Camp John Hay to roll out EV shuttle service by July 15

Visitors of the Camp John Hay in Baguio City will be given free rides during the six-month trial period of its electric vehicle shuttle service that will loop around designated stations around the former US base, targeted to start on July 15.

The pilot run of the “John Hay Loop” will involve an initial three units of electric vehicles, with pre-determined routes and schedules yet to be finalized.

The service will be done in partnership with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and its subsidiary John Hay Management Corp. and South Korea-based DeviceDesign Co. Ltd. and Cordillera Basic Sector Transport Cooperative (CBSTC).

“Through this project, the BCDA seeks to show its commitment to help Baguio City and the community in addressing emerging urban problems, while also fulfilling our promise to take care of the environment and Baguio’s natural charm and beauty,” BCDA president and chief executive officer Joshua Bingcang said in a statement.

Under a memorandum of understanding (MOU), DeviceDesign and CBSTC will evaluate commuter experience and assess logistical and operational constraints of the service through ridership monitoring and operational data gathering, and will then provide recommendations and design inputs for the long-term implementation of John Hay Loop.

“We believe that if we have an efficient and effective public transportation system, that [will stimulate] the economy of a place, and we share this vision with the BCDA,” CBSTC chief executive officer Jude Wal said.

The BCDA took control of Camp John Hay in January, after the Baguio Regional Trial Court in an order dated January 3, 2025 upheld the Supreme Court ruling and junked Camp John Hay Development Corp.’s (CJH DevCo) appeal to prevent the full return of the property.

The BCDA in March said it received P1 billion in investments from lease agreements in Camp John Hay. It earlier said it is looking to hit P10 billion worth of investments following the takeover, as it plans to offer 70 hectares of untapped land in the area to the private sector. —VAL, GMA Integrated