MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) has submitted an unsolicited power supply management proposal for Camp John Hay in Baguio, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said.
BCDA President Joshua Bingcang told reporters at a roundtable that the proposal involved removing “spaghetti wires” — or tangled and abandoned bundles of overhead utility, telecommunication, internet, and cable wires — inside Camp John Hay and moving them underground. He said the project was expected to cost at least P1.5 billion.
Bingcang said Meralco also expressed interest in becoming Camp John Hay’s electricity provider after completion of the proposed project, taking over from local provider Benguet Electric Cooperative.
He said the parties are currently in talks and hope to conclude the negotiations within the year, after which the proposal will be subject to a Swiss challenge, which involves inviting other parties to submit competing bids.
On another matter, Bingcang said the BCDA and its subsidiary John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC) were looking to bid out the long-term operation and management of JHMC's golf course. The winning investor would also be required to shell out at least P500 million for improvement work for the golf course, with the bidding expected to be held this quarter.
He added that the BCDA and JHMC were also planning to offer for bidding the long-term operation and management of the two hotels in Camp John Hay: John Hay Hotels-Garden Wing and John Hay Hotels-Forest Wing, formerly known as The Manor at Camp John Hay and The Forest Lodge.
BCDA and JHMC expect at least P1 billion in capital expenditure for additional hotel rooms in the area and a refurbishing of the facilities once management and operation of the two hotels are successfully bid out, he continued.
The hotels are currently under a one-year temporary management agreement with Landco Lifestyle Ventures, the hospitality and leisure arm of Landco Pacific Corp., which is a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.
Bingcang said Landco had already signified its intention to bid for the long-term operation and management of the hotels.
Meanwhile, he said the BCDA also planned to invest P80 million for Camp John Hay’s water system to improve capacity and increase water supply by around 700 cubic meters per day as water pressure remained a problem within the area.
"We want to tell the public that if it's the government that takes over, they can expect better service," Bingcang added.
Meralco shares on Friday rose P10.60, or 2.43 percent, closing at P447.60 each. GISELLE JORDAN