CJH operations normal - Payumo

MANILA, Philippines -  Ayala Land and other lessees operating in Camp John Hay are experiencing smooth business operations while Sobrepena-led Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevco) continues to complain about the so-called non-operation of One Stop Action Center (OSAC). OSAC was established jointly by the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) and CJHDevco, and has been operational.

Felicito Payumo, chairman of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), assures the continued smooth operation of Camp John Hay.

Payumo stressed: “The other lessees led by Ayala Corp. are not complaining. In fact, they are even experiencing good business within John Hay! This was their unsolicited comment as expressed to BCDA officials.”

Payumo said that the OSAC is being used as a “convenient excuse by CJHDevco to evade payment of their obligations,” adding that the refusal of CJHDevco not to pay is “clearly unreasonable.”

The BCDA chairman emphasized that “the victims here are not some private parties but the Filipino people, because Camp John Hay is owned by government.” Payumo also pointed out that the city of Baguio “is being deprived of its 25 percent rightful share from the revenues of CJHDevco, which are estimated to run into hundreds of millions of pesos.”

Chairman Payumo directly challenged CJHDevco’s claims that the latter was losing because the OSAC has not been operational. “If that were true,” he argued, then why is Ayala Land saying that they have no complaints about any delays in their applications for permit? And I am talking not about Global City, but of their development in Camp John Hay.”

The BCDA chairman disclosed that Ayala has already completed seven projects, including two major buildings inside the camp and under the same conditions CJHDevco is subjected to. One building is that of Convergys that is going through dramatic growth.

“In this regard,” Payumo said, “it is ridiculous to suggest that BCDA is not investor-friendly. We have nothing to gain but everything to lose if our investors fail.”

Payumo revealed, for the record, that of the applications submitted by CJHDevco, 22 had been issued permits in 2009, 28 in 2010, 27 in 2011, and 10 in 2012. Of those still pending, 25 are ready for issuance of permits upon payment of fees, but another 45 are still lacking the required documents.