The
story of Olongapo is derived from a colorful legend about a
well loved chieftain called Apo, whose headless body is one
day found at the beach of the fishing village. A long and andent
search ends when his missing head is found impaled atop a bamboo
pole. The announcement of the discovery becomes a rallying cry
for unity for the demoralized tribe. So "Ulo ng Apo"
or head of the Chieftain became the name of the fishing village
on the shores of lovely Subic Bay.
Well endowed
with natural beauty, legend and lore paint Olongapo as a romantic
spot in Western Luzon. A fishing village inhabited by peace-loving,
Tagalog speaking people, Olongapo became host to a Spanish navy
arsenal and shipyard in the late 19th century. The Spaniards
were attracted to the place by the deep waters of the natural
harbor and the protection from fierce storms offered by the
surrounding mountains, the same factors that attracted the Americans
several years later.
As can be
expected in any military setting, the imperatives of war shaped
the form of the community. The naval station became a naval
base which was later complemented by a naval air station. In
between, the Japanese used what facilities they found to produce
patrol boats of the sampan type. The second world war saw increased
military activity at the Subic Naval Base which resulted in
a marked demand for civilian support services.
Corollary
to the growth of the US Military establishment in Subic Bay,
the host community of Olongapo grew from a simple provincial
village into a bustling town. On December 7, 1959 it gained
municipality status after the US Government reliquished its
naval reservation to the Philippine Government. In 1966, Municipal
Mayor James L. Gordon agitated for city status and got it on
June 1 of the year.The chartered city become the first highly
urbanized city in Central Luzon on December 7, 1983 and gained
independence from the mother province Zambales.
