3 MIN READ

By KIMBERLIE QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Residents of Barangay Scout Barrio trooped to the Baguio City Council to ask city officials to end their dispute with the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) over the ownership of “open spaces” in their barangay.

Rusela Bacungan, president of the barangay senior citizen association, said that there is a need for the City government to come up with a more permanent solution to the land ownership problem over their barangay open spaces.

She explained that while authorities have segregated the residential lots, the ownership of open spaces, including the open field, Camp Concio Grounds, and the lots where the John Hay Elementary School (JHES) and barangay hall stand, have yet to be segregated.

“These areas, although not yet segregated from John Hay, are part of the 15.0 hectares mentioned in Executive Order 64 which declared it as a housing site and provided for its disposition to bonafide occupants,” Bacungan stated.

Bacungan lamented that JHMC locked up the JHES in May 2021. This January 23, the corporation also put up a notice at the adjacent open field telling residents to ask permission from the management for the use the area.

In an interview, Bacungan said that in December 2022, JHMC issued an order for the barangay to vacate the basketball court, barangay hall, and open field. However, the intervention of Mayor Benjamin Magalong prevented the implementation of the directive.

Status quo

In response, the City Council agreed to pass a resolution to remove the signages and maintain the status quo regarding the use of the open spaces and other facilities in Scout Barrio, pending the resolution of the issue.

Councilor Isabelo Cosalan said they identified open spaces in the subdivision plan when they surveyed Scout Barrio 25 years ago. The city council endorsed the project and approved by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“We should follow that plan (subdivision plan) because that was approved by the city council,” Cosalan said.

Bacungan explained that the Memorandum of Encumbrances, attached to every Transfer Certificate of Title given to Scout Barrio residents, includes the open spaces.

Article VII of MOA identified several lots “to remain as open spaces, forest areas, community facilities, recreation areas, roadways, and waterways.”

Continued dialogue

To resolve the continuing land dispute, the City Council also called on the mayor, Congress Representative Mark Go, representatives of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), JHMC, and residents of Scout Barrio to have a dialogue with the City Council concerning the use of the said open spaces.

Councilor Jose Molintas urged the mayor to ask the BCDA and Go to talk with Scout Barrio residents to clear the issues. He added that they should also discuss the implications of the amended City Charter on the matter.

Councilor and Liga ng mga Barangay President Michael Lawana expressed his frustration over the continuing problem of the barangays within Camp John Hay. He urged the city council to act promptly in favor of the residents.

The local legislators also tasked the City Legal Office to assign a lawyer to assist the Scout Barrio residents in consolidating all documents they would need to strengthen their claims over the open spaces.

Taken from Ibalois

Historical records show that the Camp John Hay area was part of the land owned by Ibaloi leader Mateo Carino, which the American government expropriated.

The US colonial government developed the land as a vacation and recreation place for American soldiers in the Philippines. The Americans turned over the facility to the Philippine government in 1991. A year after, Congress enacted Republic Act 7227, or the Bases Conversion and Development Act.

Former President Fidel Ramos issued Presidential Proclamation 420, creating and designating portions of Camp John Hay as a special economic zone. The City Council then affirmed Ramos’ proclamation by passing Resolution 346.

The City Council also passed Resolution 362, which set 19 conditions in the formulation of Camp John Hay’s master development plan. Number 14 in the said conditions specified the exclusion of the 14 affected barangays from the Camp John Hay reservation.

Of the 14 barangays, Scout Barrio is the first and only barangay segregated as of now. The 8.9 hectares identified in 2001 are already distributed to 178 households, of which 166 were awarded land titles while the remaining 12 are still completing the requirements for awarding their titles. # nordis.net