By Joyce Ann Rocamora | Philippine News Agency
The iconic Jones Bridge connecting Binondo and central Manila will soon feature a display of lights and sounds every week starting Saturday, June 7, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said in a statement.
The agency, which heads the interagency council tasked to transform the Pasig River banks, said the new project is sponsored by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FFCCCII) in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Philippine-China diplomatic relations.
“We are basically in the process of designing what we wanted for all the bridges and the Filipino-Chinese community gave a proposal and offered to help. We welcome those because we are open to receive support from the community—whether it’s the private or the public— with the Pasig River urban development,” DHSUD Assistant Secretary Mark Sambar told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday night, June 3.
Jones Bridge, one of the bridges the Marcos administration is planning to develop under the Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli or PBBM Project, is among the most photographed sites near the new Pasig River Esplanade.
Open for collaboration
Sambar said the transformation of the Pasig River area is open for more public sector backing.
The Pasig River Showcase Area Esplanade behind the Manila Central Post Office and its extension to Plaza Mexico were inaugurated in January and June last year.
“With the new Pasig River Esplanade, we are creating open spaces in the metro,” Sambar said.
“A plus with the Pasig River development is that now we can create functional open spaces that people can enjoy. It’s not just an open space because now it has become a corridor for people to travel and a hub for commercial and community activities.”
Now on its third phase, the project would soon introduce major improvements to make the riverfront more accessible and welcoming to the public.
The new lights and sounds attraction at the Jones Bridge is scheduled for official launch on June 7. (PNA)
