‘Changing the game’ in Camp John Hay

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY – The once peaceful Camp John Hay here, when it was still under the Americans is a thing of the past. Beneath its now urbanized beauty lurks dark issues that need to be unearthed. Over the years, things could have been ironed out between stakeholders after the Americans left. But then, issues over the prime tourist destination are still food for the fodder for news-hungry outfits.    

Lately, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan hit the state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority for reportedly “changing the rules at the middle of the game” in relation to segregation of 13 barangays within the 686-hectare CJH reservation. Yes, there are villages in the former American military rest and recreation camp.

A report by Dexter See of the city mayor’s office said the BCDA is requiring residents in Barangay Hillside to pay a minimum of P3,000 per square meter of their occupied areas before their lands could be segregated from the reservation.

According to Domogan, this was in gross violation of Resolution No. 362, series of 1994 which contained 19 conditions imposed by the city government for development of the 247-hectare John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) into a world-class tourism facility.

“Condition No. 14 clearly mandates BCDA to segregate the 14 barangays within the John Hay reservation and compelling residents to pay for the lands they are now occupying is a violation of the said condition,” Domogan said.

The contention of BCDA to segregate only build-up areas in affected barangays while open spaces will remain with the corporation, he added,  is again a violation of the condition.

“This is so,” Domogan said, “because it defeats the purpose of segregating barangays from reservations so open spaces will be reserved for public use and not to be sold to private individuals.”

Another issue raised by the mayor against ongoing segregation process of BCDA was the alleged plan of the corporation to segregate one barangay every year. This, he said,  would mean introduction of 13 amendments to the existing John Hay proclamation as a watershed reservation.

“I do not think the Office of the President will allow piecemeal amendments to the John Hay proclamation because it will be a waste of time, effort and resources,” Domogan said.

The mayor said previous issues on segregation of the 13 barangays within John Hay were already resolved and decided upon by previous members of the BCDA board of directors.

“I am wondering why the current BCDA Board continues to resurrect resolved issues and even muddle them thereby causing confusion among local officials and even residents who are supposed to benefit from the segregation process.

Aside from Scout Barrio which initially underwent segregation process, other city barangays up for segregation include Camp 7, Camp 8, Military Cut-off, Greenwater Village, Hillside, Upper Dagsian, Lower Dagsian, Loakan Proper, Loakan Apugan, Loakan Liwanag, Country Club Village and Happy Hallow.

“The segregation issue has been pending over the past 19 years and failure of BCDA to fulfill its commitment under 19 conditions imposed by the city government for the John Hay development is depriving residents in 13 barangays to have their own proof of ownership over their properties that were established since time immemorial.”

He said if the BCDA insists on requiring beneficiaries of the segregation process to pay for their lands, Domogan said the city government will be constrained to file a case against the State-owned corporation for specific performance of their responsibilities enshrined in the 19 conditions for development of Camp John Hay.

To date, the BCDA has not yet answered Domogan’s statements on the matter. This space is open for a statement from the BCDA on the issues raised by the mayor if they want.

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