the Provincial Tourism Council (PTC).

The mounting complaints on poor management at the complex triggered the PTC to pass a resolution asking the provincial government to venture on the possibilities of privatizing the complex and its management.

However, with the recent move of the provincial government to take over its management, the PTC is supporting such stand of the provincial governance with the concern of improving services.

Complaints vary from foul odor from the rest rooms to lack of quality foods at the restaurant and poor sanitation in the area, including damaged roads and railing.

Recently, the vehicular congestion at the roadway along the hillside has caused several near- traffic accidents due to lack of traffic management.

CARMEN OKs TAKOVER

The Carmen LGU will agree to the proposed takeover of the provincial government on condition that the municipal government will be assured of the same revenues from the complex operation.

Gov. Aumentado issued the statement quoting Carmen-LGU counsel Lim when they met at the chapel of Camp Dagohoy after attending a Sunday mass a week ago.

The governor said Lim verbally relayed to him the stand of the Carmen-LGU amid the move for the provincial government to take over the complex management in order to address the complaints from visiting tourists.