BCDA, JHMC, DepEd ink agreement on John Hay lot for school building

MANILA, Philippines - The state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC), BCDA’s implementing arm in the John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) and John Hay Reservation Area (JHRA), announced that it had recently signed a usufruct agreement with the Department of Education (DepEd) for the latter’s use of a lot within Camp John Hay to put up a school building.

“It is an honor for the BCDA to partner with DepEd Secretary Br. Armin Luistro in pursuing DepEd’s plans of providing the children of Baguio City better education and educational facilities,” BCDA president Arnel Paciano Casanova said.

Under the usufruct agreement, BCDA will allow the DepEd to use 1,529 square meters of land for free for establishing a school building. The lot is located at Barangay Country Club and is within Camp John Hay.

 According to Casanova, the establishment of a school building is in line with the development of Camp John Hay as a human resource development center.

Casanova noted that the lot will be used solely for support of the school building and other related purposes. He emphasized that the lot will not be used for commercial, industrial, residential, or entertainment purposes except for those business and activities providing support services and only to satisfy the needs and requirements of the learning institution.

For his part, Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro said that this will not be the first and last time that DepEd will be partnering with the BCDA on obtaining lots within John Hay. “We are going to explore with BCDA more usufructuary lots within John Hay for more school buildings,” Luistro said.

He added that plans are underway to ensure that Baguio City will be a city where there will be no out-of-school youth. “The partnership we have with BCDA in putting up the needed facilities will allow us to achieve our goal for the people of Baguio,” Luistro said.

Casanova also pointed out that some of the public school buildings within the John Hay area are built near cliffs and may be prone to landslides not to mention the high risk and danger to the children who may fall. “Our partnership with DepEd will solve this problem and assure the safety of the children,” he said.

Casanova added that aside from school buildings, the BCDA is looking into usufruct agreements with DepEd for training centers as well.