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John Hay stakeholders urge talks

BAGUIO CITY (June 8) —­ Stakeholders at the former US rest and recreation facility Camp John Hay now embroiled in a “war” between unsatisfied commitments on tax holidays are urging John Hay bodies to sit down and talk instead of bickering.

Various quarters in Baguio City aired this call amid the ongoing tiff between the government run-Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and the private developer Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo). Almost three months of conflict was spurred by mutual accusations of breach due to the recent Supreme Court decision nullifying the John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) tax and duty free incentives guaranteed under the lease over the project and delayed lease rental payments.

Stakeholders in the Camp John Hay Project on Friday last week lamented that instead of slugging it out in the media, BCDA-JHMC and the developer should find a common ground so that innocent third parties are not caught in the crossfire and become unwilling casualties.

Aurora Dangpa, a small vendor in Camp John Hay said, “Kuma agpattangda tapnu maurnosda iti guloda. Maip-ipit kami a negosyante. Imbes a panpanunuten mi laeng nu kasanu a maisaganaan ti pagnam-ayan lalo ket umay manen ti pinagtutudo, maipan kami pay laeng ti alanganin. Isu pay nga pagpanpanunutan mi. (We hope the BCDA and CJHDevCo talk so that they could settle their differences. We are caught in the middle. Instead of just worrying about how we could prepare for our welfare especially with the onset of the rainy season, we are placed at risk. This adds to our worries).

The City Council of Baguio also urged the government through BCDA-JHMC to sit down with CJHDevCo to settle their differences amicably for the sake of the people of the Baguio who stand to be most affected.

Councilor Jose Molintas said, “Hindi lang CJHDevCo ang may kasalanan. Pareho sila ng BCDA-JHMC”. (It is not only CJHDevCo that is at fault. They are equally at fault with BCDA-JHMC.) Molintas urged both BCDA and the developer to sit down and discuss the alleged violations committed by each camp.

He added, “It is the city that is put at a disadvantage. If each camp insists on what they want, the case might drag on longer.”

Baguio City lone Congressman Mauricio Domogan is also anxious over the prolonged media scuffle between the developer and BCDA and vowed to help the City government in its effort to bring BCDA and CJHDevCo to the negotiating table.

“In the interest of the people of Baguio and the local tourism industry, both government (BCDA) and the developer should find a solution to their issues as soon as possible. It is not only the future of the people of Baguio at stake here but the larger picture which is the privatization program of the government,” Domogan said. He was mayor when Baguio City entered into the lease agreement between CJH DevCo and BCDA.

Meanwhile, legislative efforts are underway at the lower House, which aim to correct errors of Presidential Proclamation No. 420 granting SEZ tax and duty incentives in John Hay, according to Domogan. # Artemio A. Dumlao for NORDIS

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