THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) awarded nine transfer certificate titles (TCT) to legitimate beneficiaries in Barangay Scout Barrio last Friday.
BCDA president Arnel Casanova, with John Hay Management Corporation president Jaime Eloise Agbayani, led the awarding of TCTs to Serafin Bansil, Calixto Casayuran, Dorotea, Delim, Dominador, Genove, Lydia Lumanlan, Dennis Manuyag, Rogelio Munar, Alejandro Pablo and Teofilo Viernes.
“We are expediting the lots to legitimate claimants,” Casanova said, adding the move to award titles aims to recognize legitimate land claims and dissuade professional squatting in the area.
Mushrooming of structures inside the Camp John Hay reservation has bloated to 600 in 1991 to 2,226 structures in 2013 covering 324 hectares in the villages.
“We thank the BCDA and JHMC for being partners in development in Scout Barrio,” Josefina Belsa, president of the Scout Barrio Homeowners association said.
A total of 163 beneficiary households have been identified and awarded TCTs. To date, there are 116 households that have received their certificate of lot awards.
Casanova said the remaining 47 households have yet to complete requirements.
“Rest assured, as soon as they complete the requirements, the BCDA and JHMC will process the Deed of Absolute Sale and turnover the TCT,” he said.
The government had promised them ownership of the land as part of the barangay segregation program implemented when the former US military’s rest and recreation facility was turned over to the Philippine government.
The segregation is in accordance to Republic Act 7227, mandating BCDA to find suitable settlement of the population to former American facilities like Subic and Clark including Camp John Hay.
Another challenge to the segregation for the BCDA-JHMC is the existence of ancestral land claims in some six villages covering 204 hectares in the reservation.