Sunday, October 14, 2007 Council invites John Hay Corp, Bases Authority officials on lease accord issues
THE City Council will seek an audience anew with the Fil Estate-Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo), Bases Conversion Development Authority and the John Hay Management Corporation to shed light on old and new issues surrounding the Camp John Hay lease agreement.
This as the Council approved the proposed resolution authored by Councilors Perlita Rondez and Galo Weygan for this purpose.
They would be asked to clarify issues on the alleged restructuring of the lease agreement between the BCDA and the CJHDevCo and the alleged P6-billion worth Camp John Hay expansion project.
The Council would also ask City Treasurer Thelma Manaois to submit the updated total unpaid obligation of the BCDA with regard to the city’s share from the lease rental of the facility.
The resolution noted a news article published in a national daily entitled, “Fil-Estate Undertakes P6-B John Hay Expansion, Property firm says in 5 years, Fil-Estate revenue will reach P13.6B.” The article quoted Fil Estate-CJHDevCo chair Robert John Sobrepeńa as saying they are “winding up the restructuring of a lease agreement with the BCDA involving (CJHDevCo)’s P2-B rental payment owed to the government.”
The proponents said the planned restructuring of the lease obligation “signals CJHDevCo’s renewed willingness to pay the arrears in rental.”
“From the article, it can be safely gleaned that CJHDevCo now has the financial capacity to pay the unpaid rentals because of the alleged P6-B new revenue to be used for CJH’s five-year expansion,” the proponent added.
“Prior to the implementation of any expansion or development projects, the unpaid rental due to BCDA and the city must first be settled, more urgently the arrears owing to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for the acquisition of the Baguio Convention Center,” the resolution noted.
The proponents said the Council should first clarify these developments with those concerned to aid them in coming up with future legislative actions to also address the city’s concerns.(Aileen Refuerzo)
