1884 - 1899
Because of Subic Bay’s strategic location, its fully sheltered wharf and natural deep harbor, and its beautiful natural environment, Subic became a bastion of foreign military might from the 1800s to the early 1990s. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
2
T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
3
The law that transformed the military bases
In September 1991, 13 members of the Philippine Senate cast their votes against a treaty that would have provided for the continued stay of the American military facilities in the Philippines, including the US Naval Station in Subic Bay. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
4
SECTION 13. The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. – a.Creation of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. - A body corporate to be known as the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, is hereby created as an operating and implementing arm of the Conversion Authority. b.Powers and Functions of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. - The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, otherwise known as the Subic Authority, shall have the following powers and functions: 1.To operate, administer, manage and develop the ship repair and ship building facility, container port, oil storage and refueling facility and Subic Air Base within the Subic Special Economic and Free-Port Zone as a free market in accordance with the policies set forth in Section 12 of this Act; 2.To accept any local or foreign investment, business or enterprise, subject only to such rules and regulations to be promulgated by the Subic Authority in conformity with the policies of the Conversion Authority without prejudice to the nationalization requirements provided for in the Constitution; 3.To undertake and regulate the establishment, operation and maintenance to utilities, other services and infrastructure in the Subic Special Economic Zone including shipping and related business, stevedoring and port terminal services or concessions, incidental thereto and airport operations in coordination with the Civil Aeronautics Board, and to fix just and reasonable rates, fares, charges and other prices therefor;
The creation, mandate and functions of the SBMA as the implementing agency to manage the former naval base, now known as the Subic Bay Freeport and Economic Zone, are embodied in Republic Act No. 7227. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
5
The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, causing massive destruction and burying base facilities in 18 inches of ash fall, prompted the abrupt pull-out of the American naval forces from Subic. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
6
On November 24, 1992, the last American ship and helicopter carrier left Subic, ending the 100-year presence of American military forces in the country. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
7
In the early years of Subic Bay Freeport, some 8,000 volunteers from all walks of life helped to preserve US$8-billion worth of world-class infrastructure left behind by the Americans and made a seemingly impossible task possible. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
8
T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
9
With some 67,000 sq. kilometers of land, US$8-billion worth of infrastructure and around PhP800 million from the National Government, the newly created SBMA began to “rebuild� Subic as a Philippine free port and tourist destination. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
10
The primary agenda then was to lease out existing structures and facilities at a low cost to attract investors and create jobs for displaced workers of the former naval base. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
11
Nidec Subic Philippines Corp. (Japan)
Wistron Infocomm (Phils.) Corp. (Taiwan)
• Manufacturing of personal computers, motherboards • US$140 million actual investments
• Manufacturing of micro motors • US$80 million actual investments
(Korea)
Federal Express Corp., Phils. Branch (U.S.A)
• Logistics air service provider • US$20 million actual investments
• 4th largest shipbuilding facility in the world • US$1.6 billion committed investment
From then on, SBMA moved on to maximize resources, establish new markets and linkages, and increase jobs and investments in the Freeport. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
12
Nearby local communities were recognized as stakeholders and automatic beneficiaries, sharing a certain percentage of corporate taxes paid by Freeportregistered locators and enjoying the trickle-down effect of any and all developments inside the Freeport. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
13
Because of Subic’s rich biodiversity and vast tracts of tropical forests, the SBMA was also mandated to protect, maintain and develop the virgin forests within the former base lands. T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
14
T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
15
premier showcase of Philippine economic development‌
T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
16
T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
17
A symbol of pride and hope for every Filipino‌
T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
18
ne of the most successful models of military base conversion in the world
T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
19
ROBERTO V. GARCIA SBMA Chairman and Administrator 2011 - present
RICHARD J. GORDON Chairman & Administrator 1992- 1998
FRANCISCO H. LICUANAN Chairman 2004 - 2005
FELICITO C. PAYUMO Chairman & Administrator 1998 - 2004
ALFREDO C. ANTONIO Administrator 2004 - 2005
COMM. FELICIANO G. SALONGA Chairman 2005 - 2011
ARMAND C. ARREZA Administrator 2005 - 2011
Previous SBMA Chairmen and Administrators T
H
E
S
U
B
I
C
B
A
Y
F
R
E
E
P
O
R
T
H
I
S
T
O
R
Y
20