More Important Information About Subic

About Subic Bay

Subic Bay has been recognised for many centuries as a deep safe harbour. The Spanish were the first to realise Subic Bay’s potential, using the bay in the17th century as a port to defend and maintain the Philippines as past of their empire. In the following decades the Spanish decided to build a navy base utilising the safe harbour and its natural resources.

Following the loss by the Spanish to the US in 1898, the US established a naval repair and supply base in Subic Bay. Subic Bay was only accessible by sea up until 1932 when the zig zag road was cut through the mountains linking Subic Bay and Olongapo to the rest of the Philippines.

In 1941 Subic Bay was bombed by the Japanese and was held by them for the next four years, until the US took back the Philippines in 1945. The control of the navy base returned to the US. During the two invasions by both the Japanese and the US, a number of naval ships were either bombed or scuttled in Subic Bay Philippines. They have now created an underwater tourist hit, with scuba divers from around the world enjoying the wrecks in there underwater graveyards.

In the following years the Philippines gained independence, however the US maintained control of the Subic naval bases, an agreement was signed between the two countries giving the US 99 years of free use of the facility. Subic Bay becomes a strategic site for the US in maintaining a strong presence in Asia, especially with the outbreak of the Vietnam war.

In 1991 Olongapo and Subic Bay was covered in nearly half a metre of ash from the eruption of Mt Pinatubo. In 1992 the Subic Bay Freeport was created, later that year the last of the US naval ships left Subic Bay, as the renewal of the treaty between the two countries was rejected by the Philippines Senate.

The Subic Bay Freeport Zone is now well on its way in becoming an economic, commercial and tourist destination. The Subic Bay Freeport is booming with international class restaurants and duty free shopping.


Population

The population in SBF is estimated at 3,000. Right next to SBF is Olongapo City with a population of approximately 194,260.

The adjacent provinces to SBF, Bataan and Zambales, have populations of 557,660 and 433,542 respectively as of 1995. Region III or Central Luzon, encompassing the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bataan, and Zambales, has a combined population of 8.030 million as of May 1, 2001.