BIZ BUZZ: Ironing out Camp John Hay kinks

The long-drawn-out legal battle between the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and businessman Robert Sobrepeña’s CJH Development Corp. (CJH DevCo) over a 247-hectare portion of Camp John Hay may finally be nearing its conclusion.

But what will happen to the sublessees who have nothing to do with their dispute? Most of them have signed up lease contracts with CJH DevCo that are valid up to 2046.

“We’ve already approached them and some have agreed to sign direct contracts of lease with us, so it’s not a problem,” BCDA president Joshua Bingcang told Biz Buzz.

“We expect some to sign this fourth quarter and we expect the high court to act on the MR (motion for reconsideration) soon.”

READ: SC upholds Baguio’s right to tax Camp John Hay traders

The Supreme Court upheld earlier this year the arbitral ruling that had directed CJH DevCo to vacate the Baguio leisure estate.

However, BCDA was ordered to compensate CJH DevCo amounting to P1.4 billion for various improvements made, including the golf course, hotel and other developments. But BCDA can’t take any action yet until the final MR is resolved.

Sublessees at the estate include around 180 house owners.

BCDA is likewise drawing up a transition period for operators of other operating assets, like The Manor Hotel, that would eventually be returned to the government-owned corporation, Bingcang said.

Even without any additional investment to open up new areas, BCDA expects to earn about P2 billion in annual lease payments from existing developments at the popular Camp John Hay.

Once the BCDA is finally able to recover the property, Bingcang said they could unlock more values from the former military camp, with 50 to 70 new areas available for development — and which have already attracted a number of potential investors.

Meanwhile, for those who miss the vibrant retail area at the foot of The Manor hill that used to host hard discount/surplus shops, BCDA plans to bid out leasehold rights at the commissary by the first quarter of the coming year. — Doris Dumlao-Abadilla

Lazada jumps on AI bandwagon

Global e-commerce company Lazada is the latest entity to jump into the artificial intelligence bandwagon with the launch of Al Lazzie, its new virtual shopping assistant.

AI Lazzie is the improved (or should we say the AI-enhanced) LazzieChat, the AI chatbot rolled out by Lazada last year.

We’re referring to the colorful mascot donning the signature blue Lazada t-shirt that greets users whenever they open the mobile app.

READ: Online shopping app Lazada denies alleged data breach

This time, it is optimizing the power of AI to make the online shopping experience more enjoyable for everyone.

“From the consumer perspective, it’s more about how we can provide a more engaging, more interactive user experience,” Howard Wang, the Lazada Group’s chief technology officer, told Biz Buzz.

Unveiled at a media event held recently in Singapore, AI Lazzie is the interactive personal shopper providing tailored assistance to users and sellers round-the-clock.

Al Lazzie has four distinct features. It offers personalized shopping recommendations based on the user’s preference or purchase history as well as unlocks best deals and vouchers to save money.

The AI-powered tool allows users to try different types of clothes using select virtual models and recommend clothing sizes based on the AI model.

Aside from generating a product listing highlighting key product features, AI Lazzie is also summarizing product reviews to make informed purchasing decisions.

With these latest app upgrades, what’s next for Lazada?

“We want to continue to see the shopping experience, making it more fun for shopping on Lazada and also give the users more relevance to the best product that we can offer,” Wang said. — Jordeene B. Lagare