U.S. Marine Corps plans Subic Bay facility by mid-2026

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is planning to open a military storage and maintenance facility at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Freeport by mid-2026.

Washington is seeking to lease a 25,000-square-meter, climate-controlled warehouse and maintenance shop for five years, with no munitions to be stored at the site.

The facility would support vehicles, equipment, and up to 60 personnel, complementing existing Marine Corps prepositioning sites nearby.

The move comes amid heightened US-Philippine defense cooperation, increased joint exercises, and rising tensions in the South China Sea and the Luzon Strait, reinforcing Subic Bay’s renewed strategic importance.

Subic Bay and Clark historically served as major hubs for US forces during the Cold War, supporting extensive military operations across the Pacific region.