BCDA bidding out 4 assets this year

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is set to bid out this year four properties.

BCDA executive vice president Aileen Zosa told reporters Wednesday one of these, a 1,000-square-meter land beside Everest Academy in Bonifacio Global City, would be auctioned off for “institutional use.”

She said the BCDA had yet to firm up the estimated value of the property but the bidding for which might be held within the third quarter of this year.

The three other pieces of property are already scheduled for privatization. In a notice posted on its website, the BCDA said it would bid out a 5,005.13-sqm portion of the Nichols Loop driving range in Pasay City on July 30 with a floor price of  P89.586 million; the 3,099-sqm Eastgate parking lot in Bonifacio Global City with a floor price of about P122.41 million, on July 32; and the 1,244-sqm Sampaguita East Ramp lot in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City, on August 1.

In the meantime, officials of the agency have called on locators of the John Hay economic zone to remit their lease payments directly to the agency, instead of making the payments to Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo).

The BCDA is currently working to resolve a 16-year-old row over rental arrears with CJHDevco, which subleases the ecozone property in Camp John Hay to locators.

The agency has terminated its lease contract with CJHDevco due to alleged unpaid rentals and other contract “breaches,” officials said in a briefing on Wednesday.

BCDA officials said they had taken the matter to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which had issued a show cause order to CJHdevco in relation to the lease issues in Camp John Hay.

The agency earlier said it aimed to collect more than P3 billion in rental arrears from CJHDevco.

BCDA president and CEO Arnel Paciano Casanova said the arrears, if collected, would be used in development projects in Baguio City.

“Out of the total amount, a guaranteed P750 million will go to the City of Baguio,” Casanova said.

However, the BCDA said, CJHDevCo had filed a complaint against the BCDA board for alleged violations of R.A. 3019, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and The Civil Service Law in the Office of the Ombudsman, the fourth complaint filed against BCDA officials in the past several weeks. “In light of the ardent and determined pursuit of BCDA to enforce the government’s rights over Camp John Hay, BCDA questions the motive, timing and frequency by which numerous cases are being filed against its board of directors,” Casanova said.

The BCDA said CJHDevco “cannot hide behind a wall of suits” in an attempt to evade its financial obligations.

“BCDA remains steadfast in its goal of collecting the P3-billion debt of CJHDevco to the Philippine government,” Casanova said. “No amount of diversionary or dilatory tactics could throw us off the track.”