About the City

Olongapo is a medium-sized port city located on the northeast coast of Subic Bay, 127 kilometres northwest of Manila. The city grew out of a small fishing village and today has a population of approximately 250,000 and covers an area of 185 km². For many years the city prospered from a US Naval Base, but in 1991 it suffered the dual calamities of an abrupt withdrawal of the US Navy Base, the city's main industry, as well as from the devastating effects of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. The Olongapo government and citizens fought hard to recover from these setbacks and today the city is a growing urbanised centre focused on services, education, and tourism.

Successful City Initiatives

Olongapo has managed to transform itself from a navy base town known as a 'sin city' to a 'model city', through various innovations of local governance, such as: a colour coded transport system, expansion of public markets, an integrated solid waste management programme, vendors' cooperatives, community organisations, and many other public and community development programmes. Today, Olongapo City is focused on becoming a successful free port city; a centre for commerce and tourism; a part of the three National Triad Growth Centres; and a sub-regional centre for trade, education, health, sports and tourism.

Issues Affecting the City

One of the main issues that the city is facing is poverty, which is largely related to unemployment, a lack of skill in the labor force, the high cost of education and the cyclical nature of poverty. The average monthly income for a family of five in Olongapo is just US$202.00. Reproductive health is another issue as early marriages and religious resistance to contraceptives contribute to large family sizes, which lead to high rates of maternal and infant mortality. There is presently no sewerage system in the city, drainage is insufficient and there is a restricted water supply. Solid waste management, air pollution and traffic congestion are other issues that the city is facing.