CEBU, Philippines - I’ve walked around downtown Cebu countless of times, passed all streets, entered most establishments, but I only knew the names of a couple of bridges. Cebuanos are not fond of their bridges. We don’t notice them—they are either too short or too ordinary. Unlike the world famous Golden Gate and London bridges, ours are nameless spans of concrete. So one late afternoon, I took time to stroll downtown to get to know them.
At the southern end of Colon Street is an important bridge in history. Then known as Puente de la Revolucion, it was the site of a battle between the Spaniards and the Katipuneros during the Cebuano uprising. Today it is named as Colon Bridge.
Leaving the bridge, I began walking the stretch of Colon, joined the procession of pedestrians moving towards its other end. I entered Jakosalem Street to check the bridge beside Gaisano Main, but it is not marked. The city’s public works office said the structure is unnamed because it is not a bridge, but a mere box culvert made into a roadway over Estero Parian. The estero, sailed by boats delivering cargoes to businesses in Parian during Spanish times, is now a catch basin of sewage from surrounding barangays.
In nearby Mabini Street is another box culvert roadway. Florentino Boligor of the Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission said this used to be Mabini Bridge, the main link between the district of Parian and the old city. Cebu used to be confined only in the area around the Cathedral, Basilica del Sto. Niño, Plaza Independencia, and Fort San Pedro.
I retraced my steps, walked towards the heritage monument, and entered Zulueta Street. On its far end is a bridge made of coral stones, the same stones used on old churches. Zulueta Bridge is claimed to be the oldest-built bridge in the city, but the marker is blank. The brass plate engraved with its story, probably, found its way to a scrap yard. Not far from here, just around the corner, is Tabacalera Bridge, the one near the Commission on Audit compound along M. J. Cuenco Avenue. The Tabacalera was a cigarette factory that used to be located beside this bridge.
Darkness had fallen when I entered Magallanes Street. It was past six already, but the last bridge is only a kilometer away, so I kept on with the stroll. I passed by Freedom Park, walked a bit further, and finally, climbed the bridge named after W. Cameron Forbes, a former American governor-general. When I approached the Forbes Bridge marker to read its story—it was blank too! Some people appeared to be hooked on Cebuano history.
An hour and ten minutes later, I’m back where I started. I got to know four bridges. They may not be as beautiful as the bridges of Madison County, but they have historical appeal. I’m no Clint Eastwood, but next time I’ll bring a camera and hopefully meet a Cebuana Merryl Streep (who must be single) on my visit to the bridges of downtown Cebu. Maybe I could impress her with my knowledge of them.