SAN JUANICO BRIDGE
Tagged as the longest and most beautifully-designed bridges in the Philippines, the San Juanico Bridge formerly known as the Marcos Bridge, is a must-see infrastructure, replete with historical and cultural value.
It was in the mid 1960s when the Marcos administration decided to erect the San Juanico Bridge over the San Juanico Strait. The said strait connects Samar and Leyte, which made commerce easier for both provinces. During my childhood, I heard stories of horror on the sacrifices and hard labor that were spent only to construct this bridge. There were even stories of the bridge being protected by enchantments and unknown creatures. But of course, there is no confirmation as to its truth. The same remains a myth.
After more than 20 years, and as a starter for the year 2011, I decided to visit the known bridge with the help of my friends, Vanessa, Rene and Ate Donna, proprietor of Vacazion travel agency. Once vehicles enter the bridge, there should be no stopover. We were dropped off at the portion of the bridge which is at its highest peak, to take pictures with the San Juanico Strait as its backdrop. No vehicles are allowed to stop by, even for just a minute. As soon as we disembark from the car and step foot on the said bridge, we felt the sudden shaking and unnecessary movements of the bridge. There was sudden adrenaline rush and we have to stay put in one location for fear of the bridge collapsing any minute.
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| self-portrait of the shaking bridge Photo courtesy of Dr. Vanessa Monge-Banzon |
I was born and raised in Tacloban City but I never had a picture of the San Juanico Bridge. With the help of my friends, I was able to fulfill one of my dreams - a photo shoot at the San Juanico Bridge.
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