Subic Bay and Angeles City

Leisure and entertainment

The bases in the past

Subic Bay is located about 120 kilometer north-west of Metro Manila. Many services were needed for the American militaries on the bases. The advantage for the Philippine people in the region was employment. The American bases were good for thousands of all kind of jobs for Philippine workers.

Closing of the bases

After the communism ideology collapsed in Russia and China, the threat of these big Communist countries was no longer there. In stead of enemies these countries became trading partners. The 'Cold War' was no longer existing. The military bases in the Philippines were no longer needed. In the same period there were demonstrations in Manila against the presence of the American bases. At last in 1992 the military bases were closed.

Angeles City

In Angeles City, the Americans had the military base, Clark Air Base. This base was the biggest aircraft-base outside the United States. The eruption of the Pinatubo destroyed the base in 1992. 

Subic Bay

From Military basis to Free Trade Zone 

After the retreat of the Americans  thousands of jobs were lost and unemployment was enormous. The Philippine government decided to stimulate economic growth by attracting foreign investors to the Subic bay region as well as to Angeles City. They made the necessary infrastructure and offered the possibility of 'free trade' in specific economic zones.

Companies have since then the possibility to operate without strict regulations and with very low tax regulations. This policy however wasn't very successful. The foreign investors hardly showed up.

Centers of entertainment

Instead of  many industries, service activities for tourists entered the areas of Subic bay and Angeles City.

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