Air Force, Navy Camps Move To Subic Bay

[Jollygoodfellow]

I wonder how this will affect those expats living there. Will rent and prices increase? Its been said many times the Philippines intends to grant the US more access and shared facilities at Subic Bay so I guess this will become a very busy area.

 

Philippines to move air force, navy camps for faster access to disputed South China Sea areas

 

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines plans to relocate major air force and navy camps to a former U.S. naval base northwest of Manila to gain faster access to waters being contested by China in the South China Sea, according to the country’s defense chief and a confidential government report.

 

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Sunday that as soon as relocation funds are available the government plans to transfer air force and naval forces and their fleets of aircraft and warships to Subic Bay, which has become a busy free port since the 1992 departure of the U.S. Navy.“It’s for the protection of our West Philippine Sea,” Gazmin said from South Korea, where he was on a visit, using the name adopted by the Philippine government for the disputed South China Sea.

 

“We’re looking now for the funding,” he said.

 

Subic Bay is a natural deep harbor that can accommodate two large warships acquired recently by the Philippines from the United States, a defense treaty ally, he said, especially compared to shallower harbor at the naval fleet base at Sangley Point in Cavite province, south of Manila.

 

The first U.S. Coast Guard cutter was relaunched as the Philippines’ largest warship in 2011. President Benigno Aquino III will lead ceremonies on Aug. 6 to welcome the second ship at Subic, the Philippine navy said.

 

A confidential defense department document obtained by The Associated Press says Subic’s location will cut reaction time by fighter aircraft to contested South China Sea areas by more than three minutes compared with flying from Clark airfield, also north of Manila, where some air force planes are based.

 

“It will provide the armed forces of the Philippines strategic location, direct and shorter access to support West Philippine Sea theater of operations,” the document said.

 

The report said the cost of repairs and improvements for an air force base in Subic would be at least 5.1 billion pesos ($119 million). It said that compares with an estimated 11 billion pesos ($256 million) that it would cost to build a new air force base, because the vast Subic complex about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Manila already has a world-class runway and aviation facilities.

 

Relocating about 250 air force officers and men to Subic, along with “increased rotational presence of foreign visiting forces” would bolster business and trade at the port, the military document said.

 

Subic’s international airport has been underutilized since U.S. courier giant FedEx transferred its lucrative regional hub from Subic to China in 2009, officials said.

 

The Philippines plans to grant visiting U.S. forces, ships and aircraft temporary access to more of its military camps to allow for a larger number of joint military exercises than are currently staged each year.

 

A larger U.S. presence could be used for disaster response and serve as a deterrent to what Philippine officials say have been recent aggressive intrusions by China into its territorials waters.

 

The Philippines has backed Washington’s efforts to reassert its military presence in Asia as a counterweight to China’s rise. While it has taken diplomatic steps to deal with China’s sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea, the Philippines has struggled to upgrade its military, one of Asia’s weakest.

 

Philippine vessels backed off from the disputed Scarborough Shoal last year after weeks of a tense standoff with Chinese surveillance ship, a move that gave China effective control over the vast fishing ground off the country’s northwest.

 

Many fear the territorial conflicts in the South China Sea, which also involve Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan, could set off a serious conflict that could threaten Asia’s growing economies.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/philippines-to-move-air-force-navy-camps-for-faster-access-to-disputed-south-china-sea-areas/2013/07/28/d68eed8a-f750-11e2-81fa-8e83b3864c36_story.html

[Old55]

"Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Sunday that as soon as relocation funds are available"

“We’re looking now for the funding,” he said.

 

Yea, you're gona have to take a seat it may take awhile. :lol:

[jon1]

Rent prices have already started to climb. In my neighborhood they previously were 25-40,000p/mo for private rentals. For the corporations renting for housing their employees, the same units are going for 50,000p/mo. I am sure that the prices in Cubi will go even higher as it is closest to the Airport.

[Jollygoodfellow]

"Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Sunday that as soon as relocation funds are available"

“We’re looking now for the funding,” he said.

 

Yea, you're gona have to take a seat it may take awhile. :lol:

 

I don't know about that since the China disputed sea problems are involved and now support from the Japanese plus loans for new patrol boats. I would think the money will come from somewhere.

 

Rent prices have already started to climb. In my neighborhood they previously were 25-40,000p/mo for private rentals. For the corporations renting for housing their employees, the same units are going for 50,000p/mo. I am sure that the prices in Cubi will go even higher as it is closest to the Airport.

 

Always opportunities in areas that are going to grow, maybe I should look at Subic as soon as my lotto numbers come up   :)

[Bruce]

The report said the cost of repairs and improvements for an air force base in Subic would be at least 5.1 billion pesos ($119 million). It said that compares with an estimated 11 billion pesos ($256 million) that it would cost to build a new air force base, because the vast Subic complex about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Manila already has a world-class runway and aviation facilities.

 

A simple question for those in that area. With the proposed expansion and building, what is there now? Will a huge squatter area be torn down to make room? Condos? Business? Where will the government get the land needed?

 

I have never been to that area, so I am assuming that before you can build, you must buy and then demolish what is there 'now'. 

 

With the mention in the article of a quicker response time by 3 minutes... that is a fantasy. The problem is the 'human factor' as in the Philippines, no one wants to make a damn decision! A call for 'help' comes in but it takes 4 hours or more before Noynoy makes a decision to send in the CG or the navy or a plane or will refer out to the 'visiting' US ships to respond. Somewhere in there that 3 minutes saved in response time is useless.

[gapotwo]

Rent prices have already started to climb. In my neighborhood they previously were 25-40,000p/mo for private rentals. For the corporations renting for housing their employees, the same units are going for 50,000p/mo. I am sure that the prices in Cubi will go even higher as it is closest to the Airport.

In about 3 to 5 months, when things start to get busy on post, and rentals get ridiculose high in subic, then i will raise  the rent on my off post housing. Everyone is happy.....especially me    :cheersty: all the way to the bank... :thumbsup:   tanks  ej.

[jon1]

 

The report said the cost of repairs and improvements for an air force base in Subic would be at least 5.1 billion pesos ($119 million). It said that compares with an estimated 11 billion pesos ($256 million) that it would cost to build a new air force base, because the vast Subic complex about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Manila already has a world-class runway and aviation facilities.

 

A simple question for those in that area. With the proposed expansion and building, what is there now? Will a huge squatter area be torn down to make room? Condos? Business? Where will the government get the land needed?

 

I have never been to that area, so I am assuming that before you can build, you must buy and then demolish what is there 'now'. 

 

 

I am sure that they will take over the airport area and areas near the deep dock alongside of the airport. There is a lot of unused space out there that would be easy to build stuff on. If they treat the runway like other areas within the Philippines, there will be a civilian and military areas for the runway.

 

I know of at least one commercial airline venture still out there, Aviation Concepts. They are running a businessman's charter aircraft for the Asia area.

 

Unlike most areas in the Philippines, there are no squatters to speak of within the Freeport...

 

I highly doubt that they will have anything in size comparison to what you think of when talking about an Air Force or Navy base. It could be quite small and still function sufficiently.

[Bruce]

 

 

The report said the cost of repairs and improvements for an air force base in Subic would be at least 5.1 billion pesos ($119 million). It said that compares with an estimated 11 billion pesos ($256 million) that it would cost to build a new air force base, because the vast Subic complex about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Manila already has a world-class runway and aviation facilities.

 

A simple question for those in that area. With the proposed expansion and building, what is there now? Will a huge squatter area be torn down to make room? Condos? Business? Where will the government get the land needed?

 

I have never been to that area, so I am assuming that before you can build, you must buy and then demolish what is there 'now'. 

 

 

I am sure that they will take over the airport area and areas near the deep dock alongside of the airport. There is a lot of unused space out there that would be easy to build stuff on. If they treat the runway like other areas within the Philippines, there will be a civilian and military areas for the runway.

 

I know of at least one commercial airline venture still out there, Aviation Concepts. They are running a businessman's charter aircraft for the Asia area.

 

Unlike most areas in the Philippines, there are no squatters to speak of within the Freeport...

 

I highly doubt that they will have anything in size comparison to what you think of when talking about an Air Force or Navy base. It could be quite small and still function sufficiently.

 

 

That sounds better. I hate to think of a large squatter area being torn apart (again) just because the US is (again) throwing money at the Philippines. Just remember kiddies... without our 'friends' the Chinese sniffing around the far reaches of the Philippines, we still could not get a cup of coffee from the Philippine government.

 

Once the (if) the Chinese get distracted and look elsewhere, with in a year... It is again, US? Who needs them! GET OUT (Again)

[Markham]

 

Rent prices have already started to climb. In my neighborhood they previously were 25-40,000p/mo for private rentals. For the corporations renting for housing their employees, the same units are going for 50,000p/mo. I am sure that the prices in Cubi will go even higher as it is closest to the Airport.

In about 3 to 5 months, when things start to get busy on post, and rentals get ridiculose high in subic, then i will raise  the rent on my off post housing. Everyone is happy.....especially me    :cheersty: all the way to the bank... :thumbsup:   tanks  ej.

 

 

I wouldn't start counting your money or celebrate just yet. The dispute over the Spratleys could well escalate and that would of course make Olongapo and particularly Subic Bay a prime and legitimate military target. Generally speaking, civilians don't like to live where they're likely to be bombed or caught in the cross-fire, so all the housing in Kalayaan, Binictican and Forest Hills currently occupied by renters might suddenly become vacant as people flee the area. In that scenario any gains you make will be very short-lived and you might even be left with negative equity.

[jon1]

 

 

Rent prices have already started to climb. In my neighborhood they previously were 25-40,000p/mo for private rentals. For the corporations renting for housing their employees, the same units are going for 50,000p/mo. I am sure that the prices in Cubi will go even higher as it is closest to the Airport.

In about 3 to 5 months, when things start to get busy on post, and rentals get ridiculose high in subic, then i will raise  the rent on my off post housing. Everyone is happy.....especially me    :cheersty: all the way to the bank... :thumbsup:   tanks  ej.

 

 

I wouldn't start counting your money or celebrate just yet. The dispute over the Spratleys could well escalate and that would of course make Olongapo and particularly Subic Bay a prime and legitimate military target. Generally speaking, civilians don't like to live where they're likely to be bombed or caught in the cross-fire, so all the housing in Kalayaan, Binictican and Forest Hills currently occupied by renters might suddenly become vacant as people flee the area. In that scenario any gains you make will be very short-lived and you might even be left with negative equity.

 

You forgot Cubi Point... They would be the ones who would feel it the most as they are right on top of the airfield..

 

You do have a good point on the worst case scenario. But then again, if it came to something like that, there would be a whole lot of crap going down in a lot more places than just Subic.