By ERMA EDERA
The newly renovated 220-meter historic Jones Bridge in Binondo, Manila was unveiled to the public last night by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.
“Ang tulay ng Jones Bridge ay nagpakita ng paglago ng Lungsod ng Maynila, nagsimula sa maliit dala ng komersyo na naganap ating bansa, partikular na sa lungsod ng Maynila,” Moreno said.
“Ibinalik namin ang La Madre Filipina para maging testigo sa Bagong Maynila. Let La Madre Manila witness the city of lights of Manila,” he added.
The Manila mayor lauded architect Jerry Acuzar, the man behind the historic resort Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, and Lugene Ang, president of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who donated P20 million for the rehabilitation of the century-old bridge.
Moreno also bared in his speech that they also plan to open the first phase of the nearby Metropolitan Theater by the first quarter of 2020.
According to City Engineer Armand Andres, chief of the Manila Department of Engineering and Public Works, it took two months to rehabilitate the bridge.
“Lahat ng ilaw nacheck na, lahat ng kailangang iretouch na pintura nagawa na and for the first time, na flushing ang Jones Bridge, natanggal ang alikabok, malinis na malinis na,” Andres said.
Hours before the inauguration, cleaning and flushing operations were conducted by the Department of Public Services and the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Aside from the Paris-inspired ornate street lampposts on the bridge, solar-powered light sources on the road was also installed to delineate road edges and center lines.
