Proposed US military comeback in Subic, being opposed by Filipinos

Senators Dan Inouye and Cochran probably thought that they looked like General Douglas MacArthur when they went to Subic to inspect their former military bases. They themselves admitted that they expect Subic and the surrounding environs to be filled with beggars, dilapidated buildings, old prostitutes, abandoned single mothers and girls wearing tattered clothes and a depressed local economy shortly after the US military left Olongapo.


They were surprised to find a vibrant and independent local economy and a busy international port. What's more--they found no Filipino waiving the U.S. flag and asking for Joe to come back and enjoy the beauty of Subic once more.


Fact is, instead of a welcoming party, Filipinos both in Manila, in Olongapo and all over the world are militating against the possibility of the US bringing their rowdy bunch of soldiers and their weapons of mass destruction again unto Philippine shores.


Senators Osmena and Honasan were not as welcoming as Noynoy Aquino when he met the two US legislators. Osmena and Honasan said Noynoy must respect the 1991 ouster of the US military from Subic and the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement which replaced the Military Bases Agreement.


Even businessmen and local folk in Olongapo are against the return of the comebacking US cowboys. 


The Palace was surprised with the overwhelming public opposition that it was forced to deny that they even raised that possibility during that talk with the two U.S. legislators. Noy, don't lie. What did you share with them, your score playing PSP or PlayStation 3?


And realising that it is too premature and too early to even raise this possibility, the US embassy denied that they plan to revive their military bases in Subic. What these two Senators intended was to see the economic progress of Subic and "how the US can cooperate with the Philippines."


What a statement coming from an ingrate! When Mt. Pinatubo erupted, these nincoompoops deserted us, and left us for dead. We were practically left by the US to fend for our own, something which Richard Gordon knows quite well. 


Gordon was left holding an empty bag when Nature itself gave the US military the final death knell. Instead of crying at one corner why his fellow Americans left him, to his credit, Gordon unleashed the power of the Filipino through voluntarism, something which he is now largely credited of doing.


Two decades past and we see a healed Subic, something which the Americans in 1991 probably did not think would happen. But it happened, thanks to the resiliency and strong Pinoy spirit that dared to conquer the impossible.


Now that we turned tragedy into an opportunity, here comes Major Joe spoiling the broth and asking us to please lease those damned facilities again to us, to be used by us in spreading havoc throughout the world.


Uncle Sam is pleased that we did the dirty work for them. Now that Subic has been freed from the tentacles of Uncle Sam, here comes Dan and his fellow octagenarian Cochran preaching the Gospel of Cooperation.


Pooh.