The San Juanico Bridge is a 2.16 kilometer span that connects the town of Santa Rita in Samar with Tacloban City in Leyte, across the San Juanico Strait. Constructed in 1969, this project is one of the legacy infrastructure initiatives of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. During that time, the bridge is the longest in the country.
Being part of the Pan-Philippine Highway, the SJB has become an important cog in the economic wheel not just in Eastern Visayas but also in the whole country. Without this bridge, land travel between the Bicol region and Samar, and then Samar and Leyte, would be greatly impacted negatively.
Many have speculated—and with good reason because President Ferdinand Marcos loved his wife Imelda so much—that FM worked to find Japanese financing for the bridge and endeavored to have it constructed fast and well, because he wanted to leave a genuine legacy project in the First Lady’s home region. Imelda Marcos hails from Tolosa, Leyte. The SJB would be a fitting gift to her and her kababayans in Leyte.
Through the years, the solid and sturdy bridge stood up as a beacon of economic progress in the region. But years of maintenance neglect and questionable budget allocations resulted in recent findings that the San Juanico Bridge had to be partially closed because of structural defects. Huge trucks with cargoes heavier than 3 tons were prohibited to use it.
In a speech in Malaysia recently, Sen. Imee Marcos mentioned her concern for the SJB, saying the government should have taken good care of the bridge because it was her father’s legacy.
This perhaps elicited an unjustified comment from Princess Abante, the new spokesperson of the House of Representatives. You see, Ms. Abante has been looking for issues to mouth against rivals or enemies of her boss, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Imee’s cousin. Abante asked what Imee has been doing as a senator to ensure the upkeep of the bridge.
Here is Senator Imee’s scathing reply to Abante:
“Matapos ang ilang pag-uusisa sa kondisyon ng San Juanico Bridge, deadma and DPWH at si Speaker.
“P451.4 milyon lamang alokasyon para sa rehabilitasyon ng tulay mula taong 2018 hanggang 2025. Ako pa mismo ang nagtanong kung saan linaan ang bilyon pondong nakalagay sa GAA— P4.7 bilyon para sa iba’t ibang proyekto sa Maharlika Highway.
“Bilyon ang linustay na pera para sa mga daanan na masayang pinagkakitaan ng kung sinu-sino pero ang mahalagang tulay ni hindi iniinspeksiyon at puro pintura lang ang ginawa!”
The lady senator lamented that fact that the San Juanico Bridge is now in such a state of disrepair. While the National Budget is in the hands of the House of Representatives headed by the congressman in the First District of Leyte, the Speaker himself, this mouthpiece Abante is still looking to Imee for solutions.
“Bakit ako na senador ang hinahanapan mo ng aksyon, yang amo mo diyan nakatira, bakit di mo tanungin? Lahat kayo sa akin nakatingin — SANA AKO NA LANG NAGPRESIDENTE.”
Well said, Senator Imee.
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