ZAMBOANGA CITY, 17 August 2005 — US officials yesterday handed over a 70-meter long hanging foot bridge that links several villages in the outskirts of Pagadian City in the southern Philippines.
American and Filipino troops built the bridge in Lison Valley as part of the United States’ security assistance to the Philippines.
Called the Bayanihan bridge, the $12,000 project to several weeks to complete, officials said.
The new US Chargé d’Affaires to Manila, Darryl Johnson, and local mayor Samuel Co and provincial governor Aurora Cerilles led the inauguration of the bridge.
“The completion of the bridge is the result of a close cooperation between our people and we are so happy to help the locals, and this Bayanihan bridge will be the symbol of hope and peace of the Filipino people,” Johnson said.
It was Johnson’s first trip outside Manila since he assumed this month as the new US chargé d’affaires.
Hundreds of locals and students, some waving small US flags, greeted Johnson and other US military officials. Some villagers rushed forward to US officials and embraced them.
Mayor Ko was all praises to Johnson’s group and urged Washington to also extend similar projects to far-flung villages in Pagadian, the capital of Zamboanga del Sur province, which is home to about 160,000 people.
“There is nothing more I can say, my people are so greateful with the project and the Bayanihan bridge now links several villages,” said the mayor, whose speech was several times interrupted by applause every time he mentioned the American soldiers and those who contributed to the completion of the bridge.
Children were also happy about the project, but they were more amazed with the presence of the foreigners.
“I can only see them in the movie, the Americans are really giants,” 12-year old girl Juanita Kuyo said, drawing laughter from other children and adults.
“We are really happy, now we have a bridge of our own. We can now go to school and my father can bring our farm produce to the town and sell them,” she said while pointing to the hanging bridge just over a creek in the valley.
She said the creek is impassable every time it rains hard. “Our horses that bring us to the other side cannot cross the creek because it is so dangerous. Our animals are swept away if the creek swells because of the rain and flood, but we will fear no more, now we have a very beautiful hanging bridge,” she said.
One US soldier said the locals helped built the bridge. “The local government provided the skilled labor and the people of Lison Valley provided also the unskilled labor,” he said.
Johnson’s group arrived by helicopter in Pagadian City from Zamboanga and then trekked to the valley, walking on rice fields and muddy terrain.
“I am so happy to be here. The people are so kind and hospitable and everybody is greeting everybody. It’s just like one big family,” Johnson said.
Johnson, a former US Ambassador to Thailand (2001-2004), replaced former US Chargé d’Affaires to Manila Joseph Mussomelli.
