The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is preparing to partner with the private sector to give Baguio’s iconic Camp John Hay a multibillion-peso makeover, upgrading the former American recreational base.
Less than two years after taking over the estate, the state-run corporation has already begun a sweeping makeover under a refreshed master plan, with improvements ranging from hotel upgrades to fixing ‘spaghetti wires.’
Among the projects lined up for bidding in the fourth quarter is a long-term operations and maintenance (OandM) contract for The John Hay Hotels, formerly known as The Manor and Forest Lodge.
The hotels are currently under the interim management of Landco Pacific Corp., part of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., led by tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan.
BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang said the winning operator would need to invest at least P1 billion to refurbish the hotels and expand their room capacity to meet growing tourist demand in Baguio.
The BCDA and its subsidiary, John Hay Management Corp., also plan to bid out a separate OandM contract for the 18-hole John Hay Golf course within the quarter.
Prospective operators must invest at least P500 million to improve the golf course and its facilities.
According to Bingcang, the golf course contract would run for 25 years, with an option to extend for another 25 years.
Beyond its tourism and recreational facilities, the BCDA’s master plan also covers upgrades to Camp John Hay’s utilities.
Bingcang said inadequate water pressure remains a concern within the estate, prompting plans for a P80-million investment to increase water supply capacity by 700 cubic meters per day.
On electricity, the BCDA, also led by Pangilinan, is negotiating with Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) over an unsolicited P1.5-billion proposal to take over power distribution within Camp John Hay and address its network of overhead wires.
Should Meralco secure the contract, it would take over electricity distribution within the estate from Benguet Electric Cooperative.
But as an unsolicited proposal, the project would still have to undergo a Swiss challenge, allowing other interested parties to submit competing offers.
Bingcang said the planned investments form part of the BCDA’s efforts to redevelop Camp John Hay following the government’s takeover of the property from CJH Development Corp. in 2025, after a Supreme Court ruling brought a long-running lease dispute to a close.