MVP’s Landco eyes 25-year Camp John Hay Golf lease

ICONIC. The John Hay Golf Course, set against Baguio’s lush pine forests, gears up to host the 75th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament.

Mia Magdalena Fokno/Rappler

The BCDA is seeking at least P500 million in improvement works for the golf course under a proposed 25-year contract, with a possible 25-year extension

AT A GLANCE

• Landco Pacific Corporation is collaborating with Turfgrass Management Inc. and Golfplus Management Inc. to pursue a 25-year lease for the John Hay Golf Course in Camp John Hay.
• The consortium plans to submit an unsolicited proposal to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which is seeking significant private investment for improvements to the golf course and hotels in the area.
• Landco aims to restore the golf course while preserving its heritage, enhancing its hospitality operations, and providing more attractions for tourists in Baguio City.

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BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Landco Pacific Corporation (Landco) is setting its sights on another major Camp John Hay property, joining forces with two golf management firms to pursue a lease of at least 25 years for the historic John Hay Golf Course.

The leisure real estate developer under the Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) Group announced on Sunday, November 8 that it had signed a memorandum of agreement with Turfgrass Management Inc. (TMI) and Golfplus Management Inc. (GMI) to jointly pursue the rehabilitation, development, operation, and maintenance of the course.

The three companies plan to submit an unsolicited proposal to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which regained control of Camp John Hay in January 2025 following its prolonged legal dispute with Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo).

Golfplus is already among the course’s interim operators, alongside DuckWorld Philippines, the public-facing name associated with Duck Sports and Music Productions Inc. BCDA extended their management arrangement through 2026 while preparing to select a long-term operator.

Landco also has an established presence in Camp John Hay. Through its hospitality arm, Landco Lifestyle Ventures (LLV), it currently manages John Hay Hotels, formerly The Manor and Forest Lodge, as well as the John Hay Convention Center.

However, its hotel management arrangement is temporary. BCDA and its subsidiary, John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC), are also preparing to bid out the hotels’ long-term operations, with Landco expressing interest in participating.

The proposed golf course partnership comes as BCDA seeks substantial private investment to improve Camp John Hay’s recreational facilities.

In an October 16 media briefing, BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang said the government was seeking at least P500 million in improvement works for the golf course under a proposed 25-year contract, with a possible 25-year extension.

The selected operator would be responsible for upgrading, maintaining, and managing the facility. BCDA is separately seeking at least P1 billion in investments for the two hotels, including refurbishment and additional rooms.

Landco’s announcement did not specify how much the consortium intends to invest, the extent of rehabilitation work, or when its proposal would be submitted.

It also raises a question about how an unsolicited proposal would be considered alongside BCDA’s previously announced competitive selection process.

As Rappler reported in June 2026, BCDA had targeted the third quarter of the year to begin bidding out the golf course’s long-term management. The agency confirmed that the incumbent operator would be eligible to participate.

By October, BCDA was targeting the fourth quarter for the bidding, indicating that the timetable had moved.

Landco president and CEO Erickson Y. Manzano said the partnership aims to restore the course while preserving its heritage for future generations.

“By partnering with experts who know this game and this terrain, we hope to restore the course with the care it deserves, for the next generation of players and visitors,” Manzano said.

He added that an improved golf course would complement Landco’s hospitality operations and give tourists another reason to extend their stay in Baguio.

The golf course, one of Camp John Hay’s best-known recreational landmarks, was opened to the general public following BCDA’s takeover in 2025. Its interim management arrangement was intended to keep the facility operating while the government prepared a longer-term agreement.

The proposed lease also comes amid Baguio City’s continuing efforts to secure compliance with the 19 conditionalities governing Camp John Hay’s development, including its share in revenues and lease rentals. During an October 19 city council session, the city treasurer placed the city’s outstanding claim at approximately P225 million.

For now, the agreement among Landco, TMI, and Golfplus establishes their intention to pursue the golf course concession, not an award from BCDA.

The agency has yet to announce a winning long-term operator, while Landco has not disclosed when its consortium will formally submit its proposal. – Rappler.com