Tacloban City ,the San Juanicoo Bridge connecting the province's of Samar and Leyte is one of the monumental projects under former President Ferdinand Marcos administration. It is known to be the longest bridge in the Philippines spanning a body of seawater with the length of 2.162 kilometers (1.34mi) and width of 10.620 meters. Supported by 43 spans.
Since in a completion in December 1972 the bridge has greatly helped the economy not only of both province's connected but of the entire country.
It also attracted tourists because of the picturesque view it offers. The view was so beautiful especially with the effects that the setting seen given to the place.
To visit Region VIII would never be complete if you won't across through this bridge which is looks like a Dragon from a far, even if some people have been there in a couple of times, still there are so many things they don't notice/know about it.
Out of curiosity i did some research about San Juanico Bridge.
HERE ARE THE TEN SOME FACTS THAT I THINK YOU WOULD LOVE TO KNOW ABOUT IT 😉😉
1.It was one called Marcos Bridge because it was built under he's administration : During the mid 1960's President Ferdinand Marcos made the decision to erect the San Juanico Bridge over the San Juanico strait from brgy. CABALAWAN, TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE, 10KM away from the City proper Leyte capital to the Municipality of STA. RITA, WESTERN SAMAR, 96KM. from CATBALOGAN CITY which is also the capital of SAMAR this project was awarded to the CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES in 1968. Which is that was also the year that they started conduct a detailed survey, study analysis with the help of some Japanese Engineers. In August 1969, the actual construction began and the bridge was completed in December 1972.
- IT WAS ALSO KNOWN AS THE BRIDGE OF LOVE :As the late Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos dedicated it to his wife ,Imelda who was known as the "ROSE OF TACLOBAN " it served as a birthday gift and testimonial of he's LOVE for her. The ground breaking Ceremony was done during the first lady, and now Ilocos Norte's Representative first lady Imelda Marcos birthday,Even President Marcos called it was his most important gift to he's wife.
3.It is a part of MAHARLIKA HIGHWAY: San Juanico Bridge was constructed as part of the Pan Philippine Highway ( commonly known as the MAHARLIKA highway ) a network of road's, Bridge's, and sea rout is that connects the island of LUZON, SAMAR, LEYTE AND MINDANAO in the country. The highway was proposed in 1965,and constructed under the administration of the late President F. Marcos to serve as the countrys backbone of transportation.
The Pan Philippine highway was also designated as Asian highway ( AH-26 ) under the Intergovernmental Agreements on the Asian highway network, a treaty took effect on July 4 , 2005 to provide a framework for coordinated development of the International Highways in Asia.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE SIGN AH-26 ALONG OUR HIGHWAY LATELY ??? NOW PROBABLY YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS.
4.IT SHOW'S LETTER ( L & S ) : if you look at the bridge from airial or birds eye view, you can give out the letter " L " on the part near LEYTE and " S " on the part going to SAMAR province.
- The amount of $21.9 million worth of bridge was completed within FOUR YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION : this length of construction of this mega structure is way shorter compared of unfinished roads in SAMAR.
- It is crosses the NARROWEST STRAIT in the PHILIPPINES : San Juanico strait which is connected to the islands of SAMAR and LEYTE, is the narrowest strait in the Philippines with only two kilometers ( 2.000 meters ) wide at a narrowest in the world. However Bosporus strait a strait that forms part of boundaries in between EUROPE AND ASIA, is less than 800 meters wide at each narrowest point.
- IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE LONGEST BRIDGE IN THE PHILIPPINES : although the CANDABA VIA DUCT in the province of PAMPANGGA it is not generally accepted because the latter is a land bridge crossing only a few steams and pands.
- A BRAVE ACTION STAR JUMPED IN SAN JUANICO BRIDGE AT YEAR 1981: Directed by CARLO J. CAPARAS, TITLE, HARI NG STUNT the most daring and dangerous shoot stunt done by DANTE VARONA to prove that he was the king of stunts in the Philippines
- THE BRIDGE REMAIN STRONG AND OPERATIONAL EVEN AFTER THE RAMPAGE OF TYPHOON HAIYAN AT NOVEMBER 2013 : despite of damages it incurred during the pledge of Super typhoon YOLANDA ( HAIYAN ) it is still served as the primary means of the people from SAMAR who wanted check it out of their respective in TACLOBAN CITY who was the center of the typhoon .
- PHP. 30,000 up to 35,000 WORTH OF BRONZE ELECTRICAL WIRING OF THE BRIDGE WAS STOLEN FROM THE BRIDGE AND REPORTED MISSING LAST FEBRUARY 17,2014 : the bridge remained darkie a few nights after the incident,and now the lights are back but probably that case remain unsolved.
Up to this day the bridge remain as a gateway of Eastern Vesayas. It is still attracted a lot of tourist's from all over the world because of the magnificent view it offers.and still remain strong despite of age and countless of the typhoons that visited the country specially Region VIII, during the construction of the bridge.
SO HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LEYTE AND SAMAR???????
will if not you should make sure to put SAN JUANICO BRIDGE at the top of your bucket list and feel the sea breeze the bridge and also experience the bridge shake.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR ???
GO GO GO...........
PEACE, LOVE AND BLESSED......
SOURCE :https://www.google.com.ph
