THE LEGEND OF OLONGAPO

Once upon a time in the area where Olongapo is now situated, there was a leader, an old man, famous for his love and care for his tribe. This leader was known as APO. He was intelligent, good and just. He favored no one and treated everyone fairly, that was why he was loved by all. (Apo.jpg)

The village of this model Apo became a good example for the nearby settlements. His name became a byword. Any dispute and conflict he resolved with due fairness and justice. He inspired goodwill and nurtured hope in his people to combat sufferings brought about by calamities. However, because of his greatness, evil men with the bad intention of conquering his tribe became envious of him.

One morning, the village was awaked by the news that the Apo was taken by unscrupulous tribesman. The villagers searched for the Apo in the forest and mountains for several days but in vain.

Then one day, the village was taken by surprise when a boy returning from the forest, claimed that he found the head of the Apo at the foot of the mountain. They soon learned the the Apo was killed by his abductors, who cut his head off in order to cast fear among the villagers and succeed in their evil intent. (UloNgApo!.jpg)

But the village instead of being frightened, became enraged because of the hideous things done to their beloved head. The villagers punished the culprits and in order to cherish and emulate the example of leadership shown to them by the Apo, they called their village “ULONGAPO” (Head of the Leader). Thus the locality bears its name and became OLONGAPO.

This is the legend of OLONGAPO, which should not be washed away by time and forgotten by every citizen of the city.

The History of Subic Bay and Olongapo

On March 8, 1885, the Spanish Naval commission authorized construction of the Arsenal at Olongapo. The Spanish planned to make their naval station and the village of Olongapo an Island, protected against attack by insurrectos. They did extensive dredging of the harbor and the inner basin and built a drainage canal. The canal served both to drain the swampy area around the yard and also to form a line of defense. (SpanishNavSta.jpg)

On May 1, 1898, Dewey’s Flagship USS Olympia leads the Asiatic Fleet into Manila Bay. (Flagship.jpg)

On December 10, 1899, One hundred U.S. Marines under the command of Capt John Myers landed at Subic Bay with orders to take charge of the Naval Station at Olongapo and, to take care of all public property and prevent any destruction of the same. (100.jpg)

(Sailors.jpg) Picture of U.S. Navy sailors posing on the propeller of their ship as it undergoes repairs in the Dewey drydock.

The Americans used the West Gate, which they called the Spanish Gate, as the main gate to the station for many years. Behind the Spanish Gate was a little Marine Cemetery. The Gate was also used as a jail by both the Spanish and Americans. (SpanishGate.jpg)

The first Marines at Subic Bay lived in barracks and warehouses built by the Spanish. After the expeditionary force was set up, it was necessary to supplement the Spanish buildings with thatched huts made from the leaves of the nipa palm. (hut.jpg)

Ten inch coastal defense gun on a disappearing mount at Fort Wint on Grande Island. The 96 acre island was purchased in 1905 by the U.S. Army and coastal defense guns installed.(guns.jpg)

A waterfront view of the naval station at Subic Bay taken in 1912 with Alava Pier on the foreground (NavSta1912.jpg)

A picture looking down Olongapo’s main street - Esteban Street (now named Dewey Avenue) toward the navy yard. The town of Olongapo was on the Naval Reservation and was administered by the U.S. Navy. (EstebanSt.jpg)

A picture of Japanese soldiers crossing Subic Bay on a raft made from oil drums during the Luzon Campaign in 1942. (Japs.jpg)

A picture taken in 1947 from the Parola (LightHouse). (SB1947.jpg)

A 1949 aerial picture of Naval Station & Old Olongapo (once a sitio of Subic Town). The center of the picture is the Naval Station, notice the swampy area on the foreground; then look at the next picture to appreciate the massive soil movement, land filling and development made on the area. (SB1949.JPG)

A 1968 aerial photo of Subic Bay from almost the same angle as the previous picture. Notice the built-up area at Olongapo City and the construction of Cubi Airfield (runway) on top of the picture. (SB1968.JPG)

The last picture was actually taken from a greater distance/height in 1958, built-up upper portions are West & East Bajac-Bajac, somewhere in the middle: West & East Tapinac. Notice that Brgy Pag-asa is still a swampy area in1958, it was later land-filled after being used as dumping area for the city’s garbage. Magsaysay Bridge (Main Gate) was still non-existent, Rizal Avenue bridge was rebuilt in 1999 and renamed James L Gordon Bridge (SB58.jpg)

========================

The Spanish held the place for over a century until the Spanish fleet’s defeat at Manila Bay in 1898. The “Spanish Gate” at the Naval Station still stands.
As soon as the Americans took possession of Subic Bay, they found the place strategically important for food and fuel for the fleet. The Americans maintained friendly relations with the locals and the population grew as Filipino civilians moved into the Olongapo area to take advantage of the opportunities thus created. The town became the pride of Zambales province, but the only access was from the sea. No roads penetrated the high inaccessible mountains that ringed the bay.
In 1932, the road through Zig Zag Pass was completed and the city of Olongapo was connected to the rest of the country. The growth of the town continued, despite a temporary move of most of the naval facilities to Cavite Nav Yard.
By 1941, the population of Olongapo had increased to 15,000 souls.
The sudden bombing of Pearl Harbor and the invasion of the Philippines by the Japanese brought a swift end to the good times in Olongapo. Only a few American personnel were present at Subic Bay when the Japanese attacked . the small force could not withstand the air attacks so they moved to strategic positions of defense and to areas where their services were badly needed.
After a week, the resources of the defenders were exhausted. The townspeople evacuated to the mountains leaving behind them the ruins of the Naval base and the town, which was burned to the ground. The people adopted a “scorched-earth”policy as the Japanese advanced rapidly.
In the latter part of 1942, the Japanese |Imperial forces occupied Olongapo and began clearing the ruins of the once beautiful town. The few remaining houses were occupied by the Japanese soldiers. The fall of Bataan on April 9 and Corregidor on May 7, 1942 diminished the last hope of the Filipinos. American and Filipino defenders surrendered unconditionally., placing the country under the iron rule of the Japanese, except in some places where underground resistance movements were organized. Most of the people retreated deeper into the mountains and lived on whatever they could and whatever they’d saved in the way of clothing and provisions. They were exposed to the elements and attacked by disease and malnutrition. Some of the civilians “mortgaged” their certificates of employment with the US Navy at exhorbitant interest rates. They resorted to eating “bojo” roots and leaves that caused the death of many. Beri-beri and malaria took amny lives.
Some Filipinos worked for the Japanese Navy at Subic out of desperation, earning a few liters of rice for a day’s work or they were paid in “mickey mouse” money. Others worked for the Japanese out of fear of being suspected as guerillas, which would mean certain death.
An anti-Japanese resistence movement was formed in the nearby hills around Capt. E. S. Johnson, who had lost a son and a brother to the Japanese. All those who were identified as belonging to the resistance were sentenced to be shot on sight by the Japanese. Johnson and a few comrades were captured due to the treachery of one of his men, but while awaiting execution, they escaped from prison and returned to the hills. They then harassed the Japanese forces whenever they could at night and then returned to the mountains at night.
Finally, on the morning of January 29, 1945. the people of Olongapo awoke to find hundreds of American planes in the sky. the Japanese forces got into their trucks and headed for Zig Zag Pass. None of the townspeople dared come out for fear the retreating Japanese would shoot every Filipino they could find on sight. Hours later, Subic Bay filled with American vessels, and the American troops landed without resistance. Zig Zag Pass was the site of a bloody battle between Japanese and American forces, as the American liberation troops pursued the fleeing Japanese and the Japanese made their last stand. Zambales guerillas fought alongside the American forces to victory.
As soon as the enemy left, the Americans recognized the plight of the people of Olongapo and began to help them in all posssible ways. Employment boomed and by 1946, there were 10,000 Filipinos employed in the various Naval activities.
Stores were reopened, roads rebuilt and housing projects initiated and the city and Naval Base were on the way to becoming the economic and military force it continued to be through the 1990’s.

* - * - * - * - * - *

JAMES LEONARD GORDON

Maunlad. Malinis. Payapa. Ito ang Olongapo ngayon. Isang modelong lungsod na tinutularan ng ibang bayan sa Pilipinas.

Ang kasaysayan ng Olongapo ay inukit ng mga ginintuang pangarap at adhikain. Kaalinsabay nito’y mga hamon at balakid, luha at pagsisikap, upang sa bandang huli ay makamit ang bantayog ng tagumpay.

Kung anuman ang Olongapo ngayon ay siyang bunga ng mga binhing itinanim ng isang tao na buong giting na sinuong ang mga panganib, nagbuhis ng buhay upang maisakatuparan ang kanyang mithiin; nagbigay ng isang maganda at matatag na bukas sa sinilangang bayan ng kangyang minahal at pinaglingkuran ng buong katapatan. Ito ay ang ama ng lungsod ng Olongapo: si James Leonard Gordon.

Ang ama ni Gordon na si John Jacob Gordon ay isang sundalong Amerikano na kabilang sa tropa ni George Dewey na gumapi sa armada ng Espanya noong 1898 sa Manila Bay. Ang kaniya namang ina na si Veronica Tagle ay anak ng bayani ng Philippine Revolution na si Jose Tagle na nakibaka laban sa mga puwersang Kastila sa Imus, Cavite.

Nang sakupin ng Amerika ang Pilipinas ay sinimulan nitong magtayo ng Naval Station sa Subic Bay dahil sa natatangi nitong harbor at estratehiyang lokasyon. Kasabay sa pagdevelop sa naturang base militar, umusad ang progreso ng Olongapo na dati ay isa lamang munting komunidad ng mangingisda sa baybayin ng Subic Bay. Ang Olongapong kaniyang kinagisnan ay di pares ng ibang lugar sa Pilipinas. Bagama’t pinagkalooban na ng kalayaan ng mga Amerikano ang bansa, namalaging sakop ng mga ito ang Olongapo bilang US Naval Reservation.

Nang ipasiya ng kanyang pamilya na magbalik sa Estados Unidos, minabuti ni Gordon na maiwan sa bayan na kanyang kinalakihan. Katunayan, mas pinili niyang maging mamamayang Pilipino kesa maging US Citizen. Ito ay sa kabila na nang mga panahong iyon ay nagsisimula nang humaba ang pila sa US Embassy ng mga Pilipinong gustong magpunta sa Amerika at masungkit ang Great American Dream.

Nabihag ang puso ni Gordon ng isang dalagang taga-Subic, si Amelia Juico, na kanyang napangasawa at nagkaroon sila ng limang anak.

Si Gorodn ay naging aktibo sa mga gawain ukol sa kagalingan ng Olongapo at mga mamayan nito. Bilang kagawad ng konseho sa ilalim ng US Navy, ipinagtanggol ni Gordon ang karapatan ng mga Pilipino laban sa pang-aabuso ng mga awtoridad na Amerikano. Ang walang humpay niyang pagbubulgar sa pagmamalabis na dinaranas ng mga taga-Olongapo sa kamay ng mga Amerikano ay nagbunsod sa pamahalaang Pilipinas upang muling suriin at rebisahin ang mga kasunduan hinggil sa mga base ng Estados Unidos sa bansa. Ito rin ang nagpa-alab sa damdaming makabayan ng mga taga-Olongapo upang naising makalaya sa poder ng mga Amerikano at makamit ang karapatan na patakbuhin ang sarili nilang bayan.

Sa pagpupursige ni Gordon at nagkakaisang pamayanan, ibinalik ng gobyernong Amerikano sa pamahalaang Pilipinas ang Olongapo noon 1959. Taong 1966 ng iluklok si Gordon bilang Alkalde sa kauna-unahang halalan na ginanap sa bagong tayong munisipyo.

Sa pag-upo niya sa puwesto, binigyan diiin ni Gordon na ang Fil-Am relations ay kailangang nakasalig sa respeto at interest ng dalawang bansa.

Matindi ang isinagawa niyang kampanya laban sa illegal na pagtotroso sa kabundukan, gayundin sa mga sindikatong nagsulputan sa Olongapo. Hindi nakapagtataka na naging kaaway siya ng mga mayayaman at makangpangyarihan na ang pansariling interest ay nasagasaan bunga ng kanyang paghihigpit. Makailang ulit pinagtangkaan ang buhay ni Gordon. Noong Hulyo 4, 1965, hinagisan ng granada ang minamaneho niyang kotse habang pauwi sa kanilang bahay. Naligtasan ito ni Gordon. Agosto 6, 1966 nag muling magbaka-sakali ang mga bayaraang salarin. Tatlong granada ang ipinukol sa kaniyang direksiyon habang abala siya sa nagaganap na malaking sunog. Muli siyang nakaligtas ngunit may mga nasawi at nasugatang mga tao. Imbes na panghinaan ng loob, lalong nag-ibayo ang hangarin ni Gordon na wastuhin na mga mali sa lipunan.

Nagtagumpay din siyang mabawi ang milyong piso ng planta ng koryente na ipinaupa sa mababang halaga ng nagdaan administrasyon. Nilinis niya ang pamahalaang lokal sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatalsik ng mga tiwaling kawani.

Bagama’t matinik ang daan, ginabayan din ni Gordon ang Olongapo tungo sa isang bayan na may kakayanang tumindig sa sarili.

Noong Hulyo 1966 ay naging ganap na lungsod ang Olongapo sa bisa ng Republic Act 4645.

Sa pagsikat ng bagong umaga ay dumating din ang maraming hamon. Habang umuunlad ang Olongapo ay nagdagsaan ang mga taong nais makibahagi sa biyayang pang-ekonomiya. Lumalaki ang populasyon, dumarami rin ang pangangailangan.

Hinarap ni Gordon ang mga suliraning kaakibat ng pag-unlad nang ipatupad niya ang mga program sa imprastraktura, edukasyon, kalusugan at serbisyong pampubliko.

Ang pangingibabaw ng kaayusan at kapayapaan ay siyang tampok sa isipan ni Gordon. Naging masigasig siya sa paglipol sa lumalalang kriminalidad at mga bisyong nagbabantang bahiran ng dungis ang isang magandang simulain.

Nakabangga rin niya ang mga maimpluwensyang pulitiko sa hangad niyang wakasan ang political bossism upang makamtan ng lungsod ang kasarinlang pampulitika.

At ang bagwis ng pagbabago ay nagsimulang mamayagpag. Sa ilalim ng Malaya, Makatao at Responsableng pamunuan, ang Olongapo ay nakatanaw sa dako paroon. Tigib nang pag-asa at pangako. Hanggang sa maganap ang trahedyang ipinagluksa ng buong lungsod.

Pebrero 20, 1967. Habang kausap ang isang babaeng may isinasangguning problema sa ibaba ng city hall, si Gordon ay patraydor na binaril sa ulo ng isang hired assassin. Sa isang iglap, nabalot ng dilim ang mga adhikain at pangarap ng bagong sibol na syudad. Isang mapait na yugto sa kasaysayan ng Olongapo.

Inaresto sa isinagawang raid ng mga awtoridad sa isang bahay sa East Bajac-Bajac si Nenito Alincastre, takas na bilanggo sa siyang bumaril kay Gordon; ang kasabwat na sina Pablo Salcedo at Rogelio Lorenzo, anak ng dating chief of police na si Mamerto Lorenzo. Ang matandang Mamerto ay nasukol ng CIS team sa Malolos, Bulacan.

Matapos mahatulan at makulong sina Alincastre, Salcedo at mga-amang Lorenzo at natigil na ng mga imbestigasyon sa kaso ni Gordon. Pagkalipas ng ilang taon, si Alincastre ay napatay sa isang riot sa Muntinglupa.

Naniniwala nag marami na iisang grupo ang may kagagawan sa pagpaslang kay Gordon pati na sa naunang dalawang pagtatanka sa kanyang buhay. Isang grupong binubuo ng mga sakim na pulitikong itinuturing siyang malaking balakid sa kanilang masasamang gawain.

Tatlumpu’t tatlong taon na nag nagdaan mula ng maganap ang karumal-dumal na krimen. Subalit hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin sagot sa tanong: “sino ang utak o mga utak sa pagpatay kay Gordon?” Sumisigaw ang katarungan nguni’t ang katotohanan ay nanatiling nakakubli.

Pumanaw man si Gordon ay nanatiling buhay ang kanyang mga pangarap para sa kanyang bayan. Ang dugo niyang nabuwis ay patuloy na dumadaloy sa bawa’t Pilipinong taga-Olongapo na buo ang loob sa harap ng pagsubok, taas-noo sa gitna ng krisis, determinado sa kabila ng balakid. Handa sa nagbabagong panahon.

SUBIC BAY TODAY

On June 15, 1991, Mount Pinatubo, just 20 miles from Subic Bay exploded with a force 8 times greater than the Mount St. Helens eruption. Day turned to night as volcanic ash blotted out the sun. Volcanic earthquakes and heavy rain, lightning and thunder from a typhoon passing over northern Luzon made Black Saturday a 36-hour nightmare.

By Sunday morning, when the volcano’s fury subsided, Subic Bay, once one the most beautiful, well-maintained Navy bases in the Pacific, lay buried under a foot of the rain-soaked, sandy ash.

The devastation was awesome. Buildings everywhere collapsed under the weight of the coarse gray ash. Miraculously, 100 people stepping on the floor of the China Seas Club escaped injury when that building collapsed. Tragically, two girls, one a nine year old American girl and the other a Filipino citizen, had died when trapped under a falling roof at George Dewey High School. In the city of Olongapo, more than 60 volcano-related deaths were reported, including 8 who were crushed when part of Olongapo General Hospital-collapsed.

By Sunday night, the threat of continued eruptions combined with the lack of water and electricity, led to the decision to evacuate all dependents. U.S. warships and cargo planes began the emergency evacuation of thousands of Navy and Air Force dependents. Seven Navy ships sailed Monday, June 17, with 6,200 dependents. A total of 17 ships, including aircraft carriers, USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Midway evacuated all 20,000 dependents over the next few days. The evacuees were taken by ship to the Philippine island of Cebu and then were airlifted by U.S. Air Force C-141 to Guam.

After the dependents were evacuated, an intense clean-up was begun. All hands, American servicemen and women and Filipino base employees, worked around the clock to restore essential services.

Clark Air Base, much closer to Mount Pinatubo, was declared a total loss and plans for a complete closure were started.,

Subic fared better. Within two weeks Nas Cubi Point was back in limited operation. Soon most building had electricity and water service restored. By mid-July service had been restored to most family housing units.

The dependents began returning September 8, 1991 and by the end of the month almost all were back at Subic Bay from their Safe Haven in the United States.

September, 1991, was a historic month for the station for another reason. The Military Bases Agreement of 1947 expired on September 16th. Months of intense negotiations between the Philippine and U.S. governments had taken place and had resulted in the Treaty of Friendship, Peace and Cooperation.

The Philippine Senate voted on the Treaty on September 13, 1991, and voted for rejection. The Senators cited a number of reasons for the rejection but most centered on throwing off the “last vestige of American colonialism”, Subic Bay Naval Station -

The Aquino administration was strongly pro-treaty and called for a referendum by the Philippine people, a move the 4nti-bases forces declared unconstitutional.

During the first week of October, a compromise was reached - the U.S. would have 3 years to withdraw from the naval base.

In the meantime, the Subic Bay continues its service to the Fleet as it has for the past century.

Subic volunteers remembered

SUBIC BAY - Newly-installed officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Wednesday recognized the contribution of residents of Olongapo City and nearby areas who helped man the Subic Bay Free Port right after the former United States military base was turned over to the Philippine government in 1992.

In a program celebrating “Volunteers Day” here, SBMA Chairman Jose Licuanan III and SBMA Administrator Alfredo Antonio stressed that cooperation among various stakeholders in Subic is necessary for economic success.

Antonio and Licuanan, who took over the SBMA on October 16, joined local officials in paying tribute to Subic’s volunteers, mostly former base workers, who gave their services for free during the first few years of Subic under the Philippine-government management.

Sen. Richard Gordon, who became the first SBMA chairman, was the guest of honor during the celebration, which included a victory march from Mariquit Park in Olongapo to the free port’s central business district.

Antonio, who urged SBMA employees and former volunteers to work hand in hand to further develop Subic, stressed in his message the continuing need for individual initiative and selflessness that the Subic volunteers personified.

“You have proven what the Filipino is capable of becoming and achieving… Today, your greatest challenge is to inspire more Filipinos to become more genuinely committed to the common good,” Antonio said.

He also told the volunteers that the current SBMA administration is determined “to build upon whatever you have achieved and left here in Subic.”

Licuanan similarly praised the volunteers for helping build the foundation of the free port, adding that people working together for the common good “may be the only hope of our nation.”

Noting that the history of Subic mirrors that of the country, Licuanan said that volunteerism is necessary “if we are to dig ourselves out of this downward [economic] spiral.”

Meanwhile, Gordon recalled in an emotional speech the early days of SBMA when he called upon Olongapo residents to help him preserve the former military base.

“We have gone a long way. So many people said that it cannot be done, but here we are all today, celebrating Volunteers Day. We have gone through so much [and we have earned] the respect of the world because of our dedication and efforts,” Gordon told the volunteers.

During the program, Gordon also led the volunteers in offering flowers and prayers to former volunteer and SBMA chief operating officer Ferdinand Aristorenas who died in 2001.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/subicbay

THE LEGEND OF OLONGAPO

Once upon a time in the area where Olongapo is now situated, there was a leader, an old man, famous for his love and care for his tribe. This leader was known as APO. He was intelligent, good and just. He favored no one and treated everyone fairly, that was why he was loved by all. (Apo.jpg)

The village of this model Apo became a good example for the nearby settlements. His name became a byword. Any dispute and conflict he resolved with due fairness and justice. He inspired goodwill and nurtured hope in his people to combat sufferings brought about by calamities. However, because of his greatness, evil men with the bad intention of conquering his tribe became envious of him.

One morning, the village was awaked by the news that the Apo was taken by unscrupulous tribesman. The villagers searched for the Apo in the forest and mountains for several days but in vain.

Then one day, the village was taken by surprise when a boy returning from the forest, claimed that he found the head of the Apo at the foot of the mountain. They soon learned the the Apo was killed by his abductors, who cut his head off in order to cast fear among the villagers and succeed in their evil intent. (UloNgApo!.jpg)

But the village instead of being frightened, became enraged because of the hideous things done to their beloved head. The villagers punished the culprits and in order to cherish and emulate the example of leadership shown to them by the Apo, they called their village “ULONGAPO” (Head of the Leader). Thus the locality bears its name and became OLONGAPO.

This is the legend of OLONGAPO, which should not be washed away by time and forgotten by every citizen of the city.

The History of Subic Bay and Olongapo

On March 8, 1885, the Spanish Naval commission authorized construction of the Arsenal at Olongapo. The Spanish planned to make their naval station and the village of Olongapo an Island, protected against attack by insurrectos. They did extensive dredging of the harbor and the inner basin and built a drainage canal. The canal served both to drain the swampy area around the yard and also to form a line of defense. (SpanishNavSta.jpg)

On May 1, 1898, Dewey’s Flagship USS Olympia leads the Asiatic Fleet into Manila Bay. (Flagship.jpg)

On December 10, 1899, One hundred U.S. Marines under the command of Capt John Myers landed at Subic Bay with orders to take charge of the Naval Station at Olongapo and, to take care of all public property and prevent any destruction of the same. (100.jpg)

(Sailors.jpg) Picture of U.S. Navy sailors posing on the propeller of their ship as it undergoes repairs in the Dewey drydock.

The Americans used the West Gate, which they called the Spanish Gate, as the main gate to the station for many years. Behind the Spanish Gate was a little Marine Cemetery. The Gate was also used as a jail by both the Spanish and Americans. (SpanishGate.jpg)

The first Marines at Subic Bay lived in barracks and warehouses built by the Spanish. After the expeditionary force was set up, it was necessary to supplement the Spanish buildings with thatched huts made from the leaves of the nipa palm. (hut.jpg)

Ten inch coastal defense gun on a disappearing mount at Fort Wint on Grande Island. The 96 acre island was purchased in 1905 by the U.S. Army and coastal defense guns installed.(guns.jpg)

A waterfront view of the naval station at Subic Bay taken in 1912 with Alava Pier on the foreground (NavSta1912.jpg)

A picture looking down Olongapo’s main street - Esteban Street (now named Dewey Avenue) toward the navy yard. The town of Olongapo was on the Naval Reservation and was administered by the U.S. Navy. (EstebanSt.jpg)

A picture of Japanese soldiers crossing Subic Bay on a raft made from oil drums during the Luzon Campaign in 1942. (Japs.jpg)

A picture taken in 1947 from the Parola (LightHouse). (SB1947.jpg)

A 1949 aerial picture of Naval Station & Old Olongapo (once a sitio of Subic Town). The center of the picture is the Naval Station, notice the swampy area on the foreground; then look at the next picture to appreciate the massive soil movement, land filling and development made on the area. (SB1949.JPG)

A 1968 aerial photo of Subic Bay from almost the same angle as the previous picture. Notice the built-up area at Olongapo City and the construction of Cubi Airfield (runway) on top of the picture. (SB1968.JPG)

The last picture was actually taken from a greater distance/height in 1958, built-up upper portions are West & East Bajac-Bajac, somewhere in the middle: West & East Tapinac. Notice that Brgy Pag-asa is still a swampy area in1958, it was later land-filled after being used as dumping area for the city’s garbage. Magsaysay Bridge (Main Gate) was still non-existent, Rizal Avenue bridge was rebuilt in 1999 and renamed James L Gordon Bridge (SB58.jpg)

========================

The Spanish held the place for over a century until the Spanish fleet’s defeat at Manila Bay in 1898. The “Spanish Gate” at the Naval Station still stands.
As soon as the Americans took possession of Subic Bay, they found the place strategically important for food and fuel for the fleet. The Americans maintained friendly relations with the locals and the population grew as Filipino civilians moved into the Olongapo area to take advantage of the opportunities thus created. The town became the pride of Zambales province, but the only access was from the sea. No roads penetrated the high inaccessible mountains that ringed the bay.
In 1932, the road through Zig Zag Pass was completed and the city of Olongapo was connected to the rest of the country. The growth of the town continued, despite a temporary move of most of the naval facilities to Cavite Nav Yard.
By 1941, the population of Olongapo had increased to 15,000 souls.
The sudden bombing of Pearl Harbor and the invasion of the Philippines by the Japanese brought a swift end to the good times in Olongapo. Only a few American personnel were present at Subic Bay when the Japanese attacked . the small force could not withstand the air attacks so they moved to strategic positions of defense and to areas where their services were badly needed.
After a week, the resources of the defenders were exhausted. The townspeople evacuated to the mountains leaving behind them the ruins of the Naval base and the town, which was burned to the ground. The people adopted a “scorched-earth”policy as the Japanese advanced rapidly.
In the latter part of 1942, the Japanese |Imperial forces occupied Olongapo and began clearing the ruins of the once beautiful town. The few remaining houses were occupied by the Japanese soldiers. The fall of Bataan on April 9 and Corregidor on May 7, 1942 diminished the last hope of the Filipinos. American and Filipino defenders surrendered unconditionally., placing the country under the iron rule of the Japanese, except in some places where underground resistance movements were organized. Most of the people retreated deeper into the mountains and lived on whatever they could and whatever they’d saved in the way of clothing and provisions. They were exposed to the elements and attacked by disease and malnutrition. Some of the civilians “mortgaged” their certificates of employment with the US Navy at exhorbitant interest rates. They resorted to eating “bojo” roots and leaves that caused the death of many. Beri-beri and malaria took amny lives.
Some Filipinos worked for the Japanese Navy at Subic out of desperation, earning a few liters of rice for a day’s work or they were paid in “mickey mouse” money. Others worked for the Japanese out of fear of being suspected as guerillas, which would mean certain death.
An anti-Japanese resistence movement was formed in the nearby hills around Capt. E. S. Johnson, who had lost a son and a brother to the Japanese. All those who were identified as belonging to the resistance were sentenced to be shot on sight by the Japanese. Johnson and a few comrades were captured due to the treachery of one of his men, but while awaiting execution, they escaped from prison and returned to the hills. They then harassed the Japanese forces whenever they could at night and then returned to the mountains at night.
Finally, on the morning of January 29, 1945. the people of Olongapo awoke to find hundreds of American planes in the sky. the Japanese forces got into their trucks and headed for Zig Zag Pass. None of the townspeople dared come out for fear the retreating Japanese would shoot every Filipino they could find on sight. Hours later, Subic Bay filled with American vessels, and the American troops landed without resistance. Zig Zag Pass was the site of a bloody battle between Japanese and American forces, as the American liberation troops pursued the fleeing Japanese and the Japanese made their last stand. Zambales guerillas fought alongside the American forces to victory.
As soon as the enemy left, the Americans recognized the plight of the people of Olongapo and began to help them in all posssible ways. Employment boomed and by 1946, there were 10,000 Filipinos employed in the various Naval activities.
Stores were reopened, roads rebuilt and housing projects initiated and the city and Naval Base were on the way to becoming the economic and military force it continued to be through the 1990’s.

* - * - * - * - * - *

JAMES LEONARD GORDON

Maunlad. Malinis. Payapa. Ito ang Olongapo ngayon. Isang modelong lungsod na tinutularan ng ibang bayan sa Pilipinas.

Ang kasaysayan ng Olongapo ay inukit ng mga ginintuang pangarap at adhikain. Kaalinsabay nito’y mga hamon at balakid, luha at pagsisikap, upang sa bandang huli ay makamit ang bantayog ng tagumpay.

Kung anuman ang Olongapo ngayon ay siyang bunga ng mga binhing itinanim ng isang tao na buong giting na sinuong ang mga panganib, nagbuhis ng buhay upang maisakatuparan ang kanyang mithiin; nagbigay ng isang maganda at matatag na bukas sa sinilangang bayan ng kangyang minahal at pinaglingkuran ng buong katapatan. Ito ay ang ama ng lungsod ng Olongapo: si James Leonard Gordon.

Ang ama ni Gordon na si John Jacob Gordon ay isang sundalong Amerikano na kabilang sa tropa ni George Dewey na gumapi sa armada ng Espanya noong 1898 sa Manila Bay. Ang kaniya namang ina na si Veronica Tagle ay anak ng bayani ng Philippine Revolution na si Jose Tagle na nakibaka laban sa mga puwersang Kastila sa Imus, Cavite.

Nang sakupin ng Amerika ang Pilipinas ay sinimulan nitong magtayo ng Naval Station sa Subic Bay dahil sa natatangi nitong harbor at estratehiyang lokasyon. Kasabay sa pagdevelop sa naturang base militar, umusad ang progreso ng Olongapo na dati ay isa lamang munting komunidad ng mangingisda sa baybayin ng Subic Bay. Ang Olongapong kaniyang kinagisnan ay di pares ng ibang lugar sa Pilipinas. Bagama’t pinagkalooban na ng kalayaan ng mga Amerikano ang bansa, namalaging sakop ng mga ito ang Olongapo bilang US Naval Reservation.

Nang ipasiya ng kanyang pamilya na magbalik sa Estados Unidos, minabuti ni Gordon na maiwan sa bayan na kanyang kinalakihan. Katunayan, mas pinili niyang maging mamamayang Pilipino kesa maging US Citizen. Ito ay sa kabila na nang mga panahong iyon ay nagsisimula nang humaba ang pila sa US Embassy ng mga Pilipinong gustong magpunta sa Amerika at masungkit ang Great American Dream.

Nabihag ang puso ni Gordon ng isang dalagang taga-Subic, si Amelia Juico, na kanyang napangasawa at nagkaroon sila ng limang anak.

Si Gorodn ay naging aktibo sa mga gawain ukol sa kagalingan ng Olongapo at mga mamayan nito. Bilang kagawad ng konseho sa ilalim ng US Navy, ipinagtanggol ni Gordon ang karapatan ng mga Pilipino laban sa pang-aabuso ng mga awtoridad na Amerikano. Ang walang humpay niyang pagbubulgar sa pagmamalabis na dinaranas ng mga taga-Olongapo sa kamay ng mga Amerikano ay nagbunsod sa pamahalaang Pilipinas upang muling suriin at rebisahin ang mga kasunduan hinggil sa mga base ng Estados Unidos sa bansa. Ito rin ang nagpa-alab sa damdaming makabayan ng mga taga-Olongapo upang naising makalaya sa poder ng mga Amerikano at makamit ang karapatan na patakbuhin ang sarili nilang bayan.

Sa pagpupursige ni Gordon at nagkakaisang pamayanan, ibinalik ng gobyernong Amerikano sa pamahalaang Pilipinas ang Olongapo noon 1959. Taong 1966 ng iluklok si Gordon bilang Alkalde sa kauna-unahang halalan na ginanap sa bagong tayong munisipyo.

Sa pag-upo niya sa puwesto, binigyan diiin ni Gordon na ang Fil-Am relations ay kailangang nakasalig sa respeto at interest ng dalawang bansa.

Matindi ang isinagawa niyang kampanya laban sa illegal na pagtotroso sa kabundukan, gayundin sa mga sindikatong nagsulputan sa Olongapo. Hindi nakapagtataka na naging kaaway siya ng mga mayayaman at makangpangyarihan na ang pansariling interest ay nasagasaan bunga ng kanyang paghihigpit. Makailang ulit pinagtangkaan ang buhay ni Gordon. Noong Hulyo 4, 1965, hinagisan ng granada ang minamaneho niyang kotse habang pauwi sa kanilang bahay. Naligtasan ito ni Gordon. Agosto 6, 1966 nag muling magbaka-sakali ang mga bayaraang salarin. Tatlong granada ang ipinukol sa kaniyang direksiyon habang abala siya sa nagaganap na malaking sunog. Muli siyang nakaligtas ngunit may mga nasawi at nasugatang mga tao. Imbes na panghinaan ng loob, lalong nag-ibayo ang hangarin ni Gordon na wastuhin na mga mali sa lipunan.

Nagtagumpay din siyang mabawi ang milyong piso ng planta ng koryente na ipinaupa sa mababang halaga ng nagdaan administrasyon. Nilinis niya ang pamahalaang lokal sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatalsik ng mga tiwaling kawani.

Bagama’t matinik ang daan, ginabayan din ni Gordon ang Olongapo tungo sa isang bayan na may kakayanang tumindig sa sarili.

Noong Hulyo 1966 ay naging ganap na lungsod ang Olongapo sa bisa ng Republic Act 4645.

Sa pagsikat ng bagong umaga ay dumating din ang maraming hamon. Habang umuunlad ang Olongapo ay nagdagsaan ang mga taong nais makibahagi sa biyayang pang-ekonomiya. Lumalaki ang populasyon, dumarami rin ang pangangailangan.

Hinarap ni Gordon ang mga suliraning kaakibat ng pag-unlad nang ipatupad niya ang mga program sa imprastraktura, edukasyon, kalusugan at serbisyong pampubliko.

Ang pangingibabaw ng kaayusan at kapayapaan ay siyang tampok sa isipan ni Gordon. Naging masigasig siya sa paglipol sa lumalalang kriminalidad at mga bisyong nagbabantang bahiran ng dungis ang isang magandang simulain.

Nakabangga rin niya ang mga maimpluwensyang pulitiko sa hangad niyang wakasan ang political bossism upang makamtan ng lungsod ang kasarinlang pampulitika.

At ang bagwis ng pagbabago ay nagsimulang mamayagpag. Sa ilalim ng Malaya, Makatao at Responsableng pamunuan, ang Olongapo ay nakatanaw sa dako paroon. Tigib nang pag-asa at pangako. Hanggang sa maganap ang trahedyang ipinagluksa ng buong lungsod.

Pebrero 20, 1967. Habang kausap ang isang babaeng may isinasangguning problema sa ibaba ng city hall, si Gordon ay patraydor na binaril sa ulo ng isang hired assassin. Sa isang iglap, nabalot ng dilim ang mga adhikain at pangarap ng bagong sibol na syudad. Isang mapait na yugto sa kasaysayan ng Olongapo.

Inaresto sa isinagawang raid ng mga awtoridad sa isang bahay sa East Bajac-Bajac si Nenito Alincastre, takas na bilanggo sa siyang bumaril kay Gordon; ang kasabwat na sina Pablo Salcedo at Rogelio Lorenzo, anak ng dating chief of police na si Mamerto Lorenzo. Ang matandang Mamerto ay nasukol ng CIS team sa Malolos, Bulacan.

Matapos mahatulan at makulong sina Alincastre, Salcedo at mga-amang Lorenzo at natigil na ng mga imbestigasyon sa kaso ni Gordon. Pagkalipas ng ilang taon, si Alincastre ay napatay sa isang riot sa Muntinglupa.

Naniniwala nag marami na iisang grupo ang may kagagawan sa pagpaslang kay Gordon pati na sa naunang dalawang pagtatanka sa kanyang buhay. Isang grupong binubuo ng mga sakim na pulitikong itinuturing siyang malaking balakid sa kanilang masasamang gawain.

Tatlumpu’t tatlong taon na nag nagdaan mula ng maganap ang karumal-dumal na krimen. Subalit hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin sagot sa tanong: “sino ang utak o mga utak sa pagpatay kay Gordon?” Sumisigaw ang katarungan nguni’t ang katotohanan ay nanatiling nakakubli.

Pumanaw man si Gordon ay nanatiling buhay ang kanyang mga pangarap para sa kanyang bayan. Ang dugo niyang nabuwis ay patuloy na dumadaloy sa bawa’t Pilipinong taga-Olongapo na buo ang loob sa harap ng pagsubok, taas-noo sa gitna ng krisis, determinado sa kabila ng balakid. Handa sa nagbabagong panahon.

SUBIC BAY TODAY

On June 15, 1991, Mount Pinatubo, just 20 miles from Subic Bay exploded with a force 8 times greater than the Mount St. Helens eruption. Day turned to night as volcanic ash blotted out the sun. Volcanic earthquakes and heavy rain, lightning and thunder from a typhoon passing over northern Luzon made Black Saturday a 36-hour nightmare.

By Sunday morning, when the volcano’s fury subsided, Subic Bay, once one the most beautiful, well-maintained Navy bases in the Pacific, lay buried under a foot of the rain-soaked, sandy ash.

The devastation was awesome. Buildings everywhere collapsed under the weight of the coarse gray ash. Miraculously, 100 people stepping on the floor of the China Seas Club escaped injury when that building collapsed. Tragically, two girls, one a nine year old American girl and the other a Filipino citizen, had died when trapped under a falling roof at George Dewey High School. In the city of Olongapo, more than 60 volcano-related deaths were reported, including 8 who were crushed when part of Olongapo General Hospital-collapsed.

By Sunday night, the threat of continued eruptions combined with the lack of water and electricity, led to the decision to evacuate all dependents. U.S. warships and cargo planes began the emergency evacuation of thousands of Navy and Air Force dependents. Seven Navy ships sailed Monday, June 17, with 6,200 dependents. A total of 17 ships, including aircraft carriers, USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Midway evacuated all 20,000 dependents over the next few days. The evacuees were taken by ship to the Philippine island of Cebu and then were airlifted by U.S. Air Force C-141 to Guam.

After the dependents were evacuated, an intense clean-up was begun. All hands, American servicemen and women and Filipino base employees, worked around the clock to restore essential services.

Clark Air Base, much closer to Mount Pinatubo, was declared a total loss and plans for a complete closure were started.,

Subic fared better. Within two weeks Nas Cubi Point was back in limited operation. Soon most building had electricity and water service restored. By mid-July service had been restored to most family housing units.

The dependents began returning September 8, 1991 and by the end of the month almost all were back at Subic Bay from their Safe Haven in the United States.

September, 1991, was a historic month for the station for another reason. The Military Bases Agreement of 1947 expired on September 16th. Months of intense negotiations between the Philippine and U.S. governments had taken place and had resulted in the Treaty of Friendship, Peace and Cooperation.

The Philippine Senate voted on the Treaty on September 13, 1991, and voted for rejection. The Senators cited a number of reasons for the rejection but most centered on throwing off the “last vestige of American colonialism”, Subic Bay Naval Station -

The Aquino administration was strongly pro-treaty and called for a referendum by the Philippine people, a move the 4nti-bases forces declared unconstitutional.

During the first week of October, a compromise was reached - the U.S. would have 3 years to withdraw from the naval base.

In the meantime, the Subic Bay continues its service to the Fleet as it has for the past century.

Subic volunteers remembered

SUBIC BAY - Newly-installed officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) on Wednesday recognized the contribution of residents of Olongapo City and nearby areas who helped man the Subic Bay Free Port right after the former United States military base was turned over to the Philippine government in 1992.

In a program celebrating “Volunteers Day” here, SBMA Chairman Jose Licuanan III and SBMA Administrator Alfredo Antonio stressed that cooperation among various stakeholders in Subic is necessary for economic success.

Antonio and Licuanan, who took over the SBMA on October 16, joined local officials in paying tribute to Subic’s volunteers, mostly former base workers, who gave their services for free during the first few years of Subic under the Philippine-government management.

Sen. Richard Gordon, who became the first SBMA chairman, was the guest of honor during the celebration, which included a victory march from Mariquit Park in Olongapo to the free port’s central business district.

Antonio, who urged SBMA employees and former volunteers to work hand in hand to further develop Subic, stressed in his message the continuing need for individual initiative and selflessness that the Subic volunteers personified.

“You have proven what the Filipino is capable of becoming and achieving… Today, your greatest challenge is to inspire more Filipinos to become more genuinely committed to the common good,” Antonio said.

He also told the volunteers that the current SBMA administration is determined “to build upon whatever you have achieved and left here in Subic.”

Licuanan similarly praised the volunteers for helping build the foundation of the free port, adding that people working together for the common good “may be the only hope of our nation.”

Noting that the history of Subic mirrors that of the country, Licuanan said that volunteerism is necessary “if we are to dig ourselves out of this downward [economic] spiral.”

Meanwhile, Gordon recalled in an emotional speech the early days of SBMA when he called upon Olongapo residents to help him preserve the former military base.

“We have gone a long way. So many people said that it cannot be done, but here we are all today, celebrating Volunteers Day. We have gone through so much [and we have earned] the respect of the world because of our dedication and efforts,” Gordon told the volunteers.

During the program, Gordon also led the volunteers in offering flowers and prayers to former volunteer and SBMA chief operating officer Ferdinand Aristorenas who died in 2001.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/subicbay

subic bay sunken treasure, ship wrecks

History of Subic Wrecks
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Rapids/2637/wrecks.html

THESE SITE HAS PICTURES and actual underwater shots
http://www.photomistic.com/2004/march/philippines/subic-bay/lst/index.html

The year is 1941, and it is Christmas Eve in Olongapo. Nobody is celebrating, for the Japanese Imperial Army is on its way to conquering Subic Bay. Finally the order is given the battle cruiser USS New York must not fall into Japanese hands. Explosive are placed on board, and the Philadelphia-built World War I vintage battle cruiser settles down on its port side, 85 ft. under water.

The USS New York, with its guns intact, is just one of the many site you can visit when you go scuba diving in Subic Bay. With marine life zealously protected all throughout the bay, divers can explore historical wrecks and varied marine life side by side. Talakitok, lobster, lapu-lapu, spotted sweet lip, spadefish, lionfish, spotted rays, snappers,schools of grunts, all friendly to divers, all in abundance throughout the many wrecks.

You can also dive to an LST wreck famous for its school of resident barracudas,or explore the remains of 20 other well-presserved wrecks scattered all throughout the bay.

Perhaps one of the famous wrecks is that of the Oryoku Maru, or the “Hell Ship”. On December 13, 1944, the Oryoku Maru, carrying a load of 1,619 Allied prisoners deep in its cramped holds, was spotted by US fighter/bombers from the USS Hornet. The American pilots quickly swooped down on the Japanese ship, totally unaware that their comarades in arms were hidden below decks. Only a few hundred Allied POW’s survived.

THE USS NEW YORK a world War II Battle Cruiser built in Philadelpia in 1891 and scuttled by the US Navy at the approach of the Japanese in 1941. Situated between Alava Pier and the northern end of the runway, the New York lies on its port side in 27 mtrs. (85ft.) of water. This historic old war horse still has its cannons intact and is a perfect wreck for underwater photography. There is no current and the visibility ranges from 5-15 mtrs. (15ft.- 45ft.). The marine life on this site consists of baracuda, jack, trevally, lionfish, lapu-lapu, spotted sweet lip, lobster and spotted rays.

LST Situated between Grande Island and the southern tip of the runway, this landing craft lies in 32 mtrs. sitting upright with its door open. The average dive is 28-35 mtrs. and the visibility is normally 15-30 mtrs. slightly deeper the the other wrecks and often with slight current, still safe dive with plenty to see.

THE EL CAPITAN is situated near the inner channel marker of Ilanin Bay. A small freighter, the El Capitan lies on its port side with its stem in 5 mtrs. while its bow rest in 20 mtrs. Starting the dive from 18 mtrs. there is a swim through the accomodation area and one can expect to encounter the average tropical fish species of the shallows in this area. Visibility is 5-20 mtrs. depending on tide.

LCU LANDING VESSEL also situated in Triboa Bay but closer to the end of the runway, lies on the edge of a reef with its starboard side lower. Depth is 5 mtrs.- 20 mtrs. (25ft.- 60ft.) with visibility from 10 mtrs.- 16 mtrs. (30ft.- 50ft.). This is a great dive for the underwater photographer.

THE SEIAN MARU is situated between Alava pier and northern end of the runway. A Japanese cargo vessel of approximately 30,000 tons sunk by the American Navy in 1945, the Seian Maru lies on its porside in 27 mtrs. (85 ft.). As you swim through its cavernous holds you will encountered jack, trevally, spotted sweet lip, coral trout and other species of marine life found in this area. The average dive begins at 18 mtrs. (52 ft.) and ranges to 24 meters (75 ft.) with visibility from 5 mtrs.- 15 mtrs. depending on the tide.

PATROL BOAT is situated in Triboa Bay of a depth of 20 mtrs.- 25 mtrs. (60 ft.- 75 ft.) Sitting upright the wreck is a great dive with visibility from 7 mtrs - 13 mtrs. (20 ft.- 40 ft.) and plenty of marine life. We have placed a cable from the bow of the ship across the coral reef where the divers can finish their dive in 3 mtrs. (10 ft.) Enjoying a vast array of coral and tropical fish.

Courtesy of Aqua Sports

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http://www.newsflash.org/199804/sp/sp000294.htm

SUBIC WRECK DIVING TILT FOCUSES ON SAFETY

Subic Bay Freeport, April 12, 1998 - Local and foreign divers have started to arrive for the second Subic Bay Dive Fiesta, scheduled April 18-19, hosted by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the South Sea Resources and Action Extreme.

The 1998 edition of the popular divefest will focus on safety for wreck-driving highlighting the drive safety services available in Subic Bay. The main events also include a bay clean-up, diving competitions and a treasure hunt involving ship wrecks in the waters of Subic Bay.

There will be sessions on wreck diving, marine archaeology and technical diving to be conducted by DIVEMED and South Sea Resources, which specializes in recovering ancient ship wrecks and had led recovery expeditions in partnership with the National Museum.

Other beach events like rock climbing, treasure hunt, beach games, swimwear competition and a trade fair are all incorporated into the 2-day affair, which is co-sponsored by the Department of Tourism, the Casino Filipino, Subic Bay Aqua Sports, Aquaventure, Planet Rock, Action Asia, Absolut and Lane Moving.

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http://www.divephil.com/subic/
Subic Bay : Divesites
The USS New York
This vessel is a World War I vintage battle cruiser built in Philadelphia in 1891 and scuttled by the US Navy at the approach of the Japanese in 1941. Situated between Alava Pier and the northern end of the runway, the New York lies on its port side in 27 meters (85 feet) of water. This historic old war horse still has its cannons intact and is a perfect wreck for underwater photography. There is no curent and the visibility ranges from 5-15 meters (16-45 feet). The marine life on this site consists of barracuda,talakitok, lionfish, lapu lapu, spotted seet lip, lobster, and spotted rays.
AN LST
This vessel is situated between Grande Island and the southern tip of the runway, this landing craft lies in 32 meters, sitting upright with its door open. The average dive is 28-35 meters, and the visibility is normally 15-30 meters, slightly deeper than other wrecks and often with slight current, still a safe dive with plenty to see.

EL CAPITAN
The wreck is situated near the inner channel marker of Ilanin Bay. A small freighter, the El Capitan lies on its port side with its stern in 5 meters while its bow rests in 20 meters. Starting the dive from 18 meters there’s a nice swim through the accommodation area and one can expect to encounter the average tropical fish species of the shallows in this area. Visibility is 5-20 meters depending on tide.

ORYOKU MARU
Situated 400 meters off Alava pier. Maximum depth on this dive is 20 meters (60 feet) with visibility of 5-15 meters (15-45 feet) depending on the time of year. The Oryoku Maru was an outbound passenger ship carrying families as well as 1600 American prisoners of war when it was attacked by American aircraft. The marine life on this site is of a more varied tropical assortment due to the shallow depth. Flattened by explosives for navigational reasons.
This tangled artificial reef is home for all species of shallow water marine life, clown fish, angel fish, spotted sweet lip, lobster and with regular schools of barracuda and talakitok swimming overhead.

SEIAN MARU
This vessel is situated between Alava Pier and the northern end of the runway. A Japanese cargo vessel of approximately 30,000 tons sunk by the American Navy in 1945, the Seian Maru lies on its portside in 27 meters (85 feet). As you swim through its cavernous holds, you will encounter talakitok, spotted sweet lip, coral trout and other species of marine life found in this area. The average dive begins at 18 meters (52 feet) and ranges to 24 meters (75 feet) with visibility from 5-15 meters, depeding on the tide.

PATROL BOAT
This vessel is situated in Triboa Bay at a depth of 20 - 25 meters (60-75 feet). Sitting upright the wreck is a great dive with visibility from 7-13 meters (20-40 feet)and plenty of marine life. We have placed a cable from the bow of the ship across to the coral reef where the divers can finish their dive in 3 meters (10 feet). Enjoying a vast array of coral and tropical fish.

LCU LANDING VESSEL
This vessel is also situated in Triboa Bay but closer to the end of the runway, lies on the edge of a reef with its starboard side lower. Depth is 5-20 meters (25-60 feet) with visibility from 10-16 meters (30-50 feet). This is a great dive for the underwater photographer.

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http://subicbay.ph
http://subicbaynews.blogspot.com

Ansbert Joaquin
Inquirer News Service

WHAT’S in a shipwreck? A lot, if it’s found in Subic Bay.

A seabed of sunken national treasures, Subic Bay has 25 shipwrecks (some accounts estimate 30) that tell a lot about history and the significant role it played in World Wars I and II and during the Spanish occupation.

San Quentin, the oldest known wreck, is a wooden gunboat scuttled by Spaniards in 1898 in a futile attempt to block the channel between Grande and Chiquita islands from the invading Americans.

Oryoku Maru, a Japanese outboard passenger ship, lies 60 feet deep at 300 meters off the Alava pier. It was carrying families and 1,600 American war prisoners when it was attacked by a US aircraft.

The wreck posed navigational risks to arriving US Navy ships, including aircraft carriers, when the port was still used as a US military facility. To remedy the problem, base officials flattened the wreck by blasting it.

One of its cannons is displayed in a restaurant, aptly called “The American Legion,” on Magsaysay Drive in Olongapo City, just outside the Subic Bay Freeport.

Sean Maru is a 30,000-ton Japanese cargo vessel found between the Alava pier and the northern end of the Subic International Airport runway. It was sunk by the US Navy during World War II.

The USS New York, once the pride of the US fleet in Asia, is the “star” attraction because of its historical value. When the Japanese swept the US Marines out of the Philippines during the war, the Americans had no choice but to scuttle their ship as they left Subic in early 1942 to avoid its capture.

Near the shore

Apart from their historical value, the sunken shipwrecks also serve as recreational dive sites for local and foreign tourists.

“Their attraction can be attributed to their closeness to the shoreline,” said dive instructor Butch Horario.

Anilao (in Batangas) has its well-preserved corals, but Subic has its one-of-a-kind historical value, “where you can find plenty of shipwrecks in one area,” he said.

The Subic shipwrecks also provide artificial habitat for more than 200 species of fish, replacing the corals that have been destroyed by poaching over the years. The marine abundance, in turn, sustains communities surrounding the bay.

For all their material and environmental value and beauty, the least that mankind can do is protect them. Yet, lately, the wrecks have been the targets of looters who threaten to destroy their historical value. Looting is also threatening the Subic communities’ livelihood, recreational diving, and fish habitat.

Looting, according to divers, has been going on for years. And while looting cases have been on the rise lately, the treasures always end up in souvenir shops and junkyards.

While visiting the USS New York during a recreational dive on June 13, Horario said he saw a hacksaw and a hookah hose, and immediately suspected that looting was taking place. He later discovered that the vessel’s pipes, cables and portholes were missing.

He immediately reported the incident to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) harbor patrol, but so far, nothing has come out of it.

A month later, on July 11, the SBMA tourism department and the Philippine Coast Guard station in Subic town foiled another attempt to loot a sunken vessel off Baloy Beach in Barangay Barretto, Olongapo City.

An SBMA official said a small ship that looked like a Japanese landing craft, or what was left of it after previous lootings, was recently unearthed 15 meters inland in Sitio Minanga in Morong, Bataan.

Remnants of the ship were found on a beach-front property owned by an official of the Bataan Techno Park. The “scrap,” which was found by workers clearing the area for a casino project, was cut to pieces to be sold to junk shops, the SBMA official said.

Another shipwreck

In another account three years ago, according to an SBMA document, Brian Homan, an Australian dive shop and restaurant owner at the freeport, brought several witnesses to an SBMA office to testify on a shipwreck looting incident. After an investigation, the SBMA cancelled the accreditation of the suspect, Belgian Johan Desadeleir, who owns a dive shop called Johan Adventure Diving in Barretto.

Desadeleir sued Homan for libel. Three months later, the SBMA brokered an agreement between the two foreigners: Desadeleir was to withdraw the case against Homan in exchange for the renewal of his accreditation. The suspect’s accreditation was eventually renewed, but the libel suit was not dropped.

The Inquirer visited Desadeleir’s shop on July 18 and 26, but failed to reach him for comment.

Another diving enthusiast has accused the SBMA and Homan, who also operates a museum, of looting the USS Lanikai of its artifacts when the ship was found in 2003. The century-old wooden ship sank in the Nabasan Bay 59 years ago.

Dive shop owner Jim Robertson defended Homan, saying the latter “had [the] permission of the National Museum.”

“They have been taking artifacts from the Lanikai, but apparently, they have the go ahead from the SBMA and the National Museum. They brought up some artifacts but those are supposed to be displayed at his (Homan’s) place,” Robertson said.

“I think whatever they recovered, Homan was allowed to keep a portion or whatever [of the find].”

Collection

Dive master Earnest Elduayan agreed. “If you go to the National Museum, you will see his collection of jars-1500s, 1600s, Ming Dynasty, Tang Dynasty-everything is there. Homan donated those to the Philippines after he found them in Mindoro,” Elduayan said.

Homan declined to be interviewed by the Inquirer at length. But he said he felt abandoned by the SBMA when it renewed Desadeleir’s accreditation.

“And this you can quote me-ankle weights, crowbars, hammer and chisels are not the ordinary tools of fun divers,” he said.

“Right or wrong, that is between Brian and Johan,” Robertson said.

“I don’t think they are even suspects. If Brian is going to take something, he is going to take it whole. Whatever he has now was acquired through legal means,” he added.

Despite their differences, rivalries and bickering, the dive shop owners agreed on two things: a large part of the loot goes to the junk shops, and the solution to the problem is simply law enforcement.

“Souvenir lovers are not going to take a piece of anything. They want something whole, an artifact that they can make use of,” Robertson said.

By their own estimate, divers said tons of metals were lost to small-time looters every year. If a kilogram of copper was sold at local junk shops at P100, a ton of it a year would cost only P100,000.

Brass could fetch a higher price, Horario said.

“They might not be aware of it, but looters do not only threaten to destroy the shipwrecks’ historical value and Subic’s marine life and tourism potential. They also risk even their own lives when they are not experienced in the proper way of diving and ascending in deep waters,” Horario said.

Subic Bay Freeport

Mayor Bong Gordon welcomes the Commander of Destroyer Squadron One, Capt. Buzz Little, and Commanding Officers of US vesels participating in CARAT 2005.

The Philippine Navy(PN) and the US Navy is holding a combine birateral exercise dubbed as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Exercise 2005 in various training sites in Manila, Zambales province, Sulu Sea and Puerto Princesa, Palawan form August 15 to 23.

CARAT 2005, held in consonance with the RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty, is designed to enhance interoperabililty between the two forces in combine naval operations, including skills directly applicable to combat of seaborne terrorism threats and transnational crimes at sea.

It also aims to build bilateral friendship and enhance military-to-military relationships by giving its participants the opportunity to work together in planning sessions, in the field, underway to Palawan via Sulu Sea, and in civic action projects in Olongapo City and Zambales province.

The PN, under the leadership of Commodore Octavio Pabuayon AFP, CARAT Excise director, will be fielding in around 600 sailor troops participating in the exercise, with five vessels, namely; two patrol ships BRP Rizal (PS74), BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS35), alanding Ship Vessel BRP Bacolod City (LC550), two patrol gunboats BRP Hilario Ruiz (PG378), and BRP Timoteo Figoracion (PG389), and two aircraft; PN islander aircraft (PNI-314) and PN BO-105 Helicopter (PNH-42), two Naval special Operations Group (NAVSOG) SEAL diving team, and approximately 200 personnel of the 1st Marine Battalion to undergo the amphibious landing exercise at San Miguel, Zambales beach.

The U.S. CARAT task group, on the other hand, under the leadership of Capt. Buzz Little, Commander of Destroyer Squadron One, is made up of dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD49), the Guided missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DGG60), the guided frigate USS Rodney Davis (FFG 60), and the rescue and salvage ship USS Safeguard (ARS 50). Approximately 1,200 U.S. personnel will take part in CARAT 2005.

Rear Admiral Kevin M. Quinn, Comander of the logistics Group Western Pacific of the USN, is responsible for the overall CARAT coordination for US participants in hi executive agent role as Commander Task Force 712.

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