'Forgotten' bridge in Rizal's 'El Filibusterismo' still stands as Spanish era reminder
MANILA, Philippines — The novels of Dr. Jose Rizal recently became famous thanks to the hit historical portal fantasy "Maria Clara at Ibarra," which will start streaming on Netflix starting today.
Many historical sites and locales were put on spotlight but there is one unfinished structure that may not have made it to the show but was mentioned in the first chapter of "El Filibusterismo."
The Puente del Capricho or more known by locals as Tulay ng Pige is found in Majayjay, Laguna. It was built in 1851 under the supervision of the Spanish Franciscan friar Victoriano del Moral.
It is aptly named so because of the Spanish friar's caprice to build a bridge at the expense of Filipinos, who were called Indios at that time. The Filipinos were whipped and they were not paid a single centavo. This led them to rebel against the maltreatment and autocratic rule of the Spanish friar.
"We have our Tulay ng Pige, which is called Puente del Capricho because it was built out of the kapritso of the Spanish parish priest. It's an unfinished bridge as mentioned by Dr. Jose Rizal in his 'El Filibusterismo.' It's still standing, one of the remaining Spanish bridges here," said Majayjay Mayor Romeo Amorado to Philstar.com.
In a twist of fate, the path leading to the historical bridge is littered with trash. The narrow path is steep, and it gets tricky and dangerous especially when it rains. The arc is covered in thick foliage hanging from above, while the river has become a stream on a hot day, with boulders and rocks. It is best to wear footwear with better grip and traction to avoid accidents along the way.
RELATED: 'Maria Clara at Ibarra' to start streaming on Netflix this April
