Olongapo City Museum

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Olongapo Museum

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Facade of Olongapo City Museum, East Tapinac, Olongapo City

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Ulo Ng Apo - Head of the Chieftain

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Aboriginals are the early settlers, shown here hunting wild boar

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Spaniards arrived, introduced Christianity and built an arsenal (naval base) in Subic Bay

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Spanish Gate

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Battle of Zigzag Pass during World War II

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While most of the country had gained independence from the American, Olongapo remained under American Military control

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First arrival of floating drydock in Subic Bay

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Illegal loggers confronted by the city's 1st Mayor James Gordon

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Mayor James Gordon shot at the back by hired assasin while talking to a woman seeking assistance at city hall lobby

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2nd Mayor of Olongapo Amelia Gordon established Boys Toys and Girls Home

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Magsaysay Drive during Vietnam War (Sin City)

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volunteers cleaning up ashes from Mt. Pinatubo Eruption in 1991

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Signing between Admiral Mercer and Mayor Richard Gordon turning-over the US Naval Facility in Subic to Philippine Government in 1992

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Volunteers protected and kept the facility clean

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Investors from all over the world poured in due to the leadership of Dick Gordon and dedication of volunteers

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A monument dedicated to Subic Volunteers (1996)

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Representative of 1st District of Zambales, Hon. James Gordon, Jr.

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Frontrunners of Subic Volunteerism.

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Mayor Katherine H. Gordon, multi-awarded world class leader,
recipient of Conrad Adenauer and UNESCO Cities and Mayors Peace Prize Award in March 31, 1998

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Photos courtesy of Olongapo Public Affairs Office.
Special Thanks to Yang Elane of Olongapo Museum.

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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. 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. 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. On May 1, 1898, Dewey's Flagship USS Olympia leads the Asiatic Fleet into Manila Bay. 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. (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. 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. 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. A waterfront view of the naval station at Subic Bay taken in 1912 with Alava Pier on the foreground 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. A picture of Japanese soldiers crossing Subic Bay on a raft made from oil drums during the Luzon Campaign in 1942. A picture taken in 1947 from the Parola (LightHouse). 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. 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. 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 ======================== 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.

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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 Gordon 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.

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"Bagumbayan is not a place or a name. It is character, attitude, values and principle. It is a solution to the ills of society and a vision of a great country."

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