Take it from a retiree living in the Philippines, (since 2001), there will be no PX or Navy Exchange. The Clark Field is now populated with many international corporations and a new civilian hospital was just built there. There is even a major mall there.
The same is true for Subic. There are major international corporations there, a commercial shipping port and a new hospital also. Subic is a FreePort now.
The plan, as stated in the local newspapers, is that ships will come into port for repairs, supplies and R&R, but there will not be any ships stationed in Subic nor will there be more than a small contingent of U.S. Navy personnel in Subic.
Clark Field is now an international airport, but U.S. military flights do stop there, mostly they are bringing in Army personnel and Marines that arrive to conduct training exercises and advisor duties with the Philippine military.
There is a large group of Filipinos that do not want our military in the Philippines. There are women rights groups that also don’t want us in the Philippines. And there is still a question concerning the Status of Forces Agreement. Some Filipinos want U.S. service members who are accused of criminal activity to be held in Philippine jails prior to going to trial, (which can take many years before going on trial).
As far as I know, this issue has not been worked out with the Philippine Government.
It is said that our ship and planes will rotate in and out of the former bases but will not be permanently stationed at the bases, nor will they stay for prolonged periods of time.
Thanks for the information. I was there with Enterprise during the first half of the 70’s. Some of the most beautiful geography in the world with a generally suckey government, not that I can point to an example of an unsuckey government. Beautiful place to be.
I could see Subic being something like we've got in Sembawang, Singapore. A small Navy Exchange, Commissary and a Navy Federal but that's about it. And the ships would only be visiting.
That’s really no different from what’s going on now, is it? With the exception of some personnel being stationed there. Ships have been making liberty calls at Subic again for a while now, although I can’t imagine what they are like in today’s PC Navy. Pretty disappointing I imagine. They can’t take my fond memories though.
Thanks for your detailed report. I had wondered how the locals coped with the loss of revenue when the bases shut down. Obviously the transformation of these sites into office complexes, hotels, warehouses, airports, etc. offers more dignified alternatives to the old rackets.
I sympathize with them. Would we want to turn American daughters into sexual slaves to service the Filipino (or any other country) military ? I find the fond memories expressed by some for the slaves, which is what prostitutes are, to ... miss the mark. If this were your last chance before eternity is that really the legacy you want to have ? Giving love and honor to one wife is a far better legacy. People are so weak and easily led astray.