Some historians claim that the handover of the base to the Philippine government was the true moment of independence from the US for the Philippines. After the handover, the transformation of the base into the Subic Bay Freeport became a national priority. The base was huge, with much of the area covered with virgin rainforest. The Americans put that to good use for survival training, while now it''''''''s open to sightseers. Subic Bay is a great area for divers, with 20 wrecks strewn across its floor.
Short flights are also available.
A couple of events in 1991 could have seen the collapse of the sprawling city of Angeles, north of Manila. But the residents and businesses of Angeles proved more resilient than was first thought. Angeles is a two hour bus trip from Manila. Many rich tourists have thrown the pesos around, so you can expect to be hassled for extra money. Some travellers have reported having an unpleasant time after refusing to pay extra to the boatmen.