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Club John Hay urged to pay arrears to Baguio City

Yaranon creates monitoring task force

BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 22) — Mayor Braulio Yaranon this week urged Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CHDevco) to settle its unpaid dues to the City amounting to at least P 500 million. The said payment covers the period 1997 to 2001.

In a NORDIS interview, Yaranon explained that the amount represents the city’s share on the rental, interests, and penalty charges incurred by the developer in undertaking development on CJH. Due to reports that the developer violated the 19 conditionalities required for CJH’s development, Yaranon created a multi-party task force that will monitor the implementation of the said conditionalities.

NORDIS also learned from Yaranon that CHDevCo and the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) agreed to restructure the payment of the rentals without the consent of the city government as a third party.

The BCDA and CHDevCo, established by the Fil-Estate Penta Capital Consortium, signed the lease contract in 1994 with a P 425 million rental for the first five years and P 37 million afterwards.

It will be recalled that prior to the development, a broad local opposition by Baguio residents was registered in different protests. The city government allegedly maneuvered the approval of the CJH lease while subjecting it into the 19 conditions, which include the development of CJH into a family-oriented tourism area open to the local residents.

Violation of 19 conditionalities

Yaranon adds that the former city administration granted the permit to establish a casino within CJH which clearly violates the condition that the area may be developed for family-oriented tourism area. He cancelled the business permit upon assumption of office, as a result.

The mayor claimed that even the architectural and historical character of the area had been reduced to suit “development”. He added that the American-Friendship garden, a frequented area, has been destroyed. A hill near the main club was also bulldozed, lowering its elevation to at least 25 feet.

CJH is also the source of water among the surrounding communities. However, the water source is being tapped by the developer. Yaranon added that this is another violation of the conditionalities. “They are supposed to source-out their water needs outside the city but the water needs of the local communities are now being utilized by this corporation, instead”, he said.

Local residents say that that these violations limited their access to the area. They observed that less than two hectares of the Scout Hill area is opened for the public. The more scenic golf course area and the residential areas are not open to local residents.

“Only the moneyed tourists can enjoy the area as profit is the main consideration of the developer,” one resident claims.

Finally, the mayor said that the task force was formed “to emphasize our position and insist that the 19 conditionalities should be met”. Councilor Leandro Yangot Jr. heads the said task force. # Arthur L. Allad-iw for NORDIS with a report from Ramon Dacawi

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