John Hay Golf management answers ex-Rep. Domogan’s allegations on CJH golf tiff

Behind the Scenes

Alfred P. Dizon

(Here is the unedited statement of the Bases Conversion Development Authority sent to the Northern Philippine Times on the banning of former Baguio mayor and congressman Mauricio from playing in the Camp John Hay golf course among other controversial matters in the former American rest and recreation camp):  

Ever since Atty. Mauricio Domogan was publicly banned from the Camp John Hay golf estate facilities, he has gone above and beyond to discredit the current management for withholding the privileges he had enjoyed during the term of the previous management.

He has gone public with pronouncements decrying the treatment of club members and fueling accusations that the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and their private partners laid off workers at the properties upon the transition.

These pronouncements are categorically false. In fact, all collateral damage in the management transition at the Camp John Hay golf estate facilities are easily traced to efforts of Camp John Hay Golf Club Inc., the previous management and a subsidiary of Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJH DevCo), to resist the enforcement of the Supreme Court ruling and sabotage the interim management team, composed of Golfplus Management Inc. and DuckWorld PH (hereinafter, “John Hay Golf” or “JHG team”). Management Transition Recap and Overview A security exercise was scheduled for January 6, 2025, at 8:00 AM, in Camp John Hay.

During this period, the Baguio sheriff served the Notice to Vacate at the Golf Club and escorted previous General Manager Jude Eustaquio off the premises, officially marking the formal takeover date and the transition to the new management. Immediately following the service of the Notice, the interim management team issued a notice to all staff requesting their attendance to a General Assembly. The GA commenced at 2:00 PM at the clubhouse function hall on the same day.

It was led by JHMC PCEO Marlo Quadra and Interim Management Head Eduardo P. Arguelles (EPA). Representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Mr. Gil M. Datayan Jr. (Senior Labor and Employment Ofcer) and Mr. Henry B. Matalo (Labor Employment Ofcer), as well as Interim General Manager VP Mark Torres of the BCDA also attended the meeting.

The GA focused on the context of the takeover, discussed by PCEO Quadra; the introduction of the management team, discussed by EPA; and staff concerns relating to job security, separation benets, and recruitment. The interim management team was very clear in inviting all workers to join the new management to ensure continuity of operations.

They even offered to absorb agency workers as direct hires. However, the following soon came to light: 1. The staff were told by the Former Golf Club Management/CJH DevCo that they would not get their separation benets if they signed with the new management.

This included staff who had been in service for 15-25 years.  

They were also told that they were already set to be paid until the end of January, and so taking on any work, even as emergency workers, would be considered as dual employment. The DOLE representatives upheld this analysis during the meeting.

A second GA was conducted with caddies at 4:30 PM. They welcomed the forum and were excited at the prospects discussed on forming a cooperative and codifying guidelines and protocols to protect caddies in service. Reports of unfair treatment of caddies under the previous management also came to light during this meeting.

Effectively, the Former Golf Club Management/CJH DevCo has held hostage the very workforce they claim to be protecting. Otherwise, the JHG management team continues to keep its doors open for employees of the Golf Club. Saints or Saboteurs Apart from this strategy, the Former Golf Club Management/CJH DevCo has been uniquely recalcitrant and uncooperative in other aspects of golf course operations, seeking opportunities to discredit the BCDA and the new management.  

Despite goodwill efforts on the part of the JHG team to negotiate leasing or buying all movable assets of the Former Golf Club Management/CJH DevCo to facilitate a smooth transition and avoid inconveniencing clients of the golf estate, the Former Golf Club Management/CJH DevCo has gone about removing all their movable properties from the estate, including tables, chairs, desks, golf carts, supplies, appliances, fixtures, etc.

The intention to disrupt operations is clear, because they have even tried to pull out basic facilities. The day after the January 6 takeover, on January 7, 2025, the Former Golf Club Management/CJH DevCo attempted to shut off the water pumps at the estate, supposedly to avoid incurring any of the electrical expenses post-takeover.

The water supply was cut from the property for several hours, which was a clear sign of animosity toward the new management and was paramount to a threat to the health of the course itself, which has very specic irrigation needs.

It was the JHG team that sought the good will of the engineers to switch on the water pumps again. The Former Golf Club Management/CJH DevCo has also threatened to remove transformers and electrical cables in the following days, forcing the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) and the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) to intervene and ensure no power disruptions.

Refusal to cooperate. The Former Golf Club Management/CJH DevCo has declined to turn over any helpful information to the JHG management to facilitate a smooth transition. The JHG management has had to commence operations without clear information on memberships, surviving contracts, upcoming events, organizational nances, or information systems.

Even the insurance policy for Golf Club members needed to be investigated because of conflicting and inconsistent reports. Contrary to their declarations that they are protecting the rights of their members, their resistance to upholding the Supreme Court ruling, which effectively rescinded all contracts contingent on the breached 1996 Agreement between the BCDA and CJH DevCo, has made them the rst to violate the values they claim to protect.

3. Deliberate Disruptions. There has even been a case in which staff of the Former Golf Club Management/CJH DevCo confirmed tee times with a member without informing the JHG management, resulting in irate and disgruntled clients at the front desk.

On January 11, 2025, Domogan himself verbally abused staff of the new management group at the front desk, insisting that he should be allowed to play at 6:30AM when he had not made tee time reservations.

He refused the next open schedule offered by the staff for 7:00AM and insisted on special accommodations at his desired time of 6:30PM. The clear expectation of special treatment was rejected by the new management’s commitment to published guidelines and protocols.

In the following days, Domogan would be formally banned from the course through a formal directive by the BCDA.

On the part of the JHG interim management team, in recognition of the Golf Club members’ active patronage of the course, they have allowed members to retain and continue enjoying some of their privileges, even while balancing the interests of the general public now that John Hay Golf is a public course.

    The new management team shares the excitement of the general public in opening access to the golf estate facilities at Camp John Hay, and welcomes all manners of cooperation to ensure a smooth transition for all stakeholders.