2 Manila bridges closed for Lunar New Year

MANILA, Philippines — Two bridges in Manila will be closed today for the Lunar New Year festivities in the city.

The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge – a new bridge funded by the Chinese government and opened in April last year – was sealed off starting at midnight last night because pyrotechnics will be set up at the bridge, the Manila public information office said in its advisory yesterday.

The bridge will be used to feature a pyromusical show for the Lunar New Year Countdown, which spectators can watch from the Jones Bridge, the city government added.

The side of Jones Bridge going to Intramuros will be closed to motorists starting at 7 p.m. tonight while the side going to Binondo will be shut from 10 p.m.

The Manila city government advised drivers to avoid the two bridges and use other routes.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian and Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan led yesterday the opening of a “friendship park” below the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge at the bank of the Pasig River on the Intramuros side.

The new park – which features brick walkways, a concrete road, grass, a metal art installation and concrete benches – is behind an existing park that commemorated the galleon trade and the maritime expeditions between Mexico and the Philippines during the Spanish conquest.

The China-Philippines Friendship Park was built to “commemorate the China-Philippines brotherhood forged in fighting the pandemic, as well as the good deeds of the Filipino Chinese community,” according to the marker installed there.

The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc., Federation of Filipino-Chinese Associations of the Philippines and the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry funded the park’s construction, the marker read.

Speaking to reporters during the opening yesterday, Bonoan said the Chinese government has “agreed to finance (the construction of) another three bridges along the Pasig River.”