Camp John Hay has provided some of the most colorful stories in Baguio, ever since it was established as a military garrison in 1903 before it became a chartered city in 1909.
1991—Baguio residents, who were recovering from the 1990 Luzon earthquake, becomes protective of Camp John Hay when the United States relinquished its former military bases to the Philippine government.
The former John Hay Air Station hosts the biggest cluster of pine trees in Baguio City and is turned over to Philippine custody by the American government on July 1, before the Senate abrogates the military bases agreement with the United States.
1993—On June 29, President Fidel Ramos transfers the former John Hay Air Station to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) through Proclamation No. 198. He also renames the former air base, Club John Hay, which the government offers to lease to the Taiwanese-led Tuntex (B.V.I.) Co. Ltd. (Tuntex) and Asiaworld Internationale Group Inc. (Asiaworld).
The John Hay Alternative Development Coalition (JHADC) and the city government draw up counter proposals for John Hay development, fearful of Tuntex’s plans to build theme park out of the former base land.
1994—Tuntex withdraws from the John Hay development project partly due to the residents’ opposition. On July 5, Ramos issues Proclamation No. 420 creating the John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) and imposes tax benefits on investors willing to operate there.
1995—JHADC goes to the Supreme Court to challenge Proclamation No. 420.
1996—After government and city officials agree on a master development plan for 274-hectares of the John Hay reservation, the BCDA bids out the project on July 22. Manuela Lands and Housing Consortium wins by tendering a P1,588,855,553 bid, only to back out in August. A consortium run by Penta Capital and businessman Robert John Sobrepeña’s Fil Estate Management Corp. inherits the project and forms Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevco).
2003—The Supreme Court rules that the JHSEZ has no authority to offer tax benefits, as outlined in Proclamation 420. Renegotiations begin over CJHDevco’s lost incentives, while the government pursues new laws to reinstate John Hay’s financial privileges.
2006—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issues Proclamation No. 1191, creating and designating John Hay as a Special Tourism Economic Zone.
2011—The contractual dispute between the BCDA and CJHDevco becomes public, leading to various lawsuits.
2015—The Philippine Dispute Resolution Center resolves the dispute.
Vincent Cabreza