San Juanico Bridge, the oldest and most iconic bridge in the country built under the president’s father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. as birthday gift to his mom, the former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos, was lit with matching sound for 21 minutes last Wednesday by Marcos Jr. that delighted all who were near the site.
The president was “genuinely delighted” to lead the switch-on ceremony of the aesthetic lighting and sound project of the 2.16- kilometer bridge who said he used it as “an excuse to return home.” The aesthetic project was started in 2019 but suffered much delay from the pandemic and other reasons. The project was funded by the Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) for P80-million.
In a speech, Marcos Jr. said “with the recent completion of the San Juanico Aesthetic Lighting Project, I look forward to seeing the bridge turn into a true sight to behold, not just during the day, but now even in the dark at night. I look forward to the economic opportunities that will be stimulated by this as well as other Spark Samar initiatives in the near future.:
Spark Samar was a branding campaign of the LGU, which on October 19, 2019 won a bronze medal in the International Business Award (IBA) held in Vienna, Austria. Then former Samar Gov. now Rep. Sharee Ann Tan posted in Facebook that they were overwhelmed by the award.
“This award has inspired us, even more, to continue the Spark Samar Development Agenda to completely transform our communities and ensure that economic prosperity is felt by all,” Tan said.
Tan launched Spark Samar in 2015 when she was the governor of the province to attract more tourists to Samar.
The province is home to several tourist destinations like the Sohoton Cave and Natural Bridge in Basey town, considered the third biggest cave in the country; Lulugayan Falls in Calbiga town touted to be a “mini Niagara Falls” due to its several multi-level falls; and several rock formations, particularly in Marabut town.
The IBA Award, popularly called “Stevie Award” is considered the world’s only international, all-encompassing business awards organization to give honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide.
The President cited this branding campaign which, he said, he hopes would not only become a must-see among local and foreign tourists, but would also pave the way for economic development, not just in Leyte, but also in Samar where poverty remained high.”
“It is my earnest desire that this lighting project will encourage the people of Samar and Leyte, and the rest of the country, to pursue programs that will pave the way for long lasting impacts in the lives of the Filipinos,” he said.
The bridge will be lit from Monday to Thursday while the laser light show is set for weekends, from Friday to Sunday.
The computer-controlled aesthetic light and sound show produces various colors and themes. During the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, the entire stretch of the bridge was aglow in purple, a color associated with royalty.
Samar initiative
The San Juanico Bridge was built as part of the Pan-Philippine Highway, now called the Maharlika Highway, a network of roads, bridges and sea routes that connects the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.
The light and sound project at San Juanico was the brainchild of Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan.
“Our purpose here is to attract our national leaders to visit us—Samar and Leyte—as far as tourism is concerned … so that we can encourage more tourists to come, which will pave the way for additional livelihood particularly in the province of Samar where we are more focused on and prioritizing … community-based tourism,” she said.
The governor’s younger brother, Samar Rep. Reynolds Michael Tan, said expenses for the maintenance and security of the bridge would be shouldered by the provincial government, which has set aside P6 million for electricity bills and other expenses related to the bridge’s maintenance.
“Our plan is to have a mixed-use area. We have government buildings, proposed commercial establishments and even residential areas to help stimulate the economy on this part of Samar,” he said.
Mark Lapid, chief operating officer of Tieza, said the project symbolized “hope and resiliency” among the people of Samar and Leyte and the entire Eastern Visayas who are often affected by natural disasters.
“It (bridge’s aesthetic lights) is a symbol of strength, hope and resiliency that despite several tragedies and disasters, the bridge is still there,” Lapid said.
Beth Singson, a resident of Sta. Rita, Samar, said she is optimistic that the project will open opportunities for them. “Perhaps I might expand my small business in selling food or local delicacies,” Singson, 42, told Inquirer.