BCDA signs lease deal for themed cafe project in Camp John Hay

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has inked a 15-year lease agreement with Sophia Real Estate Executives and Development Corp. (SREEDC) for the construction and development of a themed cafe in a 500-square-meter site within Camp John Hay in Baguio City.

According to the BCDA, the themed cafe is aligned with the updated Master Development Plan of Camp John Hay, which the agency took over in January 2025. Further details, including the lease value and the exact area of the development, were not disclosed.

The lease agreement was signed on March 30, 2026, led by BCDA president and chief executive officer Joshua Bingcang and SREEDC president Donna Mae Ame.

“Our goal is to build a stable investment climate that empowers our partners to succeed,” Bingcang said in a statement.

“By aligning with our master development plan, this project brings a fresh dimension to the camp, further establishing it as a world-class tourism hub where nature and leisure meet,” he added.

The BCDA last year said it received P1 billion in investments from lease agreements in Camp John Hay in Baguio just two months after it took control of the former American military base.

It aims to hit P10-billion worth of investments from the takeover, as it plans to offer 70 hectares of untapped land in the area to the private sector.

The BCDA is mandated to help strengthen the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) while building cities. It also engaged in public-private partnerships to boost public infrastructure such as tollways, airports, seaports, and major real estate developments. —VBL, GMA News