In 2005, I made a conscious decision to move to the Philippines permanently. It wasn't until after I arrived in April of 2006 that I decided to make Olongapo City my home. Many factors led up to both decisions, some of which are too personal to write about. Here's a little history for you.
The Rebirth of the Philippines and then Olongapo City
After the Japanese were defeated in 1945, the Philippines was granted independence from the US on July 4, 1946. The Philippines recognizes and celebrates the earlier Independence Day of June 12, 1898, when Emilio Aguinaldo declared independence after the Spanish-American war.
Unlike the rest of the Philippines, Olongapo City continued to be governed as a part of the US naval reservation until the lobbying efforts of James Gordon (half American-half Filipino) resulted in it being turned over to the Philippine government and converted into a municipality on December 7, 1959. Mayor James Gordon succeeded in having it reconverted to a chartered city on June 1, 1966, which administers itself autonomously from the Zambales province.
1992 was another rebirth of sorts. After the treaty for the Subic Bay Naval Station ran out, the son of the previous mayor and mayor at the time, Richard Gordon, succeeded in getting the land turned into the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Shortly thereafter, most of the places that catered to the service members closed down, causing a severe impact on the local economy. It wasn't as severe as the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, which left 14 inches of wet ash on the city, but the city recovered from the eruption much more quickly than from the loss of jobs the base provided when it closed in 1992.
Since that time, new businesses both in Olongapo City and at the freeport zone have sprung up and the economy is better now than it was before, at least in my opinion.
My Neighborhood
Olongapo City is broken down into 17 administrative subdivisions called barangays, the smallest of the subdivisions in the country. Formerly known as barrios (from the Spanish history, and some areas are still called that), it's the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward.
I live in the barangay of Santa Rita. I can't tell you how big the barangay is, or even how big the city is, because there are no local maps. When I was here in the 1980s, the real population of the city was estimated at between 50,000 and 100,000 people. As of the 2000 census, there were around 200,000 people and there could be more than 300,000 by 2010.
My wife and I bought the lot next to the lot we live on now back in 1987. My parents-in-law and her siblings moved there. In 2004 or 2005, I forget, we bought this lot. Our original intention was just to own it to prevent anyone else from building between the creek and their houses. In 2006, we built our house on this lot.
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This article is published as: Olongapo City, Philippines – My Home
Hi just wondering if you can help me. I am trying to find the city hall in subic bay or trying to find out the name of the woman my father married in the Phillipines from this area. I do not know her name but need to find out if there is a city hall I could contact to find a marriage certificate. If you know of the city hall there could you please let me know a contact number. Thanks
You can find the information yourself: http://www.olongapocity.gov.ph/
HI TO THE PI AND OLONGPO CITY, WHICH WE USED TO CALL PO TOWN… AND OTHER AFFECTIONATE NICK NAMES OF THE USA AMERICAN FLEET CIRCA VERY EARLY SEVENTIES THRU THE FALL OF VIET NAM IN 75… I AM A RETIRED CHIEF PETTY OFFICER USN WHO WAS ON AIRCRAFT CARRIERS STARTING IN 1957 THRU 1975… I WAS ALSO STATIONED AT CUBI POINT NAVAL AIR STATION IN 1961… MY AGE THIS COMING MARCH 15 WILL BE 80…. I WROTE A NOVEL CONCERNING YOUR FAIR CITY BACK IN THE YEAR WHEN MARCOS DECLARED MARTIAL LAW… THE NOVEL WEAVES ITS WEB ABOUT THE PO TOWN NITE LIFE AND THE ENLISTED MENS CLUBS AT SUBIC AND CUBI POINT… THE BOOK WAS NOT PUBLISHED IN 1985 BECAUSE THE MARKET WAS FLOODED WITH VIET NAM RELATED STORES… I PLAN ON A REWRITE AND WILL ATTEMPT TO PUBLISH AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE…. PRIOR TO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT OLONGAPO TO GET A TASTE OF CONTEMPORARY FLAVOR… TO SAVOR THE JEEPNEY RIDES AND SMELL OF THE STREET VENDORS BARBECUE MEAT SMELLS AND TASTES… DRINK SOME SAN MIIGUEL..
I USED TO HAND OUT AT THE PLAZA HOTEL… I UNDERSTAND THE HOTEL HAS BEEN EXPANDED… DOES IT STILL HAVE THE UPSTAIRS CASION… WITH THE BANK VAULT DOOR AND GUEARD WITH HUGE DOGS GUARDING THE ENTERANCE??? WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THE PLAZA FOR A TWO OR THREE WEEK VISIT… THANKS RICHARD….
There are much better hotels there now. Inside the old Navy base there is a huge selection…even some of the old barracks have been converted into hotels. You can do a web search for more information. If you want to stay in Olongapo itself, Barreto has some really nice beachside places to stay. In a pinch, there is a pretty cheap and clean hotel right in front of the Victory Liner station.
Would love to read your book when it is published.
Hi Richard, My name is George, People call me Mr. G .I remember when I was just a young Marine, back in 1975. Had some good times in Olongapo , met a lot of good people there. Would like to buy a copy of your book when its published. Please contact me by e-mail when its published. Maybe one day I will go back to Olongapo . Thanks, Mr. G
It's really nice to have read post which is like this that talks about my home land Philippines. I'm a proud Filipino by blood and by heart. Post like this helps promotes tourism and as well as the goodness of our place. To all my fellowmen lets love our country and patronize our product. God bless!
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Nice article ! I haven't been there , but I heard it's a very lovely place . Hope in the near future I can go there .
Anyone who is completely honest will tell you Olongapo is not lovely. The former U.S. Navy base at Subic has some nice areas but Olongapo City itself is run down. It was run down and dirty when I was first there in 1980. It is still run down now (albeit cleaner) now. It just has a decrepit look to it which I never understood because – especially during the Navy days – there was millions of dollars a month flowing into the city….but reparing or just repainting a house or building never seemed to be important
It depends on which part of the city you're in, just like anywhere else. Downtown Olongapo City is only a third of it.
Not trying to be disagreeable but it really doesn't matter what part of the city you are in. There is no area of Olongapo that is "nice" in the way most readers from first world countries would think of. Gordon Heights was perhaps the closest at one time, but no longer. My wife is from Bajac Bajac and I just left the Philippines in April after living there for five years so I know what I am talking about.
Sure and you see what you expect to see. I've been living here myself for more than five years and I was here in the 80s. "Nice" is a matter of perspective and compared to other "third world" countries, I consider many parts of the city nicer than I would expect.
I agree "nice" is a matter of perspective. I live in Barrio Barretto, been here over 8 years. I am retired US Army and was never stationed in the Philippines but spent 6 years in Korea when it was considered third world. Other than the rats nest of telephone and electrical cables, and the mode of public transportation Olongapo could be a poor southeastern town in the US.
I live in a nice apartment in a nice section of town and enjoy my lifestyle very much. I also own a travel agency that brings tourist to the subic bay area . Our guest enjoy the area also
i think olongapo is the best place in Philippines
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Nice article. I'm missing Olongapo City. It's a city that never sleeps! I'm missing the annual "Mardigras".!
I enjoyed Olangapo while aboard USN Fleet Oiler USS Ponchatoula (AO-148) 1969-1970.
Once saw 2001 A Space Odyssey in a converted church in town. Loved filet mignon wrapped in bacon at Papa Gaio's.
I'm trying to find a friend from Hawaii – Steve Chandler. He's likely "raising chickens" somewhere in the PI.
We worked at Wang Labs together in the Asia Area Region. Nicest, smartest & funniest person I've met so far.
Steve: Give me a shout one day!
Kudos on a great site.
Aloha to all!
I
Someone ought to put a Website together for Filipinas looking for old Service members, where they can post a pic and who they knew. The only thing i have found is Ameraisian Children looking for their fathers.
I would like to know how an old girlfriend is but have no idea how to find her. Maybe if someone could put a site together where people can post their names and who they are seeking??
Just a thought but how would you advertise it around Olongapo?
T
Yes, a website is pretty easy to do, but getting it advertised in the right places would be virtually impossible.
hi i was wondering if you can help me me and my kids will be relocating there in aug and i need to know the name of the school just right by the gate not the one by sm the other gate i need to contact them soon and all i know they call it first something. any info you can give me will be appreciated..thanks
I think is called the First School of SBFZ.
SIR: THANKS FOR THE SPEEDY AND INFORMATIVE REPLY… I SHALL KEEP IN TOUCH AND LET YOU KNOW HOW THE NOVEL DEVELOPS AND MY POTENTIAL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS.
I WOULD BE MOST APPRECIATIVE ON ANY DOCUMENTED DATA OF WENT ON IN OLONGAPO AND ANGELUS ON THE NIGHT MARCOS DECLARED MARTIAL LAW BACK IN 1972… I HAVE A LOT OFMARTIAL HISTORY OF MANILA… IONLY HAVE A VAUGE RECOLLECTION OF THATMARTIAL LAW NIGHT IN OLONGAPO… I HAD BEEN DRINKING IN TOWN AND THE SHORE PATROL ROUNDED US UP AND SENT US BACK TO SUBIC… THANKS!!!!
I HAD VISITED SUBIC ON USS RANGER CVA 61 1968; USS BON HOMME RICHARD CVA 31 1961 AND MIDWAY CVA 41 1971 AND
1972 . WAS ALSO AT THE OLD CAVITE TOWN AND SANGLEY POINT OF SEAPLANE FAME
I WAS A CHIEF AVIATION ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN AND CREW MEMBER OF AD5W, AD5Q AND E2B AIRCRAFT… WHILE STATIONED AT CUBI I LIVED IN THE BARRACKS AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AND LIVING I IN THE BARRACKS UP ON CUBI POINT.. YEARS LATER FREQUENTED THE CPO CLUB "TOP OF THE MART" BEFORE HITING TRIP DOWN TO SUBIC AND OVER THE RIVER TO PO TOWN..
WAS ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF NAVY AWACCS AT FLEET COMPUTER PROGRAMING CENTER PACIFIC, SAN DIEGO AND COMPUTERS SUCH AS THEY WERE BACK THEN…RETIRED AND BECAME A FIELD ENGINEER FOR LITTON INDUSTRIES. WHERE I DEVELOPED MANUALS AND TRAINIG MANUALS AND LEARNER GUIDES FOR THE PROPULSION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE SPRUANCE CLASS DESTROYERS. TAUGHT THE FIRST CREW IN PASCAGULA MISSIPI A LOT OF AFFECTIONATE MEMORIES THANKS RICHARD
I retired as a Senior Chief Yeoman in 2004. My first duty station if you can believe it was Cubi Point. I said "if this is the Navy I am staying for 30 years" hahaha too bad everything was downhill after that until I hit rock bottom on my last ship USS SAFEGUARD (ARS 50) – more appropriately known as slaveguard. I redeemed that experience by getting a job in Manila after I retired from active duty…however there is a five year limit on tours so unfortunately I am back in the U.S. and hating life.
My wife remembers martial law….they didn't even know what it meant hahaha. Her father got caught one night after curfew and had to spend the rest of the night in the PNP camp in Barreto. They made them kneel the entire time. Bad times which really put that country in the hurt locker
RICHARD, I WAS STATIONED AT SANGLEY PT, CAVITE CITY FROM 67-69, WAS THE BEST DUTY THERE IN THE PHILIPPINES, LATE I WAS ALSO STATIONED AT CUBI PT. I WENT BACK AND LIVED AT BALOY BEACH, BAR. BARRETTO FOR 5 YEARS AND ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH. I REMEMBER MANY OF THE PLACES YOU HAVE MENTIONED. ENJOYED IT. ALSO RETIRED CHIEF RADIOMAN.
It was still under martial law when I was here in '83 and '86. Marcos was ousted later in '86.