The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the construction of San Juanico Bridge viewing deck and boardwalk, giving off a better view of the picturesque bridge.

Rebecca Yuse, assistant district engineer of the DPWH Tacloban district office, said on Wednesday the 450-meter structure has been significantly completed since April this year but is still not open to the public pending the formal turnover to the city government.

“The structure will complement the beauty of one of the country’s monumental infrastructures. This is very timely since the bridge lighting project is almost complete. It will give tourists the perfect view of the bridge day and night,” Yuse said in an interview Wednesday.

The PHP19.2 million project funded under the 2021 budget, involves the construction of a suspended deck slab, concrete pile driving, landscaping, and a solar generator.

For 2023, the DPWH field office is proposing PHP100 million outlay to extend the viewing deck and boardwalk up to one kilometer, according to Yuse.

The official said this was the first viewing deck project near the bridge since it was inaugurated 50 years ago.

The project is in response to the growing demand from the tourism sector for a convenient deck to view the bridge.

Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said the San Juanico Bridge aesthetic lighting project is almost complete with the contractor just finalizing the light sequence programming.

The DOT regional office said the schedule of the lights-up ceremony this year will be announced soon.
The bridge is being lighted regularly, but it’s not the final rendition yet since different light show programs are still being uploaded.

The San Juanico Bridge, which spans 2.162 kilometers, was built as part of the Pan-Philippine Highway now called the Maharlika Highway, a network of roads, bridges, and sea routes that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. (PNA)