The official switch-on of the San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Lighting and Sound project is set this coming Oct. 19 after three years of installation.

Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan announced during the coordination meeting here Thursday night that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to lead the event.

Department of Tourism Secretary Cristina Garcia-Frasco and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid will attend the event.

TIEZA is the funding source of the PHP80 million aesthetic light and sound project carried out by Amigo Entertainment Technologies Inc., in the past three years.

The highlight of the official switch-on is a 21-minute light show.

In the middle of the light show, there will be a synchronized performance of Buraburon Festival on the Leyte side of the bridge and the Manaragat Festival on the Samar side.

Traffic at San Juanico bridge will be controlled during the event and no vehicles will be allowed to cross the bridge during the program, particularly during the performance of the two festivals.

“Our purpose here is to attract our national leaders to visit us – Samar and Leyte – as far as tourism is concern and of course so that we can encourage more tourists to come, which will pave way for additional livelihood particularly in the province of Samar where we are more focus and prioritizing the people’s organization and community-based tourism,” Tan said.

According to Tan, the province has long been waiting for the opening of the aesthetic light show to the public.

The project was supposed to be finished in 2019 but was rescheduled due to bridge rehabilitation work.

In 2020, the project was suspended for several months because of restrictions imposed by the government due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

In December of the same year, a dry-run was made but the contractor noticed a problem with the electricity supply from the substation.

The San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Lighting Project is the first of its kind in the country.

The light show and colors can be customized depending on the occasion.

Last month, the bridge glowed with purple lights to honor the late Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

During the celebration of Philippine Independence Day, the colors of the country’s flag were used to illuminate the bridge and for the light show.

Last August, the Embassy of India also requested to illuminate the bridge with the color green as part of their celebration of the 75th founding anniversary.

Although the entire bridge was installed with LED lights, it will not distract traffic flow since the lights were placed in the outer part of the bridge.

The project is expected to usher economic development in the southern part of Samar province, particularly in Sta Rita and Basey towns.

People’s organizations have been trained to lead community-based tourism.

The 2.16-kilometer San Juanico Bridge is the longest bridge along the Pan-American highway that connects Luzon to Mindanao.

Built in August 1969 and completed in 1972, with a span of 2.162 kilometers and connecting Samar and Leyte Island, the bridge stood many challenges with the Super Typhoon Yolanda that ravaged Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013 as the most recent. (PNA)