The new bridge connecting the two busy districts in Manila is now open. The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge was inaugurated by the President Duterte was April 5, Tuesday. It is said to connect the cities of Intramuros and Chinatown in Manila. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno was also present in the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge Inauguration. The bridge was the second of the two bridges that was fund granted by the Chinese and Beijing. Chinese and Beijing were thoughtful enough to spearhead and support key infrastructure projects in our country, Philippines. The bridge is made of steel arched with total of 680 meters in length and can occupy 4 traffic lanes with 70 meter long and 21 meter wide in sizes. Surely making the traffic flow smoother in the city. The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge is located between Solana Street and Riverside Drive and at Binondo in Rentas Street, Plaza del Conde Street and Muelle de Industria. It is predicted to help and serve to over 30,000 motorists every day and predicted to help the traffic flow with this new bridge created. The bridge has also bike lanes with clear road lines and sidewalks on different sides to cater for the pedestrians’ safety and walkability.
Binondo-Intramuros Bridge Design
The newly opened bridge has a tied-arch design that resembles a basket handle and 70 meters long to cater to all motorists every day. Tied-ache bridges are known to have higher resistance and give a strength to stand in a long time that the bending parts allow forces to modify it which both sides of the bridge is fixed and the horizontal forces are distributed equally. It is designed to perfectly handle pressure to make sure that each pressure presented will be given equally to either sides of the bridge. The design is also low cost as no excessive pressure will be put on any sides of it and any distortion will not be possible because of its half circle design. It is said to be stronger through time due to its to compress due to its arches that has architectural features and design that support great loads of pressure with components of strength gaining process in time. The bridge is also said to have economical features to it to manage bending forces that will be applied.
Build Build Build
The bridge is part of the President Duterte’s center piece program and project – Build Build Build. It is said to aim that the Philippines will reach its Golden Age of Infrastructure during his administration. With the projects to focus on infrastructures for the public to use and to help everyone make lives easier with these projects. The program is set to aid people and the general public to cope up with the traffic in the cities of Philippines and cope up with the growing population of our country.
There are different projects listed and some were already done on his list with almost 119 projects to pass on to his successor in the next years to come. The program has a total budget of 4.7 trillion pesos and already 82.039 billion was already exhausted to finish 18 out of 119 projects. It is set to have 5.8% Gross Domestic Product by the end of the Duterte administration compared to 3% when he first came in as the president.
There are major setbacks with some of the projects due to the global pandemic that happened since 2020. It caused a lot of work backlogs as many people are need to stay home and not to go to work because of the spreading of the virus. It is said that the engineering designs are also part of the backlogs to ensure better quality of the projects presented and being created to be able to utilize its full potential and be able to stand in a long time. The projects launched are the ones we have been using today like the Bonifacio Global City to Ortigas bridge to help cut off travel time to 12 minutes, the new Sangley Point International Airport and also in Clark and General Santos and the Binondo-Intramusos Bridge that just opened this April of 2022. The government is confident that the following president will be able to continue the projects that the Duterte administration has started and they are hoping that they will also see the future long term benefits of the said projects.
Manila, a tourist destination
The capital of the Philippines is one of the busiest cities. Named to be the second populated city, it is said to be visited with around 1 million tourists every year. With many historical places to visit around such as parks, museums, historical churches and some entertainment areas. Here are some of the best places to visit around with easier access now because of the newly constructed Binondo-Intramuros Bridge:
Historical place: Intramuros
Intramuros is known to have the best place to visit to experience the Manila’s historical backgrounds and interesting attractions around. It is a walled city in the center of the urbanized and modern city. Intramuros is the only area where people get to see the remnants of the Spanish Era. People get to experience the old era by walking along the streets of this historical place. They get to see monuments and sculptures for sight-seeing and photos. People get to enjoy riding bikes along the streets of Intramuros or riding the Kalesa. Get to visit the following significant areas inside the walled city of Intramuros at the heart of Manila:
· Fort Santiago
People get to visit the famous part of the castle made of stones during the Hispanic era. It is described as tourist destination by most of the travellers for photos. It is a well-kept area where people get to enjoy this historical castle.
· Casa Manila
Casa Manila is a stone and wood structure showing the Spanish lifestyle during its colonization in the Philippines. It is now museum that people get to visit inside the Intramuros community. It is a replica of 1850 San Nicolas House that is once located in Calle Jabaneros and constructed by Imelda Marcos in the 1980s and set to pattern the Spanish colonial architecture.
· Baluarte de San Diego
Baluarte de San Diego has been there for a long period of time. It is originally built to protect Manila from the enemies during the Spanish colonization. It has been there to stand and endure the attacks of cannon fires, earthquakes and some of the greatest battles of Manila. Now that the war has ended a long time ago, it’s now purpose was to show the tourists its historical events that was transcribed before during the wars in Manila. A garden was located at the south end of in where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful nature it presented.
Largest Park in Asia: Rizal Park
Rizal Park also known as Luneta or Luneta Park is located along Ermita, Manila. It is the home of our national hero, Jose Rizal. The park is considered to be one of the largest urban parks in Asia. It is formerly known as the Bagumbayan. It is where our hero, Jose Rizal was executed on December 30, 1896 during the war between the Spaniards and the Filipinos. It was named after him to honor him and for the people to remember with patriotic deed he did for our country. The park is divided in to parts, the first part is where the Department of Tourism and National Museum of Anthropology is located and then the second half is the 22 hectare park down to Roxas Boulevard and third the part where Burnham Park is located. The park features the monument, gardens, stadiums, concert hall, theaters, shops and many more. It is surely a great place to visit for the family to enjoy.
National Museum Complex
National Museum Complex consists of different museum around the property which consists of variety of collections that possesses art, culture, and the great history of the Philippines.
· National Museum of Fine Arts
National Museum of Fine Arts is then known the National Art Gallery or Pambansang Museo ng Sining. It is the art museum in Manila that was launched during 1998 and a places where a collection of paintings and local sculptures by the national artists such as Juan Luna, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo and even Guillermo Tolentino.
· National Museum of Anthropology
National Museum of Anthropology is then known to be the Museum of the Filipino People. The museum showcases the different ethnicity and archipelago exhibitions in the Philippines such as the Ifugao houses, dioramas of the ancient discoveries, different textiles exhibitions, and many more.
· National Museum of Natural History
National Museum of Natural History is known in tagalog as Pambansang Museo ng Likas ng Kasaysayan. Where people get to view and observe the natural resources and national treasures we have in our country. In 2013, proposals were sent to renovate the museum for retrofitting. It is then known to have the “Tree of Life” design with six story building and completed by 2015. The museum showcased the tarsier, our tamaraw, the Philippine Eagle, the remanants of the biggest and largest crocodile captured in the Philippines, Lolong, and many more natural treasures.
· National Planetarium
National Planetarium is also known as the National Museum Planetarium. It is a dome located in Padre Burgos Avenue in the center of Ermita. The museum showcases regular shows with the Goto starball projector that was being used since 1975. It also has exhibits showcases the natural astronomical myths and beliefs of the solar system, planets and the space. It is surely visited by most students and was recorded to have been visited by more than 40,000 people.
Food Trip: Binondo
· Food trip
Fill up your belly after a long trip in the city of Manila. Visit the first ever Chinatown where you get to enjoy all the authentic Chinese cuisine and street food at a low cost. No need to travel far as Binondo’s food options make you feel full and satisfied already. Enjoy the different street foods at a low cost like the siopao, siomai, dumplings and many more. Enjoy the street of Binondo by walking and you get to satisfy your cravings in the middle of Manila and the vibrant streets.
Shopping: Divisoria and Quiapo
Shopping is best to enjoy in Manila with the wide variety of items to choose from at a low cost. Get the items you want to reselling or business or for personal consumption.
· Divisoria
Divisoria is the best place to visit if you want to enjoy low cost products with many options to choose. There are many items available for all kinds of your interests. The place is comfortable to battle the scorching heat of Manila as malls are already available for easier and more comfortable shopping.
· Quiapo
Quiapo is known to be the go to place for your gadget needs. You get to enjoy some items for your arts and crafts such as beads for necklace making and other accessories. It is also a place where you can get a cheaper eye glasses in a certain street where optical shops lined up that you can get your eyes checked also by professional doctors. You can also get to visit the Quiapo church by the entrance of the famous place where you see and pray to the Black Nazarene.
Local Transporations: Jeepneys and Tricycle
The Philippines is known to be rich in culture where the mode of transportations by the local is still being used until now. Jeepneys and Tricycles are still the main source of travellers for people to travel to one place to another. For tourists, Jeepneys and Tricycles are showcase of our architecture and our pop culture.
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Written by Yna Faundo
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