My Fil sis-in-law was there when Mt Pinatubo erupted, and at the same time the previous govt didn’t want the bases operating. There’s a saying that the reason why the US left Pampanga/Subic was not because of the limp-wristed RP govt was because Pinatubo drove them away. Due to the large amount of ash that fell on half the world, it was a logistical disaster to clean up the bases.
That’s false. The decision for our Naval bases to leave the Philippines was made in advance (a couple years so) of Mt. Pinatubo. I was there when it happened and by the time Mt. Pinatubo erupted (June 15, 1991) we had already closed many smaller bases. Being stationed in the Philippines was my favorite location while in the Navy and if the bases were still there, I might just move there.
“Due to the large amount of ash that fell on half the world, it was a logistical disaster to clean up the bases.”
Pinatubo actually worked out to the USA’s benefit as we were wrangling with the PI government over the “when” and “how” of the turnover of Clark AB. The Pin eruption sorted of mooted the whole issue as we rolled out in short order.