Who Have the Rights to Reclaim the Camp John Hay?

                It seems that the Bases Conservation Development Authority (BCDA) and John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) don’t want to make a dialogue with the local government of Baguio City. This was after the two agencies snubbed the requested meeting of the city council to talk about the problem in Camp John Hay. The local government wanted to reclaim the camp after the Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo) will turnover it to the government.

                It is very obvious that the BCDA and JHMC are still tough with their position. They believed that local of government of Baguio can’t interfere with the issue in Camp John Hay. As I have learned, this was the ninth time that two agencies snubbed to the invitation of the city council. The city council emphasized that they have the rights to reclaim the camp. For them, Camp John Hay belongs to the local government and to the people of Baguio as well. The BCDA have a contract with the CJHDevCo and not with them. It means that all the improvements including lands should be return to the local government of Baguio.

                Mayor Domogon reminds the two agencies about their 19 conditions or known as Resolution Numbered 362, Series of 1994 that they had signed. From this resolution, it states about the segregation of the 13 barangays and their shares to the payment rental in Camp John Hay. Plus the provision of its own water source. These issues should be cleared before the developer leaves the camp. If not, for sure, the BCDA will just ignore the rights of the local government of Baguio. The BCDA has a debt with them; they are not still receiving their share from rental payment. The Baguio City is the great loser to the wrong decisions of BCDA that’s why they want to reclaim the camp. The local government is aware that they will not get benefits if they let the BCDA to manage it.

                Of course, BCDA President Arnel Casanova and the JHMC have personal interest to the camp. So, why they should cooperate with the local government of Baguio? Casanova is very tough with his belief that the agency has the sole rights to manage the camp. Maybe this issue will only be solved in a court battle. Don’t expect that the BCDA and JHMC would surrender easily about their position in Camp John Hay.