NANAWAGAN si House committee on overseas welfare affairs chairman Jude Acidre ng Tingog Party-list sa lahat, kasama ang mga kritiko, na alalahanin at pangalagaan ang pamana ng San Juanico Bridge sa larangan ng kaunlaran, pagkakaisa at malalaking pangarap.

Ginawa ni Acidre ang panawagan matapos sabihin ni Vice President Sara Duterte na nainis siya nang makita niya sa kanyang flight papuntang Australia ang isang advertisement na nagpo-promote sa iconic bridge na nag-uugnay sa mga isla ng Leyte at Samar bilang isang tourist spot.

“Paano naging tourist spot ang 2.6 kilometers (ito ay 2.16 kilometro) na bridge? Ang bridge sa China papunta sa Shenzhen, papunta sa Macau, papunta sa Hong Kong, gaano kahaba? 264km (ang HK-Macau-Zhuhai ay may habang 55 kilometro) ‘Yun ang tourist spot. ‘Yun ang modernization. ‘Yun ang infrastructure, hindi ang 2.6 km na ngayon nagkakagulo pa [kung] paano ayusin,” sabi ni Duterte sa kanyang mga tagasuporta sa Melbourne.

Sa isang pahayag, sinabi ni Acidre na marami ang nag-uusap tungkol sa iconic bridge na itinayo noong panahon ng unang administrasyon ni Marcos at siyang nag-uugnay sa mga isla ng Leyte at Samar, bagama’t ang iba ay may kasamang pangungutya.

Para kay Acidre, ang estrukturang ito ay “more than just a tourist attraction…It’s more than a ribbon of steel and concrete stretching across the San Juanico Strait. The San Juanico Bridge is a powerful symbol of progress.”

“It was built during a time when our country dared to dream big, when our leaders imagined something bold and beautiful, and they actually made it happen. We didn’t just build a bridge; we built a statement. A statement that we, too, could rise, create, and inspire. It was a marvel of engineering in its time, and even today, it continues to awe,” ani Acidre.

Saad pa ni Acidre, “That there was a time when the Philippines was ahead of the curve in Asia, when we were showing others what was possible. It was a season of ambition. A moment when we believed that the best days of our country lay just ahead.”

Sinabi ni Acidre na ang San Juanico Bridge ay isa ring simbolo ng kapayapaan, paghilom at pagkakasundo.

“Not everyone knows this, but the San Juanico Bridge was financed through the war reparation payments of Japan. Imagine that. Decades after the devastation of World War II, two nations, once enemies, found common ground. They found the courage to look forward, to invest in peace, and to rebuild trust,” diin niya.

“The bridge isn’t just a piece of infrastructure; it’s a testimony that even the deepest wounds can heal, that forgiveness and partnership are possible. It teaches us that peace isn’t just the absence of conflict. It’s the act of building something new, something better, together. And more than anything, it is a symbol of unity,” aniya.

Ayon kay Acidre, pinag-uugnay ng tulay na ito ang dalawang isla na may kanya-kanyang kasaysayan, dayalekto at kultura, “and yet reminds us that we are one region, one nation, one people.”

“It weaves together stories of commerce and community, of family ties and shared aspirations. It bridges the dreams of farmers and fisherfolk, of students and professionals, of entrepreneurs and everyday citizens who cross it each day with hope in their hearts. It’s a literal and figurative connection, proof that geography doesn’t have to divide, it can unite,” sabi pa niya.

Idinagdag ng kinatawan ng Tingog Party-list na si Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, kinatawan ng unang distrito ng Leyte, ay lubos na nauunawaan ang kahalagahan at pamana ng San Juanico Bridge.

Kaya naman, aniya, ang lider ng Kamara ay tahimik ngunit tuloy-tuloy na kumikilos sa likod ng mga pangyayari upang tiyaking hindi mapag-iiwanan ang San Juanico Bridge.

“He knows its importance, not just as a lawmaker, but as a son of this region. He understands that this isn’t just about fixing a bridge; it’s about preserving a legacy, restoring faith, and reigniting a sense of pride. That’s why he’s not only pushing for the bridge’s immediate rehabilitation, but is also advocating for something even more visionary: the construction of a second San Juanico Bridge. Because in a time when others build walls, we should be the ones building bridges, literally and figuratively,” ani Acidre.

Sinabi rin niya na si Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ay naiintindihan din ang sitwasyon.

“Because anyone whose roots in Eastern Visayas truly runs deep knows the promise of this region, and believes in its future. He knows that real leadership isn’t about playing the blame game. It’s not about revisiting the mistakes of yesterday. It’s about boldly choosing the path toward a better tomorrow. And that’s why the support of national leadership matters because when the President believes in us, it gives the rest of the country a reason to believe, too,” ani Acidre.

Hinimok ni Acidre ang lahat na alalahanin kung ano talaga ang San Juanico Bridge.

“It’s not just a line on a map. It’s a living legacy. A tribute to what we can achieve when we dream big, work together, and refuse to give in to small-mindedness. It reminds us of what we’ve overcome and what we can still become. It is our monument to progress, our reminder of peace, our icon of unity,” aniya.

“Let’s not allow cynicism or conflict to tarnish that meaning. Let’s protect it, not just the physical bridge, but everything it stands for…Let’s not just cross bridges. Let’s build them. Together,” sabi pa ni Acidre.