Olongapo, officially the City of Olongapo ( fil, Lungsod ng Olongapo; ilo, Siudad ti Olongapo; xsb, Siyodad nin Olongapo), is a 1st class
highly urbanized city
A city ( fil, lungsod/siyudad) is one of the units of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities ( fil, nakakartang lungsod), whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own ...
in the
Central Luzon
Central Luzon ( pam, (Reyun ning) Kalibudtarang Luzon, pag, (Rehiyon na) Pegley na Luzon, tgl, (Rehiyon ng) Gitnang Luzon, ilo, (Rehion/Deppaar ti) Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...
region of the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. Located in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Zambales
Zambales, officially the Province of Zambales ( fil, Lalawigan ng Zambales; ilo, Probinsia ti Zambales; Pangasinan: ''Luyag/Probinsia na Zambales''; xsb, Probinsya nin Zambales), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon re ...
but governed independently from the province, it has a population of 260,317 people according to the 2020 census.
Along with the municipality of
Subic, it comprises Metro Olongapo, one of the twelve
metropolitan areas in the Philippines.
History
British period
Britain ruled the Philippines for a short time, from 1762 to 1764. The British invasion of the Philippines was the first challenge to Spain's control of the archipelago after 191 years of rule. The Royal Navy and British Army joined with the East India Company in Madras to capture Spain's Asian colony.
In conjunction with the attack against Spain's key possession in the Americas, Havana, both settlements were successfully seized. However, in the Philippines, whilst the expedition was launched as part of a plan to harass the Spaniards in their possessions, as well as for commercial gain and new territories, the military campaign led by General
William Draper and Admiral
Samuel Cornish
Samuel Eli Cornish (1795 – 6 November 1858) was an American Presbyterian minister, abolitionist, publisher, and journalist. He was a leader in New York City's small free black community, where he organized the first congregation of black Pr ...
, may have been launched under the guise of an invasion in order to gain prize money.
The publication ''When Britain Ruled the Philippines 1762–1764'' describes the events as they unfolded at the Admiralty in London and at the East India Company in Madras, leading to the invasion and occupation of the capital city of Manila and the port city of Cavite. The capital was looted, a galleon was seized, and the British commanders imposed a ransom of four million dollars upon the Spaniards. The enormous sums in prize money and valuables seized mainly benefited the commanders.
Spanish period
In 1868, a Spanish military expedition was dispatched to study the possibility of relocating the Cavite Naval Station in Subic Bay due to its unhealthy condition.
Spanish
King Alfonso XII
Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo; 28 November 185725 November 1885), also known as El Pacificador or the Peacemaker, was King of Spain from 29 December 1874 to his death in 1885 ...
through a Royal Decree made Subic Bay (then called Subig) as Spain's stronghold in the Far East in 1884. Vice Admiral Juan Bautista de Antiquiera made Olongapo a settlement for the Spanish Navy.
On March 8, 1885, the
Spanish Naval commission authorized construction of the Arsenal in Olongapo. The Spanish planned to make their naval station, and the village of Olongapo an island, protected against attack by rebels. The Spanish Navy Yard occupied the entire area east of the Spanish Gate. Employing Filipino labor, 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.
Within ten years, the Spaniards had erected walls and markers to fence off the arsenal. They had shops and buildings erected. The Spanish government spent almost fifteen years developing the naval station. From higher naval commands, the order was sent to fortify Grande Island at the mouth of Subic Bay with mines and cannons. But this project was hardly begun before it was overtaken by the rout of the Spanish Navy in Manila Bay by US Admiral
George Dewey
George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, with ...
.
American period
![Aerial view Olangapo Naval Station 1928 NARA 19-LC-19C](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Aerial_view_Olangapo_Naval_Station_1928_NARA_19-LC-19C.jpg)
On May 1, 1898, the construction of the Spanish Administration Building was nearly complete when
Admiral Dewey
George Dewey (December 26, 1837January 16, 1917) was Admiral of the Navy, the only person in United States history to have attained that rank. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War, with ...
's flagship, , led the
Asiatic Fleet
The United States Asiatic Fleet was a fleet of the United States Navy during much of the first half of the 20th century. Before World War II, the fleet patrolled the Philippine Islands. Much of the fleet was destroyed by the Japanese by Februar ...
into
Manila Bay
Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phili ...
. A detachment of Admiral Dewey's fleet bombarded the navy yard. Eventually, after the surrender, Spain relinquished all her rights in the Philippines to the United States. This marked the end of more than three hundred years of Spanish rule over the islands.
Realizing the tremendous importance of Olongapo as a naval facility, the U.S. Navy decided to keep the base in functioning order; the President of the United States, then
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
, on November 9, 1901, by executive order, reserved the waters of Subic and some of the adjacent lands for naval purposes.
The naval station was widened and with the establishment of the American rule in the Philippines. American defenses in the islands were facilities left by the Spanish Navy which were taken over by the United States.
Olongapo grew in direct proportion to the growth of the naval station. More people came to live in Olongapo since the Navy offered employment. To most Filipinos during that time, it was a welcome change. The promise of a different kind of experience as shop workers and office help induced many young men to leave their farms and fishing boats to work in the Navy Yard. Others finding the lure of the sea irresistible joined the U.S. Navy.
Olongapo impressed its visitors as being one of the finest communities in the country. People passing through the town never failed to comment on its cleanliness and orderliness.
World War II
When the war broke out in 1941, the old town was obliterated. Olongapo had to suffer the brunt of destruction twice.
On December 14, 1941, Japanese bombers attacked the Olongapo/Subic Bay area. Ten days later, the order was given to burn Subic Bay Naval Station and withdraw. Olongapo was set aflame by the local Filipinos in anticipation of Japanese troop arrival. The USS ''
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
'' was scuttled in Subic Bay. When the American forces made a last-ditch stand on the
Bataan
Bataan (), officially the Province of Bataan ( fil, Lalawigan ng Bataan ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Its capital is the city of Balanga while Mariveles is the largest town in the province. Occupying the entir ...
peninsula, the Naval Station was abandoned and most of its facilities were burned before the Japanese came.
In 1945, Olongapo was again bombed, shelled and burned. Joint American and Philippine Commonwealth ground troops aided the recognized guerrilla fighters in liberating Olongapo from the Japanese forces. With the exceptions of the Station Chapel (it was the Olongapo Parish Church before the war) and the Spanish Gate, none of its former landmarks withstood the sweep of the war's fury. The general headquarters between the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
,
Philippine Commonwealth Army
The Philippine Army was established on December 21, 1935, as the Army of the Philippines, with a general headquarters in Manila, and units and formations based throughout the provinces of the Philippines.
The Philippine Army was initially org ...
&
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary (PC; tl, Hukbóng Pamayapà ng Pilipinas, ''HPP''; es, Policía de Filipinas, ''PF'') was a gendarmerie-type police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Po ...
were located in Olongapo during and after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, and were active until 1946 after operating against the Japanese for the liberation of
Central Luzon
Central Luzon ( pam, (Reyun ning) Kalibudtarang Luzon, pag, (Rehiyon na) Pegley na Luzon, tgl, (Rehiyon ng) Gitnang Luzon, ilo, (Rehion/Deppaar ti) Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...
.
Reconstruction and rehabilitation
Shortly after the war was over, the Philippines was granted independence. Olongapo was one of the principal naval bases retained by the United States. The Navy started to rebuild the town after the hostilities ceased. Olongapo was built on a new undeveloped site a couple of miles north of its former location. The prewar town site became part of the base.
The first few years after the war were difficult for the new town, as everything in the new Olongapo was damaged. There were no electric power and no drainage system. The water supply and sanitation facilities were inadequate, and streets were unpaved.
Gradually, Olongapo evolved into a new community: new businesses were established, housing projects were planned and civic facilities were restored.
During the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, the United States spent over US$170 million to convert the base into the homeport of the Navy's Seventh Fleet, developing the Cubi Naval Air Station as the largest United States installation of its kind in Asia. Naval authorities relocated the residence from the area of the former Public Works Center area to the intersection of what is now known as Rizal Avenue and Ramon Magsaysay Drive, and in the Barangays New Asinan and New Kalalake areas. Zoning of Olongapo was patterned after American practice where streets are constructed along straight lines. The magnitude of facilities construction in the Olongapo and Subic Bay area brought growth and prosperity to Olongapo. By 1956, migrants from nearby towns and provinces had swelled the population to 39,180.
Cityhood
![Olongapo and bridge leading to NS Subic Bay](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Olongapo_and_bridge_leading_to_NS_Subic_Bay.jpg)
Unlike the rest of the Philippines which gained independence from the United States after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
in 1946, Olongapo was governed as a part of the United States naval reservation. The Subic Bay Naval Base commanding officer was chairman of the Olongapo town council, school board, and hospital board. Olongapo's 60,000 Filipino residents paid taxes to the United States Navy and those accused of crimes involving American servicemen were tried in US Navy courts. In July 1955, Manila mayor
Arsenio Lacson
Arsenio Hilario Sison Lacson Sr. (December 26, 1912 – April 15, 1962) was a Filipino journalist and politician who gained widespread attention as mayor of Manila from 1952 to 1962. An active executive likened by '' Time'' and '' The New Yor ...
announced that United States service personnel accused of crimes in Manila would be tried in Philippine courts because of United States Navy abuses of Filipinos in Olongapo.
On October 23, 1959, Olongapo was placed under
martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
when Robert Grant, the American owner of an Olongapo auto parts store was killed and the US Navy declined to identify or try the Naval Supply Depot sentry who shot him.
[Anderson, Gerald ''Subic Bay from Magellan to Pinatubo: The History of the U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay'' Gerald Anderson (2009); pp. 130–138]
Olongapo was the last piece of Philippine territory surrendered by the United States to the country in the 1950s.
On December 7, 1959, 56,000 acres of land with electrical, telephone and water utilities was relinquished to Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Felixberto Serrano.
The first mayor appointed was civic leader Ruben Geronimo. He was later succeeded by business entrepreneur Ildefonso Arriola.
Six years later, through the efforts of Representative
Ramon Magsaysay Jr.
Ramon Banzon Magsaysay Jr. (born June 5, 1938) is a Filipino politician and businessman. He is the son of former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay.
Early life and career
Magsaysay Jr. was born in Manila to Ramon Magsaysay and Luz Banzon. H ...
in Congress and Senator
Genaro Magsaysay
Genaro del Fierro Magsaysay (19 September 1924 – 25 December 1978) was a Filipino politician and lawyer.
He was born in Castillejos, Zambales on 19 September 1924. Magsaysay earned a bachelor's degree in law from the Ateneo de Manila University ...
in the Senate, President
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
signed R.A. 4645. Olongapo was reconverted to a chartered city on June 1, 1966.
The adjacent
U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay
Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the Spanish Navy and subsequently the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. The base was 262 square miles, about the size of Singapore. Th ...
headed by Manuel Ardonia was the largest
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
installation in the Pacific at the time, and employed 15,000 Filipino civilians. The base was visited by 215 ships per month as
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
activity peaked in 1967. The nightclubs along Ramon Magsaysay Drive between the naval base main gate and Rizal Avenue were notoriously popular among the 4,225,000 servicemen visiting the base that year.
Talented Filipino musicians and singers, inexpensive
San Miguel beer
San Miguel Beer refers to San Miguel Pale Pilsen, a Filipino pale lager produced by San Miguel Brewery (a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation). Established in San Miguel, Manila in 1890 by the original San Miguel Brewery (renamed San Miguel Co ...
, attractive
teenage
Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the te ...
prostitutes,
erotic
Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...
floor shows,
Jeepney
Jeepneys (), sometimes called jeeps (), are minibus-like public utility vehicles, serving as the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They are known for their crowded seating and kitsch decorations, which have become ...
rides back to the naval base and children diving for coins tossed from the bridge over the
estuarine
An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environment ...
drainage channel in front of the naval base main gate were popular amenities among the sailors. Olongapo was then upgraded as a highly urbanized city on December 7, 1983.
Mount Pinatubo eruption
![Ash from Mount Pinatubo covers NS Subic Bay](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Ash_from_Mount_Pinatubo_covers_NS_Subic_Bay.jpg)
On June 15, 1991,
Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano in the Zambales Mountains, located on the tripoint boundary of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga, all in Central Luzon on the northern island of Luzon. Its eruptive history w ...
, from the city, violently erupted with a force eight times greater than the May 1980 eruption of
Mount St. Helens
Mount St. Helens (known as Lawetlat'la to the indigenous Cowlitz people, and Loowit or Louwala-Clough to the Klickitat) is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United St ...
. Volcanic clouds blocked out the sun. Volcanic earthquakes and heavy muddy rain, as well as thunderstorms from a typhoon passing over Central Luzon, darkened the area for 36 hours in what would become known as "Black Saturday".
This caused widespread damage to the United States facility and Olongapo City.
On September 16, 1991, the Senate leaders of the Philippines did not grant an extension of the existing RP-US Military Bases Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States, thus terminating the stay of the United States military in the Philippines.
Present-day Olongapo
![US Flag lowered and Philippine flag raised during turnover of NS Subic Bay](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/US_Flag_lowered_and_Philippine_flag_raised_during_turnover_of_NS_Subic_Bay.jpg)
Olongapo surged to national prominence during the incumbency of Mayor
Richard Gordon, who, like his father before him, was against the departure of US military forces, yet lobbied for the turnover of the facility and its conversion into a freeport in 1992. Gordon spearheaded a volunteerism strategy to return an ailing economy to prosperity after Mount Pinatubo's eruption and the withdrawal of US forces. The strategy worked across all demographics and involved a strong corps of 8,000 volunteers who protected and preserved the abandoned base facilities from poachers. Gordon complemented this with an aggressive advocacy campaign to convert the area into a protected area and industrial zone. Later, he launched an aggressive international investment promotion which resulted in the accelerating the development of a prime industrial and tourism zone in the country, the
Subic Bay Freeport Zone
The Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, often shorterned as Subic Bay or Subic, is a special economic zone and freeport area covering portions of the city of Olongapo and the town of Subic in Zambales, and the towns of Morong and Herm ...
(SBFZ).
As the first chartered city and highly urbanized city in its province, Olongapo's reputation among Filipinos rose from being a "sin city" in the 1960s and 1970s into a "model city" in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
Geography
Situated at the southern entry point of Zambales and the northeastern interior of the Subic Bay area, Olongapo City is from
Iba and northwest of
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
.
The land area of Olongapo is . The city proper is located on of tidal flatland, with the rugged
Zambales Mountains
The Zambales Mountains is a mountain range on western Luzon island in the Philippines. The mountains separate Luzon's central plain from the South China Sea. Its most prominent section is known as the Cabusilan Mountain Range composed of Mount ...
on its three sides, and Bataan and
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay on the west coast of the island of Luzon in the Philippines, about northwest of Manila Bay. An extension of the South China Sea, its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility, U.S. Naval Base Subi ...
at its base. Because of this peculiar geographic location, development of city land is limited. Also, the territorial borders from nearby towns are not properly marked.
Climate
Olongapo has a
tropical monsoon climate
An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
: ''Am''). Temperatures are relatively cooler during the months of December, January and February, and increase slightly from March to May, which are the warmest months of the year in this part of the Philippines.
The months of December to April are extremely dry but the wet season persists for the remaining period in a year. In August, the monthly rainfall total even reaches .
The city receives an average of rainfall every year. Temperatures range from an average of around degrees in January to around in April.
Barangays
The city is politically subdivided into 17
barangay
A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
s.
:
Demographics
In the 2020 census, the population of Olongapo, was 260,317 people, with a density of .
Language
The city's population speaks a wide array of the nation's main languages, specifically:
Tagalog,
Sambal
Sambal is an Indonesian chilli sauce or paste, typically made from a mixture of a variety of chilli peppers with secondary ingredients, such as shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice. ''Sambal'' is an Indo ...
,
Kapampangan Kapampangan, Capampañgan or Pampangan may refer to:
*Kapampangan people of the Philippines
*Kapampangan language
Kapampangan or Pampangan is an Austronesian language, and one of the eight major languages of the Philippines. It is the primary ...
,
Pangasinan
Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan ( pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, ; ilo, Probinsia ti Pangasinan; tl, Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capit ...
and
Ilocano. The phenomenon of mixing native languages with
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
(e.g.
Taglish
Taglish or Englog is code-switching and/or code-mixing in the use of Tagalog and English, the most common languages of the Philippines. The words ''Taglish'' and ''Englog'' are portmanteaux of the words ''Tagalog'' and ''English''. The earliest ...
, a mixture of Tagalog and English) is also common, especially amongst the youth. Many more languages are also spoken from other denominations of people.
Religion
![OlongapoCityjf9265 28](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/OlongapoCityjf9265_28.JPG)
Majority of the people of Olongapo are
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
s, followed by members of the
Iglesia ni Cristo.
Protestants
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
,
Evangelicals
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...
,
Born Again
Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sepa ...
,
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
,
Mormons
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
,
Members Church of God International
Member may refer to:
* Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon
* Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set
* In object-oriented programming, a member of a class
** Field (computer science), entries in ...
,
Nichiren Buddhism (Sokka Gakkai International),
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelical ...
, and
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
are also present.
Vicariate
The ten
Roman Catholic Parishes of Olongapo City is grouped as the Vicariate of San Jose and is under the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Iba
The Diocese of Iba (Lat: ''Dioecesis Ibanae'') is a Roman Rite diocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the Philippines.
The diocese began on 12 June 1955 as a territorial prelature from territory in the dioceses of San Fernando ...
. The Parishes are namely:
*St. Joseph Parish (1920) in Barangay East Bajac-Bajac
*St. Columban Parish (1963) in Barangay New Asinan
*Santa Rita Parish (1967) in Barangay Santa Rita
*Holy Trinity Parish (1975) in Barangay New Cabalan
*St. Anne Parish (1985) in Brgy Gordon Heights
*Immaculate Conception Parish (1986) in Barangay Barretto
*San Lorenzo Ruiz Parish (1991) in Barangay New Kalalake
*Holy Family Parish (1992) in Barangay Kalaklan
*St. Vincent de Paul Quasi-Parish in Barangay Old Cabalan
*San Roque Quasi-Parish in the
Subic Bay Freeport Zone
The Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, often shorterned as Subic Bay or Subic, is a special economic zone and freeport area covering portions of the city of Olongapo and the town of Subic in Zambales, and the towns of Morong and Herm ...
.
Government
![Olongapo City seal](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Olongapo_City_seal.svg)
Olongapo, belonging to the
1st District of Zambales, is governed by a City Mayor designated as its Local Chief Executive and by a City Council as its Legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code. Both the Mayor and the ten City Councilors are elected directly by the people through an election which is being held every three years.
As an Independent City from the province of Zambales, only the city government officials are voted by the residents of the city. The provincial government has no political jurisdiction over local transactions of the city government.
Mayors
The following is the list of all Mayors that ruled Olongapo after World War II:
:
Public Safety
Fire & Rescue Service
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (known as Olongapo City DRRMO are government agency which umbrella to the city government and the national government such as National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). This Agency have its well trained Rescue Service, have its own Fire and Rescue equipment and Emergency Response Service for any kind of disasters. it has a capability that they adopt from the American servicemen from the Former US Naval Base. the DRRMO are separated from Olongapo City Fire Station (OCFS) under the
Bureau of Fire Protection
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP; Filipino: ''Kawanihan ng Pagtatanggol sa Sunog'') is the government body in the Philippines responsible for the provision of fire services. It is under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior and Lo ...
(DILG-BFP) with its same capability usual to other Fire Services.
The city have its own Barangay Fire Services use as first responder in their respective communities. another Fire and Rescue Service was from the nearest
Subic Bay Freeport Zone
The Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, often shorterned as Subic Bay or Subic, is a special economic zone and freeport area covering portions of the city of Olongapo and the town of Subic in Zambales, and the towns of Morong and Herm ...
under its own Fire Department controlled by
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (abbreviated as "SBMA", fil, Pangasiwaang Panlungsod ng Subic Bay) is a governmental agency of the Philippines. Sometimes abbreviated as SBMA, the agency has played a significant part in the development of t ...
with finest trained personnel and Rescue Equipment abandoned by the Americans similar to DRRMO. The Philippines Oldest Fire Truck made by Americans respond to the major notable disaster such as
1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo,
Fukushima disaster cleanup
The Fukushima disaster cleanup is an ongoing attempt to limit radioactive contamination from the three nuclear reactors involved in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster that followed the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. The affected rea ...
in 2011 and
Typhoon Haiyan
Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. On making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. It is one of the ...
Search and Rescue operations in 2013.
Crime & Law Enforcement
The city has six different police stations under control by Olongapo City Police Office (OCPO) and was umbrella to
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police ( fil, Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas, acronymed as PNP) is the armed national police force in the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Current ...
(PNP). The city police main garrison was on Camp Cabal (also known in locals as "164") at Barangay Barretto. Additional policy implementation agency is controlled by the
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (abbreviated as "SBMA", fil, Pangasiwaang Panlungsod ng Subic Bay) is a governmental agency of the Philippines. Sometimes abbreviated as SBMA, the agency has played a significant part in the development of t ...
- Law Enforcement Department (SBMA-LED) which securing the coastal waters of Subic Bay and its nearby Freeport Zone under Republic Act 7227 (it is known as "SBMA Police").
Contrary to traffic enforcement, the city has separate law enforcement which is the Office of the Traffic Management and Public Safety (OTMPS). The office focuses on implementation of color coded transport scheme, security of government-owned establishment, organizing public market, and providing traffic enforcement safety which was mandated parallel and coordinated to
Land Transportation Office
The Land Transportation Office ( fil, Tanggapan ng Transportasyong-Lupa; LTO) is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Transportation responsible for all land transportation in the Philippines. Functions of the LTO inc ...
.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Airport
There are no airports in Olongapo itself although the
Subic Bay International Airport in the adjacent town of
Morong, Bataan
Morong, officially the Municipality of Morong ( tl, Bayan ng Morong), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 35,394 people.
The municipality is home to the Subic ...
serves the general area of Olongapo. The airport is within the
Subic Bay Freeport Zone
The Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, often shorterned as Subic Bay or Subic, is a special economic zone and freeport area covering portions of the city of Olongapo and the town of Subic in Zambales, and the towns of Morong and Herm ...
and was formerly known as
Naval Air Station Cubi Point
U.S. Naval Air Station Cubi Point was a United States Navy aerial facility located at the edge of Naval Base Subic Bay and abutting the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines.
When the base closed, the air station became the Subic Bay International ...
, when it was still an airbase of the United States.
Sea Port
![Ship Docked In Subic Bay, Philippines - panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Ship_Docked_In_Subic_Bay%2C_Philippines_-_panoramio.jpg)
Olongapo is served by the
Port of Subic Bay
The Port of Subic Bay is in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, the former U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, on Subic Bay in the Philippines. It is one of the busiest, largest, historical and most important of ports in the Philippines. The Port is operated ...
, operated and managed by the
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (abbreviated as "SBMA", fil, Pangasiwaang Panlungsod ng Subic Bay) is a governmental agency of the Philippines. Sometimes abbreviated as SBMA, the agency has played a significant part in the development of t ...
. Some facilities of the seaport are located on the Olongapo portion of the
Subic Freeport Zone
The Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone, often shorterned as Subic Bay or Subic, is a special economic zone and freeport area covering portions of the city of Olongapo and the town of Subic in Zambales, and the towns of Morong and Herm ...
namely the Alava, Bravo, and Rivera Wharves.
Roads
The city has an organized road network, featuring a series of rectangular street grids. The primary road that connects Olongapo to the rest of the other is the
Jose Abad Santos Avenue
Jose Abad Santos Avenue (JASA), also known as the Olongapo–Gapan Road and the Gapan–San Fernando–Olongapo Road, is a two-to-thirteen-lane major highway spanning the provinces of Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Zambales in Central Luzon, ...
. In the city's main district, the names of those streets running from North to South follow the English alphabet's order. While streets running East to West are numbered from 1st to 27th, starting from the South parallel and up. Even streets are on the East side of the city while the odd streets are on the West. Most of the roads in Olongapo are made of concrete and asphalt.
Public transportation
![OlongapoCityTrianglejf691](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/OlongapoCityTrianglejf691.JPG)
The city boasts its
color-coded
A color code is a system for displaying information by using different colors.
The earliest examples of color codes in use are for long-distance communication by use of flags, as in semaphore communication. The United Kingdom adopted a color c ...
public transportation system which it has pioneered in the country. All
public utility jeepneys and
tricycle
A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle.
Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes, ...
s have its own color code depending on the district, zone or route that it is serving.
Taxi
A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice ...
services are also operated in the city but are limited.
Bus Terminals
Victory Liner
Victory Liner Inc. (VLI) is one of the largest provincial bus companies operating in the Philippines, servicing routes mainly to the provinces of Central Luzon which includes Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan and Northern Luzon which includes Benguet ...
and
Saulog Transit are the leading bus operators having their own terminals in the city which transports people in and out of the city. Local bus terminals are also present and are primarily used for transportation in neighboring towns and inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
=Road infrastructure
=
Olongapo is accessible through the National Highway (via Zigzag Road) from
Hermosa and
Dinalupihan, Bataan
Dinalupihan, officially the Municipality of Dinalupihan ( tl, Bayan ng Dinalupihan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 118,209 people.
Dinalupihan, the only ...
. The National Highway cuts through the city center and goes through north up to Barangay Barreto and then on to the neighboring town of Subic, and the rest of the towns in Zambales up to
Pangasinan
Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan ( pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, ; ilo, Probinsia ti Pangasinan; tl, Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capit ...
province. Another access to the city is via
SCTEX and
Subic Freeport Expressway exiting to the gates of Subic Bay Freeport Zone and also, from the south, Morong, Bataan (via Balanga, Bataan) through the Morong gate of Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
Public Utilities
Electricity
Electricity services were formerly provided by the government-run Public Utilities Department (PUD) since the city was founded. However, in the late 2000s, the city faced debt in its electricity distribution costs amounting to P5 billion to power suppliers and threatened to cut the city from the Luzon power grid. Then Mayor James Gordon Jr. also attributed the crisis to low collection rate due to nonpayment or debts incurred by consumers, widespread energy theft and corruption in the PUD. The situation worsened because of interests imposed by Private Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM), the refusal of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to grant an increase in power rates, and the years of delay in the PUD's privatization.
In 2013, through Republic Act No. 10373, the PUD was sold for Php 610 million to
Olongapo Electricity Distribution Company
This is a complete list of electric utilities in the Philippines. There are 152 electric utilities in the country.
List
See also
* List of companies of the Philippines
* List of power plants in the Philippines
Notes
References
E ...
(OEDC), an affiliate of Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company (CEPALCO), which was given a 25-year franchise to take over the city's power distributor. The company has since upgraded the city's obsolete and dilapidated distribution network and has made significant improvements to the city's electricity services.
Water
Water services are provided by Subic Water and Sewerage Company (also known as Subic Water. Not to be confused with Subic Water District (SWD), which is a different water distribution company serving the neighboring towns of Subic, Zambales.). In 2013, the city's shares in Subic Water has been sold to
Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) to continue modernizing the city's water utilities services. In March 2016, this was reversed and the city has bought back its shares because the city wanted to have a representation in Subic Water because the city's constituents accounted for the majority of Subic Water's customers.
Notable personalities
*
Richard J. Gordon
Richard Juico Gordon (born August 5, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who most recently served as a Senate of the Philippines, Senator from 2016 to 2022, and previously from 2004 to 2010. He is the chairman and CEO of the Philippine R ...
(b. 1945), politician and chairman of Philippine Red Cross
*
Angelee delos Reyes (b. 1987),
Miss Philippines Earth
Miss Philippines Earth (2004–2017, 2019–present), originally titled Miss Philippines (2001–2003) then Miss Earth Philippines (2018), is a national beauty pageant held annually in search of "the most beautiful and environmentally-consciou ...
2013
*
Angelu de Leon
Maria Luisa Angela Martinez de Leon-Rivera (born August 22, 1979), better known as Angelu de Leon, is a Filipino actress and politician.
Early and personal life
Angelu de Leon is the youngest daughter of Luis and Flora de Leon. She attended St ...
(b. 1979), actress of
GMA Network
GMA Network (Global Media Arts or simply GMA) is a Philippine free-to-air television and radio network. It is the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network, Inc. Its first broadcast on television was on October 29, 1961. GMA Network (f ...
*
Arnel Pineda
Arnel Campaner Pineda (born September 5, 1967) is a Filipino singer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the Philippines during the 1980s and internationally in 2007 as the lead singer of the American rock band Journey.
Early life
Arnel ...
(b. 1967), singer/lead vocalist of
Journey
Journey or journeying may refer to:
* Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations
** Day's journey, a measurement of distance
** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road
Animals
* Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
*
Blakdyak (Joseph Amoto-Formaran) (1969–2016), singer, comedian and actor
*
Mike Corgan (1918–1989), American football player
*
Eric Cray
Eric Shauwn Brazas Cray (born November 6, 1988) is a Filipino-American track and field athlete who competes in sprinting and hurdling events. He represented the Philippines at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics, competing in the hurdles. ...
(b. 1988),
track and field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...
athlete, an Olympian at the
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...
*
Freddie Aguilar
Ferdinand Pascual Aguilar (born February 5, 1953), better known as Freddie Aguilar or Ka Freddie Aguilar, is a Filipino folk musician. He is best known for his rendition of " Bayan Ko", which became the anthem of the opposition against the regi ...
(b. 1953), noted musician, singer-songwriter
*
Jake Vargas
Jhake Angelo Cunanan Vargas (born July 9, 1992), better known as Jake Vargas, is a Filipino actor. He is known for his television roles in various hit GMA Network dramas such as '' Stairway to Heaven'', ''Reel Love Presents Tween Hearts'', '' C ...
(b. 1992), model and actor of GMA Network
*
Liezel Lopez
Liezel Marie Arintoc Lopez (born October 2, 1997) is a Filipino actress. She was a finalist at the sixth season of reality talent competition, '' Starstruck'' in 2016, and has been signed to GMA Artist Center. She joined the cast of ''Bubble Gan ...
(b. 1997), actress, model and
StarStruck contestant
*
K Brosas
Maria Carmela Brosas (born 15 July 1975), better known by her screen name K Brosas, is a Filipina actress, comedian, singer and television host. She was born in the Philippines to an American father and a Filipina mother and was a band member ...
(b. 1975), comedian, singer and host of
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, Alto Broadcasting System and Chronicle Broadcasting Network) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast broadcast network, network tha ...
*
Kristofer Martin
Kristoffer Martin Roach Dangculos (born November 20, 1994) is a Filipino people, Filipino actor. His career started when he joined the talent TV show ''Little Big Superstar'' where he was eliminated on the second week. He appeared in a couple of ...
(b. 1994), actor of GMA Network
*
Lauren Young
Lauren Anne Young (born November 8, 1993), simply known as Lauren Young, is a Filipino-American actress, singer, and model. She is the younger sister of actress and Miss World 2013 Megan Young.
Biography Career
Young was one of the 20 new tal ...
(b. 1993), actress of GMA Network
*
Megan Young
Megan Lynne Young (born February 27, 1990) is a Filipino-American actress, model, television presenter and beauty queen who won the Miss World Philippines 2013 title and was later crowned as Miss World 2013. She is the first Filipina to win t ...
(b. 1990), actress and host of GMA Network,
Miss World Philippines 2013
Miss World Philippines 2013 was the 3rd edition of the Miss World Philippines pageant. It was held at the Solaire Resort & Casino in Parañaque, Philippines. on August 18, 2013.
At the end of the event, Queenierich Rehman crowned Megan Young ...
and
Miss World 2013
Miss World 2013, the 63rd edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 28 September 2013 at Bali International Convention Center, South Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. It was the first time in Southeast Asia and it also was the first time in the page ...
*
Melissa Ricks
Melissa Marie Ricks-Macatangay (born January 9, 1990) is a Filipino actress of American descent. She was a runner-up in the reality talent search '' Star Circle Quest'' on ABS-CBN.
Background Career
In 2004, Ricks joined the reality talent sea ...
(b. 1990), actress and host of ABS-CBN
*
Moira Dela Torre
Moira Rachelle Bustamante Dela Torre (born November 4, 1993) is a Filipino singer-songwriter. Born in Olongapo, Philippines, she began as a voice artist for corporate jingles and theme songs. In 2013, she competed in ''The Voice of The Philip ...
(b. 1993), singer-songwriter of ABS-CBN
*
Raikko Mateo
Raikko Rain Mateo Gongora (born July 31, 2008), better known as Raikko Mateo, is a Filipino child actor who gained popularity as the lead star of the fantasy-drama ''Honesto
''Honesto'' is a 2013 Philippine family drama television series di ...
(b. 2008) child actor of ABS-CBN, who took the titular role in
Honesto
''Honesto'' is a 2013 Philippine family drama television series directed by Jerry Lopez Sineneng and Darnel Joy Villaflor, starring Raikko Mateo as Honesto, a young boy whose nose gets big whenever he lies. The series was aired on ABS-CBN's ''Pri ...
*
Samuel Morrison (b. 1991), athletic
taekwondo
''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast kicking techniques. T ...
, he won the gold medalist on seagames 2019
*
Rico Barrera
Rico Barrera (born Frederick Barrera on December 29, 1984) is a Filipino actor, the first housemate evicted from the 12 housemates of ''Pinoy Big Brother'' on 2005.
Prior to entering the house, Barrera was a singer in Japan. He was the first h ...
(b. 1981), model and actor of ABS-CBN, ''Pinoy Big Brother'' season 1 housemate
*
Simon Ibarra
Rogelio Matira (born January 24, 1968), better known by his stage name Simon Ibarra is a Filipino actor.
Ibarra appeared in movies like ''Soltera'' (1999) starring Maricel Soriano, and ''Live Show'' (2000) with Ana Capri and Klaudia Koronel.
...
(b. 1960), actor, and model
*
Tom Rodriguez
Bartolome Alberto Mott (born October 1, 1987), known professionally as Tom Rodriguez, is a Filipino-American model, actor, host and singer.
Biography
Rodriguez is from Catbalogan, Samar. He was born in Subic Naval Base in Zambales to an Ameri ...
(b. 1987) actor of GMA Network
*
Willie Miller
William Ferguson Miller MBE (born 2 May 1955) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager, who made a club record 560 league appearances for Aberdeen. Sir Alex Ferguson described Miller as "the best penalty box defender in th ...
(b. 1977), basketball player
*
Wowie de Guzman
Jeffrey Camangyan (born September 22, 1976), known professionally as Wowie de Guzman, is a Filipino dancer and a stage, film and TV actor. He was one of the top matinee idols from the 1990s. His break came as a member of dance group Universal Mo ...
(b. 1976), actor of ABS-CBN
*
Topex Robinson (b. 1974), head coach of Phoenix Fuel Super LPG Masters
*
Darryl Yap (b. 1987), film director and screenwriter
Sister cities
Olongapo has the following
sister cities
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
:
*
Cabanatuan
Cabanatuan, officially the City of Cabanatuan ( fil, Lungsod ng Cabanatuan; ilo, Siudad ti Cabanatuan), is a 1st class component city in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 327,325 peop ...
, Philippines
*
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington. The population was 37,729 at the 2010 census and an estimated 41,405 in 2019, making it the largest city on the Kitsap Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerto ...
, United States
*
National City, California
National City is a city located in the South Bay (San Diego County), South Bay region of the San Diego metropolitan area, in southwestern San Diego County, California, San Diego County, California.
The population was 58,582 at the 2010 United ...
, United States
*
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
, United States
References
External links
*
Philippine Standard Geographic Codebr>
Olongapo City City CouncilOlongapo City Officials and Government Offices Telephone Directory
{{Authority control
Cities in Central Luzon
Populated places in Zambales
Port cities and towns in the Philippines
Highly urbanized cities in the Philippines
Populated places established in 1750
1750 establishments in the Philippines