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MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday urged local government units and the Filipino people to pursue programs that will enhance the country’s infrastructure and will have a long-lasting impact on Filipinos.
He made the remark during the lighting ceremony of the San Juanico Bridge aesthetic lights and sound show.
Marcos said the bridge “holds a special place” in his heart, as it was one of the flagship projects of his father and namesake, the late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
“It is my earnest desire that this event will encourage the local governments of Samar and Leyte, its people, as well as every Filipino, to pursue programs that will not only result to significant enhancements to our infrastructure, but will also pave the way for long-lasting impacts in the lives of our fellow Filipinos,” he said in his speech during the ceremony.
Marcos touted how the bridge had become a “well-known landmark” and a “symbol of unity” for the residents in Leyte and Samar.
He said he looks forward to the “economic opportunities that will be stimulated” by the project and the help it would bring “for the complete recovery of the tourism industry in the Eastern Visayas and nearby areas.”
He commended both the government and non-government entities that paved the way for the project, saying that such projects will boost the tourism and economic development in the provinces.
“After all these years, after overcoming postponements and restrictions brought by the pandemic, the result of your dedication and perseverance will now be shown in its full glory,” the President said.
“This bridge will stand, as it has stood since the beginning, as a staunch reminder of the rewards awaiting our collaborative endeavors,” he added.
“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,” Marcos continued.