MANILA, Philippines - The John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC) has revealed a plan to beef up first-class shuttle service between Baguio City and Poro Point, La Union to cope with the expected increase in passenger traffic owing to the upgrading of the San Fernando Airport.
JHMC president and chief executive officer (CEO) Dr. Jamie Eloise Agbayani made the disclosure following a stakeholders’ meeting on the San Fernando Airport improvement project spearheaded by the government-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Poro Point Management Corp. (PPMC) last Nov. 15 in San Fernando, La Union.
At present, the Thunderbird Resorts at Poro Point provides the only shuttle service to Baguio.
With the expected surge in passenger traffic arising from the commissioning of the much-improved San Fernando Airport and subsequent increase in flights, it was held very likely that there would be a shortfall in first-class overland transportation to Baguio and vice versa.
“Our major concern in Baguio is accessibility,” Agbayani said, adding that the airport, once fully operational, would boost trade, commerce, and tourism in Region 1 and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
“We are working closely with BCDA president and CEO Arnel Casanova who for the first time ever, synergized the seven BCDA subsidiaries to help speed up national development through good corporate governance,” Agbayani said.
The BCDA Group is composed of JHMC, PPMC, BCDA Management and Holdings Inc. (BMHI), Clark Development Corp. (CDC), Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC), Bataan Technology Park Inc., and North Luzon Railways Inc.
Apart from working with the Baguio City government, the JHMC has also tied up with the PPMC to ensure the success of significant events such as the Sillag Festival (Festival of Lights) in La Union and Panagbenga Festival (Flower Festival) in Baguio.
The JHMC also collaborates with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) of Baguio which generates about $2.8 billion in exports per year from the 28 multinational and local companies such as business processing outsourcing firms such as the three Sitel facilities, and agro-industrial manufacturing facilities like Texas Instruments with about 3,500 employees.
The John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) maintains an investor-friendly climate with the development of the Ayala Techno Hub having Convergys and 37 fully operational retail shops.
The lease agreement between the BCDA-JHMC and the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which is the reservation facility for seven hotel corporations, including the Holiday Inn and InterCon Hotel, and 4,500 hotel chains in 100 countries, has been renewed.
The IHG provides about 30 percent of the employment inside the JHSEZ.
Agbayani emphasized that majority of the employees of these companies are residents of the BLISTT area (Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay) in compliance with their commitments to the JHMC and to the city government.
Investors continue to put up their businesses within the economic zone because of the five percent tax incentives as against the 30 percent tax applied outside the special economic zone.
From 78 locators in 2011, there are now 99 business establishments in the JHSEZ.
Agbayani believes that more investors will come in with the reopening of the San Fernando Airport.