Gordon shares Subic experience with Guamanians

Senator Richard J. Gordon's expertise on military bases conversion is again tapped in the international community as he attends an economic development forum in Guam to talk about the success of Subic so it could be replicated there.

Gordon, founding Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), was invited to deliver the keynote speech at the first Annual Guam Community and Economic Development Forum (GCEDF) held on Nov. 12 - 13 at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort in Guam, Mariana Islands .

The forum, which took the theme "Strategies for a Sustainable Future," aims, through the discussions, to formulate a framework for the development of strategic economic and social policies for Guam , which will turn it into the first Pacific economic tiger.

Gordon, along with 8,000 volunteers, preserved and protected US$8 billion worth of property and facilities left during the pullout of the US military. They successfully converted the military base into the Philippines ' first Freeport , attracting foreign investments and generating up to 80,000 jobs.

During its fourth anniversary in November 24, 1996, Subic Bay hosted the leaders of 18 economies during the 4th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Summit who were all impressed with the emerging investment haven with companies like FedEx Express, Enron, Coastal Petroleum, Taiwan computer giant Acer and France telecoms company Thomson SA.

Gordon recently elicited praises from Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and officials of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) for his efforts in creating the SBMA, the first Freeport in the country.

"If not for Dick, there would have been no Subic . Nobody was interested in setting up anything in Subic; not because they were not conscious of their responsibilities, but nobody was pushing an idea as to what to do with that very important asset that was left by the Americans in Subic , except Dick Gordon." Enrile said.