Segregating barangays from Camp John Hay

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY – Some 23 years ago since the city government and the Bases Conversion Development Authority inked a memorandum of agreement to segregate 13 barangays within Camp John Hay as part of 19-point conditions of the former for development of the then American military recreation camp, these areas still remain part of the reservation.

It had created animosity among local officials, BCDA, John Hay Management Corp. and barangay residents. But another group is biding their time, waiting for what will happen. These are the ancestral land claimants within said areas. There are the legitimate Ibaloi claimants, but then, there are also the “illegitimate” ones.

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The latter are speculators who are claiming ownership of their so-called ancestral lands. According to our sources, they are not Ibalois who have no history of genetic lineage to the first settlers of Baguio particularly at Camp John Hay.

Our sources say, some have even filed for ancestral land ownership titles within the area with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

For sure, overlapping claims between immigrant residents in the area and indigenous claimants would soon be a powder keg that could blow up and pit stakeholders against each other.

With elections just around the corner, expect those vying for positions at city hall to make their pitches out of the issue.

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But that is going ahead of the story. For land claims of the 13 barangays to be settled initially, the BCDA has to segregate this first from the reservation.  

According to a city government press release, “The local government will be making a last ditch effort to dialogue with officials of the state-owned BCDA and its subsidiary the JHMC to ascertain the government’s position on the long overdue segregation of the remaining 13 barangays from the Camp John Hay reservation so occupied areas will be titled under names of qualified homelot applicants.”

The article quoted Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan as saying “it is important for the local government and barangay officials to know the BCDA and JHMC’s position on the matter so that concerned stakeholders will also be able to strategize their next move to compel the government to segregate the 13 barangays from the reservation.”

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According to Domogan, “There is no false promise on the segregation of the concerned barangays from the CJH reservation because it is part of the 19 conditions imposed by the local government for the development of the 247-hectare John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) as enshrined under Resolution No. 362, series of 1994 which was also unanimously approved and confirmed by the previous members of the BCDA Board.”

                “We will make the appropriate representations with the BCDA and JHMC for us to schedule a dialogue to ascertain the government’s position on the matter which has been pending for over two decades now,” the mayor said. “We will also gather appropriate documents, including previously approved surveys, for us to lay on the table our respective positions and come out with a definite direction to address problems on the segregation issue.”

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Barangay officials and affected residents are reportedly restless because of the failure of the BCDA and JHMC to fulfil their commitment under the 19 conditions.

Long-time residents have often voiced their sentiments to local officials they want to own lands they currently occupy in said barangays. Barangay officials of the 13 barangays have reportedly been complaining over failure of the BCDA and JHMC to complete the segregation.

According to the mayor, the segregation of the 13 barangays was supposed to have been fulfilled by the government during the term of former President and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo if not for opposition raised by BCDA on survey results.

             The BCDA said there were discrepancies in the final survey submitted to the office of the President for the issuance of required Presidential Proclamation to make segregation official.

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But despite these, Domogan said “the present BCDA and JHMC leaderships have provided an enabling environment for realization of the segregation considering it was one of unfulfilled commitments of the government to barangay residents for them to be able to own the lands they are occupying.”

While this is so, residents in the area, over the years, said they could not make improvements on their houses or buildings without being accosted by JHMC guards who tell them they have to ask permission first from John Hay authorities.

To bring in construction materials, residents have been ordered by guards to talk first with CJH authorities or make written requests.

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So far, BCDA and JHMC authorities are reportedly not that rigid or stern under the present administration.

Domogan said maybe something will come out of talks in the near future with city officials and Camp John Hay officials to finally segregate the 13 barangays from the prime reservation.

As to wrangling and disputes over ownership of barangay lots when segregation will finally happen, this will be another story.