Philippines Reopens Subic Base to Station Frigates, Fighter Jets

The Philippines is reopening the Subic Naval facility to be used by the Philippine Military for the first time in history. The once massive installation was the home of one of the biggest US naval facilities outside the mainland USA.

Two fighter jets from South Korea and two frigates will be stationed there according to navy spokesperson.

Using Subic Bay would allow the Philippine air force and navy to respond more effectively to Chinese moves in the disputed South China Sea, security experts said. Subic Bay’s deep-water harbor lies on the western side of the main Philippine island of Luzon, opposite the South China Sea.

“The value of Subic as a military base was proven by the Americans. Chinese defense planners know that,” said Rommel Banlaoi, a Philippine security expert.

Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino told Reuters the Philippine military signed an agreement in May with the zone’s operator, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, to use parts of the installation under a renewable 15-year lease.

U.S. warships have called regularly at Subic Bay since 2000, but only to dock during exercises with the Philippine military or to use its commercial facilities for repairs and resupply.

Officials said the US Navy could have much greater access once the facility fully operational.

Using Subic would be the latest Philippine military move to combat China’s maritime ambitions.

Besides beefing up security cooperation with the United States, Japan and Vietnam, the military plans to spend $20 billion over the next 13 years to modernize its armed forces, among the weakest in Southeast Asia.

“We hope that the Philippines do more to benefit regional peace and stability,” the defense ministry said in a statement faxed to Reuters.

“There are existing facilities in Subic Bay. We need only to refurbish them,” one officer said.

Since Subic Bay hasn’t functioned as a military base for more than two decades, it was not among eight locations the Philippine armed forces has said the U.S. military could use under the stalled 2014 defense deal.

The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement would allow the U.S. military to deploy at Philippine bases for longer periods than under existing accords as well as build barracks and facilities for logistics purposes.

The agreement has been frozen since left-wing politicians challenged its constitutionality last year. The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in the coming months.

Officials said that the squadron of light attack aircraft from South Korea will base their, including two frigates and other cutters.

The proximity of Subic Base is ideal to protect and monitor the country’s interests in the disputed Spratly Islands, the report said.

The base will be expected to fully operate on early 2016 after repairs and enhancement of buildings and other military facilities.

/Sarah Gomez/ GMA

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