BCDA to Sobrepeña group: Stop making excuses

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority is challenging the Sobrepeña-led Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevco) to stop making excuses and just start paying the lease on the Camp John Hay properties in Baguio City.

In a statement issued Wednesday, BCDA vice president for business development and operations Dean Santiago said CJHDevco refused to remit lease payments because of the alleged non-operation of the One-Stop Action Center (Osac) at the John Hay Special Economic Zone.

The Osac, managed by BCDA subsidiary John Hay Management Corp., was responsible for giving out the necessary business permits to locators within the economic zone.

Santiago belied CJHDevco’s claims, saying the Osac had always been operational and was even serving the needs of other locators, including Ayala Land Inc. for a business process outsourcing development within the area.

He added that “it was funny that CJHDevco would use the alleged non-operation of the Osac as a reason for not remitting lease payments, as the Sobrepeña-led company used to pay its lease for the John Hay properties through it before.”

From July 2008 to November 2009, for example, lease payments amounted to P109 million, he said.

“CJHDevco is obviously using the Osac as a smokescreen so that they will not pay,” he said.

He then challenged CJHDevco to file its application for occupancy permits for its 167 suite units that were completed last February.

“The Osac is ready to issue these permits as soon as we receive their application since we have already conducted an inspection of each and every unit,” he said. “Is CJHDevco hiding something, that’s why they are apprehensive to file these occupancy permits?”

Some CJHDevco personnel were actually documented to have attended several orientation seminars by the Osac, and were aware of the process for the issuance of business and developmental permits within the ecozone.