If Mayor Conchita Toribio de los Reyes will have her way, Carmen will reclaim its status as Bohol’s premiere tourism destination. The mayor does not hide her obsession put Carmen where it belongs – the center of the tourism map in the province. “Bohol has always been known as the land of the Chocolate Hills. It still is and should always be,” she declared. The tourism sector, however, had plans of its own. Or to be more specific, each tourism sector had a plan of its own. The resort operators in Panglao put up developments that make the white beaches more attractive to dive enthusiasts and beach combers. Not to be outdone, the town of Loboc fine-tuned its river cruise package, spicing it up with slices of musical renditions along the way that make the day, and especially weekend night cruises worth the stop. Danao was also able to tap its natural resources into a multi-million revenue-generating tourist-based industry. Even the Tarsier Conservation Center in Corella, which was not really a tourism venture but an environmental effort pioneered by tourism guru Anos Fonacier, is getting a piece of the action.

While this was going on, Carmen continued to be a sought-after destination because of its natural come-on. Still, no one would miss the fact that while tourists check in at the resorts in Panglao and stay there for days, Carmen is more often good only for a whistle-stop. Aside from the gate and souvenir shops, the town was not able to maximize its irresistible come-on like the other towns. Mayor Che wants to do something about this. But before anything else, she had to clean her own backyard – literally. She tore down the decrepit buildings on the Chocolate Hills viewing deck without hesitation. In the process, she drew praises because the move opened up a panoramic view of the hills that had been obscured by the buildings. Mayor Che also cleared the viewing deck of the stores and shops that added to the congestion and made sure the buses, vans and cars proceed to the parking lot below as soon as their passengers have alighted. It takes steel resolve to implement these changes, and even more steel resolve to persevere in the face of the expected resistance from those who would be adversely affected by them. In due time, however, Mayor Che endeared herself to the people who matter in this regard, the tourists and visitors who go through a lot of inconveniences, not to mention, racking up their bills in the process, just to feast on the hills with their eyes. After all, it is the hills that they came all the way for, and spend so much for, to see. The shops, stalls and souvenirs are mere extensions after they have seen the hills. Mayor Che made sure that the brief stop at the viewing deck will have maximized results, meaning, they can see the hills from as many angles as possible with as little inconvenience and irritations that vendors and traders unwittingly impose on them in tourist spots such as this.

The mayor is also raising the battle cry to make Carmen the centerpiece of the Bohol tourism industry. She is raising a valid point. Long before the beaches of Panglao, the dive spots in Balicasag, the river cruise in Loboc and the extreme experience in Danao took shape, there was only the Chocolate hills. The mayor is not taking it the success of the other towns against them because that is a testament to their creativity. She, however, feels that Carmen must compete not only because of its God-given resources but because untapped potential is wastage. “We have a lot of work to do because it is not something that we demand. It is something that we earn for ourselves,” she pointed out. Carmen did not exactly fade when the other tourism spots shot forward. The town just was not aggressive enough. That was then. With Mayor Che on the driver’s seat, no one should be surprised if the (Chocolate Hills) will come alive.