The P80-million San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Light and Sound Show Project, which is the first in the country.
Marcos said the completion of the San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Light and Sound Show Project will boost tourism and economic activity in the Eastern Visayas region.
“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,” he said.
“I look forward to the economic opportunities that will be stimulated by this, as well as other Spark Samar initiatives, in the near future. I eagerly anticipate the assistance it will bring for the complete recovery of the tourism industry in the Eastern Visayas and nearby areas,” Marcos added.
The light show and colors on the San Juanico Bridge can be customized depending on the occasion.
The President commended the local governments of Leyte and Samar, the Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), among others, for their tireless work to finish the project, which enhances the beauty of the region’s landmarks and engineering marvels.
Marcos said he expects the event will encourage the local governments to pursue programs that will enhance the country’s infrastructure and have a long-lasting impact on the lives of Filipinos.
“Rest assured that this administration will stay the course to provide whatever you need to enhance, preserve, and showcase the best that you have to offer,” he said.
“Let the lights of this bridge also signal our resolve to make our islands even more connected, by filling its gaps with displays of ingenuity, creativity, and openness, so that progress may move freely among us,” he added.
In 2015, Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan and the Department of Tourism (DOT) Eastern Visayas proposed the project to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza).
The project was part of Tan’s peace and prosperity tourism campaign dubbed “Spark Samar.”
“Our purpose here is to attract our national leaders to visit us – Samar and Leyte – as far as tourism is concerned and, of course, 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 and prioritizing the people’s organization and community-based tourism,” Tan said earlier.
Tieza allocated PP80 million for the project that was completed by Amigo Entertainment Technologies, Inc. after more than three years of delay due to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Philippine Information Agency in the region, an additional P90 million for the construction of a boardwalk was also funded by Tieza.
Mark Lapid, Tieza chief operating officer, maintained the project is “world-class, and it exceeded our expectations.
“It’s about time to market the destination. Since everything is connected to tourism, it will create a positive impact on communities in Samar and Leyte provinces,” Lapid told reporters in Tacloban.
According to the project proponents, the San Juanico Bridge was specially painted silver.
“The Department of Public Works and Highways issued Department Order No. 74, where it adopted international orange as the uniform standard color for DPWH-constructed steel bridges nationwide. The color aims to increase bridge visibility,” the Samar Provincial Government said.
“With the San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Lighting Project, the color reverted to silver. The bridge has long been known for its silver color while complementing the embellished Lights and Sounds Show,” it added.
DOT Secretary Cristina Garcia-Frasco and DOT Regional Director Karen Tiopes also lauded the bridge lighting project, whose light show and colors can be customized depending on the events.
“Beyond the program’s pursuit of increasing tourism efforts, it also aims to mitigate the ashen premise of poverty, conflict, and disaster familiar to the province,” the Samar provincial government said.
With a distance of 2.16 kilometers, San Juanico Bridge used to be the longest bridge along the Pan-American Highway connecting Samar and Leyte, which stretches along the San Juanico Strait.
The late President Ferdinand Marcos led the San Juanico Bridge Inauguration on July 2, 1973, at a cost of around $22 million.
In April 2022, the 8.9 km Cebu-Cordova Bridge dethroned the San Juanico Bridge’s record as the longest bridge in the Philippines.