Camp John Hay looks for transport operator

Guests and businessmen were stranded for hours outside Camp John Hay when it was locked down on January 6, 2025 by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority during its takeover of the former recreational baseland from a developer. PHOTO BY VINCENT CABREZA

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is searching for an operator to run an electric public transportation system at Camp John Hay as it presses ahead with the refresh of its Baguio City estate.

According to bidding documents, the BCDA is allotting P19.5 million for the 12-month operation and maintenance of the John Hay Loop, a 5- to 6-kilometer route running from Ordonio to Sheridan Drive.

That route consists of eight stations and must be operated by a fleet of at least five electric minibuses.

The BCDA envisions the loop as Camp John Hay’s primary organized internal transport service, linking major gateways, commercial areas, hotels, government offices and recreational facilities while reducing reliance on private vehicles, taxis and informal transport.

The winning operator will have to deploy pure battery-electric minibuses capable of carrying at least 25 seated and standing passengers each.

The operator must also provide at least five fast chargers and establish a depot within the John Hay Special Economic Zone for parking, charging, dispatch and basic maintenance. It will shoulder the cost of installing, operating and maintaining the charging infrastructure and depot.

Bids are due on Oct. 12, with the 12-month contract to commence on the date specified in the notice to proceed.

The new operator will build on a six-month shuttle service pilot that BCDA launched in August 2025, when it deployed three EV units capable of carrying up to 31 passengers each. The pilot was expected to serve nearly 4,000 people who live or work at Camp John Hay.