The Baguio City Council is once again deliberating the fate of residential lots within the Camp John Hay Reservation. Should these be sold directly by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), or should residents acquire land titles through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) via the traditional free patent and miscellaneous sales application once barangay segregation is finalized?
Amid the long-standing proposal to segregate 13 affected barangays from the former U.S. military rest and recreation area, the Baguio City Council invited officials from the BCDA, DENR-Cordillera, and John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) to its regular session on February 17, 2025 to provide clarity on land disposition in the area.
For context, BCDA plans to sell these lots to actual occupants based on a survey and census conducted in 1991 which documented the actual landholdings of each occupant at that time.
During the discussion, several city council members opposed this plan, stressing that the barangays should be segregated through mapping and eventually excluded from BCDA control. Councilor Jose Molintas argued that once the barangays are excluded, residents should acquire land titles through DENR’s standard process: residential free patent for lots 200 sqm and below, and miscellaneous sale for larger lots.
Agreeing with Molintas, DENR OIC Assistant Director for Technical Services Benjamin Ventura confirmed that the original plan with the DENR was to follow these procedures, but BCDA prefers to apply the Scout Barrio model where BCDA retains ownership and sells lots to residents.
Meanwhile, Councilor Isabelo Cosalan Jr. suggested that DENR and the city government could assist barangays in identifying which lots should be titled through the amendment of the cadastral survey of Camp John Hay.
The issue first gained traction when Councilor Fred Bagbagen raised concerns over the certificates of recognition issued by BCDA to structure owners in Hillside Barangay, one of the villages proposed for segregation. This prompted a broader discussion on whether BCDA should retain control over land disposition or if the barangays should be fully segregated and placed under DENR’s jurisdiction.
Atty. Mary Ellen Cabuhat, legal manager of the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC), informed the city council that the issuance of this certificate had already been put on hold for untitled properties due to the enforcement of a Supreme Court Writ of Execution and that only titled properties are being prioritized for these certificates. She said the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) had provided legal advice that a law is needed to be passed by Congress to allow the disposition of untitled properties.
Cabuhat explained that, in Hillside Barangay, the properties were titled under BCDA, similar to Scout Barrio Barangay. However, in other affected barangays, the land remains part of the Camp John Hay Reservation and is subject to a pending Special Patent Application under review by DENR.
Bagbagen argued that since the special patent application is still pending, the untitled lots remain part of the reservation and are not yet alienable and disposable, making the issuance of certificates of recognition to these lots a complex matter as it has no legal basis. He further emphasized that, under Section 27 of the Local Government Code and under Proclamation No. 420 issued by former President Fidel Ramos in 1994, BCDA must first secure the consent of the city government before proceeding with any development projects.
Nevertheless, Cabuhat assured that, should the BCDA pursue its plan, the agency would coordinate with the City Planning Development and Sustainability Office to create a master development plan for each barangay to ensure that the structural developments are livable for the communities. She confirmed that part of the plan includes segregating open spaces, forest areas, and non-residential zones.
With the issue far from resolved, the matter was referred to the city council’s Committee on Urban Planning, Lands, and Housing for further study. -Jordan G. Habbiling
