By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — During a public hearing at the Baguio City Session Hall regarding the harassment issues perpetrated by employees of the Catalina Security Agency on the residents of 13 barangays within the Camp John Hay Reservation, city councilors urge the completion of segregation process of their respective communities.

Councilor Nicasio Aliping Jr. told the residents that when the segregation of the 13 barangays will be completed, it will be most favorable to the people as they will not encounter problems like their trouble with the security guards who do not know their jurisdictions doing rounds in their barangays blatantly displaying long firearms and sowing fear and confusions among the people. On May 17, the residents wrote John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) to advise the security guards of the agency to stop patrolling their barangays and including it under their jurisdiction. They stated in their letter that as they had been doing before, they are doing their best in maintaining peace and order in their respective places and assured JHMC to report any illegal structures and activities within the reservation.

The barangays who are seeking for segregation from the camp are Barangays Happy Hallow, Hillside, Greenwater, Upper Dagsian, Lower Dagsian, Loakan Proper, Loakan Liwanag, Loakan Apugan, Country Club Village, Camp 7, Lucnab, Military Cut-off, and Sta. Scholastica. In August last year, the city council, through the resolution of Councilor Karminn Cheryl Dinney Yangot and leaders of the 13 barangays, appealed to President Benigno Aquino III to issue a proclamation approving the segregation.

Once the segregation is completed, residents have high hopes that it will be a favorable atmosphere on the issue of land ownership. It will have also a good impact on the employment, security, economic activities, and other improvement of the lives of residents within the reservation.

The segregation of the said areas is part of the 19 conditionalities imposed on the Bases Conversion Development Authority’s development of Camp John Hay. It was passed by the City Council in 1994 as resolution numbered 362. Out of the said barangays, only Scout Barrio started the segregation, it was not completed as it was hampered by claims of two homeowners associations.

JHMC Chairman of the committee on 19 conditionalities Leandro Yangot Jr. promised the residents that they will ensure that the relocation surveys will be done properly by geodetic engineers they intend to hire. # nordis.net