CAMP JOHN HAY (1991-1996)

After 88 years of control over Camp John Hay as a rest and recreation facility for the U.S. Military, Department of Defense civilians and their families, the United States government officially turned over Camp John Hay to the Philippine government on July 1, 1991.

The Republic of the Philippines President Corazon C. Aquino appointed the Department of Tourism (DOT) under Memorandum Order 346 as the lead agency to secure, preserve, maintain and operate Camp John Hay and its facilities on an interim basis until such time that another government instrumentality is formed and designated to oversee the facility.

Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), the operating arm of the DOT, then converted the former U.S. military facility into an “AA” resort.

The DOT in a short interim period subsidized the maintenance of CJH and tapped the Baguio business community to operate the facilities for a duration of six months to a maximum of 18 months.

On June 30, 1993, under Proclamation 198 of President Fidel V. Ramos, the ownership, administration and overall control of Camp John Hay was transferred to the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) which was created under Republic Act 7227. BCDA’s mandate is to convert and develop all reverted baselands into commercial and productive use.

The BCDA then created its subsidiary, the John Hay Poro Point Development Corporation (JPDC) to manage, operate and convert the facility into its most productive use. Club John Hay served as an “AA” resort open to the public.

A Master Plan was made by the Planning Resources and Operations Systems (PROS) which was fashioned to comply with Resolution No. 362 or the 19 point conditionalities set by the City Government of Baguio. The Master Plan was presented to the Baguio City Council and was subsequently approved through Resolution No. 349.

On the basis of the approved Master Plan, the Fil-Estate/Penta Capital led consortium now known as the Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJH DevCo) was awarded the lease contract to develop, manage and operate the facility for 25 years, renewable for another 25 years. The lease agreement was signed on October 19, 1996.