BCDA sets up help desk for John Hay sub-lessees

MANILA, Philippines - State-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has created a help desk to assist all sub-lessees, sub-locators and buyers of Camp John Hay following the decision of the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center Inc. (PDRCI) ordering Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo) to vacate the property.

BCDA president and chief executive officer Arnel Paciano Casanova said in a statement the help desk will help sub-lessees, sub-locators and buyers to protect their investment in Camp John Hay by providing legal assistance.

“We will provide them with the necessary information and documents they need so that they are well-informed and could come up with a prudent decision to protect their rights and interests,” he said.

“We recognize the fact that they were misled into signing a 50-year lease contract instead of 25 years, and  that due to the CJHDevCo’s continuing disinformation  campaign, the more we need  to help these CJHDevCo’s victims,” he added.

The lease agreement entered into by CJHDevCo with BCDA in 1996 covers 25 years.

For his part, BCDA head for legal services Peter Paul Andrew Flores said the help desk will also respond to queries of sub-lessees, sub-locators and buyers.

“We understand their (sub-lessees, sub-locators and buyers) predicament in this ongoing legal tussle. We are duty bound as a public servant to inform and update them,” he said.

Both the BCDA and CJHDevCo have filed before the Baguio Regional Trial Court (RTC) a petition for judicial confirmation that will pave the way for the implementation of the PDRCI decision.

Last month, the arbitration committee under the PDRCI ordered CJHDevCo to vacate and return Camp John Hay to BCDA.

The BCDA, meanwhile, was directed to return to CJHDevCo P1.42 billion worth of lease payments.

The decision was issued after the Baguio RTC ordered arbitration through PDRCI as BCDA decided to terminate its lease agreement with CJHDevCo citing the latter avoided payment of obligations to the government.

To get in touch with the help desk in Baguio, sub-lessees, sub-locators and buyers can look for  John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC) manager for special economic zone administration Zaldy Bello at the JHMC Corporate Office in  Camp John Hay.

For those in Manila, they can get in touch with BCDA public affairs officer Michelle San Juan-De Vera at the BCDA Corporate Center located in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.