The urban renewal and social transformation of Olongapo City from a Sin City to a Model City started in 1980 and succeeded, because the people shared a vision of becoming independent from the Subic Naval Base by weaning itself economically through engaging in joint commercial use of the port of Subic and creating a self-sustaining industrial and economic base in Olongapo City apart from the American military facility. This vision was extensively shared and discussed with the people as stakeholders through consultations with workers, entrepreneurs, market vendors, and others. Meaningful change must start from within, and the people of Olongapo did just that by adopting and renewing their values. Every year during the Olongapo City fiesta, a theme or slogan is always adopted to serve as inspiration and guide for the coming year. Aim High, Olongapo! Bawal ang Tamad, Lalong Bawal ang Tanga sa Olongapo.Duty, Dignity, Determination. These were just some of the themes imbibed by the people of Olongapo. From school children to their parents, they all helped foment and achieve this fundamental change in attitude and culture in their daily lives. Citizen involvement and participation in the affairs of the community through volunteerism made the big difference in uplifting Olongapo and the lives of its inhabitants. When the people volunteered and assumed active roles in governance through the Color-Coding of Public Transportation, Efficient Garbage Collection, Barangay Crime Neighborhood Watch, etc. instant success was achieved. Olongapo’s transformation and urban renewal thus succeeded and reaped national and international recognition. Victory was, therefore, achieved. Local chief executives from around the country visited Olongapo City to learn from this example, including then Mayor Fernando of Marikina, Mayor Robredo of Naga, Mayor Tolentino of Tagaytay, and Mayor Duterte of Davao. In their own right, they have adopted the same formula and have, likewise, succeeded. Dignitaries and visitors from overseas also came to study the Olongapo City phenomenon.

Subic Bay Freeport is Bagumbayan: From a bastion of security to a bastion of economic prosperity.

The former Subic Naval Base was successfully converted into a Freeport that became the country’s premier investment destination because the people shared the vision of a Freeport propagated as early as 1971. When the Senate rejected to extend the military bases agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America after its expiration in 1991, the people of Olongapo lobbied in Congress to enact their vision into a law creating the Subic Bay Freeport and Special Economic Zone.

Even as the American forces were leaving, there were many who predicted that the facilities left by the Americans in the former Subic Naval Base would be looted just like what had happened in other military bases that were left by the Americans. Much to their surprise, they were proven wrong by the people who had the vision of Subic as a Freeport and vowed to live the value of ‚Protect and Preserve to Prosper. Thus, the US$8 billion facility left behind by the Americans was protected and preserved, and not a single light bulb, doorknob, or property was stolen. The forest in Subic and its rich flora and fauna were safeguarded. All these and much more were achieved through the efforts of more than 8,000 volunteers who willingly served without pay.

Victory was then achieved when World Bank supported Subic to develop it into an investment hub and investors like Federal Express, Enron Corporation, Coastal Petroleum, Acer Computers, etc. started to come in and the world took notice of Subic Bay Freeport so much so that the it hosted the 18 heads of states in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders‚ Summit in 1996. Local and international leaders, dignitaries, and other visitors also visited Subic at various times to learn about the successful base conversion from a bastion of security to a bastion of economic prosperity..