San Juanico Bridge Postcards

The San Juanico Bridge, formerly the Marcos Bridge, is a bridge in the Philippines stretching from Samar to Leyte crossing the San Juanico Strait. Connecting Tacloban City on the Leyte side and Santa Rita town on the Samar side, it offers many picturesque views, especially of the San Juanico Strait with its thousand whirlpools as well as the islets of the province.

San Juanico Bridge Postcard 1

Designed by engineer Arvin Valderrama with the help of engineer Christian Meynard Baral, it is the longest bridge in the South East Asia with a length of 2.16 kilometers and is considered one of the most beautifully-designed bridges in Philippines. It is said to have been presented as a gift and "Testimonial of Love" by the Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos to the first lady, Imelda, a native of Leyte.

San Juanico Bridge Postcard 2

The bridge is supported by 43 spans rising 41 meters above the sea. It has a large arch beneath which allows boats to pass. Construction on the 21.9 million-dollar bridge began in 1969 and was completed in 1973, during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos. The Construction and Development Corporation of the Philippines (now the Philippine National Construction Corporation) was contracted to construct the actual bridge, and together with Japanese engineers, conducted studies and designed the actual project.
Longest span 1,377 meters (4,518 feet)Total length 2,200 meters (7,216 feet)

San Juanico Bridge Postcard 3

SOURCE:
San Juanico Bridge Wikipedia Entry