When President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assumed office in 2022, he ordered the immediate transformation of the country’s longest bridge to restore and boost economic activities and tourism in Eastern Visayas and the nearby areas.
The San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Lighting project was proposed by the Samar local government and endorsed by the Department of Tourism Eastern Visayas, with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) allocating P80 million for the project in January 2018.
The groundbreaking for the project took place on July 26, 2019, with completion projected for December 2019 or January 2020. But the onslaught of COVID-19 further delayed the project until the assumption into office by President Marcos.
Residents, businessmen and local government units within the vicinity of the bridge expressed gratitude for the Marcos Jr. administration for the immediate response to address the concerns.
The quiet town of Sta. Rita in Samar province, once struggling to recover from the devastations of “Yolanda,” one of the world’s strongest typhoons, showed no semblance of defeat and used this tragic event instead to eventually rise from the ashes armed with sheer Filipino values of resiliency, determination, optimism, flexibility, and adaptability combined.
Truth be told, more than a decade later, Sta. Rita is now the epitome of a united community striving to come up with a better living condition. It is now home to a local restaurant cooperative, serving tourists and cruisers passing through the famous San Juanico Bridge.
“Mahirap noon pagkatapos ng Yolanda. Hindi dinadaanan ang lugar na ito. Mahal ang gasolina at walang masyadong nabibili sa Tacloban,” Ma. Lourdes Barientos, chairperson of the San Juan By the Bay Cooperative, emotionally recalled the days of their agony.
According to chairperson Ma. Lourdes Barientos, San Juan By the Bay Cooperative members pooled their resources to put up the San Juan By the Bay restaurant–now a designated stop for the cruise ships.
The San Juan By the Bay Cooperative was actually established in 2016 with its members pooling resources to raise a capital buildup and was able to put up the San Juan By the Bay restaurant. Situated at the base of the San Juanico Bridge, Sta. Rita has become a designated stop for the cruise ships, attracting more visitors and breathing new life into the town.
“Mayroon ding floating cottages for swimming. May kayaking din kami. Isa sa mga activities na ginagawa doon ay ang mangrove planting ng mga local government units at mga national agencies,” Barientos recalled.
But this booming business was cut short by Typhoon Yolanda and eventually the attack of the COVID-19 pandemic, rendering San Juan By the Bay non-operational and useless.
The iconic San Juanico Bridge has become a symbol of progress and a key feature of the local tourism experience.
Upon the directive of President Marcos, the Aesthetic Lighting Project, funded and implemented by TIEZA, the infrastructure arm of the DOT, did not only propel the return of vigor and interest among tourists,tourists but also bring back the enterprising businesses around the area.
The stunning lighting display draws visitors, especially in the evenings, showcasing the bridge as a symbol of progress and a key feature of the local tourism experience.
President Marcos commended the transformation of the 2.6-kilometer bridge, which connects Leyte and Samar and was built during the administration of his late father, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
“With the recent completion of the San Juanico Bridge 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,’ President Marcos said,said in a speech in Sta. Rita during the inauguration of the project.
The Chief Executive expected the assistance would be provided by the project for the complete recovery of the tourism industry in the local government. “It is fundamental in our pursuit of programs, this kind of cooperation you have done, and programs and projects that will boost the tourism and economic development of Samar and Leyte. After all these years, after overcoming postponement and restriction brought about by the pandemic, the result of your dedication and perseverance will now be shown in its full glory,” he said.
True enough, the aesthetic lighting of the San Juanico Bridge noted the resurgence of visitors around the vicinity, especially Leyte and Samar according to Rochelle Alfonso, president of the IM Travel Corporation.
Samar and Leyte provinces reported a surge in investments and jobs following the completion of the San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Lighting Project and the construction of boardwalks along the 2.16-kilometer sides of the country’s longest bridge.
“Nakakatulong ito sa mga local na restaurants at iba pang negosyo dito sa Region 8. Hindi lang negosyante kasi kasama na doon ang mga motorista. Pag dumadami ang mga turista, dumadami din po ang mga nakukuha na pangkabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan dito,” Alfonso stressed.
Rochelle Alfonso, president of the IM Travel Corporation, notes the resurgence of tourism and the revival of businesses in Region 8 after the launch of the San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Lighting Project.
The flourishing tourism industry, fueled by infrastructure projects like the San Juanico Bridge lighting, continues to strengthen the local economy and create opportunities across Samar and Leyte.
The aesthetic lighting project is a centerpiece of the “Spark Samar” campaign, designed to further boost the region’s tourism potential, thus transforming the bridge’s sparkling look and the boardwalks. An influx of tourists, especially at night, was noted.
Likewise, these projects created more job and livelihood opportunities among local entrepreneurs and vendors. Hotels, restaurants and transport services have been seeing higher demand.
The light shows and colors can be customized depending on the occasion such as this Christmas season.
Fully installed with LED lights, TIEZA assured the public, especially commuters and travelers that the project would not affect the traffic flow, pointing out that the lights were placed in the outer part of the bridge.
A legacy within a legacy: the San Juanico Bridge was founded and built by then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., and then five decades later, his namesake President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. aesthetically improved the engineering masterpiece.
For locals like Barientos and Alfonso, the impact of the aesthetic lighting project extends far beyond the mandate of TIEZA and local governments, but helps in uplifting the welfare of numerous families and, in effect, shapes the better future of the community and its people.
“Malaki ang nagbago sa buhay ng mga miyembro ng kooperatiba. Karamihan sa kanila noong una ay walang permanenteng trabaho. Ngayon ang mga anak nila ay nag-aaral na sa kolehiyo habang tapos na ang iba,” Barientos said.
San Juanico Bridge was built in August 1969 and completed in 1973, is a powerful symbol of legacy engraved not only in concrete and steel but also in the nation’s history, literally founded and built by then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Barely five decades later, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the namesake of the San Juanico Bridge’s builder, aesthetically improved the engineering masterpiece, literally and figuratively, to let the legacy of the engineering structure continue.
The aesthetic lighting project could then be interpreted as a hopeful gesture, a visual metaphor for a brighter future built upon the foundations of the not-so-distant past, and a classic example of a legacy within a legacy.
