In a report published on the Inquirer.net, it was revealed that there have recently been some “high-level visits” by United States officials to meet with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Olongapo officials. It seems that possible delays in a massive relocation of US military facilities from Okinawa in Japan to the US territory of Guam have put the Philippines back on the map of options for the US government.
Back in 2006, the US and Japan entered into an agreement to transfer 8,000 Marines (and 9,000 of their dependents) stationed in Okinawa to a new facility in Guam by 2014 as part of a military “realignment” plan to improve the US’s deterrence capability over a broader scope of the Asia-Pacific region.
The plan includes significant financial contribution from the Japanese government in the relocation effort some of which will go into the upgrade of infrastructure in Guam to accomodate the expected increase in population there. It seems though that even with this support, the shortfall in Guam’s infrastructure may result in the 2014 relocation target not being achieved…
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With the expected increase in population, Guam needs to boost its infrastructure. The U.S. Defense Department has acknowledged that the transfer of the Marines to the Pacific island could be delayed beyond the current target of 2014 because of a shortage of water, sewage and electric power facilities on the U.S. territory.
Specifically, Japan will invest the 37 billion yen allotted to Guam projects in the state-backed Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and JBIC will lend the funds to local electricity and water companies on Guam.
Complications arising from budget cuts to the US military implemented by the US Congress and politics in Japan including the impact of the recent mega-earthquake that hit Japan this year have contributed to the delay.
According to the Inquirer.net report, US Senators Daniel Inouye and Thad Cochran who respectively chair and officiate the US Senate appropriations committee “appeared to be interested in the possibility of an increased presence of the US military in the country” and “were curious about the reception in the country of an [increased presence of the US military]” there.
How receptive would Filipinos be to a return to their country of a sizeable US military force?
Subic Bay back in the good old days.
Discounting the old-hat noisy rhetoric of self-described “activists” coming from the Philippine Left, I’d put my money on the majority of Filipinos rushing out to meet their former colonial masters with open arms.
The Philippines of the 21st Century is a far far cry from the pompous and cocky persona it exhibited back in the early 1990’s when twelve bozos duly elected by the popular vote (and as such presumably representing the Filipino people’s “will”) voted to boot the American Military out of Philippine shores…
Thanks to the 12 bozos who voted against US military bases in the Philippines in 1991 — Senate President Jovito Salonga, Sens. Wigberto Tanada, Teofisto Guingona, Rene Saguisag, Victor Ziga, Sotero Laurel, Ernesto Maceda, Agapito Aquino, Juan Ponce Enrile, Joseph Estrada, Orlando Mercado, and Aquilino Pimentel — Filipinos have, right in their faces today, a sad lesson twenty years in the making in what it is like to languish outside the American sphere of what is globally relevant.
The Philippines today is a humbled nation run by a wannabe-humble. It sees attracting foreign capital as its biggest “priority” because it utterly lacks any semblance of domestic capability to create and expand capital owing to a pathetic predisposition to squandering its indigenous wealth. This sad aspiration coupled with a bizarre culturally- and religiously-wired mindset to multiply like cockroaches pretty much dooms the Philippines to a future of abject sub-mediocrity.
Add to that a renewed but toothless focus to “defend” the disputed Spratly Islands against a stonewalling mega-power like China and what we see today is an opportunity that this sad nation can ill-afford to ignore.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
Enrile must be the Strom Thurmond of our Senate. He just never seems to go away. Now I believe he’s also supporting constitutional reform along with Sonny Belmonte.
I suppose I have to give him credit for being a Machiavellian master of our politics, not just a “survivor.” If we ever change our system of government I don’t doubt he’ll find his way in somehow.
Fascinating. Subic Town is a congested mess with more bars per Kilometer on the National Highway than even Angelus City, on MacArthur. It will probably adapt well to a bunch of drunken American troops traipsing about looking for sweeties. Nicole notwithstanding. Now, would the US finally clean up the Subic Freeport pollution that it left behind, if the military returns? Inquiring minds want to know more. This is great gossip . . .
It’ll probably depend on how shrewdly the SBMA and local governments there (or even the National Government) negotiate advantageous terms for the country. But just looking back at the sorry track record of Pinoy-style negotiation, I’d say I wouldn’t bet on any sort of favourable outcome that goes beyond the personal agendas of individual government officials. Filipino government officials tend to negotiate for themselves rather than for their country.
Not sure how long it’s been since you’ve been there, but “Subic Town” closed 90% of the bars that were there before the base was turned into a freeport. This inquiring mind would like to know why so many like you focus on the pollution left behind rather than the billions in infrastructure in Subic, Cubi, and Clark? Not to make light of the pollution that should have been cleaned up, but why does the negative always outweigh the positive?
For myself, I have written on numerous occasions that Clark/Subic should be developed on a planned basis as a part of “Greater Manila”. The infrastructure is superb. As for bars, if 90% have been closed, then it must have been a really wild place, because the stench of beer and sex is still mighty strong along that stretch from Subic Town to the Freeport.
The Polticians who had fomented the false narionalism, as their agendas…now find out: that they cannot live with the realities…that the U.S. presence in Asia, is a must for the U.S., as a SuperPower.
Anyway; the Bar Girls; the Prostitutes; the “Bugaws”; the Drug Mules;…etc…and every vermin in our society. Will be very happy the their Patrons, are back…
Only two senators visited the place, already the Inquirer had this foreboding headline (in the printed version, reportedly different from the online version), “Return of US Military Forces in Subic Feared.”
The Inquirer is so scared of Americans coming back? I wonder why. Or are they saying, “you should be afraid of Americans coming back.” Scaremongers.
Two US senators, may I clarify.
I think a lot of Pinoys have a brain that goes on autopilot and thinks “red light district” every time the topic of the US Bases is raised. That to me merely exhibits the typical Pinoy way of thinking: small, judgmental, self-righteous, and utterly unimaginative.
That’s the problem. Those kind of people should realize that the Americans never set up those red light districts, it’s the Filipinos who did. And the Americans didn’t really ask for it, it’s the Filipino pimps who offered it first.
Good point, Chino. It’s another instance of Da Pinoy’s lack of ability to take personal responsibility for their actions.
Well, like what Hyden Toro said, where the leaders go, the people will follow; if the leaders tell their followers to be irresponsible, his followers follow suit.
Also, Benign0, for me, freeing the masses from their current mindsets ain’t an easy task.
If Mindanao were to be free, and I would have the mettle to decide, I will have for me the US bases in no time. Then my government may need no spending on military hardware, instead more schools and the right transport infrastructure connect us to the world so that we don’t go hungry. Is there conscience to parry seeing hungry people around despite yet untapped resources available going to waste because of overt protectionism and monopoly?
PILIPINAS MANAGINIP KA!,.
The filipino people are fighting to stay alive with the way the political corruption is within the government. Aquino is trying to get rid of the crooks but it takes time, with the U.S. returning to the Philippines then there might be a jump start for the Government of Aquino. Why doesn’t the U.S. give the ships that are going to be decommissioned to the Phillippines, this will save a lot of money on the U.S. side laying the old ships.
How can Aquino can get rid of the crooks yet he is a crook himself?
Citing bias…
This is a must, we cannot afford to buy a new military hardware, let them comback, guard our sea shores, let them be part of our defense, and they too will create joooobbbbbbsssss to local filipinos, many filipinos will be benefited again financially when they come back due to creation of jobs. They have sufficient resources to help us in time of calamities.
Let them run the philippines like haven so that everybody will enjoy and wealth will be shared amongst us….God Bless America and God Bless too to those people will accept them…
Those who constantly complain about Americans visiting bars and going with hookers need to get a life–close the bars, close all brothels and karaokes and be done with it. Arrest all the pimps.
Why is it every time a Kano walks down the street, there are 3-4 pushy pimps coming up to him : “You wanna girl? You wanna girl?” Then all these taxi drivers– the same– “Oh I will take you to a house to get a girl”.
Stop doing it! Take them to a museum instead.
I can fully appreciate the wounded pride and indignation of those citizens who see the lascivious Americans visiting hookers in Olongapo and even parading with them down the street. What an insult!
The reason I can understand is that I saw Filipino sailors do the same in Europe and S. America. They go to clubs, get hookers and have fun.
What’s good for the goose and goose for the gander!
It’s funny how the first thing people talk about is american visiting girls. Well i have more respect for the girls than some of the people writing comments. Because those girls are supporting a family back in their home towns. Unlike their lazy brothers and sisters waiting for a hand out. People forget that alot of the pinoys living in america was because of the bases. They worked there and were giving the opportunity to retire with their families in america.
This is bull sht i hang around sudic since 2008 and i can tell you there are bar in sudic but that is nothing compere to angheles city tye writer is just full of crap go there you’self and find out before you people start talking or writing crap.