The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority was created under Republic
Act 7227 to develop the Subic Special Economic Zone into a self-sustaining, industrial, commercial, financial and investment center to generate employment opportunities in and around the zone, and to attract and promote productive foreign investments. It is located southwest of Luzon, surrounded by the municipalities of Subic and Olongapo City in Zambales, and Hermosa and Morong in Bataan. 110 kilometers north of Manila, SBFZ is in Region III (Central Luzon) and is one of the points in the growth triangle (Subic-Clark-Tarlac) and an engine for economic development in the region. SBFZ has a total of 67,000 hectares of industrial, commercial, and protected territory. It is known to be the first successful conversion of a military base into an economic zone. For nearly a century, it was Subic Naval Base, the largest naval facility of the United States in the Pacific. In 1992, the Philippine government took control over the area following the expiration of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement. Subic Bay Freeport’s strategic location and ideal natural features are its primary advantages. The mountain ranges around Subic Bay and its deep natural harbor provide excellent and protected anchorage, making SBFZ naturally sheltered from typhoons. Its climate is tropical with a steady ocean breeze and average temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
