Olongapo is a medium-sized port city located on the northeast coast of Subic Bay, 127 kilometers 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 government and citizens fought hard to recover from these setbacks and today the city is a growing urbanized center focused on services, education, and tourism.
It 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, the 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.
