House renames bridge

CEBU, Philippines - The House of Representatives has approved the renaming of the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge into the Sergio “Serging” Osmeña Bridge as proposed by nine Cebuano legislators.

 The Committee on Public Works and Highways, chaired by Benguet Representative Ronald Cosalan, recommended the approval of House Bill No. 5527 which substituted HB No. 2406 principally authored by Cebu fourth district Representative Benhur Salimbangon.

 The House approved Monday the committee’s recommendation.

 The Mandaue-Mactan Bridge is the first of two bridges spanning across the Mactan Channel and connecting the islands of Cebu and Mactan.

  The bridge, according to Salimbangon, was designed and created wholly by Filipino engineers and when it was finished in 1972, became one of the major landmarks of Cebu and brought immense economic development to the province.

The late Serging Osmeña proposed the construction of the bridge when he served as governor of Cebu.

“To rename the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge after him is therefore a way of honoring the proponent of the bridge,” Salimbangon said.

 The Cebu Provincial Board approved in 2013 a resolution endorsing the proposal of Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy to rename the bridge after Osmeña.

 Sitoy, who cited Osmeña’s “huge contribution” as basis for his proposal, said that a similar resolution was submitted in the 1970s but it was to name the bridge the Mandaue-Opon Bridge.  (FREEMAN)