Did You Know That

Did you know that March 13, 2018 marks the 26th anniversary of the day that the Philippine Senate passed Republic Act 7227?

Also known as the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992, RA 7227 was the body of law that created the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and the Subic Bay Metropolitan which manages the former.

The act was implemented in the face of the Senate’s rejection of the renewal of the the treaty between the Philippines and the United States which allowed the latter to maintain military presence in the country through its military installations – the biggest of which is the Subic Bay Naval Base. Other key US military installations in the country were Clark Air Base (also known as Fort Stotsenbert) in Angeles, Pampanga and Camp John Hay in Baguio City.

In a vote of 12 to 11, the Senate adopted a motion to decline the proposed treaty, marking an end to the original Military Bases Agreement which was signed in 1947, eight months after the Philippines became independent of the United States. The rejected treaty would have extended the presence of US military forces in the country.

The twelve senators who rejected the American treaty were:

1. Jovito Salonga (Senate President)
2. Juan Ponce Enrile
3. Agapito “Butz” Aquino
4. Joseph Estrada
5. Teofisto Guingona, Jr.
6. Sotero Laurel II
7. Orlando Mercado
8. Ernesto Maceda
9. Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.
10. Victor Ziga
11. Rene Saguisag
12. Wigberto Tañada

In its place, the senate instead passed RA 7227 which empowered the then Mayor of Olongapo City Richard J. Gordon to develop and promote the former US naval facility. As the first Chairman of the SBMA, he led the efforts to transform the abandoned area into a tax- and duty-free haven for investors from all corners of the globe.

It would not be until 2014 that US military forces would be allowed to maintain presence in the Philippines. In an executive agreement signed by then President Benigno Aquino III with the US Government, the US was once again allowed to build and operate facilities on Philippine bases, for both American and Philippine forces.