The William A. Jones Memorial Bridge, commonly known as the Jones Bridge, is an arched
girder bridge that spans the
Pasig River
The Pasig River ( fil, Ilog Pasig) is a water body in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it bisects the Philippine capital of Manila and its surrounding urban area into northern and southern halves. Its ...
in the
City of Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. It is named after the United States
legislator
A legislator (also known as a deputy or lawmaker) is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people of the state. Legislatures may be supra-national (for ex ...
William Atkinson Jones
William Atkinson Jones (March 21, 1849 – April 17, 1918) was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1891 to 1918 from the first district of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Early life
Jones was born in Warsaw, Virginia on March 21 ...
, who served as the chairman of the
U.S. Insular Affairs House Committee which had previously exercised jurisdiction over the Philippines and the principal author of the
Jones Law that gave the country legislative autonomy from the United States. Built to replace the historic
Puente de España
The Puente de España, or the ''Bridge of Spain'', was a bridge that spanned the Pasig River in the Philippines, connecting the areas of Binondo and Ermita, Manila on Calle Nueva (now E.T. Yuchengco St) with central Manila. The span was the olde ...
(Bridge of Spain) in the 1910s, the bridge connects Quintin Paredes Road at the
Binondo district to
Padre Burgos Avenue
Padre Burgos Avenue, also known as Padre Burgos Street, is a 14-lane thoroughfare in Manila, Philippines.
The road was named after Jose Burgos, one of the martyred priests who were executed at the nearby Bagumbayan Field (present-day Riz ...
at the
Ermita
Ermita is a district in Manila, Philippines. Located at the central part of the city, the district is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of the city, bearing the seat of city ...
district.
Originally designed by Filipino architect
Juan M. Arellano using French
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...
, the first incarnation of the bridge features three arches resting on two heavy piers, adorned by faux-stone and concrete ornaments, as well as four sculptures on concrete
plinth
A pedestal (from French ''piédestal'', Italian ''piedistallo'' 'foot of a stall') or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In ...
s allegorically representing motherhood and nationhood. The original bridge was destroyed during the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
by retreating Japanese troops and was reconstructed in 1946 by the
U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and
Philippine public works. The reconstructed bridge retained the three arches and two piers but removed all of the ornaments. The bridge was first partially restored in 1998. In 2019, the City Government of Manila began a rehabilitation project to "restore" the Jones Bridge to its near-original design using
Beaux-Arts architecture
Beaux-Arts architecture ( , ) was the academic architectural style taught at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, particularly from the 1830s to the end of the 19th century. It drew upon the principles of French neoclassicism, but also incorp ...
similar to that of
Pont Alexandre III
The Pont Alexandre III is a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. It connects the Champs-Élysées quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower. The bridge is widely regarded as the most ornate, extravagant bridge in the cit ...
in Paris and the return of all four ''La Madre Filipina'' sculptures.
History
First Jones Bridge (1919-1945)
![Jonesbridgebefore](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Jonesbridgebefore.jpg)
The Jones Bridge was originally commissioned under the auspices of the City Government of Manila in 1919 before the
Insular Government
The Insular Government of the Philippine IslandsThis form of the name appeared in the titles of U.S. Supreme Court cases, but was otherwise rarely used. See s:Costas v. Insular Government of the Philippine Islands/Opinion of the Court, Costas v ...
, through the Philippine Bureau of Public Works, later took over in finishing the bridge's construction in 1920. The bridge was intended to replace the ''
Puente de España
The Puente de España, or the ''Bridge of Spain'', was a bridge that spanned the Pasig River in the Philippines, connecting the areas of Binondo and Ermita, Manila on Calle Nueva (now E.T. Yuchengco St) with central Manila. The span was the olde ...
'' (Bridge of Spain), the first bridge built to cross the Pasig River constructed during the
Spanish colonial era and the last incarnation of bridges that span the same location since 1630. It collapsed during the heavy rains of September 1914 that weakened the central pier collapsing the middle span of the bridge. The ''Puente'', which was located at one block upriver at Calle Nueva (now E.T. Yuchengco Street), was temporarily kept open using a temporary
truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements (typically straight) may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...
while the new bridge is being constructed at Quintin Paredes Street.
The construction of new bridges were part of a master plan of Manila
Daniel Burnham
Daniel Hudson Burnham (September 4, 1846 – June 1, 1912) was an American architect and urban designer. A proponent of the '' Beaux-Arts'' movement, he may have been, "the most successful power broker the American architectural profession has ...
, who wanted to give emphasis on the rivers of city and likened them to the
Seine River
)
, mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur
, mouth_coordinates =
, mouth_elevation =
, progression =
, river_system = Seine basin
, basin_size =
, tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle
, tributaries ...
in Paris and the canals of Venice. This plan was heavily implemented and supervised by
William E. Parsons, but upon the passage of the
Jones Act, Filipino architect
Juan M. Arellano took over and finished the bridge's final design. Jones died in 1918 while the bridge is still being planned, and the Filipinos named the passageway to the lawmaker for authoring the law that will give the country an autonomy from the United States.
Arellano designed the bridge in the style of the passageways constructed during
Haussmann's renovation of Paris
Haussmann's renovation of Paris was a vast public works programme commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III and directed by his prefect of Seine, Georges-Eugène Haussmann, between 1853 and 1870. It included the demolition of medieval neighbourh ...
. He embellished the piers with a statues of boys on dolphins, similar to the those on the
Pont Alexandre III
The Pont Alexandre III is a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. It connects the Champs-Élysées quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower. The bridge is widely regarded as the most ornate, extravagant bridge in the cit ...
at the river Seine (which he had previously visited). Similar to the Parisian Pont, he marked both ends of the bridge with four
plinth
A pedestal (from French ''piédestal'', Italian ''piedistallo'' 'foot of a stall') or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In ...
s and commissioned a sculptor named Martinez to build four statues, called ''La Madre Filipina'' (The Philippine Motherland), which would be placed on the pedestals.
World War II
The bridge was renamed to Banzai Bridge during the
Japanese occupation, by virtue of Executive Order No. 41 issued by
Philippine Executive Commission
The Philippine Executive Commission (PEC; Tagalog: ''Komisyong Tagapagpaganap ng Pilipinas'') was a provisional government set up to govern the Philippine archipelago during World War II. It was established with sanction from the occupying Imp ...
Chairman
Jorge B. Vargas
Jorge Bartolomé Vargas y Celis (August 24, 1890 – February 22, 1980) was a Filipino lawyer, diplomat and youth advocate born in Bago, Negros Occidental, Philippines. He graduated valedictorian from Negros Occidental High School in 1909 and ...
in 1942.
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, the
Japanese Army bombed the bridge against the incoming
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
troops during the
Battle of Manila. One of the four statues was permanently lost during the destruction. After the war, a
Bailey bridge
A Bailey bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge. It was developed in 1940–1941 by the British for military use during the Second World War and saw extensive use by British, Canadian and American military engineering units. ...
was set up as a temporary passageway for vehicles while the main bridge itself is being rebuilt.
Second Jones Bridge (1946-present)
Post-war reconstruction
Following the passage of the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1945, the Philippine Bureau of Public Works and the
U.S. Bureau of Public Roads reconstructed the Jones and Quezon bridges using large and deep steel girders. Upon its completion, none of its original ornamentation on either piers and balustrades were restored, and its neoclassical aesthetic were replaced with an unadorned architecture in an urgent haste to finish its reconstruction. The three remaining ''La Madre Filipina'' statues were also removed and its plinths were demolished. One was relocated within Rizal Park while the two others are relocated at the entrance of the Court of Appeals Main Building.
1998 restoration
In 1998, in celebration of the
Philippine Centennial Independence, the bridge was partially restored by architect Conrad Onglao, who was commissioned by then-First Lady
Amelita Ramos
Amelita "Ming" Jara Martinez-Ramos (born December 29, 1926) is a former First Lady of the Philippines. She is the widow of Fidel V. Ramos.
Early life
Ramos was born Amelita Jara Martinez to Rufino Martinez and Josefa Jara Martinez, both from ...
. Stone balustrades replaced the post-modern steel design. During the time of Manila Mayor
Lito Atienza
Jose "Lito" Livioko Atienza Jr. (; born August 10, 1941) is a Filipino politician. He served as a Party-list Representative for Buhay from 2013 to 2022, and was a House Deputy Speaker from 2020 to 2022. He served as the Secretary of Environment ...
, the steel girders were lighted and thematic lamp post were added onto the bridge, which drew mixed reactions. Two
fu dogs were also added at the base of the bridge's south side, which gave it a Chinese character as opposed to its original neoclassical design.
2019 redevelopment
![Jones_Bridge_ML_PH_(M](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Jones_Bridge_ML_PH_%28M._Onod_pic%29_-_Flickr.jpg)
In 2019, Manila Mayor
Isko Moreno
Francisco Moreno Domagoso (born October 24, 1974), popularly known by his stage name Isko Moreno or Isko Moreno Domagoso (), is a Filipino politician and actor who previously served as the 27th mayor of Manila from 2019 to 2022. Before headi ...
announced plans to "restore" the Jones Bridge to its near-original architecture, including the return of the three surviving sculptures that had previously guarded the bridge, using the ₱20 million that were donated towards the project.
The fourth sculpture destroyed by the war was replicated using the archives of the pre-war Jones Bridge in the
National Library of the Philippines
The National Library of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Aklatan ng Pilipinas or ''Aklatang Pambansa ng Pilipinas'', abbreviated NLP, es, Biblioteca Nacional de Filipinas) is the official national library of the Philippines. The complex is l ...
.
Moreno commissioned Jose Acuzar, owner of
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (Spanish for "Acuzar's Philippine Houses") is a beach resort, hotel, convention center and heritage destination in Bagac, Bataan, Philippines.
History
Jose Acuzar, the owner of New San Jose Builders, Inc., started ...
to design and build
Beaux-Arts-styled lamp posts similar to those on Pont Alexandre III. The four plinths for the ''La Madre Filipina'' statues were reconstructed that would act as the pedestal for the returning sculptures.
Retrofit and repair works were also done at the steel girders of the bridge.
The statues of ''Gratitude'' and ''Democracy'' were reinstated at the bridge on November 22. Jones Bridge was inaugurated on November 24, 2019 and was formally opened to the public. However, the remaining statues of ''La Madre Filipina'' located at the grounds of the Court of Appeals were deemed too fragile to be moved for relocation to its original spot. They were instead replicated, then reinstated at their original location on June 2021.
Sculptures
Four statues that guarded the bridge are collectively called ''La Madre Filipina'' (The Philippine Motherland). Three of them were spared from the war but was relocated. The fourth one was destroyed and it was replicated in the 2019 redevelopment. Each statue symbolizes the different aspect of nationhood since the Philippines at the time was transitioning from being a colony of the United States to gaining its independence.
* ''Gratitude:'' located at the southeast portion of the bridge, this sculpture was transferred to Rizal Park after World War II and was reinstated back to its original location after 74 years. It was prominently called as ''La Madre Filipina'' while on display at the park.
* ''Democracy:'' destroyed during the
Battle of Manila in 1945. It was replicated in 2019 using archives provided by the
National Library of the Philippines
The National Library of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Aklatan ng Pilipinas or ''Aklatang Pambansa ng Pilipinas'', abbreviated NLP, es, Biblioteca Nacional de Filipinas) is the official national library of the Philippines. The complex is l ...
and was installed at the southwest corner of the bridge where the former statue once stood.
* ''Progress:'' located on the northwest portion of the bridge. It symbolizes, labor, education and power. A replica of the original statue was installed on June 2021, together with ''Justice''. The original one located on the grounds of the Court of Appeals was deemed too fragile to be relocated.
* ''Justice:'' located on the northeast side of the bridge, it symbolizes law and order, and equality under the law. A replica of the original statue was installed June 2021, together with ''Progress''. The original one located on the grounds of the Court of Appeals was deemed too fragile to be relocated.
Traffic
![Jones Bridge - to Binondo (Manila; 11-24-2019)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Jones_Bridge_-_to_Binondo_%28Manila%3B_11-24-2019%29.jpg)
The Jones bridge rarely suffers from traffic congestion, which usually occurs at both ends of the bridge due to parking violations.
Water buses of
Pasig River Ferry Service
The Pasig River Ferry Service (PRFS) is a public water bus service based in Metro Manila, the Philippines. It is currently the only water-based transportation service in Metro Manila that cruises the length of the Pasig River and Marikina River ...
also habitually pass under it to reach its
Escolta Street
Escolta Street (lit: Escort) is a historic east–west street located in the old downtown district of Binondo in Manila, Philippines. It runs parallel to the Pasig River, from Plaza Santa Cruz to Plaza Moraga and Quintin Paredes Street. The s ...
station.
Every January 9 of the year since 2013, the
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA; fil, Pangasiwaan sa Pagpapaunlad ng Kalakhang Maynila) is a government agency of the Philippines responsible for constituting the regional government of Metro Manila, comprising the capital ...
annually closes the bridge from car passage for a procession during the
Feast of the Black Nazarene
The Feast of the Black Nazarene (Filipino: ''Pista ng ItÃm na Nazareno''), also known as the ''Traslación'' after the mass procession associated with the feast, is a religious festival held in Manila, Philippines that is centered around the Bl ...
after the
Department of Public Works and Highways
The Department of Public Works and Highways ( fil, Kagawaran ng mga Pagawain at Lansangang Bayan}), abbreviated as DPWH, is the executive department of the Philippine government solely vested with the Mandate to “be the State's engineering ...
deemed the nearby
MacArthur Bridge unstable to accommodate increasing foot traffic during the festivities.
However, the ''Translacion'' was rerouted to
Ayala Bridge
Ayala Bridge, in Filipino ''"Tulay ng Ayala"'' and in Spanish ''"Puente de Ayala"'', is a steel truss bridge over the Pasig River in Manila, Philippines. It connects the districts of Ermita and San Miguel, passing over the western tip of I ...
starting 2020, which has been recently retrofitted.
Incidents
In 2012, the
Philippine Coast Guard
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ( fil, Tanod Baybayin ng Pilipinas) is recognized as the third armed uniformed service of the country attached to the Philippines' Department of Transportation, tasked primarily with enforcing laws within P ...
issued a ban on swimming along the Pasig River after three floating bodies were discovered within the vicinity of the bridge.
In 2019,
Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission
The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission was a state commission in charge of the rehabilitation of the Pasig River. The commission served for 20 years, from 1999 until its dissolution by President Rodrigo Duterte in November 2019. The body's p ...
rescued three teenagers who were struggling in swimming under the bridge from drowning.
In popular culture
* The bridge was featured on 2021 Philippine
romantic fantasy
Romantic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy fiction, describing a fantasy story using many of the elements and conventions of the chivalric romance genre.
One of the key features of romantic fantasy involves the focus on relationships, social, ...
''
The Lost Recipe
''The Lost Recipe'' is a 2021 Philippine television drama romantic fantasy series broadcast by GMA News TV and GTV. Directed by Monti Puno Parungao, it stars Kelvin Miranda and Mikee Quintos. It premiered on January 18, 2021 on the network's ...
''.
* The 2007 Filipino film ''
The Promise'' has a scene in where Daniel (
Richard Gutierrez
Richard Kristian Gutierrez (born January 21, 1984), known professionally as Richard Gutierrez, is a Filipino actor, environmentalist and model. He is one of the sons of actor Eddie Gutierrez.
Early life
Richard Gutierrez was born on January ...
) was tasked to assassinate someone underneath the bridge's tunnel, although he was unable to do it and sets the man free afterwards.
* The bridge serves as the backdrop for the 1989 film ''
Jones Bridge Massacre: Task Force Clabio'' starring
Lito Lapid
Manuel "Lito" Mercado Lapid (; born October 25, 1955) is a Filipino actor and politician serving as a Senator since 2019, and previously from 2004 to 2016. He started his political career in Pampanga, serving as vice governor from 1992 to 1995 ...
, which was based on real-life events.
Gallery
Jones_Bridge_over_the_Pasig_River,_Manila,_Philippines,_c1930s.jpg, Jones Bridge in the 1930s
Post-Office-Jones-Brdg-1947.jpg, Jones Bridge after the Battle of Manila in 1947
07568jfSanta_Cruz_Manila_Pasig_River_Ferry_Streets_Landmarksfvf_06.jpg, Jones Bridge in 2016
Binondojf9974_14.JPG, Carriageway
A carriageway (British English) or roadway (North American English) consists of a width of road on which a vehicle is not restricted by any physical barriers or separation to move laterally. A carriageway generally consists of a number of tra ...
of the bridge prior to the 2019 redevelopment
Jones_Bridge_(Manila;_01-30-2021).jpg, Jones Bridge at present
File:Jones_Bridge_(Binondo,_Manila;_12-31-2021).jpg, Jones Bridge at sunset
See also
*
Spanish East Indies
The Spanish East Indies ( es , Indias orientales españolas ; fil, Silangang Indiyas ng Espanya) were the overseas territories of the Spanish Empire in Asia and Oceania from 1565 to 1898, governed for the Spanish Crown from Mexico City and Madri ...
*
Spanish Filipino
Spanish Filipinos ( es, español filipino / hispano filipino / castellano filipino; cbk, español filipino / hispano filipino / conio; Filipino/ tl, Kastilà / Espanyól / Tisoy / Konyo; ceb, KatsÃlà / Ispaniyul; hil, KatsÃlà / Espanyà ...
*
Philippine Spanish
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
*
Chavacano
Chavacano or Chabacano is a group of Spanish-based creole language varieties spoken in the Philippines. The variety spoken in Zamboanga City, located in the southern Philippine island group of Mindanao, has the highest concentration of speaker ...
*
Captaincy General of the Philippines
The Captaincy General of the Philippines ( es, CapitanÃa General de Filipinas ; tl, Kapitaniya Heneral ng Pilipinas) was an administrative district of the Spanish Empire in Southeast Asia governed by a governor-general as a dependency of the ...
*
Intramuros Grand Marian Procession
The Intramuros Grand Marian Procession is an annual religious procession that takes place in honor of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. This event takes place every First Sunday of December at the Plaza de Roma at the facade of the Manila ...
*
Gates of Intramuros
The gates of Intramuros refer to the original eight gates of the Walled City of Intramuros in Manila, built during the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. The gates are called by the original Spanish word for "gate", ''puerta'' (plural: ''pu ...
*
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago ( es, Fuerte de Santiago; fil, Kutà ng Santiago), built in 1571, is a citadel built by Spanish navigator and governor Miguel López de Legazpi for the newly established city of Manila in the Philippines. The defense fortress is lo ...
*
List of crossings of the Pasig River
This is a list of bridges and other crossings of the Pasig River in Metro Manila, Philippines.
The crossings are listed in order starting from its mouth at Manila Bay and proceeding upstream to its source at Laguna de Bay.
As of , there are a ...
*
List of Philippine historic sites
References
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{Road infrastructure in Manila
Bridges in Manila
Buildings and structures in Binondo
Buildings and structures in Ermita
Neoclassical architecture in the Philippines
Juan M. Arellano buildings