Subic Bay | The Adobo Chronicles

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – For Barack Obama and NoyNoy Aquino, 2016 marks the end of their respective terms as president, and both are reportedly engaged in secret talks that could define their greatest legacy as heads of state. What’s at stake? Subic Bay, once America’s largest and most strategic naval base located in Olongapo City in the Philippines.

Almost a quarter of a century ago, Philippine lawmakers closed Subic Naval Base and sent the Americans packing amid rising nationalistic and anti-colonial sentiments among the Filipinos.

Now, the U.S. wants to go back to Subic, realizing its importance to maintaining American military supremacy in the region. Rising tensions over territorial claims by China, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries have prompted the United States to be on red alert in the South China Sea. But without a military stronghold in the area, the U.S. seems to have tipped the balance of power in China’s favor.

The secret talks have but one overarching goal: return Subic Bay to the U.S.

America’s demand? It wants to occupy the sprawling former naval base — permanently.

Aquino’s response? Sure, on the condition that the Philippines is named America’s 51st state.

And what’s in it for Aquino? He’s termed out and cannnot run for reelection. But he has enjoyed being head of state and wants to continue in this privileged position. So he wants to be appointed governor of the 51st state. In exchange for Subic.

As for Obama, he is seriously reconsidering moving the site of the Obama Presidential Library from Chicago to Subic Bay.

Stay tuned.

SUBIC BAY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) — Almost twenty five years ago, the Philippines expelled the United States from Subic Naval Base in Olongapo City, then the largest overseas outpost of the American military. Riding on nationalistic and anti-colonial sentiments of the Filipinos, lawmakers closed the base and promised that Uncle Sam’s armed forces would never ever occupy and control any part of the country again.

Fast forward to 2015: the Philippines is embroiled in a major territorial dispute with giant China which has laid claim to a vast expanse of the sea west of the archipelago. It has asked the U.S. government for hundreds of millions of dollars to fund and strengthen its own military, one of the weakest in Asia, so as to be able to deal with aggressive threats from China. But so far, the Obama administration has snubbed the request because it worries that the political corruption in the Philippines could all but divert the resources into some unauthorized use.

The Philippines is also contemplating on reopening Subic to the U.S. military.

Republican members of the U.S. Congress’ Armed Services Committee are not keen on financially or militarily supporting the Philippines either, saying that the Asian country is acting like a “prodigal son.” The congressmen said : “They kicked us out when it was convenient for them, and now they want us back because it is convenient for them.”

Since the term of President Aquino is up in 2016, it will be up to his successor to convince the United States on the merits of reopening Subic Bay and providing hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to the Philippines.

Most Filipinos –who are devout Catholics — are confident that just like in the biblical account of the prodigal son, the U.S. will eventually welcome back the Philippines with open arms, or in this case, the Philippines will welcome back the U.S. military to Subic Bay.