By Jonas Reyes

Copyright tribune

A “boundary” of the old Subic Bay Naval Station mini-golf course is seen snaking through a group of trees near Waterfront Road at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The concrete boundary, though part of a recreational facility, stands as a testament to the former bastion of United States defense in the Philippines.The mini-golf course was built when the US Navy occupied the Subic Bay Freeport, then called the US Naval Base. Situated in the Central Business District, it formed part of an area geared toward rest and relaxation for US Armed Forces personnel stationed at the base.Today, it is covered in leaves from the trees that now shade the course — a historical reminder that the Subic Bay Freeport was not just a military outpost but also a place where US military personnel lived their lives to the fullest.